Crypt of Chaos

Crypt of Chaos Rulebook

Table of Contents

Playing Guide

Ways to Play

1-Player Solo Adventure: Select a Champion and set forth on a single-player solo adventure by following the rules in this guide. Try to win the game with each of the six Champions before attempting to win it in Chaos Mode!
2-Player Co-Op Adventure: To team up and explore the Crypt with a friend see the special 'Co-Op Rules' section at the end of this guide. The 2-Player co-operative game differs only very slightly from the standard Solo Adventure.
Chaos Mode: A faster, more difficult challenge, with no chests to search but just as many monsters to fight! See the Character Reference cards and 'Chaos Mode' section at the end of this guide for details on how to play.

Preparing For Your Adventure

Shuffle each of the three Dungeon Decks before placing Deck Two on top of Deck Three, then Deck One on top of Deck Two to make a single Deck.

Shuffle each of the three colour-coded Treasure Chest Decks, placing them within easy reach, and the two Attack Decks (Monsters and Champions).

Put the Monster Health Tokens to one side along with the Monster Markers, then select which of the six Crypt Champions you will play by taking their Champion Reference Card.

Now select either the light or dark Character Avatar and place it on top of the 'Start Here' Floor Tile.

Select Your Champion

Each Crypt Champion has a unique skill, item or ability to help them find the Lost Sword, grab the Key of Freedom, vanquish the Dragon and escape, plus their own unique set of stats for Attack, Defence and Health.

Collect the relevant amount of Champion Health Tokens matching your chosen Champion's starting Health score, indicated on the Reference Card.

Flip over the Start Here Floor Tile to begin...

Example Champion Reference Card: Wolfhowl the Barbarian. Having set out from his distant homeland in search of adventure, fortune and fame, the Barbarian doesn't hesitate when offered the challenge and accepts it willingly. Attack 2, Defence 0, Health 20. Special Ability: Wolfhowl strides into the Crypt unarmoured, unafraid and with NO Special Abilities. He says that his strength is all he needs to win. (Chaos Mode Health: 17.)

Enter The Crypt

Champions explore the Crypt by turning over cards from the Dungeon Deck to reveal Floor Tiles, then placing them next to previously placed Floor Tiles.

Tiles can be placed adjacent to any previously placed Floor Tiles as long as there is an available 'entry/exit' point (green arrow) to connect the tile to and there are no obstructions or monsters barring the way.

Place Floor Tiles to build the Crypt

Floor Tiles can be rotated in any direction.

Monsters on Floor Tiles that you wish to connect from MUST have been defeated in combat first so, if the only arrows available to connect new Floor Tiles to are on Floor Tiles containing Monsters, do not reveal any further Floor Tiles until the Monster has been defeated (see 'Combat').

When you turn over a new Floor Tile you MUST place it. Occasionally, this might mean that not all of the arrows on the floor tile you are placing can line up against other vacant arrows and will need to be placed facing solid walls instead.

Openings that have to be placed facing solid walls have been bricked up and sealed, so you may be forced to seek alternative routes.

Setup Slides

The following slides from the publisher's "How to play" page summarise the setup steps above.

Shuffle the three Dungeon Decks. Stack them with Deck 1 on the top and Deck 3 on the bottom.

Shuffle the two Attack Decks and the three Treasure Chest Decks. The two Attack Decks are the Champion Attack deck and the Monster Attack deck. The three Treasure Chest Decks are the Green, Yellow and Purple Chest decks.

Put the Monster Markers and Health Tokens aside. The monster cards shown are the Shroud Spider, Crypt Crawler, Goblin Guard, Rock Troll, Fire Wraith and Dragon. Then choose your Crypt Champion.

Exploring the Crypt

Turn over a Dungeon Deck card to reveal a Floor Tile. Tiles can be rotated in any direction. Place them next to arrows: each new tile must connect through an available entry/exit arrow.

There Be Monsters!

When you place Tiles containing Monsters, immediately place their matching Monster Marker onto the Tile with the 'Alive' side facing up (showing their Health and Attack scores).

If you find yourself hemmed in by more than one Monster, and can't continue your exploration of the Crypt until one of the monsters has been defeated, it is usually wise to target the weakest opponent first in the hope that you will discover a way forward that avoids the most dangerous foe.

You do not have to enter Tiles containing monsters unless there are no more 'entry/exit' floor arrows available to add new Tiles onto. When you find that you are unable to turn over a new Floor Tile you will have to fight, and kill, at least one monster in order to proceed (see 'Combat').

When you kill a Monster, flip its Marker card over to reveal the skull (indicating that it has been killed), but do not remove its Marker from the Floor Tile.

The Shroud Spider has three Health Points. Place its Health Tokens near it. When a Monster loses all of its Health Tokens it has been killed.

Starting the Adventure

Turn the Start card over and put your Avatar on it. There are no Treasure Chests or Monsters on the first Floor Tile.

Monsters and Treasure Chests

If you encounter a Monster, place its Marker on the Tile. Treasure Chests are placed face down, below Monsters.

Unguarded Chests can be searched immediately. Turn Chest Cards over to 'search'. For example, a Champion searching a Green Chest on an unguarded tile finds the Thumping Club: "Clobbering monsters with this sturdy wooden club adds +1 to your Attack Score."

The Chest can now be opened. The slide shows the Champion (Vixenblade) finding some gnarly gloves, the Gloves of Glory, which add +1 to her Defence Score. Now she can fight another Monster, or explore further into the Crypt.

Treasure Chests

As you progress deeper into the Crypt you will discover Treasure Chests containing items that could help, or hinder, your progress.

The Lost Sword and Key of Freedom are both hidden within Chests, so you will remain unable to win the game without searching at least some of them.

When you reveal a Floor Tile containing a Chest, immediately take the top card of the corresponding Treasure Chest Deck and place it, face down, on the floor tile (beneath the Monster Marker, if the Tile contains both a Monster and a Chest).

Chests in rooms with Monsters can't be searched until the Monster has been defeated in Combat.

Chests that are located on Floor Tiles that do not contain Monsters, or are on Floor Tiles containing dead Monsters, can be searched at any time.

To search a Chest, turn over its card and follow the instructions. You do not have to search Chests.

Obstructions

Occasionally on your journey through the Crypt you will encounter obstructions that can't be passed without the relevant equipment (which can be found hidden in some of the Treasure Chests).

You may pass Cave-ins only if you have the Axe of Picking.
You may pass Holes in the Floor only if you have the Boots of Bounding.

Your Champion Leaps Into Action

Your Champion can perform FOUR different actions:

EXPLORE by revealing the next Dungeon Deck card and moving to any available Floor Tile that has a 'free' connection (green arrow) then placing it. You can choose to enter the new Floor Tile straight away, or remain on the Tile you connected from.
MOVE to any Floor Tile that can be safely reached.
FIGHT by entering a Floor Tile containing a Monster.
SEARCH turn over an unguarded Treasure Chest card.

Monsters do not take 'turns' but they do retaliate each time that they are attacked, so plan carefully!

Combat

Vixenblade draws the 'Missed' card from the top of the Champion Attack Deck, which means her attack failed to cause any damage to the Monster.

The creature loses none of its remaining Health and immediately retaliates by revealing the next card from the top of the Monster Attack Deck.

The Monster Attack Card shows a '+1', giving the Goblin a total Attack Score of '4', which deals two more points of Damage (once Vixenblade's Armour is taken into account).

The decision to continue the fight, or flee, allowing the Goblin to regain its strength, is more pressing than ever...

Shuffling The Attack Decks

The Attack Decks are shuffled only before each new fight, not between Combat Rounds.

In the event that all six of the Attack cards have been revealed without either of the combatants being defeated, shuffle both Attack Decks and repeat the above until the Monster, or the Champion, has been defeated (or until the Champion flees the fight).

Objective

Vixenblade must explore, search and fight until she finds a Key and Sword...

Key of Freedom: "You have found the Key of Freedom. Take it to the exit (with the Lost Sword) to escape."
The Lost Sword: "You have found the Lost Sword. Take it to the exit (along with the Key) to escape."

Game Box Contents

2 Character Avatars
6 Character Reference Cards
20 Treasure Chest Cards
1 Start Here Floor Tile
35 Dungeon Deck Floor Tiles
6 Champion Attack Cards
6 Monster Attack Cards
18 Champion Health Tokens
14 Monster Health Tokens
16 Monster Markers

Champions and Card Backs

See card backs for Health, Attack, Defence & Specials. The six Champions are Wolfhowl the Barbarian, Vixenblade the Warrior, Archmagana the Mage, Chryanthia, Baelbload and Evenelith.

Collect Health Tokens and choose Avatar. Avatar colours may vary. Collect the Champion Health Tokens matching your chosen Champion's starting Health score (see 'Select Your Champion' above).

Worked Example: Vixenblade

For this Guide we will play as Vixenblade. Her Ability enables her to instantly kill all Crypt Crawlers!

Vixenblade starts with 19 Health Points, an Attack Score of 1, and no Defence. Adding +1 from the Weapon (the Thumping Club) to her starting Attack Score gives her a total Attack Score of +2.

Obstructions can be passed with the correct equipment. Pick-Axes and Magic Boots can be found in Treasure Chests. The Axe of Picking passes Cave-ins; the Boots of Bounding pass Holes in the Floor.

Combat

Sooner or later your progress through the Crypt will almost certainly become halted by a Monster. When this happens the only way to proceed will be to kill the creature that blocks your path (or one of them, at least, if more than one Monster blocks your way).

Before initiating combat take note of any Special Items, Skills or Abilities you have that might affect the outcome of the fight by referring to the stats and information on your Champion's Character Card.

Example Battle. Vixenblade starts with 19 Health Points, an Attack Score of 1, 0 Armour Points and she kills Crypt Crawlers on sight, without having to engage in combat. In this example Vixenblade has already passed over two Floor Tiles containing Crypt Crawlers, killing them instantly (using her Special Ability), and she has searched Chests on both Tiles after killing them.

The Fight Begins

The Goblin Guard's Monster Marker indicates that the ugly fiend has an Attack Score of '3' and '8' Health Points.

Now that the Champion and Monster stats have been calculated, and any Special Character Abilities taken into account, it is time to fight!

Place the relevant number of Monster Health Tokens onto the play area (in this case 8 Health Tokens, representing the Goblin's Starting Health Score).

In combat, Champions always attack first. Leaping onto the Tile containing the Monster, Vixenblade draws the top card of her Player Attack deck and reveals '+1' which, added to her Attack Score of '3' ('1' Starting Attack Point + '2' from her weapon), gives her a Total Attack Score of '4', which deals '4' Damage to the Goblin (it loses 4 Health Tokens).

Once a Character enters combat, by drawing the top card of their Player Attack Deck and applying the results, the targeted Monster always has at least one chance to retaliate.

The Monster Fights Back

Drawing the top card of the Monster Attack Deck reveals a '+2' which, added to Goblin's starting Attack Score of '3' gives it an Attack Score of '5'.

Vixenblade's Gloves and Helmet deflect some of the damage ('-2'), reducing the Goblin's Attack to a '3' (Vixenblade loses THREE of her Health Tokens).

Once a Champion has initiated combat, and the Monster has retaliated, the Champion faces a difficult decision: continue the fight, or run away?

If a Champion decides to flee from a fight – perhaps in search of a Health Potion, additional Armour or a more powerful Weapon – the Monster regains any Health Points it lost in combat, which means it will be back to its full initial Starting Health if you decide to attack it again ('8' in the example above).

Fight or Flight?

Deciding to fight another round, Vixenblade reveals the next card from the top of the Champion Attack Deck to initiate a second attack on the Monster.

She is hoping to be able to defeat the Goblin Guard and proceed on her way before the creature has another opportunity to retaliate...

Combat Slides

Champions ALWAYS attack first when starting combat. Vixenblade draws the top card from the Champion Attack Deck and Misses! Causing no damage.

Champions decide if and when to attack Monsters. Vixenblade backs away from the Spider to continue her exploration of the Crypt.

Vixenblade decides to fight on and draws a +1 card. Adding +1 from the Weapon to her starting Attack of 1, and this +1 Attack equals 3 (dead Spider!)

Your Champion now has to choose: fight on, or flee? If you flee, Monsters regain any Health Tokens they lost in combat up to their maximum start level!

Her way is blocked by two Spiders and a Goblin, so Vixenblade must decide. Which one to fight? She picks the Spider in the corridor...

Combat Continued

Vixenblade finds her way blocked by a Goblin Guard, who she must fight in order to proceed.

In addition to her Special Ability, Vixenblade has also discovered the Helmet of Hope and Gloves of Glory inside Treasure Chests. Each provides '+1' Defence.

She is able to wear the Gloves and Helmet at the same time, so adds '+2' to her starting Defence Score (of '0'), giving her a Defence of '2' in total.

Vixenblade has also found two different weapons, dealing '+1' and '+2' Damage respectively but, unlike Armour, only one weapon can be used in Combat at a time. So, discarding the '+1' Weapon in favour of the more powerful '+2' Weapon, Vixenblade adds '+2' to her starting Attack Score of '1', giving her a total Attack Score of '3'.

The Thumping Club adds +1 to your Attack Score. The Skull Crusher adds +2 to your Attack Score.

None of the Crypt's creatures are armoured, but what they lack in Defence they make up for with powerful Attacks, as our hero is about to discover...

Goal

To escape and claim victory your Champion must find the Exit and defeat the Dragon.

Good Luck!

Not Included In This Transcription

The publisher's guide refers to three sections that were not captured in the source material, and they are not transcribed here:

Chaos Mode rules (the guide says these are at the end of the guide).
2-Player Co-Op Rules (the guide says these are at the end of the guide).
Character Reference cards (the Champion Reference Card stats and special abilities for the six Champions).

The Champion's Health, Attack and Defence stats for each Champion, and each Champion's Special Ability, are printed on that Champion's Reference Card and are not reproduced here beyond the examples above. Where a rule above depends on a card that was not captured, follow the card.