Blood
Blood Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Components
- Assembling Game Components
- Goal of the Game
- Setup
- Basics
- Game Flow
- Components Anatomy
- Enemies - Nemesis
- Enemies - Minions
- Zones
- Other Components
- Game Modes
- Game Flow
- Day Part
- Dusk Phase
- Night Part
- Rules Compendium
- Effects
- Reading an Effect
- Resolving the Effects
- Nemesis Sides and Weaknesses
- Wounds
- Minions
- Threat
- Events
- Use of Items and Tokens
Components
- 38 Hexagonal Tiles
- 4 Trouper Boards
- 1 Night Board
- 1 Wagon
- 1 Village Card
- 6 Nemesis Cards
- 4 Aid Cards
- 3 D4 Dice
- 3 D6 Dice
- 3 D8 Dice
- 40 Red Cubes
- 3D Elements
- 1 Leader Token
- 4 Exhausted Tokens
- 1 Threat Token
- 15 Nemesis Trophy Tokens (3x Nemesis)
- 12 Location Trophy Tokens (3x Location)
- 24 Vigor Tokens
- 32 Trap Tokens (8x player)
- 32 Whisper Tokens (8x player)
- 32 Event Tokens (8x player)
- 12 Resolved Tokens
- 24 Bite Tokens
- 60 Reaction Cards (12x Nemesis)
- 12 Vlad Reaction Cards
- 12 Vlad Back Cards
- 8 Minion Cards
- 18 Weakness Cards (3x Nemesis)
- 24 Event Cards (6x Zone)
Assembling Game Components
Before starting the Setup of a game, assemble the components as described below and in the corresponding illustrated steps.
- A. Sleeve the Trouper Back Cards in the Standard Transparent Sleeves.
- B. Sleeve the Item Back Cards in the Transparent Mini Sleeves.
- C. Sleeve the Vlad Back Cards in the Standard Transparent Sleeves.
- D. Sleeve the Vlad Reaction Cards in the same sleeves in which the Vlad Back Cards were sleeved, making sure they show the Enhanced Side (red and white background). NOTE: Vlad Interruption Cards show the same information on both the front and back.
- E. Assemble the Wagon following the steps illustrated.
- F. Assemble the Scenic Elements following the steps illustrated.
Source note: page 7 of the alpha rulebook is a "Work in Progress" placeholder; no rules are printed there.
Goal of the Game
Golden Rule
At any point in the game, if the Effect of a component contradicts what is stated in this rulebook, the Effect of the component takes precedence.
In Blood, players take on the role of artists known as Troupers, all belonging to Vasile's Follies, a macabre troupe of wanderers hiding ancient occult secrets.
In a game of Blood, the players' goal is to clash with a Nemesis, a powerful opponent represented by a vampire or an exponent of the ranks of creatures in Vlad's service.
By taking on the game in a series of matches, players will be able to upgrade the Troupers and weaken Vlad to the point where they can face him and defeat him.
Leader Rule
At any point in the game, if a target can't be clearly established or no agreement can be reached between the players, the final decision always rests with the player holding the Leader Token.
Game Mode Presentation
Blood is a game in the Boss-Battler genre in which players must work together to defeat Vlad and his henchmen. Blood can be played in three game modes:
- Roguelite Mode. Players play single games by upgrading their Troupers and possibly depowering Vlad by defeating one of his lieutenants (the other Nemesis). The game box and materials available to the players save the game state at the end of each game. Each subsequent game restarts with the progress made in the previous games, until the players decide to face Vlad, the final Nemesis. By defeating Vlad, the box and materials are returned to the starting point of the game. This mode doesn't require a set group of players to play it; each game can be played by a different number of players, still affecting the status of the materials for subsequent games.
- Story Mode. Players follow the directions in the Plotbook to face a sequence of preset games that reveal the personal stories of the Nemesis and recount the exploits of the Vasile's Follies troupes.
- Single Game Mode. Players use Troupers with their Starting Tactic Cards and face a Nemesis in a single confrontation, procedurally generating many aspects of the game.
The rules for playing each of these modes are explained in detail on page XXX. (Page reference left as printed in the alpha rulebook.)
Setup
To set up the first game of Blood, please apply the following. For games other than the first one, follow the Saving and Resuming the Game section on page XXX. (Page reference left as printed in the alpha rulebook.)
Player Setup
- Each player gets 1 Trouper Board (A) and 1 Aid Card (B).
- Each player gets 6 Vigor Tokens (C) and places them on the designated spaces on their Trouper Board on the available side.
- Each player chooses, randomly or by mutual agreement, one of the available colors and gets all the associated material: 12 Tactic Back Cards (inserted in protective sleeves), 6 Item Back Cards (inserted in protective sleeves), 8 Whisper Tokens, 8 Trap Tokens, 8 Event Tokens, 1 Exhausted Token and a Colored Base. The player forms their Personal Reserve with these components.
- Each player chooses, either randomly or by mutual agreement, one of the available Troupers and gets all of the associated material: 1 Trouper Card, 12 Starting Tactic Cards, 6 Trouper Item Cards and 1 Miniature.
- Each player sleeves all the Starting Tactic Cards of their Trouper by placing them in the sleeves containing the Tactic Back Cards of their color, and making sure that they show the side with Effects. Each player shuffles the deck thus created and places it on the dedicated space of their Trouper Board (D).
- Each player places their Trouper Card in the dedicated space on their Trouper Board (E).
- Each player sleeves their Trouper Item Cards by inserting them into the sleeves containing the Item Back Cards of their color, and making sure that they show the side with the white background.
- Each player attaches their Colored Base to their Trouper's Miniature (F).
- Each player places a Cube in the leftmost space of the Insanity Track (G) on their Trouper Board.
- Assign, either randomly or by mutual agreement, the Leader Token to one of the players.
Playing Area Setup
- Place the Village Card (A) on one side of the playing area.
- Divide the Advanced Tactic Cards into 6 different decks according to their Art (six art icons); shuffle each deck individually and place each one facing up on the corresponding space on the Village Card (B). Create a deck with Location Item Cards and Nemesis Item Cards (C) and place it face up on the associated Village Card space; do the same with Location Tactic Cards and Nemesis Tactic Cards (D).
- Place the Night Board (E) on one side of the playing area and place the Threat Token (F) on the corresponding space on it.
- Create the Common Reserve in a spot on the table so that it is easily accessible to each player by placing the following into it:
- Bite Tokens (G).
- Nemesis Trophy Tokens (H).
- Location Trophy Tokens (I).
- Dice (J).
- Tiles (K).
- Minion Card Deck (L).
- Scenic Elements (M).
- Nemesis Card Deck (N).
- Nemesis Reaction Card Decks (O).
- Weakness Cards divided according to the Nemesis with which they are associated (P).
- Location Cards (Q).
- Event Cards (R).
- Vlad Reaction Cards (S).
- Minions, Nemesis and Vlad's Miniatures (T).
- Place the Resolved Tokens (U) and Cubes (V) near the Night Board so that they are easily accessible to a player who will handle them during the game.
- Place the Wagon (W) next to the Village Card so that it is easily accessible to a player who will manage it during the game. Then set all the values of the Wagon to 0 (X).
Basics
In order to understand all the concepts in the next chapters, it's necessary to know some basic information about some game elements.
Effects
An Effect (see p. XXX) is a set of instructions called Elements (see p. XXX) carried on a game component, and which, by resolving, alters the state of the game itself. Elements may be icons (e.g., an attack icon) or keywords (e.g., Run); the latter may be followed by a number (e.g., Step 2) that determines the power of the action indicated by the keyword. Some Effects, in addition to the Elements, also carry descriptive texts explaining how to apply them.
An Effect can be found in several game components: Tactic Cards, Item Cards, Reaction Cards, Nemesis Cards, Minion Cards, Event Card, Village Card.
Reading an Effect
An Effect must always be read and resolved by following these instructions:
- If a game component has more than one Effect, they must always be resolved starting with the topmost one and working downward.
- Resolving an Effect on Tactic Cards and Item Cards is optional; the card owner can thus decide not to resolve an Effect on it and possibly move on to the next Effect, if any. When resolving an Effect reported on one of the other materials, resolving it is mandatory and it must always be resolved to the greatest extent possible.
- If the Effect shows a Condition, it must be met in order for the Effect to be applied, otherwise, the Effect is not resolved and we move on to the next Effect, if any.
- If the Effect shows a Cost, this must be paid in order for the Effect to be applied, otherwise, the Effect is not resolved and we move on to the next Effect, if any.
Source note: the lower half of page 11 of the alpha rulebook is a "Work in Progress" placeholder; the Example listed for this page in the contents is therefore absent from this version.
Game Flow
A Blood game is always divided into two main parts: the Day Part and the Night Part.
Day Part Overview
During the Day Part, players spend resources and improve their equipment, heal their wounds and purchase information for the Night Part.
- Show: Players restore all Vigor Tokens, Item Cards, and the deck of Tactic Cards. They can then purchase new Tactic Cards, Item Cards and use Village Card Effects.
- Dusk: Players select and set up all game materials for the Night Part, then choose Item Cards to equip and Tactic Cards to use in their deck. The Day Part ends and the game moves to the Night Part.
Night Part Overview
During the Night Part, players face the Nemesis and its thugs in Locations influenced by the power of evil.
- Beginning of the Night: You resolve the Beginning of the Night Effects.
- Game Turns: Players play Tactic Cards planning a strategy to defeat the Nemesis while it exploits its Reaction Cards and Minions to attack them. This continues until the players are declared victorious or defeated.
- End of the Night: Players receive any rewards. The Night Part ends.
Components Anatomy
The Troupers
In Blood, each player controls a Trouper, a quaint individual endowed with abilities beyond the ordinary, gained through the experience of traveling with Vasile's Follies troupe. During the day, they travel from village to village, putting on shows that entertain crowds of curious onlookers; at night, away from prying eyes, they use their superhuman abilities to serve the purposes of their troupe's shady master, the sinister Vasile.
Miniature
The Miniature represents the physical location of a Trouper on the Map (the playing area) and allows it to be moved between the Tiles that make it up.
Trouper Card
The Trouper Card contains the Trouper's information and Traits. The Narrative Side shows the Trouper's backstory and play style, while the Skill Side shows the composition of their Trouper Deck and the dice combinations associated with each of their Traits. The Traits of a Trouper are Strength, Dexterity, Cunning and Madness.
Narrative Side
- (A) Name: The Trouper's name.
- (B) Illustration: The artistic representation of the Trouper.
- (C) Text: The backstory and style of the Trouper.
Skill Side
- (A) Name: The Trouper's name.
- (B) Illustration: The artistic representation of the Trouper.
- (C) Traits: A Trouper's Traits determine their ability to deal with Tests during the game.
- (D) Building: Amount and Arts (see p. XXX) of the Tactic Cards of which the Trouper Deck of the Trouper is composed.
Item Card
The Item Cards represent the Trouper's equipment and help them in battle. There are three types of Item Cards: Trouper, Location and Nemesis; how they work is explained in detail below.
Item Cards are divided into three categories: Protections, Tools and Artifacts. A Trouper can equip one Item Card per category.
Trouper Item Card
Each Trouper has six Trouper Item Cards associated with them. As they begin they are turned on the Starting Side (see box), and in each game they can equip themselves with three of them.
Trouper Item Cards assist the Trouper's basic strategy, and between games they can be upgraded by turning them onto the Advanced Side (see box) or replaced by Location Item Cards and/or Nemesis Item Cards (see below).
- (A) Starting Side: The side of the card to be used when you start playing with the Trouper that has it.
- (B) Advanced Side: The side of the card to be used if the item is upgraded during the Day Part.
- (C) Item Name: The name of the Item.
- (D) Quick: Indicates that it can be used outside the activation of your Trouper.
- (E) Trouper Name: The name of the Trouper with which the Item is associated.
- (F) Illustration: The artistic representation of the Item.
- (G) Category: The symbol indicating which category the Item belongs to (Protections, Tools or Artifacts).
- (H) Upgrade: The cost in resources to be paid in order to turn the Item over to the Advanced Side during the Day Part.
- (I) Effect: The Effect of the Item.
Location Item Card and Nemesis Item Cards
Location Item Cards and Nemesis Item Cards can be purchased by players if they can obtain Location Trophy Tokens and/or Nemesis Trophy Tokens (see p. XXX). They show the same information as Trouper Item Cards, except as noted below and that the two sides of the card are identical.
- (A) Location/Nemesis Name: The name of the Location or Nemesis related to the Item.
- (B) Cost in Tokens Trophies: The additional cost in Trophy Tokens to be spent to obtain the Item Card.
Tactic Card
Tactic Cards are used to make the Trouper perform actions and allow them to interact with the various game elements.
There are four types of Tactic Cards: Starting, Advanced, Location and Nemesis, and their function is explained in detail below.
Each Tactic Card is part of one of the six Arts: Funambulism, Delirium, Alchemy, Juggling, Enchantment and Pacts.
Starting Tactic Cards
Each Trouper plays their first game(s) with a deck containing 12 Starting Tactic Cards.
Starting Tactic Cards define the Trouper's basic strategy and, during a campaign, can be replaced by Advanced Tactic Cards, Location Tactic Cards, and/or Nemesis Tactic Cards. A Tactic Card may contain one or more Effects, separated by lines.
- (A) Card Name: The name of the card.
- (B) Trouper Name: The name of the Trouper to which the card belongs.
- (C) Illustration: The artistic representation of the Trouper to which the card belongs.
- (D) Threat: The Threat (see p. XXX) generated by the card when it is played.
- (E) Art: The symbol indicating which Art the card is part of.
- (F) Separator: The line separating one Effect from another.
- (G) Effect: The Game Effect that is produced (for complete rules of Effects, see p. XXX).
Advanced Tactic Cards
Advanced Tactic Cards contain more powerful Effects than Starting Tactic Cards. They can be obtained as rewards or purchased in the Day Part by paying the corresponding cost in Resources (see page XXX). They show the same information as Starting Tactic Cards, except as noted below.
- (A) Purchase Cost: The resources to be spent to obtain the card.
Location Tactic Cards and Nemesis Tactic Cards
Location Tactic Cards and Nemesis Tactic Cards can be purchased by players if they can obtain Location Trophy Tokens and/or Nemesis Trophy Tokens (see p. XXX). They show the same information as Trouper Item Cards, except as noted below and that the two sides of the card are identical. In addition, these cards are considered to be part of each of the six Arts, which is why they don't display any Art symbol.
- (A) Art: These cards don't have this symbol and are considered part of each Art.
- (B) Cost in Trophy Tokens: The additional cost in Trophy Tokens to be spent to obtain the Tactic Cards.
Trouper Deck
A Trouper Deck consists of 12 Starting Tactic Cards that are part of the Arts indicated on the Trouper Card of the Trouper themselves. The player will use this deck, or its modified version if they have obtained Advanced Tactic Cards with which to replace the Starting Tactic Cards, during the Night Part to guide their Trouper.
Trouper Board
The Trouper Board helps organize the components of the Trouper. It is composed as follows:
- (A) Trouper Space: Where the Trouper Card is placed.
- (B) Deck Space: Where the Trouper Deck is placed.
- (C) Discard Pile: Where the discarded Trouper Deck cards are placed.
- (D) Wound Space: Where the cards of the Trouper Deck that are turned into wounds are placed.
- (E) Vigor Space: Where the Vigor Tokens are placed.
- (F) Item Spaces: Where a Trouper's equipped Items are placed, divided by Item category (Protections, Tools and Artifacts).
- (G) Insanity Track: The Track on which to move the Cube to get bonuses to Tests.
Trouper Tokens
Whisper and Trap Token
These tokens are placed by Troupers on Map tiles via Item Card Effects or Tactic Cards, and are exploited by various Tactic Card Effects or Item Cards.
Whisper Tokens are generally called in by Trouper Support Effects, while Trap Tokens are exploited for offensive purposes.
These tokens have two sides: Intact (A) and Consumed (B). These sides don't affect the Effects in any way, but they do decree how long the tokens will remain on the Map (see Cleanup Phase, page XXX).
Event Token
An Event Token is used to keep track of how many and which Event Actions a player has successfully completed.
Exhausted Token
This Token is used to determine whether a Trouper is in the Exhausted state (see p. XXX) and it can be obtained by performing a Rest or by certain Game Effects.
Vigor Token
Each Trouper has 6 Vigor Tokens available, which represent their physical performance. These tokens are a necessary resource for paying some of the costs of Effects. A Vigor Token has two sides: the Available side (A) and the Consumed side (B).
Bite Token
Bite Tokens are obtained by Troupers from Effects featuring the bite symbol. These tokens represent the bites suffered by a Trouper from enemies.
Some Game Effects require as a prerequisite for their use that the Trouper who wants to use them has a certain number of Bite Tokens (see page XXX).
Enemies - Nemesis
Nemesis are vampires and other terrible creatures in Vlad's service with extraordinary skills, and they are the Trouper's main antagonists.
Miniature
The physical representation of a Nemesis. The Miniature helps to understand where the Nemesis is on the map and to move it between the Tiles that make it up. The Miniature of a Nemesis has three symbols on its base: Front, Left Side and Right Side. These symbols help to tell which side of the Nemesis a Trouper is interacting with and its orientation on the Map.
Nemesis Card
The Nemesis Card contains all the information and skills of the Nemesis.
- (A) Name: The name of Nemesis.
- (B) Background Text: A brief description of Nemesis and its background.
- (C) Illustration: The artistic representation of the Nemesis.
- (D) Reaction Deck Space: Where the Nemesis Reaction Deck is placed.
- (E) Difficulty Level: The different levels of difficulty at which Nemesis can be tackled.
- (F) Wounds: How many Wounds and on which sides these must be inflicted in order for the Nemesis to be defeated, in relation to the level at which it is confronted.
- (G) Influence: The number of Event Cards to be placed on the Chain, in relation to the level at which the Nemesis is faced.
- (H) Defenses: The Physical and Mind Defense value of the Nemesis.
- (I) Skills: The Skill(s) of the Nemesis.
- (J) Weaknesses Spaces: The spaces where the Nemesis Weakness Cards are placed.
- (K) Discard Pile: The space in which Reaction Cards discarded by the Nemesis are placed.
Weakness Card
Each Nemesis has three Weakness Cards, each associated with one of the sides of its Miniature by the Front, Left Side and Right Side symbols (for the Orientation and Sides of the Nemesis, see p. XXX). When facing a Nemesis its Weakness Cards must always be placed each at the associated space on the Nemesis Card.
- (A) Name: The name of the card.
- (B) Side: Nemesis Card space in which to place the Weakness Card.
- (C) Trophy Space: Where to place the Nemesis Trophy Token.
- (D) Effect Name: The name of the Effect.
- (E) Effect: The Effect produced by the card.
Reaction Card
Reaction Cards make up the Nemesis Deck and determine the actions it performs during a game turn.
- (A) Name: The name of the card.
- (B) Background Text: A narrative text associated with the card.
- (C) Illustration: The artistic representation of Nemesis.
- (D) Fatigue: Indicates a reduction (if any) in the Physical Defense and/or Mind Defense values of the Nemesis while this card is placed on the Reaction Line.
- (E) Interruption: Indicates that the card interrupts the flow of play (see p. XXX).
- (F) Check: Indicates that the card can end the game (see p. XXX).
- (G) Separator: The line separating one Effect from another.
- (H) Effect: The game Effect that is produced.
Reaction Card - Vlad
Vlad's Reaction Cards have two sides: the Enhanced side and the Weakened side. When the game is first prepared, Vlad's Reaction Cards are placed in the transparent sleeves that contain the Reaction Back Cards, so that they show the Enhanced side. In Roguelite and Story mode, it's possible to turn these cards around so that they show the Weakened side (see page XXX) to make a future confrontation with Vlad easier.
Nemesis Deck
A Nemesis Deck is the set of 12 Reaction Cards associated with a Nemesis and determines its behavior and ultimate victory condition.
Enemies - Minions
Minions are the thugs of the Nemesis and try to get in the way of players with their skills.
Miniature
The physical representation of a Minion. The Miniature helps you figure out where the Minion is on the map and move it between the Tiles that make it up.
Minion Card
This card contains all the information and skills of the Minion with which it is associated.
- (A) Name: The name of the Minion. (The key in the alpha rulebook misspells this label as "Nome".)
- (B) Type: The type of the Minion.
- (C) Defenses: The Minion's Physical and Mind Defense value.
- (D) Illustration: The artistic representation of the Minion.
- (E) Effects: The Effects of the Minion.
Zones
The Zones represent Vlad's domains in which the Nemesis exert their influence. In this box there are four Zones that are part of Vlad's castle: the Catacombs, the Graveyard, the Garden and the Halls.
Tiles
Tiles make up the Game Map, and most of the actions of a game take place on them. Each Zone has 19 Tiles to represent the locations where battles take place; each group of 19 Tiles is composed as follows:
- 1 Tile with the Nemesis symbol from which the Nemesis starts the game.
- 1 Tile with the big Scenic Element symbol in which the big Scenic Element is placed.
- 3 Tiles with the small Scenic Element symbol in which the small Scenic Elements are placed.
- 3 Tiles with the first Minion-type symbol from which one type of Minions start the game.
- 3 Tiles with the second Minion-type symbol from which one type of Minions start the game.
- 2 Tiles with the Trouper symbol from which the Troupers start the game.
- 8 Tiles with no symbol.
Source note: the alpha rulebook lists these groups as summing to 21 Tiles per Zone while the text states 19, and the Components list gives 38 Hexagonal Tiles for the box while describing four Zones. Both figures are transcribed as printed; the discrepancy is unresolved in this alpha.
Location Cards
Each Location has associated Location Cards that describe its different areas. These cards carry information on both sides: on the front is the diagram to form the Map where the Night Part of the current game will take place, while the back shows the rewards that players are entitled to if they win.
Location Card Back
- (A) Name: The name of the Location card.
- (B) Map: The pattern to be reproduced to build the Map.
- (C) Zone: The Zone to which the Location Card is linked.
Location Card Front
- (A) Name: The name of the Location card.
- (B) Choice: The result that corresponds to this Location Card by rolling a die when this is to be chosen randomly.
- (C) Difficulty Level: The different levels of difficulty at which Nemesis can be faced.
- (D) Reward: The different rewards obtained in relation to the Difficulty Level at which you are facing the Nemesis (see p. XXX).
- (E) Loot: The Resources that can be earned at the end of the game in case of victory.
Event Cards
Event Cards represent side missions to be solved during the Night Part. Solving an Event Card allows Troupers to increase their chances of winning the game and accumulate valuable Resources.
- (A) Name: The name of the Event.
- (B) Event Type: The type of Event indicates which component the Event is related to. It can be a Scenic Element, a specific Minion or a specific action that a Trouper must perform.
- (C) Background Text: A narrative text associated with the paper.
- (D) Event Effect: The Effect to be applied in an attempt to resolve the Event.
- (E) Reward: The reward obtained by solving the Event.
- (F) Illustration: The artistic representation of the card.
Scenic Elements
A Scenic Element represents a distinctive structure in the environment of a Location. Scenic Elements are divided into two categories: Large and Small. Each Map always contains the Tiles necessary for the placement of one Large and three Small Scenic Elements; which ones are to be used is always specified in the associated Event Card.
Source note: the rest of the Scenic Elements page (page 23) is a "Work in Progress" placeholder in this alpha; no further rules are printed there.
Other Components
Dice
Dice are used by players to face Tests or determine certain random outcomes in the game. Each type of dice is represented in the game texts by a specific colored icon: Red Dice (red triangle), Grey Dice (grey square) and Black Dice (black diamond).
One or more of the Triumph or Defeat symbols are present on the die.
The result of the Red Dice is always the symbol shown on the top of each of its sides.
Cubes
Cubes serve multiple functions: they can be used to keep track of something during the game, they can move within a track, or they can represent a specific Item from time to time.
When the symbol of a Cube is followed by a keyword, it thematizes its use by a Nemesis; for example, for the Nemesis Lucilla the Cube represents a Bat.
Night Board
The Night Board is where players place their Tactic Cards to perform actions and where the Nemesis responds by placing Reaction Cards. The Night Board also allows you to organize the Minion cards on the map and update the current Threat level.
- (A) Flow Arrow: Indicates the order in which the cards are to be resolved.
- (B) Chain Spaces: The spaces where Trouper Event Cards and Tactic Cards are placed.
- (C) Reaction Spaces: The spaces where the Nemesis Reaction Cards are placed.
- (D) Minion Spaces: The spaces in which Minion cards are placed.
- (E) Threat Track: The track along which the Threat Token is moved.
- (F) Alert Space: Indicates when the Nemesis reveals a new Reaction Card from its deck to place it on a Reaction Space.
- (G) Phase Number: These numbers indicate the order in which the phases of the turn take place (see p. XXX).
Village Card
The Village Card contains Buildings whose Effects can be resolved during the Day Part; it also helps in the management of associated components.
- (A) Name: The name of the Village.
- (B) Village Buildings: The Effects of Buildings.
- (C) Tactic Decks Spaces: The spaces in which Advanced Tactic Card decks are placed according to the indicated Art.
- (D) Training Space: The space in which Location Tactic Cards and Nemesis Tactic Cards are placed.
- (E) Crafting Space: The space where Location Item Cards and Nemesis Item Cards are placed.
The Buildings of the alpha Bran Village card are printed as follows (cost in Resources, then Effect):
- Hunting House (cost 6 Resources): For the next Part of the Night, players choose four Minion Cards from the ones available. Then, randomly reveal two Minion Cards from the ones chosen in this way and match one of these cards to the Minion (A) slot (+) and the other to the Minion (B) slot (,) on the Night Board.
- Cartographer's Office (cost 4 Resources): For the next Part of the Night, you can choose the Location Card instead of randomly revealing it.
- Sanatorium (cost 1 Resource): A player discards a Bite Token from their Trouper Board.
- Asylum (cost 10 Resources): For the next Part of the Night, choose the Nemesis Card instead of randomly revealing it.
- Alchemist's Laboratory (cost 1 Resource): Players lose any number of Resources of a single type of their choice and gain as many Resources of another type of their choice.
Wagon
The Wagon is used to keep track of the Resources held by players (see p. XXX), increasing or decreasing the value of each individual disk that makes it up.
Game Modes
In Blood, players can face the Nemesis in different game modes, described below.
Roguelite Mode
To play in Roguelite Mode, simply place all the game materials in the box in the state they are in at the end of the game. At the start of the next game, players will find everything ready to perform the Day Part by making use of what they have acquired in previous games.
Story Mode
Source note: the Story Mode section of page 26 is a "Work in Progress" placeholder in this alpha; no rules are printed for it.
Single Game Mode
To play in Single Game Mode use the Troupers with their Starting Tactic Cards and their Item Cards, generating a Night Part randomly, or choosing each individual aspect of it, including the Difficulty Level at which to face the Nemesis.
Game Flow
A game of Blood is divided into two Parts: the Day Part and the Night Part. How to play each Part is described in detail in the following paragraphs. A game always begins with the Day Part and ends with the Night Part.
Day Part
The Day Part is when players manage their resources to improve their Trouper's tactics and Items, heal Bites received, and plan for the Night Part.
The Day Part takes place in two phases: Show and Dusk.
Show Phase
In this phase, players take advantage of the Village Card to prepare for the Night Part. To do so, follow these points in order:
- Recovery: Each player places their Trouper's Vigor Tokens on the available side, then places any Bite Tokens they have back on them. Each player returns the Cube on their Insanity Track to the leftmost space.
- Purchases: By spending the Resources indicated, players can perform, as many times and in the order they prefer, the Effects of the Village Buildings. The Resource symbol indicates any Resource.
- Zone Selection: Players choose the Zone in which to face the next Nemesis from among the Catacombs, the Garden, the Graveyard, and the Halls. If an Effect of a Building that allows for it has been used, players reveal the Location Cards of the chosen Zone and select one as the Location Card of the next Night Part, otherwise, players roll a die and take the Location Card that corresponds to the result obtained. This card is the Location Card of the next Night Part.
- Minion Selection: If the Effect of a Building that allows for it has been used, players select the Minion cards to face as indicated on the Village Card; otherwise, players randomly reveal two Minion Cards from those available. The selected cards must be placed in the Minion (A) and Minion (B) spaces of the Night Board.
- Last Assault: Players can choose, by mutual agreement, whether to face Vlad as the Nemesis. If they do, skip the next point.
- Nemesis Selection: If the Effect of a Building that allows for it has been used, players select the Nemesis to face in the Night Part; otherwise, they randomly reveal a Nemesis Card from those available. This card indicates the Nemesis of the next Night Part.
Purchasing Tactic Cards and Item Cards
Resources
Resources represent useful supplies for crafting Item Cards and creating new Tactic Cards. The Resources in Blood are Jewels, Coins, Trinkets and Scrolls. They are considered the property of each player and their management and expense must always be done by mutual agreement between the players, and is managed through the disks on the Wagon. The Resource symbol indicates any of these Resources, always chosen by mutual agreement between the players.
Purchasing a Tactic Card
Advanced Tactic Cards can be purchased during the Day Part or obtained at the end of the Night Part.
During the Day Part, players can purchase Tactic Cards, either from the top of the Advanced Tactic decks or by consulting the Location Tactic Cards and Nemesis Tactic Cards decks. After the costs of the cards you wish to purchase in this way have been paid, each player obtains the cards and adds them to their Personal Reserve. Always remember that the expense of resources and the division of cards between players must be done by mutual agreement; any disagreements are resolved by the player holding the Leader Token.
Replacing a Tactic Card
During the Day Part, players may replace Tactic Cards contained in their deck with those in their Personal Reserve, as long as the new card is of the same Art as the replaced one. If the new card placed in the sleeve is a Location Tactic Card or a Nemesis Tactic Card, it can replace Tactic Cards of any Art (it counts as if it were part of each Art).
By substituting Tactic Cards, the player must always respect the constraints indicated at the bottom of their Trouper Card.
Purchasing an Item Card
Nemesis Item Cards and Location Item Cards can be acquired during the Day Phase by purchasing them from their decks and thus adding them to a player's Personal Reserve. These cards are always consulted by players, and the cost of obtaining them is a combination of resources and Nemesis Tokens and/or Location Tokens, sometimes specific and sometimes generic. After the costs of the cards you wish to purchase in this way have been paid, each player obtains the cards and adds them to their Personal Reserve. Always remember that the expense of resources and the division of cards between players must be done by mutual agreement; any disagreements are resolved by the player holding the Leader Token.
Replacing an Item Card
During the Day Part, players may replace the Item Cards contained in their six sleeves containing the Item Back Cards with others that come from their Personal Reserve, as long as the new cards are of the same Type as the replaced one.
The replaced Item Cards go into the player's Personal Reserve. If it's a Starting Item Card that had been previously improved (it shows the red side of the card), the improvement is lost; if that Starting Item Card is put back into one of the sleeves, it must show the white side.
Dusk Phase
At this phase, players set up the Playing Area based on what happened in the Show Phase. To do so follow these points in order:
- Lay out the Map in relation to the pattern shown on the Location Map selected in the Zone Selection step.
- Place the Nemesis Card selected in the Nemesis Selection step on the Playing Area, then shuffle and place the Nemesis Reaction Deck on it.
- Players mutually determine the Difficulty Level at which they wish to face the Nemesis by consulting the data on the Nemesis Card and Location Card.
- Place the selected Nemesis Miniature on the Nemesis Tile so that its Front Side is oriented on the established path to a Trouper chosen by mutual agreement between the players.
- Place the Minion Miniatures whose cards are in the Minion (A) and Minion (B) spaces of the Night Board in the Tiles with the same symbol, one Miniature per Tile.
- Place on the Chain, from the leftmost space and proceeding to the right, the number of Event Cards indicated in the Difficulty Level column chosen on the Nemesis Card, drawn randomly from the corresponding deck.
- Equipping: Players may substitute Tactic Cards from their Tactic Deck or Item Cards in the six Item Card sleeves available to them. After doing so, they choose three Item Cards from the sleeves available to them and place them in the appropriate spaces on their Trouper Board.
- The Day Part ends.
Night Part
In the Night Part players face the Nemesis and the action takes place on the Game Map. This part is divided into three different moments: Beginning of the Night, Game Turns and End of the Night.
Beginning of the Night
To perform the Beginning of the Night correctly, follow the steps below:
- Each player draws five cards from their Trouper Deck.
- All Effects that read "At the Beginning of the Night" are resolved, in the order chosen by mutual agreement of the players.
- The Beginning of the Night Phase ends.
Game Turns
At this time, players take game turns until they are declared winners or are defeated. Within a Game Turn, players try to plan their moves as best they can to create the most efficient card combination with which to attack the Nemesis and its Minions, or resolve the Event Cards still on the Chain; after the players, it will be the Nemesis' turn to react with its Reaction Cards, and finally the Minions will activate trying to create as many problems for the Troupers as possible. A Game Turn is divided into the Start of Turn, Planning Phase, Tactic Phase, Nemesis Phase, Minions Phase and Cleanup Phase.
If an Alert Space is reached (or passed) in this way, the Nemesis reveals a Reaction Card from the top of its Reaction Deck and places it on the leftmost free space of the Reaction Line, then the players resume playing cards on the Chain (unless the free spaces on the Chain are finished, in which case the Planning Phase ends).
If the Reaction Card thus revealed is an Interruption Card, the Nemesis resolves its Effects, a Resolved Token (see Tactic Phase on the next page) is placed on it, then the players resume playing cards on the Chain (unless the free spaces on the Chain have ended, in which case the Planning Phase ends).
Start of Turn
All Effects that read "At the Beginning of the Turn" are resolved, in the order chosen by mutual agreement of the players.
The phase ends.
Planning Phase
In this phase, players play Tactic Cards from their hand by placing them on the Chain; this advances the Threat Token on the corresponding track causing the Nemesis to react. The Nemesis can also interrupt the flow of players with its Interruption Cards.
Starting with the player who has the Leader Token and continuing clockwise, each player must either play a Tactic Card from their hand or perform a Rest (see page XXX). A player who has no Tactic Cards in hand or whose Trouper is Knocked Out skips this step. If all players must skip this step the Planning Phase ends.
Players play cards in this way until each space on the Chain contains a Tactic Card.
When a player plays a Tactic Card from their hand they perform the following:
- Place the card on the leftmost free space on the Chain.
- If possible, advance the Threat Token on the Threat Track by a number of spaces equal to the Threat value shown on the card played.
Cascade
Some Tactic Cards feature the Cascade symbol. When the player places a card with this symbol on the Chain, after generating Threat and resolving any Interruption Cards, they can play another card after it. The player may place again a Tactic Card containing the Cascade symbol in this way and repeat this process.
Block
Some Tactic Cards feature the Block symbol. If a player plays a card with this symbol on the Chain, after generating Threat and resolving any Interruption Cards, the Tactic Phase ends.
Rest
The player who controls the Active Trouper may choose to perform Rest instead of playing a Tactic Card; if the player has only one card in their hand when their Trouper becomes Active, they are obliged to perform Rest.
When they do so, they must place a face down Tactic Card from their hand on the Chain and generate 1 Threat; then, if they don't already have it, they get their Exhausted Token and place it on their Trouper Card. A Trouper with this token becomes Exhausted (see below).
In the Tactic Phase, when the Trouper becomes Active and their player needs to resolve that card, they can instead discard any number of Tactic Cards from their hand and draw cards from their Trouper Deck until they have five cards in their hand. If their Trouper Deck doesn't contain enough cards, they draw as many as they can, then shuffle their Discard Pile and form their Trouper Deck again to continue drawing. If even then they can't draw enough cards, they don't draw them.
A player can't perform more than one Rest in a Game Turn.
Tactic Phase
At this stage, the Trouper who has the leftmost Tactic Cards on the Chain without a Resolved Token on it becomes the Active Trouper. The player who controls that Trouper may:
- Resolve the Effects of their Tactic Cards starting at the top and proceeding downward, may decide not to resolve some or all of the Effects.
- Use the Effects of their Item Cards.
- Before or after resolving their Tactic Cards, they can resolve a single Effect of an Event Card if they meet its prerequisites.
When the player finishes their Activation, they place a Resolved Token on the newly resolved Tactic Card and the player that the Trouper who owns the leftmost Tactic Card on the Chain without a Resolved Token on it becomes the Active Trouper. This continues until every Tactic Card on the Chain has a Resolved Token placed on it.
Nemesis Phase
In this phase, the Nemesis resolves the Resolved Cards that are on the Reaction Line and don't have a Resolved Token on them, starting with the one furthest to the right and going to the left.
Minions Phase
In this phase, Minions are activated and resolve their Effects, one at a time and in the order chosen by the players, starting with the Minions in the Minion (A) space (+) and continuing with the Minions in the Minion (B) space (,). Then, any Minions that are in other Minion Card spaces are activated in the order indicated by the Flow Arrow, until all Minions have been activated.
Cleanup Phase
In this phase, perform the following steps in the following order:
- All Effects that indicate to be resolved "at the beginning of the Cleanup Phase" are resolved, in the order chosen by mutual agreement of the players.
- The Leader Token passes to the player next clockwise to the one who placed the rightmost card on the Chain.
- Remove any Whisper Token and Trap Token showing the Consumed Side from the Map. Then, turn on the Consumed Side each Whisper Token and Trap Token showing the Intact Side.
- Remove any Resolved Tokens from the Night Board.
- Remove Tactic Cards from the Night Board by placing them in the Discard Space of the owner's Trouper Board, or place them in the Wound Space of the owner's Trouper Board if the Sacrifice Effect of the card (see p. XXX) was resolved.
- Remove any Reaction Card from the Night Board by placing that card in the Discard Space of the Nemesis Card.
- Each player counts the Wounds suffered by their Trouper; if there are at least 8, the Trouper becomes Knocked Out for the rest of the game (see below).
- Remove any Event Cards turned face down from the Night Board.
- Each player turns each of their depleted (turned face down) Item Cards face up and, if they have them, discards their Exhausted Token.
- Place the Threat Token on the first space to the left of the Threat Track. Then, the turn ends and players proceed to play another Game Turn.
Exhausted and Knocked Out
Exhausted: An Exhausted Trouper continues to play normally but performs each Test using 3 Red Dice (the alpha prints this with the Red Dice icon followed by a group of three red triangles in parentheses).
Knocked Out: A Knocked Out Trouper continues the game with the Miniature lying on its side. They continue to play normally but perform each Test using 3 Red Dice (printed the same way, with the Red Dice icon followed by a group of three red triangles in parentheses). A Trouper in this state can't use bonus dice (+ grey die icon, + black die icon), bonus Triumphs (+ Triumph icon) or Re-roll (Re-roll icon) from the Effects that target them or other game rules.
Source note: the Exhausted and Knocked Out boxes print the dice counts as dice-icon glyphs; the dice colours are read from the icons in the alpha and should be checked against the final rulebook.
End of the Night
If playing in Single Game Mode, the game is ended.
If playing in other Modes, remove from the playing area all components related to the Nemesis faced, the Minions, the Tokens and any Cube placed on the map, and the Tiles that make it up. Then, depending on whether the players were defeated or won, consult and follow the steps outlined in the appropriate section.
The Players Were Defeated
Refer to the Location Card. A player performs a single roll of dice to acquire Resources in the chosen Difficulty Level column for the game. The resources obtained are noted in the Wagon and the game ends.
The Players Won
- Refer to the Location Card. Players get what is indicated in the Difficulty Level column chosen for the current Run:
- The number of Vlad Reaction Cards that players can turn over to the weakened side associated with the Zone in which the Game took place.
- The number of Location Trophy Tokens obtained.
- The number of Nemesis Trophy Tokens obtained.
- The number of additional Advanced Tactic Cards that players get; this number must be added to the number of Troupers who participated in the Game. These cards must be chosen by mutual agreement by the players from those on top of each of the six decks of Tactic Cards present around the Village Card; you can also take more cards from the same deck. Once obtained these cards must be distributed by mutual agreement among the players. A player who obtains a Tactic Card becomes its owner and it will be part of their Personal Reserve (they cannot pass it on to other players unless the game box is returned to the original status, see p. XXX).
- A player performs the number of rolls indicated on the Location Card in the chosen Difficulty Level column, and using the indicated dice. The Resources obtained are noted in the Wagon.
Once you have completed the steps in either of the previous two paragraphs, the Game Ends. You can save the game by placing the material in the appropriate spaces in the game box.
Rules Compendium
Elements
Game Effects contain actions to perform identified by symbols or keywords, some of which may be followed by a number (indicated by N in the explanation texts in this rulebook).
A keyword is always shown in bold and is related to different aspects of the game. Keywords related to movements on a map are Step N, Run N, Fly N, Escape N, Push N, Attract N, Move N, while those related to more general concepts are Draw N, Heal N, Rest, and Summon.
Elements - Keywords
Step N
When a Miniature performs Step N, it means it can be moved from the Tile it is on to an adjacent one, and it can repeat this action up to N times. If a Trouper is on the same Tile as a Nemesis, they can spend one of these steps to move to a different side of the Nemesis (see p. XXX). Some Game Effects may be triggered when a Miniature enters inside a Tile by performing Step N.
Run
When a Miniature performs Run, it targets a Tile and moves by tracing the most direct path to that target. Some Game Effects may be triggered when a Miniature enters inside a Tile by performing Run.
Fly
When a Miniature performs Fly, it targets a Tile and moves by tracing the most direct path to that target, being able to pass (but not stop) even on Impassable Tiles (see below). A Miniature that enters a Tile via Fly doesn't trigger any Effects that would normally be triggered by this action.
Impassability
Some Tiles, generally those containing a Scenic Element, are considered Impassable Tiles. A Miniature can't enter an Impassable Tile unless it is moved thanks to the Fly Element.
Escape N
When a Miniature (usually a Nemesis) performs Escape N it performs a backward movement with respect to the Front Side of its base, from the Tile it is on to an adjacent one, and repeats this action N times without changing the orientation of its base. This movement can only be performed in a straight line and as far back as possible. Some Game Effects may be triggered when a Miniature enters inside a Tile by performing Escape N.
Push N
When a Miniature is targeted by Push N, it must be moved from the Tile it is on to an adjacent one, and this action must be repeated up to N times. This movement can only be performed in a straight line and as far as possible. Some Game Effects may be triggered when a Miniature enters a Tile by moving due to Push N.
Attract N
When a Miniature is targeted by Attract N, it must be moved from the Tile it is on to an adjacent one that is closer to the Miniature that targeted it with the Element containing this Effect; this action must be repeated up to N times and this movement must be performed by drawing the most direct path to that Miniature. Some Game Effects may be triggered when a Miniature enters a Tile by moving due to Attract N.
Move N
When a Miniature is targeted by Move N, it must be moved from the Tile it is on to an adjacent one, and this action must be repeated up to N times. Some Game Effects may be triggered when a Miniature enters a Tile by moving due to Move N.
Draw N
When a player performs Draw N, they draw from the top of their Trouper Deck a number of cards equal to N. If their Trouper Deck doesn't contain enough cards, they draw as many as they can, then shuffle their Discard Pile and form their Trouper Deck again to continue drawing. If even then they can't draw enough cards, they don't draw them.
Discard N
When a player performs Discard N, they must discard N cards from their hand by placing them in their Discard Pile, or as many as possible in case they don't have enough.
Heal N
When a player performs Heal N they take a number of Tactic Cards of their choice equal to N from their own Wounds and place them in their Discard Pile.
Deplete
When a player performs Deplete, they must flip the game component to be depleted face down. Typically this Element refers to Item Cards (see p. XXX) or Vigor Tokens (see p. XXX).
Summon
Summon allows Nemesis to place new Minions on the map, in addition to the Minions that are associated with Tiles (hammer and pen symbols). A summoned Minion can be chosen randomly from those available or randomly from those of a specific type (Undead, Aberration, Ghoul, Beast).
To summon a Minion randomly, randomly select a Minion Card from those not used in the game. Place that card on the first free Minion space in the order given by the Flow Arrow, then place a Miniature of that Minion on the Tile specified by the Effect that summoned that Minion (or on the Tile where the Nemesis is located if no distance is specified).
To Summon a Minion of a specific type, first select all cards of that type (Undead, Aberration, Ghoul, Beast) from those not used in the game; then, from among those cards, randomly select a Minion Card. Place that card on the first free Minion space in the order given by the Flow Arrow, then place a Miniature of that Minion on the Tile specified by the Effect that summoned that Minion (or on the Tile where the Nemesis is located if no distance is specified). If it's not possible to Summon a Minion of a specific type in this way, proceed to Summon a Minion randomly in its place.
If an Effect summons a Minion but there are no Minion Spaces available for Minion Cards on the Night Board, ignore that Effect.
Elements - Symbols
- The target suffers a Wound (see p. XXX). (Icon form, first variant.)
- The target suffers a Wound (see p. XXX). (Icon form, second variant.)
- The target, always a Trouper, gets a Bite Token. When this happens, the player who controls the Trouper must place it above one of their Vigor Token of their choice, whether it's Available (face up) or Depleted (face down). A Vigor Token with a Bite Token on it can't be depleted and doesn't count toward any prerequisites until the Bite Token on it is removed. If a player needs to place a Bite Token but all of their Vigor Tokens already have one placed on them, that Bite Token is not placed.
- The Trouper gets the Exhausted Token (see p. XXX).
Tests
In Blood, players are often called upon to face a Test. Facing a Test requires a roll of dice in an attempt to obtain a number of Triumphs equal to or greater than the value indicated by the Test; if this happens, the player obtains a Success, otherwise they obtain a Failure.
A Test can be presented in different ways in the various game components.
When presented with a Test symbol it must be tackled and what happens by achieving a Success or Failure is indicated in the text given after the symbol.
When a Trouper becomes Target of an Effect, the Test is indicated in the Outcome line of the Effect in parentheses, usually after a series of Elements (see p. XXX). In this case, if the Test is passed with Success, all the Elements before the parenthesis are ignored and don't apply.
When a player performs a Test they always roll 3 dice in a specific combination required each time or on one of their traits (Strength, Dexterity, Cunning or Madness). To perform a Test, the player must:
- Activate any Effects that award Bonus Triumphs (see below).
- Take the dice provided for that Test (those shown on the Trouper card according to the Trait chosen for the Test or a given number of specified dice).
- Apply any Effects that award Bonus Dice and replace the Dice accordingly (see below).
- Roll the Dice.
- Apply any Effects that allows them to perform a Re-roll, as far as they can or want to (see box).
- Add any Bonus Triumphs to the result obtained.
- Confirm the result obtained and determine whether the Test is a success or failure.
Re-rolling the Dice
Some Effects allow players to Re-roll while performing a Test.
The player who is to perform Re-roll chooses any number of dice they have just rolled and rolls them again, keeping the new result. A player may use Re-roll even multiple times on a single Test if multiple Effects allow them to do so. An Effect that allows Re-rolls to be performed is always considered Quick.
Bonus Triumphs
Some Effects allow you to add + Bonus Triumphs to a Test (your own or another player's).
When a player achieves one or more Bonus Triumphs, they add this achievement to their result in Step 6 of the Test (see above).
Bonus Dice
Some Effects allow a player to assign Bonus Dice (+ grey die / + black die) to a Test. When a player obtains a Bonus Dice, they may choose to substitute one of the Dice provided for the Test for the Bonus Dice obtained. The choice to use this modifier must be made before performing any dice roll of the Test. An Effect that assigns Bonus Dice is always considered Quick.
Insanity
Insanity represents the Trouper's ability to cope with bad luck. When a Trouper fails any Test, they must move the Cube on the Insanity Track of their Trouper Board one space to the right.
A Trouper can then use the Bonuses provided by the Insanity Track after performing a dice roll but before confirming the result for the Test they are facing. The Trouper can choose one of the Bonuses that is at the point reached by the Cube on the track, or at an earlier point. Bonuses obtainable from the Insanity Track are Re-roll 1, Bonus Triumph or 2 Bonus Triumph (see p. XXX).
Effects
In Blood, an Effect is a set of text, symbols, and keywords reported on a game component that alters the state of the game. An Effect typically consists of a Target and an Outcome, but it can also have a Cost and/or a Condition that must be met in order to apply it.
Types of Effects
Standard Effect
A Standard Effect can be used only when its owner is the Active Trouper.
Aura Effect
An Aura Effect creates a localized static Effect around one's Trouper or specified Tiles. An Aura Effect is active from the moment the game item showing it is in play, whether it is an Item Card, Nemesis Card, Tactic Card, or any other component.
Support Effect
A Support is characterized by the presence of the Next symbol and the square box to the right of the Effect itself.
A Support is found only on Tactic Cards and can't be used by the Trouper who owns the card showing it. A Trouper that is activated by a Tactic Card placed on the Chain to the right of the one containing the Effect Support may declare, while it is the Active Trouper, to use that Effect. The Effect of a Support is "added" to the Active Trouper's Tactic Card that is being resolved, either before or after any of that card's Effects. Some Support Effects, on the other hand, simply modify one of the Tests of the Trouper that uses them (this is considered a Quick Effect, see box).
When a player resolves the Effect of a Support, they place a Cube on it at the black square. The Effect of a Support on which a Cube is already placed can no longer be resolved during the same Turn.
Repetition
Some cards may feature a Repetition box, which contains a numerical value followed by the multiplication symbol. When this box is present, the Effects (or the Effect) highlighted by this box must be repeated a number of times indicated by the value shown. Always remember that if this box highlights multiple Effects, they must always be repeated following the order in which they are written, from top to bottom.
Quick Effects
Some Effects are preceded by the Quick symbol inside a box. This indicates that they can also be resolved outside of the owner's activation by paying the associated Cost if required and meeting certain Conditions if present.
Reading an Effect
An Effect is composed of a few recurring elements (Target, Outcome, Cost, Condition) and each of them may contain different information that must be read in a certain order.
Reading the Elements
All the pieces of information that make up an Effect are called Elements.
They are read from left to right and resolved one at a time in order, unless there are parenthetical Elements on the same line. These can be a specification for the Elements that precede them, such as a specification of the distance to which the Elements apply:
- Target: Enemy at Distance 0-1 (the parenthetical specification indicates that the target must be at a distance 0-1).
Or they can indicate a Test:
- Outcome: Elements followed by a parenthetical Strength or Dexterity Test (4 / 5). This parenthetical specification indicates a Strength or Dexterity Test.
In case the Test is passed by the target of the Effect, it deletes the Elements of the same row that precede the open parenthesis.
By obtaining 4 or more Triumphs in a Strength Test the target deletes all the Element before the open parenthesis.
Parenthetical Elements can be separated by a (/) slash that divides various options from which the player who is to perform the Test can choose.
Reading the Elements of a Target
To read and identify a Target, it is first necessary to become familiar with the Element of Distance. The numerical value after the Distance symbol indicates at what distance the possible target may be, e.g.:
- 0: The target must be on the same Tile as the Model applying the Effect.
- 0-1: The target must be on the same Tile as the Model applying the Effect or on an adjacent one.
- 1: The target must be on a Tile adjacent to the one on which the Model applying the Effect is located.
- 0-3: The target must be on the same Tile as the Model applying the Effect or within a maximum of 3 Tiles of it.
Once you understand how to read the Distances, you can read the Targets in their entirety; some examples of targets are explained below:
- Target: Enemy (Distance 0). The target of the Effect is an Enemy that is at distance 0 from the Trouper using the Effect (thus in the same Tile as them).
- Target: Minion (Distance 0-1). The target of the Effect is a Minion that is at distance 0-1 from the Trouper using the Effect (thus in the same Tile or in an adjacent one).
- Target: Tile (Distance 3). The target of the Effect is a Tile which is exactly at distance of 3 Tiles from the Miniature using the Effect.
- Target: Self. The target of the Effect used by the Trouper is themselves.
- Target: Trouper (Distance ∞, Bites -X). The target of the Effect used by the Enemy is a Trouper at any distance as close as possible to the Enemy. If more than one Trouper is eligible, the one with the least Bites among them (in case there are still more Troupers eligible, the players choose).
Nemesis Target Priority: In most Enemy Effect Targets, such as the one in the last example in this paragraph, there are Priorities to settle ties between similar targets. These priorities should always be read in order of precedence from left to right and applied until one of them excludes every other subsequent possibility. In the event that a target can't be established after applying all these priorities, apply the Leader's Rule.
Reading the Elements of a Cost
Some examples of costs are explained below. If the Trouper who wants to resolve an Effect that requires a cost can't pay that cost, the Effect can't be resolved:
- Cost: Deplete 1 Vigor Token. The Trouper must Deplete (turn face down) one of their available Vigor Tokens (face up) and not covered by a Bite Token.
- Cost: Discard 1 Tactic Card. The player who controls the Trouper must Discard one Tactic Card from their hand into their Discard Pile.
- Cost: Discard 1 Bite Token. The Trouper must Discard a Bite Token they have (over one of their Vigor Tokens).
- Sacrifice: This Cost is shown in a specific way on Tactic Cards, with a Sacrifice symbol in a red circle to the left of the Effect. A player who decides to resolve an Effect with this Cost places a Cube on the Sacrifice symbol. During the Cleanup Phase, any Tactic Cards on whose Sacrifice symbol a Cube is placed must be placed among the owner Trouper's Wounds instead of instead of in their Discard Pile.
(The Sacrifice example in the alpha repeats "instead of" in its last sentence, transcribed as printed.)
Reading the Elements of a Condition
Some examples of conditions are explained below. If the Trouper who wants to resolve an Effect that requires a condition doesn't meet it, the Effect can't be resolved:
- Condition: 3 Bite Tokens. The Trouper must have at least 3 Bite Tokens on their Trouper Board in order to resolve the Effect.
- Condition: You have less than 3 Tactic Cards in your hand. The player controlling the Trouper must have less than 3 Tactic Cards in hand to resolve the Effect.
Source note: page 38 of the alpha rulebook is a "Work in Progress" placeholder; no rules are printed there.
Reading the Elements of an Outcome
Some examples of outcomes are explained below:
- Outcome: Physical Attack (Strength 5 / Dexterity 5). If the target Trouper fails a Strength or Dexterity Test obtaining at least 5 or more Triumphs, they suffer a Physical Attack and a Bite (see p. XXX).
- Outcome: Mind Attack (Madness). The Trouper performs a Mind Attack using the dice indicated on their Madness Trait. They must obtain a number of Triumphs equal to or greater than the Mind Defense of the Target (see box) to inflict a Wound.
- Outcome: Physical Attack, Physical Attack (Strength / Dexterity). The Trouper performs two Mind Attacks using the dice indicated on their Strength or Dexterity trait. They must obtain a number of Triumphs equal to or greater than the Mind Defense of the Target (see box) to inflict two Wounds, one for each Physical Attack Element.
Attacks and Defenses
When a Trouper must perform a Test to apply a Physical Attack Element on a target, they must obtain a number of Triumphs equal to or greater than the target's Physical Defense.
When a Trouper must perform a Test to apply a Mind Attack Element on a target, they must obtain a number of Triumphs equal to or greater than the target's Mind Defense.
Reading Special Areas
Some Targets show the Special Area symbol instead of the Distance. Effects with these Targets affect all indicated Tiles and/or Enemies/Minions/Models that are in the diagram of Tiles shown to the right of the Effect. A symbol indicating the Trouper's position relative to the Special Area, is always shown on one of the Tiles in that diagram. The player controlling the Trouper applying one of these Effects may rotate the Special Area diagram as they prefer, using the Tile in which their Trouper is located as a fixed point. Once the orientation of the Special Area is established, a Path (see box) is established between the Trouper and each possible target; any Scenic Elements along a Path established in this way interrupt the Path between Trouper and Target, in which case the Target is invalid and doesn't suffer the Effect (see example). Once you have established which targets ignore the Effect, the Effect applies to every valid target in the Special Area, including the one on which the Trouper is located.
Example 1: The player who controls the Trouper can perform the Effect (a Physical Attack) against any Enemy that is on the same Tile as the Trouper and on two other tiles that follow the diagram of the Special Area, thus they have three orientation options, A, B or C.
Example 2: The same case as in Example 1, but with Scenic Elements blocking the Path between the Trouper and certain Tiles, results in only being able to choose options A and B.
Path
In establishing some Targets, it may be required that a Trouper, Nemesis or Minion must establish a path. A path is the tracing of adjacent Tiles that allow the source of the Effect to reach its target, performed only on Tiles that are not Impassable Tiles. In case of a tie or indecision in establishing a path, to always apply the Leader's Rule.
Resolving the Effects
Resolving Effects is one of the key moments in Blood games. Effects are found in many cards and have similar modes of resolution.
- Tactic Card: The Effects of a Tactic Card must always be resolved from top to bottom. The player who owns that Effect can always choose to ignore it and not resolve it, moving on to the next one; that player can also choose, in this way, to ignore every Effect on their Tactic Card. Once all Effects of a Tactic Card have been resolved (or ignored), a Resolved Token must be placed on it.
- Reaction Card: The Effects of a Reaction Card must always be resolved from top to bottom. If a valid target can't be chosen for the Effect (even applying the Leader's Rule), it is ignored proceeding to the next one, if any. Once all Effects of a Reaction Card have been resolved (or ignored), a Resolved Token must be placed on it.
- Minion Card: The Effects of a Minion Card must always be resolved from top to bottom. If a valid target can't be chosen for the Effect (even by applying the Leader Rule), it is ignored by proceeding to the next one, if any.
- Item Card: The Effect of an Item can be added to the Effects of a Tactic Card; the player can choose to resolve this Effect before or after one of the Effects of the Tactic Card they are resolving. Some Item Effects have a Condition in order to be resolved, and can only be activated at the time this is met.
- Nemesis Card: An Effect of the Nemesis Cards is always active or triggered at the moment a certain Condition is met.
- Event Card: An Effect of Event Cards is always active or is triggered when certain conditions are met. In the first case, the Effect always applies to the game state. In the second case, if triggered, this is resolved when specified by the Condition itself.
Source note: the page 40 example area is a "Work in Progress" placeholder in this alpha; the Example listed in the contents for this page is therefore absent.
Nemesis Sides and Weaknesses
Targeting a Nemesis
A Nemesis has a special base divided into three sides: Front, Right Side and Left Side.
The orientation of a Nemesis in relation to the Tile on which it is located determines which sides one of its Weaknesses (see below) it is or isn't facing. Three of the sides of the Tile always face directly to a Side of the Nemesis; the other three sides of the Tile face the lines separating the sides of the Nemesis called Intersections.
When a Nemesis becomes the target of an Effect, this will always hit it on one Side; if the Effect targets an Intersection, the player who is resolving the Effect may choose to hit one of the two Sides adjacent to the Intersection.
Nemesis Weaknesses
A Nemesis' Weakness Cards show Effects that make it more or less difficult to hurt the Nemesis on the Side they are associated with. Some of these Effects also give players the chance to obtain a Nemesis Trophy Token if the required conditions are met. The Effects of these cards are considered always active throughout the Night Part, or until the conditions on them are met.
Source note: the large area below these sections on page 41 is a "Work in Progress" placeholder in this alpha; the Examples listed in the contents for this page are therefore absent.
Nemesis Movement
When a Nemesis moves between Tiles, before it is moved from one Tile to the next, its Front must be oriented toward the side of the Tile it will cross.
When the Nemesis moves toward a target, its Front, before it leaves a Tile, must be oriented toward the side of the Tile that allows the shortest path to the target.
When a Nemesis enters a Tile, it is always placed in the center of it and all Troupers on it must be placed in front of its Front. In any case of uncertainty during the movement of the Nemesis, always apply the Leader's Rule.
Source note: the large area below Nemesis Movement on page 42 is a "Work in Progress" placeholder in this alpha; no further rules are printed there.
Wounds
In Blood, elements represented by Miniatures can suffer Wounds. As for Trouper and Nemesis, Wounds are represented by Trouper and Reaction decks, respectively, while all Minions can only sustain a single Wound at all times.
Wounding a Trouper
When a Trouper suffers a Wound, their owner takes a Tactic Card from the top of their Trouper Deck and places it in the Wounds space of their Trouper Board. If it's not possible to take a card from the Deck as it is used up, shuffle the cards back into the Discard Pile and form that deck again, then proceed to remove the last card from it and place it in the Wounds Pile.
Wounding a Nemesis
Depending on the Difficulty Level at which it is faced, a Nemesis must suffer a certain number of Wounds to be defeated.
These Wounds must be inflicted on certain Sides of the Nemesis (Front, Right Side, Left Side).
When a Nemesis suffers a Wound, a Tactic Card from the top of the Nemesis Reaction Deck must be taken and placed in the Wounds Space below the Nemesis Card showing the side on which it suffered the Wound (based on the position of the Trouper that performed the attack). To do this, proceed as indicated below.
- Reveal Reaction Cards until one is revealed that doesn't show the Interruption symbol.
- Place such card in the Wounds space below the Nemesis Card that shows the same symbol as the side on which it suffered the Wound.
- Shuffle the other cards revealed in this way into the Reaction Deck.
If it's not possible to take a card from the Reaction Deck as it is used up, shuffle the cards back into the Discard Pile and form that deck again, then proceed as indicated above.
Wounding a Minion
When a Minion suffers a Wound it is considered defeated and its Miniature is removed from the Map. In case it is a Summoned Minion, (its Minion Card is not in the hammer or pen space) also remove its Minion Card from the Night Board.
Minions
Minions are divided into types: Abomination, Beast, Ghoul and Undead. A Minion is always defeated when it suffers Wounds. Two Minion Cards will be drawn in each game, which will then be associated with hammer and pen Tiles. During the course of a game, certain Effects may allow you to Summon new Minions on the Map (see p. XXX).
Source note: the Summon rules on page 34 list the Minion types as "Undead, Aberration, Ghoul, Beast", while this page lists "Abomination"; both are transcribed as printed and the difference is unresolved in this alpha.
Threat
Threat is a value that increases and decreases during game turns, determining when the Nemesis places cards from the top of its Reaction Deck on the Reaction Line. Players can keep track of the level of Threat by the location of the Threat Token on the Threat Track. At the beginning of the Night Part and in each Cleanup Phase, this Token is placed on the first space to the left of the track. Threat is generated and moved forward (thus to the right) when a player plays a Tactic Cards on the Chain or thanks to some Game Effects.
Events
Thanks to the Event Cards on the Night Board, players can resolve Event Effects and gain benefits when an Event is resolved. These translate into more available spaces on the Chain, Resources and Location Tokens.
Event Effects
An active Trouper (see p. XXX) can resolve a single Event Effect during their activation. This must be on a Tactic Card for which they meet the Conditions or for which they are within the indicated Target. They can do this before or after resolving each Tactic Card Effect they are resolving.
To do so, the player follows these steps:
- They declare the Event Effect they want to resolve.
- They pay any costs of the Event Effect, if required.
- They perform the Test of the Event Effect, if required.
- They apply what is stated on the card based on whether it was a Success or a Failure.
Use of Items and Tokens
Using an Item
An Item Equipped by a Trouper (it is located in one of the Protections, Tools or Artifacts spaces of the Trouper Board) can be used at different times to produce its Effect.
Almost all Item Card Effects require you to Deplete the card (Deplete this Item). Depleted Item Cards must be turned face down and their Effect cannot be resolved again until they turn face up.
During the Cleanup Phase, Depleted Item Cards are restored, and are turned face up.
Using a Vigor Token
When a player must use a Vigor Token, they must be able to Depleted that Token.
To pay a cost in Vigor, the Vigor Token must be with the Available side facing up and there must be no Bite Tokens above it (see p. XXX). When an Available Vigor Token is used to pay a thing it must be flipped over showing the Depleted side.
- Available Vigor Token (illustrated with its Available side).
- Depleted Vigor Token (illustrated with its Depleted side).
Placing a Trap or Whisper Token
When a player needs to place one of these tokens they must follow these rules:
- A player can place only tokens of their own color.
- It's not possible to place one's own Whisper Token or Trap Token on a Tile in which there is already one's own Intact Token of the same type.
- It's possible to place one's own Whisper Token or Trap Token on a Tile where one's own consumed token is already present, in which case, that token is replaced by the new intact token.
- If a player needs to place one of these tokens, but has no more at their disposal, they can remove a token of the same type from the Map (whether it shows the Intact or the Consumed side) and then place it because of the Effect they are resolving.
(Illustrations show the Trap and Whisper Tokens in their Intact and Consumed forms.)