Mystic Vale: Twilight Garden

Mystic Vale: Twilight Garden Rulebook

Table of Contents

Components

Your game of Twilight Garden should include the following. If it does not, contact [email protected] for assistance.

96 Advancements consisting of:
- 36 Level 1
- 33 Level 2
- 27 Level 3
36 Vale cards consisting of:
- 19 Level 1
- 17 Level 2
8 Leader cards
37 1-point curse tokens
10 5-point curse tokens
Rulebook

Setup

The new advancements and vale cards in Twilight Garden can be used as an expansion or as a replacement base game, as described below. Setup rules for the new leader cards are explained on page 4.

Expansion

Simply shuffle the new advancements and vale cards into their corresponding decks. Then follow the standard setup rules for the base game.

Base Game Replacement

If players want an entirely new experience of Mystic Vale, the new advancements and vales in Twilight Garden can replace the base game's advancements and vales (but use the Fertile Soil advancements as normal). In other words, you can replace the base game with Twilight Garden to play will entirely new cards. Setup follows standard rules for the base game.

After a few games when players become familiar with new content, you can mix in the base game and expansions to add more variety.

Eclipse Symbol

Eclipse advancements feature an eclipse symbol, represented by a card overlaying another card.

Eclipse advancements work like regular advancements with the exception that they may be covered by another advancement.

Example: You may sleeve an advancement so it covers an eclipse advancement.

Example: You may sleeve an eclipse advancement under another advancement, so the eclipse advancement is covered.

Important: You cannot sleeve an eclipse advancement so that it covers another advancement, even another eclipse advancement.

If an advancement is sleeved over an eclipse advancement, the eclipse symbol on the covered eclipse advancement is not worth any points at the end of the game.

Negative VP

Some cards and amulets have a negative VP symbol, which is indicated by a red crystal with a negative number. These cards subtract from your total points at the end of the game, otherwise they have no effect during the game.

Curse Tokens

Some advancements and leaders have a curse token symbol, which is indicated by a black crystal with a negative number on the left side of the card.

During your Harvest Phase, any card in your field (do not count your on-deck card) showing a curse token symbol on the left side of the card means that you must gain that many curse tokens from the pool.

You only gain curse tokens during your Harvest Phase. If you skip your Harvest Phase because you have Spoiled, you do not gain curse tokens from the cards in your field.

Important: You do not gain curse tokens from red negative VP symbols on the right side of cards.

Each curse token subtracts from your total points at the end of the game, otherwise they have no effect during the game.

In the rare event that the pool of curse tokens runs out, use alternative counters like coins or beads; there is no limit to the number of curse tokens that may be used in the game.

Example Final Scoring

In this example, the player scores the following at the end of the game:

18 VP from accumulated VP tokens.
8 VP from shield symbols on advancements.
11 VP from shield symbols on vale cards.
-7 VP from negative VP symbols on advancements and vales.
-6 VP from accumulated curse tokens.

The player scores a total of 24 points (18+8+11-7-6=24).

Legendary Advancements

Legendary advancements use multiple slots instead of just a top, middle, or bottom slot. Otherwise, sleeving a legendary advancement follows all of the standard rules:

You may not sleeve the advancement if it will cover another advancement already on the card (including advancements on starting cards). However, you may sleeve a legendary advancement over an eclipse advancement.

You are not allowed to buy an advancement if you do not have a legal place to sleeve it on a card in your field.
Advancements that you buy are not sleeved until your Discard Phase. Abilities and symbols on advancements that are not sleeved cannot be used.

Note: Each Legendary advancement also has two single slot advancements associated with it. These advancements have only one copy instead of a full set for each of the top, middle, and bottom slots.

Leader Cards

Leaders grant players abilities that can be used throughout the game, which can also be upgraded to become even more powerful! Playing with leaders is optional and players should agree upon whether or not to use them at the start of the game.

Leader Card Anatomy

Title
Ability
Victory Points (during end of game)
Upgrade Cost

Leader Setup

An additional "Leaders" step is added to the base game setup, after setting up vale cards is finished.

Randomly deal two leaders to each player. Each player chooses one of the two leaders, then puts the other one back in the box.

Each player sleeves their leader into one of their eight blank cards. Be sure that the leader's starting side is showing face up, so that its upgrade cost is shown in the top right corner.

Each player must place their leader into their deck facedown, then shuffle it in with their other 19 cards.

Using Your Leader

Abilities and symbols on your leader work the same as all other effects.

Important: You cannot sleeve advancements on a leader unless otherwise specified.

Leaders are a new type of card, and are not considered an advancement for abilities and effects. They are still considered to be a "card" for abilities and effects that refer to a card.

Upgrading Your Leader

Each leader has two sides; a starting side (indicated by the upgrade cost in the top right corner and a silver border) and an upgraded side (indicated by a gold border).

During the Harvest Phase of any of your turns when your leader is in your field, you may pay the upgrade cost in the top right corner of the leader to turn the card over to the upgraded side.

Upgrading your leader counts as one of your two advancement buys during your Harvest Phase. In other words, if you upgrade your leader you may only buy one advancement during that turn.

You cannot use the leader's upgraded ability and symbols during the Harvest Phase that you upgrade it. However, you may use the leader's starting ability and symbols during the Harvest Phase that you upgrade it.

Card Clarifications

This section covers additional explanations for advancements, vale, and leader cards that may be referenced during play.

Advancements

Astromancer

This is a "When Played" ability, meaning it resolves when it goes from being your on-deck card to being placed into your field. It resolves before you turn over your next on-deck card. Look at the top card of your deck (which is about to be your on-deck card), then either discard it or put it back on top of your deck. Regardless, you then turn over a new on-deck card. You do not need to reveal the card that you look at to your opponents. If you do not have any cards in your deck, shuffle your discard pile to create a new deck before resolving.

Council of Owls

During your Harvest Phase (when you buy advancements), if Council of Owls is on a card in your field and that card has open slots to sleeve a new advancement, you may declare that you are purchasing an advancement that will be sleeved on the same card as Council of Owls. The new advancement must be able to fit an open slot on the card. If you do, that advancement costs 3 less mana to buy (to a minimum of zero). During your Discard Phase you must sleeve it on this card. Note that during the turn you buy and sleeve Council of Owls its effect is not active and should be ignored.

If you cover up Council of Owls as an Eclipse advancement you cannot use this ability during future turns.

Daybreak Herald

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning if it is in your field, it resolves during your Harvest Phase. You cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. This is an optional ability and you may choose not to use it. All players (including yourself) whose mana token is on the used (gray) side may turn the token over to the active (blue) side. You may not choose to let only some players do this and not others. Note that, like all Harvest effects, you may resolve this at any time during your Harvest Phase, so for example, you could spend your mana token before you use the ability, allowing you to gain a mana, then use the Daybreak Herald to turn your token to the active side, then spend it again to gain another mana.

Deepwood Veteran

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning if it is in your field, it resolves during your Harvest Phase. You cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. Each opponent may either give you one of their VP tokens or they gain 2 curse tokens. If an opponent does not have any VP tokens, then they must take the 2 curse tokens.

Griffin Rider

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning if it is in your field, it resolves during your Harvest Phase. You cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. You may buy another vale this turn in addition to your normal buy limit.

You may also give one level 2 vale you own to an opponent and then claim up to two of their level 1 vales. Any "When Bought" effects on the exchanged vales do not trigger. The claimed vales do not count towards your buy limit that turn.

Herbalist

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning if it is in your field, it resolves during your Harvest Phase. You cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. If you have 1 or more curse tokens, you may discard one and return it to the pool. You can only discard your own curse tokens, you cannot choose to discard an opponent's curse tokens.

Lore Keeper

This is a "When Played" ability, meaning it resolves when it goes from being your on-deck card to being placed into your field. It resolves before you turn over your next on-deck card. Reveal cards, one at a time, from the top of your deck until you have revealed 2 Cursed Lands (all revealed cards can be seen by all players). If you do not have enough cards in your deck, shuffle your discard pile to create a new deck, then continue. If you still do not have enough cards, then you simply reveal all the cards in your deck, then continue. Choose any one of the cards this ability has revealed and place it into your field. Then put the rest of the revealed cards into your discard pile. The effect is now complete, so you turn over a new on-deck card. It is possible at this point you have Spoiled, in which case, proceed with Spoiling as normal.

Ranger Captain

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning if it is in your field, it resolves during your Harvest Phase. You cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. Look at the top card of the level 1 vale deck (you do not have to reveal it to other players). You may "buy" that card for free, regardless of what it costs. Any "When Bought" effects on this claimed vale also trigger, however, buying a vale for free does not count towards your buy limit that turn. If you choose not to buy the card, simply put it back on top of the level 1 deck.

Snapjaw

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning if it is in your field, it resolves during your Harvest Phase. You cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. Look at the top card of the level 3 advancement deck (you do not have to reveal it to other players). You may "buy" that card for free, regardless of what it costs. Any "When Bought" effects on this claimed advancement also trigger, however, buying an advancement for free does not count towards your buy limit that turn. If you choose not to buy the card, simply put it back on top of the level 3 deck.

Spirits of Decay

This is a "While in Field" effect, meaning it is active while this card is in your field. If you Spoil, before proceeding to the Discard Phase, this effect resolves. You gain curse tokens equal to the curse token symbols on this card. Note that this only counts symbols, not text effects. For example, if this card also had a Wind Chaser on it, if you Spoil and activate this effect, you would only gain the 3 curse tokens for the Spirits of Decay, and would ignore the text effect on Wind Chaser.

Truesight Archer

This is a "When Played" ability, meaning it resolves when it goes from being your on-deck card to being placed into your field. It resolves before you turn over your next on-deck card. For each guardian on this card, look at that many cards from the top of your deck. You may discard any of these cards and put the others back on top of your deck in any order. You do not need to reveal the cards that you looked at to your opponents. If you do not have enough cards in your deck, shuffle your discard pile to create a new deck, then continue. If you still do not have enough cards, then you simply reveal all the cards in your deck, then continue. When you are done, turn over a new on-deck card and proceed with your Planting Phase.

Witches of Deephollow

If Witches of Deephollow is in your field and you Spoil, then you immediately gain 1 VP token per card less than 9 cards in your field and take another turn after completing your current turn.

For example, if you have 4 cards in your field, you gain 5 VP tokens. If you instead have 5 cards in your field, you gain 4 VP tokens. Finally, if you have 9 or more cards in your field, you gain 0 VP tokens. In all cases, you still get to take another turn immediately after. This means you will do all the normal things you do during a turn in which you Spoil (i.e. discard all the cards in your field, turn your mana token to the active side, then complete a Prep Phase for your next turn), however, rather than the next player beginning their turn, you then immediately proceed with a new turn beginning with your Planting Phase.

This ability works best when it is in a field with few cards so try to combine it with other advancements that have decay such as Cursed Lands.

Vales

Echoing Waterfalls

Any time an opponent Spoils you may choose to discard your on-deck card and reveal a new on-deck card. This effect does not trigger when you Spoil. Note that if the new on-deck card you reveal were to cause you to Spoil, you Spoil immediately at the start of your next Planting Phase.

Flame Geysers

This is a "When Bought" effect, meaning it triggers the moment the card is bought and then can be ignored for the rest of the game. Choose to either have all players gain curse tokens equal to the negative VP symbols on their vales, or have all players gain VP tokens from the game box (do not take this VP token from the pool of VP tokens set as the game clock at the start of the game) equal to the negative VP symbols on their vales. Whichever choice you make, all players must do that, including yourself. You may not choose to have only some players gain VP tokens while other players gain curse tokens.

Frostmarch Glacier

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning you cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. Gain mana equal to the difference between 6 and the number of cards in your field. For example, if you have 2 cards in your field, you gain 4 mana. If you have 4 cards in your field, you gain 2 mana. Finally, if you have 6 or more cards in your field, you gain 0 mana. This ability works best when it is in a field with few cards.

Raincaller Rock

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning you cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. Gain mana equal to the difference between 5 and the number of cards in your field.

For example, if you have 2 cards in your field, you gain 3 mana. If you instead have 3 cards in your field, you gain 2 mana. Finally, if you have 5 or more cards in your field, you gain 0 mana. This ability works best when it is in a field with few cards.

Rockspine Zenith

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning you cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. You may choose any one advancement in the commons (including Fertile Soils) with a cost no less than 1 mana and no more than 14 mana, and buy it for free. This means you will sleeve the bought advancement onto a card in your field during your Discard Phase along with any other advancements you bought.

Any "When Bought" effects on this claimed advancement also trigger. Buying an advancement for free does not count towards your buy limit that turn.

Rotted Weald

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning you cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. This is an optional ability and you may choose not to use it. Take the bottom card of your deck and place it at the end (rightmost card) of your field. You may use any effects on that card that would help during the Harvest Phase. Since you are in your Harvest Phase, meaning you have already passed and are done with your Planting Phase, you cannot push nor can you Spoil, so growth and decay on the card can be ignored. Moreover, this card is not being "played", it is being "placed", so no "When Played" effects trigger.

If you do not have any cards in your deck (meaning you only have an on-deck card and no deck), then shuffle your discard pile to make a new deck, and then take the bottom card. Your on-deck card never counts the bottom card of your deck.

Witch Tree

Leaders

Althena - Queen of the Fey (starting side)

This is a "Discard" ability, meaning it triggers during your Discard Phase. It is not optional. If you have 0 or fewer positive points from tokens (negative curse tokens plus VP tokens is less than or equal to 0) and the same is true for end game points from shield symbols on your vale cards, then this ability resolves. Otherwise, ignore this ability and proceed with your Discard Phase as normal. If the ability resolves, Althena stays in your field for your next turn. Moreover, you must choose one other card in your field that has a Cursed Land on it, if possible, and also leave that card in your field for your next turn. If you have no Cursed Lands in your field, then you simply keep Althena and no other card.

Althena - Queen of the Fey (upgraded side)

This is the same ability as Althena's starting side, however, in order for the ability to resolve, only one of the conditions must be met. So as long as either your token points OR your end game points from shield symbols on your vale cards are 0 or less, you resolve the ability.

Hectoro - The Hunter (starting side)

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning it resolves during your Harvest Phase. You cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. The opponent (or opponents in the case of a tie) with the most vale cards gains 2 curse tokens. Also, the opponent (or opponents in the case of a tie) with the most VP tokens gains 2 curse tokens. The same player can take curse tokens for both vales and VP tokens. Note that the player who takes these curse tokens is the player with the most net VP tokens. Meaning if player A has 5 VP tokens and 5 curse tokens, and player B has just 2 VP tokens, then player B would be the one getting the 2 curse tokens.

Hectoro - The Hunter (upgraded side)

This is a "When Played" ability, meaning it resolves when it goes from being your on-deck card to being placed into your field. It resolves before you turn over your next on-deck card. If it is your Prep or Planting Phase, that phase immediately ends. You cannot push any further that turn, moreover, you cannot Spoil either. Next, before revealing a new on-deck card, place the top 7 cards of your deck one at a time into your field. Moreover, this card is not being "played", it is being "placed", so no "When Played" effects trigger. Then reveal an on-deck card (again, you cannot Spoil, even if you have 4 or more decay). If you do not have enough cards in your deck, shuffle your discard pile to create a new deck, then continue. If you still do not have enough cards, then you simply place all the cards in your deck, then continue.

If Hectoro is played during your Prep Phase, your turn immediately ends, and when your next turn begins you start with your Harvest Phase instead of your Planting Phase. If Hectoro is played during your Planting Phase, simply proceed to your Harvest Phase.

During your Discard Phase, Hectoro must be turned over back to his starting side. It is not optional.

Kojen and Khan (both sides)

This is a "Harvest" ability, meaning it resolves during your Harvest Phase. You cannot resolve this ability if you Spoil. This is an optional ability and you may choose not to use it in order to wait for a future turn. When you use this ability, choose any 1 bottom slot advancement (regardless of cost) and sleeve it onto Kojen and Khan. This advancement should cover and replace this Harvest effect, as you would when you sleeve over an Eclipse advancement. Any "When Bought" effects on this claimed advancement also trigger, however, buying an advancement for free does not count towards your buy limit that turn. The advancement you sleeve may have a long-wise ability, but it must also fill the bottom slot (like several of the level 3 advancements do in this release). If the advancement you sleeve has an Eclipse symbol, it cannot be covered by another advancement.

Note: When you upgrade Kojen and Khan, you keep the advancement you put at the bottom of the card, if any.

Kojen and Khan (upgraded side)

The upgraded side of Kojen and Khan has the same effect as the starting side, but in both the middle and the bottom slots. If you already placed an advancement on Kojen and Khan's bottom slot, simply keep it sleeved onto the upgraded side, covering this ability. If both the middle and bottom slots have not yet been replaced, you may use both abilities on the same turn, or just one, or neither.

Le Que - Corrupted Soul (starting side)

Le Que has two Harvest effects. These are "Harvest" abilities, meaning they resolve during your Harvest Phase. You cannot resolve these abilities if you Spoil.

The first ability means that when you resolve it, if you have 20 or more cards in your field, you win the game. Victory points do not matter (though you can record them if you want to for posterity), you simply immediately end the game and you win.

The second ability is optional and you may choose not to use it. If you use the ability, choose 4 cards in any one opponent's field (if that player has less than 4 cards, you may simply choose all of those cards instead). That player must then choose 1 of their cards that you chose and place it on top of your discard pile, meaning that card is now part of your deck and functions just like all the other cards in your deck. Since that card will have a different color on the back, you are not allowed to use that to your advantage while shuffling your deck, so look away from your deck for the last couple of shuffles or allow another player to cut your deck after shuffling.

Le Que - Corrupted Soul (upgraded side)

Le Que's When Played ability allows you to look at the top two face down cards of your deck (your on-deck card is not considered part of your deck so it is not one of the two cards). You may put either or both of those two cards into your discard pile. Any remaining cards should be put back, face down, in any order you choose.

Le Que's Harvest ability is optional and you may choose not to use it. You may pay 5 mana to turn the card over back to the starting side. If you have 20 or more cards in your field after turning the card over, you immediately win the game! Note that Le Que is worth -100 points. If you don't think you will be able to win by getting 20 cards into your field, you may want to upgrade the card so that you don't have a really low score.

Sorcel - The Awakened Sentinel (both sides)

This is a "When Played" ability, meaning it resolves when it goes from being your on-deck card to being placed into your field. It resolves before you turn over your next on-deck card.

Look at the top two (or five if upgraded) face down cards of your deck (your on-deck card is not considered part of your deck so it is not one of the two cards). You may put any of these cards into your discard pile. Any remaining cards should be put back, face down, in any order you choose. You do not need to reveal the cards that you looked at to your opponents. If you do not have enough cards in your deck, shuffle your discard pile to create a new deck, then continue. If you still do not have enough cards, then you simply reveal all the cards in your deck, then continue. When you are done, turn over a new on-deck card and proceed with your Planting Phase.

Source note: the source rulebook does not include clarification entries for the leaders Boeglebee, Truffta, or Wayalieh; no text for them appears in it, so none is transcribed here.

Card List

96 Advancements consisting of:
- 3 Astromancer
- 3 Blackwood Ent
- 1 Blessed Knight
- 1 Blessed Stronghold
- 3 Council of Owls
- 3 Daybreak Herald
- 1 Deephollow Border Town
- 3 Deepwood Veteran
- 1 Deputy Peacekeeper
- 1 Druid Preceptor
- 3 Early Sunrise
- 3 Ent Beetender
- 3 Ent Speaker
- 3 Fallen Wizard
- 3 Forest Mender
- 3 Forest Wyrm
- 3 Gossamer Brood
- 1 Griffin Rider
- 1 Guildmark University
- 3 Havenglade Chancellor
- 3 Herbalist
- 3 Highland Avenger
- 3 Hippogriff
- 3 Leaf Weaver
- 3 Lore Keeper
- 3 Menhir Circle
- 3 Oakhoof Leviathan
- 3 Pixie Skyguard
- 3 Protective Ward

Quick Reference

The expansion's printed Quick Reference sheet, transcribed as printed.

Setup

1. Player Decks

Each player should shuffle their deck and place it face down in front of them.

2. The Commons

Take out all the Fertile Soil advancements and place them in a separate deck. Separate all the other advancements into decks denoted by their level symbols.

Shuffle all of the level 1 advancements and count out a number of advancements into a deck based on the number of players:

2 players: 12 advancements
3 players: 15 advancements
4 players: 18 advancements

Then turn over the first 3 advancements of the level 1, 2, and 3 deck.

3. Vale Cards

Shuffle both vale decks, then turn over 4 cards face up from each deck.

4. Setup VP Tokens

Place the VP tokens in a pool based on the number of players:

2 players: 23 VP tokens
3 players: 28 VP tokens
4 players: 33 VP tokens

Place all the curse tokens in a separate pool that is available to all players.

5. Setup Fields

Each player makes their starting field until they have two Cursed Lands in their field and a third one on-deck.

6. Determine Starting Player

Place the mana tokens so that their active side is face up and shuffle them. Each player takes one token at random and turns it over. The player with the starting player symbol will be the starting player for this game.

Players are now ready to begin the game!

Taking a Turn

Take the following phases in order.

1) Planting Phase

Resolve the following steps:

A. You must choose to either pass or push. If you pass, skip immediately to your Harvest Phase.

B. If you chose push, place your on-deck card into your field, to the right of any previously played card. Resolve "When Played" abilities on that card (if any), then turn over the top card of your deck and place it back on top of your deck face up as your new on-deck card.

C. Determine if you have Spoiled.

D. If you have not Spoiled, go back to step A and repeat.

2) Harvest Phase

If you chose to end your Planting Phase before Spoiling, you now complete your Harvest Phase (again, only if you did not Spoil).

Count up your mana and spirit symbols (animal, forest, sky, wild), resolve "Harvest" abilities on cards in your field, score VP tokens, gain curse tokens, buy up to 2 vale cards, and buy up to 2 advancements. All of this can be done in any order.

3) Discard Phase

Sleeve each advancement you bought (if any), then replenish vale cards and advancements in the commons.

The next player may now begin their turn.

4) Prep Phase

While your opponent is beginning their turn, prep your field until you have three or more decay showing (in your field and your on-deck card).