Dark City
Dark City Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Objective
Survive each night of confrontations and reach the personal objectives of one or more monsters and guardians to earn experience points (XP) and fulfil one of the victory conditions.
Components
A main cast of 24 monsters and guardians (basic rules):
- 8 basic and 8 advanced monster cards (Werewolves, Zombies, Vampires, Demons).
- 4 basic and 4 advanced guardian cards (Priests, Hunters).
Plus a special cast (expansion), with another 10 cards:
- Alien
- Reporter
- Angel
- Mummy
- Necromancer
- Voodooist
- Possessed
- Creatures (2 cards)
- Death
1 pad of diary sheets, for marking experience points (XP).
1 rulebook.
How to Play
The rules below use only the twelve (12) basic monsters and guardians of the main cast. This is the recommended set-up for the first games of Dark City. More experienced players can have fun with the variants that use the advanced cards and the special cast, presented in the blue-background boxes spread through the sections of this manual. See also the section "Special Cast", from page 19 of the original manual.
We recommend reading boxes like this one only after the players have mastered the basic rules and the dynamics of the game.
Preparation
Each player receives a diary sheet and immediately fills in the first experience point of one - and only one - role of their choice (free XP). Keep enough pencils or pens at hand to mark experience and make other notes during the game.
The player who has been a roleplaying Game Master for the longest time, or the owner of the game, is the Mayor of Dark City and therefore the master of ceremonies and conductor of the game from beginning to end. It is important that the same person is the Mayor throughout the whole game, so that the game keeps a steady and lively pace.
Organization of the Game
The game is divided into several rounds. Each round represents a night of confrontations between monsters and guardians on the streets of the city, and necessarily goes through five phases, in exactly the following order:
- Phase 1: Role Choice. The players decide which monster or guardian they will play in the next confrontation.
- Phase 2: Attack! The players choose their targets and attack.
- Phase 3: Giving Up. The players have the opportunity to give up an attack.
- Phase 4: Resolution. The attacks are resolved according to the initiative sequence.
- Phase 5: Experience. The players who fulfilled the objectives of their roles earn experience points.
Note: in this manual the terms player, monster, guardian, Mayor, Demon, Vampire, Werewolf, Hunter, Priest and other names that may seem exclusively masculine are used as gender-neutral forms.
Phase 1: Role Choice
The players choose which role they will play in the confrontation about to happen.
The active player gathers the twelve (12) basic cards of the main cast and shuffles the deck. Then they randomly discard three (3) of these cards, which stay on the table, face down. The active player, in secret, looks at the nine (9) remaining cards and chooses a monster or guardian to be theirs, placing the chosen card in front of them on the table, also face down. Then they pass the deck with the remaining cards to the player on their left.
Each player chooses their role in the same way and passes the deck onward, always clockwise. The last player to choose their role has the option of keeping one of the cards they received or, if they don't like any of them, randomly taking one of the three cards lying face down in the centre of the table.
Once the roles are chosen, the remaining cards are placed on the table, face down, without anyone seeing which they are.
In the first round of the game, the active player is the Mayor. In the second round, it is the player to the Mayor's left. In the third, the player to the left of that one, and so on, always moving clockwise.
Special Cast and Advanced Roles
The players want to try some new roles and decide to include cards from the special cast in the game. Before the first round, form the deck with:
- some or all of the advanced cards of the main cast;
- some cards from the special cast.
You may replace main roles with special roles if the group has six (6) players, or add special roles to the main ones in the case of a group of seven (7) or eight (8) players. Whatever the decision, write the changes introduced on your diary sheet, and choose one of the six to eight roles to receive the free XP (see the figure below).
Rules and Recommendations
There are some rules and recommendations for using the special cast of Dark City:
- The game must have six (6) players or more.
- The maximum number of cards in the deck must be fourteen (14).
- The maximum number of roles on the diary sheet must be eight (8).
- It is not recommended to add two guardians at once.
- If the players opt for the Creature, then both Creature cards enter the game. Take care that this inclusion does not take the deck past the limit of fourteen (14) cards.
- One Priest card is removed for each Mummy or Voodooist that enters the deck. If the Mummy and the Voodooist enter the same game, then both Priests are removed and, on the diary sheets, the text "Mummy" or "Voodooist" replaces the Priest symbol. With this, one more special role can be added, filling the last gap on the diary (see the figure beside it).
Phase 1 with Death in Play
The active player places the Death card in the centre of the table, next to the three cards set aside at random. The Death card remains face up. More information in the section "Death", page 19.
Roles
The monsters of the main cast are the Demon, the Vampire, the Werewolf and the Zombie. The guardians are the Hunter and the Priest.
The roles are presented in roughly the same format (see the figure beside it):
- Name of the role and its symbol.
- Initiative. A number that represents the role's position in the attack resolution sequence of Phase 4. The lower the initiative, the sooner the role acts.
- Class. Indicates whether it is a monster or a guardian.
- Objectives. One or more goals the player must fulfil to earn experience (XP) in the role in question.
- Gesture. The characteristic gesture that identifies the role chosen by the player and, in general, also makes clear who is attacking whom in Phase 2. The gender identity of the role is also illustrated by the gesture. It can be neutral, feminine or masculine.
- Attributes. The characteristics of a monster or guardian and its specific abilities during combat.
- Combat Panel. Shows what happens when the monster or guardian attacks certain roles, and what happens when some roles attack the monster or guardian.
- Text. Other useful information about the monster or guardian.
As a general rule, monsters and guardians may choose only one target. They may attack any other role - no matter where the player is seated around the table - and successful attacks eliminate the target. But there are several exceptions to this general rule, and these extraordinary situations are what usually appear in the Combat Panel.
Note on the Combat Panel: on each card, the blue colour shows what happens when you, the actor playing the role represented on the card, attack another character. The red colour reveals what happens when you are attacked by the character indicated by the icon.
For example, the Combat Panel of the Hunter says that:
- the Hunter does not see the Demon, and therefore nothing happens to a Demon attacked by a Hunter;
- a Hunter does not gain experience if it attacks and eliminates another guardian;
- Hunters are immune to the attacks of other Hunters;
- a Hunter is immune to the attack of a Werewolf.
Demon
- Initiative: 1.
- Class: Monster.
- Objectives: Survive and make a monster or guardian give up an attack (see Phase 3: Giving Up).
- Gesture: Clench your fists, but stretch out your index fingers. Now raise your fists until they touch your forehead, one on each side.
- Gender identities: Feminine and masculine.
- Attributes: The symbol indicates that the Demon's attack is illusory and therefore is not capable of eliminating another monster or guardian, although it still affects and deceives the target (see text, below).
- Combat Panel: Only the attack of a Werewolf can eliminate the Demon. When attacking, the Demon can affect any of the other roles, including another Demon. The prince of darkness cannot be eliminated by Vampires, Zombies, Hunters or Priests (who, by the way, do not attack anyone).
The Demon is a great illusionist and is rarely where one expects. Therefore, in Phase 2: Attack! (page 13), the player who plays the Demon attacks another player by making the characteristic gesture of any other monster or guardian. If the Demon imitates the Vampire, it is enough to make the blood-sucker gesture and point at a player. But be careful: if it imitates the Hunter, the Demon must choose two targets. If it chooses the Zombie, the Demon must attack the player immediately to its left or right.
The Demon only reveals itself in Phase 4: Resolution (page 14), when it is called by the Mayor. Only then does it make its own gesture.
Advanced Demon
In addition to the basic objectives of surviving and making someone give up, this version of the Demon has extraordinary objectives if the Angel and/or the Possessed are in the game:
- survive and condemn a soul to Hell.
If it attacks the Angel or the Possessed with the gesture of the monster/guardian it is imitating, the Demon, when it reveals itself in Phase 4: Resolution, drags its target into the eternal flames of the Abyss. In relation to other roles, the Demon's attack remains illusory: it affects the target, trying to make it give up, but it does not condemn or eliminate it. Even if the Demon manages to fulfil the basic objectives and the extraordinary objectives in the same round, it will receive only 1 XP for the feat.
Other special rules:
- If attacked by the Angel, the Demon is eliminated.
- The Demon cannot imitate the gesture of the Necromancer or of the Creature.
Vampire
- Initiative: 2.
- Class: Monster.
- Objectives: Survive and eliminate a monster or guardian.
- Gesture: Start with an open hand. Fold the ring and little fingers and hold them with the thumb. Stretch out the arm, pointing the hand at the target, with the palm facing down. Now bend only the tips of the index and middle fingers downward.
- Gender identities: Feminine and masculine.
- Attributes: An attack directed at any player around the table.
- Combat Panel: The Vampire is an efficient predator and represents a serious threat to almost all monsters and guardians. However, the Vampire does not see the true Demon, so it cannot eliminate it. And since it does not deal well with the faith of others, it is also not capable of eliminating the Priest. Moreover, its aversion to holy water and crucifixes means the Vampire is eliminated when it attacks a Priest!
Werewolf
- Initiative: 3.
- Class: Monster.
- Objectives: Survive and eliminate a monster or guardian.
- Gesture: Start with an open hand. Slightly bend the tips of all your fingers. Stretch out the arm, turning the wrist upward, and point your "claws" at the target.
- Gender identities: Feminine and masculine.
- Attributes: An attack directed at any player around the table.
- Combat Panel: The Werewolf's attack does not eliminate the Hunter, because this guardian uses weapons plated with silver, the metal that traditionally is the ruin of werewolves. That is why the panel indicates that if it attacks the Hunter, the Werewolf will be eliminated.
The Werewolf has keen senses, smells the infernal stench of the true Demon and, for that reason, is the only creature of the night capable of eliminating it in the basic deck. No monster or guardian, with the exception of the Hunter, has special immunity to the Werewolf's attack.
Zombie
- Initiative: 4.
- Class: Monster.
- Objectives: Survive and eliminate a monster or guardian.
- Gesture: Choose a target to your left or right. Cross your right or left forearm over your chest, depending on where your target is seated. Turn the wrist and point the hand downward. Now tilt your head to the same side where your target is seated.
- Gender identities: Feminine and masculine.
- Attributes: The Zombie is a stealthy and slow creature, but no less dangerous. In Phase 2, the player who plays the Zombie makes its characteristic gesture, pointing at the player immediately to its left or right. However, when reaching Phase 4, the Zombie may keep the chosen target or switch to the player on the other side. For example, if it had chosen the player to its right, the Zombie may change its aim to the player to its left when called during the Resolution.
- Combat Panel: The Zombie's attack cannot eliminate the Demon. Zombies are cannibals in more than one sense and, therefore, if two players seated side by side choose the Zombie as their role, both will be eliminated in Phase 4 when called, if neither of them has given up or been eliminated before that, regardless of whom they attacked. Mature brains must really be delicious...
Hunter
- Initiative: 5.
- Class: Guardian.
- Objectives: Survive and eliminate at least one monster.
- Gesture: Clench your fists, but leave your index fingers stretched out. Extend your arms and point at two different targets.
- Gender identities: Feminine and masculine.
- Attributes: The Hunter sees itself as the last resort of humanity and enters the fight ready for anything. The player who chooses it must point at a different target with each hand when making its gesture in Phase 2: Attack! In Phase 3, if it wishes, the Hunter may give up only one or both of its attacks (see Phase 3: Giving Up, page 14).
- Combat Panel: The Hunter's attacks do not eliminate the Demon or another Hunter. But - there is always a "but" - the Priest has no infernal powers of illusion nor the agility of a fighter to dodge a deadly arrow. If the Hunter eliminates the Priest, it does not gain experience. After all, it has just caused the death of a defender of humanity, and recklessness cannot be rewarded.
Because of the silver that coats its weapons, the Hunter eliminates the Werewolf if attacked by that monster, even if it had not chosen it as a target in Phase 2 (and it may be that the Hunter has fulfilled one of its objectives just by being attacked!).
Advanced Roles
Advanced Vampire and Werewolf
The basic and advanced versions of the Vampire and the Werewolf are identical. These two monsters are already killing machines and do not need more firepower.
Advanced Zombie
In general, the Zombie is capable of eliminating any other monster or guardian, except the Demon. But the Necromancer is the supreme lord of the black arts that turn corpses into irrational, putrid servants, which is why the Zombie cannot eliminate it.
Advanced Hunter
The new and improved Hunter is now able to point both of its attacks at the same target, if it so wishes. In general, it is only worth doing this when the Mummy or the Creature is in the game.
The Angel is one more guardian with supernatural reflexes, immune to the Hunter's attacks, but the Possessed, the Reporter and the Voodooist will meet the same unfortunate fate as the Priest when struck by the fatal arrows. As always, if it eliminates a guardian, the Hunter does not earn XP.
Roles (continued)
Priest
- Initiative: none. In Phase 4: Resolution, the Priest is not called. Its situation is resolved at the moment it is eliminated, or when it is concluded that it survived one more night of horror in Dark City.
- Class: Guardian.
- Objective: Survive.
- Gesture: Press the palms of your hands together and interlace your fingers. Bring the joined hands to your chest, with the fingers pointing upward.
- Gender identities: Feminine and masculine.
- Attributes: The Priest does not attack.
- Combat Panel: The Priest is not eliminated when attacked by a Vampire. In that case, the Vampire comes off worse.
Pray to survive. Literally.
Advanced Priest
Besides being immune to the Vampire, the Priest will not be eliminated if attacked by the Angel. The Hunter's attack eliminates the Priest, but if this happens, the Hunter does not gain XP.
The Priest is immune to the "proposal" of marriage from the Creature and its effects, especially the one that prevents... hm... the suitor... from escaping. But if the Creature's marriage to another monster or guardian is inevitable, why not celebrate the ceremony?
Fun Variants of the Mayor's Count
Fun variants of the Mayor's count can make the game more lively. Try, instead of hands flat on the table, starting Phase 2: Attack! with the hands raised, roughly at shoulder height. Following the Mayor, the players slap the table at each step of the count: 1, 2 and 3.
Another possibility is, at the moment of "now", for each player to make the characteristic gesture and shout a phrase or battle cry to give more personality to the chosen role. There is no shortage of options, and the players may create their own shouts. Here are some suggestions:
- Demon: ("Dããã... Come on, give up, Devil!")
- Vampire: "Catchup!"
- Werewolf: "Fresh meat!"
- Zombie: "Nhammmmm!"
- Hunter: "Lost, playboy!"
- Priest: "I exorcise you!"
Phase 2: Attack!
The players choose their targets and attack, making the characteristic gesture of the chosen monster or guardian.
All players begin this phase with both hands on the table, palms facing down. The Mayor counts "1, 2, 3, now!" At "now", the players make the gesture that identifies the role they chose, pointing at the selected target(s).
Special cases:
- Monsters and guardians that have no attacks, such as the Priest, for example, point at no one.
- Instead of using its characteristic gesture, in this phase the Demon attacks using the gesture of any monster or guardian.
- The Hunter points at two different targets.
- The Zombie can only point at the player immediately to its left or right.
The Mayor counts always at the same rhythm in all rounds of the game. If the Mayor tries to deceive the other players to benefit from their hesitation - by changing the rhythm, skipping a number, lengthening the pause between "3" and "now", or anything of the sort - the group may feel free to remove the Mayor from office and elect a new Mayor.
It is very important that the players make clear who their respective targets are and, unless they have chosen a role with zero or two attacks, use only one arm and one hand to make the gesture. And, so that there is no doubt or argument, it is advisable to stretch the arms out as far as possible and point, preferably, at the target player's torso. Consult the description and illustration of each role's gesture to know how to proceed case by case.
Phase 2: Attack! Special Cases
- The Demon cannot pass itself off as a Necromancer or a Creature.
- The Hunter may point its two attacks at two different targets or direct both attacks at a single target.
- The target of the Alien and of the Voodooist is a type of monster or guardian.
- The Creature takes the player to its left or right as the target of a marriage proposal.
- The Necromancer directs simultaneous spells to reanimate the dead at the players to its left and right.
- The Mummy and the Possessed do not attack.
- The Reporter points its camera at two different targets.
Phase 3: Giving Up
The players have the opportunity to give up an attack so as not to let other players earn experience.
Now that everyone has made their gestures, the Mayor gives the players a few seconds to assess the situation and see who is attacking whom. Then they begin this phase by asking "who wants to give up the attack?" and once again count "1, 2, 3, now!"
At "now", the players who think it best to give up the attack lower their hands onto the table. For all purposes, their monsters or guardians have fled the confrontation and are no longer present.
Special cases:
- The Hunter may choose to give up completely, lowering both hands, or give up only one of its attacks and keep the other, lowering only one hand. If it gives up only one attack, the Hunter remains in the confrontation.
If the Hunter, when attacking the Demon disguised as a Priest, gives up only that attack, and not the other one to which it is entitled, the Demon will still fulfil its objective of making someone give up. The Demon, when passing itself off as a Zombie, can only earn experience from the giving up of a player who chose the Zombie as a role if, in Phase 2: Attack!, it had pointed the Zombie gesture at that player.
As long as one of the conditions for giving up is clearly met, the player who plays the Demon achieves its objective, and it will do no good for the one who gave up to insist that they fled the confrontation because of another player's actions.
Whoever gives up completely and flees the field does not earn experience points in Phase 5 (page 17), but ceases to be a valid target and therefore can prevent other roles from fulfilling the objective of eliminating someone. In general, giving up is a good idea when a player realises they will have no chance of doing well at the end of the round. However, remember that one of the Demon's objectives is precisely to make a monster or guardian give up its attack.
Phase 3: Giving Up Special Cases
The Creature grabs the victim... that is, the suitor, and does not let them escape. In other words, the Creature's target does not have the right to give up the confrontation in this phase.
Phase 4: Resolution
In this phase, the attacks are resolved according to the initiative sequence.
It is time to check who managed to fulfil the objectives of their respective roles. The Mayor calls the monsters and guardians by name, one by one, following the initiative order, from the lowest number to the highest. The asterisk (*) is resolved at the most appropriate moment.
The Angel and the Demon both act at position 1 in the initiative sequence, but the Angel's attack is faster and more devastating than the Demon's. That is why the Angel's initiative is 1+. If the Angel and the Demon attack each other, the divine warrior eliminates the Demon before the prince of darkness manages to say "my holy little mother...". Therefore, the Angel will not be condemned to Hell if it manages to eliminate the devil first.
Demon (Phase 4)
When the Demon is called, the player who plays it reveals itself, changing the gesture it had been making to the gesture of the infernal creature. In the basic deck, with the exception of the Werewolf, everyone who has taken the Demon as a target loses that (and only that) attack.
The Demon has two objectives: to survive and to make a monster or guardian give up.
It will have achieved the objective of making a monster or guardian give up when one of the following conditions is met:
- the one giving up is a player who was targeted by the Demon pretending to be a Vampire, Werewolf, Zombie or Hunter (and the one giving up may also be a Demon);
- the one giving up is the Vampire or Hunter that targeted the Demon who was passing itself off as the Priest;
- the one giving up is the Werewolf that targeted the Demon who was passing itself off as the Hunter.
The Demon will have fulfilled the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been eliminated by the attack of a Werewolf.
Advanced Demon (Phase 4)
The Demon also achieves the basic objective of making a monster or guardian give up when:
- the one giving up is a player who was targeted by the Demon pretending to be an Angel, Alien or Reporter;
- the one giving up is a monster or guardian that targeted the Demon who was passing itself off as the Mummy;
- or the one giving up is the Hunter that targeted the Demon who was passing itself off as the Reporter, Possessed or Voodooist.
It will have achieved the extraordinary objective of condemning a soul to Hell if it attacked a target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- the Angel, still alive at the moment of the attack; or the Possessed still alive and not exorcised (see "Angel", page 19) at the moment of the attack.
Even if the Demon manages to fulfil the basic and extraordinary objectives in the same round, it will receive only 1 XP for the feat.
The Demon will have fulfilled the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called:
- it has not been eliminated by the attack of a Werewolf or of an Angel.
Vampire (Phase 4)
The Vampire has two objectives: to survive and to eliminate a monster or guardian.
It will have achieved its objective of eliminating someone if it attacked a target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- a Vampire, Werewolf, Zombie or Hunter still alive at the moment of the attack.
The Vampire will have fulfilled the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters or guardians;
- it has not attacked a Priest.
Advanced Vampire
The Vampire will also have achieved its objective of eliminating someone if it attacked a target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- an Angel, Alien, Necromancer, Reporter, Possessed, or Voodooist still alive at the moment of the attack; the Mummy already awakened; the Creature already wounded.
Werewolf (Phase 4)
The Werewolf has two objectives: to survive and to eliminate a monster or guardian.
It will have achieved its objective of eliminating someone if it attacked a target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- a Demon, Vampire, Werewolf, Zombie or Priest still alive at the moment of the attack.
The Werewolf will have fulfilled the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters or guardians;
- it has not attacked a Hunter.
Advanced Werewolf
The Werewolf will also have achieved its objective of eliminating someone if it attacked a target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- an Angel, Alien, Necromancer, Reporter, Possessed, or Voodooist still alive at the moment of the attack; the Mummy already awakened; the Creature already wounded.
Zombie (Phase 4)
When the Zombie is called, the player who plays it decides whether to keep the target chosen in Phase 2 or point at another target. In other words, the Zombie decides once and for all whether its victim will be the player seated to its left or the player seated to its right.
The Zombie has two objectives: to survive and to eliminate a monster or guardian.
It will have achieved its objective of eliminating someone if it attacked a target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- a Vampire, Werewolf, Hunter or Priest still alive at the moment of the attack.
The Zombie will have achieved the objective of surviving if:
- it is not seated immediately to the left or right of another Zombie that is still alive and not giving up when the Mayor calls it;
- and, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved, it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters or guardians.
Advanced Zombie
The Zombie will also have fulfilled its objective of eliminating someone if it attacked a target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- an Angel, Alien, Reporter, Possessed or Voodooist still alive at the moment of the attack; the Mummy already awakened; the Creature already wounded.
Hunter (Phase 4)
The Hunter has two objectives: to survive and to eliminate at least one monster.
It will have achieved its objective of eliminating a monster if:
- with at least one of its attacks, it has hit (a) a non-giving-up player; and (b) a Vampire, Werewolf or Zombie still alive at the moment of the attack;
- or it was attacked by a Werewolf that was still alive when the Hunter's turn came.
However, even if the Hunter survives and eliminates a monster with one of its attacks, the player who plays it will not earn experience (XP) in this role if it has also eliminated the Priest. The Hunter does not earn additional XP for eliminating two monsters.
The Hunter will have achieved its objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters.
It is worth remembering that Hunters that have targeted each other are not eliminated and therefore survive.
Advanced Hunter
The Hunter will also have achieved its objective of eliminating a monster if:
- with at least one of its attacks, it has hit (a) a non-giving-up player; and (b) an Alien or Necromancer still alive at the moment of the attack, or the Mummy already awakened, or the Creature already wounded;
- or it directed both of its attacks at (a) a non-giving-up player; (b) the Mummy or the Creature still alive.
The initiative sequence organises the confrontations chronologically. If a Vampire (initiative 2) attacked and eliminated a Werewolf (initiative 3), that Werewolf is no longer alive to eliminate the target it chose when its turn comes. If a Zombie (initiative 4) eliminates a monster that the Hunter (initiative 5) had also chosen as a target, the Hunter loses that attack when it is called, because it no longer has a valid target.
If two monsters or guardians with the same initiative value attack the same valid target, consider the victim to have been eliminated simultaneously by both.
If two monsters or guardians of identical initiative target each other, imagine that both survived long enough to deliver their attacks and, therefore, both may be eliminated before the Mayor calls the next role in the initiative sequence.
Priest (Phase 4)
The Priest's only objective is to survive, and it will have achieved this goal if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been eliminated by attacks delivered by monsters or guardians.
Phase 5: Experience
In this phase, the experience points that lead to victory are recorded on the players' diaries.
The players who strictly fulfilled the objectives of the roles they chose earn 1 experience point (XP) at the end of the confrontation and record this information on their diaries. To record accumulated experience, simply fill in, in pencil or pen, one of the circles on the line corresponding to the role for each XP obtained.
For example, in the first round, if the player fulfilled the objective of the Zombie, they fill in the first circle of the Zombie on their diary. In the second round, if the same player again fulfils the objective of the Zombie, they only need to fill in the second circle of that monster. In the third round, when fulfilling the objective of the Priest, the player must fill in the first circle of the line corresponding to that guardian.
Players must keep their diaries on the table and clearly visible at all times.
The Alien is the only role that can give a player 2 experience points at once. All it needs is to abduct two monsters or guardians of the same kind in the same round. For example, two Vampires or two Hunters.
Victory Conditions
- earn at least 1 XP in six (6) of the available roles;
- accumulate 8 XP in total, no matter in which roles;
- gather 2 XP in each of three (3) different roles;
- gather 4 XP in one (1) single role.
Tiebreak
If two or more players reach one of the victory conditions at the end of the same round, the winner is the one who has accumulated the highest total of experience points. If the tie persists, the winner is the one who has accumulated experience in the greatest number of different roles. If the tie still persists, the winners must share the glory of victory.
New Round
The turn passes to the player to the left of the one who began the round that just ended, and the game returns to Phase 1: Role Choice (page 6).
End of Game
The game ends at the end of the round in which one or more players fulfil at least one of the victory conditions.
Special Cast
Each character of the special cast is a mini-expansion of Dark City. They can be used to create new play experiences, but the recommendation is to use the special cast only for groups of six (6) or more players.
This section presents each special role in the same format used for the main cast. To learn how to include them in a game, see the box "Special Cast and Advanced Roles" above.
Death
Death is not a monster or a guardian. It is a frightening personification of the threshold every inhabitant of Dark City must cross to reach the other world. Its figure hangs ominously over the city, ready to collect and guide the newly dead.
At the start of every round of a game that includes this role, the Death card is placed on the table, face up, next to the three cards set aside at random by the active player.
The last player to choose a role is the only one who may keep the Death card. When it is their turn to decide, they give up seeing the cards passed by the player to their right, in order to choose Death as their role. The remaining cards in the deck join those in the centre of the table, without the last player seeing which they are.
The player who plays Death writes on the back of their diary sheet the name of another player of their choice. Death does not take part in the confrontations and, therefore, during that round the player who plays it may not attack or be attacked. For all purposes, this player is not there.
Resolution and Experience
At the end of the initiative sequence, when all the other roles have been called or resolved, the player who plays Death reveals the name they wrote on the back of their diary. Death earns 1 XP if:
- the monster or guardian of the target player has been eliminated or even abducted, but not condemned to Hell nor turned into a servant of the Necromancer.
Angel
- Initiative: 1+.
- Class: Guardian.
- Basic objectives: Survive and eliminate a monster.
- Extraordinary objectives: Survive and exorcise the Possessed.
- Gesture: Stretch out the arm and fingers. Keep the hand aligned with the arm, the palm facing inward, and point it at your target.
- Gender identity: Neutral.
- Attributes: An attack directed at any player around the table.
- Combat Panel: The Angel is the divine warrior who fights evil and intercedes for the champions of humanity. Its attacks do not eliminate other guardians. Monsters, however, are more than valid targets. The Angel, like the Werewolf, can locate and eliminate the Demon. The messenger of Heaven is immune to the powers of the Necromancer and the Alien. Nobody discusses the sex of the Angel and, therefore, it... she... ignores all the effects of the Creature's marriage proposal. If the Angel attacks the Possessed, the filthy spirit that torments her will abandon the girl's body, and she will no longer wish to die.
The Angel is initiative 1+ because it is called together with the Demon at position 1, but its attack is faster.
Resolution
The Angel will have achieved its basic objective of eliminating a monster if it attacked a target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- a monster still alive at the moment of the attack.
The Angel will have achieved its extraordinary objective of exorcising the Possessed if it attacked a non-giving-up player playing that role.
The Angel will have fulfilled the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been condemned to Hell by the Demon nor eliminated by attacks from other monsters.
Experience
Even if the Angel manages to fulfil the basic and extraordinary objectives in the same round, it will receive only 1 XP for the feat.
Alien
- Initiative: 6.
- Class: Monster.
- Objectives: Survive and eliminate one or two monsters or guardians.
- Gesture: With one hand, imitate the gesture of the role you wish to target. For example, the Hunter's pointing finger, the Vampire's fangs or the Werewolf's claws. Hold your other hand - fingers loose and separated, palm facing down - hovering over the first like a flying saucer.
- Gender identity: Neutral.
- Attributes: The Alien does not attack a specific target, but all specimens of a given type of monster or guardian that are in the round. The extraterrestrial will try to abduct at least one living specimen, but it may capture two or even none. The abducted are eliminated, after undergoing terrible tests and experiments. For all purposes, no corpse remains in the streets of Dark City.
- Combat Panel: The Alien cannot eliminate either the Angel or the Demon. Furthermore, being from another planet and having no recognisable gender, the Alien is immune to the arts of the Necromancer and to the advances of the Creature.
Resolution
The Alien will have achieved its objective of abducting someone if, at the moment it is called, there is around the table:
- at least one non-giving-up player, playing a living specimen of the type of monster or guardian chosen as the target by the extraterrestrial.
The Alien will have fulfilled the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters or guardians.
Experience
The Alien receives 1 XP for each specimen eliminated by abduction. Therefore, a player may mark up to 2 XP on their diary, all at once, if they choose the Alien as their role.
Necromancer
- Initiative: 7.
- Class: Monster.
- Objectives: Survive and create an undead servant.
- Gesture: Spread your arms and bend your elbows. Turn the palms upward and slightly bend the tips of your fingers. Whisper: "Rise!"
- Gender identity: Masculine.
- Attributes: The Necromancer casts a spell on the corpses around it, trying to turn them into reanimated slaves. It has the right to two of these "attacks" per round, but it may only target the players immediately to its left and right.
- Combat Panel: The Necromancer does not understand the extraterrestrial nature of the Angel, the Demon and the Alien and, therefore, cannot turn the mortal remains of these beings into irrational slaves. The Necromancer sends the Zombies running and, therefore, is immune to the attacks of those monsters.
Resolution
The Necromancer will have achieved its objective of creating an undead servant if it has "attacked" at least one target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- any monster except the Demon and the Alien, or any guardian except the Angel;
- a target that, at the end of the initiative sequence, has already been eliminated by someone, but not condemned to Hell by the Demon nor abducted by the Alien.
The Necromancer will have fulfilled the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters or guardians (the Zombie cannot kill the Necromancer).
Experience
Even if it survives and creates two undead servants in the same night, the Necromancer receives only 1 XP for it.
Creature
If you want to include the Creature role in the game, remember to add both cards of this monster to the initial deck. It is not possible to play with just one Creature card.
- Initiative: 8.
- Class: Monster.
- Objectives: Survive and marry a monster or guardian of the chosen gender.
- Gesture: Bend the left or right arm, resting the hand on the waist, and offer it to the player to your left or right. If you wish to indicate that your Creature seeks a feminine spouse, let the other arm hang by the body. If you wish to show your Creature's interest in a masculine spouse, cross the other arm over the chest.
- Gender identities: Feminine and masculine.
- Attributes: The Creature may ask a target in marriage, pointing at the player to its left or to its right. The gender identity that counts for the resolution of this "attack" is not that of the player, but that of the role they reveal when the Creature is called in Phase 4.
- The Creature embraces its "suitor" with all tenderness and, therefore, its target may not give up during Phase 3.
- The Creature's resistance and physical strength are superhuman. In the initiative sequence, after suffering the first attack, the Creature is wounded, but it is only eliminated if and when it suffers a second attack.
- Combat Panel: The Angel, the Demon, the Priest and the Alien are immune to the Creature's advances.
Resolution
When the Creature is called, at position 8 of the initiative sequence, its target reveals the card that defines their role, so that all players can see the gender identity of the monster or guardian involved.
The Creature will have achieved the objective of marrying if it has "attacked" a target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- a monster or guardian that a) is not the Angel, the Demon, the Priest or the Alien; b) is of the gender chosen by the Creature; c) and has arrived alive at the end of the initiative sequence.
It or she will have fulfilled the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters or guardians, or
- it is only wounded after suffering a single attack from a monster or guardian.
Mummy
- Initiative: none. In Phase 4: Resolution, the Mummy is not called. Its situation is resolved at the moment it awakens, when it is eliminated, or when it is concluded that it left the sarcophagus and survived.
- Class: Monster.
- Objectives: Survive and awaken.
- Gesture: Cross your arms over your chest and clench your fists.
- Gender identity: Masculine.
- Attributes: The Mummy does not attack.
- Combat Panel: The awakened Mummy is easy prey for the attacks of any monster or guardian. The Mummy of Dark City is the embalmed body of an ancient priest of the Cult of Isis who rests in its sarcophagus. It only wishes to free itself from its eternal sleep. For the Mummy to awaken and drag itself freely through the city, it is enough for the sarcophagus to suffer an attack.
While awake, the Mummy cannot be controlled by the Necromancer. But if it suffers a new attack after awakening, the Mummy is eliminated, and then the Necromancer has a true corpse to work with.
Resolution
The Mummy will have achieved its objective of awakening if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has received one - and only one - attack from monsters or guardians.
The Mummy will have achieved the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- having already awakened, it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters or guardians.
Possessed
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Initiative: none. In Phase 4: Resolution, the Possessed is not called. Its situation is resolved at the moment it is eliminated, or when it is concluded that it survived after being exorcised.
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Class: Guardian.
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Basic objective: Be eliminated.
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Extraordinary objective: Survive after being exorcised by the Angel.
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Gesture: Join and stretch the fingers of each hand. Cross your arms over your chest.
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Gender identity: Feminine.
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Attributes: The Possessed does not attack.
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Combat Panel: The Possessed is a tragic heroine who made the supreme sacrifice of imprisoning a filthy spirit in her own body. After saving thousands of people with her altruistic gesture, she only wishes to die, so that her torment may end. Practically any attack from almost any monster or guardian is capable of eliminating her. However, there are two possibilities that may change the plans of the Possessed:
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If she is attacked by the Demon, instead of making the crossing and heading to a better place, her soul will be dragged to Hell together with the evil spirit that possesses her. In that case, the Possessed does not earn XP.
Resolution
The Possessed will have achieved its basic objective of being eliminated if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been attacked by the Angel nor the Demon, and
- it has been eliminated by attacks from monsters or Hunters.
It will have fulfilled the extraordinary objective of being exorcised and surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has been attacked by the Angel; and
- it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters or Hunters.
Reporter
- Initiative: none. In Phase 4: Resolution, the Reporter is not called. Its situation is resolved at the moment it is attacked and activates the camera, when it is eliminated, or when it is concluded that it got the photo it so wanted and survived a night on the streets of Dark City.
- Class: Guardian.
- Objectives: Survive and photograph at least one monster.
- Gesture: Fold the four fingers of each hand, leaving the thumb free and upright, as in a thumbs-up sign. Stretch out the arms, pointing a different target with each one. At the moment it is attacked, lower the thumb to activate your "camera" and fire the flash.
- Gender identity: Masculine.
- Attributes: The Reporter's only weapon is its camera, and it wields it with extreme agility and quick reasoning. The Reporter may choose two different targets in Phase 2: Attack!.
- Combat Panel: Neither the Reporter nor its loyal camera can see the true Demon, and, being a guardian of humanity, our fearless journalist is immune to the Angel's attack.
His editor wants the photo of a terrifying monster in a threatening pose to publish it with full prominence. The Reporter will earn no XP if it returns to the newsroom with the photo of another guardian, much less with the photo of the lifeless, dull corpse of an eliminated monster. The camera's flash is so intense that, when fired, it temporarily blinds the monster or guardian photographed. That is why the Reporter is immune to the attacks of its own targets.
Resolution
The Reporter will have achieved its objective of photographing at least one monster if it activated its camera in front of a target that meets all of the following conditions:
- a non-giving-up player;
- a monster still alive (except the Demon) or an undead servant of the Necromancer.
It will have fulfilled the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters or Hunters.
Experience
The Reporter does not earn additional XP for photographing two living monsters.
Voodooist
- Initiative: none. In Phase 4: Resolution, the Voodooist is not called. Its situation is resolved at the moment it is eliminated, or when it is concluded that she survived one more night of horror.
- Class: Guardian.
- Objective: Survive.
- Gesture: With one hand, imitate the gesture of the role you wish to target. For example, the Vampire's fangs or the Werewolf's claws. Fold the little and ring fingers of the other hand, holding them with the thumb. Join and stretch the index and middle fingers, forming your "needle". Now point the needle at the hand that imitates your target's gesture.
- Gender identity: Feminine.
- Attributes: The Voodooist does not attack, but preventively uses the sympathetic magic that permeates her dolls to protect herself from evil.
- Combat Panel: The Voodooist has needles and dolls prepared for almost every occasion. If she has time to protect herself, by sticking the doll corresponding to the monster or Hunter about to attack her, the excruciating pain that will course through the attacker's body will not allow the attack to be completed. In other words, the Voodooist is immune to the attack of the target she chose. The deceptive arts of the Demon fool even the Voodooist, and she cannot strike it with her magic. Being a guardian, the Voodooist is immune to the attack of the Angel.
Resolution
The Voodooist will have fulfilled the objective of surviving if, at the end of the initiative sequence, after all roles have been called or resolved:
- it has not been eliminated by attacks from monsters or Hunters.
Quick Reference
Phases
- Phase 1 - Role Choice: Monster or guardian?
- Phase 2 - Attack!: Get ready, aim...
- Phase 3 - Giving Up: Run away or face it?
- Phase 4 - Resolution: Who killed whom, in order of calling.
- Phase 5 - Experience: Mark your points.
Attributes
- The attack affects, but does not necessarily eliminate, another monster or guardian.
- Makes an attack against a target anywhere around the table.
- Makes an attack against a target seated to the left or right.
- In Phase 4, may change the target of the attack to someone seated to the left or right.
- Makes two attacks against two targets of any kind (or two attacks against one target only).
- Does not attack.
- Makes two simultaneous attacks against targets to the left and right.
- Abducts monsters or guardians of a given type.
- The target of the attack cannot give up in Phase 3.
- Is wounded on suffering the first attack; eliminated on suffering the second.
Combat Panel
- Blue symbol: if the role on this card attacks the role represented by this symbol...
- Red symbol: if the role represented by this symbol attacks the role on this card...
- Attack does not eliminate the target.
- Attack condemns to Hell.
- Is eliminated.
- The attack is an exorcism.
- No XP reward.
- Seated side by side.
- Immunity to the attack.
- If attacked by its own target.
Goals
- Survive
- Condemn a soul to Hell
- Photograph at least one monster
- Eliminate someone
- Exorcise or be exorcised
- Marry someone
- Make someone give up
- Awaken from eternal sleep
- Create an undead servant