Dungeons & Dragons Dice Masters: Battle for Faerûn Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Cards
• Dice
• Other Accessories
• Setup
• Your First Game
• Play Areas
• How to Play
• Energy and Costs
• Cards and Dice
• Turn Order
• Clear and Draw Step
• Roll and Reroll Step
• Burst Symbols
• Main Step
  • Purchasing a Die
  • Using a Global Ability
  • Playing Actions
  • Field Characters
• Attack
  • Declare Attackers
  • Declare Blockers
  • Use Actions and Global Abilities
  • Assign Damage
• Cleanup
• Winning
• Example of Play
• Credits
• Detailed Combat Example
• Tournament Rules
• Fundamental Rules
  • Costs
• Shorthand Card Abilities
• Card Text Details
  • Capturing, Controlling, and Copying
  • Preventing and Redirecting
  • Triggered Character Abilities
• Game States
  • Active and Fielded
  • Attacking and Blocking
  • Bonuses and Damage
  • Bursts
  • Timing Conflicts
• More About Dice
  • Basic Etiquette
  • Levels and Spinning
  • Rerolling Dice
• Using Global Abilities
• Customizing Your Party
  • A Note on Rarity
  • Basic Parties
  • Tournament Parties
  • Rainbow Draft
• Lexicon
• Recap

Components

Aside from these rules, this set should include:

• 44 custom dice
  • 12 basic action dice (3 each in 4 ink colors)
  • 16 named character dice (2 each of 8 types)
  • 16 NPC character dice (white, black ink)
• 38 cards
  • 24 character cards (3 variants each for 8 characters; NPCs have no cards)
  • 10 basic action cards
  • 4 color reminder cards
• Two dice bags

Additional cards and dice to expand your collection can be found in expansion packs — ask your retailer! High-quality play mats are also available for purchase, or you can download one from wizkidsgames.com and print it out yourself.

Cards

Each card details all the powers of one set of dice.

Cards and their associated dice come in two classes: characters and actions. Characters are named after the various types and talents of fantasy creatures (NPCs are the exception, and represent people who have no special powers, but are nonetheless helpful), and their dice have numbers around the faces with the custom symbol. Actions are named for various fantasy spells, and have no numbers around the die's custom symbol.

At the top center of the card is the card's title and subtitle. Most cards have several versions that are differentiated by their subtitle.

At the upper left of the card is the die's cost (a number) and energy type (a symbol of a bolt, fist, mask, or shield). Cards of a given energy type require that energy to be purchased, and provide that type of energy during play. Red Dragon (shown below) is a bolt character that costs 7. NPCs and basic action cards have no energy type.

Directly below the dice cost, all characters have a banner to identify their affiliation and alignment (action dice have no affiliation). These icons are:

• Emerald Enclave
• The Harpers
• Lords Alliance
• Order of the Gauntlet
• The Zhentarim
• Monsters
• Good (alignment)
• Neutral (alignment)
• Evil (alignment)

Card layout:

• Cost & Type — upper left.
• Affiliation — below cost & type.
• Alignment — below affiliation.
• Card Name & Subtitle — top center.
• Collector Number (very small) — top right.
• Cool Art — center.
• Text Box — center of the card; details the die's abilities.
• Rarity Stripe — below the text box (see "Customizing Your Party" on page 22); the color provides information for collectors.
• Die Limit — right below the rarity stripe. The "Max:" number shows the die limit; that's how many of these dice you are allowed to have in a party. (Basic cards have "Use:" because you always use a fixed number of them in every game.)
• Die Face Reference — at the bottom, showing the various faces of the die. Faces that provide energy are on the left, and character or action faces are on the right (energy faces) (character faces of increasing level).

The text box in the center of the card details the die's abilities.

Below that, the color of the rarity stripe provides information for collectors.

Right below the rarity stripe, "Max:" number shows the die limit; that's how many of these dice you are allowed to have in a party. (Basic cards have "Use:" because you always use a fixed number of them in every game.)

At the bottom, the die face reference shows the various faces of the die. Faces that provide energy are on the left, and character or action faces are on the right.

Dice

Each die is engineered with a unique combination of colors and graphics.

All dice have faces that generate energy. Energy faces have one or two of the special energy symbols on them. We talk more about energy on page 5.

The special sides on action dice have a custom icon, and some have one or two burst symbols on them. Action dice never have numbers.

Character dice have a custom icon and may have burst symbols, but they always have several numbers that define the character's basic abilities.

The number in the top left is the fielding cost of the die. This is how much energy you must spend to send the die into the field where it can engage the forces of your opponent.

At the top right is the die's attack; this is how much hurt it dishes out. On card text, a die's attack is abbreviated as A.

The bottom right shows the die's defense; how much damage it takes to knock the character out. On card text, defense is abbreviated as D.

The bottom left may have one or two burst symbols (if any). These activate special abilities on dice, if any are listed. If no burst abilities are listed on the card, the burst has no effect.

Other Accessories

The game also comes with two dice bags, as well as color reminder cards to define which basic action card has which color of die. This is all explained in the setup section, below.

Setup

How you set up depends on whether or not this is your first game. If you are an experienced player, see the Customizing Your Party rules on page 22 of this booklet. Otherwise, you'll want to set up for...

Your First Game

For your first game, place the following basic action cards in the center of the table:

• Dimension Door, Finger of Death, Stinking Cloud

Put a set of three basic action dice on each of those cards (it doesn't matter which color). Then place the matching color reminder card beneath each basic action card so that the label sticks out from the top or side of the card. This helps players remember which die uses which card when all the dice on a basic action card have been purchased.

Important: These basic action cards are community property. Either player can purchase these dice during the game... unless the other player buys all the dice first!

Then choose a first player and a second player. Each player gathers the cards listed below and the two character dice that match them. (Note that each character has three different variant cards supplied; be sure to take the right version.)

• First Player: Blue Dragon, Master Dragon & Halfling Thief, Minion Harper
• Second Player: Troll, Master Humanoid & Vampire, Minion Undead

Place those cards, each with the two matching dice on it, near your side of the table. These dice can only be purchased by the player whose cards they are.

Finally, each player gathers 8 NPC dice and places them in one of the bags provided.

Each player starts with 10 life for this learning game.

When you're set up, the table should look sort of like this: (a diagram of the play area with the Blue Dragon and Master Dragon cards, Halfling Thief and Minion Harper cards, Dimension Door, Finger of Death, and Stinking Cloud basic action cards, and the Troll, Master Humanoid and Vampire, Minion Undead cards, each with their matching dice)

Play Areas

You have several distinct areas where you place your dice to indicate whether the dice are available, can be available, or are used up. Dice move through these various areas as shown in the diagram on the center spread of this booklet.

The Bag: Dice here are available to draw. If your bag is ever empty when you need to draw a die, move all dice from your used pile into your bag and shake it well.

Reserve Pool: These are dice that you have rolled this turn but have not yet done anything with. You can spend these dice (if they show energy), use them for their effect (if they are actions), or move into the field (if they are characters).

Field Zone: This area holds your characters who are ready to fight the forces of the opposing warlord — either to smite the foe or to protect you.

Attack Zone: This area is a special part of the field. Your characters go here when they are ready to pummel the enemy. Characters in the attack zone are still also in the field.

Prep Area: This area holds dice that you will roll on your next turn.

Used Pile: Dice here have been used up. They'll return to your bag later. Dice that enter your used pile from your field or paid from your reserve pool during either player's turn are out of play until the end of your turn. Dice you buy and dice you do not use (e.g., characters you did not field) do not go out of play; they go directly to your used pile.

How to Play

The first half of this booklet describes the basic structure of the game. The second half has detailed rules and can be referenced as questions arise.

Each player has a certain amount of life points at the start of the game (this is 10 points in your first game; other formats use different amounts). Record your life on a scrap of paper or by using the track in the center of this booklet (pages 12–13).

During the game, you purchase character dice and action dice. Character dice can be sent to the field to attack the other player, or they can block attacks against you. Unblocked characters (and certain action dice) damage the other player, reducing his or her warlord's life to zero. When you reduce the opposing warlord's life to zero, you win!

Energy and Costs

All dice can produce energy, though the NPC dice provide the greatest variety. Energy is used to buy additional dice and to pay costs for other game effects.

The dice have six types of energy faces:

• Fist (representing melee)
• Bolt (representing blasts)
• Mask (representing wits)
• Shield (representing toughness)
• Wildcard ("?" representing adaptability)
• Generic ("2" representing determination)

When you roll a generic energy side, it is worth two energy, but does not match any specific named energy type. The wildcard, represented by a question mark, is worth one, but matches every specific named energy type. It cannot become two generic energy.

When you pay a cost, dice representing the proper amount of energy from your reserve pool go to your used pile.

Cards and Dice

Each set of dice is associated with a set of cards. You choose one of those cards to use with each type of die. The card gives a variety of details about the die, including its cost, the special abilities the die has, and a listing of each of its faces, presented in order.

Characters have levels (normally three levels, although the NPC has only one); these are the die faces that show the die's custom symbol and the character stats. The leftmost character dice face shown on the die's card is level 1, and the level increases by one for each face moving to the right. Note: a die face's level is different from its fielding cost.

NPC dice don't have cards. They mostly provide energy, but do have one character side. NPC characters have no powers, and only the one level.

Turn Order

Players alternate taking turns. During a player's turn, that player goes through the following steps in order. Once a step is completed, you cannot go back to that step.

Clear and Draw Step

Move all dice still in your reserve pool to your used pile. Since they were never used, they do not go out of play, but move directly to your used pile.

Draw 4 dice from your bag. If your bag has less than 4 dice, draw all of them, then place all the dice from used pile into the bag, shake the bag well, and continue drawing until you have drawn 4 dice total. Place all dice drawn into your prep area.

If, after refilling the bag, you are still only able to draw 3 dice or fewer, lose 1 life and gain 1 generic energy for each die below 4 that you drew. For example, if you drew only two dice from the bag, you would gain 2 generic energy and lose 2 life.

Roll and Reroll Step

Roll the four dice you drew as well as all of the dice that were already in your prep area (having been placed there during a previous turn).

After you have rolled your dice, you may choose to reroll any or all of them. When rerolling, you select all of the dice to reroll at once, and you reroll them as a group.

You do not get a second reroll opportunity, even with dice that you did not choose for your first reroll.

Once you've rolled (and possibly rerolled) all of your dice, place all of the dice you rolled into your reserve pool, keeping the same face up.

Burst Symbols

Many dice have a burst symbol (★) or two (★★) in the lower left-hand corner of one or more of their faces. These burst symbols indicate that the die might activate some sort of special effect. When you roll a face that has one or two burst symbols on it, you must apply the matching text on the card; you have no choice in the matter. If there is no matching text on the card, then the burst symbol has no effect.

Main Step

During this step, you may purchase dice, activate global abilities, field characters, and use action dice. You can do these multiple times and in any order; for example, you could purchase a die, use an action, field a character, and then purchase another die.

Purchasing a Die

On your turn, you can purchase any combination of dice you like. You can purchase dice from the basic action cards in the center (no matter which player brought them), as well as from the cards you brought to the game.

To purchase a die, you must pay its cost in energy. If the card shows that it is a certain energy type, one of the energy used to pay that cost must be that type of energy.

Example: Vampire, Minion Undead has a cost of 3 and is a mask character. You can buy a Vampire die with two fists and a mask, three masks, etc. Fireball does not show an energy type next to its cost; you can use any type of energy to pay for a Fireball die.

To pay energy, immediately move dice showing that much energy from your reserve pool to the used pile (out of play), then take the die you purchased from the card and place it in your used pile (not out of play, since it was never in play). When paying energy, remember that each generic energy symbol is worth two energy. Each other energy symbol counts as one energy.

If you have a die that produces two or more non-generic energy, you may partially spend the die's energy by spinning it down to a face that reflects the unused portion of the die's energy. For example, if a die face shows two fist symbols, you may use one fist symbol and 1 other energy to purchase a fist die that costs two and change the face on the die to a face that shows one fist symbol. This only applies to symbol dice and not dice that produce generic energy. For generic-energy dice, any unused portion that is not immediately spent is lost. However, you can purchase multiple dice simultaneously to spend a generic die completely.

After you have finished purchasing all the dice you want, leave any unused energy die in your reserve pool. You may be able to use these later to pay for global abilities.

Using a Global Ability

Some cards have global abilities printed on them. These effects are always available, whether or not a die from that card is in the field. Even though you cannot purchase an opponent's die, you can still use a global ability listed on an opponent's card.

During a player's main step, both players can use any or all global abilities available. To use a global ability, you must pay the energy cost, moving the die or dice used to pay that cost to your used pile (since they were used to pay a cost, they are out of play). In many cases, these effects may be used more than once if the cost can be paid multiple times. As with purchasing dice, players may partially spend non-generic energy. If both players want to use a global ability at the same time, the player whose turn it is wins the tie.

Playing Actions

You may use the action faces on your action die during the main step. To do so, apply the effect and then move the action die from your reserve pool to your used pile (out of play). It costs no extra energy to use an action die.

Field Characters

It costs energy for you to send your character dice from your reserve pool to the field, though in some cases, that cost is zero.

When you field a character, you must pay energy equal to the character's fielding cost as shown in the upper left-hand corner of the die. This cost can be paid with any type of energy, even generic. As with purchasing dice, you can partially spend non-generic dice, and you can pay several costs at once to fully spend a generic-energy die. You cannot field a character if you cannot pay the energy cost.

Many characters have game effects that take place when they are fielded. Some of these effects target dice in your used pile. Such game effects cannot target or select a die that was used to pay for fielding the character, since dice that enter your used pile from the reserve pool are out of play for the rest of the turn.

You are not required to field a die if you do not wish to. Any characters that you cannot or do not field by the end of the main step go to your used pile (they do not go out of play, since they were never in play).

Attack

After you have completed all your activity in the main step and moved leftover characters from your reserve pool to your used pile, you are ready to attack. During the attack step, the attacking player can use any actions still in the reserve pool. In addition, both players can use global abilities whenever appropriate; that is, they can use global abilities that react to damage and the like when that happens, and they can use other global abilities after blockers are declared.

The attack goes through the following steps, in order:

Declare Attackers

Any or all of your fielded characters can attack. Move these characters into the attack zone. It costs no energy to move a character into the attack zone; it is just a part of the field. You can send all, some, or none of your characters to attack. If you do not attack, your turn immediately ends (neither player can use global abilities in this case).

After you declare all attackers, apply any effects that happen due to characters attacking.

Declare Blockers

Your opponent declares blocking characters, moving them into the attack zone and assigning each one to block a specific attacker. Your opponent can block with all, some, or none of his or her characters.

A single blocker can only block one attacking character; it can't block more than one. However, more than one blocker may be assigned to block a single attacker.

After all blockers are declared, apply any effects that take place due to blocking or being blocked. As is the case with all ties, the attacker resolves first, then the defender.

Use Actions and Global Abilities

The attacking player can use action dice and global abilities; the defending player can use action dice and global abilities. If both players have such effects that they wish to use, the attacking player gets to go first. Once both players are finished, move on to assigning damage.

Assign Damage

Both players assign damage. Damage occurs simultaneously. (In the rare case where it is relevant, the attacking player assigns damage first, although damage still resolves simultaneously.)

Each attacking character that was blocked assigns its attack value in damage to the character(s) blocking it. If more than one character is blocking an attacking character, the attacker can choose how to divide the damage between the blockers (and can even assign one full damage and the other zero). Likewise, each blocking character assigns damage equal to its attack value to the character it blocks (characters that can block more than one attacker must split their damage just like attackers do).

Damage dealt to a character in excess of that character's defense is wasted.

Attacking characters that were unblocked (or those with certain special abilities) assign damage to the defending player. That damage will be deducted from the player's life.

Once all damage has been assigned, knock out each character that took damage greater than or equal to its defense. When a character is knocked out, move it to that player's prep area. If game effects are generated by a character taking damage or being knocked out, the attacking player resolves all effects first, then the defender.

Cleanup

Characters that blocked (or were blocked) but were not knocked out return to the field.

Place unblocked attacking characters in the player's used pile (even if the defending player managed to prevent or redirect all the damage those characters dealt).

All damage to all dice is cleared. All effects end (exception: "while active" effects continue). Actions still in a player's reserve move to the used pile. Only energy dice can remain in the reserve pool.

The turn ends. Move all of your dice that were out of play into your used pile.

Winning

As soon as your opponent's life reaches zero, the game ends and you win!

Example of Play

Eric and Mike sit down to play a game using the First Game setup. Eric is the first player. They both start with 10 life.

Eric, Turn 1

Eric draws four dice (all NPCs) in his clear and draw step. He rolls them in his roll and reroll step, getting fist, fist, shield, and NPC. Since his energy types do not match his characters, he cannot buy anything with this roll (he could buy a basic action die). He rerolls all his dice, and gets fist, wild, bolt, and NPC.

Now it's his main step. With two energy, one of which is a wildcard (which he uses as a mask), he buys a Halfling Thief die (a mask character that costs 2). He places the energy out of play and the Halfling Thief die in his used pile. He fields his NPC for free. He skips his attack step and his turn ends. The last energy remains in his reserve. He moves his dice from out of play into his used pile.

Mike, Turn 1

Mike draws four NPC dice. He rolls bolt, fist, mask, and NPC.

He spends all three energy (they go out of play) to buy Vampire. He fields his NPC for free.

Now it's Mike's attack step. His NPC attacks. Eric chooses not to block, so the NPC damages Eric, reducing his life from 10 to 9. After the attack step, Mike's NPC goes out of play.

At the end of the turn, Mike's NPC dice move from out of play to the used pile.

Eric, Turn 2

First Eric moves his leftover energy from his reserve to his used pile. Then, after drawing, rolling and rerolling, Eric ends up with fist, fist, shield, and NPC. He has no mask to buy a Halfling Thief, and not enough energy to buy a Blue Dragon. He buys a Stinking Cloud die (it costs 2 and requires no particular energy) and sends his NPC to the field.

Eric doesn't attack, so his turn ends. He moves the energy he spent to his used pile.

Mike, Turn 2

Mike draws his four dice. After he rolls and rerolls, he ends up with a fist and three NPC characters! He fields the NPCs for free.

In his attack step, he chooses not to attack (to increase his chance of drawing his Vampire next turn). His turn immediately ends. He still has one fist in his reserve pool.

Eric, Turn 3

Eric moves his leftover energy from the field to his used pile. Then, because Eric's bag is empty, he moves the dice from his used pile (6 NPCs, 1 Halfling Thief and 1 Stinking Cloud) into his bag. He draws three NPC dice and the Stinking Cloud die.

For his roll and reroll step, he ends up with a final result of mask, shield, NPC, and a Stinking Cloud action (the burst has no effect).

In his main step, Eric first uses the Stinking Cloud. It does one damage to Eric's two NPCs in the field and one damage to each of Mike's three NPCs. Since each NPC took one damage and has a defense of one, they are all knocked out and go to their owner's prep areas. Eric places the Stinking Cloud die out of play.

Next he buys another Halfling Thief. He places the energy out of play, and the Thief in his used pile. Then he fields his NPC, attacks with it, reduces Mike's life to 9, and moves the NPC out of play. His turn ends. He moves the out-of-play dice to his used pile.

Mike, Turn 3

During his clear and draw step, Mike moves his lone fist die to his used pile. Then he draws three NPCs and a Vampire. He adds the three NPCs from his prep area and rolls all seven dice. He ends up with six energy (including a fist) and a level 2 Vampire. What luck!

In his main step, he pays five energy to buy a Troll die. Then he fields his Vampire die for 1 energy.

In his attack step, he attacks with his Vampire. Eric has nothing to block with, so the Vampire inflicts 2 damage on Eric. Eric down from 9 to 7 life, then goes out of play. Mike does not gain life, because the Vampire damaged Eric, not a character. As his turn ends, Mike moves his six NPCs and Vampire to his used pile.

Eric, Turn 4

Eric draws a Halfling Thief and three NPCs, adds the NPCs from his prep area, and rolls and rerolls them. He gets a level 2 Halfling Thief, two NPCs, a mask, and a bolt.

He spends one energy fielding Halfling Thief. Then he applies his burst effect: he draws an NPC and places it in his used pile (it does not go to the spent pile, because it came straight from his bag, not from his field or reserve pool). Then he fields his two NPCs.

He announces that the two NPCs (only) will attack, because he is hoping to save the Halfling Thief for an attack where there is an opportunity to gain experience.

Credits

Design: Mike Elliott and Eric M. Lang Development: Edward Bolme Art Direction: Edward Bolme, Scott D'Agostino Graphic Design: John Camacho Writing & Layout: Edward Bolme Editing: Ken Grazier Production Assistant: Scott D'Agostino Executive Producers: Bryan Kinsella and Justin Ziran

© 2014 WizKids/NECA, LLC. Dice Masters, Dice Building Game and WizKids are trademarks of WizKids/NECA LLC. All Right Reserved.

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All Rights Reserved. Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards of the Coast, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries, and are used with permission.

(The center spread of this booklet contains a two-page Dice Movement Diagram / Play Mat, illustrating the flow of dice between the Dice Bag, Prep Area, Reserve Pool, Field Zone, Attack Zone, and Used Pile described above, along with a printed life track numbered 1 through 20.)

Detailed Combat Example

James has just started his attack step in his game against Scott. We recommend that you pull out the cards and dice mentioned and follow along to get a better sense of the flow of the game as we walk you through this battle.

James decides to attack with everybody, which includes Blue Dragon, Apprentice Dragon (Human Paladin, which has an experience token), Minion Order of the Gauntlet; Vampire, Apprentice Undead; and two NPCs. James's character cards are shown here.

He used a Magic Missile action die earlier this turn, so his Blue Dragon has prevented one of Scott's creatures from blocking. He also fielded the Human Paladin this turn, so the Human Paladin and his NPCs are protected against damage.

He also has a Cone of Cold die held in reserve, and one bolt energy.

Blue Dragon, Apprentice Dragon (cost 4): Breath Weapon 1 (pay 1 to deal 1 damage to your opponent and all his creatures). While active, whenever you use an action die's ability, choose an opposing character. That character can't block this turn. Max: 4.

Human Paladin, Minion Order of the Gauntlet (cost 3): Experience (once per turn, gain a +1A/+1D token when you knock out a monster). When fielded, your Paladins and NPCs take no damage for the rest of the turn. Max: 4.

Vampire, Apprentice Undead (cost 4): Energy Drain (spin down engaged foes). The first time each turn an attacking Vampire damages a character, gain 2 life, then draw a die and place it in your prep area. Max: 4.

Scott blocks with one of his two copies of Gelatinous Cube, Master Ooze; his Troll, Master Humanoid; and his sole NPC. He also has one bolt energy left in his reserve pool with which to power Polymorph's global ability, and a shield for his Gelatinous Cube. Scott's cards, and the initial situation, are shown on the next page.

Gelatinous Cube, Master Ooze (cost 3): Whenever a character is knocked out during the attack step, you may pay shield to have Gelatinous Cube capture it. This capture lasts until it is used again. Gelatinous Cube may block any number of NPCs. Max: 4.

Troll, Master Humanoid (cost 5): Regenerate (reroll when knocked out). When Troll regenerates, knock out an opposing engaged creature and deal 1 damage to your opponent. Max: 4.

(Diagrams on these pages show James's attacking dice and Scott's blocking dice, with their attack/defense values and the blocking assignments described in the text below.)

Scott would like to avoid having one of his monsters knocked out, because he doesn't want the Human Paladin to get another experience token. Unfortunately, that situation is unlikely. Instead, he figures his best option is to knock the Human Paladin out so that its ability can't trigger at the end of the turn (since it will no longer be active). He also hopes he can take out the Blue Dragon. He lets the Vampire through unblocked, because he figures the loss of life is worth getting a powerful die sent to the used pile.

Now that blockers have been assigned and all effects for attacking, blocking, and being blocked have been resolved (there are none), it's time for action dice and global effects.

James has his Cone of Cold die. He could wait to see what Scott is up to before using it, but he is eager to knock out one of those annoying Gelatinous Cubes. He applies three damage to the Gelatinous Cube blocking his NPCs, two damage to the Troll, and one damage to the NPC blocking the Blue Dragon.

Cone of Cold (use 3): Deal 1 damage to one character, 2 damage to a second character, and 3 damage to a third character. You may only use this action if there are at least three characters in the field. Global: Pay fist. One blocked attacker gets +2A.

This ensures that the Gelatinous Cube gets knocked out, which is all kinds of good in Scott's opinion.

Since he cannot stop the Cube from getting destroyed, Scott uses the global ability on the Polymorph card. He spins down the blocking Cube to spin up his Troll.

James uses his sole bolt energy for the global ability on Magic Missile. He deals 1 damage to the Troll, weakening it so that his Human Paladin can knock it out.

Magic Missile: Global: Pay bolt. Deal 1 damage to a character.

Neither player has anything else they want to do, so each creature inflicts damage on its engaged opponents. Now the board looks like this (remember, James's Human Paladin and NPCs take no damage this turn):

The Troll and the Cube get knocked out. Due to its regeneration ability, Scott rolls the Troll die and gets a creature face! The Troll's other ability kicks in (it wouldn't have if he'd rolled an energy face), and he gets to knock out an opposing engaged (blocking or blocked) creature and deal 1 damage to James!

He knocks out the Human Paladin. Its ability protects it from damage, but this just knocks it out. Then Scott pays his shield to have his Gelatinous Cube capture the die.

When all is said and done, James has lost 1 life (from the Troll) and Scott has lost 2 (from the Vampire). James still has his dragon and two NPCs, but Scott has a Gelatinous Cube and a Troll, and gets to roll six dice next turn: the four he draws, plus the NPC and Gelatinous Cube that were knocked out during James's attack.

Looks like payback could get ugly...

Tournament Rules

Once you've mastered the basics, this section provides details. Since the base game's original release, three rules have been revised as of July 2014. (1) If you run out of dice, you do not take damage; instead you lose life. (2) If you partially spend a die with two energy, you cannot reroll it. (3) Dice that enter your used pile from your field or reserve are out of play until the end of the turn.

Fundamental Rules

Card text always supersedes basic rule text.

Unless otherwise specified, game effects can only target dice that are in the field. The attack zone is considered part of the field.

If two cards directly conflict, the one that says "can't beats the one that says "can." The text "can only" (as in "this character can only be blocked by a single die") is considered to be a version of "can't" (as in "this character cannot be blocked except by a single die").

A player cannot gain life beyond the game's starting amount.

Costs

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the cost to purchase a die can never be reduced below 1. The cost of fielding a die cannot be reduced below 0.

Costs must be paid. For example, if the cost of an ability is spinning a die down one level, and there are no level 2 or 3 characters in play, that ability cannot be used.

Shorthand Card Abilities

Many of the cards in this set have text that lists only a single word or two in boldface (followed by reminder text in parentheses like this). The Trolls in this starter set are examples; they all have the text Regenerate. These powers are shorthand for various abilities that the cards have. The full text of these powers is given here:

Breath Weapon X: When this character's dice are assigned to attack, you pay X energy to deal X damage to your opponent and to each opposing character. Thus Breath Weapon 2 means "When this character's dice are assigned to attack, you pay 2 energy to deal 2 damage to your opponent and to each opposing character." You may only use this ability once per turn, no matter how many of that character's dice attack. However, if multiple characters with the Breath Weapon ability attack, you may use Breath Weapon once for each such character.

Energy Drain: After blockers are assigned, spin each character engaged with this character down one level. Engaged characters already at level 1 suffer no adverse effects. (Remember, "engaged" means blocking or being blocked by.)

Equip: When this die is fielded, and at the beginning of each turn that this die is active (your turn or your opponent's), you may attach this die to a character with the equip icon immediately below their alignment icon. You may switch the attachment from one character to another. If the character to which this die is attached leaves the field, this die remains on the field, unattached. Unattached dice with Equip cannot attack or block.

Experience: While active, if you knocked out an opposing monster (a character with the black Monster allegiance banner) during your turn, place one experience token on this card at the end of your turn (use a coin or glass bead). Each experience token provides this card's dice with +1A and +1D at all levels. A card can get more than one Experience token per turn. However, several different cards (each with the Experience ability) can each get an experience token when only a single opposing monster is knocked out. Monsters knocked out during your opponent's turn do not provide experience tokens. Knocking out NPCs and other adventurers likewise does not provide experience tokens; only knocking out monsters. If your opponent voluntarily knocks out a creature to pay a cost, that also provides no experience.

Overcrush: When attacking, if this character knocks out all of its blockers, it deals any leftover damage to your opponent.

Regenerate: If this character is knocked out, roll it. If you roll a character face, it remains in the field (but not the attack zone). Otherwise, move the die to your prep area. Since it was knocked out, this qualifies for purposes of the experience ability.

Swarm: While active, whenever you draw one of this character's dice from your bag during the Clear and Draw Step, draw one additional die. You only draw one die no matter how many copies of this die are active. This ability can trigger multiple times per turn. It does not trigger for different characters that also have the Swarm ability.

Card Text Details

Capturing, Controlling, and Copying

When you capture a die, move the captured die to your field and place your capturing die on top of it. Once the capturing ends, place the die wherever it came from (the text on the capturing die's card should remind you where you captured it from). Unless otherwise noted, capturing ends at the end of the turn, or when the capturing die leaves the field or changes controllers.

When you take control of a die, it becomes yours for game purposes. Move it into your field and place the controlled die on top of it. Your controlling die cannot attack, but can send the controlled die to attack (controlling another mind takes a lot of effort). If the controlled die is of a character that you also have (e.g., you take control of a Kobold, Greater Humanoid die when you have a Kobold, Lesser Humanoid card on your side of the table), the controlled die still continues to reference your opponent's card. If the controlled die is sent to your prep area or used pile, it goes to your opponent's prep area instead. Otherwise, when your control of the die ends, return the controlled die to your opponent, placing it in whatever area you took it from. Your die remains where it was.

Copying means that your die takes on the stats and/or abilities of another die. If the text says, "copy the stats," then the copying die copies the numerals of the other die, including any benefits that die may have by virtue of a burst symbol. Your copying die also gets to retain its own burst symbol for extra game effects. If the text says "copy the abilities," the die uses the opposing die's card as if it were its own. When a die copies another die, text that references the die's name applies to the copying die as well.

Preventing and Redirecting

Some powers prevent a game effect (damage, drawing a die, etc.). This includes cards that "take no damage." When an action is prevented, all of the effects of that ability are canceled, and that effect can no longer be reacted to. Costs paid are not refunded.

Other powers redirect a game effect (usually damage). When an effect is redirected, the target of the effect changes from its original target to the new one chosen as described in the game text, even if that target was not a legal one for the original effect. The source of the effect remains unchanged from the original.

Triggered Character Abilities

For situations where a single effect, like a basic action card die, triggers a character die's ability for more than one reason, the ability only triggers once (cards usually specify that they only triggers once no matter how many of that die are in play). Some character abilities trigger when or while attacking or blocking. Those triggers happen once for each copy of the character die that attacks or blocks. Character abilities triggered by characters taking damage are indeed triggered when they are knocked out by an effect that doesn't specify that it deals damage. In order to trigger an ability at the end of the attack step, that character must still be active (in the field) at that time to use that ability.

Game States

Card text that names a character only considers your characters for its effects. Your card's text doesn't trigger because your opponent has the same character, nor do your dice get a bonus from your opponent's cards of the same name.

Card text and powers refer to individual dice separately (except "while active" effects). For example, Gelatinous Cube, Apprentice Ooze says, "Whenever a character is knocked out during the attack step, you may pay shield to have Gelatinous Cube capture it." When you pay the shield, you choose only one Gelatinous Cube die you have fielded and have it capture a die. However, you can repeat this for each Gelatinous Cube die you have fielded.

Unless otherwise specified, card effects and bonuses end at the end of a turn.

Active and Fielded

When game text says, "While active," that means "When one or more of this card's dice are in the field." In other words, as long as any dice of that character are in the field, the effect on the card takes place. It takes place only once, no matter how many dice of that die are fielded.

Example: Blue Dragon, Apprentice Dragon has the card effect "While active, whenever you use an action die's ability, choose an opposing character. That character can't block this turn." This effect takes place while you have a Blue Dragon die in the field. If you have no dice of that type in the field, you get no benefit. By the same token, if you have four Blue Dragon dice in the field, you still only choose an opposing die; you don't get to choose an opposing die for each separate Blue Dragon die.

The term "when fielded" refers to the moment you send a character die to the field, however it did not get there. It does not refer to assigning the die to attack, since the attack zone is still considered part of the field. Likewise, "when fielded" does not refer to characters returning to the field from the attack zone (e.g., via Regeneration), nor does it refer to moving a captured or controlled die from your opponent's field to yours.

If a character would be knocked out by a "While active" effect as soon as it is fielded, that character still gets to use its "When fielded" effect since it had to enter the field to get knocked out. In some cases, the "When fielded" effect might remove the "While active" effect that knocks it out. In that case, the fielded character is still knocked out.

Attacking and Blocking

Once blocked during an attack, a character remains blocked, even if the blocking character gets knocked out somehow.

When a character leaves the attack zone and goes back to the field, that means it goes back to the part of the field that is not the attack zone.

If, after both players have decided not to do anything else in the main step (e.g., global effects), the active player opts not to attack, skip the attack step completely. Neither player has the opportunity to use a global effect in an attack step that is skipped.

If a player is forced to attack with a given character, that player cannot skip the attack step. After the declare attackers step, characters can no longer be forced to attack.

Bonuses and Damage

Damage dealt to a character remains on that character until the end of the turn (or the character is knocked out). In the cleanup step of each player's turn, all damage clears.

All damage that a character receives from powers and abilities is applied and resolved immediately. The only exception is during the assign damage portion of the attack step, when multiple characters are all applying damage simultaneously.

Once gained, bonuses last until the end of the turn.

Bonuses are listed as a modifier either to attack ("A") or defense ("B"), thus a bonus of +1D would add one to a character's defense. Add all bonuses together before applying the total modifier to the die's stats. Bonuses cannot reduce a number below zero.

If a die's defense is reduced to zero, it is knocked out (because it has taken damage greater than or equal to its defense of zero).

Bursts

Bursts are the stars that appear in the lower left-hand corner of the die face.

If you roll a burst symbol, the first thing to do is check to see if the die's card has a matching burst symbol: one burst only matches one burst, two only matches two, and if the card text doesn't have the ★/★★ text matches both one burst and two bursts. If your card does not have the matching number of burst symbols on it, nothing happens as a result of the burst.

If your card does have the right symbol, then those special effects happen. Burst effects are mandatory, not optional.

Timing Conflicts

If there is a conflict of timing (e.g., both players want to use an ability simultaneously), the person whose turn it is always resolves their effects first. If simultaneous effects are controlled by the same player, that player chooses the order of those effects.

Once activated, an effect is always resolved entirely before the next effect begins. You cannot use an effect after your opponent starts an effect but before it resolves. The only exception to this is when an effect redirects or prevents damage, but those situations are clearly spelled out in the card text.

If two opposite effects would resolve simultaneously from the same player, they choose what order the effects resolve. If an effect would prevent a character from doing something (like attacking) they cannot then be forced to do it.

In cases where both players may wish to use global abilities at the same time (e.g., one player is trying to use a global ability to knock out a character, and the other wants to boost the character's defense), the active player always takes precedence. While it is fine to play fast and loose in casual play, tournament play requires a stricter procedure.

In tournament play, the active player takes as many sequential actions as desired (from zero to all possible actions) before pausing and indicating that the inactive player can take an action. The inactive player can then either perform an action or decline the opportunity. Then the active player can take more actions.

If the inactive player passes, and then the active player passes, no more actions can be taken that step (except for reactions to damage, as usual).

This structure is only used for initiating a game effect. Players are allowed to use global abilities that react to events at the appropriate time (for example, a global ability that allows you to redirect damage when one of your characters takes damage).

More About Dice

Rolled dice in the field or in your reserve pool are considered to be whatever their dice is. If you have a NPC die in the field or in your reserve pool showing energy, then it's an energy die. If you have a NPC showing the character face in your field, then it's a character die.

Dice in your used pile, prep area, and bag are not considered rolled dice. Their dice type is either character or action, based on what faces they have (NPCs are character dice).

Basic Etiquette

Make sure that it is clear which dice are in which play area. The play mat helps with this immensely. You cannot change the face up side of any die without a card effect. You cannot use, roll, or spend other players' dice.

You are allowed to look inside your bag to count how many dice you have left, but you must ensure that the dice are thoroughly mixed before you draw any dice from your bag. If you ever pull too many dice out of your bag, return all the dice you drew to the bag, shake it well, and draw again.

When you roll a die, it must roll at least once all the way around. You are not allowed to drop dice off the edge of your hand so that it only rolls one or two sides. If a die falls off the table when you are rolling, or if a die lands on top of something so that it is crooked (or "cocked"), pick it up and roll it again.

Levels and Spinning

Characters have levels (normally three levels, although the NPC die has only one); these are the die faces at the bottom of a card that show the die's custom symbol and the character stats. The leftmost character dice face shown is level 1, and the level increases by one for each face (thus the next die face on the card to the right of the level 1 die face would be level 2). Note that a die face's level is different from its fielding cost.

Some abilities have you take a die and spin it up or down a level. To do this, check the card and locate the face corresponding to your character to determine its level. Then set the die face up one level, or down one level using the character card as a guide. If an effect causes a character to spin up one level, move it to the next face to the right on the card. Characters that are already at their highest level cannot be spun up. If an effect causes a character to spin down one level, move it to the next character face to the left. Unless specified, a character cannot spin down from level 1 to a non-character face, nor can a die at level 3 spin up.

Rerolling Dice

When you reroll a die, it stays in the same area it was in unless (a) otherwise specified by the card text for the resulting face, or (b) it's in a location that the die face cannot be (for example, an energy result in the field). If the die face cannot be in the specified location and its fate is not specified in the card text, move the die to the reserve pool.

You cannot reroll a die if you have already partially spent its energy.

Dice rolled outside of the roll and reroll step (such as a die drawn and rolled by a card effect) do not get a free reroll as they do in the draw and roll step.

Using Global Abilities

During the main step and attack step, both players can use global abilities. In many cases, global abilities may be used more than once if the cost can be paid multiple times. As with purchasing dice, you can partially spend non-generic energy. Global abilities that are paid for in a batch resolve as a single effect.

During the main step, the active player can use a global ability as one of the actions available during the main step. The inactive player can also initiate a global ability (that is, use one that is not a reaction to something else happening) after each action (purchase, field, etc.) that the active player uses during the main step.

If a global ability prevents or redirects damage, then the damage inflicted on the original target no longer exists and cannot be reacted to.

If a global ability says it may only be used once per turn, you may use your copy and your opponent's copy of the ability. This is true even if your cards have the same card name and subtitle.

Customizing Your Party

There are 138 different cards in the Battle for Faerûn Dice Masters game. Each card is marked with its collector number in the upper right hand corner of the card. You got 34 cards and dice in this starter set. More cards and dice can be found in expansion packs!

Once you've mastered the rules and expanded your collection, you'll want to try these variants. However, regardless of which variant you use, you always start each game with 8 NPC dice. No more, no less. You cannot buy more, nor can you get rid of them.

A Note on Rarity

Each expansion pack has cards of different rarities, each with a matching die. Common cards (including all the ones found in this set) have a gray border above the die index. Uncommon cards have a green border (Red Dragon on page 2 is a super-rare card). Rare cards have a yellow border, and the super-rare cards have a red border. Promotional cards with blue borders can be obtained through organized play; visit WizKidsEventSystem.com.

Basic Parties

Use this variant when you want to explore new potentials and try new strategies. Each player starts with 15 life. Build your party to the following specifications.

Choose two different basic action cards. You cannot bring two of the same card.

Choose up to 6 cards. You can choose any mix of characters and actions (except basic actions), and you can mix parties, etc. However, you cannot choose more than one card with the same title on it, even if the cards have different subtitles. For example, if you choose Troll, Master Humanoid, you cannot also choose Troll, Minion Humanoid.

Choose up to 15 dice. Note that all cards have a limit on how many dice can be on the battlefield. You cannot bring more dice than the card allows. You can bring less, of course, to make room for dice on other cards. However, each of your six cards you choose must have at least one die assigned to it.

Each player reveals the two basic action cards they want on the battlefield. It is possible that both players choose the same basic action card(s); in that case, there are two sets of those dice available. Assign colors to each of the basic action cards revealed, place them in the center of the table, and place the three matching dice on each one.

Then both players reveal their personal cards, and place their matching dice on them.

Choose a first player and start fighting!

Tournament Parties

For tournament competition, each player starts with 20 life. Build your party to the following specifications.

Choose two different basic action cards.

Choose up to 8 cards. You can choose any mix of characters and actions (except Basic actions), and you can mix parties, heroes with villains, etc. However, you cannot choose more than one card with the same title on it, even if the cards have different subtitles.

Choose up to 20 dice. Note that all cards have a limit on how many dice can be on the battlefield. You can bring less, of course, to make room for dice on other cards. However, each of your eight cards you chose must have at least one die assigned to it.

Reveal all the cards and dice you chose at the same time, and simultaneously with your designated opponent. If both players chose the same basic action card(s), there are two sets of those basic action cards revealed, place them in the center of the table, and place the three matching dice on each one.

Choose a first player and start fighting!

Rainbow Draft

Rainbow Draft format is a draft format unique to Dice Masters which allows players to use Basic Action Cards they already own along with dice from 12 packs of Dice Masters to build a team.

Find complete details on Rainbow Draft at: http://dicemasters.com/rainbowdraft.pdf

Lexicon

Abilities: The text on the die's associated card.

Action: A die that has no character faces or numbers. A face on such a die that shows the special graphic and can be used for a powerful effect.

Active: An effect that takes place when one or more of that card's dice are in the field.

Assign: To commit your characters to attack, or to block an attacking character. Also, to choose how a character's attack value is dealt as damage to targets in an attack step.

Attack: To send your characters to try to damage your opponent.

Burst: A star-shaped symbol that indicates extra abilities may be in effect for a die.

Capture: To place under your die and temporarily remove it from the game.

Engaged: A character blocking or being blocked is engaged with the opposing character.

Face: One side of a die.

Field: The area where your characters go when you pay for them to fight your opponent.

Global: A type of game effect that is available for both players to use.

Opposing: Owned or controlled by the other player.

Spin: To turn or rotate a die so that it shows a different face.

Stats: The numbers on a character die face.

When Fielded: An effect that takes place when you pay a character's fielding cost.

Recap

A turn consists of the following:

Clear and Draw Step

Move all energy dice from your reserve pool to your used pile. Draw 4 dice from your bag; refill it from the used pile if necessary.

Roll and Reroll Step

Roll the 4 dice you drew plus any in your prep area. Reroll (all at once) any of those dice that you wish.

Main Step

Field characters by paying energy equal to their fielding cost. Use action dice. Place them in your used pile (out of play) when finished. Purchase dice (placing them in your used pile) by paying energy equal to the cost. Both players can use global abilities. At the end of this step, move unfielded characters to the used pile.

Attack Step

Select attackers. Resolve effects that occur due to attacking. Assign blockers. Resolve effects that occur due to blocking. Use action dice. Place them in your used pile (out of play) when finished. Both players can use global abilities. Assign and resolve damage. Resolve effects that occur due to damage or knock out.

Clean Up

Move unblocked attackers to the used pile (out of play). End all effects. Clear all damage. Move out-of-play dice to the used pile.