Mage Knight Dungeons Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Components
• The Goal: Treasure!
• Set Up the Board
  • Step 1: Choose Your Heroes
  • Step 2: Lay Out the Map
  • Step 3: Place the Treasure Chests
  • Step 4: Place Wandering Monster Tokens
  • Step 5: Create the Mage Spawn Pool
  • Step 6: Choose Entrance and Exit
  • Step 7: Start the Game
• Play the Game
  • Activations
  • Movement
  • Wandering Monster Tokens
  • Attacks
• Treasure and Traps
• Gathering the Treasure
• Using the Treasure
• Gaining Experience
• Ending the Game
• Advanced Rules
  • Using the MK Dungeons Builder's Kit
  • Using Heroic Teams
  • Multiple Players
  • Using MK Rebellion Warriors in MK Dungeons
  • Using MK Dungeons Warriors in MK Rebellion
• Credits

Introduction

In Mage Knight Dungeons, you take turns moving your Hero through the dungeon to win treasure, defeat monsters and other Heroes, and fight to make it out alive. On your opponent's turn, you play the monsters who are trying to eliminate his Hero. Along the way your Hero must face the traps that protect the treasure chests, battle monsters and search for the fastest and safest way out of the dungeon.

Components

This starter set contains:

• 2 Mage Knight Heroes
• 6 Mage Spawn figures
• 2 treasure chests
• 6 wandering monster tokens
• 2 sets of level markers
• 4 arrow markers
• 1 30" x 20" dungeon map
• 2 dice
• Special Abilities Card
• This rulebook

The Goal: Treasure!

Your Hero's goal in Mage Knight Dungeons is to gather treasure and escape from the dungeon alive—and to deny his opponent that same glory. Treasure contains gold and gold is the only measure of victory. The player with the most gold at the end of the game wins.

Set Up the Board

To play MK Dungeons right out of the box, you and a friend each use one Hero. It's called Lone Wolf Dungeon Crawl. To play with more than one Hero or more than two players, read the Advanced Rules.

Step 1: Choose Your Heroes

Each MK Dungeons Starter Set contains 2 Heroes. Each player chooses a Hero.

Starting Player

Each player rolls two dice to determine who plays first. The person with the highest die result is called the starting player and plays first. Play proceeds to the left.

MK Dungeons contains two types of warriors: Heroes and Mage Spawn. You use your Heroes to explore the dungeon and find the treasure. Mage Spawn are the monsters you must defeat to carry away the gold. Each warrior is composed of three parts: the miniature figure, the base and the combat dial.

The Base

The figure base provides the following information:

The Figure

Each warrior is a fully painted miniature.

• Faction Symbol — the group to which the warrior belongs. This is the Hero faction symbol.
• Collector's Number — there are 100 different characters in Mage Knight Dungeons. The collector's number allows you to track the figures in your collection.
• Set Icon
• Center Dot — used to determine line of fire for any ranged attack.
• Front Arc — defines the warrior's facing. All attacks must be made through the front arc.
• Combat Dial Stat Slot
• Point Value — the number of points the warrior is worth when building an army.
• Warrior's Name — the name of the warrior.
• Rear Arc — if an attack passes through the rear arc on a warrior's base, the attacker receives a bonus to his attack.

The Combat Dial

The combat dial is the rotating dial under each figure's base. Each warrior's combat dial shows a set of numbers that tell you how good that warrior is at doing certain things. When you turn the dial clockwise, you reveal a new set of numbers.

Combat Values

Each warrior has five combat values: speed, attack, defense, damage and range. The combat value symbol is printed on the base; the value is printed on the combat dial and shows through the slot. The combat value for range is printed on the base.

Special Abilities

Colored squares and circles on a warrior's combat dial indicate special abilities associated with each combat value. Special abilities come and go as your warrior takes damage, is healed or gains experience. Descriptions of the special abilities appear on the Mage Knight Dungeons Special Ability Card.

If a special ability description ends with the notation "Optional ability," the player controlling the warrior chooses whether or not to use the special ability.

The five combat values are: Speed, Attack, Defense, Damage, and Range (shown as arrows: number of attacks).

Level Notation

Most Heroes begin the game at Experience Level 1 and can gain up to 4 more levels of experience. Use a level counter to show your Hero's experience level. The sticker on the bottom of a Hero's base shows that Hero's point value for each level.

Step 2: Lay Out the Map

Unfold the map and lay it out on the table or floor, or wherever you are playing. Each map has 4 entrance/exit points, so up to four players can play on one map.

Dashed lines indicate the edges of the tiles on each map. Each map is divided into tiles, which represent hallways or chambers. The tiles are divided into squares, which determine location and define movement.

Terrain

Some squares contain an illustration or color that identifies that square as special terrain or a terrain feature. A figure cannot move through a blocking terrain wall using normal movement or any special ability.

Terrain types include: Square, Tile divisions, Entrance, Water Terrain (Legal), Clear Terrain (Legal), Hindering Terrain (Legal), Crevasse (Illegal), Blocking Terrain (Wall).

Step 3: Place the Treasure Chests

Before beginning the game, set the trap dials on the treasure chests to the blank position.

The starting player takes one treasure chest, spins the treasure dial and places it in a tile at least two tiles from any entrance being used. All treasure chests have a front arc, which corresponds to the square directly in front of the chest and one adjacent square on either side of that square. The opponent takes the remaining treasure chest, spins the treasure dial and places the chest in any other tile at least two tiles from any entrance being used. You can place only one treasure chest in each tile.

Correct placement: the treasure chests are accessible from at least one front arc square. Incorrect placement: the front arc is not accessible to any hero.

The Treasure Chest

Each treasure chest consists of two parts: the trap (located in the lid) and the treasure (located in the chest).

The Trap

The trap dial is a tumbler containing six positions of information. Five positions are traps, and the starting position is blank. The numbers on the dial represent various powers of the trap.

The Treasure

The treasure inside the chest also appears on a tumbler. There are six positions of treasure. Treasures give individual figures new powers through magic items, gold, or both.

Step 4: Place Wandering Monster Tokens

Wandering monster tokens come in two levels: Weak (printed in yellow) and Standard (printed in blue). For each color token there are two different tables. Lay the tokens on the table so that the Mage Spawn icon shows. Mix them up.

The starting player chooses a wandering monster token and places it in a tile containing a treasure chest. The opponent chooses a token and places it according to the following criteria. Each player places a maximum of three wandering monster tokens.

• A wandering monster token cannot be placed in the same square as a treasure.
• Only one wandering monster token may be placed on each tile. However, if a tile contains a treasure chest, two wandering monster tokens can be placed on that tile.
• Wandering monster tokens cannot be placed on an entrance tile or any tile adjacent to an entrance tile.

Step 5: Create the Mage Spawn Pool

Place all the Mage Spawn together off to one side of the map. This is the Mage Spawn Pool.

Mage Spawn are the monsters that appear when a Hero encounters a wandering monster token or when a trap is sprung.

Some Mage Spawn appear in three versions, weak, standard and tough. Each version is indicated in two ways: Weak (yellow highlights), Standard (blue highlights), Tough (red highlights).

The highlight color should match the number of stars on the base. If a Mage Spawn has no stars on its base, then it is a unique figure. Each version of each Mage Spawn has its own collector's number.

Step 6: Choose Entrance and Exit

The starting player chooses an entrance for his Hero and places a colored arrow on the opening to the dungeon at that square. The opposing player chooses an entrance for his Hero and uses the arrow of the remaining color to mark the entrance square. Each player's entrance also serves as the opposing player's exit.

Each Hero must begin the game in a different starting tile.

(For example, on a two-player map: Green's Entrance is Red's Exit, and Red's Entrance is Green's Exit.)

Step 7: Start the Game

Heroes begin the game off the board. Place your Hero next to his or her entrance to the dungeon. It's time to search for treasure, eliminate Mage Spawn and become a hero!

Play the Game

During your turn, you can move your Hero through the dungeon to gather treasure, and you can move Mage Spawn around to stop your opponent's Hero from gathering treasure. The following rules tell you how to move and fight, and how to gather treasure.

Activations

Each player receives 2 activations per turn. A Hero, Mage Spawn, or wandering monster token can only be activated once per turn. You can perform the following activations in any order.

• Activate A Hero: An activated Hero may move through the dungeon, fight and open treasure chests. The Hero's activation ends immediately after a combat or according to the use of a special ability. A Hero may make an attack only once per activation.
• Activate A Mage Spawn Monster: An activated Mage Spawn may fight and move through the dungeon. The Mage Spawn's activation ends immediately after a combat or according to the use of a special ability. A Mage Spawn may make an attack only once per activation.
• Move Wandering Monster Token: Wandering monster tokens have only 4 Speed Points.
• Pass/No Action: A player can declare at anytime that his turn is over, and forfeit any remaining activations.

If their Hero is eliminated, a player can still activate Mage Spawn and wandering monster tokens using their 2 activations per turn.

First Turn Movement

A player must move his Hero into the dungeon on the first turn before activating a wandering monster token.

Action Costs

When you activate a Hero or Mage Spawn, they may take a variety of actions. Each action costs speed points. A character's total speed points is equal to the speed value on the figure's combat dial. The cost for various actions appears in the sections describing those actions. Unused speed points are lost at the end of activation. They do not carry over to the next turn.

Movement

It costs 1 speed point to move from square to square. A square with a number printed on it costs that many speed points to enter.

To move diagonally, add 1 to the base speed point cost for that square.

A character cannot move into a square marked with an X, unless allowed by a special ability.

To enter the dungeon, you must spend the speed points indicated on the entrance square.

Exiting the dungeon costs 1 speed point.

(Example — Lord Oren's Movement: Yellow Path — 1 (clear) +3 (water) +2 (clear on diagonal) = 6 speed points. White Path — 4 (water on a diagonal) +3 (water) +1 (clear) = 8 speed points.)

Free Spin

Whenever a Hero or Mage Spawn ends its movement next to or is placed next to an opposing figure, the opposing figure gets a free spin opportunity. The player controlling the figure may immediately turn the figure within its square to face the opposing figure. A figure may have several free spin opportunities during a single turn.

Breaking Away

Any figure that begins the turn in or moves into the front arc of an opponent must break away before it can move to another square. Breaking away means that a character must make an effort to get away from an opposing figure. It costs 2 speed points to attempt to break away. A figure may attempt to break away any number of times per activation, as long as it has enough speed points available to break away and move to another square.

In order to break away, the player rolls a six-sided die. On a result of 1, 2 or 3, the figure does not break away and must stay in that square. It can perform other actions if it has the speed points available.

On a roll of 4, 5, or 6, the figure breaks away and can move normally, spending its speed points as needed.

Only one successful breakaway is needed to move past a figure, even if the character breaking away must move past the figure over multiple squares. Only one roll is necessary to breakaway from all adjacent figures and move to a new square.

You do not need to break away if you are only spinning and staying in the same square.

A figure can move past an opponent without breaking away as long as it does not enter the opponent's front arc.

If a figure makes a free spin that takes an opposing figure out of its front arc, the opposing figure can move normally without needing to make a breakaway roll on its next turn.

(Example — After a successful break away roll, Lord Oren may continue to move normally until it enters the front arc of a different opposing figure.)

Passing Through

Warriors can pass through friendly and enemy figures and treasure chests for a cost of 3 speed points, plus the cost of the destination square. There is no additional cost if the figure being moved through is on a hindering or water square. A warrior can only pass through a figure if that figure is not in a square adjacent to an opposing figure; there must be an empty square for the warrior to move into. No two figures can end their movements in the same square.

Warriors can pass through multiple friendly units if they have sufficient speed points.

Once a figure passes through an opposing figure, the opposing figure gets a free close combat attack at the passing figure through that character's rear arc. The passing figure then gets a counterattack through the front arc (see Close Combat Attacks).

No breakaway roll is needed to pass through, and the figure can continue moving even after the attack/counterattack, if it has speed points remaining.

Moving Mage Spawn

A player may assign one or more activations to Mage Spawn rather than their Heroes. Use the standard speed costs and rules for activations, with the following exceptions.

• You cannot activate Mage Spawn occupying the same tile or a square adjacent to your Hero.
• You cannot move Mage Spawn into a tile with or into a square adjacent to your Hero.
• Mage Spawn will not attack other Mage Spawn.
• Mage Spawn cannot disarm traps, open treasure chests or gather treasure.

Wandering Monster Tokens

A player may activate one or more wandering monster tokens instead of their Hero. Wandering monster tokens have 4 speed points.

If a wandering monster token enters a tile containing any player's Hero or moves adjacent to any Hero, the token immediately ends its activation and is converted into one or more Mage Spawn. If a Hero enters a tile containing one or more wandering monster tokens, all the tokens convert to Mage Spawn. The Hero can continue moving if he or she has speed points left, but only after the Mage Spawn have been placed on the tile.

Converting Tokens to Mage Spawn

To convert wandering monster tokens to Mage Spawn, use the following procedure.

1. Flip the token over to reveal the Mage Spawn table. The table has three columns: Total die roll result, Maximum number of Mage Spawn that will appear, and Maximum total point value of the Mage Spawn that will appear.
2. The opponent of the player whose figure caused the conversion rolls 2 six-sided dice, adds the results and compares the total to the first column on the table. Read across the appropriate row to determine the number and point value of Mage Spawn that will appear.
3. The opponent of the player whose figure caused the conversion places the Mage Spawn according to the following rules.
   • Choose Mage Spawn from the pool of Mage Spawn created at the beginning of the game.
   • The player placing the Mage Spawn chooses the direction it faces when placed.
   • Replace the token with the first Mage Spawn. Place the second Mage Spawn in a square adjacent to the first Mage Spawn, the third Mage Spawn adjacent to the first or second Mage Spawn, and so on. Mage Spawn may be placed in squares diagonal to each other. If a Mage Spawn cannot be placed according to these criteria, it cannot be played and must be returned to the pool.
   • If the Mage Spawn pool does not contain a monster of the point value indicated on the table, the player must choose the Mage Spawn closest to the point value without going over that amount. For example, if the only Mage Spawn remaining have point values of 5 and 10, and the table indicates one 15-point Mage Spawn, the player must choose the 10-point monster. When placing multiple Mage Spawn, it is more important to place the correct number of Mage Spawn than to match exactly the overall point total.

Converting Traps to Mage Spawn

Use the rules for Converting Tokens to Mage Spawn to convert treasure chest traps that generate Mage Spawn (see Springing the Trap).

When a Hero fails to disarm a trap, the opposing player places the Mage Spawn indicated by the trap dial. The first Mage Spawn is placed in a square adjacent to the square occupied by the treasure or Hero. Use the criteria in Converting Tokens to Mage Spawn for placing Mage Spawn.

Attacks

All attacks cost 4 speed points.

A Hero can attack a Mage Spawn monster or another player's Hero, which are considered to be unfriendly figures. Friendly figures are those controlled by you or allied teammates. The status of a figure is established at the beginning of the game and never changes.

A warrior cannot attack a wandering monster token, treasure chest or any dungeon terrain feature.

A Hero cannot target a friendly Hero (one you or your teammate controls) with a damaging attack. A Hero cannot target himself or herself with any kind of attack or special ability, except healing (or unless specifically allowed in the special ability description). Mage Spawn are considered friendly units to each other.

Close Combat Attacks

The target of a close combat attack must be in one of the three squares adjacent to the attacking figure's front arc.

When a Hero or Mage Spawn attacks another figure, there is an exchange of blows.

The activating Hero (or Mage Spawn) attacks first, if it has enough speed points remaining. If the figure does not have enough speed points left to attack, it cannot attack in this turn.

To make an attack, the controlling player rolls 2 six-sided dice and adds the result to the figure's attack value. Add 1 to the attack dice roll result if attacking through the target's rear arc. Compare the result to the target's defense value.

If the total attack value is equal to or greater than the target's defense value, the target takes a number of clicks of damage equal to the damage value of the attacker. Click the target's base clockwise the appropriate number of clicks.

If the total attack value is lower than the target's defense value, the attack misses. Regardless of whether the attack hit or missed, the defender may make a counterattack, AFTER the damage from the initial attack has been applied. However, if the target is demoralized as a result of the attack, the target does not get a counterattack. The counterattack costs no speed points and does not count toward activation for the figure.

(Example: Lord Oren can attack either the Medusa or the Demolishing Ape, because they are both in his front arc.)

Ranged Attacks

A ranged attack is an attack made against any target not in an adjacent square. A character may not make a ranged attack if an opposing figure occupies a square adjacent to it, or if the target occupies a square adjacent to a friendly figure.

A figure's maximum range in squares is printed on the figure's base. The number of arrows printed next to the range indicates the number of targets a figure can attack in the same action.

Before making a ranged attack, you must determine if the target is within range of the attacking figure, and if the figure has a clear line of fire to the target. Determine range by drawing an imaginary straight line between the center of the figure's dial, through its front arc and to the center of the target's dial. Each square that the line passes through counts as one for determining the distance between the attacker and the target. Do not count the square the attacker is standing in for determining range.

Line of fire is blocked if it the imaginary straight line passes through a square that contains another figure, blocking terrain, a closed door, or shadowed terrain. Treasure chests do not block line of fire. You may check to see if line of fire is blocked prior to declaring the attack.

To make a ranged attack, use the rules for resolving close combat attacks. If line of fire passes through, or the target occupies a square that contains hindering terrain (any square printed with a 2), add 1 to the target's defense against ranged attacks.

Add 1 to the attack dice roll result if attacking through the target's rear arc.

(Example: yellow lines show unblocked line of fire from attacker to target. A white line shows blocked line of fire.)

If a warrior is attacking multiple targets, use the following rules:

• The same figure cannot be targeted more than once in a single attack.
• The attacker must have clear line of fire to each target.
• Roll 2 six-sided dice and add the result to the warrior's attack value. Compare this total attack value to each target's defense value.
• Each target hit by the attack takes 1 click of damage, regardless of the attacker's damage value.

The targets of a ranged attack can make a counterattack. To counterattack, the target must have a ranged attack capability, be able to draw a valid line of fire, and be within range of the attacker. The counterattack must target the attacker.

Attacks by Objects

Objects with an attack value, and a damage value such as treasure chests can attack a warrior. Use the rules for close combat attacks; the opposing player rolls the dice for the attack. An object has only one attack. Damage from objects ignores all special abilities. The warrior does not get a counterattack.

Healing/Repairing Abilities

Characters who possess healing and other repairing special abilities can repair damage on a warrior's combat dial. Use all rules for close or ranged combat (depending on the special ability). If the attack is successful, turn the target's combat dial counter-clockwise a number of clicks equal to the healing figure's damage value or according to the special ability. A Hero can be healed only to its current level.

Rolling "2" and "12"

If the attack dice roll result equals 2, the attack automatically misses the target. This is a critical miss; the attacker must immediately take 1 click of damage.

If the attack dice roll result equals 12, the attack automatically hits the target. This is a critical hit; the target takes a 1 additional click of damage. If the 12 dice roll result occurs during ranged combat, and the attacker attempted to hit multiple targets, all targets receive 1 additional click of damage. If the 2 dice roll result occurs during an attempt to heal, the target receives 1 click of damage and is not healed. If the 12 dice roll result occurs during an attempt to heal, the healing is automatically successful and the target receives 1 additional click of healing.

A result of 2 when attempting to disarm a trap always indicates failure and a result of 12 always indicates success.

Treasure and Traps

The maximum number of treasure chests a player can possess at any time is equal to twice the number of Heroes he has in the dungeon.

Exposing the Trap

All treasures may have traps.

Before the Hero can gather the treasure, he must face the trap. It costs 0 speed points to expose a trap, and a Hero can be in any square adjacent to the treasure chest to expose the trap. The player exposes the trap by rolling 1 six-sided die and clicks the trap tumbler a number of clicks clockwise equal to the result.

The trap that appears must be encountered before the Hero can gather the treasure.

If the trap space is blank, the Hero has lucked out and found a trapless treasure!

If the treasure chest has a trap, it must be disarmed.

Disarming the Trap

The Hero must be standing in the front arc of the chest to disarm the trap and gather the treasure. The Hero can disarm the trap quickly or slowly.

(Heroes must be in the front arc of a treasure chest to disarm the trap or gather the treasure.)

To disarm the trap quickly, the Hero spends 3 speed points and rolls 2 six-sided dice, adding the results. If the total is equal to or greater than the disarming number, the trap has been disarmed. If the total is less than the disarming number, the trap is sprung.

The trap dial shows: Trap Attack Value, Trap Damage Value, Type of Attack, Range, Trap Disarming Number, Total Mage Spawn Appearing, and Maximum Mage Spawn in Points.

To disarm the trap slowly, the Hero spends 6 speed points and uses the rules for disarming the trap quickly, adding 2 to his dice roll result.

Certain special abilities can affect this action.

If the Hero is successful, the chest may be opened without facing the effect of the trap.

Springing the Trap

If the Hero has failed in his attempt to disarm the trap, the trap has sprung.

First, the player's opponent consults the trap dial to see if numbers appear in the slots under total Mage Spawn appearing and maximum Mage Spawn in points. If numbers appear in these slots, place Mage Spawn according to the rules for placing Mage Spawn in Converting Tokens to Mage Spawn.

If these slots are blank, then no Mage Spawn appear.

The next four slots indicate the damage the trap can inflict. The letter in the slot for the type of attack slot indicates one of three types of attack.

An H in this slot indicates that the damage is only applied to the Hero working with the trap. Resolve this attack as a close combat attack; the player's opponent makes the attack dice roll.

A T in this slot indicates that the trap has an area of effect attack that affects all Heroes and Mage Spawn on the same tile as the treasure chest, as if the trap had belched out a cloud of gas. This attack ignores line of fire. If the Hero is on a different tile than the treasure, this attack affects all figures on both tiles. The player's opponent makes the attack dice roll and adds the result to the attack value. Compare the result to each Hero and Mage Spawn on the tile(s). Each figure hit takes the damage indicated on the trap.

An R in this slot means the attack has a ranged attack. The range is measured from the front arc of the treasure as if darts were shooting from the chest. The player's opponent makes the attack dice roll. Use all rules for ranged attacks against multiple targets, except that every figure hit takes the damage indicated on the trap. Heroes and Mage Spawn can block line of fire, though the Hero opening the treasure chest never blocks line of fire in a ranged attack.

An area-effect (T) or ranged (R) attack from a treasure chest trap takes effect even if other Heroes or Mage Spawn are standing in squares adjacent to the treasure. These figures can block line of fire to other Heroes or Mage Spawn for a ranged attack.

Wandering Monster Tokens

If a wandering monster token is in position to take damage from a sprung treasure trap, the token is converted. Place the Mage Spawn using the standard rules, then compare each Mage Spawn's defense value to the treasure trap's attack value. If the attack value is higher than the defense value, the Mage Spawn take the damage indicated. This damage can eliminate Mage Spawn as they are placed.

Gathering the Treasure

Once the trap has been disarmed or sprung, the Hero can open the chest. It costs 2 speed points to open the chest and gather the treasure. Treasure chests contain special abilities, gold and magic items.

If a colored circle or square appears in the first three slots, the Hero can gain the corresponding special ability.

The treasure dial shows:

• Hero Attack Bonus — a number here indicates an increase in the Hero's attack value.
• Hero Speed Bonus — a number here indicates an increase in the Hero's movement.
• Hero Defense Bonus — a number here indicates an increase in the Hero's defense value.
• Gold — the number of gold pieces the treasure contains.
• Type of Item — the name of the item the Hero finds in the chest.

Maximum Treasure

Players who have collected their maximum allowed number of treasure chests cannot expose new traps, disarm traps, voluntarily abandon treasure, or swap treasure with another player.

Traps!

Some treasure chests are nothing more than a devious trick. Instead of treasure, it's another trap. A trap icon will appear in the treasure slot when the chest is opened.

The player whose Hero is opening the trap shuts the treasure chest, rolls 1 six-sided die and turns the trap tumbler a number of clicks equal to the result. That Hero now faces the new trap. The Hero does not get an opportunity to disarm the new trap. It is automatically sprung. Once the encounter with the trap has ended, the treasure chest is removed from the dungeon.

No additional experience is gained from the second trap.

Using the Treasure

Once a Hero has gathered the treasure, the player removes the treasure chest from the dungeon and places the treasure chest in front of him. The player must show the treasure to the other players to prove it is not a trap.

At the start of each player's turn, he or she can assign a treasure's magical abilities to his or her Heroes.

To assign magical abilities to a Hero, the player places the open treasure chest near the Hero on the dungeon tiles. For the remainder of that player's turn, the Hero (and only that Hero) may use the bonuses the treasure grants. Each Hero can be assigned a maximum of two treasures. A Hero cannot have two of the same type of magic items at the same time. At the end of the player's turn and before the next player begins his turn, the chest(s) are removed. The Heroes revert to their standard statistics until the beginning of the player's next turn. The effects of items can be used multiple times, with the exception of Potions.

If the word Potion appears, the effects of the treasure can only be used once, but they last longer. An item with the word Potion on it lasts until the beginning of that player's next turn. Once the potion is used, close the lid of the chest until the end of the game. This treasure chest cannot be assigned to a Hero for the rest of the game.

The gold in the treasure is still used to determine victory.

(Example: Lord Oren and Zenephret have treasures assigned to them and gain the magical abilities the treasures grant. On the next turn, the player may assign one of these treasure chests to Scholar-magus Bessa instead.)

Magical Special Abilities

If a treasure grants a special ability, this magical ability replaces the special ability in that Hero's stat slot. For example, if a Hero has the Weapon Master special ability (the red square over the Attack value) and a treasure offers Sweep (the black circle over the Attack value), Sweep replaces Weapon Master for that turn.

If any conflict occurs in special abilities affecting the same action, only one can be used. Attack and damage resolution are considered to be two separate elements of the same action, so a special ability that affects the Damage value and one that affects the Attack value can be used in the same action. For example, Weapon Master and Berserk can be used together, but Magic Blast and Magic Freeze cannot.

Gaining Experience

Heroes improve their levels by collecting Experience Points. They collect experience points by defeating enemies and facing traps. As Heroes gain experience, they improve their level, gain new powers and become specialized characters in the game.

A Hero gains experience points for disarming or springing traps. In addition, if during combat a Hero successfully delivers an attack that eliminates the opposing figure from the game (its combat dial shows all skulls), that Hero is considered the victor and the eliminated figure is removed from the dungeon.

The victor gains experience points as follows.

• For Mage Spawn, use the monster's point value. Note the point value on a piece of paper, and return the Mage Spawn to the pool.
• For Heroes, use the point value of the maximum level the Hero achieved in the game. Note the point value on a piece of paper, and return the Hero to the owning player.
• Successfully disarming a trap earns 50 experience points.
• Springing a trap earns 25 experience points.
• If a treasure is trapless, no experience points are gained.

You can improve a Hero by one level for every 50 experience points accumulated. As soon as you have collected 50 experience points, choose a Hero to improve by one level. Turn the Hero's combat dial clockwise to the next level number. For example, if the Hero improving a level is a Level 1 Hero, click the base so that the 2 in the green circle shows in the stat slot (between the damage and defense values).

Improving a level automatically heals any current damage.

Experience points must be calculated immediately every time an opponent is eliminated or a trap is encountered. You should keep a running total; you can improve a Hero by one level at 50 experience points, then at 100 experience points, then at 150, and so on. As soon as you reach one of these thresholds, you must immediately improve a Hero. If you accumulate enough points to improve multiple levels at once, each level must be assigned to a different Hero.

If a Hero is at Level 5, each threshold of experience points that could improve him by a level effectively heals the figure back to Level 5.

Use the level counters to track the current level of a figure.

Level Improvement Mid-Activation

If a Hero improves by a level in the middle of their activation, they may immediately begin using their new attack, defense and damage values as well as any new special abilities their new level grants them. However, they must finish their activation using their current speed points.

Ending the Game

As soon as a player gathers treasure, he can maneuver his Hero out of the dungeon through its designated exit. A Hero cannot exit the dungeon until the player has acquired at least one treasure chest. The game ends when there are no longer any Heroes left in the dungeon.

Once all the Heroes have left the dungeon or been eliminated, the players add up their gold.

The player with the highest total of gold successfully carried out of the dungeon wins the game.

Advanced Rules

The following rules add more depth, more players, and more options to the MK Dungeons game.

Using the MK Dungeons Builder's Kit

You can expand your playing options and create unique dungeons using Dungeons tiles, terrain markers and doors available in the MK Dungeons Builder's Kit.

Each of the three MK Dungeons Builder's Kits contains 6 unique tiles.

Set Up the Board

If you are using the MK Dungeons Builder's Kit, follow Step 2: Lay Out the Dungeons Tiles instead of Step 2: Lay Out the Map. Insert the new Step 3: Place Special Terrain and Doors before placing the treasure chests.

No treasure chests, wandering monster tokens, special terrain or doors can be placed in the chamber connected to a starting hallway.

Step 2: Lay Out the Dungeon Tiles

If you are using the tiles included in the Dungeons Builder's Kit in your game, then creating the dungeon is part of the game.

The maps and tiles use the same terminology, squares for movement and icons to distinguish types of terrain or obstacles. The maps were created using the tiles. Hallway tiles are 3 squares by 5 squares; the chamber tiles are 5 squares by 5 squares.

To create the dungeon, each player chooses five Dungeons tiles, including a minimum of three chambers and one hallway. Set aside the remaining tiles.

The starting player places a chamber tile in the center of the playing surface. This is the central chamber of the dungeon. Next, the player to the left places a tile according to the following criteria:

• You must be able to draw a continuous path of playable squares from the new tile to the central chamber.
• The last tile each player places must be a hallway tile. Place this tile so that it creates an entrance to the dungeon. This tile must connect to a single chamber, only.

Tiles That Don't Fit

If you have a tile in which neither side fits the current dungeon formation (according to the above criteria), set aside that tile and randomly choose another tile from the ones left over in the initial selection. If there are no tiles left to select or no tiles fit the dungeon formation, then you are finished placing tiles. All players must then place their hallway tiles.

Dead Ends

Most tiles have multiple entryways. Entryways that end in walls or with "open ends" to nothing are considered dead ends. All these paths are considered to end in blocking terrain at the edge of the tile.

Step 3: Place Special Terrain and Doors

The MK Dungeons Builder's Kit provides four different terrain markers and four doors. Players should agree on the terrain and doors to be used before beginning play, and use those pieces to create a pool from which each player draws a single piece. Each player then places terrain or doors, beginning with the starting player. Special terrain and doors cannot be placed in any player's starting hallway tile or connected chamber tile.

Terrain Markers

One side of the terrain markers corresponds to standard hindering and water terrain. The other side represents unique terrain features: shadowed terrain, the vortex, the teleporting chamber, and staircases. The terrain on the marker replaces the terrain on the map or tile.

Two squares have a 1/t indication, Teleport and Vortex. Use of a teleport or vortex movement is optional. To teleport, it costs 1 speed point to enter the square. This movement ends the character's activation. On the next turn, the character is placed on another open Teleport square. A character cannot teleport to an occupied teleport square. Teleporting uses all the character's speed points.

The Vortex square costs 1 point to enter. This movement ends the character's activation. On the character's next turn, the player rotates the tile 90 degrees in either direction. Spinning the tile uses all the character's speed points.

The staircase can be used to move between levels of a dungeons and is best suited for campaign games.

Doors

There are two types of doors: wooden and iron. Once opened, wooden doors remain open, while iron doors swing closed after each use.

When placing a door, the sides of the doorway must connect to a wall on either side.

Doors function as obstacles and block line of fire when closed. Doors cost 2 speed points to open. Wooden doors can be closed for 1 speed point.

A door can be opened and can be destroyed with an attack using the standard close combat rules. A wooden door has a defense value of 10 and an iron door has a defense value of 15.

The only way to open a door with a ranged attack is to use the following special abilities: Magic Blast, Flame/Lightning, or Shockwave. Flame/Lightning and Shockwave affect other Heroes and Mage Spawn per their special abilities descriptions.

A door opened using an attack can never be closed.

Using Heroic Teams

As soon as you buy a MK Dungeons Booster, you can begin expanding your game to include multiple Heroes, allowing each player to play with a Heroic Team. Playing with more components adds some complexity to the game, and the following rules cover the new situations that will arise. Each rule is labeled according to the section in which the full rule appeared.

Step 1: Choose Your Heroes

A standard Heroic Team consists of a group of Heroes whose total point value does not exceed 100 points, which usually equals four characters. Use the point value printed on the sticker attached to each figure's base to choose the Heroes for your Team.

Heroes can begin the game at Level 1 or Level 2.

Heroes are unique; a Heroic Team can include only one of any given character.

You can create Heroic Teams with higher total point values, but playing a game with a bigger team takes longer.

If your Heroic Team is larger than 100 points, each player places an additional tile for every additional 50 points in their team, rounding up to the nearest 50. For example, in a 200-point Dungeons game, each player would place 7 tiles.

Step 3: Place the Treasure Chests

Each player places treasure chests in the Treasure Pool. Each player must place at least a number of treasure chests equal to the number of Heroes in his Heroic Team.

The starting player takes one treasure from the pool, spins the treasure dial and places the chest in the central chamber. The next player chooses a treasure, spins the treasure dial and places the chest in any other chamber tile.

Each player may place only two treasure chests.

Before the game begins, players may agree to increase or decrease the number of treasure chests placed in the dungeon. Adding more treasure chests may make the game take longer to play.

Step 4: Place Wandering Monster Tokens

Wandering monster tokens come in three levels: Weak (printed in yellow), Standard (printed in blue) and Tough (printed in red; available in the MK Dungeons Builder's Kit). To create a monster token pool, each player contributes 2 Standard tokens and 4 Weak tokens. The monsters generated by the Tough tokens can easily defeat low-level Heroes, so use Tough tokens only if you want a more difficult challenge. If using the Tough tokens, replace one Weak token with the Tough token.

If a tile contains a treasure chest, two wandering monster tokens can be placed on that tile.

Before the game begins, players may agree to increase or decrease the number of wandering monster tokens placed in the dungeon. Adding more wandering monster tokens may make the game take longer to play.

Step 5: Create the Mage Spawn Pool

All players contribute to the Mage Spawn pool, which supplies all monsters that appear when Heroes encounter wandering monster tokens. Each player must contribute a minimum number of Mage Spawn equal to the number of Heroes in their Heroic Team. The minimum total point value of Mage Spawn contributed to the pool must be 100 points. You can contribute as many Mage Spawn as you want; the more monsters, the merrier.

Step 6: Choose Entrance and Exit

The starting player chooses a hallway tile entrance for his Heroic Team and places a colored arrow on the opening to the dungeon. The opposing player chooses the remaining arrow of the same color and chooses the exit for the first player's team. Any square that opens to the exterior of the dungeon can serve as an exit; the exit does not need to be on a hallway tile. The opposing player then chooses the entrance for his Team, and the starting player chooses the exit.

If you are only using one set of six tiles, designate the exits as the other player's entrances. This change makes for better dungeon construction.

Activations

Each player may perform a number of activations per turn equal to the number of Heroes with which they begin the game.

First Turn Movement

A player must move his Heroes into the dungeon on the first turn. Heroes can then encounter and fight Mage Spawn, encounter wandering monster tokens, or attempt to disarm treasure, if it has the speed points to do it. Players may not move wandering monster tokens or activate Mage Spawn until the entire Heroic Team has entered the dungeon.

Treasure and Traps

The maximum number of treasure chests a player can possess at any time is equal to twice the number of Heroes he has in the dungeon.

No member of a player's Heroic Team can exit the dungeon until the Team has gathered at least one treasure chest.

Losing Treasure

When a Hero is eliminated before he or she can exit the dungeon, check to see if the player will exceed the treasure chest limit when the Hero is removed from play. If the limit is exceeded, the extra treasures are placed back in the dungeon.

The player shuts all of his treasures and mixes them up. His opponent randomly chooses as many as needed to restore the two treasure per Hero ratio. The first treasure is placed on the square from which the Hero was eliminated. The second must be placed in the same tile.

All treasure chests returned to the dungeon are reset to the blank trap space. The treasure slot remains the same. The next Hero who attempts to gather the treasure must attempt to disarm it according to the Disarming the Trap rules.

Stealing Treasure

You can also acquire treasure by stealing it from an opposing Hero. To steal a treasure from an opposing Hero, your Hero must have the target in their front arc.

First, declare that the Hero will make a theft maneuver. A theft maneuver costs 4 speed points. Roll 2 six-sided dice and add the result to your attack value. Compare the result to the defense value of the target, adding 2 to their defense value. If the number equals or is greater than the revised defense value, the theft is a success and you then choose a treasure chest at random from the owner of the target Hero.

The targeted Hero does get to make a counterattack, except if the thieving Hero has one of the following special abilities: nimble, limited invisibility, stealth or quickness. If the counterattack inflicts damage, the thieving Hero drops the treasure on the tile in the legal square nearest the attacker. Reset the trap.

A theft maneuver does not end a figure's movement.

If the treasure contains a potion that has already been used, the potion is still gone but the gold still counts toward winning the game.

Multiple Players

In all versions of MK Dungeons, including the Lone Wolf version, more than two people can play. More players means larger dungeons and more monsters, which will add extra time to the game.

Use the standard rules, with the following exceptions.

Any time a rule states "the opposing player," this role should be taken by the player to the right.

At the beginning of the game, the starting player receives a token that designates them as the Monster Master. A specially designed Monster Master Token is included in the MK Dungeons Builder's Kit, but you can use anything to represent this token. This token will be passed from player to player as the game proceeds.

When a Mage Spawn or wandering monster token is activated, place a movement marker on or next to it. This marker can be anything the players agree to use; pennies, glass or plastic beads, or anything else that doesn't take up too much space. Once a Mage Spawn or wandering monster token has been marked with a movement marker, that figure or token cannot be moved again until the marker is removed. Mage Spawn can counterattack as normal and wandering monster tokens convert as normal when encountered.

When the player who has the Monster Master Token gets his next turn, he plays as normal. At the end of his turn he passes the Monster Master Token to the player on his left. That player is the new Monster Master. The new Monster Master removes all the tokens from the Mage Spawn and wandering monster tokens, and can activate any of them on his turn according to the standard rules.

Using MK Rebellion Warriors in MK Dungeons

Using MK Rebellion warriors in MK Dungeons adds options to your MK Rebellion games, including interior battles and campaign adventures. When playing MK Dungeons, make sure you use the MK Dungeons rules, including the MK Dungeons Special Ability Card.

Rule Changes

The following MK Rebellion rules do not apply in MK Dungeons.

• There are no range or close combat formations.
• There are no movement formations.
• Figures cannot be pushed or captured.
• Dragons are the only multi-dial figures that can be used in MK Dungeons. Mounted figures cannot be used in Dungeons.
• Mage Spawn cannot be part of a player's army.
• Any Rebellion figure can be used in the Mage Spawn pool.

Experience

Mage Knight Rebellion figures gain experience normally, but can only use the experience points for healing purposes. So for every 50 experience points gained the player can heal one warrior to starting level.

Using MK Dungeons Warriors in MK Rebellion

Mage Knight Heroes and Mage Spawn can join outdoor battles using the rules for Mage Knight Rebellion. When playing MK Rebellion, make sure you use the MK Rebellion rules, including the MK Rebellion Special Ability Card.

Factions

Mage Knight Heroes are a unique faction. The Hero faction uses the standard MK Rebellion rules for formations.

Starting Point and Point Value

All Dungeons Heroes should start at Level 5 in MK Rebellion, using the Level 5 point value cost. You can start your Hero at a lower level if you choose by paying the point value for the lower level and using a MK Dungeons level counter to show your Hero's level. A Hero cannot be healed above its starting level.

Credits

Combat Dial System, Mage Knight Dungeons High Concept, and Universe: Jordan Weisman

Mage Knight Dungeons Rules and Development: Michael Mulvihill

Mage Knight Dungeons Stats and Warriors: Kevin Barrett, Michael Mulvihill, Ian Redditt, Matt Robinson

Original Mage Knight Rebellion Rules, Stats and Warriors: Kevin Barrett

Editor: Sharon Turner Mulvihill

Playtesting Director: Jim Long

Playtesters: Dustin Babitzke, Tony Burian, David Chase, Jason Carl, James Carrott, Dan Chinnery, Theresa Chinnery, Dennis Chitko, Patrick Dolan, Kevin Goddard, Dan Grendell, Chris Hartford, Brian Hill, Derek Levesque, Issac King, Jason King, Keith Marston, Kevin McDermott, Lucas McWilliams, John Meeks, Sean Migneault, Paul Nobles, Josh Osborne, Martin Osborne, Kevin Perrine, Chris Philbrook, Gordon Rose, Jess Rummens, John Schmidt, Mike Schmidt, Chris Trossen, Bruce Wehrle

And a special thanks to all the other playtesters who tested MK Dungeons, including all those guinea pigs at GenCon 2001. For a complete list of playtesters, go to www.wizkidsgames.com.

Art Direction: Dawne Weisman, Sandra Garavito

Sculpts: Jeff Grace, Bob Naismith, Tim Prow, Jeff Wilhelm, Steve Saunders, Dave Summers, Bob Naismith.

Graphic Design Team: Sandra Garavito, Kevin Perrine, Chris Steely, Darren Elosh, Idea & Design Works

Illustrations: Jeff Laubenstein, David Michael Beck, Franz Vohwinkel

WizKids Print Production and Communication: Tina Wegner

© 2002 WizKids, LLC. MAGE KNIGHT, MAGE KNIGHT DUNGEONS and the MK logo are trademarks of WizKids, LLC.