Professional Documents
Culture Documents
For cards with a specific skill check, you must have that skill to attempt the check. Otherwise, use 1d4.
For combat checks, use either the skill(s) on a played weapon/spell/combat card, Strength, or Melee.
If a monster, banish it if defeated. If undefeated, take damage and shuffle into the deck.
If a henchman, banish it if defeated and attempt to close the location if desired (and if henchman
allows it). If undefeated, take damage and shuffle back into the deck.
If against a monster or henchman, banish it. If the henchman was encountered, you may attempt to
close the location.
If a villain, other players may first attempt to temporarily close their locations. Then resolve the
combat check:
If the villain was defeated, permanently close the location (ignore the When Closing check).
If the villain was defeated and there are no open locations left, the players win.
Otherwise, regardless of whether the villain was defeated, the villain escapes. Draw blessing
cards (from the box if defeated, from the blessings deck if undefeated) equal to one fewer
than the open locations. Shuffle the villain in with the blessings and distribute one to each
open location. Then shuffle the location decks.
If encountering a ship, if you are not commanding a ship, banish it. Otherwise, encounter it as any
other bane, but return it after the encounter (unless seized).
If defeated, add one plunder to your partys ship. If the ship may be seized, you may banish
your ship and replace it with the new one.
If undefeated, take structural damage.
Attempt to close the location by attempting a When Closing check if you defeated an encountered
henchman or if there are no cards left in the location deck. If successful, resolve the When
Permanently Closed effect. Banish all non-villain cards. If there are villains left, keep them there; the
location stays open.
3. Reset Hand (mandatory)
Discard any cards from your hand if desired. Then draw back up to the characters hand size. (If
unable, the character dies.) Banish one plunder if the party ship is wrecked.
Play then passes clockwise.
Multiple Checks
If a check lists or, attempt against either skill to succeed. If it lists then, succeed against both.
Resolve or before resolving then.
If there are multiple checks, other players at your location may attempt them as long as you are able to
attempt at least one.
Plunder Rolls
1: weapon
3:
armor
5: ally
2: spell
4:
item
6: any of 15
Setup
1. Choose Character. Each player chooses a character
and takes that characters matching character card,
role card, token card, and deck. If necessary, build the
deck and trade cards with other players, conforming to
the card type limits listed on the character card.
2. Choose Scenario. Lay out your chosen scenario
card. If playing an Adventure/Path, lay out the
Adventure/Path Card(s) first, then the scenario.
3. Set Up Locations. Take the location cards listed
on the scenario card for your number of players and
all lower player numbers. Place them in the center of
the table.
4. Build Location Decks. Randomly add the number
Turn Summary
Starting with the first player, each player takes a full turn as described below. Play then passes clockwise.
1. Advance the Blessing Deck:
Flip the top card of the blessing deck into the
blessing discard pile. If there are no cards left to
do this, the players lose.
DYING: At any time, if you must draw or remove a card from your deck but cannot, your character dies. Place all your cards under your character card. If you are not
resurrected by another player during the scenario, your character permanently dies.
ACTIONS
1. Give a Card
Give a player at your location up to one card from your
hand. Other players cannot give you one.
2. Move
You may attempt to repair a wrecked ship (see
Wrecked Ships on reverse) before moving.
Move your character token to another location deck.
You may move to a closed location, if desired, to
encounter any remaining cards.
If commanding an unanchored ship, other characters
at your location may move with you.
3. EXPLORE
Draw the top card of the location deck. Resolve any
effects that take place when encountered.
If able to evade the deck, you may shuffle the card
back into the deck. Do not count it as defeated or
undefeated. Do not resolve any more of its effects.
Otherwise, if it is a boon card, you may try to acquire
it or banish it. If it is a bane card, you must try to
defeat it. (See Attempting a Check below.)
ATTEMPTING A CHECK
Checks are attempted when encountering cards during
an exploration or as the result of an effect of other
cards (such as closing a location or using a cards
ability).
Some cards have effects that occur before, during,
or after the skill check. Review and resolve them as
appropriate.
Multiple Checks
If a card has multiple checks joined by or, you
may make a check against either of the abilities
to succeed. If they are joined by then, you must
succeed against both checks. If it includes both or
and then, treat either the two checks joined by or
as one of the required checks, the one after then as
the other.
If other characters are at the same location as where
you are attempting sequential (then) checks, they
may attempt one or more of the checks, as long as
you are also able to attempt a check. If you are unable
to attempt any of them, nobody may attempt them
(the card is undefeated).
FACEUP CARDS
If a card (e.g., undefeated barrier) stays faceup, it
is placed to the side of a deck. It is part of that deck
and counts as the top card of the deck for effects but
is not shuffled into the deck unless resolved. If there
are multiple faceup cards, they may be placed in any
order.
Taking Damage
When taking damage resulting from a check against
a monster, henchman, or villain, for each point your
result was below the difficulty, choose and discard one
card as damage, to a maximum of your entire hand.
(This is combat damage unless specified otherwise.)
For damage resulting from any other effect, choose
and discard one card per point of damage, to a
maximum of your entire hand.
You and other players may play cards or powers to
reduce this damage if desired. If damage dealt is due
Encountering Villains
When a player encounters a villain, all players in
other locations may first attempt to temporarily close
their locations (see to right) in any order.
Then the player who encountered the villain must
attempt a check against it. Resolve the combat check
(see Attempting a Check on reverse).
If undefeated, deal damage and resolve any effects.
If defeated, immediately permanently close the
villain's location (see to right). Ignore any When
Closing checks but resolve any When Permanently
Closed effects.
Regardless, the villain will attempt to escape:
If the villain was defeated and there are no open
locations, the players win.
If the villain was defeated and there are remaining
open locations, draw random blessings from the
box (one fewer than open locations). Shuffle the
villain in with the blessing cards, deal one to each
open location deck, and shuffle each location deck.
If the villain was undefeated, perform the same
step as above but draw random blessings from the
blessings deck. If the villains location is the only
open location, just shuffle it back into that deck.
Closing a Location
A location may be closed permanently by defeating a
henchman that specifically allows you to do so, by an
action on a location with no more cards in its deck, or
by other special actions.
Defeating a henchman allows you to attempt closing
the location only if the henchman was encountered
from that locations deck (not summoned).
Players at other locations may temporarily close them
when a player encounters a villain card.
To close the location, you must pass any When
Closing requirement. If successful, close the location:
If permanently closed, search through the location
deck. If the villain card is in the deck, it remains at
the location and may be encountered. The location
remains open. Banish all remaining cards in the
location deck.
If there were no villains left in the deck, flip over
the location card. Resolve any When Permanently
Closed effects. Banish all remaining cards.
If temporarily closed, the location is only closed for
purposes of the villains escape attempt and re-opens
immediately afterwards. Do not banish any cards. Do
not resolve any When Permanently Closed effects.
If you fail to close the location, it remains open
until another attempt can be made (encountering a
henchman, running out of cards, or effect).
4: item
5: ally
6: any of 15
ENCOUNTERING SHIPS
If you encounter a ship while not commanding a ship,
banish it. If commanding a ship, treat it as a bane for
purposes of evasion/encounter checks, but return it
after the encounter (unless you seize it).
If you defeat it, stash a plunder. If you can also seize
the ship, you may replace your current ship with
the defeated ship (move any plunder cards to it and
banish the old ship). Seized ships do not get added to
the fleet card.
If undefeated, deal structural damage to the ship
equal (one per point of difference between the
WRECKED SHIPS
If a ship is wrecked, flip it facedown. Before moving,
the player in command may attempt the check on its
card to repair the ship. If successful, flip the card up.
If the ship is still wrecked at the end of any players
turn, banish one random plunder stashed under it.
Glossary of Terms
Bane: Cards that must be defeated: villains,
henchmen, monsters, and barriers.
banish the card if you fail. If you roll too low on a Combat
check, its too late to play a Strength spell to improve your
result. Once you choose a side of a role card, you cant
switch to the other side. If something kills your character,
your character dies. Every choice matterstake your
choices seriously.
What if a card tells me to do something impossible, like
examine a card from an empty deck, or draw more cards
than there are left in a deck?
Ignore the impossible partand only that partof the
card. Resolution: On page 2 of the rulebook, at the end of
the Golden Rule, add the following: "If a card instructs
you to do something impossible, such as examine a card
in an empty deck, ignore that instruction. If a card tells
you to do something with a specific number of cards, and
there aren't that many cards available, use as many as
there are. For example, if you're told to draw 4 cards from
a deck that has only 3 cards, draw the 3 cards. (Regardless
of this, if you need to remove any number of cards from
your deck and don't have enough, your character dies; if
you need to remove any number of cards from the
blessings deck and don't have enough, you lose the
scenario.)"
How do I read the d4? And can I really roll a 0 on the
d10?
On the d4, read the number thats upright when you
look at the die. And the 0 on the d10 should be treated as
a 10. Resolution: In the "Rules: Rolling Dice" sidebar on
page 6 of the rulebook, add the following as a new
paragraph at the beginning: The game comes with five
dice: a 4-sider, 6-sider, 8-sider, 10-sider, and 12-sider.
When you roll the 4-sider, use the number that is upright.
The 0 on the 10-sider should be treated as a 10.
I have a card that tells me to add a particular die to
multiple checks. Do I roll the die once and add the same
result to all of the checks, or do I roll it once for each
check?
Roll once for each check. Resolution: In the Rolling Dice
sidebar on page 6, the last sentence should be: If a card
calls for a die roll that affects multiple characters or
situations (for example, if it says that each character at a
location is dealt 1d4 damage), roll separately for each.
I'm drawing my starting hand, and my favored card is
one of the last cards in the deck. After all that discarding,
there are only a couple cards left. Do I just start with a
smaller hand?
Nojust draw the last few cards, which will guarantee
you've finally got your favored card type (as long as you
remembered to actually put any in your deck!), then
deck faceup onto the top of the blessings discard pile. You
never acquire this card, though some cards may refer to it
during your turn. If you have to remove one or more cards
from the blessings deck for any reason, and there are not
enough cards to do so, the players lose the scenario (see
p. 18: Ending a Scenario, Adventure, or Adventure Path)."
Also, on page 18 of the rulebook, under Ending a
Scenario, Adventure, or Adventure Path, replace the first
sentence with the following: "If, at any point, you need to
remove one or more cards from the blessings deck but
there are not enough cards remaining in it to do so, the
scenario ends immediately, and your party of adventurers
loses."
If something happens "at the start of my turn," does it
happen before or after advancing the blessings deck?
It happens after. Advancing the blessings deck is always
the very first thing that happens on your turn. Resolution:
On page 8 of the rulebook, under Advance the Blessings
Deck, add the italicized text: At the start of your turn, flip
the top card from the blessings deck faceup onto the top
of the blessings discard pile. You never acquire this card,
though some cards may refer to it during your turn. If you
have to remove one or more cards from the blessings
deck for any reason and there are not enough cards to do
so, the players lose the scenario (see Ending a Scenario,
Adventure, or Adventure Path on page 18). After
advancing the blessings deck, apply any other effects that
happen at the start of your turn.
reset your hand and end your turn. After resolving these
effects, you may no longer play cards or use powers for
the rest of the turn.
"Next, you may discard any number of cards. Then, if
you have more cards in your hand than your hand size
specifies, you must discard until the number of cards in
your hand matches your hand size. Finally, if you have
fewer cards than your hand size, you must draw cards
until the number of cards in your hand matches your hand
size."
On the Turn Overview on the back page, change the
Reset Your Hand entry to: Reset your handapply endof-turn effects, then discard any number of cards; finally,
discard down to or draw up to your hand size.
How do I know if I can play (this card) to (do this thing)
(at this time)?
Just read the card. If it says it does something, it does
that, and doesn't do anything else that's not specified in
this rulebook. If the card doesn't say when it can do what
it says, it can do it whenever the situation is applicable
and you're allowed to play cards at all. Resolution: On
page 10 of the rulebook, under Playing Cards, add this as
the first sentence: "Anyone can play a card whenever the
card allows it."
I've just acquired a spell that says "If you do not have the
Arcane or Divine skill, banish this card." My character
does not have a required skill. When exactly do I banish
the cardwhen I acquire it, or when I play it? Also, if my
character isn't a spellcaster, can I actually play it?
You can play itonceand then you have to banish it.
(As for not being a spellcaster, think of it as using a spell
from a scroll.) Resolution: On page 10 of the rulebook,
under "Playing Cards," add the following sentence to the
end of the first paragraph: "Any paragraph in the power
section of a boon that doesn't involve playing the card for
No. You have to make the choice and live with the
results. Resolution: On page 13 of the rulebook, under
"Closing a Location", following the second sentence in the
second paragraph, add the following sentence: "If the
'When Closing' text offers multiple options separated by
'or', you must make your choice of options before you
make any rolls or play any cards.
The rules say that my character dies if I have to draw a
card from my deck, but can't. So if I'm forced to bury a
card from my empty deck, that doesn't kill my character,
right?
He has passed on. This character is no more! He has
ceased to be. He's expired and gone to meet his maker.
He's a stiff. Bereft of life, he rests in peace. He's kicked the
bucket, he's shuffled off his mortal coil, run down the
curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible. He is an excharacter! Resolution: On page 14 of the rulebook, under
Dying, change the first sentence to: "If, for any reason,
you are ever required to remove one or more cards from
your deck and you don't have enough cards, your
character dies."
When I die, are all my cards buried?
Yes. Resolution: On page 13 of the rulebook, under
Dying, change "Place any cards in your deck, hand, and
discard pile under your character card" to "Bury your
deck, hand, and discard pile."
Are the text boxes on story cards considered powers?
Yes. Resolution: On page 14 of the rulebook, adjust the
following sentences as indicated in bold:
Under Story Cards: The front of each story card includes
powers for playing it. Some rules are used during play,
and some are used as you set up a particular scenario, so
make sure you read them right away.
Under Locations: At This Location: These are special
powers that are in effect while the location is open. When
Permanently Closed: When a location is permanently
closed, the powers listed here go into effect.
When a card tells me to select a random card, how do I
do it?
Shuffle the hand, deck, or pile of cards and then draw.
Yes, this can indeed have major effects on the deck.
Resolution: Add a "Rules" sidebar to the rulebook (we will
probably add it on page 15) that says the following:
Randomizing Cards: Whenever you are instructed to
choose random cards, shuffle the cards you're drawing
from and draw from the top.
Card Questions:
Rise of the Runelords Base Set
In her healer role, does Kyra have to draw a card every
time she uses her healing power (assuming she has the
"draw a card" feat)?
No. Resolution: On the Healer side of Kyra's role card,
change the parenthetical text at the end of the first power
to "( and you may draw a card)".
I'm playing Brigandoom! If a monster makes me
recharge two cards, do I draw two cards?
Yes. Resolution: On the scenario Brigandoom!, change
the power to: "If a monster's power causes you to
recharge one or more cards, do so, then draw the same
number of cards."
Does the person who encounters the first monster at the
Garrison have to encounter it twice?
No. Resolution: On the location Garrison, in the At This
Location section, change "each character" to "each other
character".
What does placing the weapons and armor "under this
location" mean on the Garrison card?
We mean you should assemble a location deck out of
them. Resolution: On the location Garrison, change the
When Permanently Closed text to read as follows: "On
closing, do not banish any weapons or armors from this
location; shuffle any that remain into this deck."
I'm in the General Store, and the only card left is a
monster that I can only beat if I roll really well. But once
I'm out of cards, it can no longer hurt me, so I get to keep
trying until I beat it, right? That's awesome!
You might enjoy it, but we know our friends would not
be thrilled watching us repeatedly roll dice until we get
exactly the result we want. Sorryno wandering through
the General Store empty-handed. (No cards? No service!)
Resolution: On the location General Store, change "At
This Location" to: "If, during your exploration, you
encounter anything other than an armor, an item, or a
weapon, after the exploration you may reveal a card to
explore again."
On Sandpoint Cathedral and Town Square, barriers and
monsters are not in the usual order on the deck list. Are
the numbers next to them correct?
The two rows are swapped, but the right number
appears next to each card type. Resolution: On the
locations Sandpoint Cathedral and Town Square, in the
deck list, swap the rows so that monster is before barrier.