Deck Box Dungeons Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Components
• Card Anatomy
• Characters
• Game Setup
• Character Creation
• How to Play (Phases of the Game)
  • Player Phase
  • Enemy Phase
    • Enemy Targeting/Movement
  • Refresh Phase
• Exploration
• Terrain Notes
• Spawning Enemies
• Combat
  • Attack
  • Defend
  • Defeated Enemies
• Attack Distance
  • Melee
  • Reach
  • Ranged with Line of Sight
  • Ranged - Blocked Line of Sight - CANNOT ATTACK
• Skill Checks
• Items
• Example Turns
• Game End (Winning/Losing the Game)
• Glossary/Keywords
  • Glossary
  • Keywords
• Frequently Asked Questions
  • Heroes
  • Enemies
  • Miscellaneous
• Using Print & Play Quests
  • Setup
  • Exploring
  • Encounters
• Credits

Object of the Game

After you select a quest, your goal is to survive the dungeon, slay the monsters within, and achieve the goal of the quest, with at least one party member surviving.

Components

• 4 - Hero cards
• 4 - Ability cards
• 5 - Equipment cards
• 5 - Enemy cards
• 15 - Dungeon cards
• 12 - Item cards
• 2 - Rune cards
• 1 - Player reference card
• 6 - Tracker cards
• 5 - Player/NPC meeples
• 5 - Standard D6 dice
• 13 - Enemy dice

Card Anatomy

Enemy Card

1. Title
2. Melee dice/modifier
3. Ranged dice/modifier
4. Defense modifier
5. Speed
6. Threat type
7. Behavior/skills

Ability Card

1. Title
2. Strength modifier
3. Dexterity modifier
4. Wisdom modifier
5. Charisma modifier
6. Name and description
7. Energy cost

Equipment Card

1. Title
2. Melee dice / modifier
3. Ranged dice / modifier
4. Defense modifier
5. Movement modifier

Item Card

1. Title
2. Effect description
3. Treasure cost

Hero Card

1. Title
2. Melee modifier
3. Ranged modifier
4. Defense modifier
5. Speed
6. Strength modifier
7. Dexterity modifier
8. Wisdom modifier
9. Charisma modifier
10. Starting / max health

Note: Hero Health is both their starting AND max health.

Characters

For a mug of ale and a few copper coins, Calder will regale you with tales of his exploits in the dungeons. Some are bald-faced lies, but most are true.

Delyth's spellcraft is legendary among the sorcerous colleges. She delves into the lightless depths to discover how much more power she can achieve.

Salmarin's keen eye and speed has kept him alive in the dungeons. His greatest shame lurks in a pit somewhere; his brother has become a Lich.

Thieving in the cities is a bore, it's too simple. Naeva tests her skill in the dungeons trying to find a true challenge for herself.

Dunael's lack of eyesight has never impaired his foresight. He knows that in the dark, people need a light to guide them. He will provide that light.

Aylen knows a sickness burns in the heart of the world. Every dungeon purged of darkness means they are closer to their goal of saving what's left of humanity from extinction.

A good song is like a good friend, it's always there when you need it. Geric is like a half remembered song: a bit off tune, always saying the wrong words but just too catchy to forget.

Game Setup

1. Using either the Deck Box Dungeons app or Print and Play Quests available at DeckBoxDungeons.com or BoardGameGeek, select a quest to play, and place the starting map room(s) as shown. Place each character's Meeple inside the green dashed starting area in the starting room.
2. Build your character(s). See the next section, "Character Creation", for detailed information. Each player builds one character, or a solo player builds two characters. While a solo player CAN play with one character, it is not recommended unless you are looking for a real challenge!
3. Shuffle the Item Deck, draw 3 cards, and place them face up. These are the items available for purchase using Treasure during the game.

Character Creation

Characters consist of 6 cards.

1. Hero Card - The foundation for your character. Here is where you can choose an agile or strong character, or whether they are better with ranged or melee attacks.
2. Health Tracker Card - Slides underneath the Hero card and tracks the amount of health your character has. Set this tracker to the starting/maximum health indicated on the hero card.
3. Equipment Card - Placed to the left of Hero Card, the Equipment card indicates what kind of weapon your character will use, as well as how many dice you will roll for each kind of attack (ranged or melee) and an attack modifier to add to your dice roll for that attack.
4. Treasure Tracker Card - Slides underneath the Equipment card and tracks the amount of treasure your character has. Set this to 0.
5. Ability Card - Placed to the right of the Hero Card, the Ability card indicates different traits and abilities your character has. Each archetype has different modifiers for strength, dexterity, wisdom, and charisma, as well as different abilities that can be activated using energy.
6. Energy Tracker Card - Slides underneath the Ability card and tracks the amount of energy your character has. Set this to 0.

When creating your character, your imagination is the limit! You can make one that is all melee, all ranged, or a combination of the two. You determine their strengths and weaknesses. Keep party composition in mind when creating your party to give yourself the best chance of winning!

How to Play (Phases of the Game)

Each round of the game consists of three phases:

1. Player Phase
2. Enemy Phase
3. Refresh Phase

Player Phase

Players may activate in any order, but must finish their turn before another player/character can start theirs.

Each player may take up to two of the following actions per turn (you may take the same action twice in a turn):

• Move: You may move orthogonally (not diagonally) a number of spaces up to your character's displayed speed. (Speed may be modified by your equipment card.) You may move through allies, but not enemies. See "Exploration" section if you step onto the half space between rooms.
• Attack: See "Combat" section.
• Special action specific to the quest or encounter you're on that requires the use of an action.

In addition, each player may perform any number of Minor Actions per turn, as long as any costs are paid. Minor actions may be performed at ANY time (even enemy turns):

• Use an ability
• Purchase or use an item
• Trade: Give a treasure or item to another character as long as they are adjacent.

Enemy Phase

Enemies activate in ascending threat order (green enemies, then blue enemies, then red enemies) with ranged activating before melee. Each enemy has rules on the bottom of the card that indicate their movement and targeting behavior. These rules guide who they will attack. During their movement, they will never move out of line of sight of heroes. They will always move towards the heroes in the dungeon, even if they are currently not in line of sight. Enemies may move and/or attack in a single turn.

Note: Enemies cannot perform the same action twice.

Enemy Targeting/Movement

• Enemies will always prioritize attacking heroes. For example, if an enemy behavior has it targeting the hero with the most treasure, but it is unable to get to that hero then it will attack the hero with the highest treasure that it can get to.
• Enemies will always move towards heroes even if all heroes are out of Line of Sight.
• Enemies will also never voluntarily move out of Line of Sight of heroes.

Refresh Phase

In the refresh phase:

• Player actions refresh
• Skills and/or special rules may activate

The game continues round by round until either the players complete their quest or all die.

Exploration

When you step onto the half-space between rooms, press the "Explore" button in the app on the direction you are leaving the room. Draw and place the room revealed by the app (indicated by the number and letter in the top corner) oriented with the arrow of the new room lined up to the room you are leaving. Next, read the new encounter (either via the print and play quest or by tapping on the newly revealed room in the app) and follow any special rules. Spawn any enemies indicated in the encounter (see "Spawning Enemies"). Finally, finish your movement (if you have any remaining) and the rest of your turn (if you have any actions remaining).

Terrain Notes

Water - Spaces outlined in white. Costs 2 movement speed to move into.

Pit - Spaces outlined in red. Causes 1 damage when entered.

Note: Enemies cannot spawn on Pit spaces or voluntarily move into Pit spaces.

Entrance/Exit - Spaces outlined in green.

Spawning Enemies

When indicated by an encounter, an enemy or enemies can be spawned in two ways:

• A number followed by a color (for example, 2 green, 1 blue): Roll that number of each color of dice indicated. The type (ranged/melee) and health of each enemy is determined by this dice roll.
• An enemy icon with a number inside: Place that color die with the type and health specified where indicated by the encounter.

Based on the diagram, begin to place enemies on and around the circular spawn point and going in increasing numeric order. If a space is not a valid choice (character or enemy already on that space, out of bounds, on a pit space that will cause the enemy to take damage, etc) then place that enemy on the next highest numbered space. Repeat until all enemies are placed. Players may decide the order in which they place spawned enemies as long as they follow the placement diagram as best as possible.

The spawn point diagram numbers the 8 spaces surrounding the circular spawn space (space #1) in this order, reading the 3x3 grid centered on the spawn point: top row spaces 2, 6, 3 (left to right); middle row spaces 7, [spawn point #1], 8; bottom row spaces 4, 9, 5.

Take the enemy cards corresponding to the enemy types indicated by the print and play quest or by the scroll icon in the app for referencing enemy stats.

Combat

Combat consists of two phases - Attack and Defend.

Attack

Depending on the distance to the character/enemy being attacked (see "Attack Distance" below for more information), look at the melee or ranged attack values on your character (or enemy) cards and roll the appropriate number of dice. Add that modifier (melee or ranged) to each die rolled. If the total for each die rolled (die value + modifier) is 6 or higher, then that die is considered a hit. The character being attacked will then have a chance to defend (block).

Heroes gain one energy for each successful hit (even if blocked).

If a player rolls a natural 6 on the attack die, then that hit is a critical hit and cannot be blocked by the enemy. Note: Enemies cannot critical hit a player.

Each successful (unblocked) hit deals one damage to the character/enemy attacked.

Defend

For each successful hit against a character/enemy, roll one die to defend. You roll to defend if you are being attacked. The player to your left rolls to defend if you are attacking an enemy.

To defend, add the value of the die rolled to the defense modifier from your character card (or enemy card). If that total is 6 or higher, then the hit is successfully blocked, and no damage is taken.

Defeated Enemies

Enemies are defeated as soon as they take damage that would put them below one health on their die. If you defeat an enemy, roll its die and gain an amount of treasure equal to the number rolled.

Attack Distance

When one character attacks another, there are 4 different possibilities on the type of attack that can be done:

Melee

Orthogonally adjacent spaces. (Cardinal directions: N/S/E/W)

Reach

Extends melee range to diagonally adjacent spaces (NW/NE/SE/SW) - Uses melee attack stats, but ONLY if the weapon states it has Reach.

Ranged with Line of Sight

• Enemy at least two spaces away from attacker in your room or an adjacent room where you can draw a straight line between any one corner of each of those two spaces, and does not pass through an enemy or a wall (but can pass through an ally or pit).
• If you are standing on the half-space between two rooms you only can have line of sight on those two rooms.
• Ranged attacks from items purchased with treasure do not use bonuses granted by a hero's weapon.

Ranged - Blocked Line of Sight - CANNOT ATTACK

• Enemy at least two spaces away from attacker.
• If the line drawn between spaces passes along the border of a blocking space then line of sight is blocked.
• If the line passes through more than one room, line of sight is blocked.
• If the line passes through an enemy or a wall, line of sight is blocked.

Skill Checks

Sometimes during an encounter, you will be asked to perform a skill check. A skill check consists of one of the 4 skills (Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom, and Charisma) followed by a number (the number of successes required to pass the check).

To perform a skill check, roll 4 dice. Add the modifier for the skill being checked to each die roll, and if the total is 6 or greater for each die rolled, it is a success. If the number of successes is greater than or equal to the number given in the encounter, then the skill check is passed. Otherwise it is a failure.

For example, Salmarin has, between his hero and ability cards, a Dexterity modifier of +2, and is required to perform a Dexterity 3 skill check. He rolls 4 dice, and gets results of 1, 2, 4, and 6 on the dice. Adding the +2 modifier, those results become 3, 4, 6, and 7. Only 2 of those results were 6 or higher, so the skill check fails.

Items

Items may be purchased at any time as a minor action. Their cost is indicated in the lower right corner of the card. Once an item is purchased, a new item card should be drawn from the item deck and placed with the remaining item cards for sale. There should always be 3 item cards available for purchase.

Items do not need to be used immediately. They may be saved for later or traded to other characters.

All items are one time use unless specified.

Example Turns

Initial Setup with 2 characters, Item Row, and starting room card with meeples in position. Delyth is Purple and Calder is Red for this example.

Calder moved first, moving 4 spaces, as his speed on the card allows. He chooses to not move to the edge of the card. Delyth moves 5 spaces, and because she walked onto the edge of the card, exploration occurs.

The quest called for 1 green and 2 blue enemies to be spawned. Those dice were rolled and placed near the spawn point.

Delyth still had one more action to take, so she will do a ranged attack on the closest enemy. She rolls 2 dice because of her weapon, and gets two misses (3+2=5) and (1+2=3). She gains 0 energy and the enemy does not roll defense.

It is now the Enemy Phase and the Green enemies will activate first. The Arrowhead will attack Delyth because they have line of sight (a line can be drawn from a corner on the Arrowhead's space and a corner on Delyth's space that does not cross through a wall or enemy).

The Arrowhead rolls 3 dice and gets 1 hit (6+1=7) and 2 misses (1+1=2 and 4+1=5). Note the natural 6 is not a Critical Hit because enemies do not perform Critical Hits.

Delyth rolled 1 die in defense because of the 1 hit and successfully blocks (5+1=6).

Next, both of the Ravagers (Blue melee enemies) move up. They are too far from the heroes to attack so the Enemy Phase is over and it is the heroes' turn again.

Calder moves up for his first action and then attacks the Ravager with 3 health. He does not have Reach and cannot attack the Ravager with 1 health. He gets 1 hit (5+2=7) and 2 misses (2+2=4 and 2+2=4). He gains 1 energy from the hit.

The Ravager and fails to block (2+2=4) and loses 1 health. The enemy die is turned down to 2.

It would then be Delyth's turn again before the Enemy Phase.

Game End (Winning/Losing the Game)

You win the game by meeting all the conditions presented at the beginning of the quest. That generally requires exploring the dungeon and killing all monsters revealed (including the boss).

You lose the game by either having all heroes die, or by some other special rules spelled out in the quest.

Glossary/Keywords

Glossary

Room - Map card.

Space - Squares on map cards.

Hit - Potential damage, roll to block. Heroes gain energy equal to successful hits.

Damage - Reduces health of heroes. Rolls enemy dice down to lower values.

Energy - Gained from successful Hits and spent on character abilities.

Ability - Special actions that do not cost an Action, but do cost an Energy amount listed on the ability.

Keywords

Barrage - You may choose a different target with each die.

Crush - Does an additional damage on a successful hit.

Heavy - You gain a max of 1 energy for each attack. Example: If you hit 3 times in a single attack you would only gain 1 energy, not 3.

Knockback - If the target takes at least 1 damage it is pushed in the opposite direction one space and takes 1 additional point of damage if it hits a wall. If the target is pushed into another hero or enemy it takes 1 additional hit.

Pierce - Target has -1 defense modifier on defense rolls.

Siphon - Players in the current and adjacent Rooms lose 1 energy when this enemy activates.

Stun - Stops enemy from activating. If a weapon has Stun, it must do at least 1 damage for Stun to happen. Stun does not affect red enemies.

Reach - Allows diagonal melee attacks.

Regenerate - This enemy gains 1 health at the end of the round.

Ritual - The weakest enemy in the same Room gains 1 health when this enemy deals at least 1 damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Heroes

Q: How do you gain energy? A: You can gain energy from attacking, energy potions, and some encounters may also give you chances for energy. You DO NOT gain energy from hits caused by items or abilities.

Q: If an ability allows you to attack multiple enemies at once do you roll once or for each enemy? A: You roll to attack each enemy separately.

Q: Can you share treasure between heroes to buy items? A: No, one hero must buy the item. However, the minor action Trade allows you to transfer treasure to an adjacent hero.

Enemies

Q: Can enemies move out of the room they spawned in? A: Yes. Enemies may follow heroes into other rooms or move out of their current room to keep at max range if necessary. They will not move out of line of sight of the heroes.

Q: If a ranged enemy can only attack a hero with melee will it attack or run away? A: Enemies always attack if possible.

Q: Can enemies stand on half spaces next to unexplored rooms? A: Yes. Half spaces are treated as full/valid spaces for both heroes and enemies. The only exception is that the adjacent room is explored (if possible) when a hero steps onto a half space.

Q: What happens if you are asked to spawn more enemies of a dice color then you have? A: If you are unable to spawn enemies of a specific color you should then spawn the next higher color die. Green, then Blue, then Red. If you are completely out of dice to spawn then all heroes take 1 hit. Note: If you run out of dice to spawn you have a problem.

Miscellaneous

Q: What are the rules for combining two copies to play up to 4 players? A: It is recommended to combine all item cards into one market deck. Using the same Equipment or Ability card on two heroes is allowed, but using two of the same hero is not allowed.

Q: Does the Foresight Scroll trigger encounters and spawning? A: Yes. Exploring a new room using this item card triggers the encounter the same as if you had stepped into the room.

Using Print & Play Quests

Print & play quests allow you to play Deck Box Dungeons when you do not have access to the app or prefer not to use an app. These quests are slightly more streamlined and do not offer as much randomization as the app allows.

Setup

1. Follow any special instructions (not all quests have these).
2. Select the enemies to use listed on the first page.
3. Layout the first map tile card [T] shown on the Map page, place your heroes within the starting zone, and read the first encounter [E] for the room.

Exploring

Exploring works normally with the exception that map tile cards and encounters are less random. When exploring a new room (when your hero steps onto the half space exiting the room), you will place the next room [T] defined on the Map page and read the encounter.

Note: If a room has an exit that does not connect to another room on the Map page you may not exit through that room. In this case the half space does count as a full space heroes/enemies may move into.

Encounters

Print & play encounters sometimes require additional work that is usually handled by the app. Some encounters have a random result represented by square brackets around numbers (ex: [1-2]) for different outcomes. Another example is (P) which represents the number of heroes on the quest.

Example encounter format:

2. Monster Camp There is a group huddled around a small fire.

[1-2] - Spawn (P) blue and 2 green

[3-4] - Spawn 4 green

[5-6] - Spawn 2 blue and 1 red

Where [#] means: Random outcome. Roll a D6 and only use the text next to the resulting number. (P) means: Number of Heroes. This is used to adjust enemy counts based on the number of heroes on the quest.

Credits

Designed By: Zeke Walker

Artwork: Jordan Cuffie

Writing/Additional Design: Majdi Badri

Rules Editing: Daniel Kruszka

Special thanks to all the family, friends, and Kickstarter backers that helped make this game possible!