Dungeons of the Oak Dell Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Setup
• Quick Gameplay Overview
• Detailed Description of Each Phase of the Round
  • 1. Dice roll
  • 2. Dice drafting
  • A) Dungeon Phase - Moving through the dungeon
  • B) Attack Phase - attacking a monster
  • C) Monster Phase - monster attacks
• Character Sheet
  • 1. Health Points
  • 2. Skills
    • Basic Skills
    • Special Skills
  • 3. Equipment
  • 4. Potions
• General Monster Sheet Overview
• Scenarios
  • 1. Kill the Boss
  • 2. Shrines (scenario title not legible in the source scan)
• Solo Mode

Overview

The game lasts a number of rounds (depending on a scenario), divided into 3 turns each. They must complete the objective of the dungeon (kill the boss, etc.). If they fail, the game ends in defeat.

Setup

1. Place the Dice Sheet (A) in the center of the table, along with the dice (B) in quantities depending on the number of players:
   • 1 - 2 players: 3 white and 3 black
   • 3 players: 4 white and 5 black
   • 4 players: 6 white and 6 black
2. Each player receives: a Character Sheet (C) and a Dungeon Sheet (D).
3. Take Monster Sheets (E) from levels 1, 2, 3 and draw monsters equal to the number of players +1, for every level, to form 3 Monster Decks.
4. Place Final Boss cards (F) equal to the number of players, after the level 3 Monster Deck.
5. Every player draws a Monster Sheet (G) from lvl 1 deck (in your first game we recommend taking a Ghost) and grabs his sword and shield or something to write with and a ruler (H).
6. The player who was most recently in a basement receives the First Player Acorn (I).

Quick Gameplay Overview

The player with the acorn rolls all the dice and places them on the Dice Sheet according to their values. Then, each player, in clockwise order, drafts one of them and resolves the following phases according to the circles on the Dice Sheet:

1. Outer circle - (Dungeon Phase) - moving through the dungeon
2. Middle circle - (Attack Phase) - attacking a monster
3. Inner circle - (Monster Phase) - monster attack

These steps are repeated three times, meaning each player will select 3 dice in a round. When all the dice have been taken and each player has finished their last turn, the first player passes the First Player Acorn to the person on their left, and the next round begins.

After the number of rounds shown on the chosen Dungeon Sheet, the game ends and a winner is determined, unless one of the players fulfills the special scenario requirements earlier.

Detailed Description of Each Phase of the Round

1. Dice roll

After rolling the dice, they must be assigned to the respective sections of the dice sheet, corresponding to the color and value of the die.

2. Dice drafting

Starting with the first player, everyone takes turns, drafting one die and simultaneously performing actions in the following order:

A) Dungeon Phase - Moving through the dungeon

The outer circle on the Dice Sheet indicates how many spaces the player must move during that turn, based on the chosen die. White dice provide shorter distances to travel, offering better defense against monster attacks. On the other hand, black dice allow for faster movement through the dungeon but expose the player to more powerful blows.

(The Dungeon Sheet shows the level (difficulty), turn track, torches found, and a map legend.)

Dungeon Zones: The dungeon is divided into zones distinguished by the color and pattern of the tiles. Each zone is associated with a different level of monsters that can be encountered. If a player kills a monster and needs to draw a new monster sheet, they check which zone they are in and draw a Monster Sheet from the corresponding deck (Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3).

Exploring the dungeon: Players can freely explore the dungeon, meaning they can backtrack and pass through the same spaces multiple times. However, it is important to remember that all items and locations found in the dungeon (potions, traps, fountains of life, etc.) are single-use.

• Potions - When a player passes through a space with a potion, they mark its acquisition in their backpack by circling the potion of that type. The exact effects of the potions are described in the Character Sheet section.
• Traps - When passing through a trap, the player takes damage equal to the level of the dungeon area the trap is in, unless they end their movement on the trap. NOTE: A player cannot stop their movement to end on a trap! To avoid damage, they must use all available movement points for that turn and end their movement on the trap.
• Fountain of Life - Passing through this location grants the player 2 health points.
• Doors - To pass through a door, a key is required or the use of a special hero ability/equipment. Keys are obtained during fights with monsters.
• Chests - Chests contain equipment that the player can use to equip their hero. This is described in more detail in the Character Sheet section.
• Wall torches - When a player ends their movement on a space with a wall torch, they subtract 2 from the result on the die during the Monster Phase. The player can also weaken monster attack in the same way, by using one of their available torches BEFORE ROLLING for the monster attack.
• Torches - When passing through a space with a torch, the player marks the next torch from the left in the upper right corner of the dungeon map.

B) Attack Phase - attacking a monster

The middle circle on the Dice Sheet indicates the color of the point from which a blow can be struck. The player then draws a line to any other point on the Monster Sheet.

NOTE: Players cannot check (e.g., with a ruler) how the line they want to draw will run! There is a special potion for this purpose described later in the instructions.

After selecting both points, the player can use a ruler to draw the line. By default, only one line can be drawn from and to each point on the Monster Sheet. However, there are skills and equipment that can change this.

While making a line, player can cross some icons, like skills or keys. Every time a player does that, he marks it on his Character Sheet (skills) or Dungeon Sheet (keys).

Example: The die chosen by the player allows a blow to be struck from the yellow point. The player then draws a line toward the blue point. The line crosses a key icon, so the player receives that reward.

If the line intersects with another previously drawn line and the intersection is on the monster's body, the player deals damage to the monster and marks one of the drops on the monster's health track.

It may happen that the drawn line intersects with several other lines, allowing the player to deal multiple damage at once. If the line drawn in the current turn intersects with others at the same point, the blow is also considered successful and deals a greater amount of damage (equal to the number of intersected lines). (In both examples the player did 2 points of damage this turn.)

Potions, equipment, and skills allow for additional strikes, multiple uses of the same point, dealing greater damage, etc. This is described in more detail in the Character Sheet section.

Most of the monsters also have their special abilities, which can modify some of the above rules (e.g., negate damage dealt to specific body parts). A detailed description of each monster can be found later in the instructions.

If a player defeats a monster (marks all the drops on the Monster Sheet), they earn the reward shown in the lower left corner of the Monster Sheet.

Example: After defeating a monster, the player receives an orange potion and upgrades a chosen skill.

The sheet of the defeated monster should be put at the bottom of the appropriate monster deck. In the next phase of the round (Monster Attack), instead of performing a monster attack, the player draws a new Monster Sheet corresponding to the dungeon zone they are currently in. This means that in this round, the new monster does not perform an attack!

If the player has used all the points from which they can strike and can no longer deal damage to the monster in any other way (by using a skill, potion or equipment), during the Monster Phase, instead of rolling the dice, the monster deals damage equal to the number of remaining health points (drops) and then flees. The player must discard this Monster Sheet and draw a new one.

Example: The player has used all the points from which they can strike. They do not have any skills or equipment that would allow them to do so. Therefore, in the monster attack phase, instead of rolling the dice, they receive 2 damage and mark it on their Character Sheet.

C) Monster Phase - monster attacks

The inner circle represents the monster's attack. To determine the strength of the monster's attack, the player rolls the die selected this turn and then compares the result with the table located in the bottom right corner of the monster sheet. Depending on the color of the chosen die, the player refers to the left side of the table if they used a white die, or the right side if they used a black die.

Additionally, if the player ends their movement in the dungeon in a space illuminated by torches or uses his own torch (before rolling the die), they subtract 2 from the result on the die.

After resolving the Monster Phase, the player places the die on top of their Character Sheet. If a third die is placed there by all players, the round comes to an end. All the dice are then put on the Dice Sheet, everyone marks another round on the round track, the First Player Acorn is handed to the next player, and another round begins.

Character Sheet

The character sheet is divided into several sections:

1. Health Points

The hero starts with a certain number of health points. During the game, the hero's health level can be increased, for example, by reaching the Fountain of Life. Each time the player takes damage, they mark the appropriate number of broken heart symbols, starting from the left. If at any point in the game the number of broken hearts is equal to or greater than the number of full hearts, the hero dies and the player loses the game.

VARIANT: In multiplayer games, instead of death, you can introduce a healing instead of moving rule. This means that if a player loses all their health points, in the next turn, they must forfeit their movement to gain two heart symbols. If this results in the number of full hearts being greater than the number of broken hearts, they can continue exploring the dungeon. If the number of broken hearts is still greater, the player must forfeit another movement phase until successful.

NOTE: This rule does not apply in battles with bosses! Losing all health points in a fight with them means permanent death!

2. Skills

There are 3 Basic Skill tracks. Each of these can be developed in the following ways:

• By collecting skill symbols during combat with a monster. When attacking, if the player draws a line through one of the specific symbols (just like collecting a key).
• As a reward for defeating a monster.

When developing a skill, mark the next circle from the top. Every few levels, the hero also gains access to a Special Skill (surrounded with green circle) and improves the effectiveness of the Basic Skill.

Special Skills are ready to use immediately after the Basic Skill circles connected to them are marked.

Example: While striking a blow, the player collected the shield symbol (A) and dealt 1 damage (B), which killed the monster. As a reward (C), they received an orange potion and selected the shield symbol again, thus developing the defense skill twice in this turn (D), also gaining access to the Special Skill - Trap Avoidance (E).

To use a particular skill, the marked circle must be filled in.

NOTE: Each skill can only be used once per phase. This means that the player can only use one circle on each of the three columns per phase. However, they can use any circle (e.g., +2 defense), even if there are still unused circles higher up (e.g., +1 defense). Special Skills do not count towards the Basic Skill usage limit, but they too can only be used once per phase.

Basic Skills

These skills are common to all characters, but some heroes start the game with a different set.

• Additional Damage - This skill allows the player to increase the amount of damage dealt by drawing a line. Every three levels, the amount of damage dealt this way increases from +1 up to +3. If the line drawn doesn't deal any damage, this skill can't be used.

• Additional Strikes - This skill allows the player to draw a line from or to an already used point. At higher levels, the player gains the ability to use multiple previously used points at the same time. Using this skill in multiple turns, allows the player to attack from/to the same point many times.

  Example: The player wanted to draw a line from the yellow point to the previously used red point (A). To do this, they used a previously acquired skill (B). Along the way, they crossed the skill symbol (C), which they immediately used (D) to deal greater damage (E) to the monster.

• Damage Blocking - This skill reduces the amount of received damage (from any source and at any time) by the indicated value.

Special Skills

• Door breaching - Allows the player to pass through doors.

  Example: The player breached the door (A) using the Special Skill (B). Then, after delivering a successful blow (C), they increased the damage dealt by 1 using the skill (D) and marked both damage points on the monster's health track (E).

• Breaking the wall - Allows the player to pass through a wall after taking 1 wound.

• Attack from any point - Allows the player to attack from a point of any color, instead of the one shown by the dice.

• Trap avoidance - Allows the player to pass through a trap without taking any damage.

• Run - Allows the player to move additionally up to X spaces during the Dungeon Phase.

• Additional torch - Works like other torches do.

• Stun - Allows the player to skip Monster Phase this turn.

• Dodge - Allows the player to skip Monster Phase this turn and move 1 space.

• Disable monsters ability - Allows the player to ignore the monster's special ability this turn.

3. Equipment

Heroes can obtain equipment usually by finding chests in the dungeon, or killing monsters (mimics). Each time a hero finds another piece of equipment, the player marks any item on the Character Sheet. To mark their choice, the player circles the rectangle describing the item's effect, located next to the chosen piece of gear.

Set collection. Collecting two pieces of armor or weapons, immediately gives the hero two Basic Skills.

Example: The hero breaches the door by using his Special Skill (B) and finds a chest (A). The player marks chain mail (C), which is a second part of armor obtained (he already has the helmet), so as a reward for collecting a set (D), he immediately circles two defense skills (E).

Equipment description (effects as printed next to each pictured item):

• If the player drew a white/black die this turn and dealt any damage, it is increased by 1.
• Subtract 1 from the die roll result during Monster Phase.
• Allows the player to reroll the black die during the Monster Phase. The new result must be accepted.
• Move exactly 1 or 2 additional spaces during the Dungeon Phase.
• When using a torch (from equipment or a wall), subtract 3 instead of 2 from the dice roll result during the Monster Phase.
• While fighting a monster in darkness, ignore 1 damage taken from the black die.
• While fighting a monster in darkness, add 1 damage if any damage was dealt this turn to a monster.
• While using a torch (from equipment), deal 1 extra damage.
• While fighting a monster on a trap, add 1 damage if any damage was dealt this turn to a monster.
• Ignore Monster Phase while standing on a trap.
• Use a skill (in this case Additional Damage) to skip the Monster Phase this turn.
• If a monster deals at least 2 damage this turn, perform an attack from a red point (the limit on using points still applies but can be bypassed with a skill, etc.).
• If a monster deals at least 2 damage this turn, deal 1 extra damage.
• If a player deals at least 2 damage this turn, reduce damage dealt by a monster during the Monster Phase by 1.
• If the hero has 3 hit points left, deal 1 extra damage per turn. If the hero has 1 hit point left, deal 2 extra damage per turn.
• Earn 1 hit point after killing a level 1 or 2 monster, or 2 hit points for killing a level 3 monster.
• Earn triangular Potion after killing a monster.
• If moving only 1 space this turn, the player can go through the doors.

4. Potions

Potions help heroes deal with challenges more effectively. When a player obtains a potion (usually by reaching it in the dungeon or as a reward for killing a monster), they mark the circle next to the corresponding potion in their backpack.

At any point during their turn, after drafting a dice, a player can use up to two potions (one of each type/row: Triangular and Round). To indicate his choice, the player fills in one of the previously marked circles.

Using potions is an additional action and does not replace the primary action (attack, etc).

• Yellow - Potion of Focus - The player can use a ruler to check the connections between any of the points, and can do it for all the lines/points. The player does not have to draw this line.
• Green - Potion of Wounding - The player marks any unused point on the Monster Sheet to deal 1 damage. The point marked this way becomes permanently unavailable for the rest of the fight with that monster!
• Red - Potion of Rage - The hero takes 1 damage, and the chosen monster takes 2 damage. If there are more monsters, or the monster has multiple body parts the damage can't be split between them.
• Orange - Potion of Precision - The player can draw a two-centimeter line anywhere on the monster sheet and deal the appropriate amount of damage.
• Blue - Potion of Speed - The player can execute two connected strikes (the limit on lines drawn from a given point still applies, except for the middle point to and from which strikes are made (A)). While executing these strikes, the player can still use skills that allow for increasing the number of lines drawn from or to a given point.
• Purple - Potion of Whirling Blades - Works like the blue potion but better.

General Monster Sheet Overview

A Monster Sheet shows: the monster, monster hit points, hero skills to develop, monster flee trigger and effect, the reward for killing the monster, and the monster ability.

Monster descriptions (in the order printed; each refers to the pictured monster):

• To kill the monster, the player needs to deal 6 damage. If the player deals an additional 2 damage (for a total of 8) in the turn the monster is killed, they will also receive a potion as a reward.
• To kill the monster, the player needs to deal 4 damage by hitting its "soft" body parts (hands, legs, mouth, and tongue). However, if the player manages to hit the chest 4 times before the monster is killed (or in the same turn), they will receive a piece of equipment.
• To kill the monster, the player needs to deal 6 damage. However, for each hit dealt to the wings, the monster permanently gains +2 to its attack rolls.
• To kill these monsters, the player needs to deal 4 damage to the first one and 3 damage to the second one. Both monsters attack during the Monster Phase, requiring the player to roll the dice twice.
• To kill the monster, the player needs to deal 6 damage. When the player draws a line through one of the four chains, the chain breaks. For each broken chain, the monster permanently gains +1 to the damage it deals (up to a maximum of +4).
• To kill the monster, the player needs to deal 5-10 damage. Each time the monster deals damage to the player, it gains additional hit points equal to the damage dealt (for each broken heart marked on the Character Sheet).
• To kill the monster, the player needs to deal 5 damage. However at the end of every Monster Phase, one of the coffins has to be marked. When all three coffins are marked and the monster is still alive, it deals the damage equal to its remaining hit points and flees (Monster Sheet is discarded).
• To kill these monsters, the player needs to deal 1 damage to each of them. During the Monster Phase, the player must add +1 to the dice roll result for each monster still alive.

Bosses:

• To kill the boss, the player needs to deal a total of 11 damage. However, except for 4 hit points placed on the boss's body, all the others are treated as different body parts, so each must be hit separately. During the Monster Phase, the dice indicate which type of eyes (A, B, C) deal damage, equal to the number of active eyes of that type. Additionally, if the black die is used, the damage dealt by the boss increases by 1.
• To kill the boss, the player needs to deal a total of 9-25 damage. During the Monster Phase, the dice indicate which body part the boss uses to attack (left hand, right hand, or head). Before it deals any damage to the hero, it gains additional hit points equal to the current hit points of the body part being used to attack. After that, the hero receives damage equal to the hit points on the boss's torso. Additionally, if the black die is used, the damage is increased by 1. The boss is also resistant to the effect of the red triangular potion.

Since bosses have a different mechanic, the bonus from the torch allows the player to add or subtract 1 from the dice roll, during the Monster Phase.

Scenarios

1. To Win: You must achieve the objective before time runs out.
2. Multiplayer: In a multiplayer game, the player who first achieves the objective wins.

1. Kill the Boss

Before the Game: Choose a boss type you're going to fight and place its card (or cards in a multiplayer game) next to the 3rd level Monster Sheet.

Gameplay: To trigger the final boss, the player needs to reach its chamber. After finishing the fight with the current monster, instead of drawing the next one, the player takes the Boss Sheet. After reaching the boss's chamber, the player can still move through the dungeon in future turns.

2. Shrines (scenario title not legible in the source scan)

Before the game: In this scenario, no boss cards are used.

Gameplay: The player must reach every shrine in the dungeon and destroy it in the same turn by spending the required skills.

Scenarios marked with the longer-game symbol last a bit longer, making them easier.

Solo Mode

To play solo, prepare the game the same way, as if you'd play a 2-player game, (but we suggest using all available monsters to enhance variability).

The only difference is that each turn, after you draw a die, discard the second one according to the following rules:

1. The highest value.
2. If the highest value is the same on both the black and white dice, discard the black die.

Example: The player draws a black die with a value of 5, so the white 5, as the highest value die on the Dice Sheet, is discarded. In the next round, the player draws a black 2. As a result, two dice with the highest value (3) remain on the Dice Sheet. In such situations, the black die is discarded.

At least for now, as we are still working on the campaign mode, where discarded dice may have significance and impact on the further gameplay.