Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Kyndrithul 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
• Kyndrithul Lieutenant Pack Cards
  • Kyndrithul Plot Cards
    • Broken
    • Last Words
    • No Interference
    • Dangerous Knowledge
    • Plague of the Mind
    • Worn Down
    • Slow Bones
    • Bleed it Out
    • Invest in the Flesh
    • Summon Kyndrithul
  • Kyndrithul 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 fatigue.
• 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 does not extract the icon in this bullet. On the printed leaflet it is the solid black drop icon, which is the same icon the Kyndrithul card faces use for fatigue. It is rendered here as "fatigue"; this is the transcriber's rendering, as the leaflet does not print the icon's name.

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.

Kyndrithul 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 Vital Essence deck name and card number (for example "1/12") are printed in the footer. The basic card (1/12) has no purchase cost and shows no top-right number.

Transcription note: Icons on the card faces are rendered as words. The heart icon is rendered as damage, the black drop icon as fatigue, the shield icon as shield, and the open-book test icon as Lore. These are transcriber's renderings; the card faces do not print the icon names. The drop icon is the one the leaflet uses in "recover 1 [drop icon]", and it is rendered as fatigue on the same reading that the Class card rules use "fatigue cost". Check a printed card if an exact icon name is needed.

Kyndrithul Plot Cards

Broken

Vital Essence 1/12 · Purchase cost: none (basic card) · Trigger cost: 0

Exhaust this card when a hero is defeated. Instead of gaining 1 threat token or drawing 1 Overlord card, you may place 1 threat token from the supply on 1 of that hero's Class cards that has a fatigue cost.

Each Class card with 1 or more threat tokens on it costs 1 additional fatigue to use.

At the end of each quest, return all threat tokens on Class cards to the supply.

Last Words

Vital Essence 2/12 · Purchase cost: 1 · Trigger cost: 1

Exhaust this card when a hero defeats a lieutenant or agent. Place 1 threat token from the supply on 1 of that hero's Class cards that has a fatigue cost. Then, that hero suffers fatigue equal to the number of threat tokens on all his Class cards.

No Interference

Vital Essence 3/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1

Exhaust this card at the start of your turn. While this card is exhausted, each time a hero uses a Class card with 1 or more threat tokens on it, that hero suffers 3 damage.

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

Dangerous Knowledge

Vital Essence 4/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 0

Exhaust this card after a hero discards an overlord card from your hand or forces you to place an overlord card on top of your deck. That hero tests Lore. If he fails, he suffers damage equal to the shield rolled in excess of his Lore value. If he passes, gain 1 threat token.

Plague of the Mind

Vital Essence 5/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1

Exhaust this card at the end of your turn and choose 1 hero; mark that hero with a threat token.

Each time a marked hero would refresh a Class card with 1 or more threat tokens on it, he may choose to not refresh it. If he does refresh that card, he suffers 1 condition of your choice.

When you refresh this card, discard the threat token form [sic] the marked hero.

Transcription note: The printed card reads "form" where "from" is meant. It is transcribed as printed, marked [sic].

Worn Down

Vital Essence 6/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 1

Exhaust this card after a hero uses a Class card that has a fatigue cost. Place 1 threat token from the supply on the Class card.

Slow Bones

Vital Essence 7/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 1

Exhaust this card at the start of your turn. While this card is exhausted, each hero reduces his Speed by the number of threat tokens on all his Class cards (to a minimum of 1).

Bleed it Out

Vital Essence 8/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 0

Exhaust this card after a hero uses a Class card with 1 or more threat tokens on it. Discard 1 threat token from that Class card. Then, that hero suffers 1 damage and 1 fatigue.

Invest in the Flesh

Vital Essence 9/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 1

Use this card at the end of each quest. For each hero with 1 or more threat tokens on 1 or more of his Class cards, gain 1 threat token.

Summon Kyndrithul

Vital Essence 10/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 2

Exhaust this card after setup of an encounter and choose 1 open monster group. Replace 1 master and 2 minion monsters in that group with the Kyndrithul agent.

If the Kyndrithul agent is defeated, return this card to your Plot deck.

You cannot use this card in any quest that uses the Kyndrithul lieutenant.

Kyndrithul Agent Cards

The Kyndrithul agent has two Agent cards, one for each act. Each card face shows the agent's name, its abilities, its attack type (the green bow icon, which marks a ranged attack), its Speed, Health and Defense for each hero count (the rows of gray silhouettes), and its dice. The act numeral (I or II) is printed in the bottom-right corner.

The sheet shows only the front of each Agent card. The ability names are printed on the face, but the full ability rules text is printed on the Agent card back, which is not on the sheet, so that text is not reproduced here. See the Agent Card Anatomy in the Agents section above for how the card is laid out.

Kyndrithul Agent, Act I

• Abilities: "Bloodthirst", "Sorcery 3", and "Bone Splinter" (ranged attack).
• Dice: blue and yellow.
• Attack type: ranged (bow icon).

Heroes	Speed	Health	Defense
2	4	11	one white defense die face
3	4	13	one black defense die face
4	4	16	one black defense die face

Kyndrithul Agent, Act II

• Abilities: "Bloodthirst", "Enthrall", "Sorcery 4", and "Bone Splinter" (ranged attack).
• Dice: blue, yellow and yellow.
• Attack type: ranged (bow icon).

Heroes	Speed	Health	Defense
2	4	13	one black defense die face
3	4	15	one black and one brown defense die face
4	4	19	one black and one brown defense die face

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, and are given by colour as printed; the card does not name the die type. The ability names and the Sorcery and Enthrall values are read from the card face header.