Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Gargan Mirklace Lieutenant Pack
Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Gargan Mirklace Lieutenant Pack Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
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
- Name: This area displays the name of the Plot card.
- 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.
- Ability: This area describes all rules for the Plot card, including when the card can be triggered.
- Deck Name: This area displays the Plot deck to which the card belongs.
- 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.
- Name: This area displays the name of the agent.
- Abilities: This area lists all the abilities for the agent.
- 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).
- Attack Type Icon: This icon shows the type of attack (Melee or Ranged) the agent has.
- Dice: This area lists the dice used by the agent when performing an attack.
- Ability Rules: This area explains the full details of the agent's abilities.
- 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.
Gargan Mirklace 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 Burning Ambitions 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.
Translation note: The card text below is translated into English from a community Russian translation of the Gargan Mirklace card sheet (credited to A. Malyshev, Tesera item 788356), not from an official English card sheet. Card names, deck name and keyword names are English renderings of the Russian titles. "Hot" is a literal rendering of the Russian monster trait "Горячей" ("Hot"), and "Sorcery" renders the Russian "Колдовство". Icon names are not printed in the Russian text and are described as they appear on the card.
Gargan Mirklace Plot Cards
Icons on the card faces are rendered as words: the heart icon as damage, the drop icon as [black drop icon] (the same icon used in the leaflet's Spending Fortune Tokens section), the fist icon as [fist icon] and the eye icon as [eye icon]. These are transcriber's renderings of the icons, not printed names.
Inferno
Burning Ambitions 1/12 · Basic card (no purchase cost) · Trigger cost: 2
Turn this card when a monster makes an attack, before dice are rolled. This attack affects all figures adjacent to the target figure.
After the attack is resolved, if this monster has the Hot trait, it recovers damage equal to the number of figures that suffered this attack.
Arson
Burning Ambitions 2/12 · Purchase cost: 1 · Trigger cost: 1
Use this card after setup of an encounter and choose 1 monster group. For the entire encounter, that group gains the Hot trait.
Place 1 threat token from the supply on that group's Monster card as a reminder.
Forbidden Fruit
Burning Ambitions 3/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 0
A hero may turn this card when he makes an attack, before dice are rolled. If he does, he gains +2 damage, and you take 1 threat token.
Burning Presence
Burning Ambitions 4/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1
Turn this card after setup of an encounter. While this card is turned, each time a hero enters a space adjacent to at least one monster with the Hot trait, that hero gains 1 damage.
Earth Tremor
Burning Ambitions 5/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1
Turn this card at the start of your turn and choose a space on the card. Each hero within 3 spaces of that location must test [fist icon] or [eye icon], his choice. Move each hero who failed the test 2 spaces.
Bonds of Infernael
Burning Ambitions 6/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1
Turn this card when a monster makes an attack. For this attack, you may measure range and line of sight from another monster in the same group.
Pact with a Demon
Burning Ambitions 7/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 0
Turn this card at the end of your turn and choose 1 knocked down hero and a number of damage and [black drop icon]. That hero may immediately recover the damage and [black drop icon] you chose. If he agrees to do so, you gain 3 threat tokens.
This card does not refresh as normal. Refresh this card if the hero declined to recover the damage and [black drop icon], or at the end of the quest.
Blazing Fury
Burning Ambitions 8/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 1
Turn this card when you activate a monster. This monster may perform 1 additional attack this turn, in addition to its 2 normal actions. At the end of this monster's activation, it gains 2 damage for each attack it performed on its turn.
If this monster has the Hot trait, you may reroll 1 die during each attack this monster makes this turn.
Crushing Exhaustion
Burning Ambitions 9/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 2
Turn this card at the end of your turn. Each hero must test [fist icon] or [eye icon], your choice. Place 1 threat token on the hero sheet of each hero who failed the test. At the end of a hero's turn, that hero, if he has a threat token on his hero sheet, gains [black drop icon] equal to his Stamina.
Each time a hero attempts to rest, he may test [fist icon] or [eye icon], his choice. If he passes, he discards that threat token from his hero sheet. He also discards it if he is knocked down.
This card does not refresh as normal. Refresh this card at the end of the quest.
Summon Mirklace
Burning Ambitions 10/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 2
Turn this card after setup of an encounter and choose 1 open monster group. Replace that group with Gargan Mirklace in the role of an agent.
If the agent Gargan Mirklace is defeated, return this card to your Plot deck.
You cannot use this card in the "Shadow of Nerekhall" campaign.
Gargan Mirklace Agent Cards
Gargan Mirklace has two Agent cards, one for each act. Each Agent card shows its act number as a numeral at the top (I or II), its name ("Gargan Mirklace"), its Aura and ability bar, its Speed, Health and Defense for each hero count, and its attack dice. The Agent cards are read by hero count from the silhouettes printed beside each row (two, three and four silhouettes, top to bottom). The defense faces are read by colour as printed on the card: black, white and brown.
Transcription note: The Agent card rows are read by hero count from the silhouettes. The die colours are read from the rendered card, so they may differ from an official English printing. The ability-bar and attack-bar icons are rendered as words from the printed icons.
Gargan Mirklace Agent, Act I
- Abilities: "Aura 1" and "Earth Split" (move icon) and "Blast" (surge icons).
- Dice: blue, yellow and red.
- Attack type: ranged (bow icon).
| Heroes | Speed | Health | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 13 | one black defense die face |
| 3 | 3 | 16 | one white defense die face |
| 4 | 3 | 19 | one black and one brown defense die face |
Aura X (Act I)
Each time a hero enters a space adjacent to Gargan Mirklace, that hero gains X damage. (Act I: X = 1.)
Earth Split (Act I)
Starting from a space adjacent to Gargan Mirklace, trace a path of 4 spaces in any direction. Each figure on that path gains 1 damage and moves into an adjacent empty space of your choice. No more than once per round.
Blast (Act I)
This attack affects all figures adjacent to the target figure.
Gargan Mirklace Agent, Act II
- Abilities: "Aura 2", "Sorcery 3", "Earth Split" (move icon) and "Blast" (surge icons).
- Dice: blue, yellow, yellow and red.
- Attack type: ranged (bow icon).
| Heroes | Speed | Health | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 18 | one black and one brown defense die face |
| 3 | 3 | 21 | one black and one brown defense die face |
| 4 | 3 | 24 | one black and one white defense die face |
Aura X (Act II)
Each time a hero enters a space adjacent to Gargan Mirklace, that hero gains X damage. (Act II: X = 2.)
Sorcery X (Act II)
After an attack roll, Gargan Mirklace may convert (replace) X range into damage, or convert up to X damage into range. (Act II: X = 3.)
Earth Split (Act II)
Starting from a space adjacent to Gargan Mirklace, trace a path of 4 spaces in any direction. Each figure on that path gains 1 damage and moves into an adjacent empty space of your choice. No more than once per round.
Blast (Act II)
This attack affects all figures adjacent to the target figure.