OrcQuest Rulebook

Quick Explanation Guide for OrcQuest (card game). Translated from the French original "Guide d'explication rapide" by Jonathan Gourg for the association Tartem'Pion (created 04/11/2018, updated 03/01/2019).

Starting the Game (without cheat mode)

• Deal the Hero cards at random, with the skill side visible.
• Take the number of hit point tokens shown at the top right of your Hero card and place them above your Hero card.
• Deal 6 game cards to each player.
• Place the remaining cards in the centre of the table to form the draw pile.
• Then discard cards one at a time from the draw pile until you find a card with a challenge. (Challenge cards are shown on the help cards.) There is always one challenge card in front of the draw pile that players may play. When this permanent challenge card has been played, if the action succeeded, take the card; otherwise discard it and replace it by drawing a new challenge from the draw pile.
• The tallest player starts.
• The starting player draws a card.
• You may choose a challenge from your hand or the permanent challenge in front of the pile. (Each challenge has a number and a colour of die that you may play, defined on the card. The sign above indicates the number of successes needed to win the stake.)
• If you decide not to play a challenge, discard 1 hit point.
• If you have more success points than the number stated on the card, you are granted a bonus: 1 point = you may draw a card; 2 points = you may draw a card or take the last card of the discard pile; 3 points = you may draw a card or take any card from the discard pile.
• The last turn takes place when the last card of the draw pile has been taken. (Cards with a bell symbol can be played only at that moment, and only one per person.)

General Information

• HEROES: Hit points can never exceed the hit point number of your Hero.
• HEROES: The Hero skill can be used only once per game, at any moment if the card does not state the precise moment of its use. Once used, turn the card over to the side where the skill is not visible.
• HEROES: Hero skills cannot be used during the final phase.
• HEROES: If your Hero dies, shuffle your gain cards and magic trinket cards and present them face down to the other players. Starting from the left, each player takes one card and discards the rest. If a player received a gain card, they add it directly to their gain pile.
• HAND: The maximum number of cards in hand at the end of your turn is 7.
• TURN: You may play only one challenge per turn, during your turn.
• CARD: A treasure card may be played before or after a challenge card.
• CARD: Magic trinkets with the magic potion symbol may be played at any moment but only once per player turn. If you have played a trinket, no other player may play a trinket during that player's turn.
• CARD: Dirty-trick cards with the bomb symbol may be played at any moment and are unlimited.
• CARD: If you play a card that forces another player to play a trap or a brawl in your place, that player wins the gains on success and loses the penalty indicated on defeat.
• CARD: If you play a card that forces another player to take part, you win the gain and the loss is assigned to you.