Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Serena Lieutenant Pack
Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Serena 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.
Serena Lieutenant Pack Cards
Each Plot card shows its purchase cost as the red number at the top right of the card face, and its trigger cost as the large red number at the bottom right. The Silent Protector deck name and card number (for example "1/12") are printed in the footer. The Brethren card has no purchase cost badge because it is the basic card.
Icons on the cards are rendered as words where the card names them. The heart icon is rendered as damage and the wedge icon as surge, as on the Splig pack. The black drop icon is written as [black drop icon], the burst icon as [burst icon], and the curved arrow icon as [curved arrow icon], because the printed cards and the leaflet do not name them. The Agent card's attack-type icon (Melee or Ranged) is not identified in the transcription; see the note in the Serena Agent Cards section.
Serena Plot Cards
The Silent Protector Plot deck has ten Plot cards (1/12 to 10/12). Cards 11/12 and 12/12 of the deck are the two Serena Agent cards, act I and act II, transcribed below.
Brethren
Silent Protector 1/12 · Basic card (no purchase cost) · Trigger cost: 1
Exhaust this card when you activate a monster group with the Civilized monster trait. Choose 2 monsters in that group. The first monster performs 1 less action this turn, and the second monster may perform 1 additional action this turn.
Diplomatic
Silent Protector 2/12 · Purchase cost: 1 · Trigger cost: 1
Use this card after setup of an encounter to choose one of your monster groups. During this encounter, that group gains the Civilized monster trait.
Place 1 threat token from the supply on that group's Monster card as a reminder.
Curative Spirit
Silent Protector 3/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1
Exhaust this card at the start of your turn. While this card is exhausted, each master monster with the Civilized monster trait gains:
[curved arrow icon]: Perform an attack. If this attack deals at least 1 damage (after the defense roll), this monster and 1 monster within 3 spaces of this monster each recover 2 damage.
Traveler's Rest
Silent Protector 4/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 2
Exhaust this card at the end of your turn. While this card is exhausted, heroes cannot suffer [black drop icon] to gain movement points.
Pity the Weak
Silent Protector 5/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1
Exhaust this card when a hero performs an attack targeting a monster that has at least 1 damage token, before dice are rolled. The hero suffers 1 [black drop icon] and tests [burst icon]. If he fails, he removes 1 surge from the attack results.
After the attack is resolved, if that monster has the Civilized monster trait and was not defeated, the monster may move 2 spaces.
Pacify
Silent Protector 6/12 · Purchase cost: 2 · Trigger cost: 1
Exhaust this card when a monster performs an attack that targets a hero, before dice are rolled.
If that attack is not a miss, that hero is Stunned.
Shared Burdens
Silent Protector 7/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 1
Exhaust this card when a monster suffers at least 2 damage to reduce the amount of damage that monster suffers to a minimum of 1 damage. Then, all monsters in that monster's group suffer an amount of damage equal to the amount by which you reduced the first monster's damage, divided any way you choose between those monsters.
Power in Mourning
Silent Protector 8/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 1
Exhaust this card when a master monster is defeated. You may place 2 threat tokens on this card.
This card cannot hold more than 8 threat tokens at any time. At the end of the quest, gain all threat tokens on this card.
Oath of Silence
Silent Protector 9/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 1
Exhaust this card after setup of an encounter to choose a monster. While this card is exhausted, that monster cannot perform any actions except for move actions. At the end of each of your turns, each monster within 3 spaces of that monster recovers 2 damage. Place 1 threat token from the supply on that monster's base as a reminder.
This card does not refresh as normal. Refresh this card at the end of each encounter.
Summon - Serena
Silent Protector 10/12 · Purchase cost: 3 · Trigger cost: 2
Exhaust this card after setup of an encounter to choose an open monster group. Replace 1 master monster in that group with the Serena agent.
If the Serena agent is defeated, return this card to your Plot deck.
You cannot use this card in any quest that uses the Serena lieutenant, ally, or hero.
Serena Agent Cards
The Serena agent has two Agent cards, one for each act. Each card shows its act as a Roman numeral at the top of the card (I or II) and its footer reads "Agent · Silent Protector" with the card number 11/12 (act I) or 12/12 (act II). Each front lists the agent's abilities, its Speed, Health and Defense for each hero count, its dice, and its attack-type icon. The ability text on each back is transcribed in full. The hero-count silhouettes on each front are read from the left column: two, three and four silhouettes from top to bottom.
Transcription note: The attack-type icon at the bottom left of each Agent card front could not be identified at the resolution of the scan, so the Melee or Ranged type is not stated here. The dice are read from the coloured cubes at the bottom centre of each front; the act II dice were read from a low-resolution image, so the third die colour is recorded as printed in the scan.
Serena Agent, Act I
- Abilities (front): "Miasma" (curved arrow icon) and a surge ability with "+2 damage" printed beside it; "Poison, Disease" (surge icon).
- Dice: blue and yellow.
| Heroes | Speed | Health | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 8 | one brown defense die face |
| 3 | 3 | 8 | one white defense die face |
| 4 | 3 | 10 | one white defense die face |
Miasma: Each hero within 3 spaces of Serena tests [burst icon]. Each hero that fails suffers 1 damage and 1 [black drop icon].
Poison, Disease: If this attack deals at least 1 damage, (after the defense roll), the target is Poisoned and Diseased.
Serena Agent, Act II
- Abilities (front): "Purity of Body" (no icon); "Miasma" (curved arrow icon); "Poison, Disease" (surge icon); and a surge ability with "+2 damage" printed beside it.
- Dice: blue, yellow and yellow.
| Heroes | Speed | Health | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 9 | one white defense die face |
| 3 | 3 | 11 | one white and one brown defense die face |
| 4 | 3 | 13 | one white and one brown defense die face |
Purity of Body: Serena cannot be Poisoned or Diseased.
Miasma: Each hero within 3 spaces of Serena tests [burst icon]. Each hero that fails suffers 1 damage and 1 [black drop icon].
Poison, Disease: If this attack deals at least 1 damage, (after the defense roll), the target is Poisoned and Diseased.