Castle Panic: Crowns and Quests Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
  • Objective
• Components
• Game Setup
• Playing with Expansions
• Order of Play Additions
• Special Terms and Mechanics
  • Committing Cards
• Characters
  • Character Abilities
  • Character Notes
  • Characters and Towers
• Quests
  • Quest Boards
  • Completing a Quest and the Reward
• Quest Upkeep Phase
• Quest Details
• Specialist Tokens
  • Using a Specialist
  • Placing a Specialist
  • Moving a Specialist
  • Fighting with a Specialist
• Using Crowns and Quests with Other Expansions
  • The Wizard's Tower
  • The Dark Titan
  • Engines of War
• Quest Details
• Solitaire Game
• Overlord Version
• Alternate Rules
• Rules Summary

Overview

Ages: 8 and Up. Number of Players: 1 to 6.

Crowns and Quests is the 4th expansion to Castle Panic and adds 12 Characters with unique in-game abilities and 18 different Quests that provide all new challenges. Each Quest plays like a standalone expansion with its own rules and components. Players must work together to overcome 2 Quests, starting with a Standard Quest and then a final Endgame Quest, all while defending the Castle from a never-ending Monster horde.

Crowns and Quests can be played with Castle Panic only or with each of the other expansions (see Playing with Expansions below). All components in Crowns and Quests have a crown icon that identifies them as part of this expansion, making it easy to add or remove pieces to play Castle Panic with any expansion.

Objective

The objective of Crowns and Quests is different from Castle Panic. Players must complete 1 Standard Quest and 1 Endgame Quest and have at least 1 of the 6 Towers standing to win the game. The Monster draw pile will refill until both Quests are completed.

Components

Crowns and Quests requires the full version of Castle Panic to play.

• 12 Character Cards: Defenders of the Castle, each with a unique ability
• 6 Order of Play cards
• 11 Standard Quest Boards: The first Quest the players must complete
• 7 Endgame Quest Boards: The final Quest the players must complete to end the game
• 7 Apocalypse Stones: Magical stones used in the Quests "Creeping Evil" and "The Apocalypse Stones," 3 of which have colored gems on the back and the rest show a broken stone
• 6 Outpost Tokens: Used to complete the goal in the Quest "Outposts in the Borderlands"
• 6 Portal Tokens: 2 Red, 2 Green, and 2 Blue tokens used to complete the goal in the Quest "The Vanishing Castle"
• 6 Success/Fail Tokens: Double-sided tokens that reveal 1 Success symbol and 5 Fail symbols for certain Quests
• 6 Tower Indicator Tokens: Numbered 1 through 6 and placed on Character cards to indicate the Tower (by arc) that a Character is in
• 6 Vulkar's Blast Tokens: Magical attacks cast by the villain in the Quest "The Siege of Lord Vulkar"
• 3 Evacuees Tokens: Moved on the board to complete the Quest "A Desperate Plea"
• 1 Ambassador Token: Moved on the board to complete the goal in the Quest "The Ambassador's Toil"
• 1 Flag Token: Placed on the board to indicate a target location during certain Quests
• 1 Power Token: Tracks the power of the Obelisk during the Quest "The Obelisk of Oblivion"
• 1 Obelisk Token: Placed on the board and targeted for destruction during the Quest "The Obelisk of Oblivion"
• 1 Obelisk Tile/Tracker Tile: Double-sided tile. Obelisk Tile side tracks the health and power of the Obelisk during the Quest "The Obelisk of Oblivion." Tracker Tile side tracks events during certain Quests.
• 1 Scout Token: Moves about the board to help complete certain Quests

Game Setup

Follow the standard setup for Castle Panic and any other expansion you are playing as listed for those games, and then follow these steps to include Crowns and Quests.

1. Choose a Character. Shuffle the Character cards and deal 2 to each player. Players choose 1 Character to play and discard the remaining card. Or players can simply pick which Character they wish to play.
2. Tower Indicator. Mix up the Tower Indicator tokens and give 1 to each player. Players place their Indicator token faceup in the Tower indicator space on the top left of their Character card.
3. Choose 1 Endgame Quest board. Players can shuffle the Endgame Quest boards and choose 1 at random or simply pick which Endgame Quest they wish to play. Once chosen, place the Endgame Quest board faceup near the gameboard.
4. Choose 1 Standard Quest board. Players can shuffle the Standard Quest boards and choose 1 at random or simply pick which Standard Quest they wish to play. Once chosen, place the Standard Quest board faceup on top of the chosen Endgame Quest.
5. Set up the Standard Quest. Set up the game as per the instructions on the chosen Standard Quest. (Each Quest has its own Setup rules and components. See Quests, p. 6.) Players may set aside the components needed for the chosen Endgame Quest now or pull them out at the start of the Endgame Quest.

Playing with Expansions

While Crowns and Quests is compatible with all the previous expansions, we do not recommend combining it with more than 1 expansion. Crowns and Quests was designed to provide a balanced, additional challenge with the base game. Adding multiple expansions can cause large swings in difficulty, resulting in some games that are much too easy and others that are almost unwinnable. For details on combining Crowns and Quests with specific expansions, see pp. 11-13.

The Characters may be used in any combination of Castle Panic and its expansions. Be advised, though, that adding the Characters without the Quests will make any game easier. We recommend using at least one of the "More Panic" Alternate Rules for those games.

Order of Play Additions

The phases in the order of play are the same as in Castle Panic, with the following changes:

1. Draw Up. There is no change to this phase.
2. Begin Endgame Quest (if needed). When a Standard Quest is completed, the setup for the Endgame Quest happens at this point, and the rules for that Quest go into effect.
3. Discard and Draw. There is no change to this phase.
4. Trade. There is no change to this phase.
5. Play Cards. In addition to battling Monsters, this is the phase where players perform actions toward completing the Quest, such as moving the Scout token, committing cards, etc.
6. Quest Upkeep. Many Quests will have effects that occur at this point, or tokens that are moved at this phase. See p. 8 for more details.
7. Move Monsters. There is no change to this phase.
8. Draw 2 New Monsters. Some Quests will change the number of Monster tokens drawn during this phase. If there are not enough tokens in the Monster draw pile, return all discarded Monster tokens to the pile and continue drawing. Unlike standard Castle Panic, the Monster pile being empty does not end the game!

Special Terms and Mechanics

Castle Structures include any Wall, Tower, or Fortify token. (Plus the Wizard's Tower and Keep, if you are playing with the expansions.)

Hit Cards are labelled at the bottom left, and are the Archer, Knight, Swordsman, and Hero cards.

Special Cards are labelled at the bottom left, have purple jewels, and have unique rules. (e.g., Barbarian and Nice Shot)

Color Cards include any card that uses a color in its title, such as a Blue Archer. This includes "Any Color" cards.

Committing Cards

Many Quests require players to commit cards to that Quest.

• This means placing cards on the Quest board, NOT into the discard pile.
• Cards that are committed to a Quest remain on the Quest board and out of play until that Quest is completed.
• Once the Quest is completed, any cards that were committed to that Quest are placed in the discard pile. Be sure to read the Quest instructions carefully.
• Some Quests require players to commit cards by color or by range.
  • Any Color cards can be committed as 1 color (players' choice).
  • Hero cards can be committed as either an Archer, Knight, or Swordsman in their color.

Characters

Players take on the role of 1 of the 12 brave defenders of Castle Bravehold. Each Character card features the following information:

• Tower Indicator Space: This is where the Tower Indicator token is placed to identify which Tower this Character is currently located in. Towers are identified by the number of the Arc they are in.
• Name: The name of the Character.
• Ability: The Character's unique ability.
• Flavor Text: A quote either by or about this Character.

Character Abilities

• Players can only use their own Character's ability on their turn. Abilities are not shared.
• Most Character abilities will be used during the Play Cards phase, but some will be used in a different phase of play (e.g. when Drawing Up, when Discarding and Drawing, or even when Drawing New Monster tokens).
• A player can only use their Character ability once per turn. (The exception is Zhang Wei, who can build multiple Walls on their turn.)

Character Notes

• Callista can use her ability to draw an extra card even if she does not Discard and Draw on her turn.
  • The card returned to the deck does not need to be the extra card she drew. It can be ANY card from her hand.
  • She may draw her extra card from the Castle, Wizard, or Resource deck, if playing with a relevant expansion.
• Kekoa always draws 1 more than normal. The normal number will change during certain Quests.
• Kiara can draw from any deck after discarding.
• King Aiden can use his ability even if he does not draw any cards on his turn. This ability allows players to exceed the normal hand size limit.
• Lady Isabelle cannot use her ability to move the Apocalypse Stones or Obelisk. She CAN move Vulkar's Blast tokens after hitting them.
• Omar can draw from the Discard Pile only when Drawing Up (Phase 1), not during any other draw events.
• Princess Astrid can choose the color of 1 card when using it to move the Scout/Ambassador/Evacuees tokens.
• Sir Ignacio can use his 1 damage point on Quest items, such as the Apocalypse Stones or the Obelisk. His ability cannot be used to trigger the effect of another card (such as Double Strike).
• Zhang Wei can build multiple Walls on a turn with their ability.
  • Their ability does not apply toward the Brick and Mortar requirement to build Outposts in the "Outposts in the Borderlands" Quest.

Characters and Towers

Tower Indicator tokens indicate the Tower (by Arc) that a Character is in. The Tower Indicator token determines where a Character can place a Specialist (pp. 8-11) and whether the Character has their special ability in play. If a Character's Tower is destroyed, one of the following happens:

• If other Towers are still standing and NOT being used by other Characters, the player may swap out 1 of those Tower Indicators to keep the Character in play. This swap can occur at any time, even during another player's turn.
• If there are NO available Towers, that Character is lost. Flip the Character card facedown, keeping the Tower Indicator token with the card (to place Specialists). That player continues playing but has no special ability.
• If a Tower is rebuilt (by either a Wizard card or a Quest reward), 1 previously lost Character can return to the game. That Character card is flipped faceup, and the Tower Indicator token for the rebuilt Tower is placed on the Character card. If more than 1 Character is lost, the current player chooses which Character returns.

Quests

Each Quest is like a small expansion. It features its own setup and rules, and most require their own components. Some components are used in multiple Quests in different ways. Each Quest has conditions that must be met to complete it. Until the Quest is completed, its rules are in effect.

Standard Quests include a reward that the players will receive when they complete the Quest. Endgame Quests do not include a reward. Instead, when players complete an Endgame Quest, the end of the game is triggered.

Standard and Endgame Quest boards can be identified by their different borders and backs.

Many Quests have rules that replace the normal game rules, such as changing the number of Monster tokens drawn. While in play, the rules of the Quest override those normal rules, so be sure to read each Quest completely.

REMEMBER: The ONLY way to win the game is to complete both Quests and have at least 1 Tower standing. The players cannot win by only slaying Monsters, since the Monster draw pile is never-ending.

Quest Boards

Each Quest board features the following information:

• Title: The name of the Quest.
• Goal: A summary of the Quest and what the players must do to win.
• Flavor Text: Gives a feel for the Quest story.
• Setup: The components needed to play the Quest and how to set them up.
• Playing the Quest: The detailed explanation of how to play each Quest and how to use the required components.
• Completing the Quest: The specific conditions that must be met to complete the Quest.
• Reward (Standard Quests only): The bonus that the players get if they complete the Quest.

Completing a Quest and the Reward

• A Quest is completed as soon as all the requirements in the Completing the Quest section are fulfilled.
• This will often happen during a player's Play Cards phase, which means any rewards such as cards drawn, Walls rebuilt, extra damage granted, etc. are usable immediately.
• Rewards that give extra cards may exceed normal hand size.
• After resolving rewards, finish the current player's turn. The Endgame Quest will start after the next player draws cards.

If the last Tower is destroyed, the game ends in a loss, regardless of the status of a Quest.

Quest Upkeep Phase

After a player has finished their Play Cards phase, the Quest Upkeep phase occurs. During this phase, players may need to move tokens or perform actions according to the instructions on each Quest. (Not all Quests will have an Upkeep Phase.)

• If the Tracker Tile and token are used in a Quest, the Tracker token may move up (or down) at this time. (e.g., "Hunt for the Cursed Temple" Quest)
• Apocalypse Stone tokens may be added or moved and their effects resolved. (e.g., "A Creeping Evil" and "The Apocalypse Stones" Quests)
• The Power token moves up the Power track, and the Obelisk token teleports. (e.g., "The Obelisk of Oblivion" Quest)

(The printed rulebook has an empty bullet at the end of this list, which is omitted here.)

Quest Details

• Flag token: The Flag token cannot be moved or damaged and is unaffected by any kind of Boulder.
• Tracker Tile: When the Tracker token reaches 0, resolve the effect and reset the Tracker token to its starting number.
• Missing: Does not stop Quest elements from happening during the Quest Upkeep phase (e.g. new Apocalypse Stones being added to the board in "A Creeping Evil"). Missing DOES prevent any destroyed Vulkar's Blast tokens from being placed on the board during the Draw 2 New Monsters phase of that turn in "The Siege of Lord Vulkar."
• Slay cards (Barbarian, Nice Shot, etc.) have no effect on the Obelisk of Oblivion, Stonethrower, Cursed Temple, or Lord Vulkar. Slay cards cannot be committed to complete any Quest except "The Cursed Temple" and "The Ambassador's Toil."
• "The Siege of Lord Vulkar": If a Vulkar's Blast token and a Monster hit a Castle Structure at the same time, the Blast token takes the damage and is removed, not the Monster.
• Apocalypse Stones are not living creatures, so they cannot be healed by the Healer or Shaman. They are not affected by any kind of Boulder. Cards that affect movement, such as Tar, Drive Him Back, Rain of Ice, Teleport, etc., have no effect on the Apocalypse Stones.

Specialist Tokens

There are 3 types of Specialist tokens in the game:

• Ambassador (used only in "The Ambassador's Toil" to negotiate with the Monster army)

• Evacuees (used only in "A Desperate Plea" to flee the Castle and join friendly allies in the Forest for a counterattack)

• Scout (used in multiple Quests to help search for enemies or items that can help the Castle survive)

• These tokens can be moved only by the players.

• They can ONLY be used on Quests in which they are included.

• They are destroyed if hit by any kind of Boulder or caught on fire.

• They have different purposes in each Quest, but they operate with similar rules.

Using a Specialist

Anytime during the Play Cards phase (during a Quest that includes a Specialist token), the current player can either:

• Place the appropriate Specialist on the board if they are not already present (at no card cost).
• Move the Specialist by discarding cards.

Specialists cannot move on the same turn they are placed.

Placing a Specialist

During the Play Cards phase, if the Specialist is not on the board, the current player may place the Specialist in the Swordsman ring of the Arc that matches the Tower their Character is in.

Moving a Specialist

During a player's Play Cards phase, they may pay cards from their hand to move a Specialist token that is on the board. (For players familiar with The Dark Titan expansion, Specialists move the same way as Support Tokens.)

• Discard a card of any color to move a Specialist token 1 space back, forward, left, or right (not diagonally).
• If the color of the discarded card matches the color the Specialist token is in at the start of their movement, the player moves the Specialist token 2 spaces in any combination of directions.
• Color cards discarded to move a Specialist token cannot also be used to hit a Monster.
• Players may discard as many color cards as they wish to move a Specialist token. NOTE: Cards paid to move the Evacuees must be committed to that Quest board instead of discarded.
• Anytime a Specialist token is in the same space as a Monster, they must fight that Monster. (See Fighting with Specialists, p. 10.)
• Since they are not Monster tokens, Specialist tokens are NOT affected by any movement or healing effects from Monster tokens.
• When moving through the Castle ring, the Specialist must move clockwise or counterclockwise. They cannot move through the middle of the board.
• Specialists can move through all Castle Structures and Field Equipment.
• See the details on the Quest board for what happens when a Specialist completes their task.

Fighting with a Specialist

Anytime a Specialist is in the same space as 1 or more Monsters, they must fight. Fighting can happen when a Specialist is placed on the board, during their movement, or during the Monsters Move phase. Each Specialist battles Monsters in a different way:

Ambassador: Anytime the Ambassador is in the same space as 1 or more Monsters, she tries to convince the Monster to let her pass. Roll the die:

• If the result is higher than the current health of the Monster in that space, the Ambassador survives.
• If the result is equal to or lower than the Monster's health, the Ambassador is injured.
  • Reduce her health by 1 point.
  • No damage to Monster.
• If there is more than 1 Monster in the space, the Ambassador must roll higher than the total health of all Monsters present.
• If the Ambassador's health reaches 0, she is destroyed and removed from the board. On a future turn, players can again place the Ambassador and continue the Quest.

Evacuees: Anytime the Evacuees are in the same space as 1 or more Monsters:

• The Evacuees are destroyed and removed from the game.
• 1 Monster takes 1 point of damage. (Player's choice if more than 1 Monster is present.)
• On a future turn, players can place a new Evacuees token (if any are remaining) and continue the Quest.

Scout: Anytime the Scout is in the same space with 1 or more Monsters, she attempts to evade them. Roll the die:

• If the result is higher than the current health of the Monster in that space, the Scout survives.
• If the result is equal to or lower than the Monster's health, the Scout is destroyed and removed from the board.
  • No damage to Monster.
  • The Scout drops any item she was carrying, leaving it in the space where she failed.
  • On a future turn, players can again place the Scout and continue the Quest.
• If there is more than 1 Monster in the space, the Scout must roll higher than the total health of all Monsters present.

Carrying: The Scout can pick up and carry a Portal or Scroll that she is in the same space with.

• The item will move with the Scout when she moves.
• The Scout can only carry 1 item at a time.
• She can drop an item before, during, or after moving.
• If the Scout has extra movement remaining when she reaches her goal, she can continue moving after resolving her action.
• Resolve combat before resolving any actions for the space the Scout is in. She will drop a portal when she is destroyed, but she cannot reveal a Success/Fail token in the space if she doesn't survive.

Using Crowns and Quests with Other Expansions

The Wizard's Tower

• When shuffling discarded Monster tokens back into the draw pile, do not include Harbinger tokens.
• A Character can occupy the Wizard's Tower.
• Teleport can be used to move Specialist tokens, but not to move any Quest items, such as the Flag, Scrolls, Apocalypse Stones, etc. If used on the Scout, anything she is carrying travels with her.
• Change Range/Change Color can be committed WITH a card to a Quest.
• Stand Together can be used to have another player commit a Hit or Wizard card to a Quest.
• Double Strike can be committed WITH a card to count as 2 of that card.
  • Cannot be used to double the effect of a Scroll.
  • Can be used to double the movement of a Specialist token.
• Berserk cannot be used when moving a Specialist token.
• Hypnotize cannot be used against non-living targets, such as Apocalypse Stones or the Obelisk.

The Dark Titan

• We recommend using a low-level version of Agranok.
• When shuffling discarded Monster tokens back into the draw pile, do not include the Heralds or Agranok.
• Boiling Oil can be committed as a Swordsman card.
• The Cavalier cannot be used in place of the Scout.

Engines of War

• Encampments are damaged by Scrolls.
• The Scout must fight Encampments.
• A Character may not occupy the Keep.

Quest Details

• Wrath of the Stonethrower: Once found, the Stonethrower can be damaged by Wizard cards that reach the Forest, the Cavalier, or Ballista attacks. Wizard cards that Slay count as 1 point of damage.
• A Plague of Madness: If playing with an expansion that has no Goblins or Orcs in the setup, substitute any 1-point Monster for the Goblin (such as Imps) and any 2-point Monster for the Orc. The color requirements remain the same.
• A Tempest of Trolls: Add Trolls if playing with an expansion that does not have enough Trolls in the setup.
• Hunt for the Cursed Temple: Once found, players can commit Hit or Wizard cards that match the color where the Temple is located. If an Encampment is on the same space as the Temple, the Scout must fight the Encampment every turn she is in that space.
• A Desperate Plea: Evacuees do not fight Encampments.
• The Sentry's Stand: Agranok cannot be kept for scoring. Barracks have no effect on this Quest, but Forward Camp does.
• A Creeping Evil: Encampments are placed in the same ring as a Stone.
  • Stones destroy Field Equipment when moved but are not affected by them.
  • Stones are triggered only when hitting Castle Structures, not Field Equipment.
  • Stones are damaged if the Boom Troll explodes in the same space with them.
• The Ambassador's Toil: Monster Effects and Boulders can be paid down with Wizard cards, but not with Resource cards.

Solitaire Game

During Setup, choose 2 Characters. You may use the ability of 1 Character, not both, each turn.

If playing "The Shadow's Dagger," 1 of your Characters of your choice is assassinated every other turn. It is not necessary to use the stack of Success/Fail tokens.

Overlord Version

In addition to following the usual Overlord rules (such as choosing which Monsters to place on the board), Overlord players must follow a few additional rules for Crowns and Quests.

• Quest rolls: The Overlord may roll the die for any random Quest rolls.
• Characters: Kekoa is not a valid Character for an Overlord game as his ability does not work in this version.
• Wrath of the Stonethrower: The Overlord chooses which Forest space the Success token is placed in.
• Scroll Quests: The Overlord chooses which of the 3 Forest spaces the Success token is placed in.
• The Shadow's Dagger: When the Assassin strikes, the Overlord chooses the victim. Use the token stack just to track the turn the Assassin strikes.
• Hunt for the Cursed Temple: The Overlord chooses which Arc the Flag is placed in but must still follow the progression of Forest to Castle to Forest.
• A Creeping Evil: The Overlord cannot place Apocalypse Stones by choice. They must roll to determine placement according to the Quest instructions.
• The Obelisk of Oblivion: The Overlord can choose which space the Obelisk teleports to instead of rolling the die.
• The Apocalypse Stones: The Overlord cannot place Apocalypse Stones by choice. They must roll to determine placement according to the Quest instructions.
• The Siege of Lord Vulkar: The Overlord can move the Blast tokens but must follow the placement instructions on the Quest.
• A Tempest of Trolls: There are no Monsters drawn for this Quest, so there is no Overlord role.

Note that playing Crowns and Quests with an Overlord will be much harder to survive.

Alternate Rules

• For a longer game, try playing with 2 Standard Quests and 1 Endgame Quest.
• When a Tower is destroyed and the Character moves to a new Tower, discard the original Character card and draw a new one.
• For younger players, or an easier game, players keep their Character abilities when their Towers are destroyed.

Rules Summary

Order of Play

1. Draw Up
2. Begin Endgame Quest (if needed)
3. Discard and Draw (Optional)
4. Trade Cards
5. Play Cards
6. Quest Upkeep
7. Move Monsters
8. Draw 2 New Monsters

Committing Cards: Cards that are committed are placed on the Quest board (NOT the discard pile) and are out of play until that Quest is completed.

Characters

• Characters may use their ability once per turn (except for Zhang Wei).
• If a Character's Tower is destroyed, they may move to a remaining, unoccupied Tower and stay in play. Otherwise they are lost.

Quests

• The ONLY way to win the game is to complete both Quests and have at least 1 Tower standing.
• During the Quest Upkeep phase, players may need to move tokens or perform actions according to the instructions on each Quest. (Not all Quests will have an Upkeep Phase.)

Specialists (Ambassador, Evacuees, Scout): Place a Specialist in the Swordsman ring of the Arc that matches the Tower the current player's Character is in.

Move a Specialist by discarding cards:

• 1 space back, forward, left, or right, for each card discarded.
• 2 spaces if the card matches the color the Specialist token is in at the start of their movement.
• Cards paid to move the Evacuees must be committed to that Quest board instead of discarded.

Fight with a Specialist:

• Ambassador: Roll die. If higher than the current health of the Monster, the Ambassador survives. If equal to or lower than the Monster's health, the Ambassador loses 1 health point. No damage to Monster.
• Evacuees: Evacuees are destroyed, and the Monster takes 1 point of damage.
• Scout: Roll die. If higher than the current health of the Monster, the Scout survives. If equal to or lower than the Monster's health, the Scout is removed from the board. No damage to Monster. The Scout drops any item she was carrying, leaving it in the space where she was destroyed.