Kingdom Death: Monster – Lion Knight Expansion

Expansion for Kingdom Death: Monster

Expansions

Kingdom Death: Monster – Green Knight Armor Expansion

Kingdom Death: Monster – Lion Knight Expansion Rulebook

Table of Contents

Upgrade Your Core Game

Upgrade your core game with the contents of this expansion. Separate out all of the cards by their types and then:

Add the Lion Knight card divider, AI, Hit Location, Special Terrain, and Role cards to the monster section of the core game box.
Add the new disorders to the Disorders deck.
Add the new fighting arts to the Fighting Arts deck.
Add the new secret fighting arts to the Secret Fighting Arts deck.
Add the new gear to the game box.
Add the new tactics to the Tactics Deck.
Add the Armor Set Bonus cards to the game box.
Add the new innovations to the Innovation cards in the game box (not your settlement's deck).

Use the story events in this book in addition to the Kingdom Death: Monster core game story events: An Uninvited Guest; Places, Everyone!; Showdown: Lion Knight; Intermission; Strange Caravan; and Finale.

When a story event in this book is triggered, it is denoted by the Lion Knight story event icon preceding the event name.

Current Campaign

To add the Lion Knight to your current campaign, add An Uninvited Guest (a story event found in this book) to the next lantern year on the timeline.

New Campaign

To add the Lion Knight to a new campaign, add An Uninvited Guest to Lantern Year 6 on the timeline of the settlement's record sheet.

New Rules: Special Showdowns – Update

Update the Special Showdown rules to the following:

Special Showdowns interrupt the Settlement Phase. After they conclude, the Settlement Phase continues where it left off, regardless of victory or defeat. Heal all light and heavy injuries from the remaining survivors and remove all tokens. Do not repeat any steps of the settlement phase.

Lion Knight Showdown Rules

Lion Knight Terrain Cards. The Lion Knight's showdown setup at level 2+ includes four special terrain cards. Do not shuffle these into the Terrain deck, as they are only intended to be used during the Lion Knight showdown.

Role Cards. This expansion includes four Role cards. When beginning a showdown with the Lion Knight, these are distributed randomly to the survivors during the setup phase. They may move from one survivor to another during the showdown, but a survivor may never have more than one at a time. When a survivor dies, archive their role card.

5-6 Player Variant: If there are more than 4 survivors, those additional survivors do not get roles. If a survivor with a role dies, a random survivor without a role gains the role of the dead survivor.

Parry – Hit Location Type

A Parry hit location represents the monster skillfully deflecting an attack.

When attempting to wound Parry hit locations, all wound attempts fail unless the wound roll result is critical. This failure triggers any Failure reactions as normal.

Knight Expansions & Tactics Deck

The Lion Knight is a Knight expansion. Each Knight expansion includes a unique Tactics deck. Tactics provide survivors with new ways to fight, using what they've learned from fighting Knights.

To add Tactics to your campaign, a survivor in your settlement must gain the Lion Knight Badge rare gear by defeating the Lion Knight.

The Lion Knight Badge allows a survivor to draw 1 random Tactics card at the start of each showdown. During the showdown, the badge-wearer may use the current Tactics to help defeat their foes.

When you draw a Tactics card, place it in your play area. At the end of the showdown, archive all tactics cards.

Store all Tactics cards together in your game box as the Tactics deck.

Ageless Apprentice

The Ageless Apprentice secret fighting art included in this expansion allows the survivor to rotate up to 3 gear cards in their gear grid. Each of those gear cards may be rotated 90, 180, or 270 degrees in either direction, as long as the card remains aligned with the printed square on the survivor's gear grid. This changes the positions of the affinities and arrows on those gear cards; the rules of the cards themselves remain unchanged.

For example, a survivor may turn their Leather Mask upside down to connect its blue affinity to the top of a Rawhide Vest. Similarly, they may also rotate their Blood Paint 90 degrees to attack with weapons placed above and below it.

Black Mask / White Mask

The Lion Knight expansion includes the Black Mask / White Mask double-sided innovation card. These innovations are distinct from one another, and a settlement may only have one of them at a time. If the settlement gains one innovation while it has the other, simply flip the innovation card to reflect this change and remove the innovation you no longer have from the settlement record sheet.

Hybrid Armor Sets

The Strange Caravan story event allows your settlement to acquire 3 double-sided Hybrid Armor Set Bonus cards. The front of each card shows the armor set's name, armor rating, special rules, and small armor icons; the back shows the gear a survivor must wear to gain the armor set's benefits. A survivor wearing all armor listed on a hybrid armor set will have completed the set and gains the benefits on the corresponding armor set card if the settlement has acquired it.

When a survivor departs with a hybrid armor set bonus, set their armor points at all hit locations to the number of armor points printed on the hybrid armor set card (before adding modifiers). Losing an armor set bonus during the hunt or showdown does not change armor points at any hit locations.

The cards are for reference – as in the Kingdom Death: Monster core game, multiple survivors may gain the same hybrid armor set bonus despite there being only one copy of each card.

Story Event: An Uninvited Guest

They awoke to find someone new standing at the center of their settlement. Still as a statue, a lion-like creature with razor claws stood seeing everything and saying nothing. They wondered if it was even alive, but the boldly curious reported an electrifying gaze in its still eyes. What is this creature? Why is it here? Trembling, the survivors deliberate.

What is this creature? The settlement gains the Stoic Statue innovation. Add Stoic Statue to the settlement's innovations on the settlement record.

Deliberate – Add Places, Everyone! to the timeline two years from now. Each player nominates 1 survivor, then the group rolls 1d10.

1–3: Distracted by the new presence, the survivors' attempts at labor amount to little. No matter where they go, the Lion Knight's eyes seem to follow them. -2 [ring-star icon].
- If the settlement has innovated Drums, they beat them wildly to drive the Lion Knight's gaze out of their minds. A random nominated survivor gains the Coprolalia disorder.
4–7: The survivors timidly place offerings at the Lion Knight's feet, but it just stares and stares. Each nominated survivor gains a random disorder.
- If the settlement has innovated Face Painting, the survivors cope by decorating their faces in the likeness of the strange arrival. The nominated survivors each gain +4 insanity.
8–10: The unmoving figure is heralded as the salvation of the settlement and worshiped! Gain +2 [ring-star icon]. The nominated survivors gain +2 understanding and may not endeavor during this settlement phase.
- If the settlement has innovated Symposium, the survivors resolve they must be prepared for whatever good or ill this omen portends. Gain the Nightmare Training innovation at no cost and +3 [ring-star icon].

Story Event: Places, Everyone!

Suddenly, three more figures appear, stirring up a commotion. Despite the whirlwind of activity around it, the Lion Knight remains still.

With exacting haste, two women make a clearing in the settlement around the Lion Knight, while a third writes disinterestedly in a massive, ancient tome. An array of ornate, unidentifiable props and costumes is pulled out of a dark armoire and meticulously arranged around a makeshift stage.

Survivors must depart this settlement phase for a special showdown with the Lion Knight. Choose departing survivors now and nominate them to Take the Stage.

Take the Stage – roll 1d10

1–2: As they approach the stage, the nominated survivor with the highest Hunt XP (randomize in case of ties) suddenly feels the gaze of innumerable eyes and is overcome by paralyzing fright. If possible, choose another survivor to replace the frightened one.
3–5: One of the women approaches the survivor with the highest insanity from behind (randomize in case of ties). She whispers in their ear. The survivor laughs maniacally and begins dancing in an unfamiliar way. The dancing survivor gains the Immortal disorder and -1 permanent evasion.
6–8: Everything falls silent. The only sound heard is a soft clicking as the motionless Lion Knight's claws begin to twitch and come to life. The nominated survivor with the lowest insanity (randomize in case of ties) gains the Anxiety disorder.
9–10: Crossing the threshold of the stage, the survivors feel energized, their bodies light as a feather! The nominated survivors gain +1 evasion token and survival up to the settlement's survival limit at the start of the showdown.

Showdown: Lion Knight

Nemesis

There was once a monster who was shunned by its creator and left to wander the darkness. Lost in the world of humans, it was driven insane in its attempts to comprehend them. Now, the only reality it accepts exists deep inside its hollow, broken mind.

Nemesis Encounter

Departing survivors do not have a Hunt Phase. Instead, select the Lion Knight's monster level (it should be 1 greater than the last Lion Knight encounter) and set up the showdown accordingly. Unless directed to by the timeline, the Lion Knight may not be chosen for a Nemesis Encounter.

Special Rules – Roles

Survivors begin the showdown with a Role card. Ensure that a survivor has the Villain Role by dealing it first. Then, deal one Role card at random to each other survivor.

Instinct: Catwalk

The Lion Knight full moves towards the Villain. End the monster's turn.

Blind Spot: shown on the manual page as a 3×3 diagram around the monster with one blind cell marked. (Diagram not reproducible as text; see the Blind Spot section of the core rules for the general rule.)

Monster Stats

Level	B	A	L	Mov	Tgh	Spd	Dmg
1	10	2	–	7	10	–	–
2	10	5	–	8	12	–	–
3	12	9	–	9	15	+1	+1

The circled letters B, A and L are the column markers as printed on the manual's stat block; the manual does not print their names in the stat block.

Level 1: Abilities: [icon] Zeal, [icon] Outburst. Roles: Ruler, Damsel, Villain, Fool.
Level 2: Abilities: [icon] Zeal, [icon] Outburst, [icon] Drama Lessons. Roles: Ruler, Damsel, Villain, Fool.
Level 3: Abilities: [icon] Zeal, [icon] Outburst, [icon] Drama Lessons, [icon] Last Act (manual print; the 1.6.1 update below replaces Last Act with Indomitable). Roles: Ruler, Damsel, Villain, Fool.

Showdown Setup

Terrain & Deployment – Level 1

Place the nemesis in the center of the board.
Place survivors in the blue zone.
The survivors are defending their home. They go first.

Terrain & Deployment – Level 2+

Place the nemesis in the center of the board.
Place survivors in the blue zone.
Set up the Throne, Balcony, Stage, and Horn Lion Knight Special Terrain cards in the spaces indicated.
The survivors are defending their home. They go first.

Aftermath

Victory

The first time you defeat the Lion Knight, gain the Lion Knight Badge rare gear.

+1 Hunt XP
+1 Weapon Proficiency (if eligible) (1.6.1 update: or +★ Katar Proficiency Levels)
Trigger the following story events according to ★:
- 1–2: Intermission
- 3: Finale

Defeat

The Lion Knight resumes his repose. Trigger the story event Intermission.

Special gear: If the settlement has Katar Mastery when they defeat the level 3 Lion Knight, the monster's claws are meticulously replicated. Gain the Lion Knight's Left Claw and Right Claw rare gear cards.

Story Event: Intermission

If the survivors were defeated…

The Villain's body lies still on the stage. The Lion Knight strolls out from behind the stage wearing a white mask. The retinue stands offstage, clapping excitedly. Although the survivors are saddened by their loss, they can't help but feel like they have done something right. Awash with pride, they awkwardly face their audience and take a bow.

Lose the Stoic Statue innovation and gain the White Mask innovation. Add Places, Everyone! to the timeline 4 years from now. One at a time, nominate each returning survivor and roll 1d10.

1–2: As you exit the stage, a member of the retinue lifts her mask and plants a kiss on your cheek. The feeling overwhelms you like nothing has before or ever will again. You retire.
3–6: Basking in the glow of the retinue's admiration, you forget all about your defeat. When you get home, you realize you've forgotten a bit more than that. Lose all levels of your current weapon proficiency.
7–10: The retinue coyly offers you a small trinket as consolation. Add 1 Broken Lantern basic resource to the settlement storage.

If the survivors were victorious…

The showdown ends. The Lion Knight resumes its repose.

Suddenly, the Lion Knight is standing in the same place it was when it first appeared in the settlement, wearing a gleaming black mask that drains the light from everything around it. The Lion Knight's retinue scurries out onto the stage, hunched over in single file. One carries a blade, the second, a gold vessel, and the last, her enormous tome. Before anyone has a chance to react, they are upon the survivor that defeated the Lion Knight.

Lose the Stoic Statue innovation and gain the Black Mask innovation. Add Places, Everyone! to the timeline 4 years from now. Nominate the survivor that dealt the killing blow and roll 1d10.

1–2: You are grabbed by the shoulders and your head is shoved into the golden vessel and severed. You are dead.
3–5: One seizes you by the arm while another cleanly severs it at the shoulder with one soundless chop. The last gingerly places the bloodied limb inside the vessel. Suffer the dismembered arm severe injury. No blood flows from the wound.
6–10: A grotesque mask is produced from the vessel. Trembling, you realize you have no choice but to put it on. Gain the Hideous Disguise rare gear.

Story Event: Strange Caravan

Camped outside of the Lion Knight's view, the retinue unpack a caravan of trash and treasures. The trick is figuring out which is which. Each one beckons passing survivors to inspect their wares. Choose one member of the retinue to approach and nominate a survivor.

The Stoic Seamstress

The first member of the retinue motions you over, performing a pantomime of promises and threats. She holds out her hand, waiting for you to comply with her instructions.

Nominate a survivor with 3+ understanding to offer payment and become the retinue's Mannequin.

Dancer Armor Set Card (1x White Lion Fur, 1x Shank Bone, 1 Love Juice): The settlement gathers around the Mannequin, excitedly pouring over their delicate and sophisticated ensemble. They gain +1 courage.
Brawler Armor Set Card (1x Lion Testes, 1x Beast Steak, 1x Scrap): The settlement gathers around the Mannequin admiringly. They gain the Leader fighting art.
Warlord Armor Set Card (1x Phoenix Finger, 1x Curious Hand, 1x ???): The settlement trembles before the Mannequin's fearsome arrangement. They gain +1 permanent strength.

The Silent Barterer

The second member of the retinue, sitting among chests brimming with bric-a-brac, beckons you over, measuring you thoughtfully with her eyes. When she is through, she cocks her head expectantly and holds out her empty hand, waiting for your offer.

Nominate a survivor to offer a weapon or armor gear for trade. Archive it and roll 1d10.

1d10	Trade Results
1	You look away for a second and the gear is gone! The second member of the retinue stares at you blankly and shrugs. Suffer -1 permanent luck unless the gear your traded has the other keyword.
2–5	The second member of the retinue snatches the item, offering a squirming, hissing, ornate matchbox in return. Gain a random vermin resource. If the gear has the set keyword, also gain the Wardrobe Expert fighting art.
6–9	An offer is presented, but there is no telling what it is. After pondering it, you smash it in frustration. Gain 2 basic resources. If the gear you traded had any monster resources in its cost, also gain a random resource from that monster.
10+	After silent deliberation, one of the retinue members rummages through a trunk and pulls out a mask. If the gear you traded has the weapon keyword, gain the Man Mask gear. If the gear has the armor keyword, gain the God Mask gear.

The Impish Archivist

The third member of the retinue motions you over to peer inside the pages of her book. The spreads depict a number of comically dangerous techniques. Choose one of the following:

Archive 1 Whistling Mace gear and gain +1 permanent strength.
Suffer the blind severe injury and gain the Tenacious fighting art.
Archive 3 gear cards, all crafted from different settlement locations, and gain the Headliner fighting art.
Remove the hamstrung severe injury and gain the following impairment: Thin-Skinned: You cannot gain insanity for any reason.

Story Event: Finale

The Lion Knight dramatically falls prone and begins a well-rehearsed finale. The retinue draws the survivors near to hear the Lion Knight's soliloquy. The manual's narrative pages (the Lion Knight's final soliloquy and the retinue's departure) are flavour and are not transcribed; the rules follow.

The retinue produces a grand coffin from stage left and gently places the Lion Knight inside. Hefting it over their heads, they vanish into the darkness. Relieved and confused, the survivors mill about awkwardly. One of them finds a small manuscript the retinue left behind.

The settlement loses the Black Mask / White Mask innovation (archive it).
If the settlement innovated Pictographs, they can read the manuscript. It details the battles between the Lion Knight and the survivors. Its title is suggestive, The Villain and the Heroes That Saved Him.
Nominate a survivor to study the manuscript. They gain the Courtly Screenwriter secret fighting art.

Update: Showdown: Lion Knight 1.6.1

This sheet is the "Lion Knight 1.6.1 Expansion Update" showdown page. It is transcribed in full; where it differs from the manual's Showdown section above, this sheet governs.

Nemesis Encounter. Departing survivors do not have a Hunt Phase. Instead, select The Lion Knight's monster level (it should be 1 greater than the last Lion Knight encounter) and set up the showdown accordingly. Unless directed to by the timeline, the Lion Knight may not be chosen for a Nemesis Encounter.

Special Rules – Roles. Survivors begin the showdown with a Role card. Ensure that a survivor has the Villain Role by dealing it first. Then, deal one Role card at random to each other survivor.

Instinct: Catwalk. The Lion Knight full moves towards the Villain. End the monster's turn.

Monster stats (1.6.1)

Level	B	A	L	Mov	Tgh	Spd	Dmg	Abilities	Roles
1	10	2	–	7	10	–	–	Zeal, Outburst	Ruler, Damsel, Villain, Fool
2	10	5	–	8	12	–	–	Zeal, Outburst, Drama Lessons	Ruler, Damsel, Villain, Fool
3

Showdown Setup (1.6.1). Terrain & Deployment – Level 1: place the nemesis in the center of the board; place survivors in the blue zone. Terrain & Deployment – Level 2: place the nemesis in the center of the board; place survivors in the blue zone; set up the Throne, Balcony, Stage, and Horn Lion Knight Special Terrain cards in the spaces indicated. In both, the survivors are defending their home and they go first.

Aftermath (1.6.1)

Victory: The first time you defeat the Lion Knight, gain the Lion Knight Badge rare gear. +1 Hunt XP. +1 Weapon Proficiency or +★ Katar Proficiency Levels. Trigger the following story events according to ★: 1–2: Intermission; 3: Finale.
Defeat: The Lion Knight resumes his repose. Trigger Intermission.
Katar Mastery: If the settlement has Katar Mastery when they defeat the level 3 Lion Knight, the monster's claws are meticulously replicated. Gain the Lion Knight's Left Claw and Right Claw rare gear cards.