Journey: Wrath of Demons
Journey: Wrath of Demons Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- The Four Pilgrims
- Game Overview
- Understanding this Rulebook
- Game Components
- Component Overview
- Miniatures
- Game Board
- Bridge Tiles
- Mystical Box Tokens
- Water Well Tokens
- Door Tokens
- Gate Tokens
- Villager Tokens
- Sutra Tokens
- Turn and Initiative Tokens
- Pilgrim Tokens
- Custom Dice
- Pilgrim Profile Sheets
- Heavenly Creature Profile Sheets
- Demon Profile Sheets
- Pilgrim Skill Cards
- Weapon Cards
- Corruption Cards
- Demon Spawn Cards
- Fortune Cards
- Misfortune Cards
- Condition Cards
- Spinner
- Important Game Concepts
- General Rules
- Profile Sheets
- Cards
- Duration
- Miscellaneous Terms and Definitions
- Turn Details
- Detailed Rules
- The Dice
- Attack
- Game Board Special Rules
- Demon AI
- Quest Guide
- Quest Setup
- Quest 1 - Meeting
- Quest 2 - Rescue
- Quest 3 - Village Fields
- Quest 4 - The Village
- Quest 5 - Beasts
- Quest 6 - Kogaiji
- Quest 7 - Demon Army
- Quest 8 - Iron Fan's Interruption
- Quest 9 - Kogaiji's Trap
- Quest 10 Part 1 - The Lair
- Quest 10 Part 2 - Seal the Gate
- Creating Quests
- The Journey Continues
The Four Pilgrims
Four Pilgrims were chosen by fate to risk their lives and undertake this arduous journey. Each is driven by their own motives, but together they share the same goal.
The faithful monk Tripitaka possesses the secret knowledge needed to activate the Sutras and the Demons have banded together to make him their prime target. He will need the protection of his three powerful companions, as they travel through the lands to obtain the Sutras, or humanity will be wiped from history forever.
Monkey King
He may be the strongest creature in the world, but he is completely alone. His Clan was slaughtered during the Demon invasion, while he was trapped in stone under the mountain. Owing a debt to Tripitaka for freeing him from the stone prison, he joined the band, but the Monkey King is still seeking a way to revive his Clan.
Cho Hakkai
A powerful general in Heaven, Cho Hakkai was transformed into a pig-like beast as punishment for his penchant for earthly pleasures, especially his lust for the Goddess of the Moon, Chang'E. When he found out she was captured by the Demons, he pledged an oath to rescue her, and he joined Tripitaka to seal the Demons back in the Underworld.
Monk Sha
A brave human warrior, Monk Sha is slowly transforming into a monster, after being cursed by the Demon Ugragosa during an epic battle. Despite his monstrous appearance, he was summoned by the Goddess of Mercy to become Tripitaka's disciple. He hopes that one day he can bring salvation to his body and soul.
Tripitaka
A reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, Tripitaka is a disciple of Buddha. He possesses the knowledge to activate the sacred Sutras, but not the power to protect himself from the Demon hordes. He believes that it is his destiny to bring salvation to this sinful world.
Game Overview
Welcome! Journey: Wrath of Demons is a cooperative game for 1 to 4 Players. On this journey, you will play as the Pilgrims, a small band of travelling heroes, trying to force the Demons from our world. You will experience the Pilgrims' misfortunes, battle hordes of demons, spirits and other creatures and hopefully share in their ultimate success. In this core game, the Pilgrims focus on just one of their archenemies, the Bull Demon King, who possesses one of the lost pieces of the Sutras. The Quests will lead them deep into Bull Demon territory, where they eventually venture into Volcano City and reach across the Fiery Mountain to confront the mighty Bull Demon King!
The game follows the trials of the 4 Pilgrims, so all 4 Pilgrims are always in play. The Pilgrims are controlled by the Players, so if there are less than 4 Players, each Player may control more than one Pilgrim. The Demons are controlled by the game itself.
Start by selecting one of the Quests described in the scenarios section and setting the game up as described. Review any special rules for the Quest and become familiar with the Quest Objectives. This will include placing the Pilgrims, Demons, scenery and other game items on the starting Map Tiles and placing all the game components in easy reach.
Journey: Wrath of Demons is played as a series of game turns, where each turn has a Pilgrim Phase and then a Demon Phase.
During the Pilgrim Phase, the Players activate each Pilgrim, one at a time and each Pilgrim takes 2 Actions, such as Move, Attack, and Pray. Once all the Pilgrims have been activated, the Pilgrim Phase ends and the Demon Phase begins.
During the Demon Phase, the Demons make their actions as dictated by the game AI. New Demons are spawned adjacent to the Spawn Gates. Then all the Demons on the game board activate, one at a time. Each Demon also has 2 Actions, which are used to move closer to the Pilgrims and attack. Killing Tripitaka is the Demons' main focus, so they always attack and move towards him if possible.
Completing or Failing the Quest
The Players win when the Quest's Victory Conditions are met, typically during the Pilgrim Phase. The game stops immediately. In some Quests, multiple conditions must be met, in others, fulfilling one is sufficient. Every Quest has different Victory Conditions.
The Players fail the Quest when other Conditions are met. For example, Tripitaka being Killed or when the Pilgrims fail to collect all the Quest Objectives. Again, these are clearly defined in the Quests and are often different.
The Pilgrims win or lose as a team, so it is essential for the Players to strategize and play cooperatively.
Are you ready to battle the Demons? Do you have the power to change the destiny of the world?
Understanding this Rulebook
Journey: Wrath of Demons is quite complex. We suggest you skim through the rulebook to get a general feel for the game and also to learn how the rulebook is organized. Generally, the information is initially presented as a summary and then later, more details and specifics are given. If a section seems too short, chances are it will be explained in more detail later.
Also, terms starting with capital letters (Action Points, Health Points, etc) are game terms with a very specific meaning. The same term will be used constantly (Health Points, not health, health points, hit points). If you see a term in capitals it will be defined somewhere in the rulebook. Conversely, if you see a term in lower case (turn, model), it is being used generically, with no specific implications.
GAME TIP Game terms will be used consistently in the rulebook, but abbreviations are used on the cards to save space.
The first 2 Quests are simple and designed to introduce you to the rules. You may want to re-read the rulebook after playing these Quests to check that you made no mistakes.
Rules and Cards
Although this rulebook gives a solid foundation to the rules, there are many small rules or rule variations on the various cards used in the game. The rules on the cards take precedence over rules in this book.
Also, some of the larger cards have many important attributes on them. In general, we have tried to put as much information on cards as possible, so that you do not have to refer to tables of statistics and values in the rulebook while you are playing.
Game Components
- This Rulebook
- 33 Miniatures, consisting of:
- 4 Pilgrims
- 3 Demon Lords
- 2 Bull Generals
- 3 Bullserkers
- 5 Bull Archers
- 15 Bull Warriors
- 1 Heavenly Creature
- 6 Custom Dice
- 1 Spinner
- 4 Pilgrim Tokens
- 9 Double-Sided Map Tiles
- 4 Double-Sided Bridge Tiles
- 5 Villager Objective Tokens
- 7 Sutra Objective Tokens
- 8 Double-Sided Door Tokens
- 5 Gate Tokens
- 3 Water Well Tokens
- 16 Turn Tokens
- 5 Mystical Box Tokens
- 4 Pilgrim Profile Sheets
- 1 Heavenly Creature Profile Sheet
- 7 Demon Profile Sheets
- 44 Pilgrim Skill Cards
- 12 Weapon Cards
- 50 Demon Cards
- 20 Fortune Cards
- 20 Misfortune Cards
- 20 Condition Cards
- 16 Corruption Cards
Component Overview
Miniatures
Miniatures represent the characters in Journey: Wrath of Demons on the Game Board. The miniature shows where the character is on the Game Board and which direction the character is facing. The facing is important when the character moves and attacks. Each miniature is given a colored icon that will be used on the Quest Mini-Map, to show where the Miniature is placed on the Game Board.
- Monk Sha (MS)
- Tripitaka (TP)
- Monkey King (MK)
- Cho Hakkai (CH)
- Berrok (BW)
- Bharhaz (BA)
- Borrack (BG)
- Boof (BK)
- Kogaiji (KJ)
- Yazuiji (YZ)
- Koorogg (DK)
- Kei Lun (KL)
Game Board
Map Tiles represent different locations that the Pilgrims visit during the game. Each Quest has a different combination of Map Tiles, some separated by Bridge Tiles, and populated with structures and other tokens. The Map Tiles are gridded, to help you move and position the Miniatures and see which Miniatures are within attack range.
Bridge Tiles
The Bridge Tiles are used to separate some Map Tiles during a Quest. Like the Map Tiles, the Quest defines which Bridge Tiles should be used.
Mystical Box Tokens
These tokens allow Pilgrims to pray for aid and can act as Quest Objectives.
Water Well Tokens
These tokens are used for healing and can be Quest Objectives that Pilgrims need to find.
Door Tokens
These tokens show the entrances to rooms on certain Map Tiles. They are double sided, showing closed and broken down doors.
Gate Tokens
These tokens are placed on the Map Tiles to indicate locations where Demons appear.
Villager Tokens
These tokens represent the Villagers that Pilgrims will encounter as Quest Objectives. Typically, the Pilgrims will need to rescue the Villagers from Demons, but sometimes they give the Pilgrims information and other rewards.
Sutra Tokens
These tokens can be collected to Close Gates in some Quests. They are also Quest Objectives that Pilgrims need to collect.
Turn and Initiative Tokens
These tokens are placed on cards that have multi-turn duration, to track passing time. They are also used as Initiative Tokens, that are randomly assigned to Pilgrims during the Setup Phase, to indicate the turn order.
Pilgrim Tokens
These tokens are placed on the Map Tiles to indicate objects that the Pilgrims have visited.
Custom Dice
The Attacker rolls the red Attack Dice to generate damage. Pilgrims use the white Pilgrim Die and the more powerful Demons use the black Demon Die to control their special powers. These powers include generating extra damage. Some Targets roll the blue Defense Dice to reduce damage from an attack.
It is important to roll the correct dice at the appropriate time, because the different dice have different faces:
- Red - Attack Dice
- Blue - Defense Dice
- White - Pilgrim Dice
- Black - Demon Dice
Pilgrim Profile Sheets
These show character statistics and dice rolls and have sliders and wheels to track changing statistic values.
Heavenly Creature Profile Sheets
In the base game, Kei Lun has a Heavenly Creature Profile Sheet. It shows statistics and dice rolls, but only tracks changes to Health Points.
Demon Profile Sheets
These show similar information for the Demons but are simpler because the statistics are fixed for Demons. The statistics do not change during the game.
Pilgrim Skill Cards
These cards give each Pilgrim new abilities during the game. Each Pilgrim has his own specific card deck.
Weapon Cards
These cards are used by the Pilgrims for extra damage when they attack. Each Pilgrim has a set of Weapon Cards that become more powerful as the Pilgrim gains proficiency with their weapon.
Corruption Cards
These cards show different permanent effects that Pilgrims receive in the game if their Bad Karma gets too high.
Demon Spawn Cards
These cards are drawn every turn at each active Gate. Most Demon Cards are reinforcement cards which indicate which Demons spawn at the Demon Gates at the start of the Demon Phase. There are a small number of special cards that give the Demons new powers and the Rage Card, which must be removed from the deck before play starts.
Fortune Cards
These cards grant Pilgrims temporary abilities and items.
Misfortune Cards
Similarly, these cards hinder Pilgrims by causing temporary changes to abilities and actions.
Condition Cards
These cards show different ongoing effects in the game. When a Pilgrim is affected by a condition, a Condition Card will be placed next to the Pilgrim Profile Sheet as a reminder.
Spinner
Use the spinner to determine whether you draw Fortune or Misfortune cards while Meditating at the Mystical Box.
Important Game Concepts
Pilgrims, Demons, Players, Game AI
The Pilgrims are the heroes of Journey: Wrath of Demons, controlled by human Players. Demons are their enemies, controlled by the Game AI, a set of rules that tell the human Players how to select Actions for the Demons. More Allies and Enemies will be introduced in future expansions.
Action, Action Points
All Miniatures have a certain number of Action Points to spend on a fixed list of Actions to function in the game. Each Miniature is Activated in turn, according to the Initiative Order and makes all of its Actions.
Statistics
All Miniatures have many different Statistics that define exactly how they operate. They may be numeric, for example Health Points, lost when the character takes damage; Chi, which is spent to use some magical Skills; Good and Bad Karma, accumulated leading to new Skills and Soul Power, used to resist the Cleanse Ritual. Other Statistics define the number of dice used in certain situations, for example Pilgrims attack by rolling 2 red Attack Dice and 1 white Pilgrim Die; Pilgrims defend with 2 blue Defense Dice.
Turn, Pilgrim Phase, Demon Phase
A Turn is one complete iteration of game play, which is split into smaller steps or Phases: starting with the Maintenance Phase (some housekeeping tasks), then the Pilgrim Phase, when Pilgrims get to take their Actions, the Demon Phase, when new Demons are Spawned and all Demons take their Actions, ending with the End of Turn Phase (a little more housekeeping, normally counting the passing Turns). The Turn then repeats until the Quest is complete.
Attackers, Targets
Pilgrims get to attack during the Pilgrim Phase and Demons can attack during the Demon Phase. The Miniature making the attack is referred to as the Attacker. Depending on its abilities and cards in play, the Attacker will select one, many or all of the Miniatures in its Attack Range as the Target of the Attack. Dice are normally rolled separately for each Attack.
Defeated, Killed, Cleansed
The first step in a successful Attack is to Defeat the Target, by reducing its Health Points to 0. Then it can be Killed (automatic, if this option is selected) or Cleansed with a successful Cleanse Ritual. Some Attackers always Kill their Targets.
Quests, Objectives, Victory Conditions
The scenario or Quest defines the starting conditions: which Map Tiles and Tokens are used, initial placement of Miniatures, etc. It also includes special rules to be observed during game play and the Victory or Defeat Conditions, usually described in terms of Quest Objectives that must be met.
General Rules
Turn Structure
The game starts with the Setup Phase and then continues for a number of Turns, until the Quest Conditions are met.
Setup Phase: This is a one-time activity to prepare the playing area and Game Board for the Quest you are about to play. After the Setup Phase, each Turn has many Phases.
Maintenance Phase: Remove any cards in play if their duration is complete. Apply ongoing effects if the cards are still in play. All Pilgrims can do this simultaneously.
Pilgrim Phase: Each Pilgrim is activated in the order shown by the Initiative Markers and completes all their actions, before the next Pilgrim activates.
Demon Phase: Spawn new Demons, then each Demon is activated in turn and completes their actions, before the next Demon activates.
End of Turn Phase: Perform End of Turn Phase actions, such as using Turn Tokens to track passing time. All Pilgrims do this simultaneously.
Quest Victory or Defeat Conditions can occur at any time. Typically, the Pilgrims will win during the Pilgrim Phase and they will lose during the Demon Phase, but a Quest Condition may specify the time the check is made, for example, at the start or end of the Turn.
Game Setup
- Choose a Quest. There are many in the Quest section of this rule book.
- Quests have Quest Objectives and may have special rules. Ensure that all Players understand the Quest before play begins.
- Setup the Map Tiles, Bridge Tiles and other Tokens, as described in the Quest. Keep the remaining Tokens near the playing area as they may be used later.
- Separate the Condition, Corruption, Fortune and Misfortune cards into 4 decks. Place the Condition Cards face up in a convenient place in the playing area. Shuffle the other 3 decks thoroughly and place them face down next to the Condition Cards, leaving space for Discard Decks.
- Each player should select the Pilgrim(s) they want to play. Depending on the number of players, you may be controlling more than 1 Pilgrim (all 4 Pilgrims will always start the game):
- One Player - all 4 Pilgrims.
- Two Players - 2 Pilgrims each.
- Three Players - 2 Players have 1 Pilgrim each and the third Player controls 2 Pilgrims.
- Four Players - 1 Pilgrim each.
- Once you have selected your Pilgrim(s), separate each of the 4 Pilgrim Skill Card decks. Shuffle the Skill Cards and draw the top 2. Place the remaining Skill Cards aside where you can easily reach them during the game. Each Pilgrim should place their stack of Weapon Cards beside their Profile Sheet, with the Level 1 Card on the top. The Quest will say if there are other setup steps for the Pilgrims, for example, taking Karma Rewards.
- Using the colored icons on the Quest Mini-Map, place the Pilgrim and Demon Miniatures on the Map Tiles. To make the Quest Mini-Map perfectly clear, each colored icon also shows the initials of the character's name, and an arrow to show where the Miniature will be facing.
- Set the order of play for the game. Randomly assign the order any way you like, for example with dice rolls or drawing an Initiative Token for each one of the Pilgrims. Place the Initiative Token next to the Pilgrim Profile Sheet to remind you of the order of play.
- Set the tracking wheels on the Pilgrim Profile Sheets to their starting values. Set the Chi wheel to 10, the normal maximum value, and both Karma wheels to 0.
- You are ready to begin the first turn, which starts with the Maintenance Phase. Destiny awaits!
Profile Sheets
Profile Sheets provide the Statistics for each character that you need to play the game. For some characters (Pilgrims and Heavenly Creatures), they also provide movable wheels and sliders to track changing information. Much of the information in the rulebook is included on the cards. We hope that once you understand the basic rules, you will be able to play with just the information on the cards.
Pilgrim Profile Sheet
- Health Track: Shows the current Health Points of the Pilgrim. Since this is an adjustable track, you can tell the Pilgrim accumulates damage from several hits - this Pilgrim is not a One Hit Kill.
- Good Karma Wheel (G): Adjust this wheel to show the current Good Karma level.
- Good Karma Reward: Follow these instructions to trade Good Karma Points for Skill Cards.
- Bad Karma Wheel (B): Adjust this wheel to show the current Bad Karma level.
- Bad Karma Reward: Follow these instructions to trade Bad Karma Points for Weapon Upgrades and Corruption Cards. Bad Karma Trades are mandatory. Because the card has Karma Wheels, you can tell the Pilgrim accumulates Good and Bad Karma from their actions.
- Movement Points (MV): Shows how many Movement Points the Pilgrim has.
- Attack Dice (ATT): The number of Attack Dice rolled when the Pilgrim Attacks. The Pilgrim Dice shown here is for the Pilgrim's weapon and is only included when the Pilgrim has a weapon equipped.
- Defense Dice (DF): The number of Defense Dice rolled when the Pilgrim defends.
- Cleanse Ritual (CR): The number of dice rolled when the Pilgrim attempts the Cleanse Ritual. Since this Statistic is on the card, you can tell the Pilgrim is allowed to attempt the Cleanse Ritual.
- Chi Wheel: Adjust to show the current number of Chi Points that the Pilgrim has. Max Chi is 10.
- Attack Range Icon: This small diagram shows which squares this Pilgrim can attack.
- Number of Targets: 1 Target. This indicates that no matter how many Targets are in this Pilgrim's Attack Range, he can only select 1 Target to attack each Attack Action.
Demon Profile Sheet
- Movement Points (MV): Shows how many Movement Points the Demon has.
- Health Points (HP): Shows the number of Health Points the Demon has. Because this is a fixed number, you can tell the Demon is a One Hit Kill. The Demon must take 9 damage in one attack to be defeated, or else the Health Point total does not change.
- Soul Power (SP): If Pilgrims try to cleanse the Demon's soul after Defeating it, the Pilgrim must roll equal to or greater than this number during the Cleanse Ritual.
- Good Karma Reward (GKR): After completing the Cleanse Ritual on this Demon, the attacker will receive this number of points as the Good Karma Reward. Move the Attacker's Good Karma Wheel to show the new total.
- Bad Karma Reward (BKR): If you Defeat and Kill this Demon, the attacker will receive this number of points as the Bad Karma Reward. Move the Attacker's Bad Karma Wheel to show the new total.
- Attack Dice (ATT): Indicates the dice rolled when the Demon attacks. The Demon Die is shown for the Bull Demon King, and this dice roll is explained by the skull symbols directly below. For example, a roll of 3 on the Demon Die means +3 Damage and the Target takes a Paralyzed Card.
- Attack Range Icon: This small diagram shows which squares the Demon can attack.
- Number of Targets: All Targets. This indicates that the Demon can attack all Pilgrims in Attack Range, so long as he has Line of Sight. The attack rolls against each Target are made separately. The multiple attacks only cost 1 Action Point.
Compared to the Pilgrim Profile Sheet, you can see there is some information missing. There is no Defense statistic, so this Demon rolls no Defense Dice and gets no defense bonuses. There is no CR dice roll, so the Demon cannot attempt the Cleanse Ritual. There are no Karma Wheels, so the Demon cannot collect Karma Points for his actions and does not receive Karma Bonuses.
Cards
Pilgrims can have many cards in their hand of different types. There are some general rules that govern all cards which we will describe here.
Active and Inactive Cards
Inactive cards are in the Pilgrim's hand. You may literally hold them like playing cards, but you could also spread them out on the table top where the other players can see them. Remember, this is a cooperative game and there is no need to keep secrets. However, clearly separate them from your playing area so you know these cards are not active. There is no limit to the number of cards you can keep in your hand.
To use a card, the Pilgrim can interrupt normal game play and Activate the card by carrying out the instructions on it. Because there may be on-going effects, when cards are Activated, place them in the playing area close to the Pilgrim's Profile Sheet, so you can easily see all the active cards.
Timing
Unlike actions, which occur at a specific time and in a specific order, cards can be activated at almost any time in the game. However, each specific card will say exactly when it can be played. They fall into broad categories:
Play Anytime
If a card does not mention a specific time it can be played, it can be played at almost any point in the game. The Pilgrim does not need to be active, in fact, these cards can even be played during the Demon Phase. However, a Player cannot interrupt the game once a random result is revealed until its result is applied or when a Pilgrim is Unconscious.
Example A Bull Warrior attacks the Monkey King (HP 3), the dice are rolled and the result is 4 damage for Monkey. It is too late for Monkey to play his Wild Herbs and gain 3 Health Points - The results must be applied and he becomes Unconscious.
Activate Before a Trigger Condition
Some cards will say to activate a card before a certain situation or Trigger Condition. However, this means you must say you are activating the card before the condition is played out. You cannot wait until just after, perhaps seeing the outcome and then decide to play the card.
Activate After a Trigger Condition
Some cards will say to activate a card after a certain situation or Trigger Condition. This means immediately after the condition. In these cases you are allowed to see the result before playing the card.
Forced Triggers
Some cards have Trigger Conditions that are mandatory, for example "on your next attack roll". Place these cards in your playing area immediately, as a reminder to look out for the condition.
Cost
Although playing a card generally does not take an Action Point, there may be a cost on the card.
Cost is commonly paid in Chi, Action Points or Health Points. In all cases, the Pilgrim must have enough points to pay the cost in order to activate the card and the cost must be paid, regardless of the result.
Note the Health Point costs are a special case. Other payments can reduce the total points left to zero, but when paying Health Point costs, you must leave the Pilgrim with at least 1 Health Point.
If the cost includes 1 (or more) Action Points, the card can only be activated while the Pilgrim is Active in the Pilgrim Phase.
Duration
Once activated, some cards are resolved immediately. There is no need to track the active status of these cards, as they are over as soon as the current task is completed. Other cards are active for longer, for example until the end of the current action or the end of the current turn. For cards that have an extended duration, you will need some reminder that the card is currently active: the card text will say "Play" rather than "Activate", which means move the card from your hand to the Pilgrim's play area, for example next to the Profile Sheet. At the appropriate time, you will return the card to your hand or discard the card.
Immediate
Weapons, dice re-rolls such as Cleansing Flame, special actions such as making an extra Move (Flying Nimbus), Fortune Cards that heal, are all immediate. There is no need to track these cards as being active, just execute the tasks in the description. Then return the card to your hand or discard it, as instructed by the card.
This Action
Some cards use special rules to change a specific action. For example, Phase Walk allows the Monkey King to pass through Obstructions during a Move Action. The duration of the card is the action that it affects. Most actions are short and you should be able to remember the card is active, without placing it in the play area.
Until the End of the Current Turn
Some cards are activated and then stay active for the rest of the current turn, perhaps affecting many Miniatures. For example, Flaming War Cry makes Monkey the center of attention for all Demons on his Map Tile. The actions of many Demons may be affected by this card and its first effect may take place sometime after it is Activated. Play the card into your playing area to show it is active. Remove it (and possibly discard it) during the next Maintenance Phase.
Continuous
Finally, some cards are continuous and are active as soon as they are drawn from the deck. When they are drawn, immediately place them in the playing area near the Pilgrim's Profile Sheet. They are associated with a Trigger Condition that causes the card's special effect to happen, immediately following the trigger.
Example The Ninth Cycle Scripture heals 1 point of damage to Tripitaka's health every time he defeats an enemy. There is no need to explicitly activate the card before defeating the enemy; the card is always active, just remember to take the Health Point!
Weapon Cards
Weapon Cards are the simplest of all the cards. They are only used during an Attack Action. Characters with a Weapon Card equipped will roll a Pilgrim Die for the weapon as part of the attack roll. Instead of simply adding the roll to the damage total, lookup the number rolled on the Weapon Card to see the actual result. Powerful weapons will give better results.
As Pilgrims gain more Bad Karma for Killing Demons, they will advance to more powerful Weapon Cards. By trading in 10 Bad Karma Points at a time, upgrade first to the Level 2 and then to the Level 3 Weapon Card. However, each time you upgrade, also draw a Corruption Card to show how the Bad Karma is warping the Pilgrim.
Corruption Card FAQ
Lure of Demons: The Pilgrim lacks the focus to perform the same Action twice in one turn. For example, the Pilgrim cannot make Double Moves, cannot Rest twice, nor Attack twice.
Demon Distraction: Many Cards give a Pilgrim an extra Action, either as an extra Action Point for any use (Om Mala of Vigor, +1 AP) or an extra specific Action (Flying Nimbus - an extra Move Action). If you have the Demon Distraction Corruption, you cannot take more than 2 Actions per turn, under any circumstances. You will not be able to take advantage of many Cards.
Permanent Limp: 1 Movement Point is lost from the Double Move total. The Monkey King, MV 4, would have a Double Move of 7.
How to play 'No Double Actions' when you have 3 Action Points: Some Corruption Cards, for example Curse of the Dead, prevent double Moves or double Actions. This applies to the initial 2 Actions all Pilgrims take in a normal Pilgrim Phase. If the Pilgrim is allowed a third Action, for example by using the Fortune Card "Om Mala of Vigor", then they can choose any third Action, even if it doubles up.
Condition Cards
Condition Cards represent ongoing effects, rather than cards you choose to play. There are several ways to get Condition Cards, for example some Misfortune Cards tell you to take a Condition Card and Demons Lords and other powerful creatures will give you Condition Cards as part of their attack.
When a Pilgrim gets a Condition Card, place it beside the Pilgrim Profile Sheet to indicate that the Pilgrim is affected. The text on the card describes the effects the Pilgrim is suffering and how long this effect will last.
Some Condition Cards have an effect that changes a Statistic, for example the Pilgrim's Health Points. Apply the effect as soon as you get the card and then in future Maintenance Phases, if the card is still active.
Other Condition Cards have an effect that is ongoing throughout the turn and you must remember the effect is currently in play. These cards will say "while affected". For example, the Disabled Card says "The Pilgrim cannot Attack while affected".
Condition Cards are in effect for multiple turns, for example, the Poisoned Card which lasts 3 turns. Track the passage of time using Turn Tokens during the End of Turn Phase and check if the card has expired during the Maintenance Phase.
There may be times that a Pilgrim receives a Condition Card when one is all already in effect. If they are different kinds of Condition Cards, for example Burned and Poisoned, both Conditions are applied as normal. If the second card is a duplicate, immediately discard the existing card and its counters. Then apply the new card normally.
Although Condition Cards may be dealt as part of an Attack, the damage from the Condition is separate. Specifically, if the Target rolls Defense Dice, they do not reduce or prevent damage from the Condition.
Example Kogaiji attacks the Monkey King and rolls 1 & X on the Attack Dice and 2 on the Demon Die, for a total of 3 damage and a Burned Card. Monkey rolls 3 & 2 on his Defense Dice, more than enough to cancel the 3 damage. The Burned Condition also causes 2 damage immediately, but this cannot be parried, blocked or defended: Monkey still takes 2 damage from Kogaiji's attack this turn and will take more damage from the Condition Card in the next turns.
Condition Cards FAQ
Disabled: While Disabled, the Pilgrim cannot attack but the Pilgrim can make all other actions and can defend if attacked.
Paralyzed: While Paralyzed, the Pilgrim cannot make any actions, play cards, or defend.
Fortune Cards
Fortune Cards are drawn when a Pilgrim makes the Pray or Meditate Action, see below.
When you draw a Fortune Card, it enters the Pilgrim's hand and can be played later. Most of the Fortune Cards have an immediate effect and can be discarded as soon as the instructions have been completed, the card is placed in the Fortune Discard Pile.
GAME TIP Playing Fortune Cards at any time includes playing them immediately after they are drawn.
Some cards increase statistics, for example:
- Gain 2 Health Points
- Gain 3 Chi Points
When you play these cards, the statistic cannot be raised above its maximum. If you cannot use all the points above its maximum, increase the statistic to its maximum and discard the card normally. Similarly, if you lose points, you cannot drop the statistic below 0.
GAME TIP It makes sense to hold on to some cards until you can get the greatest benefit from them.
Fortune Card FAQ
Om Mala of Knowledge: You can still select a new Skill Card, even if you do not have one to discard (you are very fortunate!).
Wild Herbs: Many Fortune Cards restore lost statistic points, such as Wild Herbs which restores lost Health Points. These cards cannot increase a statistic passed its current maximum.
Misfortune Cards
Misfortune Cards may be gained when you perform the Meditate Action.
Misfortune Cards are the opposite of Fortune Cards. They have negative effects that are normally applied immediately. When you draw the card, apply the effect immediately or as soon as indicated on the card and then place the card in the Misfortune Discard Pile.
A few cards instruct you to take other cards, for example Condition Cards. You discard the Misfortune Card and keep the other card, following the instructions for the second card as normal:
- Take a Burned Condition Card
A few cards have forced Trigger Conditions that happen later. Place these cards face up near your Profile Sheet and play them as soon as the Trigger Condition occurs. Discard the Misfortune Card at that point:
- Lose 1 Action Point Next Turn
Depending on the situation, some Misfortune Cards may have no or partial effect, for example:
- When you have no Skill Cards in your hand: Discard 1 Skill Card of your choice.
- When your Good Karma is 1: Lose 2 Good Karma Points.
In these cases, you got lucky! Apply the effect as best you can and discard the Misfortune Card.
Misfortune Card FAQ
Losing Health: You do not choose to play Misfortune Cards, so this is one case where a card can reduce your Health Points to 0. Be careful, drawing Misfortune Cards can be dangerous.
Pilgrim Skill Cards
Skill Cards are the most variable of all the cards the Pilgrims can play and so there are no new generalities to make. Be familiar with all the different ways the cards above operate and follow the instructions on the cards carefully.
Pilgrim Skill Card FAQ
Tripitaka - Prayer of Sealing: If a Quest says the Gates cannot be sealed, this card cannot be used.
Tripitaka - Om Chant: Enemies not on the same Map Tile as Tripitaka plan their moves normally. If they move on to the same Map Tile as Tripitaka, they stop on the first square and become inactive.
Tripitaka - Prayer of Mercy: All effects of the Attack are ignored, including Knock Back and Condition Cards.
Tripitaka - Asura Seal: Once Tripitaka is protected by the Asura Seal, he will not roll Defense Dice. All effects of the Attack are reflected, including Knock Back and Condition Cards. Hence, the Demon may take regular damage, Crushing Damage if the Knock Back path is blocked and/or Condition Damage. Add all this damage up to see if the Demon is Defeated, and then Tripitaka has the choice to Kill (automatic) or Cleanse (perform the Cleanse Ritual). If the Demon survives, track Condition Card duration normally, but after the first turn damage can generally be ignored as Condition Cards do not generate enough damage for a One Hit Kill.
Monk Sha - Brotherhood of the Skull: Monk Sha will become the Target of the attack, even if he could not normally be Targeted by the Attacker. Monk Sha rolls the Defense Dice and can play other defensive Skill Cards.
Cho Hakkai - Greedy: Cho Hakkai can take a Fortune Card regardless of whether a Mystical Box is on the Map Tile or not.
Monk Sha - Spirit of Fortune: This can only be used to affect any Fortune Wheel spin.
Miscellaneous Terms and Definitions
Adjacent: The 8 squares surrounding a square, or the corresponding pattern if the object is not a single square. If it is not specifically mentioned, the facing of the Miniature is irrelevant to being adjacent to an object.
Discard Pile: When any card is discarded, place it face up in a Discard Pile, beside the related Draw Deck. If the Draw Deck is empty, shuffle the Discard Pile and use it as the Draw Deck, as normal. It is extremely unlikely that both the Draw Deck and Discard Pile will be empty, but if this ever happens, you cannot draw new cards of that type until some are discarded.
GAME TIP If you are short of space, place discarded cards on the bottom of their Draw Deck face up. You will know that it is time to shuffle the deck when the first face up card comes to the top of the pile.
Increasing Statistics: Many actions in the game can increase variable attributes. For example, healing cards increase Health Points and Resting increases Chi. None of these changes can ever increase a statistic above its maximum value for that character. The maximum value may be changed by cards currently in play.
Attack Twice for 1 Action Point: Many cards give you the ability to Attack twice, or multiple times, for 1 Action Point. You resolve all the Attacks separately, which means that sometimes the second Attack will be able to Target Miniatures revealed by the first Attack. Some cards limit the second Attack to the original Target. If there is no limitation, you can choose any legal Target for the second Attack, including the same Target if you failed to remove it.
Resolving Ambiguities: Throughout the game, a variety of choices must be made, for example which path a Demon will take. The rule book gives instructions for making these decisions, for example, they take the shortest path to Tripitaka. Sometimes these rules do not give you one clear course of action, perhaps 2 paths to Tripitaka are the same length. Where there is a choice between two equally valid options, take the one that makes the game harder for the Pilgrims. If you cannot decide as a group, the Player controlling Tripitaka decides.
Overriding Rules: Some cards and Quests introduce rules that change or contradict the basic rules presented here. When there is a conflict, the most specific source wins. So, Quest rules override Card rules, Card rules override this rule book.
Reduce to Half: Sometimes you are instructed to halve a statistic. Round all results down. If you have a MV of 5, that is a MV of 2 if halved.
On a Map Tile: Some game effects depend on a Pilgrim being "on a Map Tile", for example, Praying and Meditating. This is clear for Miniatures with a single square base. For larger Miniatures with bases covering multiple squares, consider them on a Map Tile if any part of their base is on the Map Tile. This means that larger Miniatures can be on more than one Map Tile at the same time.
Turn Details
The Maintenance Phase
At the start of each Turn, each Player should examine the active cards to see if anything needs to be updated. Generally, each Player can act independently and simultaneously during this Phase, but if there is a conflict, play in the initiative order.
Check Time Limits: Some cards have effects that are applied for several turns, for example Condition Cards. If the number of Turn Tokens on a card matches its duration, it has expired and it can be moved to the relevant Discard Pile. Do not apply its effect this turn.
Figure 1: In this example, the Monkey King starts a Maintenance Phase with 3 Turn Tokens applied to a Poisoned Card. This matches the duration, so the card can be discarded without applying more damage.
Active Cards and Ongoing Effects: Some Condition Cards have effects that apply damage to the Pilgrim. Apply the damage now. Review other active cards to remind yourself of ongoing effects that will apply later in the turn.
Figure 2: Earlier in the game, the Poisoned Card would have looked like this. The number of Turn Tokens does not match the duration (3 Turns), so Monkey suffers the effect and loses 1 Health Point.
Unconscious Pilgrim: If an Unconscious Pilgrim is face down, turn them on their side. If they are on their side, place them on their back. If they are on their back, the time to revive them has run out and they are dead. Remove the Miniature from the game board. They are completely out of the game, which may end the Quest.
If the Unconscious Pilgrim has Condition Cards, etc, follow the instructions normally, placing counters to mark the turn, applying effects, etc. However, the effects will generally make no difference, as the Pilgrim's Health Points are already at 0 and they cannot take actions.
Rage Card: If the last turn ended with Demon Rage, remove the Demon Rage Card from the top of the Demon Deck. You will begin the Demon Phase by drawing Demon Cards normally this turn, but if the Pilgrims have not cleared Demons efficiently, the Demon Rage may start again!
Special Demon Cards: Inspect active Special Demon Cards. Discard any special cards that do not have an explicit duration.
The Pilgrim Phase
In the Pilgrim Phase, each Pilgrim is activated in order, as determined by the Initiative Tokens assigned during the Game Setup. The active Pilgrim spends their Action Points to make the actions listed below. A Pilgrim does not have to use all its Action Points, but if it does not, then it cannot be reactivated. Once all of the Pilgrims have been activated, the Pilgrim Phase is complete.
Take Actions
Normally, each Pilgrim has 2 Action Points to spend, although this can be altered by the effects of certain cards in play. The following list shows the possible Actions. Many actions may be chosen twice, or the Pilgrim can perform two different actions. The actions can be taken in any order. All actions take 1 Action Point.
- Move: The Pilgrim moves the number of squares up to their Move Attribute. Moving a Pilgrim Miniature might sound simple but it is an important tactical aspect of the game. Moving the Pilgrims into the right position is often the key to victory.
- Attack: The Pilgrim attacks a Demon.
- Pray: The Pilgrim can stop and Pray for aid when they are on the same Map Tile as a Mystical Box. Draw a Fortune Card. Each Pilgrim can only use a Mystical Box once per Activation.
- Meditate: The Pilgrim can Meditate when they are on the same Map Tile as a Mystical Box. Look at the top 3 Fortune Cards and choose one, discard the remaining 2 cards. However, lack of focus brings Misfortune. Each Pilgrim can only use a Mystical Box once per Activation.
- Break Down a Door: The Pilgrim can smash a closed door to gain entrance to a building.
- Collect Sutra: The Pilgrim can pick up a Sutra.
- Rescue Villagers: The Pilgrim can rescue Villagers who are being terrorized by Demons.
- Recover: The Pilgrim can recover all lost Health Points by drinking from a Water Well. However, a Pilgrim can only use each Water Well once per Quest.
- Master Skill: The Pilgrim can focus on recent events, sacrificing Good Karma to gain a new Skill Card. Each Pilgrim can only Master a new skill once per Activation. More details are provided below, in the Adjusting Karma section.
- Rest: The Pilgrim can rest to restore 5 points of Chi.
- Revive: Tripitaka only. Tripitaka can revive an adjacent Unconscious Pilgrim by sacrificing his own Health and Chi.
- Close Gate: Tripitaka only. Tripitaka can close an adjacent Gate by sacrificing one Sutra Token.
Pilgrims can also play Skill Cards to complete other tasks. For example, Tripitaka has no Heal Action, but he has many Skill Cards related to healing. Playing Cards does not normally require an Action Point and many of these Cards can be played at any time, even when the Pilgrim is not active. However, if the Card includes an Action Point in its cost, then it can only be played while the Pilgrim is Active and has Action Points available to pay the cost.
Pilgrims do not have to use all, or any, of their Action Points. However, if they choose to end their Activation without using all their Action Points, they cannot come back and use the remaining Action Points later in the turn.
The Demon Phase
The Demons are automatically controlled by the game AI. Any of the Players can perform the required actions. Players should briefly discuss and agree on these actions.
First, new Demons appear at Demon Gates and then all Demons are Activated in turn, starting with the Demon closest to Tripitaka. Demons have a smaller list of actions than Pilgrims.
There is a large section in the Detailed Rules describing the Game AI.
Spawn Demons
Demons spawn from each Active Demon Gate on the Game Board. Start at the Gate closest to Tripitaka, and work back to the Gate furthest from Tripitaka. For each Active Gate, draw a Demon Card from the Demon Deck, follow the instructions on the card, and discard the card. The most common action will be to place more Demons on the board adjacent to the Gate.
- Demon Rage: Players might run out of Demon Miniatures to place on the Game Board when required to spawn new Demons. In this case, the Demons already on the Game Board will gain an extra Action Point this Demon Phase.
Demon Actions
Demons normally get 2 Action Points but have fewer actions available to them, compared to the Pilgrims. Their goal is to move towards Tripitaka and attack him.
- Move: Take the shortest path towards Tripitaka, moving up to the number of squares shown as the Demon's Move Attribute.
- Attack: Attack Tripitaka if possible, or target another Pilgrim.
The End of Turn Phase
This is a short phase and all Players act simultaneously.
- Place Turn Tokens: For the cards that last multiple turns, for example Condition Cards, add another Turn Token to the card. There may be special rules in Quests that track the passage of time. Do this in the End of Turn Phase too.
Detailed Rules
Move
When a Miniature moves, it can move any number of squares up to the number of Movement Points (MV) printed on its Profile Sheet. A Miniature can only move in the direction it is facing, but it can Change Facing during a Move Action, see below. A Miniature cannot move diagonally.
Some squares on the Map Tiles cost more than 1 Movement Point to traverse. This is discussed in the Map Tile section.
A Miniature cannot move into or through a square which is blocked. This includes squares occupied by another Miniature, through walls, closed doors and other structures and Tokens. If the Miniature's base is larger than one square, no part of its base can move into an occupied square at any time in its move.
Like many other actions, the Move Action can be made twice. Instead of performing two single moves, make one move of double the Movement Points. This is relevant when moving through slow terrain, described below. Similarly, if you have 3 Action Points available, you can make one triple Move.
A Miniature does not have to move its full Movement Point allowance. However, if movement stops, these points are lost. It cannot resume moving later, to use the remaining portion.
GAME TIP Because you cannot resume the Move Action, you cannot make a partial Move up to a door, break down the door, and continue with your unused Movement Points.
Change Facing
While performing a Move Action, a Miniature can turn by 90° for a cost of one Movement Point. The Miniature can turn as often as it likes, in any direction, and at any point along the path, so long as it has Movement Points available.
If the Miniature's base is rectangular, then when it Changes Face, the Player can pick the 1 square of the base that will be stationary as the Miniature rotates.
Note that Change Facing is part of the Move Action and its cost is measured in Movement Points, not Action Points.
Movement Examples
Figure 3: Monk Sha uses 2 Movement Points to rotate, keeping the right side of his base stationary. He ends his Move Action without using his last Movement Point.
Figure 4: Monk Sha uses 2 Movement Points to rotate, then he steps forwards 1 square, using all 3 Movement Points.
Figure 5: Cho Hakkai rotates, first keeping his right side stationary, then his left. Finally he steps forwards.
Figure 6: Monkey cannot move through an obstruction like Tripitaka. To move ahead, he must use a Double Move including a series of turns and steps to get around Tripitaka.
GAME TIP Coordinate your moves carefully. If you cause an obstruction, your allies will waste many Movement Points.
Figure 7: This shows an illegal move that is a common mistake. Do not slide the Miniature forwards (or backwards) as you rotate. Cho Hakkai cannot get from the starting position to the final position for 1 Movement Point.
There are more examples of movement in the section describing special Map Tile squares.
Pray
A Pilgrim on the same Map Tile as a Mystical Box may perform the Pray Action.
When a Pilgrim performs a Pray Action, they draw a Fortune Card, described in the card section above.
Each Pilgrim can only use a Mystical Box once (to Pray or Meditate) each time they are Activated, even if the Pilgrim has Action Points left.
Figure 8: A Mystical Box is in the bottom left corner of this Map Tile. Tripitaka can Pray or Meditate, because he is on the same Map Tile. He does not need to be adjacent to the Mystical Box.
Meditate
A Pilgrim on the same Map Tile as a Mystical Box may perform the Meditate Action. Entering a deep trance on the battlefield brings more reward that a simple prayer, but if they are distracted, then this can bring misfortune!
When a Pilgrim performs a Meditate Action, the Player uses the spinner. It has a Yin Yang design, showing black and white areas inside the spinner. The Player must spin the arrow at least one full rotation. Anything less does not count and the Player should spin again.
Figure 9: The spinner.
If the arrow ends pointing at the white area, the Player draws 3 Fortune Cards, keeps 1 of their choice, ignoring and discarding the other 2.
If the arrow ends pointing at the black area, the Player is forced to draw a Misfortune Card.
Each Pilgrim can only use a Mystical Box once (Pray or Meditate) each time they are Activated, even if the Pilgrim has Action Points left.
Breaking Down a Door
There are Closed Door Tokens placed on the Map Tiles as defined in the Quest. Closed Doors block movement for all Miniatures. Breaking down a door is the only way to enter buildings through these doors.
Breaking a door down is automatically successful, but it will cost the Pilgrim 1 Action Point and the Pilgrim must be in the correct position. To break down the door, Pilgrims must be in full base contact with the door, facing towards it. In other words, they must be in position to move through the door immediately after it is opened (although they do not have to).
Figure 10: Both Tripitaka and Monk Sha are in a position to break down the door, because it is directly in front of them, where they can move through it.
Figure 11: All 3 Pilgrims are out of position and cannot break down these doors.
When you break down the door, flip the Door Token over, to show the doorway is Open. It will stay Open for the remainder of the Quest.
Collect Sutra
A Pilgrim that is adjacent to a Sutra can spend 1 Action Point to pick it up. Remove the Sutra Token from the Map Tile and place it near the Pilgrim's Profile Sheet. Sutra Tokens are positioned in the Quest Definition.
GAME TIP Think carefully about who collects the Sutras. Only Tripitaka can use them to Close Gates and Quest Conditions may require certain Pilgrims to collect the Sutras.
Rescue Villager
A Pilgrim that is adjacent to a Villager can spend 1 Action Point to rescue the Villager. Place the Villager Token by the Pilgrim's Profile Sheet. Pilgrims gain 3 Good Karma Points for this heroic deed. Placement of Villager Tokens will be specified in the Quest Definition. The Quest will state if rescuing a Villager is part of the Quest Objectives or whether it is optional.
Recover
A Pilgrim that is adjacent to a Water Well can spend 1 Action Point to drink from the well and recover all Health Points, up to their current maximum. This powerful effect is limited: each Pilgrim can only use each Water Well once per Quest. When you take this action, place a Pilgrim Marker next to the Well, to mark that you have used the Well. Wells are positioned in the Quest Definition.
Rest
When a Pilgrim rests, they recover 5 Chi Points, up to their current maximum. Resting can be performed twice per Activation, if required.
Resting does not heal Pilgrims. You must heal in other ways, for example searching for a Wild Ginseng Fortune Card, or using a Water Well.
Close a Gate
Only Tripitaka can Close a Demon Gate. He must have a Sutra Token in his possession and be adjacent to the Gate. At a cost of 1 Action Point and a Sutra Token, Tripitaka can Close the Gate. The result is automatic. The Sutra Token is sacrificed in the Gate and removed from play.
GAME TIP This action cannot always be performed: Sutras are in short supply. Some Quests have none and in others all are required to complete the Quest. Also, it is dangerous for Tripitaka to approach a Gate.
Master Skill
This Action is described below, in section "Adjusting Karma and Gaining Skills".
Revive
Only Tripitaka can Revive other Pilgrims. When Tripitaka is adjacent to an Unconscious Pilgrim, Tripitaka can Revive the Pilgrim, at a cost:
- 1 Action Point
- 1-5 Health Points
- 0-5 Chi Points
To perform the action, Tripitaka must have at least 1 Action and 2 Health Points. The Pilgrim is revived with as many Health and Chi Points as Tripitaka sacrifices. Note that Tripitaka can choose to reduce his own Chi to 0, but cannot reduce his own Health Points below 1. Similarly, the Pilgrim can be Revived with 0 Chi, but must have at least 1 Health Point. The revived Pilgrim keeps all their Skill Cards, etc. Only Health Points and Chi are changed when Pilgrims are revived.
The Dice
There are 4 different types of custom dice in the game: Attack, Defense, Pilgrim, and Demon. These 6-sided dice are not numbered 1 to 6. Each dice is numbered 0-3, with some numbers being duplicated. All dice use an "X" to represent zero or no effect.
Be careful to select the right color dice, as they are different.
Attack Dice (Red)
The Attack Dice are rolled as the first step in seeing if you hit. Roll the number of Attack Dice shown on the Pilgrim Profile Sheet or the Demon Profile Sheet and add up all the numbers shown. "X" represents 0 and adds nothing to the total.
Defense Dice (Blue)
Only certain characters use Defense Dice, for example the Pilgrims do and the Bull Demons do not. You can imagine that Demons always score 0 for defense.
Each Pilgrim rolls the number of Defense Dice shown on their Profile Sheet. Add the numbers shown together, with "X" counting as 0. The total is the amount of damage defended and is subtracted from the attack roll above.
Pilgrim Die (White)
The Pilgrim Die has many uses representing special actions performed by the Pilgrims, for example controlling the weapon when attacking, for cleansing Demons, and some card effects.
Demon Die (Black)
Similar to the white Pilgrim Die, the black Demon Die represents bonus Demon abilities, mostly for Demon Lords. Consult the Demon's Profile Sheet to check whether the black Demon Die is required in combat and for the exact meaning of the roll, but a good roll may increase the Demon's attack roll result.
Attack
Attacks in Journey: Wrath of Demons are based on a very simple system. The Attacker rolls Attack Dice to determine the amount of damage done, the Target rolls Defense Dice, to see the amount of damage resisted, and the difference is taken off the Target's current health. If the Target's health is reduced to zero or less, the Target is Defeated.
Of course, it is more complex than this! The number of dice rolled by each Miniature is different, so you will need to check the Profile Sheet under Attack Dice (ATT) or Defense Dice (DF) to see the exact number of dice being used in each battle. Stronger Miniatures roll more dice, some weaker ones use no dice at all.
The base rolls for both the Attacker and the Target are modified by any cards in play. These modifiers take many forms, some simply adding to the damage being done or resisted, others giving you re-rolls, causing ongoing conditions, etc. Any dice rolls required and the exact effects are described on the Profile Sheet, Skill Card, etc. You will see that stronger characters have more options for these special attacks and weaker characters may have no special attacks at all.
If you are lucky, you might reduce the Target's Health Points to zero, defeating the Target. You can Kill the Defeated Target and gain Bad Karma or attempt the Cleanse Ritual, which might fail, and gain Good Karma. These are the final steps in the attack.
GAME TIP Depending on who is the Attacker and Defender, many of these steps are optional. This is clearly defined by the Profile Sheet: if an Attribute is missing from a Profile Sheet it means that the Miniature makes no use of that concept at all, no dice are rolled and no bonuses are applied. If you need a value for the result, use 0.
For example, there is no Defense Dice Attribute on the Bull Warrior Profile Sheet, so Bull Warriors do not roll any Defense Dice nor do they get any bonuses to Defense. Their Defense Roll always counts as 0. Similarly, Demons have no Cleanse Ritual Attribute, so they cannot try to save the soul of their Defeated Targets - they always Kill Defeated Targets.
Let's take a more detailed look at the steps for the Attack, with some examples. Performing the Cleanse Ritual and adjusting Karma are important related game concepts and follow immediately.
Prepare for Battle
At the start of the Attack Action, examine any abilities, Skill and Condition Cards that are already in effect and declare any new Skill Cards or other abilities that you want to activate before the Attack. Read the cards carefully, because they can have a large impact, not only simply adding to the dice results, but more complex effects such as allowing re-rolls, changing the number of Targets, the range of the Attack, etc. If you activate new abilities now, you will be charged the cost of the ability immediately, in Chi and other points, and possibly have to discard the card, etc, regardless of the result. Your special actions are a limited resource, choose wisely.
GAME TIP Generally only Pilgrims have the option to activate new abilities during this step.
GAME TIP Condition Cards in play can have a huge effect on the attacks. For example, if a Pilgrim is Disabled, they will not be able to attack at all!
Choose Targets
Determine the possible number of Targets. This is stated on the Miniature's Profile Sheet, below the Range Icon, but can be modified by Skill Cards, etc. Then check the Range Icon and Line of Sight (LOS) and announce the actual Targets.
In this example, the Monkey King is starting his attack. His Profile Sheet says he normally attacks 1 Target. If multiple enemies are in Range with LOS, Monkey must choose 1 Target.
The Demons in Journey can select multiple Targets, for example, the Bull Demon King's Profile Sheet says he attacks all Targets. This means all Targets in range and with LOS will be attacked. Resolve this as a series of individual attacks, in any order selected by the Players.
Note that an attacker cannot pick a Target that is the same type as itself. Pilgrims cannot target other Pilgrims, Neutral Creatures cannot target other Neutral Creatures and Demons cannot target other Demons.
Range and Line of Sight (LOS)
The Attacker can only attack Targets that are in range and that the Attacker can see clearly. Most combat in Journey is done at close range. Look at the Range Icon on the Attacker's Profile Sheet and verify that the Target is in one of the colored squares. If the Target occupies multiple squares, only part of the Target needs to be in Range and LOS.
Figure 12: Here, a Berrok Bull Warrior is in the Monkey King's attack range.
Figure 13: Here, a Berrok is close to Cho Hakkai, but not in attack range. Cho Hakkai cannot attack to his rear.
Figure 14: Some characters attack from a distance. This Bharhaz Archer can attack Tripitaka.
Line of Sight is also simple. None of the squares directly between the Attacker and the Target can be blocked by other Miniatures, tokens or impassable terrain, just like the rules for obstructed Movement.
Figure 15: Monk Sha has a large area he can attack, but Tripitaka and the Berrok block Line of Sight to the Boof. Monk Sha cannot attack another Pilgrim, so he only has one legal Target here.
Targeting is determined immediately before making the attack, not at the start of the Pilgrim's turn. Hence, if the arrangement of Miniatures changes (perhaps because a Pilgrim Kills a Demon), the Pilgrim may have new targeting options for subsequent Attacks. Whenever Attacks are resolved with separate dice rolls, re-check targeting and LOS, etc, including special cases related to Skill Cards, etc.
Figure 16: If Monk Sha can Kill or Cleanse the Bull Warrior in the previous example, he would then be able to target the Boof Bullserker. This may happen if Monk Sha takes 2 Attack Actions this turn, or if he plays a card that allows him to make 2 Attacks as 1 Action Point (multiple attacks are always resolved separately).
Figure 17: Miniatures with diagonal attacks can be hard to get into position but have the benefit that their LOS is hard to block. For example, Yazuiji can squeeze her diagonal attack between Cho Hakkai and Monk Sha in this example to hit Tripitaka. However, her LOS to Monkey is blocked. Monkey cannot be attacked in this diagram.
Generally, LOS is best considered using simple straight lines coming from the Attacker. In most cases, allow LOS, unless there is an obvious obstruction.
Generate the Attacker's Damage
All attacks start with the Attacker rolling the Attack Dice. Consult the Profile Sheet to see how many dice to roll for the attack. Simply add the numbers rolled together (counting X as zero) to get the base damage. Your attack may require you to roll other dice (a Pilgrim Die, a Demon Die, etc) or apply effects from Skill Cards, etc. Read them carefully, follow the applicable instructions and add any extra damage to the total. If you are attacking multiple Targets, treat each Target as a separate attack.
GAME TIP Pilgrims will usually have a weapon equipped, which uses the Pilgrim Die to generate the damage result. Do not simply add the Pilgrim Die result to the Attack Dice result. Instead look up damage on the Weapon Card. If the Pilgrim currently has no weapon, do not roll the Pilgrim Die.
GAME TIP Some Demons have a Demon Die, which is used in a similar way to the Pilgrim Die. If a Demon's Attack Attribute includes the Demon Die, look up the die result on the Demon Profile Sheet and apply the result.
Generate the Target's Defense
Defense starts with the Target rolling the Defense Dice. Consult the Profile Sheet to see how many dice to roll. Reading the Defense Dice is explained in the Custom Dice section, but you simply add the numbers rolled together (count X as zero). You may have skills or abilities that you can activate to increase your defense, so read the cards carefully, follow the applicable instructions and add any extra defense to the total.
Defense is not applied to all damage, only to numerical damage generated from the Attack Dice (and other special dice like the Demon Die). Think of it as parrying with your weapon. Defense is not applied to special damage generated from Condition Cards like Poisoned and Burned, or the Damage from being Crushed when you are Knocked Back into an obstacle.
GAME TIP Remember, most Demons do not Defend. As well as rolling no Defense Dice, they do not gain any Defense bonuses from terrain or cards that are in play.
Defeat!
To see if you Defeat the Target, see how much damage is actually done. The total damage is the difference between the Attacker's damage and the Target's defense.
If the total damage is 0 or less, for example the Attacker scores 2 damage and the Target scores 3 defense, the attack is a complete failure. No damage is applied to the Target.
If the total damage is 1 or more, for example the Attacker scores 3 damage and the Target scores 2 defense, the Target might be affected. Look at the Target's Profile Sheet:
- If the Health Points of the Target (HP) is an individual value, the Target is a One Hit Kill. You must do at least this much damage in one attack to Defeat the character. Their Health Points remain unchanged by any attacks that do not Defeat them.
- If the Profile Sheet has a Health Track, the Target will accumulate damage over several attacks. Reduce the current Health Points by the Total Damage. If they are reduced to zero or below, the character is Defeated.
For example, the Monkey King attacks the Bull Demon King but only rolls 6 damage. The Bull Demon King has no defense, so the total damage is 6. But the Bull Demon King is a One Hit Kill with 9 Health Points. Monkey has not done enough damage and the Bull Demon King lives to fight another day!
Figure 18: The Bull Demon King's Profile Sheet shows his Health Point (HP) value. There is no sliding track, so he is a One Hit Kill Target.
The Bull Demon King attacks Monkey during the next Demon Phase. The Bull Demon King rolls 5 damage, Monkey rolls 3 defense, so the total damage is 2. Monkey's Profile Sheet has a Health Track, and his current Health Points are 4, so they are reduced to 2. Monkey is not Defeated, but he is in a lot of trouble.
Figure 19: The Monkey King has a more complex Profile Sheet with a Health Track. He accumulates damage over time. Here, he has lost 2 Health Points.
Once a Miniature is Defeated, the Attacker may have some options. All Attackers can choose to Kill the Defeated Target and for many Attackers is the only option. Killing is automatic and does not require any further dice rolls. The Miniature is removed from the Game Board, see below.
GAME TIP Defeat is not the final stage of the successful attack and the Attacker must choose one of the available options. If the Attacker has no other option, the Defeated Target must be Killed.
Some Attackers can choose to perform the Cleanse Ritual and save the soul of the Target. Look at the Profile Sheet of the Attacker and if it shows the Cleanse Ritual Attribute, they are allowed to try the Cleanse Ritual, which is described below.
GAME TIP In the core game, only Pilgrims have the Cleanse Ritual Attribute.
Removing a Miniature
If a Miniature is Killed, it is removed from the Game Board, any cards attached to the Miniature are discarded and related ongoing conditions are immediately canceled. Note that Pilgrims are treated slightly differently, see Defeated Pilgrims below.
The final step in a successful attack is to adjust the Karma of the Attacker. If you Kill the Target, you increase your Bad Karma, but if you succeed at the Cleanse Ritual, you increase your Good Karma. This is described below.
GAME TIP Like other parts of the attack, adjusting Karma is not done for all Miniatures and is dictated by attributes on the Profile Sheets. This step is only required if the Attacker has adjustable Good and Bad Karma Wheels on their Profile Sheet.
Special Attack FAQ
Knock Back N: Some creatures or weapons hit with such force that they move the Target away from the Attacker. The number in the Knock Back effect is the number of squares that the Target is moved, typically 1 or 2. The Target is generally moved along the line of attack. Note that the Target will not be making a legal move, as Miniatures cannot normally move backwards or diagonally.
Figure 20: The Bull General rolls 1 on his Demon Die. The Monkey King is Knocked Back 1 square. Yazuiji rolls 2 on her Demon Die and Tripitaka is Knocked Back 2 squares and takes an additional point of Damage.
Immediately after moving the Target, decide if you want to make a free "Follow" move for the Attacker. Make the move as if it were a normal, legal, single Move Action, although it does not cost any Action Points. It allows the Attacker to move with the Target, to keep the Target in Attack Range and cannot be used for any other kind of Movement, for example in a different direction. So a Demon able to make a second attack will follow the Target, if the Knock Back pushes the Target out of Range but a Demon with no more Attacks this turn will leave the space between the Miniatures, to force the Target to spend an Action Point on a Move on its next turn. Make the choice that makes the Pilgrim's life more difficult.
Note that although the Attacker is not charged any Action Points for the Move, the "Follow" Move must be a legal single Move. Sometimes the Attacker will not be able to "Follow", for example when obstructions block the way, or if the move would be along a diagonal or backwards. Only forwards movement is a legal "Follow" Move.
There will be cases where the Target cannot be moved, for example when it is against an obstacle or the edge of the Playing Area. For each square that the Target cannot be moved, give the Target 1 point of Crushing Damage. The Target cannot defend against Crushing Damage.
Figure 21: The Bull General caught Monkey before he could open this door. The General rolls 1 on his Demon Die but cannot knock Monkey back through the obstacle. Monkey takes 1 extra point of damage from being Crushed.
The Cleanse Ritual
Just like the Defense Roll in an Attack, the Cleanse Ritual is not always possible. The Cleanse Ritual can be performed if:
- The Attacker has the Cleanse Ritual Attribute listed on its Profile Sheet, and
- The Target has a Soul Power Attribute listed on its Profile Sheet.
To see if the Attacker can perform the Cleanse Ritual, look for the CR value on the Profile Sheet. All the Pilgrims can do this in Journey, for example, Tripitaka's Profile Sheet shows he rolls 1 Pilgrim Die during the Ritual.
Figure 22: The Cleanse Ritual (CR) dice roll is shown on Tripitaka's Profile Sheet.
To see if the Target has a soul that can be saved, look for the Soul Power (SP) value on its Profile Sheet. For example, the Soul Power for the Bull Demon King is shown as 3.
Figure 23: The Bull Demon King's Profile Sheet shows his Soul Power (SP) is 3. It will be tough to Cleanse this Demon, but it is possible.
GAME TIP Generally, the Pilgrims can Cleanse all Demons, but not vice versa.
Unlike Killing a Defeated Target, the Cleanse Ritual is not automatic. Roll the dice specified in the Attacker's Cleanse Ritual Attribute and apply any bonuses from cards and skills that are in effect. If the result is equal to or greater than the Soul Power displayed on the Target's Profile Sheet, you have successfully saved the Target's soul. Remove the Miniature from the board. You receive Good Karma for this act, see below.
However, if the Cleanse Ritual roll is less than the Target's Soul Power, the ritual has backfired and reinvigorated the Target. The Target fully recovers from the hit. You may have to fight the same Target again on the next turn.
Adjusting Karma and Gaining Skills
Some characters accumulate Good and Bad Karma, which is generated by their actions in the game. Karma is tracked by 2 wheels on the Profile Sheet and these Karma rules only apply to characters that have these wheels on their Profile Sheet. For example, Tripitaka and the other Pilgrims accumulate Karma.
Figure 24: Tripitaka's Profile Sheet has wheels to track Good Karma, Bad Karma and Chi.
The rest of this section assumes the Attacker needs to track Karma changes after an Attack.
As described above, it is easier to simply Kill a Defeated Target than to Cleanse it. However, the Attacker receives Bad Karma for Kills and only receives Good Karma if it can Cleanse an evil creature's soul with the Cleanse Ritual.
If the Attacker chooses to Kill a Defeated Target, the Attacker must increase its Bad Karma by the amount shown on the Target's Profile Sheet for the Bad Karma Reward Attribute (BKR).
Figure 25: The Bull Demon King's Profile Sheet shows his Bad Karma Reward (BKR) is 5.
On the other hand, if the Attacker chooses to perform the Cleanse Ritual and succeeds in saving the Target's soul, the Attacker's Good Karma should be increased. Find the value for the Good Karma Reward (GKR) on the Target's Profile Sheet and add that to the Attacker's Good Karma.
Figure 26: The Bull Demon King's Profile Sheet shows his Good Karma Reward (GKR) is 5.
Gaining Karma increases the power of your Pilgrim. As you gain Good Karma, you gain new and powerful Skills. Bad Karma increases your fighting ability, but also corrupts you, reducing some statistics.
Karma Points can be traded for game items, either rewards or penalties, as shown in the following table. When you make the trade, reduce the number of Karma Points shown on the relevant Karma Wheel.
| Cost | Reward |
|---|---|
| 4 Good Karma + 1 Action Point | A One-time-use Skill Card. This is the Master Skill Action. |
| 10 Good Karma | A Permanent Skill Card (mandatory trade). |
| 10 Bad Karma | An upgraded Weapon Card & a Corruption Card (mandatory trade). |
Where the cost includes an Action Point, the action is described above, and the trade is optional. The trades marked as mandatory must be made when the Karma level is met or exceeded.
When taking Good Karma rewards, draw a Skill Card from your deck and check that it says it is "discarded after use" if you are looking for a One-time-use Skill Card, or "retained" if you are looking for a Permanent Skill Card. If you draw a card of the wrong type, place it in the Discard Pile (don't worry, the Discard Pile will be shuffled and reused later), and keep drawing until you find a card that is the right type. Add this to your hand - you can have many of these Skill Cards at once.
GAME TIP For example, it will be an important tactical decision whether you go to the 10 point level and draw a Permanent Skill Card, or stay in the 0-9 point range, so that you can trade Good Karma for more One-time-use Skills.
Pilgrims start with a Level 1 Weapon Card which can be upgraded twice, to Level 2 and then Level 3. The new Weapon Card replaces the previous one. The Pilgrim also takes a Corruption Card when making this trade. Once the Weapon Card has been fully upgraded, the Pilgrim must still trade 10 Points of Bad Karma for another Corruption Card each time their Bad Karma reaches or exceeds 10 Points.
GAME TIP It is risky to accumulate too much Bad Karma. Although the Pilgrim gains experience using their weapon, Bad Karma also warps the mind and twists the Pilgrim's body. A badly corrupted Pilgrim, say with 2 or 3 Corruption Cards, is very hard to play.
Note that Pilgrims can advance in both Good and Bad Karma at the same time and trade in points of both types. Simply apply all effects.
Defeated Pilgrims
If a Pilgrim is reduced to zero Health Points, the Pilgrim is Unconscious.
This happens immediately after the damage is revealed (when the dice rolls for a Demon Attack are completed, when a trap is sprung via a Misfortune Card, etc). The Pilgrim cannot interrupt game play when it is Unconscious, so this is an exception to the general rule that Pilgrims can interrupt the game and play cards at any point: Pilgrims cannot play cards or take any other actions when they are Unconscious.
Demons ignore Unconscious Pilgrims completely. They do not move towards them, select them as Targets and do not roll attacks against them even if they end up in the Demon's Attack Range.
Tripitaka may be able to Revive the Pilgrim, see the Revive Action.
GAME TIP Note that the other Pilgrims cannot normally Revive Tripitaka. If Tripitaka is Defeated, the Quest is probably over. You must be careful to protect Tripitaka.
Game Board Special Rules
The Journey Game Board is different every time you play. Instead of being one large fixed board, the playing area is constructed from a set of Tiles arranged differently for each Quest. To add more variation, Tokens are placed on top of the Tiles to represent many different objects that the Pilgrims interact with.
Map Tiles
Most of each Map Tile is a simple open area that can be crossed by paying one Movement Point per square. However, there are a small number of squares that have special effects. The Map Tile graphics give a strong indication of these special squares, but to make it completely clear, special Map Tile squares are marked with colored edges.
The extra costs are paid when you move into these squares. If you do not have the Movement Points (for Blue Regions) or Health Points (for Red Regions), you cannot make the move.
If a Miniature has a large base, apply all the penalties/bonuses from the special squares the Miniature occupies but only apply each penalty/bonus once, regardless of the number of squares of that type the Miniature occupies.
Yellow Lines: No part of a Miniature's base can be moved through a feature marked by a yellow line at any point in the Miniature's turn, including when the Miniature Changes Facing. Miniatures cannot draw Line of Sight across a yellow line. These lines are used on features like walls and other impenetrable obstacles.
Figure 27: Monk Sha cannot rotate his base through an impenetrable wall, even if he starts and ends in a legal position.
Purple Lines: Completely impassable under all circumstances, even with special Skill Cards or when being Knocked Back. These are used on the Bridge Tiles, for example.
Red Lines: These lines indicate the squares that damage the Pilgrims but do not damage the Demons. Pilgrims take one point of damage every time they enter one of these squares or if they are stationary in the square for a full turn. The damage is applied to the Pilgrim when they enter the square, or at the end of their turn if they are stationary for the full turn.
Green Lines: These show defensive features. When characters that use the Defense Dice stand on a defensive feature, they get a +1 bonus to defense. If a model does not use Defense Dice and stands on a defensive feature, it gains no bonus.
Blue Lines: These surround areas that slow the Pilgrims down, for example rivers and marshy ground. Demons are too strong to be impeded by these features, but Pilgrims pay 2 Movement Points for a blue square, rather than the normal 1 Movement Point, including Changing Face. When you make a Double Move, count the squares as if it were one Move with double the number of Movement Points. This will often let you make slow moves that could not be made as 2 separate Move Actions. See the diagrams below.
Example Moves
Figure 28: Here the Monkey King spends 2 Movement Points at the end of his Move Action, when he enters a water square. Similarly, Tripitaka spends 2 Movement Points at the end of his first Move Action, but moves normally when he leaves the water on his second Move Action.
Figure 29: Monkey and Tripitaka both take 1 Move Action. Neither of them can go as far as they want and must waste a Movement Point, because they do not have enough Movement Points for the slow square.
Figure 30: Monkey and Tripitaka can get across the water by making Double Moves. Double Moves are counted as 1 long move, not 2, short, individual moves.
Bridge Tiles
The Bridge Tiles are used to connect the Map Tiles during a game. The Quest setup will show where to place Bridge Tiles on the Game Board. Miniatures cannot move on to the non-bridge region of the Bridge Tile for any reason.
Tokens and Scenery
Tokens are moveable parts of the Game Board that are placed on top of the Map Tiles and Bridge Tiles.
Unless otherwise stated, Tokens block movement and LOS for all models. Treat the squares containing the Token the same way as other impenetrable squares marked with yellow borders. An obvious exception is the Broken Door Token. For movement and LOS, treat the Broken Door Token as 2 open squares.
The game comes with card Tokens, but optional 3D scenery models can be used instead. These models must be the same size as the card Tokens and are completely interchangeable with Tokens as far as game play is concerned. Feel free to use scenery models to make the Game Board look more appealing and swap Tokens for scenery models, and vice versa, at any point in the game.
Demon AI
Controlling the Demons
Demons Spawn from Demon Gates and swarm over the Game Board, trying to kill Tripitaka to prevent him restoring the shattered Sutras and sealing the Underworld.
Unlike some other dungeon crawling games, the Demons are not under the control of one or a team of Players. Their moves are dictated by a set of rules that can be acted out automatically by any of the Players. Most of the rules are described in this section of the rulebook, but some may be specified in the Quest Definition and others may be on cards.
GAME TIP Remember, the overall goal is to have fun playing a fast and furious game. It is not absolutely critical if you act out these rules perfectly. If there is an ambiguity, quickly make a decision as a group in favor of the option that makes the game harder for the Pilgrims. If you cannot come to a consensus, the Player controlling Tripitaka makes the decision. Similarly, if you having trouble understanding a rule, it is better to make a quick ruling and play that consistently for the session, and then check the rulebook and online FAQs after the game, than it is to interrupt the game and re-read the rules.
Gates and Gate Status
Demon Gates are positioned on the Map Tiles as defined in the Quest, during the initial Setup Phase. Gates occupy one square on the board and are indicated by a Gate Token.
Gates have three states:
Active: Most Gates are active. Active Gates spawn new Demons each turn. Unless there are special rules in play, a Gate on the Game Board is active.
Inactive Gates: Some Gates are inactive when they are placed on the Game Board or become inactive later in the game. This will always be described in the Quest Definition, since there are no basic rules to make Gates inactive.
Closed Gates: Pilgrims can Close Gates, as described above. Closed Gates never become active again. Turn the Gate Token over to indicate a Closed Gate.
Demon Cards and Spawning
Spawning new Demons is controlled by drawing Demon Cards. Starting at the active Gate closest to Tripitaka, draw one Demon Card from the Demon Deck. Follow the instructions on the card, which is normally to place new Demons on the Game Board and discard the Demon Card. Do this for each active Gate in turn, working further away from Tripitaka.
Reinforcement Cards: Demons emerge from the Gates ready to hunt down Tripitaka. When you spawn a new Demon, place it adjacent to its Gate, in an open square. The square cannot be blocked, for example by other Miniatures, nor can it be separated from the Gate by impassable terrain. In the unlikely event that all the squares adjacent to the Gate are unavailable, place it in the square that is next closest to the Gate.
To choose which square, briefly consider the Demon's possible actions and select the best option (see below). Place the Demon in the square that helps complete that action, facing in the direction it needs to move. If you cannot decide what the Demon will do, pick the square closest to Tripitaka, facing along the shortest path to Tripitaka.
Figure 31: Here, 3 Bull Warriors have spawned. The first Berrok placed will be able to Move and then Attack Tripitaka, if placed in position BW1. The second and third Berroks will just Double Move towards Tripitaka from positions BW2 and BW3. BW3 movement details not shown.
Figure 32: Tripitaka is hiding, forcing these 3 Demons to Double Move on a longer route. They spawn with facings for the shortest moves towards Tripitaka, but they will not reach him this turn. Movement for BW2 and BW3 is not shown.
Unique Cards: Unique Demon Cards spawn unique Demon Characters, like the Demon Lords. If the unique Demon is currently not in play, spawn that Demon as described for Reinforcement Cards above. If the unique Demon is currently in play, simply discard the card and draw again.
Special Cards: These cards give the Demons special powers and abilities. Read the card aloud and place it face up beside the Demon Card Deck as a reminder to follow the instructions during this Demon Phase. The more complex Special Cards are described at the end of this section.
GAME TIP It is unlikely, but you may have to discard and draw a few times until you draw a valid card for some Quests.
Demon Rage
If the Pilgrims have not been removing Demons from the Game Board efficiently, you may run out of Demon Miniatures when spawning new Demons. At this point, the game begins to increase in difficulty.
First, use the promotion scheme below to spawn tougher Demons in place of the Demon(s) initially drawn. Find the reinforcement card you drew in the tree below and follow the arrows until you find the first result where you have the models to place and use that result instead. If you cannot find a tougher Demon as a replacement, the Demons begin to Rage.
Demon Rage: Place the Demon Rage Card on the Demon Card Draw Deck to mark the start of Demon Rage. Stop drawing Demon Cards for the rest of the Demon Phase of this Turn. When Demon Rage is in effect, each Demon gets 3 Action Points, not 2.
Demon Rage ends during the next Maintenance Phase (see above), but it may start again if the Pilgrims have not cleared the Demons efficiently.
GAME TIP Players should monitor the number of Miniatures that can be placed and focus on removing Demons from play when the number is low.
Demon Activation Phase
Order: Like Pilgrims, Demons are activated in order, this time starting with the Demon closest to Tripitaka and continuing to the ones further away. Demons normally get 2 Action Points, but if they are in a Demon Rage, they will get 3. Complete all actions for one Demon before activating the next Demon.
Plan: The Demons overwhelming goal is to attack Tripitaka, but they have other goals if this is not possible during this Activation. They only have 2 Actions to select, Attack and Move, but they can use them in any combination. Look at the 4 plans offered below and select the highest priority plan that this Demon can carry out. You can use the available Action Points and Actions in any combination to achieve this plan.
Priority 1: Use the Action Points to attack Tripitaka, possibly more than once.
Priority 2: Use the Action Points to attack any other Target, so long as the Demon ends closer on the board to Tripitaka.
Priority 3: Use the Action Points to attack any other Target.
Priority 4: Use the Action Points to move towards Tripitaka.
GAME TIP Clearly more combinations are possible when the Demons are Raging. For example Move, Attack, Attack or Move, Attack, Move.
Here are the options again with some text examples. More examples with diagrams follow.
Priority 1: Use the Action Points to attack Tripitaka, possibly more than once.
Example
- A Bull Warrior can Move to get Tripitaka in his Attack Range. He Moves and Attacks.
- A Raging Bull Warrior can make a Double Move to get Tripitaka in his Attack Range. He makes a Double Move and Attacks.
- Tripitaka is already in Attack Range for a Raging Bull Warrior. He makes 3 Attacks on Tripitaka.
Priority 2: Use the Action Points to attack any other Target, so long as the Demon ends closer on the board to Tripitaka.
Example
- A Bull Warrior cannot find a way to attack Tripitaka. He is already in Attack Range for the Monkey King. He attacks Monkey and then moves closer to Tripitaka.
- A Bull Warrior cannot find a way to attack Tripitaka. If he moves into attack position on Monkey, he is also closer to Tripitaka. He moves up to, and then attacks, Monkey, ending his turn closer to Tripitaka.
Priority 3: Use the Action Points to attack any other Target.
Example
- A Bull Warrior cannot attack Tripitaka or attack another Pilgrim while moving closer to Tripitaka. However, if he moves further away from Tripitaka he can get into attack position on Monkey. He moves towards, and attacks, Monkey.
Priority 4: Use the Action Points to move towards Tripitaka.
Example
- A Raging Bull Warrior is far back from the battle, still at his Gate on a distant Map Tile. His only option is take 3 Moves towards Tripitaka. At least he manages to cross a Bridge Tile and get closer to the real fight.
- A Bull Warrior is directly between Tripitaka and Monkey, but far from them both. With a Double Move, he can get into attack position on Monkey but a Double Move towards Tripitaka leaves him just short of attack position. The rules say he must make the move towards Tripitaka, even if he would rather end up in an attack position for the next Turn.
Targeting: Demons are powerful creatures that will attack all Targets in their Attack Range. So "attack Tripitaka" really means "attack Tripitaka and all other Pilgrims in range, with LOS". Similarly, "attack any other Target" means "attack all other Pilgrims in range, with LOS".
There are some rules for selecting Targets which may fine tune the plan selected above. If you see valid plans that are the same priority, choose the option with the highest preference.
Preference 1: Attack the most Targets possible.
Preference 2: Attack the weakest Target (the lowest number of Health Points).
Example
- The Bull Demon King cannot attack Tripitaka, but he can move into attack position on the Monkey King or with a one square longer path, attack Monkey and Monk Sha. He takes the second Move option and attacks 2 Pilgrims.
- A Bull Warrior cannot attack Tripitaka but he can move to attack Monkey (10 HP) or Monk Sha (3 HP). Both moves get him closer to Tripitaka. He moves and attacks Monk Sha, because Monk Sha is weaker.
There are some special rules to consider when moving Demons.
Move Action 1: Demons trying to get into attack position are lazy. You can move a Demon any legal way to get them into attack position, but they stop moving as soon as they can attack their Targets. So if the choice is to move 3 squares to attack 2 Targets or move 1 square to attack 1 Target, then the Demon will take the longer move because more Targets has a higher preference. But if the options are 3 squares to attack 1 Target or 1 square to attack 1 Target, then the Demon takes the shorter path, just 1 square. This makes the Demons with the longer range "hang back". They only continue moving to get a higher priority Target.
Move Action 2: Demons moving towards Targets flow around obstacles like water. They do not literally move directly towards their Targets, getting hung up on obstacles in the way. Although they take the shortest path towards the Targets, depending on the situation, this can be a long and convoluted path, for example going all around a building to the open door, if their Targets are inside.
So when you activate a Demon, check the number of Action Points available, then look at the list of plans. Select the plan you can carry out that has the highest priority. Once you have the plan, fine tune it with the targeting preferences. Demons do not cooperate: play each Demon one by one and do not consider the other Demons while controlling the current one.
Example Demon Actions
Figure 33: Here, the Berrok at the top starts in position to attack Tripitaka, the highest priority plan. He simply uses both actions to Attack Tripitaka. The Bharhaz Bull Archer on the bottom can also use Plan 1, by moving and then attacking. Being a lazy Demon, he only expends 1 Movement Point to get Tripitaka in range and then Attacks once.
Figure 34: Neither the Berrok nor Bharhaz are in a position to attack Tripitaka, even if they move as their first Action, so Plan 1 is out. The Berrok moves 1 square and makes 1 attack on the Monkey King. The Bharhaz takes an Attack Action, again on Monkey and then moves towards Tripitaka. In both cases, this satisfies Plan 2, make any attack as long as you end closer on the board to Tripitaka.
Figure 35: Berroks cannot move far, and in this arrangement they cannot land an attack on Tripitaka or attack another Pilgrim and end closer to Tripitaka. They give up on Plans 1 and 2 and simply attack Monkey. The Berrok on the left must Move then Attack, the one on the right gets 2 Attacks on Monkey.
Note that when seeing if the Demon is closer to Tripitaka, simply measure the distance on the Map Tile. The Berrok on the right could attack Monkey once, then turn and move one square (up or down, it does not change the example). This does not fit Plan 2, because the final position is slightly further from Tripitaka, not closer.
Figure 36: This Berrok, with its MV of 2, cannot make an Attack on Tripitaka, cannot attack Monkey and end closer to Tripitaka, or even just Move and Attack Monkey. Plans 1-3 are out. He uses Plan 4 and Double Moves towards Tripitaka.
Figure 37: The Bullserker cannot make an Attack on Tripitaka, but he can attack other Pilgrims and end his turn closer to Tripitaka, Plan 2. He has several options. The laziest Move, 1 square forwards would leave him closer to Tripitaka and able to attack Monk Sha. A full Move, 4 squares forwards, would leave him much closer to Tripitaka, and able to attack Monkey. However, he selects a Move of 2 squares, as it leaves him closer to Tripitaka, but able to attack 2 Targets, both Monk Sha and Monkey.
Figure 38: Here the Bullserker could move one square forwards for a great example of Plan 2: he would end slightly closer to Tripitaka and be able to target 2 Pilgrims (Monkey and Monk Sha) in 1 Attack. However, Plan 1, make an attack on Tripitaka, is a higher priority and must be taken, even if it means attacking just 1 Pilgrim. The Bullserker rushes forwards with 3 of his 4 Movement Points on his first Action and makes a long range attack on Tripitaka with his second Action.
Remember, attacking more Targets or attacking the weaker Target is only used to select between plans of the same priority.
Figure 39: In this example, Demon Rage is in effect and the Berrok can take 3 Actions. However, the rules are the same, find the highest priority plan that can be followed. Even with 3 Actions the Berrok cannot attack Tripitaka this turn. But if he moves forwards 1 square, attacks Monkey, then move to his right, he has satisfied all the requirements for Plan 2: The Berrok made an attack on another Target and managed to get closer to Tripitaka.
GAME TIP It is not 100% critical to make perfect moves with the Demons. However, the more consistent you are, the easier it will be to predict the Demons' moves when you are playing the Pilgrim Phase. It is an important part of the game to position the Pilgrims to block and set traps for the Demons. Avoid giving them easy double attacks and make them move towards the Pilgrims best equipped to fight them, for example.
Demons Inside Closed Rooms
Generally, Demons and Gates behind closed doors are inactive until the door is opened and they can move towards the Pilgrims. However, if a Pilgrim enters the room without opening the door (using the Monkey King's Shadow Walk Skill Card, for example), the Demons/Gates will become active until the Pilgrim leaves.
Special Card FAQ
Spawn Demon Lord: The Demon is placed and takes Actions as normal. As soon as the Demon makes one Attack Action (successful or not), remove the Demon from play. In this case, no Karma Reward is given when the Demon Lord is removed and this does not count towards Quest Objectives. The Demon may remain on the board for several turns, until it makes its attack, and can be targeted normally by the Pilgrims in the meantime. It makes a full Attack Action, which may target, and damage, multiple Pilgrims.
Flood Gate: Look at the current positions of Demons in play and the Gate closest to Tripitaka. Move the Demon from its current square to a square adjacent to the Gate, if it means the Demon is closer to Tripitaka. Typically, Demons on the same Map Tile as Tripitaka will not respawn. Place them around the Gate as if they spawned there this turn. Move them normally in the Demon Phase. Discard the card once you have repositioned the Demons currently in play. It does not affect Demons spawned later this turn.
Wild Attacks: Demons do not have to attack or move towards Tripitaka as their main priority this turn. Skip Plan 1 and Plan 2. They will follow Plan 3 or Double Move towards the closest Pilgrim.
Phase March: Demons ignore impassable terrain like walls, closed doors, Miniatures and Tokens, which would normally be obstacles. Demons can move through these obstacles, but cannot end their turn on an obstacle. Demons inside buildings, who would normally be inactive, ignore the walls and plan their moves accordingly, but if a Demon move does not take the Demon outside the building, it will be inactive next turn as normal.
Quest Guide
The Quests begin with some back story, describing how the Pilgrims find themselves in this situation. Those of you with role playing backgrounds may use this information to help decide how the Pilgrims will behave, but you should feel free to make each Quest and each Pilgrim your own.
The initial setup ensures that the Pilgrims are strong enough to survive the Quest. However, you can play many Quests at once, and carry the results (Skill Cards, Weapon Upgrades, Corruption Cards) from one Quest to the next. If you do this, compare your current Pilgrim to the recommended starting conditions. If you are weaker, expect a hard game and if you are stronger, expect an easy game. Feel free to make minor adjustments to help balance the Quest.
Your goal will be to win each Quest, so start by familiarizing yourself with the Victory and Defeat Conditions. There will often be two Victory Conditions, the Heroic Victory and the Victory. These make no difference except personal pride. If you replay the Quest, try to get the Heroic Victory. Games will be faster if you take the simple Victory.
We recommend that you do not move on to the next Quest until you win the current one.
Quest Setup
Individual Quests
The Quests are written as parts of a longer story, to be played one at a time, in order. As written, the Quests define initial conditions that should be a challenge to play. The Pilgrims are given Karma Upgrades during the setup of the later Quests, representing Skills they have earned in the early Quests. These Upgrades are important, because the later Quests are harder.
Karma Upgrades
For each Karma Upgrade, each Pilgrim has a choice of 10 Good Karma or 10 Bad Karma Points. So, if you take 10 Good Karma Points, take 1 Permanent Skill Card. If you take 10 Bad Karma Points, upgrade to the next level Weapon Card and take 1 Corruption Card. If the Quest gives multiple Karma Upgrades, you are free to mix them however you want. For example, 2 Upgrades could be 20 Good Karma Points, 10 of each, or 20 Bad Karma Points. However, you must take the Upgrades in 10 point blocks. For example, you could not take one Upgrade as 5 Good Karma Points and 5 Bad Karma Points.
Special Card Decks
Some Quests tell you to remove certain cards from the deck. You can also use the full deck and discard/redraw when one of the eliminated cards comes up. The discard/redraw method is much quicker to setup, but you will need to pay more attention to the deck when you are playing.
Managing Time or Abilities
Some Quests require you to manage game play carefully. It is possible to end the Quest before meeting all conditions or to advance to a difficult fight without obtaining the necessary skills or weapons. Do not assume you can simply rush forwards, killing all the Demons in your path.
Defeating Demon Lords
There are specific Quest events that are triggered by Defeating Demon Lords. Demons are first Defeated, then Killed or Cleansed, so this refers to the first step in removing a Demon from play. Because game play is interrupted before the Demon Lord is Killed or Cleansed, the Pilgrim does not get any Karma Points.
Back to Back Game Play
You can easily play a couple of Quests in an evening and may think about carrying on with the same Pilgrims, Skills, etc. Start by resetting a couple of statistics and cards in play to represent the time passing between Quests:
- Regain full Health and Chi. Discard any Condition Cards.
- Keep the same Good and Bad Karma Points.
- Retain all Skill, Weapon, Corruption, Fortune and Misfortune Cards in your hand at the end of the Quest.
Then compare your Pilgrims to the setup for the next Quest. If your setup is similar, you are ready to play. But if you have far too many or too few Cards, you may find the Quest too easy or too hard, respectively. Feel free to make random Card draws, or to discard some Cards, to make your Pilgrims a similar strength to the Quest setup. Note that small differences should not matter, and you are free to play with the imbalances, if you want an easier or harder game.
Quest 1 - Meeting
Prologue
Tripitaka and Monk Sha are discussing their recent travels. "So it is clear, then." concludes Tripitaka. "We have both seen the Demons, running through Terra even though they were sealed in the Underworld. This can only mean the seal is weakening. I must meditate; perhaps Buddha will see fit to guide me to a solution."
Monk Sha and Cho Hakkai speak at the same time. "You are truly virtuous. I will join you, if you see fit." "You are crazy. I say these are not Demons, just common monsters. I've had no trouble defeating any I've met. Travel on your own, gourds of wine and their serving wenches need my attention."
The Monkey King strolls up to the band of three strangers, laughing. "It seems you have some disagreement in your ranks! What say we follow a different quest? A pilgrimage to find my Clan mates, I have only had misfortune searching for them on my own."
"No Monkey, freeing you from the stone egg is as much help as I can give. I know I must defeat these Demons, I just do not know how. But perhaps Buddha has intertwined our fates. Come with me, perhaps all our purposes will be served."
Before anyone can answer, they hear piercing screams, from over the bridge in the distance. "This is no time for philosophy!" laughs the Monkey King. "It seems like Buddha has tasks for us already."
Board Setup
- Gate x 1
- Villagers x 1
- Mystical Box x 1
- Door x 1
- Berrok x 2
- Monkey King
- Cho Hakkai
- Monk Sha
- Tripitaka
This is a learning Quest. Many of the rules are introduced, but the difficulty is easy. You should be able to obtain a Heroic Victory while focusing on learning the rules, rather than on your strategy.
Create a simple Demon Deck containing just the reinforcement cards for Minion Demons (Bull Warriors, Bull Archers, Bullserkers, and Bull Generals).
Quest Specific Rules
Transformation: Stack 5 Turn Tokens on the Villager Token and remove 1 Turn Token in the End Phase of each turn. In the Maintenance Phase when there are no Turn Tokens on the Villagers, replace the Villager Token with a Bull Warrior.
Borrack is Unique: Treat Borrack, the Bull General as a unique character. If a Bull General is in play and another Bull General Demon Card is drawn, discard it and draw another. The Bull General can respawn once he is removed from play.
Remember, Demons inside closed rooms only react to Pilgrims inside the room. If the closed room contains no Pilgrims, the Demons take no actions.
Victory Conditions
The Quest ends immediately when the Demons in the house are removed, or when Tripitaka is defeated.
Heroic Victory: The Pilgrims must (1) rescue the Villagers, (2) Tripitaka must Meditate, (3) any one Pilgrim must play a Skill Card, (4) defeat all Demons in the Villagers' house.
Victory: The Pilgrims must defeat all Demons in the Villagers' house.
Defeat: Tripitaka is defeated.
Epilogue
Winded, the four Pilgrims form a tight group. Tripitaka repeats his story, together with Monk Sha's experiences to Monkey. "You saw the Demons spawning from that gate. I was wrong, the seal is not weakening, it must be broken already. We worked well together, I am sure Buddha has drawn the four of us to this place for a reason."
"Yes, we should travel as a band," says Monk Sha, "but I don't think you are just an ordinary Pilgrim, Monkey."
"Correct, of course. Surely you recognize the Monkey King!"
"No!" shouts Cho Hakkai. "I have not even heard of a Monkey King, let alone recognize one. I need no help killing monsters, but when I do, I need more reward than these poor villagers can give me!" Cho heads off on his own, muttering loudly.
"The pig is wrong. This is a holy quest and I am committed." says Monk Sha mildly, his head bowed.
"Well, I'm not sure about holy, but I'll travel with you two until the fighting stops." laughs Monkey. "It's good to have some fun as a distraction from my missing brothers."
"I am sure our angry friend is part of this. Come on, we can catch him easy enough." encourages Tripitaka, as they fall into step behind Cho Hakkai.
Quest 2 - Rescue
Prologue
The three Pilgrims stroll across the marsh, with Monkey still teasing Tripitaka about his crazy notions.
"Shouldn't we be moving faster?" asks Monk Sha, "Tripitaka wants Cho Hakkai to join the band."
"He's a pig demon! Once he calms down, he'll stop for a rest. Have you ever seen a lazy pig demon run all day?" jokes Monkey.
Silent, Tripitaka stops and points ahead to Cho Hakkai, bloody and unconscious on the ground ahead, with more Bull Demons in the distance running away. They stop and begin to turn once they sense Tripitaka.
"Brothers, the Demons are coming for us. Hold them off, while I help Cho Hakkai."
"Follow their gaze, young Monk." laughs Monkey. "I don't think the Demons are coming for me and Sha."
Board Setup
- Gate x 2
- Sutra x 3
- Villagers x 1
- Well x 1
- Berrok x 3
- Monkey King
- Cho Hakkai
- Monk Sha
- Tripitaka
Cho Hakkai is unconscious, face down, with his base in the location shown (point him towards the Demons, so Tripitaka can get to his base easily). He will need to be revived soon or he will be dead. When he is revived, he is placed in the same two squares, with the facing shown in the mini map above.
Tripitaka starts the game with the Shining Seal Skill Card and one random draw. Monk Sha starts with Healing Fellowship and one random draw. Assign the initiative as follows (first Pilgrim) Monkey, Monk Sha, Tripitaka, Cho Hakkai (last Pilgrim).
Create a simple Demon Deck containing just the reinforcement cards for Minion Demons (Bull Warriors, Bull Archers, Bullserkers, and Bull Generals).
Quest Specific Rules
Borrack is Unique: Treat Borrack, the Bull General as a unique character. If a Bull General is in play and another Bull General Demon Card is drawn, discard it and draw another. The Bull General can respawn once he is removed from play.
Remember Unconscious Pilgrims are rotated in the Maintenance Phase (including the first turn) and the outlined water squares slow movement (even turning).
Victory Conditions
The Quest ends immediately when both Map Tiles are free of Demons or when one of the Pilgrims, including Cho Hakkai, dies.
Heroic Victory: The Pilgrims must (1) Revive Cho Hakkai, (2) seal at least 1 Gate, (3) possess at least 2 Sutra Tokens, (4) a Pilgrim must advance to 10 Good Karma and (5) a Pilgrim must advance to 10 Bad Karma.
Victory: The Pilgrims must (1) Revive Cho Hakkai, (2) possess at least 2 Sutra Tokens.
Defeat: A Pilgrim was Killed or the Pilgrims cleared all the Demons before meeting either set of Victory Conditions.
Epilogue
"You are right." gasps Cho Hakkai. "Three minor devils I could fight off, but these are something special. No-one would stand a chance against three of them. But I had them on the ropes before I went down. Hey, Monkey, do you have some wine? Just to revive me?"
Tripitaka looks at the scraps of parchment he has picked up. Although they are tiny fragments, he can see the vague image of the whole Sutra forming in his mind's eye. From this misty image, he knows that if he can reassemble the whole Sutra, he can seal the gate forever.
"The Sutra is our key. We are in a graveyard, so there must be a village nearby. Let's see if they have more information." says Tripitaka.
"I'll join your band – you need my strength." says Cho Hakkai. "Besides, it's good practice for when I return to heaven. My beloved Chang'E has been captured by real Demons, and they have banished me here, because they know I can rescue her. The rewards from saving these villagers will pass the time until I am let back in."
Tripitaka describes his vision and Monkey points out that they do not know where to find more fragments or the location of the final gate that they need to seal. He laughs at the band, but says he will stick around for longer too, just to see them struggle.
This is the end of the introductory Quests. Now might be a good time to re-read the rules, looking carefully at rules that have not come into play yet, and checking that no mistakes have been made. From now on, the Quests get harder!
Quest 3 - Village Fields
Prologue
Tripitaka looks around the tiny room, at the frightened villagers, cowering near their fireplace. "Elder, tell me where these Demons come from. We are on a sacred journey to replace the Underworld seal and trap these Demons where they belong. Can you help us find their lair?" asks Tripitaka.
"We cannot help you, no matter how virtuous your quest. The Demons are already destroying the village of my ancestors, and when they find we have helped you, they will double their efforts. No, I must protect my family and the other poor souls in the village."
"Then our immediate path is clear. We will purge the Demons from your village, so you can live in peace. It does not matter that you cannot help. One way or another, the Great Buddha will show us the path we need." intones Tripitaka.
"Surely, you would not risk your lives for decrepit souls you do not know? I am afraid I misjudged you."
"There is no risk to Tripitaka, so long as I fight at his side!" says Cho Hakkai.
"Then cross the bridge to our shrine and fields. The Demons seem to come from there. Be careful, and go with the blessing of Buddha."
"I do not think it's Buddha nor our pig-like friend who will save us now." chuckles Monkey.
Board Setup
- Gate x 3
- Sutra x 3
- Villagers x 3
- Well x 1
- Mystical Box x 1
- Broken Door x 1
- Monkey King
- Cho Hakkai
- Tripitaka
- Monk Sha
- Borrack
Tripitaka must go last, so give him Initiative Token 4. Determine the initiative for the other 3 Pilgrims at random.
Create a simple Demon Deck by removing the special cards that spawn Demon Lords.
Quest Specific Rules
Safe House: You cannot Rescue the Villagers in the house.
Gate Activation: Once any of the band steps onto the central Map Tile, all three Gates activate.
Borrack is Unique: Treat Borrack, the Bull General as a unique character. If a Bull General is in play and another Bull General Demon Card is drawn, discard it and draw another. The Bull General can respawn once he is removed from play.
Victory Conditions
The Quest ends when all the Gates are sealed, when a Pilgrim dies or when a Demon crosses the bridge into the village.
Heroic Victory: The Pilgrims must (1) seal all the Gates and (2) rescue all the Villagers.
Victory: The Pilgrims must (1) seal all the Gates.
Defeat: If a Pilgrim was Killed or a Demon enters the village, the Pilgrims fail.
Epilogue
"We've saved the village from these Demons, but lost three fragments of the Sutra." Monk Sha worries. "How can we ever put it back together?"
"Do not fret, my friend. I can still see these fragments in my vision. I am sure we can mend the seal, if we continue on our quest." says Tripitaka as he dusts himself off.
"Well, that big fellow, the General, wasn't so tough. If he's their leader, we've taken him down once and we can do it again. This quest will be a walk in the park … so long as I am here to protect you." boasts Cho Hakkai. "All these good deeds, I'll be back in Heaven soon."
Monkey stares him in the eye and laughs.
Quest 4 - The Village
Prologue
The Pilgrims head back to the village, with the good news.
"Let's tell them we've closed the gates, so they know they are safe," says Tripitaka, "and move on."
"They should tell us what they know now, ungrateful paupers." says Cho Hakkai. "So long as they have more wine, I'll try not to grumble. I'm on a holy quest now."
"There is not a holy bone in your body. Tripitaka is an example to us all."
Monkey stops laughing as they cross the bridge. The village is smoke and ruins.
"This was all our fault." says Tripitaka. "The Demons can see us anywhere."
Board Setup
- Gate x 1
- Villagers x 4
- Well x 1
- Mystical Box x 1
- Door x 6
- Broken Door x 1
- Kogaiji
- Monkey King
- Tripitaka
- Berrok x 2
- Bharhaz x 3
- Borrack x 2
- Cho Hakkai
- Monk Sha
- Boof x 3
Create a simple Demon Deck by removing the special cards that spawn Demon Lords.
Quest Specific Rules
Kogaiji's Actions: Kogaiji rants and will attack anyone in his attack range, but he will not move from behind his desk under any circumstances.
Remember, Demons in closed rooms only react to Pilgrims in the room.
Victory Conditions
The game play ends when the Pilgrims attack Kogaiji for the first time or when a Pilgrim is Defeated.
Heroic Victory: The Pilgrims must (1) rescue all the Villagers and then (2) attack Kogaiji.
Victory: The Pilgrims must (1) attack Kogaiji.
Defeat: A Pilgrim was Defeated before they attack Kogaiji.
Epilogue
Kogaiji steps back from the first blow. "You dare lay a finger on me! You don't know the strength of my Clan! Wait until we return in force. You'll regret not bowing before me!" Kogaiji disappears in a cloud of sulfur.
"Tripitaka, this Demon talks and thinks like a man!" says Monk Sha.
"Yes." says Cho Hakkai. "I heard them planning an attack as we kicked in the door. Not just big arms, I have big ears too. I knew that General was too soft to be the leader. But we've found him now, and he's too scared to fight me. Your quest is still safe, while I lead the band!"
Monkey looks knowingly at Tripitaka and laughs.
Quest 5 - Beasts
Prologue
Much time has passed. The Pilgrims have killed many minions, but have not seen more of Kogaiji or heard of his lair. With no villagers willing or able to give them a location, Tripitaka is taking the band to find a Heavenly Creature, rumored to live in this area. Attuned to nature, he will surely know where the Demons have their lair.
Before they meet the Qilin, they blunder across a monster being attacked by Bull Demons.
Board Setup
- Gate x 2
- Sutra x 1
- Mystical Box x 1
- Well x 1
- Berrok x 3
- Kei Lun
- Monkey King
- Cho Hakkai
- Monk Sha
- Tripitaka
- Bharhaz x 2
Tripitaka starts the game with the Healing Trance Skill Card and one random draw.
Tripitaka must go last, so give him Initiative Token 4. Determine the initiative for the other 3 Pilgrims at random.
Quest Specific Rules
Kei Lun's Actions: Kei Lun will take 1 Action each turn, directly after the Pilgrims have been. He will attack all Pilgrims in range/LOS or, if there are no attacks to be made, he will move as described below.
Move Kei Lun at random. Roll the Pilgrim Die:
- X: Kei Lun stays still.
- 1: Kei Lun moves one square forwards.
- 2: Turn Kei Lun 90° to his right.
- 3: Turn Kei Lun 90° to his left.
If Kei Lun moves forwards when a Demon or Pilgrim is in front of him, move the other Miniature one square too, as if the Miniature is pushed back. Kei Lun is strong enough to push any number of Miniatures in this manner. If obstacles or the edge of the board prevent Kei Lun (and/or the Miniatures he pushes) moving, turn Kei Lun through 180° instead.
Destruction: Kei Lun can move onto the Mystical Box, the Sutra, and the Well. If he does, remove them from the board, they are destroyed.
Demons do not attack Kei Lun: Demons do not see Kei Lun as a threat. The Demons do not attack Kei Lun and move around him as if he were a normal obstacle. They target the Pilgrims normally.
Calming Influence: Tripitaka must calm Kei Lun by using the Healing Trance when all the Demons have been removed from play. He must pay the normal costs to activate this skill. However, he can use Healing Trance as usual earlier in the Quest, if required.
Victory Conditions
The Quest ends immediately when Tripitaka calms Kei Lun or when Tripitaka is Defeated.
Heroic Victory: The Pilgrims must (1) not be Killed, (2) possess the Sutra and (3) Tripitaka must calm Kei Lun.
Victory: (1) Tripitaka must calm Kei Lun.
Defeat: Tripitaka is Defeated.
Epilogue
When the last Demon is slain, the monstrous beast quietens somewhat. Tripitaka gasps, "Kei Lun, what has become of you?" and begins to chant. Peace envelops the Pilgrims and the beast, whose coat begins to shed its filth and regain its golden luster. Kei Lun stands revealed to the traveling band.
Kei Lun tells his story. "Pilgrims… you are Pilgrims… There is so much evil in the world, my vision is clouded. I could not tell wrong from right… I almost killed you… You must go to Xiqi Village, I can feel great evil emanating from there. Go… Go before I am overcome."
Quest 6 - Kogaiji
Prologue
Following Kei Lun's instructions, the Pilgrims visit Xiqi Village, but they are too late. Many villagers are slain and others have fled.
Tripitaka asks the Monkey King to commune with the dead to find out what has happened. The spirit of a dead villager appears upon the Monkey King's command. "A few days ago, a Heavenly General descended to our village. He looked terrified and lost somehow, and we noticed he tried to hide something in different places around the village. We dared not interrupt or say anything, if he was so afraid, we knew he would only bring us trouble."
"This has doomed us all!" another dead spirit cries as she appears beside Cho Hakkai.
"A moment later, the Bull Demons invaded our village and slaughtered everyone. I was killed by a young looking Demon, who asked me 'I can smell his scent, where is the General?' I was too terrified to say a word. A second later, I became a dead spirit. Please help us! Set our spirits free by casting out these Demons."
"A young Demon that talks! We know him! If their leader is here, this is the end of our Quest!", boasts Cho Hakkai.
The Monkey King releases the spirits, and chuckles. "I think you are right on one count, my heavy friend. But let's go fight this young Demon again, before Tripitaka starts ordering us around."
Board Setup
- Gate x 3
- Villagers x 1
- Sutra x 3
- Mystical Box x 1
- Broken Door x 1
- Door x 2
- Monkey King
- Tripitaka
- Cho Hakkai
- Monk Sha
- Berrok x 2
- Kogaiji
- Koorogg
Setup normally and then give each Pilgrim 1 Karma Upgrade.
Quest Specific Rules
Gate Activation: The Gates are initially inactive. They become active when a Pilgrim steps on the Map Tile containing the Gate(s).
Seal 1 Gate: A maximum of 1 Gate can be sealed, regardless of the means.
Interlude
When the Pilgrims enter the room, the Bull Demon King shouts "Kogaiji, you coward! These are the humans you ran from! Fight them, fight them and win! Or never leave the lair again!"
The Bull Demon King's Actions: The Bull Demon King does not move, but he will attack any Pilgrim that is in his attack zone/LOS. Kogaiji moves and attacks normally.
Continue game play.
Victory Conditions
The Quest ends immediately when Kogaiji or Tripitaka is Defeated.
Heroic Victory: The Pilgrims must (1) Rescue the Villagers, (2) possess 2 Sutra Tokens and (3) Defeat Kogaiji.
Victory: The Pilgrims must (1) possess 2 Sutra Tokens and (2) Defeat Kogaiji.
Defeat: All other conditions, including Defeating Kogaiji without holding 2 Sutra Tokens or letting Tripitaka be Defeated.
Epilogue
"Kogaiji, you weakling! How can you be my son! Wait until I get you back to Volcano City!" roars the Bull Demon King. Kogaiji's unconscious body and the Bull Demon King disappear in a cloud of smoke.
Cho Hakkai says "Son? Then that monster must be his father. I knew the little squirt was not the leader. But how can we defeat the Demon Lord? He's huge."
"Where there's a father and son, there is often a mother." replies Monk Sha despondently.
Tripitaka is calm. "But now we know our enemies and if we can find Volcano City, we are one step closer to their lair. And look at these notes, the Demons are planning an attack on Kei Lun. We must warn him, he is in no fit state to fight on his own. Our way is clear."
"Our way?" says Monkey, as he laughs. "All this fighting is less fun that I expected, but I will follow you one more time."
Quest 7 - Demon Army
Prologue
"Pilgrims! I did not expect to see you again!" roars Kei Lun. Reds and golds flow through his coat, but the fire in his eyes shows that some anger still remains.
"Kei Lun, the Demons plan to attack and steal the Golden Peach." says Tripitaka.
"Do not fear little one. It is here, in this treasure chest, under my guard."
"Peach? Is it tasty?" interrupts Cho Hakkai. "But there is nothing to fear at all. Now we are here, the Demons will not dare spring their trap."
Monkey cannot control his laughter. "Cho, you have the intellect of your avatar. Can't you see? The Demons have set the perfect trap for all of us."
With a resounding crack, like the very Earth splitting, four gates open, blowing the doors and windows out of nearby huts.
Board Setup
- Broken Door x 2
- Gate x 4
- Well x 2
- Sutra x 4
- Mystical Box x 1
- Kei Lun
- Monk Sha
- Tripitaka
- Cho Hakkai
- Monkey King
Setup normally and then give each Pilgrim 1 Karma Upgrade.
Use a Mystical Box Token to represent the treasure chest containing the Golden Peach. It is not a Mystical Box. Pilgrims cannot use it to Pray or Meditate.
Quest Specific Rules
Kei Lun's Actions: Kei Lun has regained his senses and will fight alongside the Pilgrims. However, between his anger and size, the Pilgrims may get caught up in his attacks too.
Kei Lun has 1 Action Point each turn and plays directly after the Pilgrims. He can only take 1 of 2 actions:
- Priority 1: Move 1 square forwards or rotate. He will move towards the treasure chest to guard it, i.e. when the box is in 1 of the 2 squares directly in front of him. This includes moving towards the Pilgrim holding the treasure chest, if it is not on the ground.
- Priority 2: Attack all Demons and Pilgrims in range/LOS. Resolve all attacks separately. The treasure chest blocks Line of Sight. Kei Lun's attacks Kill Demons (no Cleanse Ritual) but there is no need to track Bad Karma for Kei Lun.
Treasure Chest: Pilgrims can spend 1 AP to pick up or set down the treasure chest. They can use this to move Kei Lun to a more advantageous spot.
Golden Peach: Under special conditions, Kei Lun will grant the Pilgrims the power of the Golden Peach. Bathed in its radiant glow, Pilgrims gain +1 on all Cleanse Ritual rolls automatically when these 3 conditions are satisfied:
- Kei Lun must be in position guarding the treasure chest and the Golden Peach to release its power.
- The Pilgrims must possess all 4 Sutras.
- The Pilgrims carrying the Sutras must be on the same Map Tile as the treasure chest.
Demon Actions: When assigning the Action Points for the Demons, treat Kei Lun as if he were a fifth pilgrim. Hence Demons will attack him, although Tripitaka is the primary target.
Demon Deck: All Gates are active from the start of the Quest, but become inactive when the entire Demon Spawn Deck has been played once.
Victory Conditions
The Quest ends immediately when the Gates are inactive and all Demons have been removed from play or when either Tripitaka or Kei Lun is Killed.
Heroic Victory: All the Pilgrims and Kei Lun survive.
Victory: Tripitaka and Kei Lun survive.
Defeat: Tripitaka or Kei Lun are Killed.
Epilogue
The Pilgrims look through the pockets of the slain Demons, hoping to find some clues as to the location of the lair, all the while keeping one eye on Kei Lun. He seems calmer now that so many Demons have been destroyed. Peace and contentment can be seen in his face, absent for a long time.
"Ha!" says Cho Hakkai, "Look here. This General has a map showing how to get to Volcano City!"
"But Cho, that map goes from gate to gate, it does not show our roads and fields." worries Monk Sha. "That is a map for demon-spawn, not us."
"We all knew we would have to enter their world sometime, but the sutras point the way." says Tripitaka. "I think I know how to follow this map."
"Follow the map? Through the Demon gates?" says Monkey. For once, Monkey is not laughing.
Quest 8 - Iron Fan's Interruption
Prologue
Travel through the gates is exhausting, but quiet. After the huge battle, there are few Bull Demon minions to be seen. Tripitaka leads the band into one more gate, thinking they are approaching the lair.
"This is not right." says Tripitaka.
"You're wrong, human." says Iron Fan. "You are right where I want you to be. I will save the males in our family the trouble of killing you!"
Board Setup
- Gate x 1
- Mystical Box x 1
- Well x 1
- Berrok x 5
- Yazuiji
- Tripitaka
- Monk Sha
- Monkey King
- Cho Hakkai
Setup normally and then give each Pilgrim 1 Karma Upgrade.
Quest Specific Rules
Respawn Iron Fan: Do not use the Demon Deck to spawn Demons each Demon Phase. When Iron Fan is Defeated, remove any other Demons on the board. Complete the Pilgrims' turn (Resting, Meditating, and Moving, for example) and then respawn Iron Fan with new allies at the start of the next Demon Phase:
- First Respawn: Place 4 Bull Archers, then Iron Fan.
- Second Respawn: Place 3 Bullserkers, then Iron Fan.
- Third Respawn: Place 2 Generals, then Iron Fan.
Iron Fan and her minions are removed as soon as she is Defeated. She is not Killed or Cleansed, so do not take Karma Points for her or the minions removed when she is removed.
Remember, if you Kill or Cleanse minions during this Quest, take the Karma Points as normal.
Victory Conditions
Game play ends when Iron Fan is defeated the fourth time, or when Tripitaka is Killed.
Heroic Victory: All the Pilgrims survive.
Victory: Tripitaka survives.
Defeat: Tripitaka is Killed.
Epilogue
"You win this time, but you will be no match for all of us together! With Ugragosa's Sting in our grasp, even a lowly Berrok could slaughter you all!" Iron Fan disappears.
Her illusion slowly fades. The Pilgrims are not in the Demon's lair, they are outside near the last village on their trek to the Demon lair, after all. Tripitaka chants over their water gourd and tells the Pilgrims to drink up and rest a moment before they continue. Magically refreshed, they are ready to go.
Quest 9 - Kogaiji's Trap
Prologue
"I know Ugragosa." says Monk Sha. "A creature with a heart of evil, even for the blackest Demon. It was Ugragosa that put this curse on me."
"What of Ugragosa's Sting? Is it as powerful as she says?" asks Tripitaka.
"If it still has his venom, perhaps. Yes, I can imagine it being wielded as a powerful weapon, if one is strong enough to lift it. No, no, no … if this is true, we are in trouble. I don't want to face his powers again."
"That sounds like the weapon I need." says Cho, his chest puffed up like one of the Bull Demons. "This rake is best used for cleaning pig sties."
"But the sting is safe." continues Sha. "The monks of my village protect it in secret."
"Monk Sha, my friend, perhaps the secret has been broken. That settles it. We can use the gate to travel to your village. It's worth a short detour to save such holy men and perhaps we can deprive the Bull Demons of this weapon."
"Detour? It seems we are being pulled in this direction." chuckles Monkey. "But let's enter the gate and see where it leads."
As Tripitaka recites a mantra from the sutras, something different happens. The gate opens, but a whirling vortex sucks them in, buffeting and shaking them, splitting them into two groups.
Board Setup
- Gate x 2
- Villagers x 4
- Mystical Box x 2
- Door x 3
- Kogaiji
- Monkey King
- Tripitaka
- Cho Hakkai
- Monk Sha
Setup normally and then give each Pilgrim 1 Karma Upgrade.
Special Rules
Cannot Seal Gates: None of the Gates can be sealed, even with the Prayer of Sealing.
Kogaiji's Defeat: The Gates stop spawning once Kogaiji is Defeated.
Interlude
When the Pilgrims enter the room, they see Kogaiji surrounded by a glowing aura. He is reciting a mantra that the Pilgrims do not recognize. He does not pay any attention to the Pilgrims.
"Quick, this is our chance to kill the Red Boy!" yells Cho.
"Wait, I think he is using a mantra of protection. Let's just rescue the villagers and get out of here." cautions Tripitaka.
Defeat Kogaiji: In this Quest, the Pilgrims do not Kill or Cleanse Kogaiji. Once he is Defeated, he is out of game play. Pilgrims do not take Karma Rewards for this. The Pilgrims can play on to fight any other Demons on the Game Board.
Kogaiji's Spell: Kogaiji is casting a deception spell as well as a protection Mantra. He will not move or attack while doing so, and he is immune from attack. Once the Elder Monk is rescued, Kogaiji ends the spell and is then controlled by the normal Demon AI.
Kogaiji's Trap: Only 1 of the Villager Tokens is the Elder Monk, the other 3 are Borrack Bull Generals hidden by the deception spell. When the Pilgrims attempt a Rescue, first spin the Fortune Spinner. If the result is Good Fortune, the Pilgrim has found the Elder Monk, if the result is Bad Fortune, the Pilgrim has broken the deception. Regardless of the outcome, the rescue attempt costs the Pilgrim 1 Action Point.
Elder Monk: Take the Token and the 3 Good Karma points, as normal. Kogaiji's spell ends. If there are other Villager Tokens in the room, immediately replace them with Bull Generals, facing Tripitaka.
Deception is Broken: Replace the Token with a Bull General, facing towards the Pilgrim that attempted the Rescue.
Final Token: If there is only 1 of the 4 Villager Tokens left, there is no need to use the Fortune Spinner when you attempt a Rescue. It is the Elder Monk.
Demon Rage: If there are not enough Bull General Miniatures to place when the deception is broken, Demon Rage begins and lasts until Kogaiji is Defeated.
Victory Conditions
The Quest ends when all the Demons minions are removed from play and Kogaiji is Defeated or if Tripitaka is Killed.
Heroic Victory: All the Pilgrims survive.
Victory: Tripitaka survives.
Defeat: Tripitaka is Killed.
Epilogue
With the final blow, Kogaiji slumps to the ground and the gates dim to the color of ash. The Pilgrims fight doggedly, but as the last Demon falls, Kogaiji arises, surrounded by a fiery aura. "Take the sting! That overgrown centipede is not as strong as anyone from my Clan!" With that, Kogaiji disappears in a puff of acrid smoke.
"Finally, it's over." says the Elder Monk. "We could not banish that Demon from our village or keep him from Ugragosa's Sting. Buddha will reward you for your actions."
"Buddha will reward us? I hoped you would reward us!" moans Cho.
"I don't want to travel through the gates again. Perhaps we can go the long way round." says Monk Sha.
"It cannot be helped, my loyal friend. We knew this was a detour, now we must return to the path to the Bull Demon's lair." replies Tripitaka, his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Can you not feel the evil in the air, young Monk?" says the Elder Monk. "We believe there is a magical entrance to Volcano City behind our village. Kogaiji opened it when he came for the sting and it feels like it did not close upon his retreat."
"Quick then, let's go before it closes."
"Fate is against me." laughs Monkey. "I guess I'll come for one more adventure!" He's found his sense of humor again.
Quest 10 Part 1 - The Lair
Prologue
"You must be quick little ones." the Elder Monk intones. "I can feel the evil of the Demons breaking through. We have protected one fragment of the Sutra, on the bookshelf behind me and it is now safe for me to reveal the mystical box that hides Ugragosa's Sting. Take what you need here and elsewhere in the village, but move fast for all our sakes."
"Hurry brothers, this is our chance!" yells Tripitaka.
Cho Hakkai looks at the Elder Monk, while the others run where the Monk is pointing. "So, no wine then?"
Two Part Quest
There is no need to setup the village and Bull Demon Lair areas at the same time, but you can if you have a really big gaming table! When the Pilgrims move from Part 1 to Part 2, you can clear the village tiles from the table. Make no changes to the Pilgrims' Statistics, Cards or Initiative Markers when they start Part 2 - this is not 2 Quests, it is a single large one. Read and understand the second part before you start, because the Pilgrims must be ready for what awaits them in the Bull Demon Lair.
Part 1: Race to the Bridge
Board Setup
- Gate x 4
- Villagers x 5
- Sutra x 4
- Mystical Box x 3
- Broken Door x 3
- Monkey King
- Tripitaka
- Cho Hakkai
- Monk Sha
- Turn Tokens x 12
Setup normally and then give each Pilgrim 2 Karma Upgrades.
Place 4 Turn Tokens on the Gate at the lower left side of the Game Board and 8 Turn Tokens on the Gate at the top right.
Quest Specific Rules
Race to the Bridge: In the End of Turn Phase, remove a Turn Token from each Gate, if there are Turn Tokens still in play. Gates with Turn Tokens are inactive.
The village tiles play normally. Pilgrims can Rescue Villagers, use the Mystical Boxes and must pick up the Sutras but they should watch the passage of time. The Quest will be very difficult with all the gates open.
Victory Conditions
The Race to the Bridge ends immediately when one Pilgrim steps on the Fiery Bridge or when a Pilgrim is Killed.
Heroic Victory: The Pilgrims must have all 4 Sutra Tokens between them and then 1 Pilgrim steps onto the Fiery Bridge.
Victory: There are only Heroic Victories against the Bull Demon King!
Defeat: Any Pilgrim is Killed or they don't have 4 Sutras when 1 Pilgrim reaches the Fiery Bridge.
Interlude
As the first Pilgrim steps onto the bridge, the world shimmers and shakes. This is no ordinary bridge then, this is no ordinary band of Pilgrims. Recognizing the mystical bond between the four of them, the bridge pulls them all into the Bull Demon's lair. The way behind them is blocked.
Buddha appears to Tripitaka in a vision, "Your hardest trial so far is just ahead. Consult the Sutra to seal the breach between worlds. The kidnapped villagers have watched the Bull Demon King for many weeks, perhaps they may aid you too."
"Quick, show me the last parts of the Sutra." says Tripitaka. "Yes, I can see now. Reforming the Seal will be possible, if I can concentrate on the incantation. But this aura of evil is too disturbing."
Fierce heat burns their eyes as they peer forward through the haze. After the great fights the Pilgrims have had against their enemy, the vast hall is sparsely populated by Demons, but their old enemies Kogaiji and Iron Fan are visible. Far in the back, the biggest Demon of all, the Bull Demon King, is conjuring minions from the Gate. Iron Fan joins the incantation, then Kogaiji does the same. More Demons begin to climb from the fiery pits near the back of the hall.
Quest 10 Part 2 - Seal the Gate
Board Setup
- Gate x 5
- Villagers x 3
- Well x 1
- Kogaiji
- Monkey King
- Tripitaka
- Cho Hakkai
- Monk Sha
- Yazuiji
- Koorogg
You can clear the village tiles away, if you wish. If not, return all the Demon Miniatures currently in the village to the pool of Miniatures used for spawning.
The upheaval of being transported to the lair gives the Pilgrims a moment to organize themselves. Keeping the same initiative order as Part 1, decide how you want to place the Pilgrims on the Fiery Bridge, highlighted on the Map.
Give all 4 Sutra Tokens to Tripitaka and remove any Villager Tokens collected in Part 1.
Demons spawn from the two single Gates outlined in yellow, using the special rules below. The 3-square Gate on the right of the map, outlined in green, is the broken Seal of the Underworld and is used by Tripitaka to end this part of the Quest.
Quest Specific Rules
Rescuing Villagers: Rescue the Villagers and take 3 Good Karma Points as normal. Place the Villager Token in your playing area to track the information you have obtained. A Pilgrim gets +1 ATT against the Bull Demon King for each Villager Token in their possession.
Demon Lord Actions: At the start of the Demon Phase, check the location of the Demon Lords and the Pilgrims. If there are no Pilgrims on the Map Tile with a Demon Lord, then the Demon will chant the Summoning Mantra. If there is a Pilgrim on the same Map Tile, the Demon Lord will follow the Demon AI to attack. Demon Lords will not leave the Map Tile that they are placed on and only react to Pilgrims on their Map Tile.
Summoning Mantra: For each Demon Lord chanting the Summoning Mantra, draw 2 Spawn Cards and alternately spawn the Demons from the two single Gates on the back tile. So on the first turn, Iron Fan and the Bull Demon King will probably be summoning, so draw 4 Demon Cards, 2 for each of the Gates. Minions spawned this way will follow normal Demon AI rules and will run across all Map Tiles.
Defeating Demon Lords: Demon Lords can be Killed or Cleansed as normal, but the Pilgrims are only killing the earthly body of the Demon Lords and they will respawn. If a Demon Lord is Killed, stand them off the board behind the Seal of the Underworld. Demon Lords that are Cleansed are removed permanently.
Respawning Demon Lords: If a Demon Lord is Killed, move it off the Game Board and place a number of Turn Tokens beside it, see below. In the End of Turn Phase, remove a Turn Token from each pile. In the Maintenance Phase, Demon Lords with no remaining Turn Tokens will respawn, so replace the Demon on (or as close as possible to) their starting location shown in the Board Setup.
- Kogaiji: 10 Turn Tokens.
- Iron Fan: 7 Turn Tokens.
- Bull Demon King: 2 Turn Tokens.
Once the Demon Lords respawn, they act as described above, for example, adding to the Summoning Mantra if there is no Pilgrim on their Map Tile.
Victory Conditions
This Quest ends when Tripitaka completes the Sealing Ritual or when Tripitaka is Defeated. The following conditions must be true for Tripitaka to complete the Sealing Ritual:
- There are no Demon Lords in the lair.
- Tripitaka must be adjacent to the broken Seal of the Underworld (represented by the 3 Gates on the right of the Map).
- Tripitaka must spend 1 Action Point to throw the 4 Sutra Tokens collected in the Village into the broken Seal of the Underworld and utter the Sealing Mantra.
Heroic Victory: Tripitaka completes the Sealing Ritual.
Victory: There are only Heroic Victories against the Bull Demon King!
Defeat: Tripitaka is Defeated.
Epilogue
When the Demon Lords are vanquished, the evil presence in the Lair lessens slightly. Tripitaka moves to the largest gate the Pilgrims have seen and starts to chant the Sealing Ritual. He throws the Sutra into the giant pulsating gate, and collapses, not seeing the gate dim dramatically.
"Here, Master, take some water!" says Monk Sha, "Look, look, you have sealed the gate."
"Creatures of Heaven! One good deed deserves another!" yells Cho Hakkai. "I demand you let us back in, so my brothers and I can rescue Chang'E!" He turns to the Pilgrims, "You are coming with me, right?"
Monkey crouches and wipes the sweat from Tripitaka's brow. He laughs gently. "Rest now little one. It was a brave quest, but you must know we have not finished yet. The Bull Demons have been banished, but this is not the Seal of the Underworld. It is just the gate to the Bull Demons' domain. We have done Terra a great service, but I fear our Journey has hardly begun."
Creating Quests
You can also make your own Quests. By playing the official Quests, you should have learned what kind of game play you enjoyed the most and how to keep the game balanced. Here are some ideas to help you create your own Quests.
Replay Existing Quests
You may wish to start designing your own Quests by changing existing Quests. This will help you learn how certain changes affect the difficulty level. For example, to make the game easier:
- Stack the Demon Deck. Search the bottom half of the Demon Deck for Berrok and Bharhaz reinforcement cards and place them on the top. Or shuffle them into the top half.
- Add Turn Tokens on Gates to delay them becoming active (see Quest 10 Part 1).
- Allow Pilgrims to select their Skill Cards. Choose 1 One-time-use and 1 Permanent Skill Card during setup and/or choose the Skill Card you take for a Karma Upgrade.
- Add more Wells, Villagers or Mystical Boxes to the Game Board.
To make the Quests harder:
- Stack the Demon Deck. Search the top half of the Demon Deck for Berrok and Bharhaz reinforcement cards and place them on the bottom. Or shuffle them into the bottom half.
- Add Spawn Gate(s).
- Add Demons to the Map Tiles at the start of the Quest.
- Remove Miniatures from the pool of unused Miniatures, so that Demon Rage occurs more easily.
Story
Create a back story to explain the events of the Quests. Your idea might start with the theme of the Quest or a special rule you want to try, but make sure you update the story to reflect the different aspects of the Quest.
Theme
Your Quest should have some general theme. You can draw ideas from our Quests and from many other board or video games, for example:
- Capture the Base: The Pilgrims traverse the Game Board and complete a task at the end.
- Defend the Flag: The Pilgrims are mainly stationary. The Demons come to the Pilgrims, perhaps in waves of increasing difficulty.
- Boss Fight: The Pilgrims defeat the Boss, directly or indirectly by defeating its minions.
- Foot Race: The Pilgrims must traverse the board within a time limit, with less focus on fighting Demons.
- Scavenger Hunt: Pilgrims must collect items. Either Quest items or to power up for the final fight.
- Escort Mission: Pilgrims must keep a character alive, for example Tripitaka or Kei Lun.
- Rescue Mission: Split the Pilgrims and have the main band rescue the others.
Create Challenges
Place Gates, Demons and mandatory Quest Items on the Board to challenge the Pilgrims. By now you will know how Gates change the difficulty level. Consider the Quest Tile by Tile and overall. 1 Gate per Map Tile is relatively easy and 3 are very hard. 1 Gate on the whole Game Board is trivial but as many as 4 on a larger Board can be fine.
You can fine tune the challenge by making Gates inactive at the start of the game or by letting Pilgrims Close the Gates. Work this into your story.
Demons can be placed on the Board as key parts of the story or to increase the initial level of difficulty.
Mandatory Quest Items can be used to consume Action Points or make Pilgrims linger in certain areas.
Give Aid
Long Quests will be impossible if the Pilgrims cannot recharge. Place Wells where you expect the Pilgrims to be low on Health. Mystical Boxes provide some bonus Health and Chi rewards too.
Quests with a tough finish require the Pilgrims to buff up. Place Mystical Boxes so they get Fortune Cards and allow them to fight Minions to get Karma Upgrades.
Initial Conditions
Movement can be hard, especially at the start or near objectives. Ensure that the Pilgrims have room to maneuver at the start, if the initiative is random, or fix the initiative order to help the game play smoothly.
Give the Pilgrims specific Skills if the story requires special actions. Give the Pilgrims Karma Upgrades if the Quest is especially hard.
Special Rules
It is good to have a few special rules, so that each Quest is different to the others, but try to keep the number to a minimum, so that the Quest is not too complex. Make sure to tie the rules into your story.
Kei Lun can be used in many ways, both as an ally and a foe.
The Journey Continues
Even though the Pilgrims are weary, their Journey has hardly begun. They have banished the mighty Bull Demons from Terra, but they still need to restore the Seal on the Underworld. Join them as they continue the Journey to the West.