Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Ardus Ix'Erebus Lieutenant Pack Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Lieutenant Pack Rules
  • Introduction
  • Plot Cards
  • Gaining Threat Tokens
  • Purchasing and Triggering Plot Cards
    • Plot Card Anatomy
  • Threat and Fortune
  • Spending Threat Tokens
  • Spending Fortune Tokens
  • Agents
    • Agent Card Anatomy
  • Monster Sizes and Traits
• Ardus Ix'Erebus Lieutenant Pack Cards
  • Ardus Ix'Erebus Plot Cards
    • Strength in Numbers
    • Retribution
    • Swarming Tide
    • Threatening Masses
    • Camaraderie
    • Fealty
    • Defensive Position
    • Rise to the Challenge
    • Loyalty Rewarded
    • Summon Ardus Ix'Erebus
  • Ardus Ix'Erebus Agent Cards

Lieutenant Pack Rules

Introduction

Lieutenant packs expand Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition by providing unique plastic figures that can be used to replace lieutenant tokens in quests. In addition, these packs introduce a new layer of strategy and progression for overlord players with the introduction of Plot and Agent cards.

Plot Cards

After hero players choose their classes at the start of a campaign, the overlord may choose one Plot deck. He will use his chosen deck for the duration of the campaign. After the overlord chooses his Plot deck, he takes the basic card (the Plot card with no purchase cost) and places it faceup in his play area. Then, he takes all remaining Plot cards that have the same deck name and places them facedown in his play area. He may look at his facedown Plot cards at any time.

Plot cards are upgrades the overlord player may purchase throughout the course of a campaign. They provide the overlord with special abilities that are available to him when the card is faceup in his play area. Plot cards are different from Overlord cards; the overlord does not add them to his Overlord deck, and he purchases them in a different way.

Important: The overlord player can only use Plot and Agent cards when playing a campaign.

Gaining Threat Tokens

Each time a hero is defeated during an encounter, instead of drawing one Overlord card, the overlord may choose to gain one threat token. The overlord can only gain threat tokens in this way once per hero per quest. If he chooses to gain a threat token, the overlord takes one hero token belonging to the hero and places it near his Plot deck as a reminder that he has gained a threat token for defeating that hero. In addition, there are a number of other ways in which the overlord may gain threat tokens:

• At the end of each quest, the overlord receives one threat token. If the overlord wins the quest, he receives one additional threat token.
• During the Spend Experience Points step of any Campaign phase, the overlord may spend any number of his experience points to gain three threat tokens for each experience point he spends.
• Each time the overlord plays a Rumor card featuring a quest, he gains one threat token. Rumor cards and applicable rules are included in some Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition expansions.

Each time the overlord gains one threat token, he takes one token from the threat and fortune supply and places it in his play area with the threat side faceup. Each threat token the overlord gains during a campaign remains in his play area until he spends it. Between quests, the overlord player records the amount of unspent threat tokens in the Campaign log. He may spend this threat at a future point during the campaign.

Purchasing and Triggering Plot Cards

Each Plot card has a purchase cost that indicates the number of threat tokens the overlord must spend to purchase the card. During the Spend Experience Points step of each Campaign phase, the overlord player may purchase any of his facedown Plot cards by spending threat tokens equal to the Plot card's purchase cost (see "Plot Card Anatomy"). He places purchased Plot cards faceup in his play area and can use them in all future quests during the campaign.

The overlord can trigger abilities on a faceup Plot card as specified on the card. Each time he triggers a Plot card ability that requires him to "exhaust this card" or "use this card", he must spend a number of threat tokens equal to the Plot card's trigger cost (see "Plot Card Anatomy").

Plot Card Anatomy

1. Name: This area displays the name of the Plot card.
2. Purchase Cost: This area displays the number of threat tokens it costs to purchase the card. The overlord begins play with his basic Plot card. These basic cards have no purchase cost.
3. Ability: This area describes all rules for the Plot card, including when the card can be triggered.
4. Deck Name: This area displays the Plot deck to which the card belongs.
5. Trigger Cost: This area displays the number of threat tokens it costs to trigger this card's effect.

Threat and Fortune

Threat and fortune are represented by different sides of the same token. The red side of the token represents threat, and the white side represents fortune. During setup, place these tokens in a supply within easy reach of all players.

The overlord player may spend threat tokens he has gained (see "Gaining Threat Tokens") to purchase or trigger abilities described on Plot cards. A hero may spend fortune tokens to receive certain benefits (see "Spending Fortune Tokens").

Spending Threat Tokens

When the overlord spends threat tokens, they are either returned to the supply or placed on Hero sheets as follows:

• Purchasing Plot cards: During the Spend Experience Points step of the Campaign phase, each threat token spent to purchase Plot cards is returned to the supply.
• Triggering Plot cards: Each time the overlord spends a threat token to trigger a Plot card, he must flip the token to its fortune side and place it on the Hero sheet which currently possesses the lowest number of fortune tokens.

If there is a tie, the heroes choose which hero among the tied heroes gains the token. If the overlord spends more than one threat token, he follows this process once for each token spent.

Spending Fortune Tokens

Heroes may spend fortune tokens to trigger any of the following abilities:

• 1 fortune token: During his turn, a hero may recover 1 [black drop icon].
• 1 fortune token: After dice are rolled, a hero may reroll 1 of his dice.
• 2 fortune tokens: After performing his two normal actions, a hero may immediately perform one additional action. Limit once per round per hero.
• 2 fortune tokens: During the Shopping step of the Campaign phase, heroes may collectively spend their fortune tokens to draw 1 additional Shop Item card.

When a hero spends a fortune token, he returns it to the threat and fortune supply. Heroes cannot trade their fortune tokens to other heroes. After the Shopping step of each Campaign phase, heroes return all fortune tokens on their Hero sheets to the threat and fortune supply.

Transcription note: The leaflet's text layer contains a glyph that does not extract as text. Rendered from the printed page, it is a single solid black drop icon with no name printed beside it, so it is shown above as "[black drop icon]". Check the printed leaflet if the exact icon name is needed.

Agents

Some Plot cards allow the overlord to use a lieutenant figure as an agent in an open monster group. The Agent card corresponding to the current act lists the agent's characteristics, abilities, and attack dice. An agent is treated as a master monster within its open monster group with the following exceptions:

• Regardless of quest rules, an agent cannot be placed as a reinforcement.
• When an agent is defeated, the overlord must return the Plot card that summoned the agent back to his Plot deck. The card may be purchased again.
• As described on the Plot card, the overlord cannot use an agent in any quest that features the lieutenant version of that agent. Additionally, the overlord cannot use some agents in specific campaigns. For example, the overlord cannot use Baron Zachareth as an agent while playing "The Shadow Rune" campaign because it features Baron Zachareth as an important lieutenant in that campaign.

Plot cards that allow the overlord to summon an agent often require him to replace master and minion monsters of an open group after setup of an encounter. If the overlord cannot meet the replacement requirements, he replaces the entire open group.

When an agent is placed in a monster group, that agent and the monsters in that group are treated as if they are part of the same monster group. While the agent is on the map, the overlord cannot use the monster figures it replaced as reinforcements, regardless of quest rules.

The overlord cannot summon an agent during an Interlude or a Finale. Unlike lieutenants, an agent cannot wield a relic.

Agent Card Anatomy

Agent card front and back.

1. Name: This area displays the name of the agent.
2. Abilities: This area lists all the abilities for the agent.
3. Characteristics: This area lists the characteristics (Speed, Health, and Defense) of the agent. The agent's characteristics differ depending on the number of heroes playing (represented by the gray silhouettes).
4. Attack Type Icon: This icon shows the type of attack (Melee or Ranged) the agent has.
5. Dice: This area lists the dice used by the agent when performing an attack.
6. Ability Rules: This area explains the full details of the agent's abilities.
7. Deck Name: This area displays the Plot deck to which the Agent card belongs.

Monster Sizes and Traits

Many Plot cards have effects that interact with monsters that have specific monster traits or sizes. Monster size is defined by the number of spaces the monster's base occupies:

• Small monsters occupy one space (e.g., goblin archers and zombies).
• Medium monsters occupy two spaces (e.g., barghests).
• Huge monsters occupy four spaces (e.g., ettins and merriods).
• Massive monsters occupy six spaces (e.g., shadow dragons).

Note: medium, huge, and massive monsters are still large monsters for the purposes of movement and quest rules.

Ardus Ix'Erebus Lieutenant Pack Cards

Each Plot card shows its purchase cost as the small red number at the top right of the card face, and its trigger cost as the large red number at the bottom right. The First Legion deck name and card number (for example "1/12") are printed in the footer. The basic Plot card has no purchase cost and so shows no number at the top right.

Ardus Ix'Erebus Plot Cards

Icons on the card faces are rendered as words: the heart icon as damage, the wedge icon as surge, the shield icon as shield, and the black drop icon as fatigue. The two test icons are rendered as Might and Willpower; these names come from the community wiki, because the card faces show the test icons without printed names. These are transcriber's renderings of the icons, not printed names.

Source note: Each card's header line states where its text was taken from. "Card photograph" means the text was read from a third-party photograph of the printed card. "Community wiki text" means the text comes from the Descent-Community Wiki and has not been checked against the printed card. Costs for the wiki-only cards are taken from the wiki's card statistics and have not been checked against the printed cards either.

Strength in Numbers

First Legion 1/12 · Basic card (no purchase cost) · Trigger cost: 1 · Source: card photograph

Exhaust this card when a small monster performs an attack, before dice are rolled. This attack gains:

Pierce X, where X is the number of monsters from that monster's group adjacent to the target.

Retribution

First Legion 2/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1 · Source: community wiki text

Exhaust this card when 2 or more small monsters are defeated by the same attack. Choose 1 monster from the same monster group as 1 of the defeated monsters. The chosen monster immediately moves up to its Speed and then performs an attack. This attack gains:

Pierce X, where X is the number of monsters defeated by the hero's attack.

Swarming Tide

First Legion 3/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1 · Source: community wiki text

Exhaust this card at the end of your turn. While this card is exhausted, at the start of each hero's turn, that hero tests Willpower. If he fails, he suffers 1 fatigue for each monster adjacent to him.

Threatening Masses

First Legion 4/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1 · Source: card photograph

Exhaust this card when a hero enters an empty space adjacent to 1 or more monsters during his turn. That hero must choose to either immediately end his turn or test Might. If he tests and fails, gain 1 threat token for each monster adjacent to that hero.

This card does not refresh as normal. Refresh this card at the end of each encounter.

Transcription note: The community wiki reads "during this turn" here. The printed card in the photograph reads "during his turn", which is the wording used above.

Camaraderie

First Legion 5/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1 · Source: community wiki text

Use this card during setup of an encounter and choose 1 monster group; place a threat token from the supply on that group's Monster card as a reminder. During this encounter, each small monster in that group gains:

Comrade: Each time a hero performs an attack that targets a small monster adjacent to this monster, after dice are rolled, that hero must choose to either suffer 1 fatigue or not spend surge during that attack.

Transcription note: The wiki reads "that target a SMALL monster" in the Comrade text. "Targets" is used above to fix the grammar; the rule is unchanged.

Fealty

First Legion 6/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1 · Source: community wiki text

Exhaust this card at the end of your turn. While this card is exhausted, each time a master monster or lieutenant is affected by an attack, after dice are rolled, you may choose 1 small minion monster adjacent to that master monster or lieutenant to suffer 5 damage. If you do, add 2 shield to that master monster or lieutenant's defense results.

Defensive Position

First Legion 7/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 2 · Source: card photograph

Exhaust this card at the end of your turn and choose 1 tile; place a threat token from the supply on that tile as a reminder. While this card is exhausted, each time a hero spends movement points to enter a space on the chosen tile, he must spend 1 additional movement point.

This card does not refresh as normal. Refresh this card if there are more heroes on the chosen tile than monsters.

Rise to the Challenge

First Legion 8/12 · Purchase cost: 4 · Trigger cost: 0 · Source: card photograph

Exhaust this card when a small master monster is defeated. While this card is exhausted, each minion monster in that monster's group uses the Speed, Health, Defense, surge abilities, and attack dice of the master monster (not including an agent) in its group; place this card near that monster group as a reminder.

This card does not refresh as normal. Refresh this card at the end of your turn.

Loyalty Rewarded

First Legion 9/12 · Purchase cost: 4 · Trigger cost: 1 · Source: community wiki text

Exhaust this card after setup of an encounter and choose 1 of your open groups. While this card is exhausted, each small monster that belongs to the chosen group applies +1 to its Health.

This card does not refresh as normal. Refresh this card at the end of each encounter.

Summon Ardus Ix'Erebus

First Legion 10/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 2 · Source: community wiki text

Exhaust this card after setup of an encounter and choose 1 open monster group. Replace 1 master and 1 minion monster in that group with the Ardus Ix'Erebus agent.

If the Ardus Ix'Erebus agent is defeated, return this card to your Plot deck.

You cannot use this card in any quest that uses the Ardus Ix'Erebus lieutenant.

Transcription note: The wiki reads "taht" in the last line. "that" is used above to fix the spelling; the rule is unchanged.

Ardus Ix'Erebus Agent Cards

Ardus Ix'Erebus has two Agent cards, one for each act. Each Agent card shows its act number as a numeral in the top or bottom corner (I or II), its name, its ability bar, its Speed, Health and Defense for each hero count, and its attack dice. Only the Act II Agent card (12/12) is transcribed here, from two photographs of its faces. The Act I Agent card (11/12) is not included, because no verbatim text or photograph of it was found in any source.

Ardus Ix'Erebus Agent, Act II (12/12)

Source: card photographs (stat face and ability face).

• Abilities: "Flanking" and "Forceful Blow" on the top row; "Rally" and "Pierce 1" on the second row. The Pierce ability is shown with the surge icon.
• Dice: blue, red and red.
• Attack type: melee (axe icon).

Heroes	Speed	Health	Defense
2	4	13	one black and one brown defense die face
3	4	16	one black and one white defense die face
4	4	19	one black and one white defense die face

Flanking: Each time Ardus Ix'Erebus performs an attack, he may choose 1 monster with the Cursed monster trait adjacent to the target. During that attack, he may use the surge abilities of that monster.

Forceful Blow: Each time Ardus Ix'Erebus declares an attack, the target tests Might. If the target fails, add 1 surge to the results.

Rally: Each monster within 3 spaces of Ardus Ix'Erebus may discard 1 condition.

Pierce X: This attack ignores X shield rolled on the defense dice.

Transcription note: The Agent card rows are read by hero count from the silhouettes printed beside each row (two, three and four silhouettes, top to bottom). Defense faces are read from the coloured hexagons on the card face; the card does not name the die type, so they are given here by colour as printed. The Might test name is the wiki's name for the test icon on this card, which the card face does not print. The Rally ability carries an arrow icon on the card face, which is not named here.