Dice Throne: Vanguard Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Gameplay Overview
• Winning the Game
• Tutorials
• Game Setup
• Turn Phases
• Health
• Combat Points (CP)
• Your Hero Board
• Your Hero Leaflet
• Status Effects
  • Removing Status Effects
  • Spendable Status Effects
  • Persistent Status Effects
  • Stack Limits
  • Increasing Stack Limit
  • Unique Status Effects
  • Interrupting Status Effects
• Companions
• Hero Cards
• Hero Upgrades
  • To Play an Upgrade Card
• Action Cards
  • To Play an Action Card
  • Instant Action Cards
  • Main Phase Action Cards
  • Roll Phase Action Cards
• Resolving Text
  • "Roll [#]"
  • "On [symbol]"
  • Multiplication (e.g. "4 × [dice symbol]")
  • "Then"
  • "Or"
  • "Steal"
  • Isolated Damage
• Damage Types
  • Damage Type Attributes
  • Normal Damage
  • Undefendable Damage
  • Pure Damage
  • Collateral Damage
  • Ultimate Damage
  • Damage Type Chart
• Attack Modifiers
• 4 Player Games
  • 2v2 Team Game
• 3 Player Games
  • King of the Hill
• 5-6 Player Games
• Turn Breakdown
  • 1. Upkeep Phase
  • 2. Income Phase
  • 3. Main Phase (1)
  • 4. Offensive Roll Phase
  • 5. Targeting Roll Phase
  • 6. Defensive Roll Phase
  • 7. Main Phase (2)
  • 8. Discard Phase
• Other Rules
  • Reducing Damage
  • Timing Conflicts and Interrupting
• Credits
• Quick Reference
• Druid
  • Dice Key
  • Status Effects
  • Unique Game Elements
  • Hero Board
• Duelist
  • Dice Key
  • Status Effects
  • Unique Game Element
  • Hero Board
• Forgemaster
  • Dice Key
  • Status Effects
  • Unique Game Element
  • Hero Board
• Sun Elf
  • Dice Key
  • Status Effects
  • Unique Game Element
  • Hero Board
• Duplicate-Content and Sourcing Notes

Gameplay Overview

A heart-pumping, fast-playing game of skilled card play and dice manipulation. The game is played over a series of rounds where you will be rolling your hero's dice up to 3 times. You will use the combination of dice symbols or numbers to activate your hero's abilities to attack your opponent(s).

Winning the Game

Defeat your opponents by reducing their health to 0.

Tutorials

Hate reading rules? We got you covered. Watch a Video Tutorial: http://learn.dicethrone.com

Hungry for lore? Download a free digital comic: http://comic.dicethrone.com

Game Setup

Each player should place all of their chosen hero's components in front of them:

1. Hero Board
2. Hero Leaflet
3. Tokens
   • Stack your Status Effect and Companion tokens on your leaflet in their associated places.
4. Health Dial
   • Set your starting Health to 50 (for a 1v1 game).
5. Combat Points (CP) Dial
   • Set your starting CP to 2.
6. Deck
   • Shuffle your cards to create a deck.
   • Draw the top 4 cards from your deck. This is your starting hand.
7. Dice
   • Roll 1 die. The player who rolls the highest number is considered the Start Player and gets to go first.
8. Additional Setup
   • Some heroes require unique setup steps. If applicable, these steps will be located on the back of your Hero Leaflet.

Turn Phases

Beginning with the Start Player, take turns as the Active Player, with each turn progressing through the following phases:

1. Upkeep Phase - Resolve any Upkeep Phase maintenance (generally specified by Status Effects or Passive Abilities).
2. Income Phase - Gain 1 CP & draw 1 card from your deck. Start Player skips their first Income Phase.
3. Main Phase (1) - Spend CP to play Hero Upgrade cards or Main Phase Action cards. Sell (discard) unwanted cards for 1 CP each.
4. Offensive Roll Phase - Roll any number of your dice up to 3 times and activate a single Offensive Ability that your Final Dice Result meets the Activation Requirement for. Any player may play Roll Phase Action cards.
5. Targeting Roll Phase - If you have only one opponent, this phase is skipped. If you are playing with more than 2 players, see "4 Player Games". Any player may play Roll Phase Action cards.
6. Defensive Roll Phase - If you activated an Attack during your Offensive Roll Phase, your opponent rolls their dice once to activate their Defensive Ability. Any player may play Roll Phase Action cards.
7. Main Phase (2) - Identical to Main Phase (1).
8. Discard Phase - Sell (discard) cards for 1 CP each until you have 6 or fewer cards in your hand.

Health

• The moment your health is reduced to 0, you have been defeated.
• If all remaining players are simultaneously reduced to 0 health, the game is a draw (an opponent cannot be "more dead" than you).
• You may heal a maximum of 10 points above your starting health.

Combat Points (CP)

• CP is spent primarily to pay for cards.
• You can have a maximum of 15 CP. If you gain CP while you are already at 15 CP, do not increase your CP Dial.
• At the start of your Income Phase, increase your CP Dial by 1.

Important: The Start Player must skip their first Income Phase.

Your Hero Board

A. Offensive Ability

• May be activated at the end of your Offensive Roll Phase.
• You may only activate a single ability as the result of your Offensive Roll Phase.

B. Activation Requirement

The Final Dice Result required to activate an Offensive Ability.

• Offensive Abilities generally require a specific set of symbols to activate.
• C. Small Straight abilities require any 4 sequential numbers in a row (e.g. 2-3-4-5) and are represented by 4 escalating dice.
• D. Large Straight abilities require any 5 sequential numbers in a row (e.g. 1-2-3-4-5) and are represented by 5 escalating dice.

E. Passive Ability

• Always active and/or available for use.

F. Ultimate Ability

Your hero's most powerful attack! If activated, the effects are completely unstoppable.

Important: The damage and effects of an Ultimate Ability can be modified, but cannot be reduced, prevented, avoided, responded to, or interrupted by anything (e.g. cards, Status Effects, Companions, etc). Opponents may take no action of any kind from the time it is Activated until the conclusion of the Roll Phase. The only way to prevent an Ultimate Ability is to alter a die roll before its activation.

G. Ability Description

• The effects to be resolved when an ability is activated.
• Dice rolled as part of the ability's effects may apply multiple times during the resolution of the ability.

H. Defensive Ability

• Activated when you are Attacked by an opponent.
• If you have the choice of more than one Defensive Ability, choose one before rolling your dice.
• The Defensive Ability is not activated if the incoming damage type is undefendable, pure, collateral, or is the result of an opponent's Ultimate Ability (see "Damage Types").

I. Defensive Dice

• The number of dice you roll when activating your Defensive Ability.
• For example, "Defense Roll 1" means the hero rolls 1 die during their Defensive Roll Phase.
• These dice are only rolled a single time.

Your Hero Leaflet

Leaflet Front

• A. Status Effects and Companions — Rules for your hero's Status Effects & Companions.
• B. Dice Key — The symbols on each face of the hero's dice.
• C. Complexity Rating — A value between 1 and 6 that measures how difficult a hero is to play. Higher complexity heroes often take more time to master and require good strategy to play effectively.
• D. Hero Setup — Some heroes require additional setup steps before the game begins.

Leaflet Back

• E. Frequently Asked Questions — The answers to questions about complex rules for this hero.

Status Effects

Each hero has a unique set of Status Effects, represented by tokens. If you need more tokens than are provided, represent them with something else.

Positive or Negative Status Effects can be gained or inflicted on yourself or other players. Status Effects are usually gained or inflicted through cards or Offensive Abilities.

When you gain or inflict a Status Effect, take the corresponding token from your Hero Leaflet and place it in the middle of the receiving player's Hero Board. This Status Effect is now considered to be "in play". If a player is defeated, Status Effects they inflicted on other players remain in play.

Removing Status Effects

When a Status Effect is removed, return the token to the appropriate space on its Hero's Leaflet. When using cards or abilities that remove a specific number of Status Effects, remove that many tokens.

Spendable Status Effects

Some Status Effects are removed when you spend them. Unless otherwise specified, you may spend these status effects at any time during any phase of any player's turn and their effects are immediate.

Persistent Status Effects

A Status Effect marked as "Persistent" remains in play until the end of the game, or until a card or ability causes its removal.

Stack Limits

Many Status Effects can be applied multiple times to a hero, creating a stack of them. The Stack Limit represents the maximum number of tokens of a particular Status Effect that can be on a single Hero Board at a given time (e.g. a Status Effect with a Stack Limit of 2 can have a maximum of 2 tokens on each Player).

Increasing Stack Limit

If a player increases the Stack Limit of a Status Effect, the increase only applies to that player, and lasts for the duration of the game.

Unique Status Effects

These fundamentally break the standard Status Effect rules (explained in their description). Unique Status Effects often have a custom shape and/or size.

Interrupting Status Effects

If a Status Effect is spent, its effects cannot be interrupted.

Companions

Some heroes have Companions, which are represented by tokens, dials, or other custom components. Companions are not Status Effects, and are therefore immune to cards and abilities that alter Status Effects.

Companions feature custom rules on the Hero Leaflet. They cannot be removed, transferred, or destroyed, unless otherwise specified in the Companion's ruleset.

Hero Cards

There are two types of cards: Hero Upgrade cards and Action cards.

During your Income Phase, you draw a card from your deck. If you need to draw a card, but your deck is empty, shuffle your Discard Pile to create a new deck first.

Playing cards costs Combat Points (CP). This cost is indicated on the left hand side of the card. Cards costing 0 CP are free to play.

You must conclude your Discard Phase with no more than 6 cards in your hand. If you reach the Discard Phase with more than 6 cards, you must sell cards until you have 6 or fewer. To sell a card, discard it and increase your CP Dial by 1 (all cards are worth 1 CP when sold, no matter how much it costs to play).

The phase during which a card may be played is indicated by the symbol on the left hand side of the card.

Hero Upgrades

Hero Upgrade cards permanently upgrade the space with the same name on your Hero Board. Identified by an up-arrow icon on the left side of the card.

Offensive Ability upgrades have a white border, Defensive Ability upgrades have a green border, and Passive Ability upgrades have a purple border.

Hero Upgrade cards:

• may only be played during your Main Phase (1) or Main Phase (2).
• may not be sold after they have been played.
• may be upgraded directly to level III. If upgrading an already upgraded ability (i.e. upgrading from level II to level III), play the new card over the top of the previous Hero Upgrade and pay only the difference in CP cost between the upgrades.

To Play an Upgrade Card

1. Spend the required CP (shown on the left side of the card).
2. Place the card onto the space of your Hero Board with the same name.

Action Cards

Action cards (identified by a star icon) are single use cards that provide a benefit. Action cards may be played at different times, depending on their color.

To Play an Action Card

1. Spend the required CP (shown on the left side of the card).
2. Perform the described action and then place the card onto your Discard Pile.

Instant Action Cards

• Identified by a red border and an exclamation mark icon.
• May be played at any time, during any player's turn (as indicated by the exclamation mark icon on the left side of the card).
• May be played to interrupt actions or abilities (except other Instant Action cards), and are resolved immediately. The interrupted action or ability completes afterward (see "Timing Conflicts and Interrupting").
• Instant Action cards cannot be interrupted.

Main Phase Action Cards

• Identified by a blue border and a star icon.
• Only playable on your own turn, during Main Phase (1) or Main Phase (2) (as indicated by the Main Phase icon on the left side of the card).

Roll Phase Action Cards

• Identified by an orange border and a star icon.
• May only be played during an Offensive Roll Phase, Defensive Roll Phase, or Targeting Roll Phase (as indicated by the dice icon on the left side of the card).
• May be played during any player's turn.

Resolving Text

"Roll [#]"

Roll the indicated number of dice a single time, then resolve the effects that follow. Dice rolled previously cannot be used to resolve the listed effects. A dice roll performed to activate an Offensive or Defensive Ability is called a Roll Attempt.

"On [symbol]"

If your roll contains the symbol shown, you get the listed benefits. However, you only get these benefits once, even if your roll contains the required result multiple times.

Multiplication (e.g. "4 × [dice symbol]")

Multiply the [number] by the [quantity] of your dice displaying the symbol to determine the total.

"Then"

You may spend Status Effects and play Instant Action cards or Roll Phase Action cards at the point of a "Then" statement.

The effect following a "Then" statement is performed after the effects that came before it.

"Or"

When statements are separated by an "or", you may resolve only one of the options.

Example: "Choose one: Steal 1 CP - or - opponent discards 1 card of their choice."

"Steal"

Take the indicated resource from your opponent and give it to yourself.

When stealing Health/CP, increase your Health/CP Dial and reduce their dial accordingly.

If your opponent does not have the specified amount, Steal as much as they have.

Isolated Damage

Damage that is dealt immediately and may only be prevented or avoided as a separate instance of dmg (i.e. it is not combined with other incoming damage before prevention effects are applied). Abilities that deal this type of damage describe it explicitly (e.g. "deal 2 dmg as an isolated source of undefendable dmg").

Damage Types

The current amount of damage waiting to be dealt to a player is considered "incoming damage".

There are 5 damage types: normal (denoted as simply "dmg"), undefendable, pure, collateral, and ultimate.

Damage Type Attributes

Each damage type has one or more of the following attributes:

• Defendable - If the damage is the result of your opponent's Offensive Ability, you may perform your Defensive Ability.
• Avoidable - Can be reduced, prevented, avoided, or interrupted by cards and/or Status Effects.
• Modifiable - Can be changed with Attack Modifiers.
• Special Targeting Rules - The player to receive the damage is specified in the description. No Targeting Roll Phase is necessary to determine who will receive this damage.

Normal Damage

• This is the most common type of damage, denoted by a black circle with a number in it (e.g. 5) followed by "dmg".
• Defendable, Avoidable, and Modifiable.
• No Special Targeting Rules

Undefendable Damage

• Another common type of damage denoted by a red circle with a number in it (e.g. 2) followed by "undefendable dmg".
• Not Defendable, but it is Avoidable (with cards / Status Effects) and Modifiable.
• No Special Targeting Rules.

Pure Damage

• A special type of undefendable damage denoted by a red circle with a number in it (e.g. 2) followed by "pure dmg".
• Not Defendable, but it is Avoidable.
• Not Modifiable.
• No Special Targeting Rules.

Collateral Damage

• A special type of undefendable damage denoted by a red circle with a number in it (e.g. 2) followed by "collateral dmg".
• Not Defendable, but it is Avoidable.
• Not Modifiable.
• Has Special Targeting Rules (specified on the ability/card).
• Does not qualify as an "Attack" since it does not directly target.
• When dealt to multiple players of the same team at the same time, reduce the Health Dial by the combined total dealt.

Ultimate Damage

• A special type of undefendable damage dealt by your Ultimate Ability.
• Denoted by a red circle with a number in it (e.g. 2).
• Not Defendable or Avoidable.
• Modifiable, but may only be increased, never decreased.
• No Special Targeting Rules.

Damage Type Chart

Damage Type	Defendable	Avoidable	Modifiable	Special Targeting Rules
Normal Damage	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Undefendable Damage	No	Yes	Yes	No
Pure Damage	No	Yes	No	No
Collateral Damage	No	Yes	No	Yes
Ultimate Damage	No	No	Yes (increase only)	No

Attack Modifiers

Any card or Status Effect that adds an effect to an Attack and/or modifies its damage is considered an "Attack Modifier."

They can be played before or after the Defensive Ability is activated.

Damage added by Attack Modifiers is considered to be of the same damage type as the original damage being dealt.

Attack Modifiers can only be used on Attacks (i.e. an Offensive Ability that targets an opponent with at least 1 dmg) that you are activating during your turn (unless otherwise noted).

4 Player Games

2v2 Team Game

When playing with 4 players, apply the following rule changes:

• The game is played in teams of two.
• Teammates sit next to each other and are encouraged to view each other's hands & strategize.
• Roll to determine the Start Player.
• Turn order alternates between teams in a zigzag pattern.
• Teammates share one Health Dial beginning with 50 health.
• The Start Player skips the Income Phase of their first turn.
• When one teammate receives damage, reduce the shared Health Dial by the corresponding amount. If both teammates take damage at the same time, reduce the Health Dial by the combined total of damage taken by both teammates.
• Teammates still have their own individual CP Dials. A player's CP may only be spent on their own cards and abilities.
• Players cannot intervene to reduce their teammate's incoming damage unless specified by a card/status effect (e.g. the Roll Phase Action card 'Not This Time!' can be played on teammates because it refers to "a chosen player").
• Players may alter dice to prevent a teammate from taking damage in the first place or to improve their dice outcome.

3 Player Games

King of the Hill

When playing with 3 players, apply the following rule changes:

• Each player begins the game with 35 Health.
• Roll to determine the Start Player.
• Players take turns in a clockwise order.
• When Attacking, you may target any player desired. However, you receive a bonus card if you choose to Attack the Leader.
• The player(s) with the most Health remaining are considered the Leader(s).
• If you target a Leader with an Attack, you draw 1 card from your deck. The card draw happens immediately after choosing your target (before any other effects occur).
• If you Attack an opponent who is tied with you for the lead, (e.g. you and another player both have 30 Health), you still draw 1 bonus card.
• If you are the only Leader (i.e. you alone have the most Health), you cannot earn a bonus card.
• When the game is down to 2 players, these rules still apply.

5-6 Player Games

Dice Throne can be played with up to 6 players, using King of the Hill or Team Game rules. We strongly recommend that your group does not attempt this until everyone is very familiar with the game. 5-6 player games are fun and intense for seasoned players, but will drag on if attempted by new players.

For full rules on 5-6 player games (and other variants), visit: http://variants.dicethrone.com

Turn Breakdown

At this point you should have enough knowledge of how Dice Throne works to try out a 1v1 game. We recommend you return to this reference section when you have a question.

The following is a detailed breakdown of each phase of a turn.

1. Upkeep Phase

1. Determine if any of your Status Effects or abilities activate during your Upkeep Phase. Then resolve these effects (note: this will not be applicable for most heroes during the beginning of the game).
2. If there are multiple effects, the Active Player may choose the order in which they are resolved.
3. All damage and/or healing effects are accumulated and are applied simultaneously at the conclusion of the phase.

2. Income Phase

Important: The Start Player skips the Income Phase of their first turn.

1. Increase your CP Dial by 1 (skip this step if you already have the maximum of 15 CP).
2. Draw 1 card from the top of your deck and add it to your hand. If your deck is empty, shuffle your Discard Pile to create a new deck.

3. Main Phase (1)

Perform any of the options below in any order, and as many times as you like:

A. Sell any card

• Place 1 card from your hand onto your Discard Pile.
• Increase your CP Dial by 1 (all cards are worth 1 CP when sold, no matter how much it costs to play).

B. Play Main Phase Action cards

• Reduce your CP Dial by the CP cost shown on the left side of the card.
• Perform the described action(s).
• Place the card onto your Discard Pile.

C. Play Hero Upgrade cards

• Reduce your CP Dial by the CP cost shown on the left side of the card.
• If you are upgrading from level II to level III, only pay the difference in cost.
• Place the card onto the correspondingly named space on your Hero Board.

4. Offensive Roll Phase

During this phase, any player may choose to play Roll Phase Action cards after any step listed below.

1. Perform up to 3 Roll Attempts:
   • Roll all 5 of your dice.
   • Optional: reroll any number of dice.
   • Optional: for a second time, reroll any number of dice.
2. When you are satisfied with your roll, you may either:
   • Announce the Offensive Ability that you intend to Activate (your Final Dice Result must meet its Activation Requirement).
   • Announce that you are not going to Activate an Offensive Ability at all.
   • Tip: Activating a weak Attack against an opponent with a powerful Defensive Ability is not always advisable.
3. If you, a teammate, or an opponent have altered any of your dice at this point (e.g. someone played 'Twice As Wild'), you may either:
   • Announce a different Offensive Ability based on the new Final Dice Results.
   • Return to step 1 of the Offensive Roll Phase and use any remaining unused rerolls.
4. Activate the Offensive Ability (if one was chosen):
   • Determine its variable effects (some abilities require additional steps to determine their full effects).
   • Resolve any effects that do not require a target (e.g. gain Evasive, gain Back Strike, Heal 5, etc).

5. Targeting Roll Phase

If you have only one opponent, this phase is skipped.

Note: Targeting an opponent still applies even if you have activated an ability that does no damage, but has effects that must be reconciled (e.g. 'Mark the Target' inflicts Bounty).

In King of the Hill variants, simply choose an opponent to Attack (see "King of the Hill").

To decide who the Defender will be in 2v2 games:

1. Roll 1 die.

   This die may be manipulated with cards, unless the Attack is an Ultimate Ability. Dice could have been manipulated before an Ultimate Ability Activated, but as this is now the Targeting Roll Phase, the Ultimate Ability has already Activated and simply requires a target.

2. Determine the Defender who will be receiving the damage based on the result of your die roll:

   • 1 or 2 - Target the opponent on your left.
   • 3 or 4 - Target the opponent on your right.
   • 5 - Your opponents choose which of them you target.
   • 6 - Choose either opponent as your target.

Note: For targeting rules on other variants, visit: http://variants.dicethrone.com

6. Defensive Roll Phase

If the Active Player's Offensive Roll Phase results in an Attack, then the Defender now begins the Defensive Roll Phase.

1. Resolve any effects from the Offensive Ability that require a target and are not Damage related (e.g. inflict Status Effects such as Wither or Bounty, Steal CP, etc).

2. If the Offensive Ability results in an Attack and if that Attack's damage type is defendable, the Defender may activate their Defensive Ability.

   Note: Most heroes only have 1 Defensive Ability. However, if a hero has 2, they must choose one now.

3. Defender rolls the indicated number of dice (e.g. "Defense Roll 1" means roll 1 die).

4. Based on the dice results, the Defender resolves all non-damage effects (e.g. gain Synth, inflict Shame, gain CP, etc).

5. There is one last opportunity for any player to spend Status Effects or play cards.

6. Finally, all damage, prevention, and/or healing effects are accumulated and are applied simultaneously at the conclusion of the Roll Phase.

   • Note: If all remaining players are simultaneously reduced to 0 health, the game is a draw.

7. Main Phase (2)

Identical to Main Phase (1).

8. Discard Phase

1. Sell cards from your hand, until you have 6 or fewer cards.
2. Increase your CP Dial by 1 for each card sold (more expensive cards are not worth more CP).
3. Place any sold cards onto your Discard Pile.

Other Rules

Reducing Damage

Effects that reduce damage apply to the cumulative total of damage dealt during the phase in which they are played.

Example: You have dealt 8 dmg to your opponent. Their Defensive Ability prevented ½ of the incoming damage. You then play a card that adds 4 dmg. The total amount prevented would be 6.

Timing Conflicts and Interrupting

Occasionally, players will want to perform actions at the same time. If this happens, resolve the actions in clockwise order, beginning with the Active Player — whoever's turn it is has priority when performing Actions, followed by subsequent players in turn order. Any player can, also in clockwise order, interrupt this regular flow of play with Instant Action cards, Roll Phase Action cards, or Spendable Status Effects. After all interruptions are complete, the previous order of play continues normally.

Example: The Gunslinger defends an Attack with her 'Duel' Defensive Ability. She rolls a 1 and loses the "duel." She then interrupts her Defensive Ability by playing a 'So Wild' card to change her die to a 6. Play then continues normally and she is now winning the "duel" as a result of her interruption.

Credits

Game design: Nate Chatellier, Manny Trembley, Gavan Brown

Game development: Nate Chatellier, John Heidrich

Illustration: Manny Trembley, Nick Malara, Britt Anderson

For Hero-specific credits, see the individual Hero Leaflets.

Quick Reference

2/3/4/5-of-a-kind: When the dice show the same number (not symbol) 2/3/4/5 times.

Additionally: Statements following an "Additionally" resolve after the other listed effects.

Attack: An Offensive Ability that deals at least 1 non-collateral dmg to an opponent.

Attack Modifier: A Status Effect or card that adds an effect to an Attack and/or modifies its damage.

Collateral Damage: Damage with special targeting rules that does not qualify as an Attack. Not Defendable or Modifiable, but may still be avoided or prevented.

Combat Points (CP): Spent to play cards. Players can have a maximum of 15 CP. Players gain 1 CP during their Income Phase (except the Start Player's first turn).

Companion: Reference your Hero Leaflet for their unique definition (see "Companions").

Defender: The player who is being targeted by an Attack.

Final Dice Result: The result of your five dice after all rerolls and dice modification are finished.

Gain: For Status Effects, take the corresponding token and place it on the middle of your Hero Board. For Health or CP, increase your Health or CP Dial by the specified amount.

Heal: Increase your Health Dial by the specified amount. You may Heal up to 10 Health beyond your starting Health.

Incoming damage: The current amount of damage waiting to be dealt to a player.

Inflict: Take the Status Effect's corresponding token and place it in the middle of the receiving player's Hero Board.

Instant Action card: An Action card that may be played at any time during any player's turn. These cards can interrupt normal play, but not another Instant Action / Roll Phase Action card or Status Effects (which are considered Instant Actions).

Isolated Damage: Damage that is dealt immediately and may only be prevented or avoided as a separate instance of dmg.

Large Straight: 5 of your dice show a sequence of numbers (i.e. 1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6).

Main Phase Action card: An Action card that may be played during the Active Player's Main Phase (1) or Main Phase (2).

On [symbol]: If your roll contains the required symbol(s), you get the benefits. Even if your roll contains the required symbol(s) multiple times, you only get the benefits once.

Or: When statements are separated by an "Or", you may resolve only one of the separated statements.

Persistent Status Effects: Remain in play until some other card or ability causes their removal.

Pure Damage: Undefendable damage that cannot be modified, but can be avoided or prevented.

Roll Attempt: A dice roll performed by the player to activate an Offensive or Defensive Ability.

Roll Phase Action card: An Action card that may be played during the Offensive / Targeting / Defensive Roll Phase. These cards can interrupt normal play, but not another Instant Action / Roll Phase Action card or Status Effects.

Roll Phase: If an ability references "the conclusion of the Roll Phase," this occurs at the very end of the Roll Phase.

Roll [#]: Roll the indicated number of dice to resolve the listed effects.

Sell: During a player's Main Phase, they may take any card from their hand, place it onto their Discard Pile, and then gain 1 CP (i.e. increase their CP Dial by 1).

Small Straight: 4 of your dice show a sequence of numbers (i.e. 1-2-3-4 or 2-3-4-5 or 3-4-5-6).

Spendable Status Effects: Remain in play until you choose to spend them.

Spent / Spend: If a Status Effect is spent, you remove the token and receive the benefit. This has no cost. You may gain this Status Effect token again later in the game.

Stack Limit: Specifies how many tokens of the same type can be on any one Hero at any time (unless a card or ability increases that limit).

Steal: Take the indicated resource from your opponent and give it to yourself. If your opponent does not have the specified amount, Steal as much as they have.

Then: "Then" statements create a break in play during which players may play Instant Action cards, Roll Phase Action cards, or spend Status Effects. Statements following a "Then" are always resolved after the statements preceding the "Then".

Ultimate Ability: Opponents CANNOT DO ANYTHING until the ability completes. This includes preventing, responding to, or interrupting its damage and effects. The ability also ignores any Status Effects in play that would reduce the effectiveness of the ability. The ability can be modified by the Active Player. The only way to prevent an Ultimate Ability or avoid its damage is to alter a die roll to stop its activation.

Undefendable Damage: Damage which players cannot activate a Defensive Ability against. However, the damage may still be avoided, prevented, or modified.

Unique Status Effects: Contain rules in their description that break the normal rules for Status Effects.

Druid

"I am the Protector of Nature and all things living!"

Complexity 2. The Druid Shape Shifts between Cat Form and Bear Form to change the effect of their Passive Ability, striking swiftly and inflicting Wound in Cat Form, or enduring with Thick Hide in Bear Form. While not Shape Shifted, the Druid Regenerates prior injuries over time.

Dice Key

Face	Symbol
1	Claw
2	Claw
3	Claw
4	Paw
5	Paw
6	Leaf

Status Effects

Shape Shift — Unique Status Effect, Stack Limit: 2

Transform into one of your three forms. This token may be spent at any time to perform one of the following effects:

• Transform into Bear Form
• Transform into Cat Form
• Return to Druid Form

This token may not be removed or transferred by any other means. The Bear and Cat Forms are on one double-sided overlay (the Cat/Bear Form Leaflet). This overlay covers the center of your Hero Board to represent your Active Form. It adds different bonuses for each Active Form.

Regenerate — Positive Status Effect, Stack Limit: 2

Heal over time during your Upkeep Phase. When you gain this token, place it on the "2" side up.

During their Upkeep Phase, a player with this token does the following based on which side is face-up:

• Regenerate 2: Heal 2 and flip it to the "1" side.
• Regenerate 1: Heal 1 and remove this token.

Additionally, if a player gains Regenerate while at Stack Limit, they may flip a token to the "2" side instead.

Wound — Negative Status Effect, Stack Limit: 2

Receive 1 dmg in Upkeep Phase. Roll 1 die: on 4-6, remove this token.

A player afflicted with this token is dealt 1 dmg during their Upkeep Phase. Then roll 1 die: on 4-6, remove this token.

Unique Game Elements

Bear Form board overlay

• Is placed over the center section of the Hero Board except for the Ultimate Ability.
• Changes the Passive Ability to: "WHEN BEAR FORM IS ACTIVE... Your Defensive Ability is stronger" (see the Defensive Ability, Thick Hide).

Cat Form board overlay

• Is placed over the center section of the Hero Board except for the Ultimate Ability.
• Changes the Passive Ability to: "WHEN CAT FORM IS ACTIVE... If you conclude your Offensive Roll Phase with an Attack, add 2 dmg and inflict Wound." Attack Modifier.

Passive Ability (Druid Form) — WHEN DRUID FORM IS ACTIVE... At the conclusion of your turn, you or a chosen teammate gains Regenerate.

Hero Board

Ferocity (Claw)

• 3 Claw: Deal 4 dmg.
• 4 Claw: Deal 5 dmg.
• 5 Claw: Deal 6 dmg.
• On 4-of-a-kind (Paws), inflict Wound.

Wild Realignment (Claw, Paw, Paw, Leaf)

Gain 1 CP and 2 Shape Shift. Then, if in Druid Form, draw 1 card.

Nature's Cure (Paw, Paw, Paw, Leaf)

Gain Regenerate. Deal 5 dmg.

Maul (Paw, Paw, Paw, Paw)

Roll 2 dice and deal dmg equal to the total roll value. If in Bear Form, you may re-roll one of these dice.

Forest's Call (Small Straight)

Gain Shape Shift. Then deal 6 dmg.

Protect the Forest (Leaf, Leaf, Leaf, Leaf)

Gain Regenerate & Shape Shift. Then deal 6 undefendable dmg.

Forest's Answer (Large Straight)

Gain Shape Shift. Then deal 7 dmg & roll 1 die:

• On Claw, add 2 dmg.
• On Paw, gain Shape Shift.
• On Leaf, gain Regenerate.

Thick Hide (Defensive, Defense Roll 2)

If in Bear Form, roll 4 dice instead. Deal 1 dmg per Claw rolled. If in Bear Form, gain an additional bonus based on Claw/Paw results rolled (exact bonus wording illegible on the available source photo of this card — see "Duplicate-content and sourcing notes" at the end of this document).

Wrath of Nature! (Ultimate — 5 Leaf)

Gain Regenerate and 2 Shape Shift. Then deal 12 dmg.

Dice may be altered to prevent an Ultimate. Otherwise, no action of any kind may be performed by any opponent until the ability fully completes.

Duelist

"My passion is for life, love and battle... and awesome hair."

The Duelist moves a Footwork token forwards and backwards along a Footwork Track, gaining Offensive and Defensive bonuses based on where the token lands, while inflicting Guard Break (making Attacks undefendable) and Disarm on opponents.

Dice Key

Face	Symbol
1	Blade
2	Blade
3	Blade
4	Boot
5	Boot
6	Pierce

Status Effects

Guard Break — Positive Status Effect, Stack Limit: 2

Attack becomes undefendable on 4-5: If a player concludes their Offensive Roll Phase with an Attack, they may spend this token and roll 1 die. If the outcome is 4-5, the Attack becomes undefendable.

Disarm — Negative Status Effect, Stack Limit: 1

Opponent loses a card or Income Phase: During their Upkeep Phase, a player afflicted with this token may choose to discard 1 card. If they do not (or cannot), they must skip their Income Phase instead. Then remove this token.

Unique Game Element

Footwork Track

To "take a Step" means to move your Footwork token forwards (up) or backwards (down) on the Footwork Track.

• When Attacking, gain the Offensive Bonus listed based on your final position of your Footwork token. Attack Modifier.
• When you are Attacked with normal damage, gain the Defensive Bonus listed based on the final position of your Footwork token.
• These Offensive/Defensive Bonus effects are resolved before determining the final dmg total during the Defensive Roll Phase.
• You can only resolve one Bonus effect per turn.

The Footwork Track has five positions, from top to bottom: +3 (Offensive Bonus), +1 (Offensive Bonus), Neutral Position (center), +1 (Defensive Bonus), and 3 (Defensive Bonus, shown as a shield icon).

Footwork Token — Used to keep track of position upon the Footwork Track.

Hero Setup: Start the game with the Footwork token on the Neutral Position of the Footwork Track.

Hero Board

Blade Flurry (Blade)

• 3 Blade: Deal 4 dmg.
• 4 Blade: Deal 5 dmg.
• 5 Blade: Deal 6 dmg.
• On 4-of-a-kind (Pierces), you may take 1 Step.

Feint Attack (Blade, Blade, Pierce, Pierce)

Gain Guard Break. You may take 1 Step. Then deal 2 undefendable dmg.

Reposition (Passive)

During your Upkeep Phase, choose forward (up) or backward (down). You must take 1 or 2 Steps in this direction. If you move backward with this Ability, gain Guard Break.

Balestra (Blade, Blade, Pierce, Pierce, Pierce)

You may take up to 2 Steps. Then deal 6 dmg.

Strike (Small Straight or Large Straight)

• Small Straight: Deal 7 dmg.
• Large Straight: You may take 1 Step. Then deal 10 dmg.

Bladestorm (Pierce, Pierce, Pierce, Pierce)

Gain Guard Break. Inflict Disarm. You may take up to 2 Steps. Then deal 8 dmg.

En Garde (Pierce, Pierce, Pierce, Pierce, Pierce)

Deal 8 dmg and roll 4 dice. On Pierce, inflict Disarm.

Retreat (Defensive, Defense Roll 4)

For every Blade rolled, deal 1 dmg. For each Boot or Pierce rolled, you must take 1 Step backward.

Master of the Blade! (Ultimate — 5 Pierce)

Gain 2 Guard Break. Inflict Disarm. You may take up to 4 Steps. Then deal 11 dmg.

Dice may be altered to prevent an Ultimate. Otherwise, no action of any kind may be performed by any opponent until the ability fully completes.

Forgemaster

"Mine your own business!"

The Forgemaster Mines their deck for Ore Cards during their Upkeep Phase, then spends Ore during their Main Phase on their Passive Ability, The Forge, to Craft Armor (Helmets and Shields) or Scrap Ore for immediate effects.

Dice Key

Face	Symbol
1	Pick
2	Pick
3	Pick
4	Forge
5	Forge
6	Anvil

Status Effects

Armor — Unique Status Effect, Stack Limit: 1 Helmet / 1 Shield

Whenever a player is Attacked with normal damage, they may activate the effects below based on the Armor that is on them:

Helmets

• Gold — Blueprint: 2 Pick. Deal 1 dmg back to your Attacker.
• Diamond — Blueprint: 1 Pick + 2 Forge. Deal 2 dmg back to your Attacker.
• Ultimanium — Blueprint: 1 Pick + 1 Forge. Deal 3 dmg back to your Attacker.

Shields

• Gold — Blueprint: 2 Pick. Prevent 1 dmg.
• Diamond — Blueprint: 1 Pick + 2 Forge. Prevent 2 dmg.
• Ultimanium — Blueprint: 1 Pick + 1 Forge. Whenever you are Attacked with any type of damage (except an Ultimate), prevent 2 dmg.

Armor may not be removed or transferred by any means except as a result of this Hero's effects.

Hero Setup: If you have more than 1 opponent, begin the game with any one Gold Armor.

Unique Game Element

Ore (Cards)

Ore can be used to Craft Armor (see the Forging Info Card) or to perform the Scrap Effect on the card:

• At any time, choose an Ore card from your Passive Ability, The Forge, and perform the Scrap Effect.

Hero Board

Pick Axe (Pick)

• 3 Pick: Deal 5 dmg.
• 4 Pick: Deal 6 dmg.
• 5 Pick: Deal 7 dmg.
• On 4-of-a-kind (Forges), gain 1 CP.

Furnace (Forge, Forge, Forge, Forge)

Deal 5 dmg and roll 1 die: add dmg equal to the value rolled.

The Mines (Passive)

During your Upkeep Phase, you may Mine your deck. Once per turn, you may spend 3 CP at any time to draw 1 card.

The Forge (Passive)

During your Main Phase, you may place any number of Ore from your hand on this Passive Ability.

Armored Up (Small Straight or Large Straight)

• If you have 2 Armor, add 2 dmg.
• Small Straight: Deal 7 dmg.
• Large Straight: Deal 10 dmg.

Smelting Time (Anvil, Anvil, Anvil, Anvil)

Draw 1 card. Deal 9 undefendable dmg.

A Good Haul (Pick, Forge, Forge, Forge)

Mine your deck. You may reveal all Ore Cards that are Mined in this way and place them on your Passive Ability, The Forge. Then deal 8 dmg.

Masterwork (Defensive, Defense Roll 1)

• On Pick, Mine your deck.
• On Forge, double the effect of one Armor.
• On Anvil, double the effect of up to two different Armor.

Final Touches! (Ultimate — 5 Anvil)

Search your deck for any one Ore Card. Place it on your Passive Ability, The Forge, then shuffle your deck. Deal 34 dmg.

Dice may be altered to prevent an Ultimate. Otherwise, no action of any kind may be performed by any opponent until the ability fully completes.

Sun Elf

"As long as the sun rises, our victory is assured!"

The Sun Elf raises and lowers a Sun Dial that flips between Dusk and Dawn sides, generating Charged Gems and inflicting Sun Marked while building toward powerful attacks fueled by accumulated Sun Dial value.

Dice Key

Face	Symbol
1	Stave
2	Stave
3	Stave
4	Charge
5	Charge
6	Sun Power

Status Effects

Charged Gem — Positive Status Effect, Stack Limit: 1

Roll and gain CP and/or deal dmg: A player with this token may spend it during their Main Phase and roll 1 die.

• On 1-2, gain 1 CP.
• On 3-4, deal 2 dmg as an isolated source of undefendable dmg to a chosen opponent.
• On 5-6, gain 1 CP and deal 2 dmg as an isolated source of undefendable dmg to a chosen opponent.

Sun Marked — Negative Status Effect, Stack Limit: 1

When Attacked, the Attacker Heals 7: When a player afflicted with this token is Attacked by an opponent, the Attacker Heals 7. Attack Modifier. Persistent.

Unique Game Element

Sun Dial — Dial, Max: 5

• When an ability or effect reads "Increase Sun Dial", increase the value on your Sun Dial by the same amount.
• If the Sun Dial would be increased above 5, Heal 1 for each increase above 5 instead.

Dusk

• During your Upkeep Phase, increase Sun Dial by 1.
• Whenever this dial reads 5, immediately flip it over to the Dawn side.

Dawn

• If your Offensive Roll Phase results in an Attack, you may choose to add the Sun Dial value as dmg. At the end of the Roll Phase, reduce Sun Dial by 4. Attack Modifier.
• Whenever this dial reads 0, immediately flip it over to the Dusk side.

Hero Setup: Begin the game with the Sun Dial set to 3, with the Dusk side face up.

Hero Board

Light Staff (Stave)

• 3 Stave: Deal 4 dmg.
• 4 Stave: Deal 5 dmg.
• 5 Stave: Deal 7 dmg.
• On 4-of-a-kind (Charges), increase Sun Dial by 1.

Ray Absorption (Charge, Charge, Charge)

Increase Sun Dial by 3. Heal 7. Gain Charged Gem.

Scorching Staff (Stave, Charge, Charge, Charge)

Deal 5 dmg and roll 1 die.

• On Stave, add 2 dmg.
• On Charge, increase Sun Dial by 2.
• On Sun Power, gain Charged Gem and increase Sun Dial by 2.

Radiant Energy (Stave, Stave, Stave, Sun Power, Sun Power)

Inflict Sun Marked. Then deal 6 dmg.

Ray of Light (Small Straight)

Increase Sun Dial by 1. Then deal 7 dmg.

Solar Burst (Sun Power, Sun Power, Sun Power, Sun Power)

Increase Sun Dial by 2. Choose one: gain Charged Gem, or inflict Sun Marked. Then deal 8 dmg.

Sun Beam (Large Straight)

Increase Sun Dial by 2. Then deal 9 dmg.

Harness the Light (Defensive, Defense Roll 1)

Heal 1 for each Stave rolled.

• On 2 Charge, increase Sun Dial by 1.
• On Sun Power, increase Sun Dial by 1.

Solar Flare! (Ultimate — 5 Sun Power)

Increase Sun Dial by 3. Gain Charged Gem. Inflict Sun Marked. Then deal 10 dmg.

Dice may be altered to prevent an Ultimate. Otherwise, no action of any kind may be performed by any opponent until the ability fully completes.

Duplicate-Content and Sourcing Notes

Dice Throne: Vanguard had not shipped a standalone rulebook PDF as of this transcription — the boxes were still in Kickstarter fulfillment (BGG lists a 2026 release, with the earliest owner photos dated mid-2026). No file for this game exists in BGG's file section, on 1jour-1jeu.com / cdn.1j1ju.com, on Tesera, on Tabletopia, or in a TTS Workshop mod. The shared "Rules of Play" section above is Dice Throne's official current core rulebook (v2.4.3), the same living document used by every Dice Throne product — this is the correct, non-duplicate source for the shared engine rules, and it is not a copy of the older v2.0 text already used by the Season One/Season Two/Marvel Dice Throne entries in this catalog; terminology (e.g. "Modifiable" instead of "Enhanceable", the "Isolated Damage" rule, updated Credits) was cross-checked against the real v2.4.3 PDF (downloaded from the link on shop.dicethrone.com/pages/faq).

The four Vanguard heroes — Druid, Duelist, Forgemaster, and Sun Elf — are genuinely new content with no prior appearance in this catalog's Dice Throne files. Their Dice Keys, Status Effects, and Hero Board ability text were transcribed from scans of the physical Hero Boards and Leaflets, mirrored via the Dice Throne Wiki (Fandom) and cross-checked against official box-content photos on BoardGameGeek. One line is flagged above as illegible on the available source photo (the Bear Form bonus on the Druid's "Thick Hide" defensive ability) — the base effect is transcribed faithfully, but the Bear Form bonus wording could not be confirmed at the available image resolution and was not guessed.