Dungeons & Dragons: The Yawning Portal
Dungeons & Dragons: The Yawning Portal Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Goals of the Game
- Earn Gems by matching Heroes to their favorite foods.
- Use Actions to set yourself up for success.
- Complete Objectives to earn extra points.
- Collect more Victory Points than your opponents to win!
What's in the Box?
- Gameboard — Two end pieces and three inserts.
- Gems — Blue Sapphire Gems (x30), Red Ruby Gems (x30), Green Emerald Gems (x30), Yellow Topaz Gems (x30), White Diamond Gems (x20).
- Hero Cards — x68.
- Action Tiles — x16.
- Food Tokens — Quippers and Chips (x12), Tankard of Ale (x12), Smoked Ham (x12), Vegetable Platter (x12).
- Enchant Food Potion Tokens — x9.
- Objective Cards — x9.
- Player Reference Cards — x4.
Terms You Should Know
Everything in this section is fully explained in the following sections, but it helps to have a baseline understanding before you continue.
Victory Points — At the end of the game, Victory Points (sometimes shortened to VP) are the most important thing in the game. Every decision you make should be in service of collecting them.
The Table — Also known as the gameboard. This is where Heroes sit and Food tokens are served. The table is assembled with end pieces and inserts.
Food Tokens — Items on the menu: Quippers and Chips, Tankard of Ale, Vegetable Platter, and Smoked Ham. These are placed in the Food Token Row in the middle of the table.
Actions and Action Tiles — From placing Food tokens to drawing and seating new Heroes, everything you do in the game is made possible by Action tiles.
Heroes and Hero Cards — Hungry patrons of the Yawning Portal. Each one has a different dietary preference, and they all bring special effects to the table.
Gems — The only currency accepted here. Standard Gems come in four varieties: Blue Sapphire, Red Ruby, Green Emerald, and Yellow Topaz. There are also rare Gems called White Diamonds, which take on the color of whatever Gem they're placed with.
Perfect Match Bonuses — When you fill a Hero's entire order, they're liable to leave a big tip. The extra Gems and actions earned from Perfect Match Bonuses (sometimes shortened to PMB) could very well win you the game, so try your best to earn them.
Enchant Food Potions — Tricky concoctions used to earn Perfect Match Bonuses without actually completing a match.
Objectives — Extra tasks you can complete to earn extra VP. They're randomized each game, so you never know quite what you're going to get.
Setting Up the Game
This is how you set up for a multiplayer game. If you're playing solo, see Playing the Solo Game.
- Assemble the table according to the number of players: start with the two end pieces, then add an insert for each player beyond one.
- Position Food tokens, Gems, and Enchant Food Potions so that all players can easily reach them.
- Sort the Hero cards into four decks based on color, shuffle them individually, then place each deck on the section of the gameboard with a matching symbol. Create a discard pile for Hero cards that are removed from play. Deal one Hero card of each color to each player.
- Give each player one Action tile of each color. These should be placed in front of players so the actions with the food symbols face up.
- Shuffle the Objective cards. Draw five and place them face up next to the table. Give out the Player Reference cards.
- Finally, determine turn order. The player who last ate something goes first, then play proceeds clockwise. The player who comes last in the order places the starting Food tokens, and then the game can begin!
How to Place Starting Food Tokens
- Food tokens may be placed in any order, so look at your cards and notice the combinations of foods on them before you place the starting Food tokens. You have an opportunity to set them up so they may align for you on your turn.
- Starting Food tokens should be placed on the central insert, or on either of the two central inserts when playing with three players.
- The number of players determines the number and type of Food tokens that you start with:
- 2 players: 1 insert, 1 of each color.
- 3 players: 2 inserts, 2 green, 2 yellow, 1 red, 1 blue.
- 4 players: 3 inserts, 2 of each color.
Quick Setup Summary
- Set up the gameboard, based on the number of players.
- Place the starting Food tokens in the Food Row, based on the number of players.
- Position remaining Food tokens, and all Gems and Enchant Food Potions, so they can be reached by all players.
- Give each player four Action tiles and four Hero cards (one of each color). Also give out the Player Reference cards.
- Draw five Objective cards and place them face up next to the gameboard. Place the remaining Objective cards back in the box.
- The player who last ate something goes first.
How to Play
Your gameboard is set up, the starting Food tokens are in place in the Food Row, the Objective cards are at hand, and each player has been given four Action tiles and four Hero cards — one of each color. You are ready to play.
On Your Turn: Quick Reference
- Select one of your Action tiles to activate. Keep it in front of you.
- Perform all of the Actions shown on the tile, in order. Actions are represented by special icons, and will vary by food. You may have to place or swap a Food token; or play, draw, or remove a Hero card, for example.
- Flip your activated Action tile when all actions are completed. Notice the additional Actions on the back of the tile.
- End your turn.
Use Actions to place Food tokens, seat Heroes, and make changes to the table. Every Food token you match earns a Gem, and filling a Hero's entire order comes with a Perfect Match Bonus!
At the end of the game, the Victory Point (VP) value of each Gem is determined by the number of visible VP symbols of the same color. (You'll find these on the back of each Hero card.) Combine that number with the extra VP earned from objectives and endgame bonuses, and the player with the highest score wins!
Actions
At the beginning of each turn, you must activate one of your four Action tiles to use it. Perform all Actions depicted on the active tile (from left to right). Once you have completed all actions on the tile and resolved any played cards, flip over the active Action tile to mark the end of your turn. When you flip the tile, you'll find another set of Actions that can be used on a subsequent turn. The Actions from the reverse side of the tile are printed along the bottom of each Action tile, so you'll never have to guess what's coming up next.
Actions must be performed in the exact order shown on the Action tile, and they cannot be skipped. An Action tile cannot be used if any of its actions are not currently possible (e.g., there is no room to seat a Hero or the Food Token Row is full).
Using an Action Tile (Example)
- You decide to activate the red Action tile, performing all Actions in order (from left to right).
- Resolve: Place a Smoked Ham token at the end of the row. (Any new Food token added to the row must be placed adjacent to an existing Food token.)
- Resolve: Remove any Hero card from the table (faceup or facedown).
- Resolve: Play a Hero card from your hand to the table, resolve the card's Hero effect, and score Gems for all matching Food tokens.
- Flip the Action tile, marking the end of your turn and indicating to the next player that their turn has started.
Action Tile Overview
These are the actions you'll find on each Action tile. Feel free to reference this section as you play.
Quippers and Chips Actions (Blue)
Front Side:
- Place a Blue Food Token — Place a blue Quippers and Chips token on an unoccupied space in the row. Any new Food token added to the row must be placed adjacent to an existing token.
- Swap Food Tokens — Swap the positions of two tokens in the row. If this Action triggers a Perfect Match, gain the PMB and flip the matched Hero card.
Back Side:
- Play a Card — Play a Hero card from your hand to an unoccupied space on either side of the table, resolve the card's Hero effect, and take one Gem for each matching token. Each space can hold only one card.
- Play an Enchant Food Potion — Play an Enchant Food Potion on any faceup Hero card that does not already have one. Gain the Perfect Match Bonus but do not flip the card.
Vegetable Platter Actions (Green)
Front Side:
- Place a Green Food Token — Place a green Vegetable Platter token on an unoccupied space in the row. Any new Food token added to the row must be placed adjacent to an existing token.
- Draw Two Cards — Draw two cards from any of the four Hero card decks. You may draw from different decks.
Back Side:
- Take a White Diamond Token — Take a White Diamond and place it in your play area, assigning it to one of the four other Gem colors.
- Remove a Card — Remove any Hero card from the table (faceup or facedown).
Smoked Ham Actions (Red)
Front Side:
- Place a Red Food Token — Place a red Smoked Ham token on an unoccupied space in the row. Any new Food token added to the row must be placed adjacent to an existing token.
- Remove a Card — Remove any Hero card from the table (faceup or facedown).
Back Side:
- Play a Card — Play a Hero card from your hand to an unoccupied space on either side of the table, resolve the card's Hero effect, and take one Gem for each matching token. Each space can hold only one card.
- Remove a Food Token — Remove a Food token from the row and leave the space empty. You may not remove the last token of any color.
Tankard of Ale Actions (Yellow)
Front Side:
- Place a Yellow Food Token — Place a yellow Tankard of Ale token on an unoccupied space in the row. Any new Food token added to the row must be placed adjacent to an existing token.
- Take an Enchant Food Potion — Take an Enchant Food Potion and place it in front of you.
Back Side:
- Play a Card — Play a Hero card from your hand to an unoccupied space on either side of the table, resolve the card's Hero effect, and take one Gem for each matching token. Each space can hold only one card.
- Exchange Gems — Remove one of your Gems and gain two Gems of any color. (This cannot be done with a White Diamond.)
Food Tokens
When you're playing the game, dishes are represented by colored Food tokens: Quippers and Chips, Tankard of Ale, Smoked Ham, and Vegetable Platter.
Each of the four Action tiles has an Action that allows you to place a Food token of the same color. Food tokens must always be placed on an empty space adjacent to at least one other token. Usually that means you'll put it at either end of the Food Row, but you might also fill gaps in the row created by the Remove a Token action or a Hero effect.
As soon as both end slots in the Food Token Row are full, the endgame begins!
Hero Cards
Here at the Yawning Portal, all Heroes — from halflings to hill giants — dine together in relative harmony.
Each Hero card features a different adventurer, and each of these adventurers has a class. A Hero's class helps determine their effect — a special move that can help you or hinder your opponents.
What Makes a Hero Card
- Food Tokens — This is what the Hero wants to eat. Match these tokens with the row to earn Gems.
- Effect — The Hero's special effect, determined by their class. These effects are always triggered when the Hero card is placed onto the gameboard, but before you collect Gems and rewards for playing the card.
- Perfect Match Bonus — Rewards for completing a Perfect Match.
- Victory Point Symbol — The back of each Hero card shows a colored VP symbol. At the end of the game, you multiply your Gems by the number of visible VP symbols with the same color.
Note that to be considered adjacent, the Hero cards must be next to each other on the same side of the Food Token Row.
Seating Heroes
When you use the Play a Card action, move the Hero card from the front of the line (farthest from the deck) to any available spot at the table.
Gems
For many adventurers, gathering treasure is what makes the dangers of dungeon-delving worth it. There are three ways to earn Gems:
- Seating a Hero at the table.
- Resolving a Hero card effect.
- Triggering a Perfect Match Bonus.
For each symbol on a Hero card that matches a Food token in the row, you score a Gem of the same color. The symbols must match token locations exactly, otherwise they do not grant Gems. (Swapping tokens does not earn extra Gems unless they're included in the Perfect Match Bonus.) If the supply of gems of any color runs out, no more of those gems can be earned in that game.
How Many Gems? (Example)
You use the Play a Card Action and place a card on an open space. You score one Gem for the matching red token and one Gem for the matching blue token. Since the Food Token Row does not have a second red token in the correct position, this is not a Perfect Match.
Perfect Matches
When all symbols at the top of a Hero card match perfectly with any section of the Food Row, a Perfect Match Bonus is triggered. You only need to match what's printed above the Hero's portrait, so ignore any spaces in the row that appear blank on the card.
If a Hero's PMB isn't triggered when the card is played, it remains faceup, allowing you or another player to do it later. The player who triggers the PMB immediately receives all Gems and/or actions pictured in the card's Perfect Match Bonus section, but they do not earn the Gems from the top of the card. Once a Perfect Match is triggered, the card is flipped over so only the VP symbol is visible.
Earning a Perfect Match by Swapping Tokens (Example)
When you use the Swap Tokens action found on the Quippers and Chips Action tile, it might result in a Perfect Match. If the swap creates a Perfect Match, immediately gain the Perfect Match Bonus pictured on the Hero card. (Remember: you only earn Gems if they're included in the PMB.) Since the move created a Perfect Match, it's time to flip the card!
White Diamonds
White Diamonds are special Gems that take on the color of whatever Gem you choose.
When you receive a White Diamond, it must immediately be allocated and added to a group of Gems. A White Diamond's color cannot be changed once assigned.
White Diamond Transmutation (Example)
You earn a White Diamond as part of a Perfect Match Bonus and assign it to your red Gems. You are now considered to have six red Gems for the purposes of completing objectives and tallying your final score.
Enchant Food Potions
Enchant Food Potions let you magically claim a Perfect Match Bonus without doing any of the work.
If you have an Enchant Food Potion, you can play it onto any faceup Hero card at the table by using the Action on the back of the Quippers and Chips Action tile. You immediately claim the Perfect Match Bonus, but you do not flip the card over, meaning that it is still in play and the PMB can be claimed again by swapping tokens.
Each Hero card may only have one Enchant Food Potion on it.
Objective Cards
You can earn extra VP by completing Objectives throughout the game. These Objectives are shown on the five Objective cards next to the table.
As soon as you complete an Objective, claim the card and put it in front of you. These cards will add to your overall score at the end of the game. Objective cards are not replaced once they've been claimed by players, so each game has a total of only five extra Objectives.
Each Objective card is worth 5 VP.
Endgame and Scoring
Triggering the Endgame
When both end slots in the row are filled with a token, the endgame begins. The player who triggers the endgame is done playing after they finish that turn, but all other players take one last turn. All players must take their final turn if they have any possible Actions, even if those Actions will not benefit them.
Playing Out the Final Round (Example)
- In a two-player game, you place the final Food token on the table. Since the two end slots are now full, the endgame begins!
- The opposing player uses their final Action tile of the game. In this example, the blue and yellow Action tiles cannot be used since the Token Row is full, and the red Action tile cannot be used either since there is no available space to play a card. That only leaves the green Action tile, so your opponent has no choice but to use it, and then the game is over.
Final Scoring
Now that the game is over, all players sum up their Victory Point totals. This is done in three steps:
- Multiply the number of Gems of each type that you have by the number of visible card backs of the same Gem that are on the table. (If the Hero card deck for a Gem color is depleted, use the symbol for that Gem that appears on the board when determining the Gem value multiplier.)
- Determine endgame bonuses.
- Add the VP earned from Objective cards.
1. Multiply Gems
Multiply your Gems by the total number of visible VP symbols of the same color. (This includes the top card of each Hero card deck, but none of the cards that have been removed from the table.)
How to Multiply Gems (Example): Multiply your Yellow Topaz Gems by the total number of visible yellow VP symbols (excluding removed cards). If you have seven Yellow Topaz Gems and there are 4 visible yellow VP symbols at the end of the game: 4 VP symbols x 7 Gems = 28 VP.
2. Determine Bonuses
You can earn extra VP by meeting certain requirements at the end of the game:
- 10 VP are awarded to the player who has the most of any single Gem color.
- 15 VP are awarded to the player who has the most sets. A set is defined as having four gems, one from each of the four standard types (Ruby, Topaz, Emerald, Sapphire). Note that White Diamonds assigned to a color type will count in determining the number of sets each player has.
- If players have the same number of Gems of a single color, or the same number of sets, they all receive the bonus VP.
Who Gets the Bonus? (Example)
Most of One Kind: Player One has 11 Red Ruby, 4 Yellow Topaz, 7 Green Emerald, and 9 Blue Sapphire Gems. Player Two has 9 Red Ruby, 7 Yellow Topaz, 12 Green Emerald, and 6 Blue Sapphire Gems, plus 5, 12, 3, and 7 in another grouping. Player Two earns 10 VP for having 12 Green Emeralds, beating Player One's 11 Red Rubies.
Most Sets: Player One has four sets; Player Two has three sets. Player One earns 15 VP for collecting four sets, beating Player Two's three sets.
3. Add VP Earned From Objectives
Finally, all players add the VP earned from the Objective cards they've claimed throughout the game.
Put It All Together! (Example): First tally Gems. Count the visible card backs of each color, including the four Hero card decks: Green Emerald: 4 x 9 = 36; Red Ruby: 4 x 7 = 28; Yellow Topaz: 3 x 7 = 21; Blue Sapphire: 1 x 6 = 6. Next, determine who earns each of the two endgame bonuses. This player earned 15 VP for having the most sets. (Another player earned 10 VP for having the most of any single Gem color.) Finally, add VP earned from Objective cards. This player completed three objectives, at 5 points each, for a total of 15 VP. 36 + 28 + 21 + 6 + 15 + 15 = 121.
Playing the Solo Game
Instructions for playing the game solo.
The first time you play, write down your score on a piece of paper. That's the number to beat! Every time you surpass that score, erase it and write in the new one.
Setting Up Solo Play
- Assemble the table using only the two end pieces and no inserts.
- Shuffle all Hero cards into a single deck, then draw four and place them in a row next to the deck.
- Place Gems, Food tokens, and Enchant Food Potions next to the table.
- Take one Action tile of each color, placing them so the food symbols face up.
- Shuffle the Objective cards. Draw four and place them faceup at each end of the table, oriented so the VP symbol is on the left side.
- Place one of each Food token in the center of the table, in a random order.
What's Different?
When you're playing on your own, most of the game's components work the same as in the base game, so they won't be explained in this section. If this is your first time playing, read through the multiplayer rules first. Below you'll find only the things that work differently for a solo game.
Drawing Cards
You don't have a hand of Hero cards in solo play. Instead, Heroes line up and wait for a seat. When an action or PMB allows you to draw cards, slide the line down and place the new cards closest to the deck.
Objectives
Objectives can still earn extra points, but you'll have to be quick about it. Have you noticed the X printed on each Objective card? In solo play, your goal is to complete the Objective before the Food Token Row reaches that X. If you don't, the card is removed and those points can no longer be scored.
Scoring
Gems are multiplied the same way, and each completed Objective is still worth 5 VP. But instead of determining the standard endgame bonuses, simply award yourself 3 VP for each set you collect.
Action Icons Reference
- Place a blue token / Place a green token / Place a red token / Place a yellow token — place a Food token of the corresponding color in the row.
- Play a card — play a Hero card from your hand to the table.
- Draw two cards — draw two cards from any of the Hero card decks.
- Swap Food tokens — swap the positions of two tokens in the row.
- Remove a card — remove a Hero card from the table.
- Remove a Food token — remove a Food token from the row.
- Take an Enchant Food Potion — take an Enchant Food Potion token.
- Play an Enchant Food Potion — play an Enchant Food Potion onto a faceup Hero card.
- Take a White Diamond token — take a White Diamond Gem and assign it a color.
- Exchange Gems — remove one Gem and gain two Gems of any color.
Credits
Game designed by Kristian Karlberg & Kenny Zetterberg.