DC Deck-Building Game: Rebirth Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Types of Cards
• 1. Getting Started
• Setup
  • The Line-Up
• The Threat Track
  • Starting Threat Levels in Detail
• Campaign Scenarios
• Winning and Losing
• Turn Sequence
• Gameplay
  • Order of Playing Your Cards
  • Sample Turn Sequence
  • End of Turn
• Moving Your Character
• Villains
  • Preventing Villain Movement
• Additional Rules
  • Attacks and Defenses
  • DC Super Heroes / Characters
  • Assist
  • Range
  • Weakness
  • Ongoing Cards
  • Target
  • Location Tiles and Basic Cards
  • Damaging Locations
  • Destroying Cards
  • Gaining Cards
  • Resolving Card Effects
• Signature Cards
• Side Missions
• Solo Mode
• Competitive Mode
• Specific Card Clarifications
• Mixing Rebirth with Other Cerberus Games
• Rebirth Campaign Log
• Credits
• Turn Sequence (Quick Reference)
  • End of Turn

Contents

Over 240 Game Cards

• 24 Punch Starter Cards
• 12 Run Starter Cards
• 4 Helping Hand Starter Cards
• 84 Main Deck Cards
• 8 Super-Villain Cards
• 35 Basic Cards
• 24 Signature Cards
• 15 Weakness Cards
• Over 40 Secret Scenario Cards (You won't unlock them until the time is right!)

8 Oversized Super Hero Cards 8 Character Standees with Bases 7 Double-Sided Location Tiles 1 Threat Track 9 Threat Tiles Lots of Tokens

Types of Cards

Cards show a Card Name, Card Type, Cost, and any Special Rules Text or Abilities. The diagram below the card examples in the printed rulebook calls out where each of these elements appears on a card. The card types in this set are:

• DC Super Hero — an oversized card such as The Flash. Its game text shows the Character's ongoing ability and any Power-cost ability, for example: "At the start of each of your turns, you get Move 2. Pay 5 Move: Target player draws a card."
• Starter Cards — Punch, Run, and Helping Hand. Each carries the card type Starter (the Helping Hand also carries the subtype Move). Example text: Punch "+1 Power"; Run "Move 2"; Helping Hand "Assist, Range: 0. Target player may move their Character 1 space."
• Basic — cards found on Location tiles, such as Batcycle: "Choose 1: Move 2 or +2 Power," carrying the Move Tag and Victory Points.
• DC Super-Villain — such as Lex Luthor, which shows a Destination Icon (the numbered pentagon), Card Type, and Victory Points "(in case you utilize these cards in other competitive formats)." Example: "Attack: Discard all Assist cards. Reward: Target player puts an Assist card from their discard pile into their hand."
• Hero — such as Simon Baz: "+1 Power. Reveal the top card of your deck. Draw it or destroy it."
• Ongoing — such as Batmobile, showing the Ongoing Ability callout: "Ongoing: Discard a card: Move 1. Defense: Discard this from play to avoid an Attack."
• Villain — such as The Joker, showing the Attack and Reward callout: "Attack: Discard a random card. Reward: Target player puts the highest cost card from their discard pile into their hand."
• Super Power — such as Telepathy: "Assist: Range 3. Put a card from your discard pile on top of your deck," with the Cost callout.
• Equipment — such as Sonic Cannon, showing the Card Name callout: "+2 Power. Target any number of Villains within Range: 1. Move each of them 1 space away from you."
• Defense — such as Hard Water Bubble, showing the Defense Text callout: "+1 Power. Defense: Discard this to have target Character within Range: 2 avoid an Attack. The defended Character gets +2 Power."
• Signature Card — such as Detective Work, showing the Middle Info Bar callout with the Super Hero's name and card number (e.g. "Batman 1"): "Starter. +1 Power. Each player may reveal the top card of their deck."

1. Getting Started

Each player is dealt 2 random oversized Super Hero cards, and chooses 1 of them. Alternatively, each player may choose to play as their favorite Character. As this is a cooperative game, feel free to discuss Super Hero selection with your teammates. Grab the Character standee that matches your Super Hero and place it on your Super Hero card.

Players begin EACH SCENARIO with a starting deck of 6 Punch cards, 1 Helping Hand card, and 3 Run cards. You will use your Punch and Helping Hand cards to buy more powerful cards to add to your deck, improving it as the game goes on. Run cards allow you to move your Character around the city to buy the cards you need and thwart the Villains! The Helping Hand card can also be used to move your Character, but it is often better used to help an ally move even when it isn't their turn.

Setup

Each game is played across a cityscape that features Locations from the DC Universe. Each Location tile has 2 sides: One features a payment ability (Side A) and the other features a Basic card stack (Side B) from which you may buy. You will be playing with 5 of the 7 Location tiles each game, so games will always feel a little different.

1. Place the Threat Track in the middle of the play area. There is a Cooperative side and a Competitive side, so be sure to use the correct side for the type of game you are playing.
2. Place the Threat Track token on the 0.
3. Open the Scenario Pack for the Scenario you are about to play, Scenario #1 in this case. Consult the current Scenario card inside the pack for any modifications to the Threat Track. Scenario #1 uses the Threat Track as is. For 1-2 player games, you will find a "(1-2p)" modification to each Scenario's Threat Track.
4. Consult the current Scenario card for which Locations will be used during the Scenario. Mix up those 5 Location tiles behind your back or under the table.
5. Place them randomly into the numbered slots, starting with Location Slot 1 and proceeding clockwise.
6. Be sure that each tile has its correct side facing up.
7. Place a Destination token on each Location tile, as seen in the diagram.
8. Lastly, place the appropriate Basic cards face up on each of the Side B Locations.

The Line-Up

Now that you have set up the cityscape, you are ready to create the main deck, which is where the cards in the Line-Up slots come from. The Line-Up slots are the gaps between each of the Location tiles.

1. The main deck is made up of all Hero, normal Villain, Equipment, and Super Power cards.
2. Shuffle the main deck, and then deal the cards into 5 face-down stacks. Stack 5 will have 1 fewer card.
3. Consult the current Scenario card for any modifications or additions to the stacks.
4. Shuffle all 8 Super-Villains together and then add 2 Super-Villains each to Stacks 2-5.
5. Shuffle each stack separately, then combine the 5 stacks, with Stack 5 on the bottom and Stack 1 on top. Don't shuffle the individual stacks together. Your main deck is now ready to go.
6. Fill the initial 5 Line-Up slots in order from 1-5 with cards from the top of the main deck. Line-Up Slot 1 is the space between Location #1 and Location #2, and so on. Cards in the Line-Up are always face up.
7. Place the Weakness stack near the main deck.
8. Consult the Campaign Log to see if any of this Scenario's Locations have damage. Add Damage/Destroyed tokens to damaged Locations, so you can keep track of their total accumulated damage in real time.
9. You are now ready to begin!

Diagram: the cityscape layout shows Stacks 1-5 combining (with Super-Villains shuffled in) into the main deck; the Weakness Stack sits near the main deck; 5 Locations sit in a ring around 5 Line-Up slots, with the Threat Track and Threat Track Token placed in the middle. This is what the cityscape might look like after shuffling the Locations and placing them randomly. Your opening Line-Up cards may vary. Do not match your setup to this diagram.

The Threat Track

The Threat Track is an indicator of the amount of peril the city is in. As more and more Super-Villains show up, things get increasingly worse. The pressure is on! Most of the Threat Levels have Ongoing text in red. That text is always applicable, even when the Threat token has moved to a higher level. One-Shot effects are in black text and happen only once, as soon as the Threat token moves to that Level. There are 2 sides to the Threat Track, but let's examine the Cooperative side.

Starting Threat Levels in Detail

0: Only Super-Villains cause the Threat Level to increase and only they make an Attack against each player when they appear. As a Super-Villain enters the Line-Up, increase the Threat Level by 1 before resolving the Attack.

1: If there are no Super-Villains in the Line-Up, you will be adding 2 cards to the Line-Up during Step 4 of the Turn Sequence. Place them 1 at a time, but place both before resolving any Attacks.

2: This effect only happens once. If there is a tie for highest cost card, choose only 1 of them.

3: Remember that Super-Villains have the card type Villain!

4: This Level is blank for Scenario #1, so nothing bad happens right now. Just keep in mind that all of the previous Ongoing effects are still applicable!

5: When the Threat Level hits 5, time is running out! Place the Threat token on the "1" box to the right of Threat Level 5. Each member of your team will have 3 more turns to complete the mission. The active player's turn that is already underway is the first of their 3. Each time the player who started this end of game clock starts a new turn, move the Threat token 1 space to the right. When you need to move the token and there are no more spaces, the game ends immediately. Additional Super-Villains may enter the Line-Up during these final 3 rounds, but they do not affect the Threat Track. They still Attack and move as usual. Note that you may defeat any 5th Super-Villain to win. It doesn't have to be the one that increased the Threat Track to 5.

In future Scenarios, the Threat Track may change up by way of Threat tiles. Consult the current Scenario card for any changes to the Threat Track. The Threat tiles are lettered from A to I. The Scenario card will call out the letter of the Threat tile that will be used and where it goes. If it "Covers" a Level, that means you will place the tile on top of the printed text at that Level. If it says to "Add" it, place it to the right of the printed text. All text boxes for that Level are applicable. If it mentions a "Blank," flip an unused tile over to cover the printed text of that Level.

Campaign Scenarios

Rebirth is a cooperative Campaign game. You and your team will be facing down an increasingly difficult and varied set of Scenarios that you must overcome through a series of linked games. It is recommended that you play through the Campaign with the same group of players, so that everyone can experience the progression of their Character. However, adding or removing players mid-Campaign is also possible without any additional modifications.

Each Scenario comes in a resealable packet and will dictate how to set things up, any game parameters, and various other Scenario story points and clues. The previous setup guide is correct only for the first Scenario of the Campaign. When opening a Scenario Pack, the first thing you should see when sliding the cards out is the Rebirth logo at the top of the Scenario card. If you do not see the logo, flip the stack over to avoid spoilers. There are many secrets and surprises in store for you. The Scenario card, the top card of each pack, will give you the setup information you need for that Scenario.

The Start and Story information will let you know if you need to remove any cards from the main deck and will also introduce the Scenario, any new rules, and other housekeeping activities.

The Locations section tells you which Location tiles will be used in that Scenario. Mix up these tiles before placing them into the 5 positions at random. Make sure the correct side is face up after placing them. The Threat Track section will tell you if there are any modifications to be made on the Threat Track for this Scenario. "(1-2p)" means a 1 or 2 player game. The Main Deck section tells you how to add the base Super-Villains to the stacks and how to add any new cards to the stacks as well. Don't peek at the cards you add to the stacks!

Cards under the Scenario card are face down. If it doesn't have the standard card back, it will not be going into the main deck. If it has the standard card back, the Scenario card will tell you which stack to place it in. If you don't see that info, don't add it to any of the stacks. The Scenario card will tell you where the face-down cards go.

As you complete Scenarios of the Campaign, keep track of your team's progress using the Campaign Log found near the back of this rulebook. Feel free to photocopy it. That Log also allows you to grade your performance and determine a final score once the dust has settled. Play again using a different mix of Characters and try to beat your previous high score!

Winning and Losing

When you end a Scenario, record the damage on any Locations in the Campaign Log and then sort out the cards. All cards you bought or gained are returned to the main deck and Basic stacks. You start each Scenario with just your 10-card starting deck. Retrieve any Super-Villains from the main deck and group all of the Super-Villains together. Destroyed cards are not permanently destroyed and will be used in subsequent Scenarios. If a card is "removed from the Campaign," it will not return in any future Scenarios.

If you win, place all of the cards that came from the Scenario Pack back into it for future plays (except for Side Mission cards). The cards have a Scenario number and letter at the bottom so you can place them back in the correct alphabetical order. You are now ready for the next Scenario!

If you lose, you must replay the Scenario. Return all cards to the Scenario Pack in the correct alphabetical order, then follow the instructions on the Scenario card again. Note that replaying a Scenario subjects the Locations to more potential damage! If the Scenario includes Secret Cards passed to the players, do not pass them out again during replays. Any cards that were "removed from the Campaign" during the Scenario return for the replay.

If you beat a Scenario the first time you attempt it, check the "1" box for that Scenario on the Campaign Log. If you beat it on your second try, check the box under the "2." If you fail your second attempt, check the Failed box, and then move on to the next Scenario.

Turn Sequence

Step 1 "At the start of your turn" effects happen.

Step 2 Villains at their Destination or sharing a space with the active player's Character Attack only the active player. Resolve them in the order of your choosing. If you do not avoid the Attack of a Super-Villain at its Destination, deal 1 damage to that Location.

Step 3 Villains not sharing a space with a Character move 1 space towards their Destination by the shortest path. In case of a tie, move the Villain clockwise.

Step 4 Add the top card of the main deck to the Line-Up slot with the fewest cards (including Villains). If there is a tie, the lower slot number wins the tie. When adding cards to the Line-Up, only slots between Locations are Line-Up slots. Cards never enter play onto a Location, but can end up there due to card effects.

Step 5 Play cards from your hand.

Step 6 Total up your Move and Power. Use your Move to travel around the city. Buy cards in your space with combined cost less than or equal to your Power total. As soon as you buy or gain a card, place it into your discard pile, unless instructed otherwise. You may play additional cards even after making purchases or moving.

On the very first turn of the game, skip Steps 2-4 of the Turn Sequence.

Gameplay

Each player begins by shuffling their deck and drawing 5 cards. After seeing the cards in the opening Line-Up and the cards each player has drawn, the team gets to choose who goes first this Scenario (and just this Scenario).

Play will proceed clockwise from that player for the rest of the game. On the very first turn of the game, skip Steps 2-4 of the Turn Sequence. You take your turn by playing cards from your hand face up for all players to see. This generates Power (the "currency" of the game), Move (a resource that allows your Character to get to the places you want to be), and other effects.

On your very first turn of the game, the standee that represents your Character has not been placed yet. Choose any of the 10 spaces (5 Locations and 5 Line-Up slots) and place your Character there at the start of your first turn. While there are only 5 Line-Up slots, each of the 10 spaces of the city are part of the Line-Up.

You may only buy cards in the space where your Character is located (unless a card says otherwise). All cards in a space are available to be bought or gained. Cards never cover other cards. Cards you buy or gain are always immediately placed into your discard pile, unless you are instructed otherwise. Discard piles are always face up. Soon they'll be shuffled into your deck, and then you'll be drawing these newer, more powerful cards into your hand so you can play them. Buying powerful cards builds up the effectiveness of your deck. That's why it's called a "deck-building game."

You can buy any number of available cards with combined cost less than or equal to the amount of Power you have for the turn. For example, your Punch cards each give you +1 Power. If you draw 4 of them and no other cards with any Power bonuses, your total Power for the turn is 4. You can buy a single card with cost 2, 3, or 4, or even 2 cards each with cost 2, assuming these options are available at the space where your Character is standing. If you wish to buy cards at other spaces, you will need to spend Move to get there. You may buy cards both before and after moving, if you have enough Power.

Basic cards found on the Locations in the game are low cost and each stack has 5 copies. You may only buy 1 Basic card from each stack during your turn. Moving to multiple different Locations will allow you to buy 1 Basic card from each different stack. You may pass if you cannot buy or do not wish to buy any cards.

Order of Playing Your Cards

On your turn, you get to play the cards in your hand in the order of your choice. When you play a card, its game text resolves immediately. You do not have to play all of the cards in your hand before you start making purchases if you don't wish to. You may play additional cards even after making purchases.

Sample Turn Sequence

After shuffling up your starting cards, you draw a hand of 4 Punches and 1 Run for your first turn. You may play the 4 Punches for a total of 4 Power, which is enough to buy Green Arrow. You decide to place your Character onto the 4-cost Hero. Because you now share a space with that card, you may buy it. After buying it, you put it into your discard pile. The Run provides you with no additional Power, but does allow you to move up to 2 spaces before or after buying cards. After buying your card, you decide to move 1 space onto an adjacent Location.

End of Turn

1. Announce that you are ending your turn. Your turn is now over.
2. Place any cards remaining in your hand into your discard pile.
3. Resolve any "at the end of your turn" effects.
4. Place all the cards you played into your discard pile. Any unspent Power is lost.
5. Draw 5 cards.
6. The next player starts their turn.

Moving Your Character

After your Character enters play at the start of your first turn of the game, you must spend Move to get around the city. Your 3 Run cards and your Helping Hand will help you get around early in the game, but many cards in the main deck and Basic stacks also grant Move and other ways to get around. When you play a Run, it gives you Move 2. Playing multiple cards with Move will increase your Move value for the turn even more. You may spend your Move at any time, so you don't have to move your Character the moment you play a Move card.

Your Helping Hand Starter card is a bit different. It doesn't have a Move value. Instead, it lets you choose a player (any player, not just one at Range: 0) and that player may move their Character 1 space. You may choose yourself or a teammate. Note that the card has the subtype Move, even though it doesn't grant a Move value. Any card that can get a Character around the city has the subtype "Move."

Moving allows you to get to the spaces where the cards you want to buy can be found. If you have no Move or other means to get around, your Character will be stuck where they are and will only be able to buy cards at that spot. If you have no Move cards in your hand, ask your teammates for help (especially with a Helping Hand).

• Spend 1 Move to move into an adjacent space.
• The 5 Line-Up slots and 5 Locations are all considered part of "the Line-Up," and each counts as a space.
• You may move back into a space you previously occupied in the same turn (still costs 1 Move).
• Any number of Characters may occupy the same space.
• You may move your Character before and/or after buying cards (or defeating Villains).

Example: With 3 Power and 4 Move during his first turn of the game, Batman could buy the Grappling Hook card here, and then move onto Major Disaster to prevent him from moving toward his Destination. He could also spend some of his Move to move past the Villain into Line-Up Slot 2 ... or even go the other way!

Villains

Villains (which includes regular Villains and Super-Villains) are all shuffled into the main deck at the start of each game and there could be multiple Super-Villains terrorizing the city at once! Each time a Super-Villain enters the Line-Up, move the Threat token up 1 Level on the Threat Track. The text at that new Level is immediately in effect. Regular Villains (with cost 7 or less) do not cause the Threat Level to increase.

Each Villain has an Attack. When a regular Villain enters the Line-Up, there is no immediate effect. When a Super-Villain enters the Line-Up, it makes its Attack against each player in the game, and then play continues. Any Villain entering play into the same space as a Character does not trigger an Attack against that Character, though a Super-Villain will Attack each player as usual as part of its coming into play.

Each Villain has a pentagonal icon in the lower right corner of their art with a number from 1-5 in it. That number corresponds with the number tokens on the Location tiles. The Villain will be trying to make their way to that Location (referred to as their "Destination" in this rulebook). When a Villain reaches their Destination, it no longer moves. During Step 2 of each player's turn, that player is attacked by each Villain at its Destination (and any in their space as usual).

Do whatever you need to do to keep Villains away from their Destinations!

When you defeat a Villain (buying it by paying its cost), you read the Reward text on that Villain. Often times you are able to give the bonus to a "target player," which means any player in the game, and you may choose yourself. If a Reward can't resolve (like gaining a card from the destroyed pile when there aren't any there), the effect simply fizzles and play continues. Defeated Villains are destroyed. You will never have a Villain in your deck during the Campaign.

Villains are very active at the beginning of each player's turn during the Turn Sequence.

Step 2: Villains at their Destination or sharing a space with the active player's Character Attack only the active player (the player who just started their turn). If you are subject to multiple Attacks, you may resolve them in the order of your choosing. If you do not avoid the Attack of a Super-Villain at its destination, deal 1 damage to that Location.

Step 3: After resolving all Attacks, Villains not sharing a space with a Character move 1 space towards their Destination.

Villains take the shortest path to their Destination. If there is a tie for shortest path, they move clockwise. Villains already at their Destination do not move. Moving into a space with a Character, even the active player's Character, does not trigger any Attacks.

Several cards in the set allow you to move Villains. You may move a Villain whether they are at their Destination, sharing a space with a Character, or sharing a space with other Villains. You suffer no penalties for entering a Villain's space or when a Villain enters your space.

Preventing Villain Movement

During Step 3 of the Turn Sequence, Villains sharing a space with 1 or more Characters do not move. Keeping Villains away from their Destinations is a very important part of the game, so correctly positioning your Character every turn is critical.

It will also be important to understand the direction that nearby Villains are going to be moving. Often times a Character will not be able to move into a Villain's space during their turn, but they can move close enough to intercept that Villain before they reach their Destination.

A few things to remember:

• A Villain does not Attack you if it moves into your Character's space during Step 3 of ANY player's Turn Sequence.
• If it is not your turn, you are not subject to Attacks, except by Super-Villains entering play.
• When 1 or more Villains are in your Character's space at the start of your turn, they will all Attack you in the order of your choosing. You may utilize Defense cards to avoid these Attacks.
• If a Threat tile allows Super-Villains to move out of your space, they will Attack you in Step 2 of the Turn Sequence (because they share a space with you at the start of your turn), and then move out of your space during Step 3.
• By ending your turn in a space with a Villain, or positioning yourself to intercept a Villain as it moves towards its Destination, you are literally protecting your teammates and the Locations from Attacks. You are then at risk of being attacked at the start of your next turn, unless your teammates manage to defeat the Villain, move you away from the Villain, or move the Villain away from you before your next turn.

Additional Rules

Attacks and Defenses

Only Villains in Rebirth have Attacks. When Super-Villains first enter the Line-Up, they make their Attack against each player in the game, no matter where they are. Attacks made by Villains already in the Line-Up are only against the active player at the start of their turn. An Attack is a detrimental effect that you will want to prevent with a Defense card (if you have one in your hand).

When you are attacked, you have the opportunity to utilize a card with a Defense ability. A "Defense" card is a card that has the Defense keyword in its game text. A player may only utilize 1 Defense card per Attack. If a player doesn't avoid the Attack, they are immediately affected by the Attack text. However, if the Attack requires interaction among the players (like passing cards), the Attack won't resolve against any players until each player has had a chance to avoid it. If a player avoids an Attack that would have them pass or receive cards, they do neither. A passed card would skip to the next player.

Text that appears at the end of the Defense text is a bonus for avoiding the Attack. That text is only resolved if the card was used to avoid an Attack. The text above the word Defense is the only thing that resolves when you play the card during your turn just like any other card. A Defense that is discarded to avoid an Attack does not count as having been "played" that turn. It won't count towards Super Hero abilities, etc. A Defense that is "revealed" remains in your hand.

Some Defense bonuses allow your Character to move. If a Character moves out of a space where multiple Villains are attacking, moving away will negate each of the subsequent Attacks, unless a Villain is at their Destination. A Villain at their Destination Attacks that player at their start of the turn no matter where they are. Moving into a new space does not trigger additional Attacks from Villains in the new space.

Some Defense cards have a Range listed in the Defense text. This means the card may be utilized to help other Characters avoid an Attack. Note that you must be within Range of the Character you wish to aid, not within Range of the Villain making the Attack. If a Defense does not have a Range listed in the Defense text, the card may only be used to protect yourself (though Super-Suit can protect other Characters when a Super-Villain first appears). When an Attack hits multiple players, the players may resolve the Attacks in any order. Some Defenses allow a player to protect multiple Characters.

DC Super Heroes / Characters

Your Super Hero card gives you an ability that you may choose to use, typically during your turn. Some Super Hero cards have benefits even during other players' turns. If a Super Hero allows you to target a player, you may even choose yourself.

Your Super Hero is the card you keep in front of you. Your Character is the standee that represents your Super Hero in the city. Villains are not Characters and cannot be chosen as targets for effects that target "Characters."

Assist

Assist is a keyword found on many of the cards in this set. An "Assist" card is a card that has the Assist keyword in its game text. It means: "You may play this card during another player's turn. If you do, that player gains all benefits from the game text on this card." You may also play Assist cards during your own turn to help yourself as usual.

If you play an Assist card that says "Draw a card" during another player's turn, they draw a card, not you. If a card references "your discard pile," it is referring to the active player's discard pile, not the Assisting player's. When a player Assists you, you are not playing that card, so you won't trigger any bonuses for playing that Assist card. Playing an Assist card during another player's turn will mean you are down a card for your next turn. You do not draw a new card to replace the Assist card.

Range

Many cards (including all Assist cards) list a "Range." Since position matters in this game, so too does your proximity to Villains and other Characters. Each Line-Up slot and Location tile is a space. The space your Character occupies is Range: 0, each space adjacent to your Character is within Range: 1, and so on. To Assist another Character or use an effect against a Villain, the target must be within the Range listed on your card, which can be counted in either direction away from your Character towards a target. If a Character is not in Range, they could move into Range of your Assist card, and then move back to where they need to be ... if they have enough Move.

Example: Batman plays his Grappling Hook card to move a Villain "within Range: 2" to his space. Major Disaster is 1 space away, so he is a legal target, and is pulled to Batman's space. Moving a Villain off of its Destination will prevent it from attacking each player at the start of their turn.

Example: Batman asks his teammates for advice on what to do with his 3 Power. Wonder Woman reveals Green Arrow, a +2 Power Assist card with Range: 4 from her hand. Batman asks for her assistance as it would allow him to defeat the Villain! She plays the Green Arrow card to Assist a target up to 4 spaces away. Batman is 3 spaces away, so he is a legal target. With 5 Power, Batman defeats Major Disaster. Wonder Woman then discards her Green Arrow card to her own discard pile.

If Wonder Woman's Assist card only had Range: 1, it would have been wise for her to mention that to Batman at the start of his turn, and certainly before he played the Grappling Hook. Knowing that, he might have moved to Line-Up Slot 5, and then pulled the Villain closer to Wonder Woman to stay in range of her Assist.

Weakness

Some Villain Attacks will cause you to gain these worthless cards. Weakness cards do not have a card type. You cannot buy them from their stack. Destroyed Weakness cards are returned to their stack. If the Weakness stack runs out, effects that would cause a player to gain a Weakness do not do so, but any other effects those cards have still resolve as usual. The -1 VP is meaningless in Rebirth unless you are playing Competitive Mode.

Ongoing Cards

Some main deck cards have the keyword Ongoing. When you buy an Ongoing card, it goes to your discard pile just like any other card. However, when you play an Ongoing card, it will remain in play at the end of your turn. You control that card while it remains in play in front of you. It does not count against your hand size.

If an Ongoing card allows you to discard it for an effect, the card must be in play at the time to be able to use that ability. When you discard it, it goes to your discard pile as usual, and when you eventually play it again, it will remain in play again.

Target

Some cards in this set use the word "target." Examples are "target player," "target Villain," or "target Character." A target is something or someone that you can affect with a card or effect you generate. There is no Range involved unless the card specifically says so. "Target player" can be any player in the game... even you!

Location Tiles and Basic Cards

Each Location tile has 2 sides: One with a payment ability (Side A) and the other side with a Basic stack card name (Side B). A = Ability; B = Basic.

A payment ability costs either Power, Move, or a discard from your hand. To use a Location payment ability, your Character must be at that Location. After generating Power or Move, you may then spend some of that resource to pay for the ability on the tile. This lowers your total count of that resource for the turn. You may only use the payment ability at each Location once per turn. You may move to multiple Locations and use each of their payment abilities once per turn.

Basic is a new card type found in Rebirth. After setting up your 5 Locations, 2 or 3 of them will require a Basic stack.

Each Basic stack contains 5 face-up cards that are all the same and have a cost of 2 or 3. These are building block cards much like the Kicks most Cerberus games have. Your character must be on a Location tile with a Basic stack to be able to buy a card from that stack.

You may only buy 1 card from each Basic stack during the same turn. You may still gain a Basic card from a stack (with a card like Withdrawal), even after buying 1. Non-Basic cards can end up on Locations due to card effects and Villain movement.

Damaging Locations

Each Location has 5 "Hit Points." Each time a Super-Villain makes an Attack while at their Destination, and it is not avoided, place a Damage token on that Location. If it is avoided, do not place a token on the Location. Regular Villains do not cause damage to Locations. As soon as a Location has 5 Damage tokens on it, remove them and place a Destroyed token on that Location. Remove all Basic cards from a Destroyed Location immediately, and the ability of that Location cannot be used.

Damage on Locations is permanent! Keep track of the damage from Scenario to Scenario using the Campaign Log in the back of the rulebook. You will discover only a couple of ways to repair a damaged or destroyed Location. In future Scenarios, you must place a "Destroyed" token on a destroyed Location when it is used during a Scenario. Do not place any Basic cards on it, and its payment ability cannot be used. A destroyed Location still gets a Destination token and Villains will still move towards it. Do not add damage tokens to destroyed Locations. If you manage to repair each of your destroyed Locations, you will still qualify for the "No Locations Destroyed" points on the Campaign Log.

Destroying Cards

Some cards have an ability that allows you to destroy a card from your hand, your deck, or your discard pile. When you destroy a card, place it into a face-up pile of destroyed cards anywhere away from the play area, removing it from your deck. You will often get to choose which of your cards to destroy. Destroying Starter and Weakness cards will improve your deck greatly! If Basic cards are destroyed, they do not go back to their respective stacks.

Gaining Cards

When a card tells a player to gain a particular card or a card of your choice, that card is taken and immediately placed in that player's discard pile at no additional cost, unless otherwise directed by the card. If a card tells you to gain a card with a specific name, card type, or cost and there are none available, you simply don't gain the card.

Resolving Card Effects

When you play a card that triggers another effect, like on your Super Hero or a card you have in play, fully resolve the card you are playing before resolving any secondary effects triggered by your card play.

YOU NOW KNOW ENOUGH TO BEGIN THE CAMPAIGN! Consult the following pages if you have questions about specific cards or alternate play modes, or are directed by a Scenario.

Signature Cards

Players will have a few chances to earn Signature cards for their Super Hero's starting deck throughout the Campaign. When you do unwrap them, just remove the cards you need from the stack and leave the rest, so you don't spoil any surprises in future run-throughs of the Campaign with a different mix of Super Heroes.

Signature cards have the Super Hero's name and the card number on the right side of the middle info bar. Earning a Signature card permanently modifies your Super Hero's starting deck of 10 cards at the start of each subsequent Scenario. When you earn a Signature card, remove a Punch in your starting deck from the Campaign. All of these cards have a cost of 0. Signature card #1 for each Super Hero has the card type Starter. The rest have a variety of types.

Side Missions

Starting with the second Scenario, 3 Side Missions are available. You will find them in the Scenario #2 Pack. Read all the cards to your team at the start of Scenario #2. Keep them handy during this and future Scenarios, but remove each one from the Campaign as it is completed. They may be completed at any time, but each of them may only be completed once per Campaign. You may complete multiple Side Missions during a Scenario, though that won't be easy. Completing Side Missions adds to your point total on the Campaign Log.

Two of the missions will add a new card to the main deck starting with the next time you play, even if that next time is a replay of a Scenario. The third mission will repair a damaged or destroyed Location. When you complete the repair mission, remove all Damage and Destroyed tokens from that Location. The Location resets to its full 5 Hit Points, and if it's a (B) Location, place its Basic cards on it. The Location may be utilized immediately.

Solo Mode

In Solo Mode, it's all up to you, but you have an ally to help you out. Follow each Scenario card as usual. Choose an ally Character, then grab their Super Hero card and standee. When your standee enters play at the start of your first turn, place your ally's standee in that same space. During your turn, you may spend Move to move your ally as if they were your own Character. Your Helping Hand cannot move your ally. Your ally has no deck or abilities. In addition, they can't use payment abilities and can't buy any cards. What your ally does do is hold Villains in place for a few turns until you are ready to deal with them.

Each time your ally is hit by 1 or more Attacks by Villains in their space (not Super-Villains entering play in other spaces), place a Weakness from the stack onto their Super Hero card.

When there are 3 Weakness cards on your ally, remove their standee from play at the end of your turn and place it on their Super Hero card. Each time a Super-Villain is defeated, remove all Weakness cards from your ally and place them back on the Weakness stack. If your ally's standee is not in the Line-Up, place it into your space.

Once during each of your turns, you may place an Assist card from your hand onto your Super Hero card. This is not considered playing the card. During your turn, if you have an Assist card on your Super Hero card from the previous turn, you must play it. It is played directly from your Super Hero card. It does not enter your hand. You may play your Assist card at any point before the end of your turn. You may not add a new Assist card to your Super Hero card until you have cleared the card from the previous turn, if any.

Competitive Mode

For the less cooperative folks out there, get ready for a whole new experience!

Setup: Don't use the Scenario parameters, Secret Cards, or Side Missions. Players should agree on whether or not to use Signature cards and how many. Flip the Threat Track over to the Competitive side and play each game as a one-shot experience. Shuffle the 8 Super-Villains and deal 2 each into Stacks 2-5, shuffle each stack separately, then combine them. Remove each Villain from the initial 5-card Line-Up, then fill the empty slots with cards from the top of the main deck.

Gameplay: The best way to play a Rebirth competitive game is to form 2 teams of 2 players. Players on each team alternate taking turns. Players can assist their teammate and you add both players' VP together to get your team score. Alternatively, you can play a free-for-all game using the same rules for Assist cards found in the Solo Mode above, but do not use allies.

During the game, you collect the Villains you defeat (place them in a nearby score pile that is separate from your deck and discard pile) and add them to your final score when the game ends. The game can end by running out of time, running out of cards in the main deck, or by defeating 5 Super-Villains before time runs out. No matter how the game ends, each player tallies up all their Victory Points, with the winner being the player with the most. If there is a tie, the tied team/player with more defeated Super-Villains wins.

You can even run a Competitive Campaign, though it uses none of the Scenario Pack features. At the start of each game, grab 5 random Locations, then shuffle and mix them up front to back as well. As you place them, make sure that neither side (A or B) appears more than 3 times. Keep track of damage on Locations from game to game. Have each player start with all 3 of their Signature cards in Game 1, replacing Punches as usual. When a player wins a game, they remove 1 Signature card from their deck (gaining back a Punch) for the remaining games. The winner of the Campaign will be the first player to win 2 games.

Specific Card Clarifications

On Moving Villains: Several cards allow Characters to move Villains. This movement is not stopped by Characters. Only Villain movement during Step 3 of the Turn Sequence is prevented by Characters.

• Arkham Asylum (A): You must move the Villain 1 space closer to Arkham Asylum by the shortest path.
• Batman (6): If your Character is Batman, and you avoid a regular Villain Attack (defeating it), your Super Hero ability triggers twice, and you choose the second target only after the first has resolved.
• Blue Beetle, Hard Water Bubble: You may use this to protect yourself or a friend within Range of your Character. If it's their turn, they get the Power bonus. If you defend yourself against a Super-Villain Attack as it enters the Line-Up during another player's turn, you cannot use that Power.
• Contained, Electrified Field: These cards use the CONTAINED token. A Contained Villain may be moved by player action (and retains the token), but won't move towards its Destination in Step 3 of the Turn Sequence.
• Count Vertigo: If your hand has less than 2 Power, you will discard your entire hand.
• Despero: If only a single player fails to avoid this Attack, that player will pass a card to their own discard pile.
• Doctor Fate: If a target is involved in the Reward, you may choose a different target each time.
• General Zod: You choose which cards to destroy, and you may destroy up to a maximum of 3 total cards.
• Helping Hand: Note that only the Assist has Range: 0 (in your same space). The ability to allow another player to move their Character 1 space has no Range. If you Assist a Character in your space (giving them +1 Power during their turn), they choose who gets the move option. This movement effect does not generate "Move" that can be spent on payment abilities, etc.
• Holographic Computing, Trident of Atlantis: If a Threat tile prevents buying cards where Villains are present, these cards do not get around that.
• Jetpack: You must decide whether or not to place this card on your new space immediately. You may buy it back if you wish.
• Police Station (A): You may put the card you discarded as the payment onto the bottom of your deck.
• Reverse-Flash: His double movement is still stopped by Characters.
• Super-Suit: This Defense may only be utilized to avoid an Attack against you. However, when a Super-Villain first appears during any player's turn, you may use this card to protect yourself and Characters on the space you move to.
• Superman (7): Be sure your Character is in position before you play this card! When you play this card and choose to move, all Villains (which includes Super-Villains) in your space move with your Character. Other Villains in spaces you move into are "picked up" and will move with your character. Once you choose to stop moving, perform an action other than moving, or your Move runs out, the Villains are then "dropped off" and won't move with you again this turn. If your next move is "placing your Character on any space," Villains do not move with you (same goes for Whoosh!).

Mixing Rebirth with Other Cerberus Games

The best way to mix things up is to add cards from other Cerberus games into Rebirth. Cards from this game can be added to other games, but note that all Villains in Rebirth simply have an Attack (targeting each foe in a competitive game).

When adding Villains from other sets into Rebirth's main deck, only use Villains that have an Attack. First Appearance—Attacks on Super-Villains are treated as regular Attacks in Rebirth, although they act like FAAs when the Super-Villain first enters the Line-Up.

The added Villains won't have Destinations on them, so grab a few six-sided dice. When a non-Rebirth Villain enters the Line-Up, roll a six-sided die for their Destination. Place the die on their card so you don't have to remember which Location is their Destination. If you roll a 6, choose any Destination number you want. Non-Rebirth Villains have more dangerous Attacks, so you will need the help.

The added Villains won't have Rewards on them. Consult the chart below for the Reward when you defeat non-Rebirth Villains:

Cost	Reward
1-2	Reveal the top card of the main deck.
3-4	Target player may put a Starter from their discard pile into their hand.
5-6	Target player may destroy a card in their hand.
7-8	Target player draws a card.
9-10	Each player may put a card from their discard pile on the bottom of their deck.
11-12	Each player may draw a card, and then discard a card.
13-14	Each player may destroy a card in their hand or discard pile.
15+	Each player draws a card.

Consider all Confrontations Assist cards to have "Range: 2." When playing Confrontations with Rebirth cards, your partner is at Range: 0.

Rebirth Campaign Log

The Campaign Log (found near the back of the printed rulebook; permission is granted to photocopy it for personal use only) tracks, for each player: Character, Signature Cards Gained (columns 1, 2, 3), and Location Damage. It tracks, for each Scenario #1 through 8 (Arkham Asylum, Bank, Batcave, City Hall, Daily Planet, Police Station, S.T.A.R. Labs), how many Attempts were Needed (1, 2, or Failed). Characters available: Aquaman, Batman, Cyborg, The Flash, Jessica Cruz, Simon Baz, Superman, Wonder Woman.

It also tracks Side Missions (Recruit the Ray, Recruit Krypto, Repairs) and which Scenario # each was Completed In.

Final Victory scoring:

Points	Source
+3	Each 1st Attempt Win
+1	Each 2nd Attempt Win
-1	Each Fail
+1	Each Completed Side Mission
+2	No Destroyed Locations

Grand Total ranges:

Score	Result
24+	Major Victory
17+	Partial Victory
10+	Pyrrhic Victory
9 or less	Defeat

All DC characters and elements © and TM DC. (s23)

Credits

Game Design Matt Hyra and Nathaniel Yamaguchi

Cryptozoic Entertainment

• CEO & Founder John Sepenuk
• Founder John Nee
• Founder Cory Jones

Game Design and Development Matt Dunn, Matt Hyra, Nathaniel Yamaguchi, and Jared Saramago Graphic Design Shane Smith (Lead), John Vineyard VP, Marketing Jamie Kiskis VP, Creative Adam Sblendorio Production Manager, Games Dekan Wheeler Editor Shahriar Fouladi

Playtesters Nicholas Scamman, Kimberly Walker, The Wednesday Night Crew, scores of players at Gen Con 2018, and many others.

Cryptozoic Special Thanks Rumi Asai, Amanda Barker, Carol Byrnes, Javier Casillas, Krystyl Chwa, Randall Ford, Matt Hoffman, George Nadeau, Colin Robinson, Adam Staggs, MaryCarmen Wilber

In this box you will find two special cards. These are for the DC Deck-Building Game: Multiverse Box, a large and sturdy box that can hold a ton of cards! The plastic tab is used in the box to keep your Rebirth cards separate from the rest. The Randomizer card is used in a special Multiverse game format, in which you get to use your entire collection at certain points during the game! The Multiverse Box also includes over 50 new cards that enhance the new game format.

Turn Sequence (Quick Reference)

Step 1. "At the start of your turn" effects happen.

Step 2. Villains at their Destination or sharing a space with the active player's Character Attack only the active player. Resolve them in the order of your choosing. If you do not avoid the Attack of a Super-Villain at its Destination, deal 1 damage to that Location.

Step 3. Villains not sharing a space with a Character move 1 space towards their Destination by the shortest path. In case of a tie, move the Villain clockwise.

Step 4. Add the top card of the main deck to the Line-Up slot with the fewest cards (including Villains). If there is a tie, the lower slot number wins the tie.

Step 5. Play cards from your hand.

Step 6. Total up your Move and Power. Use your Move to travel around the city. Buy cards in your space with combined cost less than or equal to your Power total. As soon as you buy or gain a card, place it into your discard pile, unless instructed otherwise. You may play additional cards even after making purchases or moving.

On the very first turn of the game, skip Steps 2-4 of the Turn Sequence.

End of Turn

1. Announce that you are ending your turn. Your turn is now over.
2. Place any cards remaining in your hand into your discard pile.
3. Resolve any "at the end of your turn" effects.
4. Place all the cards you played into your discard pile. Any unspent Power is lost.
5. Draw 5 cards.
6. The next player starts their turn.

Do not shuffle your discard pile and make it your new deck just because you have no cards in your deck. Wait until you must draw, discard, or reveal a card from your deck. Then shuffle your discard pile, and it becomes your new deck.

All DC characters and elements © and ™ DC. (s23). © 2023 Cryptozoic Entertainment. 25351 Commercentre Dr. Suite 250, Lake Forest, CA 92630. cryptozoic.com. Made in China.