None Shall Pass!
None Shall Pass! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
Each player chooses a Guard. One monster from each level is selected at random, and the first monster is revealed. Every round, all players roll their dice, then each player in turn selects one of their dice and follows the corresponding action on their Guard cards. Next, if the monster's Health has reached zero, it is defeated and replaced with the next monster. Otherwise, the monster attacks the players whose actions had the highest Peril. The players have a limited number of rounds before the monster breaches their defenses, and they win by defeating the final monster before then.
Contents
- 54 Guard cards
- 20 monster cards
- 1 monster tracker (Health board, Attack and Breach board, and 4 clear tracker tokens)
- 1 Peril board
- 30 small and 9 large Wound tokens
- 22 small and 5 large Experience tokens
- 4 player tokens and 1 Light token
- 12 dice, 3 each of red, green, blue, and black
- 1 golden first turn token
Guard Cards
Guard cards determine a player's possible actions and attributes. Each card shows a Guard's title, a level, a Level Up Cost, and an attribute: Health, Armor, or Experience Reward.
Additionally, each card shows two actions, each consisting of a name, instructions to follow when taking the action, a die roll needed to select that action, and a Peril number that indicates how dangerous the action is.
Guards: A player's Guard is like their specialty within the team, and every combination of Guards can be successful. Learn about each Guard in the Guards section.
Example Guard card — Death Strider, Level 2: Health 10, Level-Up Cost 4. Its two actions are Scythe (die roll of 1; the monster takes 3 Damage; Peril 2) and Reciprocate (die roll shown on the card; the monster takes Damage equal to your Wounds, maximum of 5; Peril 3).
Monster Cards
Monster cards are organized by level, with higher levels representing stronger monsters. Each monster card shows the monster's name, level, Health, Attack (showing how much the monster hurts the players), and a unique ability.
Monster Abilities: Every monster has a unique ability, and some might even override the regular rules. Take a close look when a new monster arrives!
Example monster card — Hungry Ooze, Level 1: Health 17, Attack 2. Ability, Growing Form: When this monster takes Damage, its Attack increases by 1.
Setup
Setup Summary: Give each player a Guard's six cards, three dice, and 2 Experience. Give the first turn token to any player. Randomly pick one monster from each level. Reveal the first monster and track its attributes.
- Each player selects a Guard and takes all six of its Guard cards. This determines what actions a player can take on their turns and thus strongly affects how they play the game; a description of each Guard can be found in the Guards section.
- Each player arranges their six Guard cards according to the cards' levels and dice. The three level-3 cards are placed face-up and ordered left-to-right by the increasing number of dots shown on the cards' dice. The three level-1 cards are stacked on top with the same left-to-right ordering.
- Each player selects three dice of the same color, the player token of the same color, and two Experience.
- One player, selected in any manner, receives the golden first turn token.
- One monster card of each level is selected at random and face-down; no player should know which monsters are selected until each is revealed. The selected monster cards are stacked in order, with the level-5 monster card at the bottom and the level-1 monster card on the top.
- The Peril board, monster tracker, monster cards, and tokens are placed in reach of all players.
- The first, level-1 monster is flipped face-up, and the monster tracker is adjusted to reflect the monster's Health, Attack and Breach; the monster's Breach begins at 4.
Rules of Play
Play is divided into rounds, in which all players take one turn, then the monster takes its turn.
Players' Turns Summary: Each player rolls their dice (unless Incapacitated). Each player selects a die and follows its action's instructions. May also select a black die. Rolling triples allows any two actions.
Beginning of the Round
At the beginning of each round, all players roll their three dice. Starting with the player who has the first turn token and moving clockwise, each player takes their turn.
Players' Turns: Rolling
On each player's turn, the player selects one of their three rolled dice, follows the instructions of the action with that die on their Guard cards, and places the selected die on the Peril board according to the action's Peril.
The player may select one black die in addition to their selected die. If so, they follow the instructions of both dice in either order, but their Peril remains that of their normally-selected action.
If a player's three dice all roll the same number, the player follows the instructions of any two actions (or the same action twice) instead. Their Peril is whichever they choose from those two actions.
Level-4 Guard cards allow rerolling dice. Once per round, each player with at least one level-4 Guard card may spend one Experience to reroll one of their dice.
Roll Example 1: A Lancer rolls 1, 2, and 5. They select 2, follow their 2 action's instructions once, and have 4 Peril.
Roll Example 2: A Medic rolls 2, 6, and 6. They select 2 and 6, follow both actions' instructions in either order, and have 2 Peril.
Roll Example 3: A Sensei rolls 1, 6, and 6. They select both 6s, follow their 6 action's instructions twice, and have 1 Peril.
Players' Turns: Actions
Many player actions and monster abilities refer to someone taking Damage. When a monster takes Damage, its Health decreases by that amount, moving the monster tracker's tokens accordingly. When a player takes Damage, they gain Wounds equal to that Damage minus their Armor (shown on the 3-4 Guard cards); Armor reduces the amount of Damage a player takes and may even reduce it to zero.
A player's Health (shown on the 1-2 Guard cards) indicates how many Wounds they can have while still fighting. At the beginning of a round, if a player has Wounds greater than or equal to their Health, they are Incapacitated for that round. Incapacitated players do not roll their dice. Instead, they must follow their black-die action's instructions on their turn and cannot place a die on the Peril board (they have no Peril).
All or Nothing: Incapacitation lasts an entire round, even if you lose enough Wounds before your turn. Similarly, gaining Wounds during the round can't Incapacitate you until the next round.
Some actions and events give players Experience which can be spent to level up, or improve, player attributes and actions. At any time, a player may spend Experience equal to the Level Up Cost on one of their Guard cards. That card is flipped or swapped with the card beneath it to reveal the card with the same dice and one level higher.
Yes, Any Time: Anyone can spend Experience at any time, even between rolling and selecting an action!
Some actions affect the monster's turn more than the players' turns. Players optionally may use their player tokens to help them remember these effects. As examples, a Hunter might place their token on the Attack and Breach board to track temporary changes to the monster's Attack, or a Sensei might place their token on the Peril board to represent their illusions.
Monster's Turn
Once all players have taken their turns, the monster takes its turn.
Monster Turn Summary: If Health is 0, players get Experience and the next monster. If not, the player with the highest Peril takes Attack Damage; multiple players with the highest Peril divide it. Breach goes down 1. The monster gets past at 0 Breach and gives no Experience.
First, the players may have reduced the monster's Health to 0. If so, the monster has been defeated. The monster's card is removed from play, and each player receives Experience equal to their Experience Reward attribute (shown on the 5-6 Guard cards). The next monster from the five selected during Setup is then revealed, and the monster tracker is updated to reflect the new monster's Health and Attack; the new monster's Breach begins at 4 (or 5 for the final monster). Finally, the first turn token is moved one player clockwise.
If the monster hasn't been defeated, then the monster attacks. The players typically take Damage, as determined by the monster's Attack, each player's Armor, and each player's Peril:
- If one player has a higher Peril than any other player, that player takes Damage equal to the monster's current Attack. Remember to apply the player's Armor before gaining Wounds.
- If multiple players share the highest Peril, the monster's current Attack is divided by that number of players (rounded down). Each of those players takes Damage equal to that result.
Monster Attack Example: A monster with 5 Attack attacks one player with 1 Armor; they gain 4 Wounds. If that monster attacks two players with 1 Armor, each gains only 1 Wound.
After attacking, the monster will try to get past the players, decreasing its Breach by 1. If its Breach reaches 0, the monster is replaced just as though it were defeated, except the players receive no Experience Reward; the next monster is revealed, the tracker is updated, and the first turn token is moved.
End of the Game
The players win by reducing the final monster's Health to 0. The players lose if its Breach reaches 0.
The Last Stand: The final monster's Breach begins at 5, not 4. Make that extra turn count!
Optional Variants
- 2-3 Players: Two players can control two Guards each, especially if each player's second Guard is simpler like Lancer or Medic. Three players can control one Guard each and jointly control a fourth; the Automaton Guard is ideal for this arrangement.
- Quick Play: During Setup, select only three or four monsters. Defeating the final monster remains the objective of the game.
- Adjusted Difficulty: During Setup, every player receives more Experience for more relaxed play or fewer Experience (or none) for a greater challenge.
- Multiclass: During Setup, each player chooses two or three Guards and uses cards from both or all of them; players should still have an action for each die roll and the same progression of levels. For example, a player may choose the 1-2 cards from the Lancer Guard, the 3-4 cards from the Medic Guard, and the 5-6 cards from the Hunter Guard.
Guards
The different Guards that players can select will excel in different scenarios and complement one another. Their different actions and attributes influence how players will contribute, so the following descriptions can help players choose which Guard best fits their play style.
These Guards are roughly organized by increasing complexity, though all are strong. New players may wish to begin with Guards earlier in the list, while experienced players may appreciate the added complexity of later ones.
Lancer
The daring Lancer is eager to dive into any fray and never misses an opportunity to train. Deliver high and consistent Damage to monsters and improve your allies' capabilities.
Medic
The collected Medic lifts any who fall injured in the chaos of battle. Tend to the Wounds of your allies, but don't underestimate your ability to permanently weaken monsters.
Sensei
The wizened Sensei finds strength through enlightenment. Gain Experience as you unravel monsters' strategies, then pass it on to your allies and weave illusions to trick monsters.
Blood Mage
The unnatural Blood Mage manipulates the essence of life within all creatures. Use your massive Health to absorb Wounds from your allies, then heal yourself by draining the monsters.
Hunter
The wild Hunter outmaneuvers and subdues any beast. Enrage monsters to slow their advance and weaken them with snares and venom.
Death Strider
The tormented Death Strider walks the line between life and death, channeling pain into great power. Grow stronger offensively and defensively as you accumulate Wounds, but beware pushing yourself too far.
Commander
The stalwart Commander leads the Guards with rallying battle cries and durable armor. Carefully consider the positions of your allies for the greatest effect, then order them to act during your turn.
Stargazer
The mysterious Stargazer draws upon the light of the cosmos to harm and illuminate. Switch between burning Solar Light and soothing Lunar Light to overcome any challenge.
The Stargazer's actions change depending on their current Light source. Track your current Light source (beginning with Solar) using the Light token.
Special Guard: Automaton
The mechanical Automaton follows its directive to protect its allies at any cost. This Guard is greatly simplified compared to others, making it ideal for younger players or those who want an easier time making decisions. It also serves well in games with fewer than four players.
However, the Automaton ignores the rules about selecting an extra black die and rolling the same numbers.
Bestiary
Apothecary — The toxic vapors of this shady dealer's wares leave everyone dizzy and confused.
Awakened Tree — Though more mobile than their calmer cousins, their roots drag slowly across the ground.
Cursed Mirror — The cracks growing in this mirror's surface suggest that whatever is being held inside will emerge soon.
Death Knight — An aura of fear and death emanate from every inch of this terrible warrior's armor.
Ferrovore — Strongly acidic saliva allows these creatures to consume most metals, well-polished iron being their favorite.
Fisherman — These amphibious hunters roam inland every rainy season, catching fresh prey with deadly spears.
Goblin Assassin — This tiny terror darts swiftly behind any cover it can find, emerging only when your back is turned.
Golem — Comprised of dense rock and gemstones, this living earth resists most weapon attacks.
Gorgon — The snakes in this fiend's hair drop off when agitated, quickly forming a small army of fangs.
Hungry Ooze — These gelatinous blobs absorb almost anything they touch, growing steadily larger by the minute.
Hydra — No matter how many guards stand together, this beast has a sharp bite for each of them.
Ice Sorceress — The bitter cold of this spellcaster's mere presence chills the blood and makes healing difficult.
Intellect Devourer — These demons reside deep beneath libraries and academies, feeding on the psychic energy above them.
Kraken — Its many crushing tentacles have earned it a horrible reputation among sailors and land-dwellers alike.
Lich — Rumored to be immortal, it sucks vitality from every living thing, even the environment around its lair.
Mimic — These classic, sneaky shapeshifters gets a bite in before you even get started!
Myconid Burster — An organ on its face produces fragile spore sacs which it readily uses to infect new hosts.
Skeleton — These bones haven't escaped the ravages of time; numerous fractures line their surfaces.
Storm Sprite — Conducting electricity in their skin, these creatures lash out with powerful lightning bolts when threatened.
Tiny Phoenix — Though young, these mythical birds can already heal their injuries in an instant.