Bardsung: Legend of the Ancient Forge Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
  • Heroes
  • Enemies
  • Cards
  • Tokens and Terrain Elements
• Getting Started
  • Dice
  • Action Rolls
  • Advantage and Disadvantage
  • Rerolls
  • The Board
  • Tiles
• The Combat Tutorial
  • Arriving in Town
  • Setting Up the Combat Tutorial
    • Cards
    • Heroes and the Dashboard
    • The Combat Tutorial Tile
    • Fate
  • Playing the Combat Tutorial
• Heroes
  • Profile Cards and Characteristic Modifiers
  • Equipment Cards
  • Ability Cards
  • Heroes and Suffering Wounds
  • Being Defeated
• Initiative Cards and the Marching Order
  • The Marching Order
  • Rounds and Turns
  • The End Phase
• Playing a Turn
  • Hero Turns
  • Move
  • Parting Blows
  • Use Ability
  • Ability Effects
• Enemies
  • Enemies and Suffering Wounds
  • Target Numbers and Modifiers
  • Enemy Turns
  • Behaviour Types and Enemy Actions
  • Preferred Targets
  • Rules Conflicts
• Completing the Combat Tutorial
  • Hunting the Hobgoblins
• The Exploration Tutorial
  • Setting Up the Encounter Tutorial
    • Cards
    • Heroes and Dashboards
    • The Playing Area
  • Playing the Exploration Tutorial
• Exploring and Additional Rules
  • Fate
    • Empowering Attacks
    • Replenishing Fate
  • Enemies
    • Additional Behaviour Traits
    • Resilient and Vulnerable TN's
    • Complex Cards
  • Exploring
    • Connected Tiles
  • The Explore Action
    • 1. Draw and Resolve a Dungeon Card
    • 2. Draw and Resolve an Aspect Card
    • Challenge Cards
    • 3. Shuffle the Marching Order
  • Placing Enemies During the Exploration Encounter
  • Completing the Exploration Tutorial
• Preparing for the Campaign
• Setting-Up Full Encounters
  • Healing Potions, Firewood, Toolkits, and Charms
  • Cards
    • Starting Decks
    • The Vaults
• Advanced Hero Rules
  • Dice
    • Upgrading Damage Die
  • Free Actions
  • Abilities
    • Active and Passive Abilities
    • Area of Effect (AoE) Attacks
    • Pulse Attacks
    • Miss Effects
  • Additional Effects and Properties
  • Serious Wounds and Conditions
    • Serious Wounds
    • Healing and Being Defeated
    • Conditions
  • Resting and Checkpoints
    • Resting
    • Checkpoints
  • Treasure
    • Gemstones and Runes
    • Attaching Cards
    • Consumables
• Advanced Exploration Rules
  • The Entrance Tile
  • The Boundary
  • Dead-Ends
  • Secret Passages
  • Free Placement
  • New Dungeon Card Symbols
    • Fixed Entrances
    • Terrain Elements
    • Doors
    • Areas
    • Enemies and Areas
• The End Phase
  • Timing Steps
  • The Event Roll
  • Echo Tokens
  • Terrain Hazards
• The Maintenance Phase
  • 1. Upkeep Step
  • 2. Gold Step
  • 3. Level-Up Step
    • Increasing Characteristic Modifiers
    • Enhancing Abilities
  • Purchasing New Abilities
  • Equipment
    • Upgrading Equipment
• Boss Encounters
  • Boss Encounter Set Up
  • Playing a Boss Encounter
  • Boss Cards
  • Reference Card
  • Initiative Cards
  • Boss Turns
  • End Phases
  • Bosses and Suffering Wounds
  • Stages
  • Mini-Bosses
• Summary
  • Hero Actions
  • Attack Properties
  • Conditions
  • Dice Bonuses
  • Enemy TN Modifiers
  • Attack Effects
  • Terrain Elements

Components

Heroes

• Stoneheart — x1 Miniature, x1 Initiative card, x1 Profile card, x4 Equipment cards, x13 Ability cards
• Lightweaver — x1 Miniature, x1 Initiative card, x1 Profile card, x4 Equipment cards, x13 Ability cards
• Dawnguard — x1 Miniature, x1 Initiative card, x1 Profile card, x4 Equipment cards, x13 Ability cards
• Nightfeather — x1 Miniature, x1 Initiative card, x1 Profile card, x4 Equipment cards, x13 Ability cards
• Wyldshell — x1 Miniature, x1 Initiative card, x1 Profile card, x4 Equipment cards, x13 Ability cards

Enemies

• Giant Spider — x1 Miniature
• Crimson Hook — x1 Miniature
• Ettercap — x1 Miniature
• Crone — x1 Miniature
• Kryx — x1 Miniature
• Giant Rat — x1 Miniature
• Ferrous Maw — x1 Miniature
• Cepid — x1 Miniature
• Greater Demon — x1 Miniature
• Brigand — x6 Miniatures
• Raider — x3 Miniatures
• Reaver — x2 Miniatures
• Butcher — x1 Miniature
• Brute — x2 Miniatures
• Ogre — x1 Miniature
• Slaughterbeast — x1 Miniature
• Shaman — x1 Miniature
• Berserker — x3 Miniatures
• Hunter — x3 Miniatures
• Chief — x1 Miniature
• Miner — x4 Miniatures
• Executioner — x4 Miniatures
• Kingsguard — x4 Miniatures
• Sniper — x3 Miniatures
• Arcanist — x2 Miniatures
• King — x1 Miniature
• Gelatinous Cube — x1 Miniature
• Hook Horror — x1 Miniature
• Reaper — x1 Miniature
• Shadow — x4 Miniatures
• Elemental — x4 Miniatures
• Ettin — x1 Miniature

Cards

• x65 Enemy Profile cards
• x4 Mini-Boss Initiative cards
• x12 Boss Profile cards
• x37 Boss Initiative cards
• x18 Miscellaneous Boss cards
• x5 Wandering Monster Deck Event cards
• x138 Aspect Battle cards
• x214 Aspect Challenge cards
• x17 Dungeon Corridor cards
• x39 Dungeon Room cards
• x11 Behaviour cards
• x78 Narrative cards
• x60 Treasure cards
• x8 Squire cards
• x28 Wound cards
• x1 Second Wind card

Tokens and Terrain Elements

• x1 Party marker
• x1 Reputation marker
• x7 Fate
• x3 Toolkit
• x3 Firewood
• x3 Healing Potion
• x3 Charm
• x10 Gold
• x5 3rd Action
• x2 Mirage
• x4 Devotion
• x5 Ghost
• x1 Grudge
• x90 Characteristic Modifier
• x5 Blessing/Pinned
• x5 Bleed/Sundered
• x10 Burn/Frost
• x5 Fatigue/Silence
• x12 Poison/Stunned
• x9 Bane/Weakened
• x25 Wound/Timer
• x10 1XP/3XP
• x1 Rulebook (This Book!)
• x1 Adventure Book
• x2 d20, x1 d12, x1 d10, x1 d8, x3 d6 and x2 d4 Dice
• 1x Two-part double-sided playing board
• x7 Possessed/Corpse
• x7 Possessed/Spore
• x6 Corpse/Spore
• x4 Hidden Passage
• x1 Echo
• x3 Lever
• x1 Stairs
• x3 Treasure
• x4 Cover/Drift
• x2 Vines/Firepit
• x2 Vines/Stalagmite
• x8 Water/Gas
• x1 Lava Pit/Old Well
• x1 Lava Pit/Pipe
• x2 Mushroom Patch/Forge
• x1 Mushroom Patch/Banner
• x1 Mushroom Patch/Elevation
• x10 Doors
• x1 Portcullis
• x7 Dead-Ends
• x20 Double-sided game tiles

Getting Started

The following are basic rules covering how to use and interact with some of the game's components.

Dice

Some rules require a hero to roll a specific dice to determine a random number. Dice are always described in shorthand, as "d", and then the number of facings on the die (i.e. d6 is the die with six faces, d8 is the die with eight faces, and so on).

There's one dice which might be a little different to what you've seen before—the d4. After rolling a d4, the result is the number in the top position, on all three upright faces.

Action Rolls

Some rules require a hero to make an action roll. An action roll always uses a d20.

When a hero makes an action roll, they're attempting to roll equal to or higher than a target number (abbreviated as TN) in order to pass the roll. If they don't roll equal to or higher than the TN, they fail the action roll.

Each action roll lists a characteristic. If a hero has a modifier for that characteristic, apply it after the die has been rolled.

Advantage and Disadvantage

Some action rolls will have advantage or disadvantage.

When a hero makes a roll with advantage, they roll an extra d20, and use the die with the highest result.

When a hero makes a roll with disadvantage, they roll an extra d20, and use the die with the lowest result.

A hero can only ever roll one extra d20, even if multiple effects give their roll advantage (or disadvantage).

If a roll has both advantage and disadvantage, make the roll as normal with a single die.

Rerolls

Some rules allow a hero to reroll one or more dice. Rerolls are performed immediately after the original roll, and the hero must accept the new result. A rerolled dice can't be rerolled again, even if the reroll comes from a different rule.

If multiple dice were used in the original roll, the hero must reroll them all.

The Board

Bardsung: Legend of the Ancient Forge is played on a board. The board has two sides, each showing a different map. Always use the exploration side unless the adventure book advises otherwise.

The two sides are the Exploration side and the Arena side.

Tiles

The playing area during each encounter is made up of a series of tiles, laid out as the heroes explore.

Each tile has zones printed on it.

Movement and range are always listed in zones. When checking the distance between two models, count the number of zones between them, along the shortest route. A zone is adjacent to another zone if they share a flat edge with one another.

The edges of each zone are represented by artwork and intended to be unobtrusive. If you're not sure of where they begin and end, use the guide on the reference sheet to check.

The edge of each tile is a wall, unless the artwork shows a portal. Models can only move between tiles by using a portal.

If two tiles are connected by a portal, the portal forms a zone edge that allows heroes to move and measure range between them in the same way as adjacent zones.

There isn't a limit to how many models can fit in a zone.

Each tile has a single icon. This is used for several in-game effects, referenced in rules or on cards.

The Combat Tutorial

Arriving in Town

For many moons now, you've heard tales of woe from this region. First, only as the odd story told by a bitter merchant, bemoaning lost goods stolen by bandits. But as the months continued, the stories became both more frequent, and steadily more concerning. Tales of entire villages being attacked and pillaged, the inhabitants struggling to fight off organised groups of bandits, as their friends and family were dragged off into the night.

It was not long before you resolved to journey here—not only for the potential of gold and glory, but to appease a troubled conscience. These people deserve a better life than one under a shroud of terror.

The town is quiet when you arrive. Strange, for the sun has not long set, and even sleepy villages like this one entertain lively evenings. But as your footsteps take you through the empty streets, there's little movement beyond the occasional door creaking open and shut on the wind, and jagged blankets of sleet as the wind frisks the snow-capped buildings.

Eventually, your path leads to the Five Corner's tavern, a surprisingly large and well-appointed building, akin to what you might expect in a much more developed settlement.

Inside is as lifeless as the desolate streets, and suddenly a measure of doubt creeps into your minds. Perhaps there was an attack which claimed the village whilst you've been on the road, and you're too late. Or, what if the stories that brought you here had been delayed by so many months, that this place has long become a lonely ghost town?

You push the unwelcome thoughts away. Such fears are not for mighty heroes. Even if they prove to be true, then retribution shall be visited upon the bandits that have brought such woe upon the goodly people of this hamlet.

Yet, before any further search can be undertaken or righteous oath sworn, the peace is broken. Raucous laughing cuts through the air, quickly followed by splintering glass as stones pelt the building. Moments later several figures burst across the threshold, wearing heavy cowls not to stave off the weather, but to hide their identities as cutthroats most foul.

It's time to bare steel, and drive these villains away—you're eager to see justice done this evening!

Setting Up the Combat Tutorial

This rulebook is designed to introduce gameplay concepts slowly, so players have an easier time learning to play the game. Let's get stuck in!

Cards

Find the large card stack with the 'Start Here' topper on it, and open the packet. Remove cards from this stack until reaching the next topper, then place the remaining cards to one side for now. Repeat this process for the small card stack.

The cards that have been removed are the only cards needed for the combat tutorial and are detailed on the following pages.

Heroes and the Dashboard

Each player chooses a hero to play, then collects the hero's profile card. The back of each profile card lists the characteristic modifiers, equipment cards, and ability cards the hero begins the game with.

Although there are three abilities listed for each hero, for the moment each hero will only need the first two, and the card marked with an asterisk should be left to one side until later on.

Slot blank characteristic tokens into hero dashboards as shown below. If a hero's profile card shows an icon with a modifier next to it, replace the blank token with the corresponding modifier token instead.

1. Profile
2. Characteristics and characteristic modifiers
3. Equipment
4. Abilities

Finally, flip the profile card and place it on the dashboard in the area shown.

The Combat Tutorial Tile

Place the board in the middle of the table, with the exploration side showing. Place the tile shown below in the middle of the board, then place each hero in a zone of their choice.

Starting with the zone containing the icon and working clockwise, place a Brigand model in each zone that doesn't contain a hero until there is an equal number of heroes and enemies.

If there are more enemies than empty zones, alternate placing additional enemies between the centre zone and the zone containing the icon.

Take the Brigand enemy card and each hero's initiative card, and place them to one side, as they'll be needed for the tutorial.

Fate

Fate represents the tide of battle and is tracked by tokens with active and exhausted sides.

Place three tokens in the first three slots of the track shown on the left, showing their active side face up. If there are more than three heroes, add an extra token per additional hero.

Playing the Combat Tutorial

Now that setup is complete, it's time to start the combat tutorial.

To win the combat tutorial, the heroes must defeat all of the Brigand models—but remember, Bardsung™: Legend of the Ancient Forge is a cooperative game. If any hero is defeated, the heroes fail the tutorial and must reset and try again.

Using the rules on the next few pages, see if the heroes can defeat all of their foes!

Heroes

Now we have the dashboards in front us, it's time to learn a little more about heroes before we can start taking turns.

During this tutorial, each hero has a profile card, two equipment cards, and two ability cards. They also have an initiative card, which will be needed for the section after this.

Profile Cards and Characteristic Modifiers

Each hero's profile card lists the information they'll need during an encounter.

1. Name: The hero's name.
2. Speed: How many zones the hero can move.
3. Resilience: The action roll modifier used when the hero is attacked.
4. Grit: If a hero has a number of wound cards equal to or higher than this number, they are defeated.
5. Attack Range: The hero's attack range.
6. Attack Damage: The die rolled when the hero makes a damage roll.
7. Trait: The unique way the hero replenishes fate tokens.

Don't worry about hero traits for the moment—we'll come back to them later on.

Next to the profile card, each character dashboard also shows a row of characteristics.

• Strength: Raw power.
• Dexterity: Natural athleticism, reflexes, and balance.
• Constitution: Physical fortitude.
• Intelligence: Mental acuity.
• Wisdom: Awareness, intuition, and insight.
• Charisma: Presence, confidence, and leadership.

If a hero has a numerical modifier next to a characteristic, the modifier is applied whenever the hero makes an action roll using that characteristic.

Equipment Cards

Each hero carries two pieces of equipment, both of which will either show the weapon symbol, or the armour symbol.

At present, heroes shouldn't worry about what types of equipment they have—this will be covered later on. However, some equipment, such as Lightweaver's Arcane Focus, Dawnguard's Sunshield, and Wyldshell's Driftwood Staff, also have special rules, which the heroes should now read.

Heroes can't trade equipment cards.

Ability Cards

Each hero begins with two ability cards. Abilities allow heroes to either attack, or use a skill.

1. Name: The name of the ability.
2. Type: Whether the ability is an attack, or a skill.
3. Fate Cost: Some abilities cost a fate token to use. When a hero uses an ability that costs fate, they must spend an active fate token on the track by flipping it to the exhausted side. If there are no active fate tokens to flip, the ability can't be used.
4. Attack Profile: If the ability is an attack, it has an attack profile.
5. Special Rules: The text and effects for when the ability is used (if any).
6. Trigger: Whether the ability is active or passive. All the starting abilities are active, which means the hero must use an action to resolve their rules.
7. Level: What level the ability card is. Ability cards always begin at level 1.

Heroes and Suffering Wounds

When a hero suffers a wound, they draw a card from the wound deck and place it next to their dashboard, with the back side showing.

Being Defeated

If a hero has a number of wound cards equal to or greater than their grit value at any time, they've been defeated.

If any hero is defeated, the heroes fail the tutorial.

Initiative Cards and the Marching Order

Each model has an initiative card, which is used to determine when they act. Mastering the turn order will be vital to success, so pay close attention…

The Marching Order

The marching order is the name for the row of card spaces where initiative cards are placed, determining the order in which models take a turn.

Initiative is read from left to right—the card with the highest initiative is the card in the space furthest to the left, and the card in the space furthest to the right has the lowest initiative.

Shuffle the hero initiative cards, then deal them into the marching order in a row from left to right. After doing so, take the Brigand card and place it so it's in the second space from the left, pushing any other cards down one space to make way.

Normally enemy cards are shuffled together with the hero cards, but just this once we're going to use a set order to help learn the game.

In the example, Stoneheart will take the first turn, followed by the Brigands, then Dawnguard, then Nightfeather, and finally Lightweaver.

Rounds and Turns

Gameplay takes place over consecutive rounds. Each round is made up of a number of turns equal to the number of initiative cards in the marching order. At the start of each round, the model with the highest initiative (i.e., with their card in the furthest left space) takes the first turn.

Once a model has finished its turn, tilt their initiative card 90° to the left to indicate they have taken their turn this round. A card that is tilted this way has been exhausted.

The next model to take a turn is determined by the card with the highest initiative that is not exhausted. Repeat this process until each card in the marching order has been exhausted.

When all cards have been exhausted, the end phase begins.

The End Phase

There's a lot more to the end phase, but for the combat tutorial the heroes only need to shuffle the initiative cards and deal a new marching order, making sure that each card is moved back to an unexhausted orientation.

The current round then ends, and the next round begins.

Playing a Turn

Now we know how the marching order works and have established the turn order, it's time to learn how heroes and enemies take their turns.

During a model's turn, it can move around, attack, and use skills. Note that although both heroes and enemies use the marching order, their turns are resolved slightly differently.

Because the marching order was dealt in a specific way for the combat tutorial's first round, the card with the highest initiative will be a hero card, so let's take a closer look at heroes first.

Hero Turns

During their turn, a hero may use up to two actions. For the combat tutorial, heroes will only need to be familiar with two different types of action, which are Move and Use Ability.

A hero can use the same action more than once during their turn—i.e., they can use a move action and an ability action, or they can use the ability action twice, or they can move twice.

A hero may also skip one or both actions.

Move

The hero moves a number of zones up to their speed. They can only move into a zone if it is adjacent to the zone they are currently in.

Remember, there isn't a limit to how many models can fit in a zone.

If there isn't quite enough space to physically fit each model in a zone, then overlapping the edge of the zone is fine, so long as everyone can tell which zone a model is intended to be in.

In this example Dawnguard wants to move into the same zone as Stoneheart. Dawnguard's speed is 2, so using a move action allows them to move two zones. Since Stoneheart is three zones away, Dawnguard will need to take two move actions to reach their ally.

Parting Blows

If a hero attempts to leave a zone containing one or more enemies during a move action, they suffer a parting blow.

A hero suffering a parting blow must make a parting blow roll, which is an action roll that they add their Resilience value to. After applying any modifiers, compare the result to the highest enemy TN in the zone. If the hero passed the roll, they move normally. If they failed, the hero's move action ends, and they remain in the zone.

If there are more heroes than enemies in the zone, the parting blow roll has advantage.

If there are more enemies than heroes in the zone, the parting blow roll has disadvantage.

Enemies never suffer parting blows during their movement.

In this example, Wyldshell makes a move action, but is in the same zone as a Brigand. Wyldshell makes a parting blow roll, but rolls a 2 and fails the roll. Wyldshell's move action immediately ends.

Use Ability

The hero uses one of their active abilities, resolving the text on the card.

Although a hero can use the ability action more than once during their turn, each active ability card can only be used once per turn.

What's an active ability? Don't worry about that for the moment—all of the abilities in the tutorials are active abilities. We'll discuss the other ability trigger later on.

There are two types of active abilities—skills, and attacks.

A skill card has the skill symbol. When a hero uses a skill, simply resolve the text and effects on the card.

An attack card has the attack symbol, and an attack profile. When a hero uses an attack, they must make an attack roll, which is an action roll using the characteristic shown on the card.

An ability card shows:

1. Name: The name of the ability.
2. Property: The attack's property. a. Physical attack symbol - this is a physical attack b. Magical attack symbol - this is a magical attack
3. Characteristic: The characteristic modifier applied to the action roll.
4. Hit effects: The effect(s) if the attack hits.
5. Critical effects: The effect(s) if the attack hits and is a critical hit.
6. Special rules: If the attack has any special rules, they will be found here.

To resolve an attack, follow the steps below:

1. Choose an enemy in the attack range shown on the hero's profile card. That enemy is the target.
2. Make the attack roll.
3. Apply any relevant characteristic modifiers to the attack roll, then compare the result to the enemy's TN.
4. If the attack roll failed, the attack misses. Do not resolve any more steps.
5. If the attack roll passed, the enemy has been hit. Make a damage roll, rolling the die shown on the hero's profile card, and apply any relevant modifiers to the roll.
6. If the result does not equal or exceed the enemy's toughness, the enemy suffers the attack's hit effects.
7. If the total equals or exceeds the enemy's toughness, the enemy suffers the critical hit effects instead.

If a hero rolls a 20 for their attack roll, the attack automatically inflicts a critical hit, and a damage roll is not needed.

Stoneheart uses the Balanced Strike ability to attack a Brigand. They make their attack roll, and score 12, adding their characteristic modifier to the roll for a total of 14, exceeding the Brigand's TN9.

Stoneheart has hit the Brigand, and now rolls their damage dice, scoring a 3. Because they have no modifiers to add to the number, the total is 3, which isn't enough to equal or exceed the Brigand's toughness of 4. The Brigand suffers Balanced Strike's hit effect.

Ability Effects

Always resolve effects in order from left to right. Effects from hero attacks are always optional.

Abilities can have a wide variety of effects. The rules for more common effects can be found below:

• Wound: The target suffers a wound.
• Dodge: The attacking model can be placed in an adjacent zone.
• Push: The target can be placed in an adjacent zone.
• Inspire: Flip an exhausted fate token to the active side.
• Weaken: The target gains a weaken token. When an enemy with a weaken token makes an attack, the hero makes their defence roll with advantage, then the token is discarded.
• Bane: The target gains a bane token. When an enemy with a bane token is attacked, the hero makes their attack roll with advantage, then the token is discarded.
• Pinned: When the marching order is shuffled, a card with a pinned token is left in the space it already occupies instead of being shuffled with the other cards. After the new marching order is dealt, discard the token.
• Blessing: The hero gains a blessing token. When a hero with a blessing token makes an action roll, the roll has advantage, then the token is discarded.

Enemies

You'll meet a wide variety of foes in the Ancient Forge, but they all have one thing in common—none of them will be friendly! It's time to learn some basic rules for these adversaries.

Each type of enemy has a unique reference card, listing the information needed when facing it. This card also serves as that enemy's initiative card.

1. Name: The type of enemy.
2. Target number (TN): Whenever this enemy is attacked or makes an attack, the hero uses this target number.
3. Speed: How many zones the enemy can move.
4. Toughness: The number a damage roll must equal or exceed to inflict a critical hit against this enemy.
5. Grit: What happens when the enemy has suffered two wounds.
6. Gold value: How many gold tokens the heroes earn if they remove this card from the marching order.
7. Attack profile: The enemy's attack profile. a. Property: Special attack types are shown here. b. Range: The enemy's attack range. c. Effects: The attack's effects if it hits.
8. Behaviour trait: The behaviour card the enemy follows during its turn.
9. Special rules: Any special rules the enemy has.
10. Type: The type of enemy this is.

Enemies and Suffering Wounds

When an enemy suffers a wound, place a wound token next to their model. If the enemy suffers another wound, refer to their grit entry to see what happens.

In the tutorial, the heroes only need to learn one symbol, which means the enemy is defeated and removed from the playing area, along with any tokens it has.

If every enemy of the same type is defeated, remove their card from the marching order. Ordinarily, the heroes then earn the amount of gold shown on the enemy's card and place it in the gold stash, but don't worry about that for the tutorials in this rulebook.

Target Numbers and Modifiers

When attacking or defending, as a rule of thumb, you'll always find the target numbers on enemy cards, and modifiers on hero cards.

Enemy Turns

Unlike heroes, enemies of the same type share a single card in the marching order.

When it's an enemy card's turn, every enemy of that type takes a turn, starting with the model furthest to the north (as shown by the compass printed on the sheet), and working clockwise around the playing area.

Once each enemy has taken a turn, the enemy card is exhausted in the same way as a hero card.

Behaviour Types and Enemy Actions

Enemy initiative cards have a behaviour trait, which determines the action(s) the enemy will perform during their turn, and which hero they target.

There is a behaviour card for each trait, listing a series of actions. There are two types of entries on these cards.

Mandatory: Mandatory actions appear as a single action. Enemies will always perform mandatory actions unless they are unable to do so.

Conditional: Conditional actions appear as a series of actions contained within a bracket. An enemy will only perform one action from this series during their turn.

When reading conditional actions, start with the top entry and determine whether the enemy can perform the action. If it can, it performs that action. If it can't, ignore the action and proceed to the action directly below, repeating the process.

Once the enemy has performed an action, do not resolve any other actions that follow in the bracket.

Behaviours might seem confusing at first, but you'll soon learn how to read them—and then you'll be able to predict how enemies will act, and start building strategies for defeating them!

Common behaviour card actions are listed below:

1. Attack - The enemy performs an attack against a hero in its attack range. When a hero is attacked, they must make a defence roll, which is an action roll that they add their Resilience value to. After applying any modifiers, compare the result to the enemy's TN. If the hero passed the roll, the attack has no effect. If they failed, they suffer the effects listed on the enemy's attack profile.
2. Charge - The enemy moves up to its speed towards a hero, and then attacks as described above.
3. Move Towards - The enemy moves up to its speed towards a hero, entering the same zone if possible.

Preferred Targets

When an enemy makes an action, there will often be multiple heroes in range. Because of this, each action lists a preferred target—i.e., the hero that the enemy will target with their action if possible.

1. Attack Range - A hero in the enemy's attack range.
2. Unengaged Zone - A hero that doesn't have an enemy in their zone.
3. Engaged Zone - A hero that has an enemy in their zone.
4. Closest - The closest hero, measured by counting zones.

If there are multiple eligible targets and a further tiebreak is needed, the enemy will always target the hero with the highest initiative from the available choices.

The Brigands' behaviour card is Ferocious, with the following entries: Attack (hero in the same zone) [Mandatory]; Charge (hero in an unengaged zone), Charge (hero in an engaged zone), Move (toward the closest hero) [Conditional].

It's the Brigands' turn, so each Brigand will sequentially take a turn, using the Ferocious behaviour card. The Brigand in the same zone as Stoneheart and Lightweaver goes first, as it's furthest north. Because of its behaviour trait, the Brigand will attack a hero in the same zone. Both are eligible targets, but because Stoneheart has a higher initiative this round than Lightweaver, the Brigand attacks Stoneheart.

The other Brigand then begins its turn. It can't attack a hero in the same zone, so it moves to the next action, which is charge a hero in an unengaged zone. Because Stoneheart and Lightweaver have an enemy in their zone and are therefore in an engaged zone, the Brigand will instead move into the same zone as Dawnguard, and attack them.

Rules Conflicts

On rare occasions, you might come across a rules conflict where the answer isn't immediately obvious.

Great examples are which enemy takes the next turn, which hero an enemy will attack, or which zone(s) an enemy moves into. In situations like these, always remember to prioritise the hero with the highest initiative from the available choices. If in doubt, always perform enemy actions in the enemy's best interest, rather than what would benefit the heroes.

If the conflict still can't be resolved, or the conflict doesn't relate to enemies or targeting, the hero who most recently took a turn chooses how to proceed, selecting one of the available options so the game can keep moving.

Completing the Combat Tutorial

Don't read any further until you've beaten this tutorial—all of the rules you need are here. When you've been successful, turn to the next page to continue your adventure!

Hunting the Hobgoblins

As the final hobgoblin falls lifeless to the ground, a chorus of cheering erupts from beyond the walls. Stepping outside, you're greeted like conquering heroes, but it's obvious these weary townspeople are the true victors this night. Emboldened by the clash of steel, they left their hiding places to fight, armed with pitchforks, cudgels, and axes—and fight they most certainly did.

A dozen hobgoblins lay bloodied and unmoving on the ground, a handful of others writhing in agony from where their limbs have been skewered, pinning them to the dirt.

It's one such survivor, fear clearly writ across his features, that betrays the den where these ruthless curs have come from, and you're quick to ask for torches and guides. Doubtless, it will only be a bolt-hole, but clearing it of bandits will send a message, and certainly stop any further raids this already bloody eve. The villagers quickly provide you with what you need. They're as keen as you to see this justice visited upon their tormentors.

The journey is not a long one, even on foot.

If the hobgoblin's words are to be believed, the bandits have been using a ruined chapel on the village outskirts to hunker down after each raid, drinking into the evening before returning to their lair the next day with the remaining spoils.

Above ground the building is little more than a broken-down shell of rotting timbers and grimy stone, offering not even the slightest hint of shelter. The villagers that accompanied you break into a chorus of swearing, angry at being led astray by the raider, but you're familiar enough with your prey to know they'll be hiding in the crypt rather than above ground.

Sure enough, a set of tracks soon leads you to a heavy trap door, which you pull aside to reveal a narrow set of steps. The stench of damp and rotting meat assaults your nostrils from below, only becoming worse as you descend into the den. It's severe enough for several of you to wonder how the hobgoblins haven't attracted unwanted beasts and predators.

Eventually you reach the base of the stairs, and light a torch to banish the darkness. You're immediately confronted with a wretched sprawl of stolen trinkets and broken tools, that only serves to deepen the level of enmity you feel towards these vile creatures. These items might not be jewels or gold, but most are doubtless precious keepsakes for the poor villagers. To see them so callously thrown aside leaves you with a feeling of dismay, and a stronger urge to enact retribution.

Whispers echo down the corridor, and without hint of hesitation, you step boldly forth…

The Exploration Tutorial

Setting Up the Encounter Tutorial

Bardsung™: Legend of the Ancient Forge isn't just a game of combat engagements. In order to make their way through the game, heroes will need to complete a series of encounters, where they explore sprawling dungeons and find a way to progress.

Cards

Retrieve the large card stack from before, and remove cards until reaching the next topper. Place the remainder of the stack to one side.

Place the new enemy cards to one side, along with the dungeon corridor, dungeon room, aspect challenge, and aspect battle cards.

Heroes and Dashboards

If any of the heroes have wound cards, shuffle them back into the wound deck.

To set up a new hero (if there are new players, or a player wants to change hero) collect the profile, equipment, and ability cards for that hero, and set up the hero's characteristic modifiers in the same way the players did for the combat tutorial.

The Playing Area

Place the board in the middle of the table, with the exploration side showing. Place the entrance tile in the middle of the map's bottom edge as shown below, then place each hero in the zone containing the stairs artwork.

Make sure that the other tiles are accessible to one side of the board—the heroes will need them as the tutorial progresses.

As before, the number of fate tokens is determined by the number of heroes. Place the corresponding number of tokens face up on the track printed on the board.

There are four other tracks, but don't worry about them for now.

Take each hero's initiative card, shuffle them, and then deal them onto the marching order.

Playing the Exploration Tutorial

Now that setup is complete, it's time to start the exploration tutorial.

In this tutorial, tiles get placed successively to build a dungeon. When a tile crosses the crease printed on the board, a set of stairs is placed on it, which the heroes can use to escape.

To be successful, all heroes must escape—and remember, just like the previous tutorial, Bardsung™: Legend of the Ancient Forge is a cooperative game. If any hero is defeated, the heroes fail and must reset and try again.

The new rules heroes will need are on the following pages. Good luck!

Exploring and Additional Rules

You've mastered the basics of combat, but there's a lot more still to learn. Let's start with some extra rules for fate and enemies, and then move on to some new rules used when exploring your surroundings.

Fate

So far, heroes have only used fate to pay the cost of some abilities, but from now onwards they'll have another use for this precious resource, and will also be able to replenish exhausted tokens they've spent.

Empowering Attacks

When a hero makes an attack, they can spend a fate token to empower an attack roll during step 1 of the attack sequence.

When a hero makes an empowered attack roll, they roll a d4 in addition to any other dice, and add the number shown on the d4 to the result.

Heroes can only spend fate to empower attack rolls, and not any other type of roll, but don't worry. You'll doubtless find other sources that empower action, defence, and damage rolls on your journey…

Replenishing Fate

When fate is replenished, flip an exhausted fate token to the active side. If each token is already active, fate can't be replenished.

Each hero has a unique trait on their profile card, allowing them to replenish fate if they meet a certain condition. In addition, when a 1 or a 20 is rolled for an attack, defence, or other action roll, replenish one fate.

Enemies

In the combat tutorial, the heroes faced the Brigand, a dangerous but straightforward foe. From here on out however, they'll have to contend with tougher and less predictable enemies.

Additional Behaviour Traits

Some enemies have two behaviour traits. Resolve both during the enemy's turn, from top to bottom.

The Raider has two behaviour traits. During its turn, it first resolves the cautious behaviour, and once it has performed an action, resolves the text on the retreat card.

Resilient and Vulnerable TN's

Some enemies are resilient or vulnerable to certain attack properties, such as the Brute. This is shown by a symbol next to their TN.

There is a summary at the back of this rulebook that outlines the rules for each resilient and vulnerable TN symbol in the game.

Pay careful attention to your foes and the types of attacks your hero has, so you can best exploit their weaknesses, and play to your own strengths!

Complex Cards

Some enemy cards are double sided, featuring their normal side, and a heat-up side, indicated by a symbol and bloody artwork in the background. When enemy cards are first placed on the marching order, they always have their normal side face up.

When an enemy has suffered two wounds, the heroes refer to the enemy's grit entry to see what happens next. The heroes will already be familiar with the defeated symbol, but this isn't the only value.

When a card with the heat-up entry suffers two wounds, discard the enemy's wound tokens, then flip the enemy's initiative card to the heat-up side. The enemy card retains this facing until it is removed from the marching order, or a rule specifies otherwise.

If there are other enemies of the same type on the playing area, they also use the new side as their reference card. If the other enemies have wound tokens, do not remove them when the card is flipped.

The Brute has a Defensive Line special rule: this enemy and other Brute enemies in the same zone can't suffer more than one wound from a single attack.

When the Brute suffers two wounds, its card is flipped over and the tokens are discarded—any extra wounds from the same attack, or from new attacks will be placed as normal.

When enemy cards flip to their heat-up side, their card can change dramatically. Always be wary when facing new enemies, in case they have a new behaviour trait or a more powerful attack!

Enemies with heat-up faces offer a fantastic scope for the imagination. Perhaps after seeing their allies injured, the affected enemies enter a blood rage and leap forward to attack; or perhaps, their morale is shattered and they cower, as they see their invincible shield-wall broken.

Exploring

Previously, the action all took place on a single tile—but in order to progress now, heroes will have to strike out and explore their surroundings.

Connected Tiles

If two tiles are connected by a portal, the portal forms a zone edge that allows heroes to move and measure range between them in the same way as adjacent zones.

If a portal doesn't have a tile connected to it, it's an unexplored portal. During their turn, a hero in the same zone as an unexplored portal may make an explore action.

During this tutorial, heroes on the entrance tile can only use the north portal to make explore actions, and ignore the portals to the east and west.

While exploring, heroes should always try to stick together. There isn't anything stopping heroes wandering off on their own, but doing so greatly increases the chances of being defeated…

The Explore Action

The explore action counts towards a hero's action limit per turn, just like the move and use ability actions.

When a hero makes an explore action, they follow three steps in the order below.

1. Draw and resolve a dungeon card.
2. Draw and resolve an aspect card.
3. Shuffle the marching order.

1. Draw and Resolve a Dungeon Card

There are two types of dungeon deck: a room deck, and a corridor deck.

If the hero is currently on a room tile, they draw a card from the corridor dungeon deck.

If the hero is currently on a corridor tile, they draw a card from the room dungeon deck.

The hero then takes the tile shown on the card from the side of the playing area and places it on the map, with one of the tile's portals connected to the portal they explored from. When the tile is placed, the hero can choose whatever orientation suits them.

Once the tile has been placed, place the hero on the tile, in the same zone as the portal that was just connected to the existing tile.

Some dungeon cards feature enemies, indicated by symbols. Place these enemies in the zones shown on the card. Encounters will list which enemy corresponds to each symbol.

If there are four or five heroes, place each enemy shown on the card.

If there are three or less heroes, don't place enemies shown with a ring surrounding them.

Once any enemies are placed, the hero draws a card from one of the aspect decks.

2. Draw and Resolve an Aspect Card

Aspect cards modify dungeon cards or their elements to ensure the heroes always have new challenges to overcome.

There are two types of aspect deck: a battle deck, and a challenge deck.

Example battle aspect card, "Cornered": Their eyes feral, these foes are cornered and desperate, and all the more dangerous for it. Enemies add +2 to their target number if they are the only enemy in their zone.

Example challenge aspect card, "Trap Door": A trap door opens underfoot! This hero makes a TN12 action roll. If they pass, discard this card. You fall and land on a corpse. This hero suffers a wound, then makes a TN8 action roll. If they pass, gain 1 gold. You climb up the jagged stone. This hero makes a TN10 action roll. If they fail, they suffer a wound.

Each dungeon card has either a battle or challenge symbol on it. After placing any models shown on the dungeon card, draw a card from the corresponding aspect deck.

All aspect cards have a track of symbols in the bottom left corner. Heroes resolve these cards according to which symbol(s) are highlighted.

• Immediate: The text on the card is resolved immediately, then the card is discarded.
• Sustained: The card is placed next to the tile indicated in the text. The rules on the card are constantly in effect until the card is discarded, or the end of the encounter.
• Delayed: Place the card in one of the delay slots at the end of the marching order, indicated by the hourglass symbol. Delayed cards state when to resolve their rules, typically during the end phase. Cards in delay slots are not shuffled with the marching order.
• Engagement: This symbol always appears in addition to one of the symbols above, and indicates the card is discarded if all enemy cards are removed from the marching order.

When resolving aspect cards, there are two important terms that help define where a rule takes effect.

The current tile is the new tile that was just placed.

The previous tile is the tile the hero was previously on.

Nightfeather has just used an explore action, making the tile they have just placed the current tile, and the one they explored from the previous tile.

Challenge Cards

When a challenge card is drawn, the heroes earn the number of gold tokens shown on the card and place them in the gold stash section of the board.

Challenge cards represent a wide variety of situations. Although some are straightforward to resolve, others offer a scrolling narrative, or a choice, with sections separated by a white line.

When resolving a challenge card laid out this way, read and resolve the card's first section, then follow the instructions in the text and/or follow arrows to move onto the next section.

After reaching the end of the final section, discard the card. If the card's text indicates to discard it before then, do not resolve the remaining sections.

Example challenge card, "Earthquake": The ground shakes… This hero makes a TN5 action roll. If they fail go to the marked section. Call your allies for help! Place any number of heroes from the previous tile on the current tile. Try to shore up the archways before they collapse! Each hero on the current tile makes a TN12 action roll. If there are no successes, place a dead-end on each of this tile's unexplored portals.

If a challenge card was drawn, and no new enemies have been placed as a result of the explore action, skip the next step. Otherwise, proceed to step 3.

3. Shuffle the Marching Order

Once the aspect card has been resolved and/or placed, if one or more enemies have been placed on the tile that don't already have a card in the marching order, the round immediately ends.

Collect each card in the marching order, shuffle in the cards for any new enemies, and then deal a new marching order.

This can mean that a hero gets a double activation, which is perfectly normal—sometimes, heroes will react with lightning-fast reflexes!

If the enemies placed on the tile already have cards in the marching order, do not shuffle or deal a new marching order. If one or more of these cards are already exhausted, the enemy will have to wait until the next round to take a turn.

Placing Enemies During the Exploration Encounter

During this tutorial, use the legend below to determine which enemies are placed after drawing a dungeon card with a battle icon.

• Brigand
• Raider
• Brute

Completing the Exploration Tutorial

When a tile is placed overlapping the crease printed on the map, place the tile as normal, and then place the stairs token in the zone containing the marked icon.

A hero in the same zone as the stairs token may spend an action to escape. When a hero escapes, remove their model from the playing area, and remove their initiative card from the marching order.

A hero that has escaped can't take any more turns or return to the playing area—they have reached safety and can only cheer on their allies behind them.

When every hero has escaped, they win the tutorial.

Don't read any further until you've beaten this tutorial—all of the rules you need are here. When you've been successful, turn to the next page to continue your adventure!

Preparing for the Campaign

Well done—you survived the exploration tutorial! You're almost ready to begin your campaign. On the next few pages are the final rules you'll need to learn in order to play the full game, so you're ready to enter the Ancient Forge.

Setting-Up Full Encounters

To set up a full encounter, follow the steps from the tutorial encounter, including the sections below. Note that players won't be able to change heroes after they've taken their first steps into the Ancient Forge and begun the campaign—this is their last chance to switch heroes should they want to do so.

Healing Potions, Firewood, Toolkits, and Charms

During the tutorial encounter, the heroes no doubt noticed several token tracks along the same edge as the fate tokens. These slots are used for healing potion, firewood, toolkit, and charm tokens.

Like fate tokens, each of these tokens has an active side and an exhausted side. When a token is spent, flip it face down to show the exhausted side. Like fate, exhausted tokens can't be spent and need to be replenished.

The heroes begin the campaign with three of each token, with their active side facing upwards.

The uses for each token are detailed below.

• Healing Potion: When a hero is defeated, instead of failing the encounter, they may spend a healing potion token to be revived, discarding each wound card and condition token they have.
• Firewood: Firewood is spent when the heroes take a rest, as described on the following pages.
• Toolkit: Toolkit tokens have a variety of uses, as detailed on the following pages and on aspect cards.
• Charm: The heroes may spend a charm token at any time to replenish each exhausted fate token. This does not cost an action.

Note that unlike fate tokens, these tokens are not flipped to their active side at the start of each encounter and will require spending gold to replenish them, so heroes should be sparing with them!

Cards

Starting Decks

Take all of the remaining cards, and unwrap them from their stacks. Separate each out into piles of the same types as listed below, adding any cards of that type from the tutorials.

• Hero Abilities and Equipment
• Enemy and Boss Reference
• Boss Initiative
• Wound
• Treasure
• Squire
• Narrative
• Dungeon Corridor
• Dungeon Room
• Aspect Challenge
• Aspect Battle

The Vaults

The game box has a series of card slots inside, which are called vaults. Vaults are where most of the card decks will be stored, and should always be arranged in numerical order where possible.

Place the narrative cards in one of the trays' card slots, being careful to both keep them in numerical order and not to look at the faces. Then, repeat this for the dungeon room, aspect challenge, and aspect battle cards.

Cards without numbered backs do not need to go in vaults, and can use the other spaces in the tray when being stored.

As the campaign progresses, heroes will occasionally be required to retrieve a card from a vault, or return a card to a vault. After retrieving a card, the heroes can look at the face, unless they are instructed to shuffle it into a deck, in which case the card is shuffled in face down and without looking.

When returning a card to a vault, always return it in numerical order, in case it is needed again later.

The golden rule of the vaults is to not look unless asked to do so – this is where the mysteries of Bardsung™: Legend of the Ancient Forge reside!

Advanced Hero Rules

In preparation for the campaign, you'll need to learn a little more about hero abilities, wounds, and conditions, as well as how to create checkpoints and use treasure to improve hero equipment.

Dice

Upgrading Damage Die

Some effects will allow heroes to upgrade their damage die during an attack.

When a damage die is upgraded, instead of rolling their normal die, the hero rolls the die with the next higher number of faces—i.e., if a hero normally rolls a d6, they roll a d8 instead. After the attack is resolved, the hero returns to using their normal die.

A hero can't upgrade their damage die beyond a d12.

Free Actions

Sometimes a rule will refer to free actions. A free action follows all of the normal rules for the action but doesn't count towards the number of actions the hero has taken during their turn. Free actions are always taken when instructed, or immediately after the current action is resolved.

Abilities

Active and Passive Abilities

Hero abilities have two different triggers, which are active and passive.

Active ability cards require the hero to make a use ability action before their text and effects can be resolved.

The text and effects on passive ability cards are either always in play, or are resolved when certain conditions are met.

Example passive ability, "Fear of God": When this hero makes an explore action, after placing enemies, place one enemy on the previous tile's marked zone.

The heroes have only seen active abilities so far, but in preparation for the campaign, each hero should now look on the back of their profile card and add their third ability card (marked by an asterisk), to their dashboard.

Area of Effect (AoE) Attacks

If a hero's attack shows the AoE icon in its effects, after resolving step 6 or 7 of the attack sequence (depending on whether the attack was a critical hit or not), apply the attack's other effects to each other enemy in the same zone as the target.

Example AoE attack, "Fire Wheel": Hit / Critical - If the target is suffering burn, add +2 to the damage roll.

Pulse Attacks

When an enemy uses a pulse attack, they make an attack against every hero in their attack range, in addition to their target. Each hero makes a defence roll and suffers the attack's effects if they fail as normal.

Example enemy with a pulse attack, the Cave Rat, has a Submerged special rule: if this enemy is on the same tile as a water token, it cannot suffer more than one wound from a single attack.

Miss Effects

In addition to effects that occur if they hit, some attacks have an effect if they miss. Examples are shown below:

Example attack with a miss effect, "Piercing Strike" (used by the Brute): Hit / Critical - If the target is the only enemy in the zone, add +2 to the damage roll. Miss - (the Brute's Defensive Line special rule: this enemy and other Brute enemies in the same zone can't suffer more than one wound from a single attack.)

If a hero's attack roll misses and their attack has a miss effect, the enemy suffers the effect during step 4 of the attack sequence.

If a hero passes a defence roll but the enemy's attack has a miss effect, the hero suffers the effect after passing their roll.

Additional Effects and Properties

So far, the heroes have seen some basic attack effects, but as time goes on, they'll be able to unleash much more potent attacks upon their foes. There is a summary at the back of this rulebook that outlines each attack effect and attack property in the game.

Serious Wounds and Conditions

Serious Wounds

Some traps and enemy attacks are especially dangerous and cause a serious wound.

Example serious wound with a TN value, "Cursed": This hero can't spend fate. TN12, characteristic 2 to recover.

Example serious wound with tokens, "Panicked": This hero can't make attacks. Discard a token at the end of their turn.

Each wound card is double-sided, with a wound side and a serious wound side, indicated by a symbol.

When a hero suffers a serious wound, the card is placed with the serious wound side face up instead. Serious wounds count as a wound, but apply an additional penalty to the hero as long as they are face up.

Most serious wound cards show a TN value and a characteristic. If a hero is suffering one or more serious wounds at the start of their turn, they choose one of these wounds and make an action roll, using the TN and characteristic shown on the card. If they pass the roll, flip the card to the wound side.

If the serious wound lists a number of timer tokens instead, place that number of tokens on the card. When all of the tokens are removed, flip the card to the wound side.

Enemies can't suffer serious wounds.

Healing and Being Defeated

When a hero heals a wound, they may either remove a wound card from their dashboard, or flip one of their serious wound cards to the wound side.

If a hero has a number of wound or serious wound cards equal to or greater than their grit value at any time, they've been defeated. If a hero is defeated, the heroes fail the encounter.

When the heroes fail an encounter, the maintenance phase begins (see page 38).

Conditions

Conditions are unique injuries with specific ongoing effects. Both heroes and enemies may suffer conditions. Wound tokens and cards are not conditions.

Example conditions: Weaken, Bane, Burn, Boon.

When a model suffers a condition, the corresponding condition token is placed next to the model. While the model has the token, it suffers the effects listed for the condition.

If a model is suffering a condition, they can't suffer it again—i.e., an enemy already suffering weaken can't suffer weaken again.

There is a summary at the back of this rulebook that outlines each condition in the game.

They're not injuries, but blessing and pinned are conditions too—think of them as beneficial conditions.

Resting and Checkpoints

Resting

If all of the heroes are in the same area (see page 36), and there are no enemies in that area, the heroes can spend a firewood token to take a rest at any time.

When the heroes rest, they choose a tile in the current area, and are each placed on that tile in a zone of their choice. Place the spent firewood token on the tile's marked icon, showing the active face.

Each hero then heals a wound, and the round ends.

Checkpoints

If there are one or more active firewood tokens on the playing area and a hero is defeated, instead of failing the encounter, the heroes can use one of the active tokens as a checkpoint.

Place each hero in the same zone as the token, then remove all wounds and condition tokens from each hero. Return the firewood token to the corresponding track with the exhausted side showing.

Remove all tiles that do not connect the heroes' tile to the entrance tile, along with any enemies, tokens, and aspect cards on them. Heroes do not earn gold for removing enemies from the marching order in this way.

The heroes then shuffle the marching order and begin a new round, exploring into the unknown once more.

Treasure

When a hero draws a treasure card, place it in their dashboard's inventory. There isn't a limit on how many treasure cards a hero can have, and they can freely exchange treasure cards at any time, unless a card is attached to an equipment card.

There are three different types of treasure—gemstones, runes, and consumables.

Gemstones and Runes

In order to use a gemstone or rune card, a hero must attach it to an equipment card.

Gemstones: Gemstones typically add modifiers or effects to attacks, and can only be attached to weapon cards.

If a hero makes an attack and has one or more gemstone cards attached to their weapon(s), apply any rules on the gemstone cards to the attack.

Example gemstone, "Ruby": Add +1 to damage rolls.

Runes: Runes typically add modifiers or effects to defence rolls, and can only be attached to armour cards.

If a hero makes a defence roll and has one or more rune cards attached to their armour card(s), apply any rules on the rune cards to the defence roll.

Example rune, "Master Rune of Fortitude": Add +2 to defence rolls.

Always check your equipment cards carefully to see what types they are—Stoneheart's Forgefather, for example, is used to parry rather than attack and is armour.

If a hero has two weapons, or two pieces of armour, they can add the modifiers and effects from both cards to their attack or defence roll—they don't have to choose which piece of equipment they're using.

Attaching Cards

Gemstones and runes may be freely attached to an equipment card at any time, but must adhere to the two rules below:

1. Each equipment card has a number of upgrade slots. An equipment card can't have more cards attached than it has upgrade slots.
2. Gemstone and rune cards have a specific border. An equipment card can't have more than one gemstone or rune with the same border attached to it—i.e., a weapon card could have a red bordered gemstone and a blue bordered gemstone attached to it, but couldn't have two red bordered gemstones attached to it.

A gemstone or rune card can only be un-attached and returned to the hero's inventory during the maintenance phase.

Gemstone and rune borders can be identified by both colour and shape.

Consumables

A hero can use a consumable card in their inventory at any time during their turn, resolving its text and effects. Using a consumable doesn't cost an action.

Example consumable, "Green Herb": Weeds to the foolish, but treasured by the wise for their restorative qualities. Heal a wound on this hero, or another hero in the same or an adjacent zone.

Consumable cards with a discard symbol are discarded and shuffled into the treasure deck after being used.

Consumable cards with an exhaust symbol are exhausted after being used. If a card becomes exhausted, rotate it 180°. Any rules on an exhausted card cannot be used.

During the maintenance phase, a hero can spend the gold cost shown on an exhausted card to un-exhaust it and return it to its original orientation.

Advanced Exploration Rules

Now that heroes are playing full encounters, they'll need to know some additional rules for exploring.

The Entrance Tile

Unless stated otherwise, the heroes always begin each encounter on the entrance tile, with their models placed in the zone containing the stairs artwork. Each portal on the entrance tile begins with a door token on it, showing the open side.

The Boundary

The line around the edge of the map is called the boundary. When placing a tile, it must be placed entirely within the boundary. If a tile can't be placed because in every possible orientation it touches or crosses the boundary, or overlaps another tile, a dead-end is placed on the portal instead, and the tile and dungeon card are discarded.

The exception to this is the edge marked as the threshold. When a tile is placed touching or overlapping the threshold, place the stairs token on the tile's marked zone, as described in the exploration tutorial.

Heroes can't make explore actions on a tile containing the stairs token.

Dead-Ends

Dead-end tokens are placed over portals. A hero can't make an explore action for a portal with a dead-end token on it. If a dead-end token is placed during an explore action, the action immediately ends—do not follow the other steps.

Secret Passages

Most tiles have a secret passage marked on them by the artwork, indicating there may be a way to use a section of wall as though it were a portal.

During their turn, a hero may spend a toolkit token to use an explore action while they are in the same zone as a secret passage, treating the secret passage like a portal and following the normal explore action steps.

After connecting a tile, the secret passage is considered a portal.

Free Placement

If the playing area has no unexplored portals and the heroes have no way to progress because of dead ends, a hero may use a secret passage as described above, without spending a toolkit token.

It's entirely possible you'll discover spaces on the map or portals that can't possibly lead to the threshold because the space is too small, surrounded by other tiles, or would cross the boundary.

When determining whether you can use free placement or not, you can choose to ignore these little spaces, saving the time and effort of exploring for the sake of adding a dead-end token.

New Dungeon Card Symbols

In addition to the enemies, dungeon cards have several other symbols.

Fixed Entrances

Some portals have a fixed-entrance symbol, indicating they're a fixed entrance. A fixed entrance must be connected to the portal where the explore action was made, preventing the hero from choosing the tile's orientation.

Terrain Elements

Terrain elements are indicated by their own symbols.

Encounters will list if a symbol represents a terrain element or not. If it does, place the corresponding terrain element in the zone shown on the card. Note that terrain elements do not scale up or down for the number of heroes, like enemies do.

There is a summary at the back of this rulebook that outlines each terrain element.

Doors

Some portals have a door symbol, indicating the heroes should place a door token on them.

Doors have an open side, and a closed side. Doors are always placed on the playing area with the open side showing.

Models can move between tiles using a portal with an open door without penalty. Models can't move, dodge, or be pushed through a closed door.

If a hero makes an explore action while in the same zone as a closed door, flip the token to the open side.

A hero in the same zone as a door may spend an action to open or close it, flipping the token to the corresponding side. If there are enemy cards in the marching order, the hero must also spend a toolkit token in order to flip a door to the closed side.

Enemies can't open or close doors.

Areas

A series of tiles that are connected by portals and open doors is called an area.

If two tiles are connected by a portal with a closed door, they are in different areas (unless the door is opened).

Example: there are two areas in an area diagram, marked as area 1, and area 2. Tiles A, B, and C are all connected via portals and constitute area one. Tile D is also in this area because it is connected by a portal with an open door. Tile E isn't part of area one, because it is connected by a portal with a closed door, and therefore is in area two instead. Tile F is connected to tile E via a portal and is also in area two. If the door connecting tiles D and E was opened, then all six tiles would become part of the same area.

Enemies and Areas

If an enemy is in an area that doesn't have any heroes in it, the enemy skips its turn.

If an enemy card is in the marching order but no enemies of that type are in the same area as a hero, remove the enemy card from the marching order. Heroes do not earn gold for removing cards from the marching order in this way.

If the enemy's area has a hero placed in it, or merges with an area with heroes in it, the enemy card is shuffled back into the marching order and the enemy resumes taking turns.

Attacks can't target a model in a different area.

Aspect cards only affect the area in which they are drawn.

If you need to place enemies on a tile and there are no spare models available, take any models needed from areas that don't have heroes in them. If you still don't have enough models, then place as many models as possible.

The End Phase

Previously in the end phase the heroes simply shuffled and dealt a new marching order. However, now the tutorials are complete, it's time to introduce a series of timing steps and the other rules the heroes will need to know.

Timing Steps

Resolve the end phase in the following order.

1. Resolve any condition token effects. a. Heroes resolve condition effects b. Enemies resolve condition effects
2. Resolve any delayed aspect cards at the end of the marching order, moving left to right.
3. Make an event roll. a. If the roll was a 6, resolve terrain hazards. b. If the roll fails, activate the echo token.
4. Collect and shuffle the hero and enemy cards from the marching order, adding any new cards introduced by echo tokens or aspect cards, then deal a new order.
5. Resolve any effects on hero ability cards, in an order of the heroes' choice.
6. Resolve any other effects not covered by the steps above.
7. The round ends.

The Event Roll

If there are less than three tiles on the playing area, skip this step.

The event roll represents occurrences happening elsewhere in the dungeon.

To make an event roll, the hero with the highest initiative rolls a d6. The event roll fails if the result is either a 1 or 2.

If the roll passes, move onto step 4. If the roll fails, the echo token activates as described below.

Echo Tokens

When the echo token activates, it moves one area. If the token isn't on the playing area, place it on the entrance tile instead.

When an echo token moves, place it one area closer to the hero with the highest initiative, on the tile in its new area that's closest to the hero.

If the token would be placed in the same area as a hero (because the token was in an area next to the hero's area before it moved), remove the token from the playing area instead. Shuffle the wandering monster cards listed for the encounter that are not in play already, and deal one at random. If the card is an enemy card, place the enemy's model on the hero's tile, on the tile's marked zone.

If a hero moves into the same area as an echo token during their turn, remove the token and shuffle the wandering monster cards as described above.

Wyldshell has failed the event roll. The echo token activates, and is placed one area closer, on the tile closest to Wyldshell.

If Wyldshell fails the event roll again next turn, the echo token will be removed, and the heroes will have to draw a wandering monster card to see what enemy has been following them, or if it was just their imagination…

Terrain Hazards

Some terrain elements are less predictable than others, and change over time, such as a burst pipe venting a strange gas, or a flooding chamber. These are known as terrain hazards.

If the event roll is a 6, any hazards on the playing area activate, and the text on their card(s) is resolved.

The Maintenance Phase

At the end of an encounter, heroes pause to get their breath and prepare for the next part of their journey.

When the heroes complete or fail an encounter, the maintenance phase begins.

Resolve the maintenance phase in the following order.

1. Upkeep Step
2. Gold Step
3. Level-Up Step

1. Upkeep Step

At the start of the upkeep step, each hero discards any wound cards on their dashboard. Then remove all tiles, models, cards, and tokens from the playing area and marching order.

Do not discard or replenish the healing potion, firewood, toolkit, and charm tokens.

If heroes have any tokens on their dashboard, such as the grudge token, or a treasure card with timer tokens on it, these are also not discarded.

If the heroes completed the encounter, move on to the next step.

If the heroes failed the encounter, discard each token in the gold stash. Then, un-exhaust healing potion, firewood, toolkit, and charm tokens until each track shows at least one active token. After doing so, the maintenance phase ends.

2. Gold Step

In the gold step, the heroes can spend gold tokens they've gained by defeating enemies and completing challenges.

During this step the heroes may carry out the following, in the order shown below:

1. Spend the gold cost shown on any exhausted consumable cards to un-exhaust them.
2. Spend gold to replenish healing potion, firewood, toolkit, and/or charm tokens, at a cost of 7 gold per token.
3. Spend 10 gold to draw a card from the adventure's lost treasure deck.
4. Un-attach gemstone or rune cards from equipment cards. This does not cost gold.

Heroes do not have to spend their gold tokens during this step, and can instead leave them in the gold stash for later on.

Once heroes have finished spending their gold, they move on to the next step.

3. Level-Up Step

As the heroes progress, they'll gain XP, which they can track with XP tokens.

During the level-up step, the heroes can spend XP on the following:

• Increasing characteristic modifiers
• Enhancing abilities
• Purchasing new abilities.

As with gold tokens, heroes do not have to spend their XP during this step and can instead save them for later on.

Once heroes have finished spending XP, the level-up step and the maintenance phase ends, and the heroes can move on to the next encounter.

Increasing Characteristic Modifiers

The hero chooses one of their characteristics (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma), and spends a number of XP equal to the value of the modifier they are gaining, replacing the token on their dashboard with a token showing the new number.

Modifiers must be gained in ascending order—i.e., in order to increase a characteristic modifier to +2, the hero must first have a +1 modifier for that characteristic.

Each characteristic can be upgraded to a maximum of +4.

Enhancing Abilities

Each ability card is double sided, with a level one side that features an XP value next to the level symbol, and a level two side, indicated by a different symbol.

When a hero enhances an ability, they spend the amount of XP shown on the card, and flip it to the enhanced side.

Example enhanced ability, "Premonition": When this hero uses the explore action, after dealing the new marching order, one enemy card suffers a condition.

Enhanced abilities can add a variety of effects and text—heroes should look at each of their abilities individually to choose enhancements that suit their preferred playstyle.

Purchasing New Abilities

Each hero belongs to a specific path, as indicated on their profile card. In addition to the ability cards heroes begin with, each path has several additional ability cards available for purchase, allowing heroes to develop a variety of talents suited to their strengths and gameplay style.

When a hero purchases a new ability, they can either purchase one of their own path's abilities for 3XP, or purchase an ability from another path for 4XP, allowing for an even greater level of customisation.

If an ability card has a hero's image next to the path, it may only be purchased by that hero.

Congratulations! Because you completed the tutorial encounter, you've all earned 3XP. Using the rules above, let's try spending some XP now.

If this is your first time, we recommend following the suggestions below, which will help you get off to a great start!

• Dawnguard: Dawnguard has access to devotion tokens, a special resource that fuels powerful and unique abilities. Spend this hero's 3XP on purchasing the Penitence ability from the Path of Faith. Penitence: Place a devotion token in the same or an adjacent zone. Enemies in the same zone as the token reduce their speed to 0. Discard the token at the start of this hero's next turn. (3XP)
• Lightweaver: Lightweaver has several potent abilities to choose from, but extra accuracy helps with reliably hitting when using them. Spend this hero's 3XP on increasing their characteristic modifier to +3.
• Nightfeather: Nightfeather doesn't want to risk getting stuck in a zone with too many enemies—so, a ranged attack is a great start. Spend this hero's 3XP on purchasing the Throwing Knives ability from the Path of Shadows. Throwing Knives: Hit / Critical - Add +1 to this hero's attack range during this attack. (2XP)
• Stoneheart: Stoneheart can really benefit from extra mobility, allowing them to get stuck into the enemies quicker. Spend this hero's 3XP on purchasing the Charge ability from the Path of Steel. Charge: Hit / Critical - Before this attack is resolved, this hero may move up to 3 zones. (3XP)
• Wyldshell: Like Dawnguard, Wyldshell uses a unique token type, which can be used to devastating effect. Spend this hero's XP on Ghost Lights, an ability which gets them off to a great start on the Path of Omens. Ghost Lights: When Wyldshell makes a damage roll against an enemy in the same zone as a ghost token, it always causes a critical hit on a 4 or higher. If the attack causes a critical hit, remove the ghost token. (2XP)

And now, you're ready to enter the Ancient Forge! Time to turn to the Adventure book, and take your first steps on the path of becoming Bardsung…

Equipment

Upgrading Equipment

As the heroes play the campaign, their gear will slowly absorb the magic of the Ancient Forge and become more potent. Heroes can't purchase upgrades for their equipment with gold or XP—equipment only upgrades as a result of rules text after certain events.

There are three levels for each equipment card. Equipment begins the campaign with the level one face showing. When a hero upgrades a piece of equipment, they replace the existing card with the corresponding upgrade card.

When upgrading, heroes can attach or un-attach any gemstone or rune cards in their inventory.

Example upgraded equipment, "Forgefather": This hero can ignore the first push they suffer each round.

Boss Encounters

Wait, didn't we say it was time to enter the Ancient Forge? If you haven't yet started reading the Adventure Book, stop before you go any further, as you won't need these final rules for a little while yet…

Oho! So, you're here because you're ready to face your first boss? Well then, firstly, congratulations. You're doing well. And now, lets teach you how these dangerous new adversaries work!

As heroes delve deeper into the ruins, they'll have to face increasingly more dangerous and unique enemies, the most challenging of which are known as bosses.

Boss Encounter Set Up

Bosses will always be experienced as fixed encounters, typically using the reverse side of the board.

The reverse of the board has a marching order and the same tracks for tokens that the heroes will already be familiar with, although note that firewood and toolkits will be of little help when facing a boss—the heroes certainly won't have time to rest, or be able to hammer a door shut to keep their adversary at bay!

Each boss encounter has a dedicated page that shows how to set up the arena, including hero and enemy starting zones.

You won't need aspect, dungeon, or treasure decks for this encounter, so put those to one side for the moment.

Playing a Boss Encounter

Although the bosses themselves vary significantly, the objective of each boss encounter is the same—defeat the boss. As with normal encounters, if any hero is defeated, the encounter ends in failure.

Boss Cards

Unlike other enemies, a boss's information is spread over a single reference card, and several initiative cards.

A boss is an enemy for the purposes of resolving rules such as conditions and hero abilities.

Bosses are unaffected by abilities or conditions that reduce their speed or prevent them from moving.

Reference Card

Once the playing area has been set up, place the boss's reference card(s) to one side of the playing area where each hero can see them. These cards are never placed in the marching order.

Example boss reference card, "Earthshatter Demon": When a hero moves or is pushed into a zone with a stalagmites token, roll a d6. If the result is 4 or lower, they suffer a wound.

A boss reference card shows:

1. Name: The boss's name.
2. Target number (TN): When the heroes attack the boss, they use this target number.
3. Speed: How many zones the boss can move.
4. Toughness: The number a damage roll must equal or exceed to inflict a critical hit against the boss.
5. Special rules: The boss's special rules.
6. Heat-Up: Whether this is the card's normal or heat-up face.

Initiative Cards

A boss's initiative cards are shuffled into the marching order, and represent the boss's attacks.

Example boss initiative card, "Arachnid Rush" (Crimson Hook): TN12. Attack property, range, Hit/Miss effects. Behaviour: Charge closest hero on the marching order. Special rule: After Crimson Hook has finished moving, resolve this attack against each hero in each zone she moved into during the charge.

A boss initiative card shows:

1. Name: The name of the attack.
2. Target number (TN): When the boss makes this attack, the heroes use this target number for their defence rolls.
3. Attack profile: The card's attack profile. a. Property: Special attack types are shown here. b. Range: The card's attack range. c. Effects: The effects if the attack hits.
4. Behaviour Trait: The card's behaviour text to indicate how the boss moves and/or attacks when resolving this card.
5. Special rules: The card's special rules.
6. Heat-Up: Whether this is the card's normal or heat-up face. Boss initiative cards are always placed in the marching order with their normal side showing at the start of an encounter.

Once the playing area has been set up, take the hero initiative cards and the boss initiative cards listed in the encounter rules and shuffle them together, then deal a marching order to begin the first round.

Boss Turns

Unlike normal enemies, a boss has multiple turns during each round, each time it's one of their initiative card's turns on the marching order.

Resolve these cards in the same way as normal enemy card, using the card's behaviour trait text to ascertain targets and movement, and the attack profile when the boss attacks. Note that each card is different—bosses have a rich and diverse offence compared to normal enemies.

If a boss can't attack the hero listed as its target, it will instead target the closest hero. In the rare instance that no hero is in range of the attack or charge, it will move up to its speed towards the closest hero.

A boss will always take the shortest route when moving towards a target. In the event of multiple routes being equidistant, the boss will always move via the route that contacts the highest number of heroes.

End Phases

Skip step 3 of the end phase during a boss encounter. Bosses are fearsome enough adversaries that they even scare away wandering monsters!

Bosses and Suffering Wounds

When a boss suffers a wound, place a wound token next to their model. If the boss suffers another wound, discard the boss's wound tokens, then flip the highest initiative boss card with its normal side face up to the heat-up side.

If all of a boss's initiative cards are showing their heat-up sides and the boss suffers two more wounds, discard the boss's wound tokens, then discard the boss card with the highest initiative. Flip the remaining cards back to their normal facing.

If all of a boss's initiative cards are removed from the marching order, the boss is defeated.

Stages

Some particularly powerful bosses fight over multiple stages. If a boss has additional stages, it will be identified in the boss's encounter rules.

If a boss encounter has multiple stages, the rules for the encounter will state how the boss can be defeated.

Mini-Bosses

Mini-bosses are a type of advanced enemy that will occasionally confront heroes in normal encounters.

Mini-bosses are closer to enemies than they are bosses. They do not have a reference card, and although they have two initiative cards, these appear and function in the same way as enemy reference cards, with the exception that both cards must be removed before the mini-boss is defeated.

Unlike bosses, if the heroes defeat a mini-boss, they do not complete the encounter.

Summary

Hero Actions

• Move – The hero moves up to their speed.
• Use Ability – Resolve an active ability card.
• Explore – Draw a card from the corresponding dungeon deck, and connect the tile shown to the portal the hero is in.
• Open / Close Door – Flip a door token in the hero's zone.

Attack Properties

• Physical Attack – See Enemy TN Modifiers.
• Magical Attack – See Enemy TN Modifiers.
• Powerful Attack – Defence rolls have disadvantage against this attack.
• Area of Effect – After resolving attack, apply effects to every other enemy in the target's zone.
• Pulse – The enemy attacks every hero in their attack range.

Conditions

• Bane – The next time this enemy is attacked, the attack roll has advantage, then discard this token.
• Bleed – Subtract -1 from the event roll for each hero suffering this condition. Discard this token when the heroes rest.
• Blessing – This hero gains advantage on their next action roll, then discard this token.
• Burn – At the end of the round, this model suffers a wound, then discard this token.
• Fatigue – This hero suffers disadvantage on their next action roll, then discard this token.
• Frostbite – When this hero suffers a wound, they suffer a serious wound instead, then discard this token. When this enemy suffers a wound, they suffer an additional wound, then discard this token.
• Pinned – When the marching order is shuffled, this card is left in the space it already occupies. After the new marching order is dealt, discard this token.
• Poison – A model may have multiple poison tokens. When a model suffers poison, before the poison token is placed next to their model, they suffer a number of wounds equal to the number of poison tokens they already have, then gain the token. Discard all poison tokens when the heroes rest.
• Silence – this hero's player can't speak or communicate with the other players.
• Stunned – A hero may have multiple stunned tokens. Reduce this hero's actions by one for each stunned token on them. At the end of each of this hero's turns, discard one token.
• Sundered – This hero doesn't add modifiers to their next defence roll, then discard this token.
• Weaken – The next time this enemy attacks, the hero's defence roll has advantage, then discard this token.

Dice Bonuses

• Advantage - Roll an extra d20, and use the die with the highest result.
• Disadvantage - Roll an extra d20, and use the die with the lowest result.
• Reroll – Roll all of the dice again, and use the new result. A roll can only be rerolled once.
• Empower - Roll a d4 and add the number shown to the result.
• Upgrade - Roll the die with the next highest facing size, to a maximum of d12.

Enemy TN Modifiers

• Physically Resilient - physical attacks against this enemy have disadvantage.
• Physically Vulnerable - physical attacks against this enemy have advantage.
• Magically Resilient - magical attacks against this enemy have disadvantage.
• Magically Vulnerable - magical attacks against this enemy have advantage.

Attack Effects

• Wound - The target suffers a wound.
• Serious Wound - The target suffers a serious wound.
• Push – The target can be placed in an adjacent zone.
• Dodge – The attacking model can be placed in an adjacent zone.
• Blessing - The attacking model gains a blessing token.
• Inspire – Flip an exhausted fate token to the active side.
• Quicken – Move the model's initiative card one space left on the marching order.
• Haste – Move the model's initiative card to the space with the highest initiative.
• Slow – Move the target's initiative card one space right on the marching order.
• Stop – Move the target's initiative card to the space with the lowest initiative.
• Bane – The target gains a bane token.
• Bleed – The target gains a bleed token.
• Burn – The target gains a burn token.
• Fatigue – The target gains a fatigue token.
• Frostbite – The target gains a frostbite token.
• Poison – The target gains a poison token.
• Stunned – The target gains a stunned token.
• Sundered – The target gains a sundered token.
• Weaken – The target gains a weaken token.
• Pinned – The target gains a pinned token.

Terrain Elements

• Firepit – A model that is pushed into a zone containing a firepit token suffers a wound. If a hero suffers a push from an enemy attack and is adjacent to a zone containing a firepit token, they must be pushed into that zone.
• Water – If a hero moves or is pushed into a zone containing a water token, they make an event roll.
• Gas – A model that ends their turn in the same zone as a gas token suffers a wound.
• Rubble – When a hero in the same zone as a rubble token is attacked, empower their defence roll, then discard the token.
• Elevation – When a hero in the same zone as the elevation token attacks an enemy in another zone, empower the attack roll.
• Banner – The first enemy card to become exhausted each round suffers a wound, and then is unexhausted. Heroes in the same zone as the banner token can spend an action to discard the token, if there are no enemies in the zone.
• Grasping Vines – If a hero attempts to leave a zone containing a grasping vines token during a move action, they suffer a TN10 parting blow. If they fail this roll, they suffer a wound. If there are enemies in the same zone, ignore this token.
• Stalagmites – If a hero moves or is pushed into a zone containing a stalagmite token, they suffer a wound. If a hero suffers a push from an enemy attack and is adjacent to a zone containing a stalagmite token, they must be pushed into that zone. When an enemy is pushed into a zone containing a stalagmite token, roll a d6. If a 4, 5, or 6 is rolled, the enemy suffers a wound.
• Drift – A model that ends their turn in the same zone as a drift token suffers a wound. If a model in a zone containing a drift token suffers a wound, discard the drift token.
• Mushroom Patch – If the event roll is a 6, each model on the same tile as one or more mushroom tokens suffers a wound, then remove the mushroom patch token(s). If there are no enemy cards on the marching order, a hero in the same zone as a mushroom patch may discard the token and earn three gold. If they do, they make a TN14 action roll. If they fail, they suffer a wound.
• Old Well – This token's rules are detailed on an aspect card.
• Pipe – This token's rules are detailed on an aspect card.
• Forge – This token's rules are detailed on an aspect card.