Middara: KS1 Promo Pack Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 2 Player Tarot Variant
  • Tarot Variant
  • Linked Variant Cards
  • Choosing Linked Adventurers
  • Modified Initiative
  • Adventurer Pack Size Increase
  • Discipline Loadouts
  • Skill Checks
  • Reduced Gold
  • Equipment Loadouts
  • Discipline Changes
  • Unintentional Malum
  • Encounter Changes
• 3 Player Tarot Variant
  • Tarot Variant
  • Ubiquitous Tarot Cards
  • Choosing Ubiquitous Adventurers
  • Modified Initiative
  • Adventurer Pack Size Increase
  • Discipline Loadouts
  • Skill Checks
  • Reduced Gold
  • Equipment Loadouts
  • Encounter Changes
• Variable Player Variant
  • Variable Command Cards
  • Choosing Cards
  • Example Variable Command Cards
  • Reading Abilities
  • Upgrading Cards
  • Adding or Removing Players
  • Encounter Compatibility
• Promo Cards
  • Adventurer Cards
  • Initiative Cards
  • Item Cards
  • Linked Adventurer Cards
  • Ubiquitous Adventurer Cards

2 Player Tarot Variant

Tarot Variant

The 2 Player Tarot Variant is designed for groups of 2 players who would like to minimize the management of controlling more than 1 Adventurer each.

Using this variant, players will remove the necessity of controlling more than 2 characters during the bulk of our adventure. However, occasionally, some characters will be required in an Encounter for story purposes. For this reason, players will still be required to purchase Disciplines.

For these reasons, it's possible that during an Encounter that you'll be forced to play specific Adventurers or be prevented from playing the character you started with. In these cases you'll need to make sure that all the Adventurers who have joined the party have also purchased Disciplines even if you're not planning on playing them. For those who don't want to deal with this task unless required, we recommend waiting to choose the Disciplines for these 'unused' characters until/if you are forced to use them.

To use the 2 Player Tarot Variant use the following rules.

Linked Variant Cards

Use the Linked Adventurer cards that are available for download at succubuspublishing.com.

In Adventure Mode, use only the Linked Adventurer cards for Selectable and Uninjured party members.

In Crawl Mode, players may use whichever Linked Adventurer cards they would like, but they may not switch out Linked Adventurer cards mid-Scenario or mid-Epic Dungeon Crawl.

Choosing Linked Adventurers

When setting up an Encounter, players each choose 1 Adventurer from the Active Group to control. These rules refer to this selection as the Chosen Adventurers. Chosen Adventurers represent the characters you will be customizing, playing, and building using all the rules associated with Adventurers in Middara.

Then, each player takes a Linked Adventurer card from any remaining party members in the Active Group and equips 1 on each Chosen Adventurer. Linked Adventurer cards thematically represent a character's support for you on the battlefield. When players equip a Linked Adventurer card, they gain access to all the Abilities listed on the Linked Adventurer card.

You may swap out a Linked Adventurer card for any other Linked Adventurer card during any Story Round. You may only choose Linked Adventurer cards that represent Adventurers currently in the party.

Modified Initiative

When setting up an Encounter, players should include the Initiative Card for their Chosen Adventurer and their Chosen Linked Adventurer card. When a Linked Adventurer card's turn would start, their equipped Adventurer starts a turn instead.

This means that each Adventurer will effectively get 2 turns a round. Any ability that references an Adventurer's turn also references this second turn granted by the second Initiative Card.

Adventurer Pack Size Increase

Both Adventurer's Pack sizes are increased to 6.

Discipline Loadouts

Even though you're only playing 2 Chosen Adventurers at any given time, there are moments in our Adventure Mode where characters in the party might split, become injured, die, or might otherwise become unavailable for brief moments, long periods, or permanently.

For these reasons, it's possible that during an Encounter that you'll be forced to play specific Adventurers or be prevented from playing the character you started with. In these cases you'll need to make sure that all the Adventurers who have joined the party have also purchased Disciplines even if you're not planning on playing them.

For those who don't want to deal with this task unless required, we recommend waiting to choose the Disciplines for these 'unused' characters until/if you are forced to use them.

Skill Checks

When a Skill Check is called for outside of an Encounter and that skill check requires all Adventurers in the Active Group to participate, you will make the Skill Check with your Linked Adventurers as well. Reference your Linked Adventurers' 5x6 Adventurer Card to make the Check. This is due to some Adventure Mechanics mathematically determining their outcome based on a party size of 4.

Reduced Gold

To properly scale the economy the amount of Gold earned throughout the game must be significantly reduced.

• Crawl Scenario setup Gold is reduced by half (rounded up).
• Any time an Adventure Mechanic, Loot Token, Special Encounter Rule, or Ability would give players Gold, they only Gain half the amount.
• Loot tokens that can be activated by multiple Adventurers give the full amount of Gold since they can only be activated by 2 Adventurers maximum.
• When calculating the amount of Gold gained from Combatant Loot cards at the end of an Encounter, you only gain half the amount listed on each card. The most efficient way to do this is to halve the total Gold Gained in this way at the end of each Encounter (rounded up) to avoid bogging down gameplay.
• Whenever a new Adventurer joins the party, the Gold Gained is cut in half (rounded up).
• Selling Items during a Story Round still gives you the full amount of Gold.

Equipment Loadouts

Do not equip Items onto Adventurers you have not designated as your Chosen Adventurers. Instead, if you ever want to (or are forced to) swap Adventurers you must also swap the equipped Items you currently have equipped onto the new Chosen Adventurer.

To off-set being stuck with a single set of gear, if you have an equipped Weapon, Armor, Core and at least three Relics of the current Loot LVL, you may re-spec your Items. To do so, during any Story Round you may spend 25 Gold to sell your equipped weapons, Armor, Core, and Relics of the current Loot LVL at their full price. Then, you must immediately spend this gold.

Any gold earned this way that is not spent during this Story Round is lost. You do not gain gold from Upgrades and all Upgrades are lost. You may not sell Story Items.

If you are forced to use a different Adventurer during an Encounter and the current equipment loadout is not acceptable, you may optionally decide to create a new item loadout to use temporarily. Thematically, this would make sense as the new character is likely equipped using their own gear.

To do this, you may purchase Items from the current Loot LVL for them to use equal to the total value of Items your Chosen Adventurer currently has equipped. These Items may not be traded with other Adventurers and are discarded to the store for 0 Gold at the start of the next Story Round.

Discipline Changes

Certain Disciplines change how they function when using this variant. The list below will go over the changes to specific Disciplines.

Assemblage:

• Exalted Esper – Guardians of Impermanence: The Exalted Esper deals Damage equal to a quarter of the Damage you currently have instead of half the amount of Damage.

Cruor:

• Soul Steal: The Exhaust Ability does Damage equal to a quarter of the Damage you currently have instead of half of the total Damage.

Unintentional Malum

When choosing Adventurers for Unintentional Malum, we recommend players choosing Nightingale and Zeke. Of course, this variant and the game will work just fine if you choose any other combination of the four starting characters.

Encounter Changes

Certain Encounters change when using this variant. The list below details changes to specific Encounters:

Loa Altar Pg. 51:

• Starting Zone: Players may only start this Encounter in the two eastern-most spaces of the Starting Location.

A Team Split Apart Pg. 107:

• Separated: 1 Adventurer should be placed in each of the Starting Locations.

Rhamsted Cliffsides Pg. 121:

• Padric, Weaponsmith at Dragon Arms: Remi is not available during this Encounter. Her Adventurer/Linked card may not be used.
  • One player controls Padric (Command Card) and a Chosen Adventurer with no Linked Adventurer Card that isn't Remi.
  • One player controls their original Chosen Adventurer and a Linked Adventurer Card that isn't Remi.
  • If Remi was being used as a Chosen Adventurer, the new Chosen Adventurer may pick a new temporary equipment loadout or use Remi's previously equipped Items.

More Monsters, More Problems Pg. 125:

• Separated: In addition to the current party being played, (as detailed for Rhamsted Cliffsides listed above), Remi must also be selected as an Adventurer that is controlled. She does not equip a Linked Adventurer card and may not have Items given to her using rules associated with this variant.
  • One player controls a Chosen Adventurer with no Linked Adventurer Card that isn't Remi.
  • One player controls their original Chosen Adventurer and a Linked Adventurer Card that isn't Remi.
  • Players choose which one controls Padric (Command Card) and which one controls Remi.

Boss Fight: Aisling Pg. 131:

• Padric, Weaponsmith at Dragon Arms: Nightingale is not available during this Encounter. Her Adventurer/Linked card may not be used. Remi must also be selected as an Adventurer that is controlled. Remi may not have Items given to her using rules associated with this variant. Instead, she will only use Items she's earned from the previous Encounter. (But she may be given Items during the encounter following all the normal rules for giving another Adventurer Items.)
  • One player controls Zeke as a Chosen Adventurer.
  • One player controls Rook as a Chosen Adventurer.
  • Players choose which one controls Padric (Command Card) and which one controls Remi (Using only her current gear as determined by the Encounter).
  • If neither Zeke or Rook were already being used as Chosen Adventurers, players may pick a new temporary Loadout or use the equipped items that were previously equipped on their other Chosen Adventurer.
  • No Linked Adventurer Cards are used.
  • For the purposes of special encounter rules, if Nightingale was previously used as a Chosen Adventurer, she is considered to be equipped with any Items she had even if players use a copy of these Items on Zeke or Rook. If she was not being used as a Chosen Adventurer her stats are as followed:
    • Stats: Defense: 11, HP: 20, Movement: 6, Armor: 1.
    • Symbol Abilities: [two black shield icons] +1 MAGIC DMG; [black star icon] +2 MAGIC DMG.
    • Conviction Upgrade: TEAL die, WHITE die.
    • Casting Upgrade: ORANGE die.
    • Combat Dice: TEAL die, RED die.

Bellicose Face-off Pg. 156:

• Players Against Players:
  • If Nightingale is selected as a Chosen Adventurer, she must equip Zeke's Linked Adventurer card and vice versa.
  • If Remi is selected as a Chosen Adventurer, she must equip Rook's Linked Adventurer card and vice versa.
  • If both Nightingale and Zeke or Remi and Rook are selected as the Chosen Adventurers players must either change their Chosen Adventurer selection to a compatible selection (picking a new temporary equipment loadout if they'd like), or use the Variable Player Count Variant AI cards for the opposing team.

Gatekeepers of Gehenna Pg. 257:

• Outbound Party: Nightingale must be selected as a Chosen Adventurer. She may not equip a Linked Adventurer card as nobody else is thematically present.
  • One player controls Nightingale as a Chosen Adventurer and Breeze (Command Card.)
  • One player controls any of the possible Adventurers in Setup 1 as a Chosen Adventurer. They will equip the 2 Linked Adventurer cards depicted in this encounter setup that were not the Chosen Adventurer.
  • If the Chosen Adventurer in Setup 1 wasn't the current Chosen Adventurer for the player playing them, they may pick a new temporary Loadout.

Dangers in the Dark Pg. 264:

• Outbound Party: If Zeke is selected as an Adventurer being controlled he must equip the Damocles' Linked Adventurer card and vice versa.
• A Friend in Need: If Rook is selected as an Adventurer being controlled he must equip Padric's Linked Adventurer card and vice versa.
• A Friend In The Dark: Rook must be selected as an Adventurer being controlled.
  • One player will control Zeke or Damocles as the Chosen Adventurer.
  • One player will control Rook or Padric (If he is available) as the Chosen Adventurer. If Padric is not available and the player is instructed to reveal Suri, they will control the Suri Command Card and have no Linked Adventurer card equipped.

Can of Wurms Pg. 272:

• Outbound Party: Nightingale is not available during this Encounter. Her Adventurer/Linked card may not be used.
  • If Nightingale was being used as a Chosen Adventurer, the new Chosen Adventurer may pick a new temporary equipment loadout or use Nightingale's previously equipped Items.
  • One player will control a Chosen adventurer with a Linked Adventurer Card from among the non-injured and available party. (According to the Outbound Party Rules in the Adventure Book.)
  • The other player will choose from the available selection as above.
• Suri, a Friend Made Manifest: If you are instructed to read this, an Adventurer being controlled will not equip a Linked Adventurer card during this Encounter but will instead control Suri's Combatant card.

Critical Timing Pg. 288:

• Jailbreak: This encounter uses many Command Cards and only a single Chosen Adventurer.
  • One player will control Nightingale as a Chosen Adventurer and the Breeze (Command Card).
  • One player will control the Command Cards for Zafir, Ezra, and Brea.
  • No Linked Adventurer Cards are used.

Nymphs in Peril Pg. 283:

• Jailbreak: Same as Critical Timing (Above).

3 Player Tarot Variant

Tarot Variant

The 3 Player Tarot Variant is designed for groups of 3 players who would like to minimize the management of controlling more than 1 Adventurer each.

Using this variant, players will remove the necessity of controlling more than 3 characters during the bulk of our adventure. However, occasionally, some characters will be required in an Encounter for story purposes. For this reason, players will still be required to purchase Disciplines.

To use the 3 Player Tarot Variant use the following rules.

Ubiquitous Tarot Cards

Use the Ubiquitous Adventurer cards that are available for download at succubuspublishing.com.

In Adventure Mode, use only the Ubiquitous Adventurer cards for Selectable and Uninjured party members.

In Crawl Mode, players may use whichever Ubiquitous Adventurer cards they would like, but they may not switch out Ubiquitous Adventurer cards mid-Scenario or mid-Epic Dungeon Crawl.

Choosing Ubiquitous Adventurers

When setting up an Encounter, players each choose 1 Adventurer from the Active Group to control. These rules refer to this selection as the Chosen Adventurers. Chosen Adventurers represent the characters you will be customizing, playing, and building using all the rules associated with Adventurers in Middara.

Then, players decide on a single Ubiquitous Adventurer card from any remaining party members in the Active Group. A Ubiquitous Adventurer card thematically represents a single character who supports every other character on the battlefield. When players decide on a Ubiquitous Adventurer card, they each gain access to all the Abilities listed on the Ubiquitous Adventurer card.

You may swap out the chosen Ubiquitous Adventurer card for any other Ubiquitous Adventurer card during any Story Round. You may only choose Ubiquitous Adventurer cards that represent Adventurers currently in the party.

We recommend setting this card near the center of the table so that each player can reference it as needed.

Modified Initiative

Unlike the 2 Player Tarot Variant, Adventurers will not use the Ubiquitous Adventurer's Initiative card. This is due to the fact that each player will effectively make up for this extra turn through the SP gained from the Ubiquitous Adventurer card.

In other words, Adventurers will typically only have 3 Initiative Cards on the Initiative Track.

Adventurer Pack Size Increase

Both Adventurer's Pack sizes are increased to 4.

Discipline Loadouts

Even though you're only playing 3 Chosen Adventurers at any given time, there are moments in our Adventure Mode where characters in the party might split, become injured, die, or might otherwise become unavailable for brief moments, long periods, or permanently.

For these reasons, it's possible that during an Encounter that you'll be forced to play specific Adventurers or be prevented from playing the character you started with. In these cases you'll need to make sure that all the Adventurers who have joined the party have also purchased Disciplines even if you're not planning on playing them.

For those who don't want to deal with this task unless required, we recommend waiting to choose the Disciplines for these 'unused' characters until/if you are forced to use them.

Skill Checks

When a Skill Check is called for outside of an Encounter and that skill check requires all Adventurers in the Active Group to participate, you will make the Skill Check with your Ubiquitous Adventurer as well. Reference your Ubiquitous Adventurers' 5x6 Adventurer Card to make the Check. This is due to some Adventure Mechanics mathematically determining their outcome based on a party size of 4.

Reduced Gold

To properly scale the economy the amount of Gold earned throughout the game must be significantly reduced.

• Crawl Scenario setup Gold is reduced by 25%. (Rounded Up)
• Any time an Adventure Mechanic, Loot Token, Special Encounter Rule, or Ability would give players Gold, they reduce this gold by 25%. (Rounded Up)
• Loot tokens that can be activated by multiple Adventurers give the full amount of Gold since they can only be activated by 3 Adventurer's maximum.
• When calculating the amount of Gold gained from Combatant Loot cards at the end of an Encounter, you reduce the amount listed on each card by 25%. The most efficient way to do this is to reduce the total Gold Gained in this way at the end of each Encounter to avoid bogging down gameplay.
  • Example: If 35 Gold was earned during an Encounter: 35 x .25 = 8.75. 8.75 rounded up = 9. 35 - 9 = 26. The party would Gain 26 Gold from this Encounter.
• Whenever a new Adventurer joins the party, the Gold Gained is reduced by 25%.
• Selling Items during a Story Round still gives you the full amount of Gold.

Equipment Loadouts

Do not equip Items onto Adventurers you have not designated as your Chosen Adventurers. Instead, if you ever want to (or are forced to) swap Adventurers you must also swap the equipped Items you currently have equipped onto the new Chosen Adventurer.

To off-set being stuck with a single set of gear, if you have an equipped Weapon, Armor, Core and at least three Relics of the current Loot LVL, you may re-spec your Items. To do so, during any Story Round you may spend 25 Gold to sell your equipped weapons, Armor, Core, and Relics of the current Loot LVL at their full price. Then, you must immediately spend this gold.

Any gold earned this way that is not spent during this Story Round is lost. You do not gain gold from Upgrades and all Upgrades are lost. You may not sell Story Items.

If you are forced to use a different Adventurer during an Encounter and the current equipment loadout is not acceptable, you may optionally decide to create a new item loadout to use temporarily. Thematically, this would make sense as the new character is likely equipped using their own gear.

To do this, you may purchase Items from the current Loot LVL for them to use equal to the total value of Items your Chosen Adventurer currently has equipped. These Items may not be traded with other Adventurers and are discarded to the store for 0 Gold at the start of the next Story Round.

Encounter Changes

Certain Encounters change when using this variant and may require the use of 2-Adventurer Variant cards, also called Linked Adventurer cards. The list below will go over the changes to specific Encounters.

Loa Altar Pg. 51:

• Starting Zone: When choosing the starting positions in this Encounter, the two eastern-most spaces of the Starting Location must contain Adventurers.

A Team Split Apart Pg. 107:

• Separated: Place the Adventurer with the highest roll in the Starting Location on Tile UM7 and the two lowest rolls in the Starting Location on Tile UM5.

Rhamsted Cliffsides Pg. 121:

• Padric, Weaponsmith at Dragon Arms: Remi is not available during this Encounter. Her Adventurer/Ubiquitous card may not be used.
  • One player controls Padric (Command Card) and a Chosen Adventurer that isn't Remi.
  • Two other players control their original Chosen Adventurers.
  • No Ubiquitous Adventurer Card is used.
  • If Remi was being used as a Chosen Adventurer, the new Chosen Adventurer may pick a new temporary equipment loadout or use Remi's previously equipped Items.

More Monsters, More Problems Pg. 125:

• Separated: In addition to the current party being played, (as detailed for Rhamsted Cliffsides listed above), Remi must also be selected as an Adventurer that is controlled. She does not gain the benefit from a Ubiquitous Adventurer card and may not have Items given to her using rules associated with this variant.
  • One player controls Padric (Command Card) and Remi.
  • Two other players control their original Chosen Adventurers.
  • The unchosen character becomes the Ubiquitous Adventurer Card.

Boss Fight: Aisling Pg. 131:

• Padric, Weaponsmith at Dragon Arms: Nightingale is not available during this Encounter. Her Adventurer/Ubiquitous card may not be used. Remi must also be selected as an Adventurer that is controlled. Remi may not have Items given to her using rules associated with this variant. Instead, she will only use Items she's earned from the previous Encounter. (But she may be given Items during the encounter following all the normal rules for giving another Adventurer Items.)
  • One player controls Zeke as a Chosen Adventurer.
  • One player controls Rook as a Chosen Adventurer.
  • Players choose which one controls Padric (Command Card) and which one controls Remi (Using only her current gear as determined by the Encounter).
  • No Ubiquitous Adventurer Card is used.
  • If neither Zeke or Rook were already being used as Chosen Adventurers, players may pick a new temporary Loadout or use the equipped items that were previously equipped on their other Chosen Adventurer.
  • For the purposes of special encounter rules, if Nightingale was previously used as a Chosen Adventurer, she is considered to be equipped with any Items she had even if players use a copy of these Items on Zeke or Rook. If she was not being used as a Chosen Adventurer her stats are as followed:
    • Stats: Defense: 11, HP: 20, Movement: 6, Armor: 1.
    • Symbol Abilities: [two black shield icons] +1 MAGIC DMG; [black star icon] +2 MAGIC DMG.
    • Conviction Upgrade: TEAL die, WHITE die.
    • Casting Upgrade: ORANGE die.
    • Combat Dice: TEAL die, RED die.

Bellicose Face-off Pg. 156:

• Players Against Players: Whichever Adventurer is not being chosen during this Encounter is equipped as a Linked Adventurer variant card to the Adventurer who is alone in a Starting Zone. Padric may not be equipped as a Ubiquitous Adventurer.

Gatekeepers of Gehenna Pg. 257:

• Outbound Party: Nightingale must be selected as a Chosen Adventurer. She may not gain the benefit from the Ubiquitous Adventurer card as nobody else is thematically present.
  • One player controls Nightingale as a Chosen Adventurer and Breeze (Command Card.)
  • Two players control any of the possible Adventurers in Setup 1 as a Chosen Adventurer. Use the unchosen character in this diagram as the Ubiquitous Adventurer.
  • If either of the Chosen Adventurers in Setup 1 weren't the current Chosen Adventurer for the player playing them, that player may pick a new temporary Loadout.

Dangers in the Dark Pg. 261:

• Outbound Party: Rook must be selected as an Adventurer being controlled during this Encounter.
• A Friend in Need: Padric joins Rook and can be selected as the Chosen Adventurer in this Encounter. If he is, he will equip Rook's Linked Adventurer card. If he is not, then Rook will equip Padric's Linked Adventurer card.
  • One player will control Zeke as the Chosen Adventurer.
  • One player will control Damocles as the Chosen Adventurer.
  • One player will control Rook or Padric (If he is available) as the Chosen Adventurer. The unchosen character will become a Linked Adventurer card. If Padric is not available and the player is instructed to reveal Suri, they will control the Suri Command Card and have no Linked Adventurer card equipped.
  • No Ubiquitous Adventurer Card is used.

Can of Wurms Pg. 268:

• Outbound Party: Nightingale is not available during this Encounter. Her Adventurer/Ubiquitous card may not be used.
  • If Nightingale was being used as a Chosen Adventurer, the new Chosen Adventurer may pick a new temporary equipment loadout or use Nightingale's previously equipped Items.
  • Each player will control a Chosen adventurer from among the non-injured and available party. (According to the Outbound Party Rules in the Adventure Book.)
• Suri, a Friend Made Manifest: If you are instructed to read this, players will not equip a Ubiquitous Adventurer card during this Encounter. Instead, someone must be chosen to control Suri's Combatant card.

Critical Timing Pg. 288:

• Jailbreak: This encounter uses many Command Cards and only a single Chosen Adventurer.
  • One player will control Nightingale as a Chosen Adventurer.
  • One player will control Breeze (Command Card) and Zafir (Command Card).
  • One player will control Ezra (Command Card) and Brea (Command Card).
  • No Ubiquitous Adventurer Cards are used.

Nymphs in Peril Pg. 279:

• Jailbreak: Same as Critical Timing (Above).

Variable Player Variant

The Variable Player Variant is designed to handle 1, 2, or 3 players. It also works as a way to allow a group of 4 (or less players) to handle dropping players in and out during a campaign.

Using this variant, players can augment an Adventure that isn't using any other Variant. Or, they can augment an Adventure that is using the 2 Player Tarot Variant or 3 Player Tarot Variant. When augmenting an Adventure, they may not only remove players from a campaign (meaning, physical players sitting at the table), but to also remove the overhead of the customization required when controlling an Adventurer.

This Variant does not remove controlling other Adventurers, but rather, it replaces the need to buy Items, Disciplines, and micromanage all the specifics that go into controlling multiple Adventurers in Middara.

If you're looking for a way to focus on a single adventurer while still keeping the game balance intact, or, if you're looking for a way to still play Middara even when a player or two doesn't show up for game night, this Variant is for you.

Variable Command Cards

Every Adventurer has at least one corresponding Variable Command Card. These cards are used to replace Adventurers in the Active Group that you do not want to have to buy Items and Disciplines for. In this way, Variable Command Cards can be used to substitute any Adventurer in the party to lower the physical overhead while keeping the balance, encounters, and difficulty of the game more in line with the way it was intended.

Variable Command Cards use their corresponding Adventurer's Initiative Card and take turns using the Command Card rules in the Middara Adventure Book. Meaning, they have their own SP, may take any Standard Action or Ability, and have additional Abilities printed on the cards themselves.

The additional Abilities on these cards represent predetermined Discipline and Item loadouts. We call these predetermined selections Archetype.

As an Adventure progresses, you'll be able to spend gold to upgrade these Variable Command Cards to keep them in line with newer gear and higher XP.

Choosing Cards

When starting a new Adventure, you may simply substitute any of the Adventurers you decide not to play with a LVL 1 Archetype of their corresponding Variable Command Card.

There are different Archetypes for each Adventurer available. Each Archetype represents a different Item and Discipline loadout. When first choosing to substitute an Adventurer, choose only 1 Archetype for that Adventurer.

At any point in the future, you may spend 25 Gold to swap a Variable Command Card for a different Archetype of the same LVL. This represents re-specing the build of an Adventurer.

Example Variable Command Cards

Example: The above 2 Variable Command Cards both represent different LVL 1 Archetypes of Nightingale. One is a Witch that focuses on the versatility of Magic and specializes in supporting her allies and de-buffing her opponents. The Archetype is a Knife Specialist who dual wields daggers to move quickly, set up flanks, and focuses on range damage via the THROW ability.

The printed example shows two cards, both titled Nightingale Arsen, both headed "Knife Specialist" in the card art, and both with the same ability text. The top card is captioned "Witch" and the bottom card is captioned "Knife Specialist". The printed card text is the same on both.

Nightingale Arsen – Knife Specialist (LVL 1 Command Archetype)

Stats as printed: Presence 6, Lore 3, Agility 5, Perception 2, Strength 2. Health 18, Defense 10, Movement 6, Armor 1. Combat Dice: two purple dice. Bottom bar: Conviction (two purple dice), Spellcasting (one purple die), and two shield icons +2 PHYSICAL DMG, star icon +1 PHYSICAL DMG.

Passive Abilities

• Leather Armor: Reduce PHYSICAL DMG dealt to Nightingale from [attack icon] Attacks by 2.
• Follow Through (Passive): When determining Damage, Nightingale may spend SP. For each SP she spends, add +2 PHYSICAL DMG to her Attack.

Offensive Abilities

• Throwing Daggers (MAX 2), cost 0: THROW: PURPLE die.
• Knife Toss (MAX 1), cost 0: THROW: PURPLE die.
• Twist the Knife (EXHAUST), cost 0: When Nightingale is determining Damage, if she is Flanking, this Attack ignores Armor.
• Dagger Slash (ATK), cost 2: No printed rules text beyond the ATK label.

Defensive Abilities

• Unhindered (PER ENCOUNTER), cost 0: When Nightingale makes a Dodge, re-roll her Dodge roll.
• Defensive Core (EXHAUST), cost 0: DODGE.

Support Abilities

• Ambitious (PER ENCOUNTER), cost 0: All other allies Gain +1 SP. Nightingale Gains +2 SP.
• Vitality Juice Box (MAX 1), cost 0: Nightingale or an adjacent ally HEALS 3.

Note: The "Dagger Slash" ability has no printed rules text on the example. The example card's art is marked "Under Construction" as printed.

Reading Abilities

In addition to all the rules associated with Command Cards, Variable Command Cards have an additional Condition Tag called "Max X".

Abilities marked with Max X are limited to only be used X times until instructed to Restore.

Each time you use one of these Abilities, mark it with a Time Token. If there are Time Tokens equal to the amount of X, you may not use this Ability.

When you are instructed to Restore, Variable Command Cards will remove all Time Tokens earned in this way.

Upgrading Cards

During a Story Round, you may spend gold to Upgrade a Variable Command Card that is in the party. This represents not only spending XP, but also upgrading an Adventurer's Items. The cost to Upgrade changes depending on the LVL you're trying to purchase.

All LVL's must be purchased in order, meaning you may not purchase a LVL 3 if you have not already purchased a LVL 2. Additionally, to upgrade a Variable Command Card beyond a certain LVL, you must be in a specific Loot LVL or greater.

Use the chart below to determine the cost in gold and the required Loot LVL to Upgrade a Variable Command Card.

Loot LVL	Variable Command Card LVL	Cost
Mundane	LVL 1	Free
Mundane	LVL 2	100 Gold
Common	LVL 3	175 Gold
Common	LVL 4	175 Gold
Uncommon	LVL 5	275 Gold
Uncommon	LVL 6	275 Gold
Rare	LVL 7	500 Gold
Rare	LVL 8	500 Gold

When Upgrading, after paying the proper amount of Gold, replace the current Variable Command Card with the next LVL.

Adding or Removing Players

Perhaps a player stops showing up mid-campaign. Or, maybe someone can't make it for the evening but your group still wants to keep playing.

To replace an Adventurer mid-Adventure, equip them with any party Items regardless of any other rules associated with swapping Items. Then, count up the total gold worth of gear they have equipped. Then, replace their figure with a Variable Command Card equal to or less than the total gold below (and within the current Loot LVL or lower):

Loot LVL	Variable Command Card LVL	Maximum gold worth of the removed gear
Mundane	LVL 1	Free
Mundane	LVL 2	100 Gold
Common	LVL 3	275 Gold
Common	LVL 4	450 Gold
Uncommon	LVL 5	725 Gold
Uncommon	LVL 6	1000 Gold
Rare	LVL 7	1500 Gold
Rare	LVL 8	2000 Gold

All Items counted in this way must be removed from the party and set aside. If you ever want to swap this Variable Command Card back to an Adventurer Card, the Items set aside and the corresponding Adventurer may be returned, replacing their corresponding Variable Command Card.

If the Variable Command Card was Upgraded during this Adventurer's absence, they may return their original Items and immediately purchase gear equal to the total gold spent in Upgrades as listed on the Upgrade Table.

Encounter Compatibility

Cards being used via the Variable Player Variant are balanced around being counted as 'Adventurers' for the purpose of the Special Rules in Adventures.

Because of this, and unlike the Tarot Variant listed previously, there are no changes required for Encounters, Setup, or Special Encounter Rules.

Additionally, any Skill Checks called for are accounted for in their printed Skills. Meaning, they will make Skill Checks following all the same rules as Adventurers.

Likewise, there are no changes to the amount of Gold or Rewards earned as the economy is balanced around the cost of Upgrading Variable Command Cards.

You may use this Variant alongside the Tarot Card Variant. However, when doing so, count each Variable Command Card as an additional 'Player' with a Chosen Adventurer.

Promo Cards

The KS1 Promo Pack's card faces follow. Each card's printed text is given under its name. Card labels such as Status, Passive, Exhaust and Per Encounter are the labels printed on the card. Icons that the printed text does not name are described by colour and shape, and the text around them is kept as printed. Stat values are listed as printed.

Adventurer Cards

These three Adventurer cards are printed as full-size cards. Each card shows its Adventurer name, the tag ADVENTURER, a row of five tracker circles (three red and two grey on each card, unlabelled), dice, stats and one or more abilities.

Nyx — Adventurer

• Stats as printed: Presence 4, Lore 4, Agility 4, Perception 4, Strength 2. Health 12, Defense 7, Movement 6.

• Dice: Conviction, two purple dice. Casting, one purple die.

• Pew Pew (Passive) Nyx becomes easily excited when fighting. When Nyx starts her turn adjacent to more than 1 opponent, the first Action or Ability she uses that costs 1 or more SP, costs 1 less SP.

• Demonic Flight (cost 2, red circle) Nyx is gifted with demonic wings that allow her to fly. Make a MOVE. Nyx has FLIGHT for the duration of this movement. She may not spend SP to add additional Movement while using this Ability.

Black Wolf — Adventurer

• Stats as printed: Presence 3, Lore 4, Agility 4, Perception 4, Strength 3. Health 12, Defense 7, Movement 6.

• Dice: Conviction, two purple dice. Casting, one purple die.

• One With Nature (Exhaust) Black Wolf's life in the wilds has made her familiar with all types of terrain. At any time, until the end of turn, Attacks made against Black Wolf that are through Hindering Terrain get -2 to the roll instead of -1. In addition, Spells targeting her through Hindering Terrain are at -1 Force.

Shayliss Arsen — Adventurer

• Stats as printed: Presence 6, Lore 4, Agility 3, Perception 2, Strength 3. Health 12, Defense 7, Movement 6.

• Dice: Conviction, two purple dice. Casting, one purple die.

• Deadly Elegance (Exhaust) Shayliss is prepared, even during the most formal events. When Shayliss uses a THROW from a source with a DISCARD, FLIP, or PER ENCOUNTER Condition, deal an additional PURPLE die of Physical Damage.

Initiative Cards

Three Initiative cards are printed in the KS1 Promo Pack. Each front shows the Adventurer's name and a card number, and each back is printed "Initiative CARD". The printed text on these cards is only the name and number, so they have no rules text to transcribe.

• Nyx — card 7 / 032 (front), Initiative Card (back)
• Black Wolf — card 8 / 032 (front), Initiative Card (back)
• Shayliss — card 9 / 032 (front), Initiative Card (back)

Item Cards

Each item card is shown with its name, its price where one is printed, its tags, its printed rarity and type, and its abilities. The rarity and type line (for example "Rare Weapon") is printed on a separate page of the print file, beneath each card face.

Scythe of Idols

• Type: Rare Weapon. Tags: SPELLCRAFT • SCYTHE • HEAVY.
• Price: 265 Gold (gold coin icon).
• Icons: two dice (one grey, one blue), a hand icon with 2, and a bladed weapon icon.
• Passive:
  • REACH 2
  • Casting Upgrade: GREY die.
  • When casting a Spell that targets an opponent, EMPOWER.
• Exhaust: FU: Use a Discipline you control for 1 less SP.
• Exhaust: At any time, Gain PROVOKE 2 until end of turn.
• Bottom bar: shield icons +3 PHYSICAL DMG; star icon +4 MAGIC DMG.

Savage Claws

• Type: Rare Weapon. Tags: EXOTIC • CLAW • LIGHT.
• Price: 165 Gold (gold coin icon).
• Icons: a grey die, a hand icon with 1, and a claw weapon icon.
• Combo: LIGHT (combo icon)
• Exhaust: Make a ATK at -1 to the roll.
• Exhaust: FU: If the Damage you dealt your target is less than your total Agility Value, deal a PURPLE die of IRREDUCIBLE DMG.
• Bottom bar: shield icon +1 PHYSICAL DMG; star icon +4 PHYSICAL DMG.

Smoke & Mirrors

• Type: Uncommon Relic. No tags printed.
• Price: 96 Gold (gold coin icon).
• Exhaust — Dodge Then, if able, COUNTER. When you use this Ability, roll the BLACK die. If [skull icon] is rolled, FLIP this card.

Obscene Rings

• Type: Rare Unique Accessory. No tags printed.
• Price: 165 Gold (gold coin icon).
• Stat bonuses, top to bottom: red icon with a blade shape +1; red heart icon (Health) +2.
• Passive:
  • If another Ability, other than those on Armor or Cores, passively adds to your [red crossed-swords icon], this card does not add its Defense bonus.
  • Any Armor Value printed on your equipped Armor is reduced to 0.

Note: the printed text does not name the icon in the Passive line. It is described here by shape, as printed.

Garter Knives

• Type: Wandering Relic. Tag: WANDERING. No price printed.
• Passive:
  • When you use Throwing Knives, they FLIP instead of DISCARD.
  • At the start of each Encounter, you may Un-Flip all Throwing Knives you control.

Bodysuit of Allurement

• Type: Rare Armor. Tag: CLOTH.
• Price: 195 Gold (gold coin icon).
• Stat bonuses, top to bottom: red horned-helm icon (Armor) +0; red heart icon (Health) +12; red crossed-swords-and-shield icon (Defense) +3; red boot icon (Movement) +1.
• Exhaust — Dodge If you successfully Dodged the Attack, you may COUNTER.
• Passive:
  • When making a Dodge, if you don't roll [skull icon], add +1 [shield icon] to the result.
  • While you occupy Hindering Terrain, Gain +1 [red crossed-swords-and-shield icon].

Linked Adventurer Cards

The Linked Adventurer cards are used by the 2 Player Tarot Variant. They are printed without a card number. Each card lists its Status line, its Passive line and its ability or abilities as printed. The red icon after "Gain" is a heart icon, the Health symbol used on the Adventurer cards. Where a card's ability has no label, the text is listed on its own. Two cards are printed with the name Shayliss Arsen. They are marked "(first card)" and "(second card)" here, in print order; that marking is added in this file and is not printed.

• Nightingale Arsen — Linked Adventurer

  • Status: Gain +1 SP.
  • Passive: Gain +12 Health.
  • Exhaust: All other allies Gain +1 SP and you Gain +2 SP.

• Zeke Jeong — Linked Adventurer

  • Status: Gain +1 SP.
  • Passive: Gain +12 Health.
  • Exhaust: Re-roll your Dodge roll.

• Rook Lars — Linked Adventurer

  • Status: Gain +1 SP.
  • Passive: Gain +14 Health.
  • You ignore the first instance of HEAVY.
  • You may equip an additional Consumable.

• Remi Moretti — Linked Adventurer

  • Status: Gain +1 SP.
  • Passive: Gain +12 Health.
  • Exhaust: 2 SP: Make a MOVE. You have FLIGHT for the duration of this movement.

• Padric Brown — Linked Adventurer

Ubiquitous Adventurer Cards

The Ubiquitous Adventurer cards are used by the 3 Player Tarot Variant. Each card carries its printed number, from 13 / 032 to 32 / 032, at the foot of the card. Each card lists its Status line (where printed), its Passive line, and its ability or abilities as printed. The red icon after "Gain" is a heart icon, the Health symbol. Where an ability has no label, the text is listed on its own.

• Nightingale Arsen — Ubiquitous Adventurer, 13 / 032

  • Status: Gain +1 SP.
  • Passive: Gain +4 Health.
  • Per Encounter: Reduce the cost of a Standard Action by 1 SP. Each Adventurer may use this Ability once per Encounter.

• Zeke Jeong — Ubiquitous Adventurer, 14 / 032

  • Status: Gain +1 SP.
  • Passive: Gain +4 Health.
  • Exhaust: Re-roll your Dodge roll. Un-exhaust this card at the start of each round.

• Rook Lars — Ubiquitous Adventurer, 15 / 032

  • Status: Gain +1 SP.
  • Passive: Gain +5 Health.
  • Adventurers may use Consumable Items from the Party Stash as though they were equipped.

• Remi Moretti — Ubiquitous Adventurer, 16 / 032

  • Status: Gain +1 SP.
  • Passive: Gain +4 Health.
  • Per Encounter: 2 SP: Make a MOVE. You have FLIGHT for the duration of this movement. Each Adventurer may use this Ability once per Encounter.