Masters of the Universe Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents of the Box
• Goal of the Game
• Game Setup
  • Assembling the Game Board
  • Details of the Game Board (seen from above)
  • Preparation
• Rules of Play
  • Phase A: Taking the "Weapon" Tokens
  • The Tokens
  • The Combat Tiger
  • The Spaceship
  • The Monsters
  • The Ravine
• Phase B: The Castle of Shadows
  • Entering the Castle
  • The Special Corridor
  • The Cards
• Phase C: The Battle Against Skeletor
• The Winner

Contents of the Box

• 1 game board and the Castle of Shadows to assemble
• 4 character pawns: Musclor, Stratos, Tila, Maskor
• 4 bases
• 20 cards
• 21 "weapon" tokens (square)
• 6 "combat" tokens (round)
• 2 dice

Goal of the Game

Enter the Castle of Shadows and overcome all obstacles to defeat Skeletor.

Game Setup

Assembling the Game Board

Assemble the game board and the Castle of Shadows following the sketch (see the diagram below).

Diagram labels: Façade of the castle; Box; Towers: fold them down and slide them inside.

Details of the Game Board (seen from above)

Diagram labels: Token squares; Ravine; Façade of the castle; Cards; Drawbridge; Oubliette; Throne room (Salle du trône); Starting squares.

Preparation

• Detach all the pre-cut pieces.
• Assemble the game board and the castle following the sketch.
• Place the character pawns on their bases.
• Set aside the Skeletor card. Shuffle the other cards and place them face down in a pile inside the castle, on the marked space. (They are only used in the castle.)
• Place the "weapon" tokens at random, face down, on each of the square spaces of the game board.
• Set aside the "combat" tokens; they will be used later.

Rules of Play

The game is played in 3 phases:

• A) Collect the weapons located on the game board.
• B) Enter the castle and reach the throne room.
• C) Fight Skeletor.

Phase A: Taking the "Weapon" Tokens

• Each player rolls the 2 dice. The player who gets the most points chooses a character pawn and places it on one of the 4 starting squares of the matching colour. The other players do the same.
• Play proceeds clockwise.
• The first player rolls the 2 dice but counts the points of only one die (whichever suits them best) to move their pawn.
  • Example: they roll a 3 and a 5; they move their pawn 3 or 5 squares, following the path of their choice after the first 3 squares that follow the starting square.
• The other players do the same, in turn.
• Several players may be on the same path.
• Pawns move in any direction, but during a single move they may not pass back over the same squares. On the other hand, they are allowed to pass over squares occupied by tokens.
• A pawn cannot stop on a square occupied by another pawn. In that case it is placed on the square immediately after.

The Tokens

The weapons: sword, spear, axe, shield, magic costume.

• When a player's pawn lands exactly on a square with a "weapon" token, it turns the token over and shows it to the other players. If the player does not already have that weapon, they take it and place it in front of them; otherwise they turn it face down again on the square.
• Each player decides how many "weapon" tokens they wish to possess, knowing however that they may have only one token of each kind.

These tokens will be used inside the castle.

A player may nevertheless enter the castle without possessing any weapons, but they then find themselves in a very difficult situation.

The Combat Tiger

• The player proceeds as for the "weapon" tokens.

This token will be used to cross the ravine in front of the castle, on condition that the player rolls at least 6 on a die.

The Spaceship

• When a player turns this token over, they must use it immediately, or put it back in place face down.

This token allows the player to land on any free square, including on the other side of the ravine.

• They place the spaceship on the chosen square and place their pawn on top of it.
• On the following turn, the player rolls the dice and plays normally, leaving the spaceship token in place.
• Any player who reaches the square on which the spaceship is located may use it in the same way, even if it is covered by another player's pawn.
• This token may therefore be used several times during the game, and the same player may use it several times.

The Monsters

• When a player turns over one or the other of these tokens, they return it to its place and face down on the game board.
• Then they give back one of the tokens they have already won, and the player to their right chooses the token square on which it must be placed face down.

Note: players have an interest in carefully noting the tokens that are put back face down on the game board, so that they can take them if needed.

The Ravine

• A player arriving by either of the paths must stop on the last square before the ravine, even if the chosen die shows a higher number of squares.

To cross the ravine, three possibilities arise:

1. The player rolls the 2 dice and adds the points obtained:
   • If the total is 9 or more, they cross the ravine and place themselves on the first square. They will play normally on the following turn.
   • If the total is not 9 (or more), they remain where they are and will try again on the following turn.
2. The player possesses the combat tiger: a 6 is enough to cross the ravine. (The token is then removed from the game.)
3. The player moves to a square where the spaceship is located: they take it and go directly to land on the drawbridge. (The spaceship is then removed from the game.)

Phase B: The Castle of Shadows

Entering the Castle

• Before entering the castle, the player must necessarily stop on the drawbridge, which counts as one square (even if the chosen die shows a higher number of squares).
• On the following turn, the player crosses the threshold of the castle without using the dice and is placed in the first room until the next turn. Several players may be in this room.
• Inside the castle, the player takes whichever corridor they wish in order to reach the throne room. They move, without using the dice, one, two or three squares, as they choose.
  • If they moved one square, they roll the dice immediately; if they roll 5 or less, they draw a card.
  • If they moved two squares, they also roll the dice; if they roll 7 or less, they draw a card.
  • If they moved three squares, they must draw a card without rolling the dice.
• In all cases, they follow the instructions printed on the card (see page 8). Once used, the card is put face down at the bottom of the draw pile.
• "Weapon" tokens used to parry cards are eliminated as they are used.

Note: two pawns cannot be on the same square, but a pawn may pass over another. (Even if the player who is passed over is hindered by an obstacle, obstacles apply only to players who have drawn a card.) A square occupied by another player does not count.

The Special Corridor

• The corridor on the right of the game board is shorter than the others. Beware, however: there is a treacherous oubliette (trapdoor dungeon).
• The player must stop on the square before the oubliette and, on the following turn, roll the dice to try to escape.
  • If they roll 6 or more, they are saved and placed on the next square on the other side (without drawing a card).
  • If they roll 3, 4 or 5, they fall into the oubliette and place their pawn on the drawbridge. They play normally on the following turn.
  • If they roll 2, they retreat 9 squares.
• A player may fall into the oubliette when they retreat one or two squares while fighting the armour. In this case they also return to the drawbridge.

The Cards

After each card draw, the player rolls the dice.

The Demon

• If the total is lower than or equal to 5, the player takes one of their weapons of their choice (preferably the spear, which is less useful in the castle) and places it face down on a token square of the game board.
• If the total is equal to or greater than 6, the player is saved and moves their pawn one, two or three squares without drawing a card.

In either case, the player puts the card face down at the bottom of the draw pile.

The Oubliette

• 2 or 3 points: the player returns to the drawbridge and puts the card back under the draw pile.
• 4 or 5 points: the player stays where they are, keeps the card and makes an attempt on the following turn.
• 6 points: the player escapes the oubliettes, stays on the square, and puts the card back under the draw pile. They play normally on the following turn.

The Laser Beam

• 5 points are enough if the player possesses the magic costume.
• 9 points at least are needed if the player does not have the magic costume.
• In both cases, the player escapes the laser beam, stays where they are, and plays normally on the following turn.
• Otherwise, the player is hit, stays where they are, and does not play on the following turn.

In all cases, the player puts the card back under the draw pile.

The Wall

• 6 points at least: the player breaks through the wall and advances normally on the following turn. They put the card back under the draw pile.
• 5 points at least: the player stays where they are, keeps the card, and will make an attempt on the following turn.

The Grille

• 6 points at least to demolish the grille, if the player possesses an axe.
• 9 points at least if the player does not possess an axe.
• If the attempt fails, the player stays where they are, keeps the card, and will make an attempt on the following turn.
• Once the grille is demolished, the player puts the card back under the draw pile and moves normally on the following turn.

The Armour

• 6 points at least to defeat the armour, if the player possesses a sword.
• 8 points at least if the player does not possess a sword. They play normally on the following turn.
• If the attempt fails, the player retreats one square (or two squares if they have no shield), keeps the card, and will try again on the following turn.
• After each unsuccessful attempt, the player retreats one or two squares without drawing another card. If, while retreating, they meet another pawn, they are placed behind it. The player cannot retreat beyond the entrance hall of the castle.
• As soon as the armour is defeated, the player puts the card back under the draw pile. They play normally on the following turn, crossing obstacles if any.

Phase C: The Battle Against Skeletor

• Before entering the throne room, the player must necessarily stop on the last square of the castle. They cross the threshold on the following turn. (For this last move, they do not draw a card.)
• As soon as the player arrives in the throne room, the battle against Skeletor begins.
• The Skeletor card is placed in front of the player.
• The player seated on their left takes the role of Skeletor and takes the "combat" tokens (round).
• The player fighting Skeletor rolls the 2 dice and adds 1 point to the total for each weapon in their possession.
• Skeletor rolls the dice without adding anything.
• If the player scores more points, they receive a token showing a fist ("poing").
• If the player scores fewer points, they receive a token showing Skeletor.
• If the player and Skeletor are tied, they roll again.
• If the player obtains 3 "fist" tokens, they defeat Skeletor (see The Winner below).
• If the player obtains 3 "Skeletor" tokens, they lose the battle and place their pawn back on the drawbridge. They must play again as previously indicated and overcome all obstacles to reach the throne room once more.
• In that case, another player may arrive before them and fight Skeletor in the same way.
• As long as the combat between the player and Skeletor continues, the other players do not play.

The Winner

The winner is the player who is the first to defeat Skeletor by winning 3 "fist" tokens.

• The game may end at that point, or it may continue between the other players, who in turn will fight Skeletor.