Dungeon Crawler Carl: Unstoppable Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Objective
• Components
• Card Anatomy
• Play Modes
• Game Setup
  • Campaign Setup
  • A - Supply Setup
  • B - Floor Setup
  • C - Crawler Setup
• Turn Sequence
  • A. Upkeep Phase
  • B. Draft Phase
  • C. Main Phase
    • Using Spells
    • Playing Cards
    • Exhausting Allies
    • Buying Upgrades
    • Defeating Threats
    • On-Deck Threats
    • Resolving Events
  • D. Threat Phase
  • E. Cleanup Phase
• Danger Track
  • Skipped Spaces
  • Effect Spaces
• Leveling Up
• Campaign Progress
  • Completing Achievements
  • Recording Success or Defeat
  • Purchasing Benefits
• Resetting the Game
• Finishing the Campaign
• 2-Player Mode
  • 2-Player Mode — Game Setup
  • 2-Player Mode — Turn Sequence
  • 2-Player Mode — Clarifications
• Arcade Mode
  • Arcade Mode — Gameplay
  • Arcade Mode — Scoring
• Combining with Other Products
  • Matchup Selections
  • Matchup Clarifications
• Icon Glossary
  • Core Icons
  • Threat Icons
  • Stat Symbols
• Keyword Guide
  • Core Keywords
  • Threat Keywords

Game Objective

The goal of the game is to survive one floor of the World Dungeon each time you play, eventually reaching the stairs and exiting to the next floor.

Each floor is different and has its own method for going down the stairs. Pay attention to the specifics of the floor to see what a successful exit requires.

But don't forget that the other part of the goal is survival! The World Dungeon is practically bursting at the seams with threats and danger.

• You win the game if... all players successfully go down the stairs.
• You lose the game if... your health or your teammate's health is reduced to zero.
• You lose the game if... the danger level reaches the skull icon.

Components

• 2x Portrait Cards
• 6x Starting Character Cards
• 16x Starting Core Cards
• 22x Starting Threat Cards
• 54x Threat Cards
• 100x Core Cards
• 17x Boss Cards
• 17x Quest Cards
• 36x Upgrade Cards
• 2x Stairs Cards
• 8x Races
• 8x Classes
• 2x Dual-Layered Player Mats
• 16x Gold Tokens
• 30x Damage Tokens
• 2x Mana and 2x Health Markers
• 1x Danger Marker
• 12x Action Point Discs
• 4x Level Discs
• 6x Floor Mats
• 120x Card Sleeves
• 20x Card Dividers
• 30x Campaign Sheets
• 2x Reference Sheets

Card Anatomy

There are 3 main card types: cores, threats, and upgrades. Each sleeved "card" that you craft during play consists of 1 core, 1 threat, and up to 2 upgrades.

Core Cards (122x) — cores make up the front side of sleeved cards. They represent the powers, resources, and support available to you.

1. Cost: How many action points must be spent to play the card. Remove action point discs from your player mat when spent.
2. Stat: Which of the main stats the card is affiliated with. Many game effects and keywords are linked to these different stat symbols.
3. Subtype: Whether the card is a tactic or an ally. Tactics are discarded after use, while allies remain in play. Some cards have additional subtypes.
4. Effects: What the card does when played or used. Some cards have a single effect, while others have multiple effects.
5. Level: Which core deck the card comes from (1–6). Character cards and starting cards count as level-0 core cards.

Threat Cards (93x) — threats make up the back side of sleeved cards. They represent the strange monsters and deadly foes that you will face on the field of battle.

1. Attack: How much damage the threat deals to you each turn while it remains in play on the battlefield.
2. Defense: A value that is added to the threat's attack value to determine its health. You must deal damage to a threat equal to its health to defeat it.
3. Bonus: A one-time bonus that you gain when you defeat the threat. Not all threats have a bonus.
4. Keyword: A keyword that links to an ability the threat has. Not all threats have a keyword.
5. Looming: Some boss threats are Looming. Looming threats do not engage unless attacked. See page 27 (Threat Keywords).

Upgrade Cards (36x) — upgrades are sleeved between cores and threats. They typically add modifiers to both the core side and the threat side.

1. Cost: The amount of gold required to buy the upgrade. Return gold tokens from your player mat to the supply when spent.
2. Modifiers: How the stats, effects, or attributes of a card will change once it has the upgrade. Each card can have 1 upgrade per cutout. Each card can have 1 upgrade per cutout, which come in two varieties: top or bottom. a. Modifier added to the core side. b. Modifier added to the threat side.
3. Requirement: The subtype of card required. Some upgrades can only be added to a tactic or an ally, while others can be added to either.
4. Discount: A potential reduction in the cost of the upgrade. The discount applies when it is added to a card with a specific stat.

Quest Cards (17x) — quests have 2 to 4 parts, each represented by a card that must be resolved in sequential order.

1. Part: Quests have 2 to 4 parts, each represented by a card that must be resolved in sequential order.
2. While Active: Some quests have ongoing abilities while in play.
3. Requirement: What must be done to complete this part of the quest.
4. Boss Battle: Some quests include Boss Battles. These enter play as a Looming threat.

Races (8x) and Classes (8x) — races and classes are used for arcade mode and after the first two floors in campaign mode.

1. Races – Resources: New values for your starting gold, health, and mana. These values replace the default values.
2. Races – Extra Setup: Additional steps to carry out during setup.
3. Classes – Abilities: Beneficial effects with text descriptions. Some classes have a single ability, while others have multiple.

Play Modes

This game features two different play modes: campaign mode and arcade mode.

Campaign mode involves several linked sessions as you crawl the floors one at a time, and certain choices persist from one game to the next. Arcade mode, on the other hand, lets you crawl a single floor in a standalone session.

The intention is for new players to experience campaign mode first. The main portion of this rulebook therefore treats campaign mode as the default. The changes for arcade mode can be found later on (see p. 22).

Game Setup

Note: This section presents the game setup in several smaller stages. Campaign setup is only required for the first game of a new campaign, while supply setup, crawler setup, and floor setup must be done every time.

(The setup diagram on page 7 of the rulebook is an image with lettered callouts (A1–A3, B2–B8, C1–C10) and is not reproduced here.)

Campaign Setup

You'll use a campaign sheet to track information from session to session. Some of these details will change over time, so fill it out with pencil instead of pen.

1. Party Name: Write a name for your adventuring party here.
2. Crawler Name: Write the name of your chosen crawler here.
3. Race & Class: Skip this section entirely for now. You'll fill in these details after you complete Floor 2.
4. Deck List: Write the names of your 3 Starting Character cards here. The 8 common cards are also listed here. Leave the section for signature cards blank for now.

Record your deck list and update it after each session. If you eliminate a card, cross it out. If you upgrade a card, write the name of the upgrade next to it. If you add a card, write its name in one of the blanks.

Gather the 11 cards that make up your starting deck: 6x Strike, 1x New Achievement!, 1x Rest, and your chosen crawler's 3x Starting Character cards. Now you're ready to tackle Floor 1!

A - Supply Setup

1. Core Decks: Divide the 100 unsleeved core cards into 6 decks by level number, shown in the bottom right corner. Shuffle each deck individually. Place these decks in a face-up row on the table, arranged left to right in ascending order.
2. Upgrade Deck: Shuffle the 36 unsleeved upgrade cards into a single deck. Place this deck face down on the table. Reveal the top 6 cards of the deck and place them in a face-up row next to the deck. Note: These cards have 2 different cutouts, but they should still be shuffled together.
3. Token Supply: Create a supply with the gold tokens and damage tokens, sorted by type and denomination.

B - Floor Setup

1. Floor Mat: Find the floor mat that matches the current floor and is labeled for Arcade/Campaign Mode in the top right corner. This has the Setup instructions for this floor. Place it on the table. It will be referenced later.
2. Dungeon Deck: Find either the boss cards (Floors 1–2) or quest cards (Floor 3) for the current floor. Set these cards next to the floor mat for now.
3. Threat Deck: Find the threat cards for the current floor and the additional threat cards. Shuffle both sets separately, then stack them, with the additional threats at the bottom. Place this threat deck next to the core decks, threat side down.
4. Floor Mat Setup: Read and follow the floor specific Setup directions on the floor mat from step 1.
5. Flip Floor Mat: Turn the floor mat from step 1 to the other side. This should say "Campaign Mode" in the top corner and have a Danger Level track.
6. Danger Marker: Find the danger marker. Place it on the topmost space of the danger track on the floor mat.
7. Difficulty Level: Choose a difficulty level: NORMAL, HARD, or EXPERT. For a near-impossible challenge, there is also UNBEATABLE difficulty. This will determine how quickly the danger marker advances during play.
8. The Stairs: Place 1 stairs card per player next to the floor mat.
9. Floor Mat Achievements: Find the other Floor Mat for the current floor. Place it on the table with the Campaign Mode side face up, showing the list of possible Achievements for this floor. Familiarize yourself with these achievements before playing and try to earn them!

C - Crawler Setup

1. Player Mat: Take a player mat and place it in front of you. Use either color; the layout is mirrored, but they are identical otherwise.
2. Health & Mana: Take a health marker (red) and a mana marker (purple). Set them in their default starting positions on your player mat: "10" on the health track and "2" on the mana track.
3. Gold: Take 3 gold tokens worth 1 gold each from the supply. Place them in the designated space on your player mat.
4. Portrait: Find the card with the portrait of your chosen crawler. Place it in the designated space on your player mat.
5. Race & Class: Find the cards for your chosen race and class. Place them along the top edge of your player mat. Follow any extra setup listed on your race and adjust your starting resources to match the values listed there. Note: These cards are only used in arcade mode and after a certain point in campaign mode.
6. Starting Deck: Gather your initial 11-card deck. Shuffle the deck and place it in the designated space on your player mat, threat side up. Note: Always check the contents against the current deck list on the campaign sheet.
7. Starting Hand: Draw 3 cards from your deck. Hold these cards in your hand so that you are viewing the core side, not the threat side.
8. Battlefield: Take 3 cards from your deck. Place these cards in a row next to your deck, threat side up. Note: Keep adding this way until 3 non-Fast active threats are on the battlefield and 1 is visible on top of your deck.
9. Action Point Discs: Find the 6 action point discs of your chosen player color. Place them off to the side of your player mat.
10. Level Discs: Find the 2 level discs of your chosen player color. Stack them together above the level-1 core deck.

Turn Sequence

The game takes place over a series of turns. Each turn is broken into 5 phases that are performed in order:

A. Upkeep Phase B. Draft Phase C. Main Phase D. Threat Phase E. Cleanup Phase

This sequence repeats until you win or lose.

A. Upkeep Phase

The Upkeep Phase is when you carry out various upkeep steps:

1. Gain 1 mana by moving the marker up 1 space on your mana track. If the marker is already at the top of the track, skip this step. Note: You gain 1 mana even on the very first turn of the game.
2. Place 3 action point discs in the designated space on your player mat. Those action points are available to be spent in the Main Phase.
3. Refresh all exhausted ally cards in play by rotating them back upright. Those ally cards are available to be exhausted in the Main Phase.
4. Resolve all active effects that trigger during the Upkeep Phase.

B. Draft Phase

The Draft Phase is when you draft a new card and add it to your hand based on the current position of your level discs. (Large Level Disc and Small Level Disc are shown in the page 11 illustration.)

1. Find the core deck where your small level disc is located.
2. Draw the top 3 cards of that core deck. Keep 1 of those cards and return the other 2 to the bottom of the same deck (in any order).
3. Take the top card of the threat deck, without viewing the threat side, and put your chosen core card into the same sleeve.
4. Add the newly drafted card to your hand with the core side facing you.
5. Reset your small level disc back to where your large level disc is located and stack them together again.

Tip: You should only look at the threat side of a card when it is revealed from your deck. Better to keep the mystery alive.

Note: With 2 players, the process for choosing cards in the Drafting Phase is slightly different. See 2-PLAYER MODE for further details (p. 20).

C. Main Phase

The Main Phase is when you can perform various actions such as use spells, play cards, exhaust allies, and buy upgrades.

You may take these actions any number of times, and in any order, as long as you have the cards, gold, mana, and action points required to do so. The phase ends when you cannot, or choose not to, take any more actions.

Each action must be resolved fully before you can take another.

Repeatable Effects — No Infinite Loops: Some interactions allow you to repeat certain card effects. However, if you resolve the same effect of the same card for the 4th time in a single turn, you must then eliminate that card. Return that card to the box.

Using Spells

To use a spell, you must spend mana equal to its cost. Move the marker down that many spaces on your mana track.

You have access to 2 basic spells, for which the costs and effects are listed directly on your player mat for ease of reference.

• Cost 4 mana: Spend 4 mana. Deal 1 damage to a threat.
• Cost 3 mana: Spend 3 mana. Choose a player to gain 1 health.

Other spells become available as you play cards. The costs and effects of these non-basic spells are listed on the cards themselves.

Playing Cards

To play a card from hand, you must spend action points equal to its cost. Remove that many action point discs from your player mat.

When you play a card, put it in front of you, core side up, and resolve its effects. Some cards have a single effect, while others have multiple. If the card has any upgrades, those may add further effects that trigger when played. You may resolve the effects, including those from upgrades, in any order. Effects that you cannot resolve, or choose not to, are forfeited.

Tactic Cards: Tactics are cards with one-time effects. Once played, a tactic card remains in play until the Cleanup Phase of the same turn and is then discarded.

Ally Cards: Allies are cards with repeatable effects. Once played, an ally card remains in play until the next time you level up and is then discarded.

Exhausting Allies

To exhaust an ally in play, rotate the card 90 degrees clockwise. Exhausting an ally is separate from playing it. You may only exhaust allies that are in play.

When you exhaust an ally, resolve the effects that follow the exhaust ability. Most allies have only 1 exhaust ability, but some have multiple. For an ally with multiple exhaust abilities, you must choose only 1 to activate.

If the card has any upgrades, those may add further effects that trigger when exhausted. You may resolve the effects, including those from upgrades, in any order. Effects that you cannot resolve, or choose not to, are forfeited.

Once an ally is exhausted (rotated sideways), it cannot be exhausted again until it is refreshed (rotated upright). Allies refresh automatically during the Cleanup Phase, and certain card effects can refresh allies, too.

Buying Upgrades

To buy an upgrade, you must spend gold equal to its cost. Return that amount of gold from your player mat to the supply.

Add the upgrade to any tactic card or ally card in your hand or in play by sliding it into the center of the sleeve between core and threat. Each card can receive up to 2 upgrades—1 for the top slot and 1 for the bottom slot.

Some upgrades have a requirement of either a tactic card or an ally card.

Once you have sleeved the upgrade, refill the empty slot in the market with another upgrade revealed from the upgrade deck.

Defeating Threats

You can deal damage to the threats in play with various effects.

When you deal damage to a threat, place damage tokens on the threat card accordingly. Damage dealt to threats persists between turns.

The health value of a threat is not printed on the card as a stat, but is simply the sum of its attack and defense values. When a threat has been dealt damage equal to or greater than this sum, you have defeated it.

Example: This Neighborhood boss from the floor-1 deck, Juicer, has stats of 4 attack and 4 defense. This means that Juicer has a health value of 8. Once Juicer has been dealt at least 8 damage, tracked as a cumulative total, it is defeated.

After resolving any "when defeated" bonus, draw the defeated threat and add it to your hand. Flip the card over and rotate it so that you are viewing the core side.

Many threats have a bonus that triggers when defeated. These bonuses are optional—with the exception of mandatory "flip" effects on certain boss threats—and resolve immediately. They often provide resources or other benefits.

Defeating threats is the primary way to draw new cards!

On-Deck Threats

The top card of your deck is known as the "on-deck threat."

You can deal damage to this threat while it is still on top of your deck, but it cannot attack you in return until it has entered the battlefield.

Pay attention, though, because threat keywords like Taunt (see p. 27) and Terror (see p. 27) apply even when the threat is still on deck.

Resolving Events

An event is a mandatory game effect.

There are three main types of events: when a keyword is activated, when a threat is defeated, and when your crawler levels up.

When an event is triggered, you must resolve it immediately, even if doing so interrupts the resolution of another effect. After resolving the event, continue with the resolution of the effect that triggered it.

Tip: You have to pay attention to the threat around the corner. You won't make it if you aren't planning ahead.

D. Threat Phase

The Threat Phase is when you take damage from the active threats.

All threat cards oriented horizontally on the battlefield are "active threats." This does not include the top card of your deck, which is the "on-deck threat," or cards oriented vertically, which are "looming threats." It is possible for there to be no active threats.

The amount of damage dealt by each active threat is equal to its attack value. If the card has upgrades on it, any attack value present on the threat side of those upgrades is added to the threat's attack value. Some threats have a variable attack value that is dependent on the danger level. This variable, which ranges from 0–5, is indicated by the position of the danger marker on the danger track, located on the floor mat.

Example: This Goblin is a starting threat and has a variable attack value of 1 + the danger level. Based on the position of the danger marker, the current danger level for this game is 2. So the Goblin deals you 3 damage total.

For each damage you take, move the health marker down 1 space on your health track. If the health marker reaches zero, you lose immediately!

Note: Each active threat always deals damage equal to its attack value. The damage the enemy has taken does not reduce the damage it deals you.

E. Cleanup Phase

The Cleanup Phase is when you carry out various cleanup steps:

1. Discard all tactic cards from play. Put them in your discard pile.
2. Remove all remaining action point discs from your player mat. Unspent action points cannot be saved for later.
3. Add new threats to the battlefield, one at a time, until 3 non-Fast active threats are on the battlefield and 1 is visible on top of your deck.
   • To add a new threat to the battlefield, move the threat from the top of your deck to the battlefield. The threat that is now revealed on top of your deck becomes the new on-deck threat. Any damage on the on-deck threat remains as it enters play.
   • If your deck empties before the battlefield has been refilled, level up immediately, then resume adding new threats.
4. Advance the danger marker 1 space on the danger track on the floor mat. If the danger marker reaches the skull icon, you lose immediately!

Danger Track

Every floor mat has its own unique danger track. The movement of the danger marker on this track reflects the increasing danger level. Many spaces on the track are uneventful, but other spaces have associated rules or effects.

Skipped Spaces

Some color-coded spaces are skipped as the danger marker advances. Which spaces to skip is determined by the difficulty level chosen during Floor Setup (p. 5).

• NORMAL – Skip all spaces with a green border.
• HARD – Skip all spaces with a yellow border.
• EXPERT – Skip all spaces with a red border.
• UNBEATABLE – Same as EXPERT. Each time you level up to levels 3–6, advance the danger marker by 1.

The 1st Floor (Arcade Mode) danger track, as printed on its floor mat, carries these level-up triggers:

• When you level-up to level 2 and level 3, shuffle a random neighborhood boss into your deck.
• When you level-up to level 4, shuffle a random borough boss into your deck and place the Stairs card as the bottom card of your deck after shuffling.
• You cannot go down the stairs without defeating at least 1 neighborhood boss and borough boss per player.

Effect Spaces

Some spaces have triggered effects that occur when the danger marker reaches them. Resolving these effects is always optional.

• Gold icon 1 – Spend 1 gold to eliminate 1 card from your hand, your discard pile, or your play area. Set that card aside; it will not be used again in this game. Note: With 2 players, each player may do this separately.
• Refresh the market icon – Move any number of upgrades from the market to the bottom of the deck. Refill the market from the top of the deck until it has 6 upgrades again. Note: With 2 players, this effect can still only be resolved once.

When a color-coded effect space on the danger track is skipped due to difficulty level, the optional effect does not trigger.

Leveling Up

You get to level up each time your deck is empty. This is an event, so the game pauses temporarily while you complete the process.

Leveling Up — Main Phase: You get to level up in the Main Phase if your deck is empty and there are no active threats on the battlefield. If this occurs due to a card effect, interrupt that card's effects to level up, then resume the resolution of that card's effects. All effects of the card that was interrupted still resolve after, even if that card has now been removed from play.

Leveling Up — Cleanup Phase: You get to level up in the Cleanup Phase if your deck is empty and a new threat must be added to the battlefield. Before you can add a new threat, you must complete the process of leveling up, which will result in a reshuffle. Resume the process until 3 non-Fast active threats are on the battlefield and 1 is visible on top of your deck.

When you level up, there are 5 steps you must resolve, in order. These steps are listed in detail on your player mat. (The five level-up steps are printed on the player mat, which is a physical component; they are not present in the rulebook text.)

If you are playing on the UNBEATABLE difficulty and you are leveling up to levels 3–6, advance the danger marker one space.

Campaign Progress

Once the game is over, you'll record the details on the campaign sheet and prepare for the next game in the campaign.

Completing Achievements

Review the list of achievements on the back side of the floor mat. For each achievement you just completed, record the name on the blank spaces on the back of the campaign sheet. Each achievement can only be completed once (even with 2 players).

Each achievement is worth the listed XP. Tally up the XP you earned for completed achievements. Record it in the "floor score" box for the current floor, then increase your "XP" box accordingly. You earn the XP for completed achievements even if defeated.

Recording Success or Defeat

If you successfully completed the floor, congratulations! Tally up the XP you earned for defeated bosses and completed quests. Increase your floor score and your "XP" box accordingly. Gain the completion reward for the current floor.

If you were defeated by the floor, better luck next time! Add 1 mark in the "defeats" box for the current floor. This will count against your final campaign score (-3), but it does not affect your XP total. You do not earn XP for bosses or quests when defeated by the floor.

Purchasing Benefits

You may now spend XP to purchase permanent benefits from the list on the campaign sheet. These benefits, once purchased, apply for the rest of the campaign.

Each benefit has a listed XP cost. To purchase a benefit, subtract its cost from the total in the "XP" box, then rewrite your new total in that box. Do not alter the XP total recorded in the "floor score" box.

Some benefits have a limited number available, indicated by a number of circles. This number varies for 1 or 2 players. When you purchase one, fill one circle. If all circles have been filled, you cannot purchase that benefit again.

Resetting the Game

For your next session, you will move on to the next floor, if you were successful, or attempt the same floor again, if you were defeated. Before you can do so, you have to reset all of the game materials back to their default state.

1. Retrieve all cards that were eliminated from play.
2. Remove all upgrades from sleeves and return them to the upgrade deck.
3. Reset your starting deck to match what is listed on the campaign sheet. This may have just changed if you purchased certain benefits.
4. Remove all other cores from sleeves, then return the unsleeved cores to the core decks and the sleeved threats to the floor decks.
5. Discard all gold tokens and damage tokens to the supply.

Finishing the Campaign

Once you have completed every floor, you have finished the campaign! To calculate your final campaign score, add up all of your individual floor scores, then reduce that total by 3 for each defeat you suffered along the way.

Add in the following XP based on your chosen difficulty:

• 1 XP for NORMAL difficulty
• 5 XP for HARD difficulty
• 10 XP for EXPERT difficulty
• 20 XP for UNBEATABLE difficulty

This core box contains the first 3 floors. As more floors are released, the length of your campaigns will increase. When discussing your final campaign scores with fellow players, include the number of floors to provide context for how much suffering your crawlers endured.

2-Player Mode

In the 2-player mode, one player controls Carl and the other controls Princess Donut. You must work together to survive the floor.

You each have your own deck system to manage, just like in the solo mode, but you now have the ability to deal damage to threats on your teammate's battlefield, too. This means that you can help each other draw cards! You win if both players go down the stairs.

2-Player Mode — Game Setup

At the start of the campaign, fill out the campaign sheet for both crawlers. Before each game, the supply setup and floor setup remain the same, but each player performs crawler setup individually for their own crawler.

2-Player Mode — Turn Sequence

Observe the following changes to the turn sequence:

• Upkeep Phase: The players complete this phase simultaneously.
• Draft Phase: The players each simultaneously reveal a set of 2 cards from the deck with their own small level disc. Each player then picks 1 card to keep. The other cards are returned to the bottom of those decks.
  • One card must be picked from each set. If Carl picks from Princess Donut's set, then Princess Donut must pick from Carl's set. It's useful to discuss the options before deciding who should have which card.
  • If one player has an effect that increases the quantity of cards they get to reveal or keep, it applies to them only—not their teammate. They may choose from either set when picking extra cards to keep.
• Main Phase: The players may take actions in any order, as long as each action is resolved fully before either player takes another. It might be useful for the players to take alternating actions, but this is not required.
• Threat Phase: The players complete this phase simultaneously. Each player is only dealt damage by the threats on their own battlefield.
• Cleanup Phase: The players complete this phase simultaneously. The danger marker only advances 1 space total.

2-Player Mode — Clarifications

• The players may target each other's threats with damage and other effects. This applies to active, looming, and on-deck threats. For example, when Princess Donut plays Strike for 1 damage, she can target one of Carl's threats.
• The Taunt keyword only applies to the battlefield with the Taunt threat. For example, if Carl has a Taunt threat but Princess Donut does not, both of them can target threats on Princess Donut's battlefield without restriction.
• A defeated threat is added to the hand of the player whose battlefield it came from. For example, if Carl defeats one of Princess Donut's threats, Princess Donut adds the card to her hand, even though she did not defeat it.
• Any "when defeated" bonus of a threat goes to the player who defeats the threat. For example, even if Carl takes a threat down to 1 health, Princess Donut gets the bonus if she deals the killing blow.
• Some effects say to choose a player or state that both players gain a benefit. Otherwise, effects apply only to the owning player. For example, when Princess Donut plays Loyal Family, Carl cannot gain the X gold or mana.

Arcade Mode

You can try arcade mode for one-off game sessions! This mode of play removes campaign ramifications and adds in some elements that would otherwise only become available after a certain point in campaign mode.

Arcade Mode — Gameplay

Most of the necessary changes for arcade mode occur during setup:

• Skip campaign setup entirely. Leave the campaign sheets in the box.
• Choose your crawler's race and class now. To do this, draw 3 races and choose 1, then draw 3 classes and choose 1. Note: You may instead choose the preset race/class pair listed on the back of your portrait card.
• Choose which floor to attempt. You may choose any floor, regardless of which floors you have attempted or completed in previous sessions. There are two floor mats for each floor. Find the floor mat that matches your chosen floor and is labeled for Arcade/Campaign Mode in the top right corner. This has the Setup instructions for this floor. Follow these setup instructions, then return this floor mat to the box. Place the other floor mat for this floor on the table, Arcade Mode side up. This floor mat should have a danger track.
• Gather the 11 cards that make up your starting deck: 6x Strike, 1x New Achievement!, 1x Rest, and your crawler's 3x Starting Character cards.

In arcade mode, some floors have alternate win conditions or additional requirements for a successful crawl. Read the floor mat carefully!

Arcade Mode — Scoring

If you wish to assess the quality of a victory achieved in arcade mode, use these rules to determine your final score.

• Difficulty Level – Score XP based on your chosen difficulty level:
  • 1 XP for NORMAL difficulty
  • 5 XP for HARD difficulty
  • 10 XP for EXPERT difficulty
  • 20 XP for UNBEATABLE difficulty
• Time Left – Score 1 XP for each space left on the danger track.
• Bosses & Quests – Score XP for any bosses you defeated or quests you completed, just like you would in campaign mode.
• Achievements – Score XP for any achievements you completed for the current floor, just like you would in campaign mode. You can also complete each of the following achievements once:
  • (1 XP) Stranger Danger: End with 6+ different stat symbols in your deck.
  • (1 XP) Dungeonpreneur: End with upgrades worth 50+ total gold in your deck.
  • (2 XP) Not My First Rodeo: End with no level-1 or level-2 cards in your deck.
  • (2 XP) Lazarus: Survive an instance of 6+ damage from a threat.
  • (3 XP) Unstoppable: After you go down the stairs, level up twice more before the turn is over. You may go past level 6. On UNBEATABLE difficulty, these extra level-ups can still trigger a loss.

Your total XP × 100 = your final score!

Combining with Other Products

If you have the original Unstoppable, you can combine the sets—not by shuffling the cards from both sets together indiscriminately, but by pitting the heroes from one set against the challenges from the other set.

Matchup Selections

1. Choose a challenge to face. This can be one of the Unstoppable bosses or one of the Dungeon Crawler Carl floors (in arcade mode only). Follow the instructions for how to set up the threat deck on the mat for your chosen boss or floor.
2. Choose a hero to play. This can be one of the Unstoppable characters or one of the Dungeon Crawler Carl crawlers. Use the starting deck and portrait card for your chosen hero and a player mat from the same set.
3. Populate the supply with the core decks and upgrade deck from the set that matches your chosen hero.

Note: Playing Unstoppable characters against Dungeon Crawler Carl floors is a tough challenge! You'll have to step up your game to survive the World Dungeon.

Matchup Clarifications

Dungeon Crawler Carl Crawlers × Unstoppable Bosses:

• When an effect would cause you to gain or spend armor, adjust your mana instead.
• Do not reset your mana to zero during the Cleanup Phase.

Unstoppable Characters × Dungeon Crawler Carl Floors:

• You cannot gain a race or class.
• When an effect would cause you to gain or spend mana, adjust your armor instead.
• Gain 2 armor (instead of 1 mana) during the Upkeep Phase. Reset your armor to zero during the Cleanup Phase.

Icon Glossary

Many cards use effect icons as shorthand for important game effects. These effect icons are explained in detail below.

Core Icons

• Deal X damage (orange icon). Choose a threat to target. If +X damage meets or exceeds the threat's health value, defeat it. Otherwise, take X damage tokens from the supply and place them on it. All damage from each instance of this effect must be dealt to a single threat.
• Gain X gold (gold icon). Take gold tokens with a total value of X gold from the supply. Place them in the designated space on your player mat. If the supply runs out, use any suitable substitute.
• Gain X action points (black icon). Place X action point discs on your player mat. You cannot have more than 6 action points. If you gain action points when at the maximum, nothing happens.
• Gain X health (red heart icon). Move the health marker up X spaces on your health track. You cannot have more than 10 health. If you gain health when at the maximum, nothing happens.
• Gain X mana (purple icon). Move the mana marker up X spaces on your mana track. You cannot have more than 10 mana. If you gain mana when at the maximum, nothing happens.
• Train 1 level (red arrow icon). Advance your small level disc by 1, moving it to the core deck of the next level. If your small level disc is already at the 6th level, nothing happens.
• Level X+. If Level X or higher... Check the position of your large level disc. Resolve the effect that follows this text only if your large level disc is at Level X or higher.
• Exhaust this ally (green and red rotating icon). Rotate this card sideways to exhaust it. Resolve the effect that follows the exhaust icon. If this card has multiple exhaust icons, you must choose only 1 to activate. This ally cannot be exhausted again until it is refreshed.
• Refresh an ally (red and green arrow icon). Choose an ally to target. Rotate that card upright to refresh it. An ally with this effect cannot refresh itself unless specified otherwise.

Threat Icons

• Attack Value: This value is how much damage the threat deals to you while active. The health value of each threat is the sum of its attack and defense values.
• Danger Attack: This variable adds the danger level to the threat's attack value. The danger level is tracked on the floor mat with the danger marker.
• Defense Value: This value is how much extra damage the threat can survive. The health value of each threat is the sum of its attack and defense values.
• Danger Defense: This variable adds the danger level to the threat's defense value. The danger level is tracked on the floor mat with the danger marker.

Stat Symbols

• Strength
• Intelligence
• Dexterity
• Constitution
• Charisma

Keyword Guide

Many cards have important game effects that are represented by keywords. These keywords are explained in detail below.

Core Keywords

Focus: Focus effects use an "X" value. The value of X is equal to the number of cards with a specific listed stat symbol in your hand and/or in play, including this card itself. Some Focus effects scale with the value of X, while others simply need X to meet a certain threshold to trigger.

Example: Make Stuff Go Boom is a level-1 tactic card with the effect "Focus 3+: 3 damage." If you have 3 or more Strength cards in your hand and/or in play, including this card itself, the effect deals 3 damage.

Spell: Spell effects use an "X" value. These effects require you to spend X mana to trigger. If you do not have X mana available to spend, then you cannot trigger the Spell effect. Some cards have multiple Spell effects, which you can trigger and resolve separately by paying their mana costs.

Example: Magic Missile is a starting tactic card with 3 different Spell effects: Spend 1 mana for 1 damage, spend 2 mana for 2 damage, and spend 3 mana for 3 damage. You may trigger any or all of these effects individually.

Tough: Tough effects give allies a passive ability. If a Tough ally would be discarded from play when it has no damage, it takes 1 damage instead and remains in play. This is a way to avoid having to discard an ally from play when you level up or when you defeat a Sacrifice threat.

Example: Chris Andrews is a level-1 ally card with Tough. If he is in play when you level up, he takes 1 damage instead. If he stays in play until the next time you level up, he will be discarded from play then because he has damage.

Unite: Unite effects use an "X" value. The value of X is equal to the number of unique stat symbols present among the cards in your hand and/or in play, including this card itself. Some Unite effects scale with the value of X, while others simply need X to meet a certain threshold to trigger.

Example: Team-Up Attack is a level-2 tactic card with a Unite effect to deal X damage. This card is a Strength card. If you also have Dexterity and Charisma cards in your hand and/or in play, the effect deals 3 damage.

Threat Keywords

Fast: Fast threats overrun the battlefield with speed. Fast threats do not count toward the limit of 3 active threats on the battlefield. When you add new threats to the battlefield, you must keep adding threats until 3 non-Fast active threats are on the battlefield and 1 is visible on top of your deck.

Looming: Looming threats do not engage unless attacked. Looming threats enter play rotated vertically. While a threat is Looming, it does not count as an active threat on the battlefield. When you deal damage to a Looming threat, it rotates back horizontally and loses the Looming keyword. Some threats have effects that are only active while the threat is Looming.

Retaliate: Retaliate threats fight back as they are struck. When you target a Retaliate threat with an effect that deals damage, it deals you 1 damage back. The Retaliate effect triggers with each separate damage effect targeting the threat, even if those effects come from the same card.

Sacrifice: Sacrifice threats deplete your resources. When you defeat a Sacrifice threat, you must discard 1 card from hand or 1 ally from play. If you have no cards in hand, you must discard 1 ally from play, and vice versa. If you have neither, ignore the Sacrifice effect. In 2-player mode, the Sacrifice effect applies to whoever defeated the threat, even if it was not their own threat.

Taunt: Taunt threats command your attention. When a Taunt threat is on the battlefield or on top of your deck, you must target it with all effects that deal damage, unless stated otherwise. If there are multiple Taunt threats in play, you may target any of them. This restriction does not apply to non-damage effects.

Terror: Terror threats drain your steely resolve. When you target a Terror threat with an effect that deals damage, you lose 1 action point (unless you have none available). The Terror effect triggers with each separate damage effect targeting the threat, even if those effects come from the same card.

Note: It is possible for a threat to have multiple instances of the same keyword, once the card has received an upgrade or two, but duplicate keywords do not stack!