District-Z Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Card Types
• Counters
• Single Player Setup
  • Objective
  • Single Player City Setup
• How to Play (At a glance)
• How to Play (In depth)
  • 1. Move
  • 3. Roll on the EVENT TABLE
  • 4. Complete the EVENT
• Combat
  • Combat Example
• Attributes and Attribute Checks
  • Attribute Check Example
• Winning
• Losing
• Multiplayer Setup (2-4 Players)
  • Objective
• Multiplayer How to Play (At a glance)
• Additional Multiplayer Rules
  • Multiplayer Starting Location and City's Edge
  • Combat (Multiplayer)
  • Staying at Your Current Location
  • Healing
  • Meeting Another Survivor
  • Dying
• Additional and Optional Rules
  • Stands and Cubes
  • Additional Location Cards
  • Zombie Survivor Combat
  • Infection and Zombie Survivors

Components

• 30 LOCATION cards
• 26 ITEM cards
• 6 SURVIVOR cards
• 6 SURVIVOR PORTRAIT cards
• 4 LOCATION OBJECTIVE cards
• 6 Black ZOMBIE COMBAT dice
• 6 Red SURVIVOR COMBAT dice
• 5 Card Stands
• 4 CITY'S EDGE cubes
• 25 WOUND counters
• 25 INFECTION counters
• 20 ZOMBIE counters
• 1 Rule Book

Card Types

Sometimes a card will modify the game. Follow the rules on the card. They supersede those written in the rule book.

ITEM cards: The gear that SURVIVORS use while on their journey. To equip an ITEM, find its card in the ITEM card pile and put it next to your SURVIVOR card.

If an ITEM is 2-HANDED, it counts as two 1-HANDED ITEMS. If an ITEM is not 1-HANDED or 2-HANDED, it takes up no hands. SURVIVORS can equip a maximum of four 1-HANDED ITEMS. If you have more than four 1-HANDED ITEMS equipped, any additional 1-HANDED and 2-HANDED ITEMS must be dropped.

You drop an ITEM by leaving it at your current LOCATION. When you leave that LOCATION, don't flip the LOCATION card face down. A SURVIVOR may move to that LOCATION and equip any ITEMS dropped there. If this is done, that SURVIVOR skips rolling for an EVENT at that LOCATION. If an ITEM is BROKEN or is OUT OF AMMO, unequip that ITEM. To unequip an ITEM, simply put that ITEM back into the ITEM CARD PILE.

Some ITEMS modify a SURVIVOR'S BASE COMBAT, BASE AGILITY, BASE PERCEPTION, and/or BASE HEALTH rating. The modifier is listed on each card. At any time, a SURVIVOR may choose whether or not to use an ITEM. Also, a SURVIVOR may only use the modifier of one ITEM at a time unless it is labeled DUAL-WIELDABLE. You may combine the modifiers of two DUAL-WIELDABLE ITEMS at a time.

Some ITEMS are UNIQUE. This means that there can be only one of these UNIQUE ITEMS in the CITY at any time. If a UNIQUE ITEM happens to be rolled for on the EVENT TABLE when that same UNIQUE ITEM is already in the CITY, disregard this result and consider the EVENT skipped.

SURVIVOR cards: You. One of the last survivors of the zombie apocalypse. Begin by selecting a SURVIVOR card and the corresponding SURVIVOR PORTRAIT card.

LOCATION cards: The places SURVIVORS go while making their way to safety. Most LOCATION cards have an EVENT TABLE on them. This table is used to determine what happens. UNIQUE EVENTS, AFTER EVENTS, or SPECIAL EVENTS can be on LOCATION cards as well. UNIQUE EVENTS only happen once each game. You may then randomly replace that LOCATION card or simply disregard following visits. AFTER EVENTS must be completed in order to end your turn. SPECIAL EVENTS are determined by the card.

SURVIVOR PORTRAIT cards: These cards are used as your playing pieces. You put the card into a card stand and this represents you in the CITY.

LOCATION OBJECTIVE cards: The back of a LOCATION OBJECTIVE card is the same as the back of a LOCATION card. The front looks like the front of an ITEM card. When LOCATION OBJECTIVE cards are found, they are treated the same as ITEM cards. In order to win the game, you must find and equip a LOCATION OBJECTIVE card and make your way to the CITY'S EDGE.

Counters

There are three different types of counters in DISTRICT-Z.

WOUND counters: Place these counters on your SURVIVOR card to keep track of damage taken during the game. If the number of WOUND counters on your SURVIVOR is equal to or greater than your HEALTH rating, then the SURVIVOR is dead.

ZOMBIE counters: If any ZOMBIES are left from an encounter, place these counters on the LOCATION card. Any SURVIVOR that lands on this LOCATION must defeat these zombies before rolling on the EVENT TABLE.

INFECTION counters: Put these counters on SURVIVOR cards in order to keep track of your level of INFECTION. For more information about INFECTION, see page 15.

Single Player Setup

1. Select a SURVIVOR card and the corresponding SURVIVOR PORTRAIT.
2. Put the SURVIVOR PORTRAIT into a card stand. This is your playing piece.
3. Follow SINGLE PLAYER CITY SETUP below and lay the LOCATION cards face down in a grid in front of you. Make sure the COMPASS ROSES are pointing in the same direction. This is called the CITY.
4. Flip over the starting LOCATION card.
5. Put your playing piece on top of that card.
6. You're at your first LOCATION. Now you must kill the zombies, stay alive, and escape while you still can!

Objective

You must kill the zombies, stay alive, find the LOCATION OBJECTIVE card, and escape by making your way from your starting LOCATION to the CITY'S EDGE.

Single Player City Setup

A single player CITY is created with just 23 location cards and is set up as follows: Set aside one objective location card and eight location cards. Shuffle them together and create a 3 x 3 grid. Then place two columns of three LOCATION cards to the left and right of this 3 x 3 grid, creating a 7 x 3 grid. Then place one LOCATION card in the middle left as the starting LOCATION and one LOCATION card in middle right as the CITY'S EDGE.

Note: the card count and grid layout are transcribed as printed in the beta; the printed "23 location cards" and the "7 x 3 grid" built from one 3 x 3 grid plus two columns of three do not reconcile, and the beta's own setup illustration shows a 7 x 3 grid.

How to Play (At a glance)

1. Move your playing piece to a LOCATION card and flip it face up. 2a. If the card you flip over is a LOCATION OBJECTIVE card, you may equip it. You should now continue to make your way to the CITY'S EDGE to win the game. 2b. If the card you flip over is a normal LOCATION card, roll one 6-sided die and consult the EVENT TABLE on the LOCATION card. At least one EVENT will happen. a. NOTHING b. Find an ITEM and equip it. c. ZOMBIES attack you. d. SPECIAL EVENT
2. Complete the EVENT.
3. Your turn ends.

How to Play (In depth)

1. Move

Any time your playing piece lands on a LOCATION card, flip over the LOCATION card and complete an EVENT. Upon completing an EVENT, move in your chosen direction. You may only move NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, or WEST. Unless otherwise stated, move your playing piece one LOCATION card every turn. When you move your playing piece from a flipped LOCATION card, flip that LOCATION card face down.

2a. If the card you flipped over is a LOCATION OBJECTIVE card, remove it from the CITY, equip it, and replace it with the LOCATION card you removed at the beginning of the game. You must flip over the new LOCATION card and complete the EVENT. Upon completing the EVENT, you should now continue to make your way to the CITY'S EDGE to win the game.

2b. If it's a LOCATION card, see Step 3 and roll for an EVENT on the EVENT TABLE.

3. Roll on the EVENT TABLE

Roll a die and consult the EVENT TABLE on the LOCATION card. One EVENT will happen.

a. You find NOTHING. Your EVENT is complete. b. You find an ITEM. Locate the ITEM card and you may equip it. Your EVENT is complete. c. You find ZOMBIES. The number of ZOMBIES listed on the card is the number you must fight. (See the COMBAT section). d. You have a SPECIAL EVENT. Any SPECIAL EVENT rules are written on the card. Follow the rules on the card. They supersede those written in the rule book.

4. Complete the EVENT

After your event is completed, your turn is usually over. Sometimes there are AFTER EVENTS that take place after an EVENT on the EVENT TABLE. AFTER EVENTS only happen once each visit to a LOCATION card. Once you complete those AFTER EVENTS, your turn is over. If you skipped the EVENT, do not roll for any AFTER EVENTS.

Combat

COMBAT can be against ZOMBIES or between SURVIVORS or ZOMBIE SURVIVORS. For SURVIVOR COMBAT, see MEETING ANOTHER SURVIVOR on page 14. For ZOMBIE SURVIVOR COMBAT see page 15.

COMBAT is divided into COMBAT ROUNDS. Each roll of the dice is considered a COMBAT ROUND. During each COMBAT ROUND, the ZOMBIES roll the number of dice equal to the number of ZOMBIES at the current LOCATION and you roll the number of dice equal to your COMBAT RATING. Roll the necessary number of dice (see COMBAT EXAMPLE) at the same time and determine the outcome based on these rules:

• Dice with the same result negate each other. You don't take any damage, nor do you destroy a ZOMBIE.
• If your die is higher than a ZOMBIE'S die, you destroy that ZOMBIE.
• If a ZOMBIE'S die is higher than your die, you take 1 WOUND.

If the number of ZOMBIES is greater than your COMBAT RATING, you take 1 WOUND for each ZOMBIE die that exceeds your COMBAT RATING.

COMBAT continues until either all the ZOMBIES at the current LOCATION are dead (again), or you are.

Unless otherwise stated, at the beginning of each COMBAT ROUND, you may choose to ESCAPE from ZOMBIES instead of fighting them by making an AGILITY ATTRIBUTE CHECK. To do this, you roll the amount of dice equal to your AGILITY and the ZOMBIES roll the number of dice equal to the number of ZOMBIES at the current LOCATION with a maximum of three dice. Add the results including any modifiers. If the total of your dice is greater than the attacking ZOMBIES' dice total, you have successfully ESCAPED from the ZOMBIES. Put the number of ZOMBIE counters onto your current LOCATION card equal to the amount you successfully ESCAPED from. Your turn is now over. If the total of your dice is less than the attacking ZOMBIES' COMBAT dice total, you take one WOUND and COMBAT continues.

Combat Example

You are HOPE equipped with a PISTOL. This gives you a total COMBAT RATING of 3 (BASE COMBAT RATING of 2 and the PISTOL gives you +1).

You are fighting four ZOMBIES. Rolling all 7 of the dice, your results are 2, 3, and 4. The ZOMBIES' results are 1, 3, 3, and 5. Comparing the results you choose to

• use your 2 die against the 1 ZOMBIE die, destroying this ZOMBIE.
• match your 3 die against the first 3 ZOMBIE die, negating these results.
• use your 4 die against the second 3 ZOMBIE die, destroying a second ZOMBIE.
• take 1 WOUND, placing a WOUND counter on HOPE's card, because you have no way to fight the 5 ZOMBIE die.

The next COMBAT ROUND, you roll 3, 5, and 6. The ZOMBIES roll 3 and 5 (they only roll 2 dice this COMBAT ROUND because you destroyed 2 ZOMBIES during the first COMBAT ROUND). Comparing the results you choose to

• do nothing with your 3 result.
• match your 5 die against the 3 ZOMBIE die, destroying the ZOMBIE.
• use your 6 die against the 5 ZOMBIE die destroying the ZOMBIE.

COMBAT is now over. Following the PISTOL card rules, you must now roll to see if your PISTOL is OUT OF AMMO. You roll a die and get a 4. It's your lucky day. You managed to kill 4 ZOMBIES, you still have some ammo for your PISTOL, and you remained relatively unscathed, taking only 1 WOUND. Hopefully you'll be that lucky next time.

Attributes and Attribute Checks

There are four ATTRIBUTES: COMBAT, AGILITY, PERCEPTION, and HEALTH.

Throughout the course of DISTRICT-Z, a SURVIVOR might be called upon to make an ATTRIBUTE CHECK. To do this, you roll the amount of dice equal to the listed ATTRIBUTE or ATTRIBUTES on the LOCATION card. Instructions as to the results of each ATTRIBUTE CHECK are given on each LOCATION card.

You succeed with ATTRIBUTE CHECKS if your total result is greater than the number listed for the ATTRIBUTE CHECK. If your total result is less than or equal to the number listed for the ATTRIBUTE CHECK, you fail.

Attribute Check Example

You're HOPE and you just finished fighting three ZOMBIES at the WAREHOUSE. The AFTER EVENT is a PERCEPTION CHECK: 7. That means you're successful if your result is greater than 7. You have a PERCEPTION of 3. You roll 3 dice and your results are 2, 3, and 5 which is a total of 10. You're successful and you now get to equip one random NON-UNIQUE ITEM. That's pretty nice.

Winning

Once you have an equipped LOCATION OBJECTIVE card and you are at the CITY'S EDGE and you successfully complete the EVENT on the EVENT TABLE, you win the game. You've made your way to safety and survived the onslaught of the ZOMBIE horde.

Losing

If at any time the number of WOUND counters on your SURVIVOR is equal to or greater than your HEALTH, you lose the game. The open arms of the growing legion of the undead welcome yet another faceless member.

Multiplayer Setup (2-4 Players)

1. Each player selects a SURVIVOR card and SURVIVOR PORTRAIT.
2. Put the SURVIVOR PORTRAIT into a card stand. This is your playing piece.
3. Remove a number of LOCATION cards equal to the number of players and replace them with same number of LOCATION OBJECTIVE cards.
4. Shuffle the LOCATION cards and LOCATION OBJECTIVE cards together.
5. Lay the LOCATION cards face down in a 6 x 5 grid in front of you. Make sure the COMPASS ROSES are pointing in the same direction.
6. Each player rolls a six-sided die. The highest number goes first, the player to the left goes next, etc. Each player places his or her SURVIVOR PORTRAIT at their starting LOCATION, then places the CITY'S EDGE cube that corresponds to the color of his or her SURVIVOR PORTRAIT stand on the diagonally opposite corner of your starting LOCATION.
7. Player 1 flips over his or her corner LOCATION card and puts his or her playing piece on that card.
8. Player 1 follows the turn order until his or her EVENT is completed. His or her turn is over and it's now Player 2's turn.
9. Player 2 flips over his or her corner LOCATION card and puts his or her playing piece on that card.
10. Player 2 follows the turn order until his or her EVENT is completed. His or her turn is over. Continue this pattern of play for any additional players.

Now, not only must you find a LOCATION OBJECTIVE card; you must survive and be the first to reach the CITY'S EDGE.

Objective

Find a LOCATION OBJECTIVE card; then be the first SURVIVOR to make it from your starting LOCATION in the CITY to the CITY'S EDGE.

Multiplayer How to Play (At a glance)

1. Choose whether or not to HEAL.
2. Choose whether or not to move your playing piece to another LOCATION card. If you do move, flip the new LOCATION card face up. 3a. If the card you flipped over is a LOCATION OBJECTIVE card, remove it from the CITY, equip it, and replace it randomly with one of the LOCATION cards removed at the beginning of the game. You must complete the EVENT on the new LOCATION card. Upon completing the EVENT, continue to make your way to the CITY'S EDGE to win the game. You may only equip one LOCATION OBJECTIVE at a time. If you find another LOCATION OBJECTIVE, leave it for another SURVIVOR. 3b. If the card you flipped over is a normal LOCATION card, roll one 6-sided die and consult the EVENT TABLE. One EVENT will happen. a. NOTHING b. Find an ITEM and equip it. c. ZOMBIES attack you. d. SPECIAL EVENT
3. Complete the EVENT.
4. Now it's your opponent's turn.
5. Once you have an equipped LOCATION OBJECTIVE card and you are at the CITY'S EDGE and you successfully complete the EVENT on the EVENT TABLE, you win the game. The remaining SURVIVORS may continue playing.

Additional Multiplayer Rules

Multiplayer Starting Location and City's Edge

In a multiplayer game you decide which corner to put your playing piece. Decide this before flipping over any LOCATION cards. Your CITY'S EDGE is in the diagonally opposite corner of your starting LOCATION.

Combat (Multiplayer)

In a multiplayer game, the player to the left of the active player will roll for the ZOMBIES during COMBAT. This way, other players will have more interaction with each other during a multiplayer game.

Staying at Your Current Location

During your turn, you may choose to stay at the current LOCATION. If you do, you may HEAL or if your LOCATION card is occupied by another SURVIVOR, follow the MEETING ANOTHER SURVIVOR rules. However, you may not roll on the EVENT TABLE again without moving off of the LOCATION.

Healing

If you have any WOUNDS at the beginning of your turn, you may choose to stay at your current LOCATION card and HEAL one WOUND. Your turn is over.

Meeting Another Survivor

If it is the beginning of your turn, you may move like normal. Otherwise, when you are on a LOCATION card occupied by another SURVIVOR, do one of the following actions:

1. Do nothing. Your turn is now over.
2. Roll on the EVENT TABLE like normal.
3. Engage in trade with the SURVIVOR. You may trade whatever ITEMS you like as long as both players agree on the trade.
4. SURVIVOR COMBAT. SURVIVOR COMBAT is played a little differently than regular COMBAT. SURVIVOR COMBAT has only one round. Both the attacking and defending SURVIVORS make COMBAT ATTRIBUTE CHECKS and roll the number of dice equal to their COMBAT RATINGS. Add the results including any modifiers.

The SURVIVOR with the higher total can do one of the following:

• Steal one piece of EQUIPMENT from the losing SURVIVOR.
• Steal a LOCATION OBJECTIVE from the losing SURVIVOR.
• Cause the losing SURVIVOR to take one WOUND.

If the totals are equal, nothing happens and the turn is over.

Instead of fighting, you may choose to DODGE the SURVIVOR'S attack by making an AGILITY ATTRIBUTE CHECK. To do this, roll the amount of dice equal to your AGILITY. Add the results including any modifiers. If the total is greater than the SURVIVOR'S COMBAT dice total, you have successfully DODGED the attack and you neither take nor deal any WOUNDS. Your turn is now over. If the total of your dice is less than the attacking SURVIVOR'S COMBAT dice total, you take one WOUND and your turn is now over.

If you are on a LOCATION card occupied by more than one SURVIVOR, you may separately engage any of those SURVIVORS.

Dying

If at any time the number of WOUND counters on your SURVIVOR is equal to or greater than your HEALTH, you lose the game.

If the dead SURVIVOR had a LOCATION OBJECTIVE or any ITEMS equipped, they remain dropped at the LOCATION where the SURVIVOR died.

If you die in a multiplayer game, choose from the unused SURVIVORS and put your new SURVIVOR playing piece at your starting LOCATION.

Additional and Optional Rules

Stands and Cubes

Included with DISTRICT-Z are different colored stands and cubes that match the stands' colors. Place the cube that matches your stand's color on your CITY'S EDGE. Now, if there are multiple players, you won't lose track of your CITY'S EDGE.

Additional Location Cards

1. Start with the 30 base LOCATION cards. You can then replace any amount of base LOCATION cards with the additional LOCATION cards.
2. Add the additional LOCATION cards to the base LOCATION cards, shuffle, and then count out 30 LOCATION cards.
3. You could also increase the size of the CITY.

Zombie Survivor Combat

When you are on a LOCATION card occupied by a ZOMBIE SURVIVOR, do not roll on the EVENT TABLE; instead, regardless of whose turn it is, enter ZOMBIE SURVIVOR COMBAT. However, if it is the beginning of your turn, you may move like normal.

ZOMBIE SURVIVOR COMBAT is played similarly to SURVIVOR COMBAT. It has only one round. The SURVIVOR makes a COMBAT ATTRIBUTE CHECK by rolling the number of dice equal to his or her COMBAT RATING. The ZOMBIE SURVIVOR rolls the number of dice equal to his or her COMBAT. Add the results including any modifiers.

• If the totals of your dice are equal, the SURVIVOR and the ZOMBIE SURVIVOR don't take any damage.
• If the SURVIVOR'S result is higher, the ZOMBIE SURVIVOR takes one WOUND.
• If the ZOMBIE SURVIVOR'S result is higher, the SURVIVOR takes one WOUND and also one INFECTION counter.

Your turn is over.

Instead of fighting, you may choose to DODGE the ZOMBIE SURVIVOR'S attack by making an AGILITY ATTRIBUTE CHECK. To do this, roll the amount of dice equal to your AGILITY. Add the results including any modifiers. If the total is greater than the ZOMBIE SURVIVOR'S COMBAT dice result, you have successfully DODGED the attack and you neither take nor deal any WOUNDS. Your turn is now over. If the total of your dice is less than the ZOMBIE SURVIVOR'S COMBAT dice total, you take one WOUND and the turn is now over.

Once the number of WOUND counters on your ZOMBIE SURVIVOR is equal to or greater than your HEALTH, you are truly dead. You may choose a new SURVIVOR if you want to continue to playing.

If a ZOMBIE SURVIVOR is on a LOCATION card occupied by more than one SURVIVOR, those SURVIVORS may choose to combine their COMBAT RATINGS to increase their odds of successfully WOUNDING the ZOMBIE SURVIVOR. If the ZOMBIE SURVIVOR'S result is higher, he or she wounds both SURVIVORS.

Infection and Zombie Survivors

Every time you take a WOUND from COMBAT with a ZOMBIE, put an INFECTION counter on your SURVIVOR.

INFECTION counters do not get healed when you use a FIRST-AID KIT.

If at any time the number of INFECTION counters on your SURVIVOR is equal to or greater than twice your BASE HEALTH RATING, you turn into one of the undead. The SURVIVOR is now considered a ZOMBIE SURVIVOR. Remove all WOUND and INFECTION counters from your ZOMBIE SURVIVOR. If the ZOMBIE SURVIVOR had a LOCATION OBJECTIVE or any ITEMS equipped, they remain dropped at the LOCATION where the SURVIVOR turned. You cannot carry ITEMS anymore, nor can you HEAL, DODGE or use any special abilities.

ZOMBIE SURVIVOR players keep taking their turns. They move like normal, but they don't flip LOCATION cards face up or fight ZOMBIE counters that are at any current LOCATION card.

If all players become ZOMBIE SURVIVORS, the game is over. Additionally, if the ZOMBIE SURVIVORS kill all the living SURVIVORS, the ZOMBIE SURVIVORS win the game.