Highlander: The Duel
Highlander: The Duel Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
Highlander: The Duel contains 23 Combat Cards, 2 Character Cards, 2 Character Markers, 1 Offense Marker and 24 Damage Markers.
Setup
- Each player chooses which Character they wish to play and takes the appropriate Character Card and Character Marker.
- If there is a dispute, determine randomly.
- Place all the Damage Markers in the center of the play area.
- The player who is playing The Kurgan is the starting player and takes the Offense Marker.
- Shuffle all the Combat Cards and place them face down in a pile in the middle of the play area to form the Combat Deck.
- Reveal cards from the top of the Combat Deck, placing them face up to the right of the Combat Deck, until there are two revealed Combat Cards.
- Deal 2 Combat Cards randomly from the top of the Combat Deck to each player to form their starting hand.
- Starting with the Offensive Player, players take turns taking a face up Combat Card into hand and replacing it with a new card from the top of the Combat Deck OR taking a random card off the top of the Combat Deck.
- Once both players have 5 cards in hand, begin the first Round of Combat.
Card Anatomy
Combat Cards
Each Combat Card shows the following:
- Attack Positions: five attack positions in a row across the top of the card, shown as icons: hand, foot, head (helmet), foot and hand, from left to right.
- Ability: the text box in the middle of the card.
- Follow-up Bar: the strip along the bottom of the card, showing the same five attack position icons (hand, foot, head, foot, hand).
Character Cards
Each Character Card shows two abilities, each with a Damage Received requirement shown in a circle beside it. The Damage Received value is the total Damage the Character must receive in order to unlock that ability.
The rulebook illustrates the Connor MacLeod Character Card:
- Ability 1 (5+ Damage): If you're the Defensive Player and you Block, Deal 1 Damage to Opponent.
- Ability 2 (9+ Damage): If you're the Offensive Player and you Strike with a card with 1 Attack Position, Deal 1 Damage to Opponent.
The Kurgan's Character Card is not illustrated in this rulebook.
Sequence of Play
- Players play a number of Rounds of Combat until one player is reduced to zero life.
- Each Round consists of a number of Clashes with players playing one card each and resolving the clash.
- A Round ends when players have only one card left in their hand.
Clash
Players simultaneously choose one Combat Card from their hand and place it face down in the middle of the play area.
Players then reveal the chosen cards and align them with the top of the cards touching.
With the exception of the first card of the round for each player, if the chosen Combat Card does NOT include at least one Attack Position indicated on the follow-up bar of their previously played Combat Card this round, they receive 1 Damage.
Then refer to the attack positions on the aligned cards to resolve the clash as follows:
Block
If at least one attack position is aligned with an attack position on the opposing card: No damage is taken.
Strike
If no attack positions are aligned with attack positions on the opposing card: The Defending Player takes 1 Damage per attack position on the Offensive Player's card.
Perfect Block
If all attack positions on both cards are aligned with each other: The Offensive Player takes 1 Damage.
If players only have one card in their hand at the end of a Clash, End the Round of Combat by performing the following:
- The Defending Player becomes the Offensive Player by taking the Offensive Marker.
- Take all played cards and place them all face up in the combat discard pile.
- Starting with the Offensive Player, players take either a face up Combat Card into hand and replacing it with a new card from the top of the Combat Deck OR take a random card off the top of the Combat Deck.
- If the Combat Deck is empty, shuffle the Combat Discard pile and form a new Combat Deck.
- Once both players have 5 cards in hand, begin a new Round of Combat.
Card abilities are no longer in effect thus nothing from the previous round carries over to the new round. This includes follow-up bar requirements and abilities that trigger on the next card played.
If a Character has received total damage equal to or greater than their Character Card's abilities, they have permanently unlocked that new ability and apply its effects on future clashes when appropriate.
Once all above steps have been resolved proceed to the next clash.
End Game
Once a player has received 12 or more Damage, the game is over and the surviving player wins.
- If both players received 12 or more Damage during the same clash, the player who received the least total damage wins.
- If it is still a tie, the Defending Player wins.
FAQ
Q: If I unlock a player ability can I use it during the clash it was unlocked? A: No, you can only apply the ability effect on future clashes.
Q: When I unlock my second player ability can I still use the first ability or only the second? A: When you unlock your second ability, you can use both abilities.
Q: Is a Perfect Block considered a Block with regards to card abilities and game text? A: Yes, a Perfect Block is considered a Block with respect to character and card ability.