Paper Dungeons: A Dungeon Scrawler Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Content
• Setup
• Player Sheet
• The Dice
• Health & Damage
• Death & Resurrection
• Objectives & Missions
  • Objectives
  • Power
  • Missions
• How to Play
  • 1. Roll Dice
  • 2. Take Damage from Skulls
  • 3. Take Three Actions
    • Level Up Hero
    • Craft Artifact
    • Brew Potion
    • Explore Dungeon
      • Fight Minion
      • Trigger Trap
      • Claim Treasure
  • 4. Fight the Monster
    • Run Away!
    • Fight!
    • The Monster Card
• Game End
• Variants
  • Disappearing Gems
  • Campaign Mode
  • Solo Mode
• Almanac
  • Artifacts
  • Power Cards
• Credits

Content

• 6 Dice (3 white, 3 black)
• 12 Dungeon Cards
• 12 Monster Cards
• 16 Mission Cards
• 16 Power Cards
• 16 Objective Cards
• 100 Player Sheets
• 8 Pencils

Setup

1. Give each player a player sheet and a pencil.

2. Choose 1 Dungeon card at random. Lay it face up in the play area. The card shows a map of the dungeon you will explore and a description of the monsters you will fight. Everyone marks on their own sheet the positions of the monsters and walls shown on the map. For each monster draw a circle and write the number 1, 2 and 3 inside. Find the 3 Monster cards that match the monsters on the Dungeon card. Lay these face-up in the play area.

   The players will each explore the same dungeon, but will do so independently on their own sheet. Most of the actions you take will not affect other players' dungeons.

3. Put the 6 dice in the play area.

4. Choose 3 Mission cards at random. Lay them face up in the play area.

   If this is your first game, we recommend you do not play with the Mission cards.

5. Give each player 2 Power cards and 2 Objective cards at random. Each player chooses 1 Power card and 1 Objective card to keep. Discard the other cards you received. Lay your chosen cards face up in front of you.

   The 'Almanac' on page 13 has a complete description of all the Power cards.

6. Put the unused or discarded Dungeon, Monster, Mission, Power and Objective cards back in the box.

7. Look at the bottom of your Objective card. The black and white boxes show the 'training style' of your four heroes (Warrior, Wizard, Cleric and Rogue). Fill in the two small boxes beside your Hero tracks that match the black squares on your Objective card.

Player Sheet

The player sheet is labelled with the following areas:

• Hero tracks — the four hero rows (Warrior, Wizard, Cleric, Rogue), levels 1 to 6, with scoring shields below.
• Round (1 space per die/action) — the three spaces of the current round on the Round track.
• Round track — running along the top of the sheet, with the three Monster icons marking the ends of rounds 3, 6 and 8.
• Health track and Damage track — the paired columns of circles (health) and hearts (damage), with glory penalties beside the Damage track.
• Artifacts — the eight artifacts, each with two boxes to fill.
• Resurrection box — the −9 box below the Health and Damage tracks.
• Potions track — the three rows of four potions.
• Dungeon — the 6×7 grid of rooms, with columns lettered A–F and rows numbered 1–7.
• Minions track — the row of boxes with glory values below.
• Gems track — the row of circles with glory values beside them.
• Scoring shields — the row of shields (A–L) along the bottom of the sheet.

The Dice

The dice show seven symbols: Warrior (sword and shield). Wizard (hat), Cleric (cross), Rogue, (mask), Skull, Clover (only on white dice) and Boots (only on black dice). The small numbers on the dice are used to record the results each player uses in each round.

Health & Damage

The Health track represents your team's total health. This always equals the sum of the levels of your four heroes, as shown by the filled boxes on your four Hero tracks. At the start of the game, your heroes are all at level 1, so your starting health is 4 (the bottom four circles on the Health track are already filled).

Every time one of your heroes levels up, also fill in one more circle on your Health track to keep track of your total health, going from bottom to top.

When you take damage, you must fill one empty heart for each point of damage taken. Always fill hearts in the Damage track, from bottom up, unless you have extra hearts available on your Potions track. If you do, fill these instead. At the end of the game you will lose glory points based on how many hearts on your Damage track are filled.

Death & Resurrection

If the number of filled hearts on your Damage track is ever more than the number of filled circles on your Health track, you die — and are immediately resurrected! If this happens, fill in the Resurrection box below your Health and Damage tracks. You will lose 9 glory points at the end of the game.

After you are resurrected, keep playing. You cannot die a second time. Continue to track damage you take as normal. At the end of the game, you will still lose glory points based on how the number of filled hearts on your Damage track.

Objectives & Missions

Objectives

Each player must choose one Objective card during setup. Your objective is worth 2, 4 or 6 glory points at the end of the game depending on whether you have partially or fully completed the objective.

Example Objective card: "Earn 2 / 4 / 6 if you claimed 2 / 5 / 7+ gems."

Power

Each player must choose one Power card during setup. This card gives you a unique ability to use to your advantage in this game. There are 3 types of Power cards, each triggered at different moments in the game:

• Setup: triggered during the game setup to give you an early advantage.
• Conditional: triggered when a certain condition is met.
• Repeating: triggered once per round at the player's discretion.

Some cards show glory gained or lost at the end of the game

A complete list of all the Power cards and their effects can be found on page 16 of this rulebook.

Missions

If you are playing with Mission cards, each one is worth 4 glory points to the first player to complete the mission on the card. If two or more players complete it in the same round, all these players receive 4 glory points.

Example Mission card: "1st player to defeat 6 minions — 4."

How to Play

A game of PAPER DUNGEONS lasts eight rounds. In each round you will choose to level up your team of heroes, craft magical artifacts, brew protective potions and explore the dungeon, fighting any minions you encounter and searching for treasure!

At the end of rounds 3, 6 and 8, you will fight a dangerous monster and compete to earn the greatest rewards.

When the game ends, the player with the most glory points wins.

Each round has four phases:

1. Roll dice
2. Take damage from Skulls
3. Take three actions
4. Fight the monster (at the end of rounds 3, 6 & 8)

1. Roll Dice

First, roll all 6 dice into the middle of the play area. If you roll three or more Skulls or three Clovers, roll all the dice again. Continue to reroll if necessary to avoid this result.

2. Take Damage from Skulls

All players must take 1 damage for each Skull rolled (see 'Health & Damage' on page 5).

3. Take Three Actions

Each player takes three actions. Each action must use the result (the colour and/or symbol) of a different die. Players choose actions and dice simultaneously, and more than one player can choose the same die.

There are four actions, explained in more detail below:

• Level up hero
• Craft artifact
• Brew potion
• Explore dungeon

You can take any combination of actions in any order, including taking the same action more than once.

NOTE: For each dice you choose, write the small number on the dice you select into each of the three spaces on the Round track along the top of your player sheet. This constitutes one round.

The Clover result can be used as either a black or white Warrior, Wizard, Cleric or Rogue result. It cannot be used as a Boots result.

Level Up Hero

Choose a die and use it to level up one of your heroes. Fill the next empty box, going left to right, on one of your Hero tracks. The symbol and colour of the die must match the hero and their 'training style'.

Example: You want to level up your warrior, whose 'training style' is black. To do this you must use a Warrior symbol on a black die (result number '5') or a Clover (result number '9'). You fill the first empty box on your Warrior track. Your warrior is now level 2 and your total health has increased from 4 to 5.

Each time you level up a hero, also fill in one more circle on your Health track. (Remember that your total health always equals the sum of the levels of your four heroes.)

When a hero reaches level 4, you immediately gain a special ability:

• Warrior: Add +1 to your total strength when fighting monsters (not minions).
• Wizard: When levelling up, you can ignore the 'training style' of your heroes and so use a matching symbol on either colour die.
• Cleric: You do not take damage from Skull symbols.
• Rogue: Claim a gem. Fill the next empty circle, going left to right, on your Gems track.

At the end of the game, your Hero tracks are worth glory points:

• Look at your hero which reached the lowest level. Earn glory points equal to the number shown in the shield at the bottom of the matching column. (For example, if your lowest hero reached level 3, earn 6 glory points in total from your Hero tracks.)
• Earn 1 additional glory point for each hero that reached level 6.

Craft Artifact

Choose a die and use it to craft one half of a magical artifact. Choose an artifact and fill one of the boxes beside it. The colour of the die does not matter. The top four artifacts require a die with the corresponding symbol (Warrior, Wizard, Cleric or Rogue) or a Clover, but you can use any die symbol to craft the bottom four artifacts.

When you have crafted both halves of an artifact, you complete it and gain its power. The 'Almanac' on page 13 has a complete description of the artifacts and their powers.

Instant artifacts give you a power immediately, but only once. Permanent artifacts give you a power until the end of the game.

At the end of the game, each filled box is worth 1 glory point, whether or not the artifact is complete.

Example: You have crafted both halves of the Flaming Sword and Armour of Heroes. The Sword adds +3 strength when fighting monsters (not minions). The Armour adds +1 strength when fighting minions (not monsters), plus 2 glory points at the end of the game. You have also crafted one half of each of the Intangibility Cloak and Alchemist's Cauldron. These artifacts are incomplete, so you do not gain their power yet.

Brew Potion

Use any die to brew two potions. The colour and symbol of the die does not matter. Fill the next two circles on your Potion track, going left to right along each row in turn, from top to bottom. You cannot brew more than 12 potions.

Each potion gives you two extra hearts to fill when taking damage, instead of filling hearts on your Damage track.

When you complete brewing a whole row of potions (by brewing your 4th, 8th or 12th potion) immediately take a bonus action:

• 4th potion: Take a level up hero action (any hero).
• 8th potion: Take a craft artifact action (any artifact).
• 12th potion: Gain a gem. Fill the next empty circle, going left to right, on your Gems track.

Example: You have so far brewed 6 potions. After you brewed your 4th potion and completed the first row, you immediately levelled up one of your heroes. You have so far filled 3 extra hearts. You currently have 9 more extra hearts that you can fill if you take further damage.

Explore Dungeon

Choose any die and move up to two steps through the dungeon. Or choose a die with the Boots symbol and move up to three steps.

To show your journey through the dungeon, draw arrows between adjacent rooms as you move between them to record all the steps you take.

• When you take your first step, move through any archway along the bottom edge of the dungeon, and into one of the six rooms in the bottom row.
• Each further step allows you to move through a doorway into an orthogonally adjacent room. You may retrace your steps and move into and through rooms which you have already visited.
• You cannot move through walls (either pre-printed walls or walls drawn during setup) or over water (unless you have the Intangibility Cloak or Khar Medallion artifacts).
• Each pair of rooms on opposite edges of the dungeon which have archways with a double arrow are connected to each other. This means that you can move between rooms A2 and F2, and between A4 and F4.

When you move into a room, you must first fight any minion or trigger any trap, if present, before you can claim any treasure. To help you track your journey, cross out any minion you fight, and draw a circle around any treasure you claim.

You may move back into or through a room you have already visited. If you do, you do not fight any minion again and cannot claim any treasure again — but always trigger a trap!

Example: You enter the dungeon in room C1, and claim the treasure (brew one potion), and then move into D1, which contains a Goblin (level 3). Your Rogue (which is at level 2) must fight it. The Goblin is defeated, but you must take 1 damage. After the fight, you can claim the treasure and brew one potion.

Fight Minion

There are four kinds of minion, and each must be fought by a different hero:

• Orcs must be fought by warriors.

• Ghosts must be fought by wizards.

• Zombies must be fought by clerics.

• Goblins must be fought by rogues.

• If the minion's level is equal to or lower than your hero's level, the hero defeats the minion and you take no damage.

• If the minion's level is higher than your hero's level, the hero still defeats the minion but will take damage equal to the difference between levels. You cannot choose not to fight a minion.

Each time you defeat a minion, fill in the next empty box, going left to right, on your Minions track.

At the end of the game, the minions you defeated are worth glory points equal to the value below the last filled box on your Minions track.

Trigger Trap

Every time you enter a room with a trap, take 1 damage.

Claim Treasure

Some rooms have treasure in them. After you defeat any minion or trigger any trap, claim the treasure:

• Take a level up hero action (any hero).
• Take a craft artifact action (any artifact).
• Take a brew potion action.
• Claim a gem. Fill the next circle on your Gems track, going left to right.

Gems are different from other treasures. After everyone has finished taking their actions, any player who claimed one or more gems from within the dungeon this round must declare this (for example: "I claimed gem B!"), and all other players must cross out that gem in their dungeon. Crossed out gems cannot be claimed in a later round, but two or more players may claim the same gem in a single round.

There are bonus gems outside the dungeon. You can claim one if your Rogue reaches level 4. You can claim the other if you brew your 12th potion. These gems can be claimed by all players and do not disappear from other players' sheets.

When you claim your 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th or 10th gem, immediately take a bonus action, as shown by the icons on the Gems track:

• 2nd or 10th gem: Take a craft artifact action (any artifact).
• 4th or 8th gem: Take a brew potion action.
• 6th gem: Take a level up hero action (any hero).

At the end of the game, the gems you claimed are worth glory points equal to the value beside the last filled circle on your Gems track.

Example: You enter the dungeon in room F1 and immediately claim the treasure (brew a potion). You then move into E1. You first trigger the trap and take 1 damage and then claim the treasure (craft artifact).

4. Fight the Monster

At the end of rounds 3, 6 and 8, the corresponding monster shown on the Round track attacks the players. In other rounds, skip this step.

Each player must either fight the monster or run away. To find out what happens, check two things:

1. Have you already reached or moved through the room containing the monster? If not, you cannot fight the monster. If you reach the monster in a later round, nothing happens.

2. What is the total strength of your team? To successfully fight the monster your total strength must be at least equal to the lowest of the three strengths shown on the Monster card.

• Add up the levels of your four heroes.
• Each monster has a weakness against one of your heroes (warrior, wizard, cleric or rogue) shown by the '×2' icon on the monster card. Double the value of the level of this hero when calculating your strength.
• Add any strength bonuses gained from your Power card, levelling up your Warrior, or crafting the Flaming Sword.

Example: It is the end of round 3. You have already moved through the room containing the first monster so you must fight it!

Run Away!

If your total strength is lower than the lowest value on the card, or if you did not reach the monster, you must run away. You take no damage, but lose glory points equal to the penalty on the Monster card. Write this value in the corresponding shield at the bottom of your sheet.

Fight!

All the other players must fight the monster separately (you cannot choose to run away). Compare your total strength to the three values shown on the bottom of the Monster card. Earn the glory points and take the damage shown beside the highest of these values that your total strength can match or exceed. Write the glory points in the corresponding shield at the bottom of your sheet.

The player with the highest total strength also earns the reward shown on the card. If there is a tie, no-one receives the reward. The rewards are:

• Take a level up hero action (any hero).
• Take a craft artifact action (any artifact).
• Brew two potions.
• Earn 2 additional glory points.

The Monster Card

• I. Identification
• II. Weakness: Double the level of this hero when calculating your total strength.
• III. Reward: The player with the highest total strength earns this bonus.
• IV. Penalty: If you can't fight the monster, lose this number of glory points.
• V. Disappearing gems: If playing with this variant (see 'Variants' on page 13), cross out these gems after the fight.
• VI. Strength: Strength levels required to fight the monster.
• VII. Glory: Glory points earned when you fight the monster.
• VIII. Damage: Damage taken when you fight the monster.

Example: You are all fighting the Chimera. This monster's weakness is the Rogue. All players reached the room with the monster.

Player A has a total strength of 16. This beats the lowest strength value of the Chimera (14) but doesn't match that second-lowest value (18). Player A earns 3 glory points and takes 4 damage.

Player B has a total strength of only 13. This is lower than the Chimera's lowest strength value. Player B must run away and loses 4 glory points.

Player C has a total strength of 22, which matches the Chimera's highest strength value. Player C earns 7 glory points and takes only 2 damage. Player C has the highest strength so also receives the reward (a bonus craft artifact action).

Game End

The game ends after the fight with the third monster at the end of round 8. Add up all the glory points you earned. The player with the most glory wins. If there is a tie, the tied player who visited the most different dungeon rooms wins. If there is still a tie, all tied players share victory.

Use the shields along the bottom of your player sheet to keep track of the number of glory points you earned.

• A. First monster: Glory earned or lost fighting the first monster.
• B. Second monster: Glory earned or lost fighting the second monster.
• C. Third monster: Glory earned or lost fighting the third monster.
• D. Heroes: Look at your hero which reached the lowest level. Earn glory equal to the number shown in the shield at the bottom of the matching column. Earn 1 additional glory for each hero that reached level 6.
• E. Artifacts: Each filled box is worth 1 glory point, whether or not you completed the artifact. If you crafted the Sceptre lose 1 glory. If you crafted the Medallion, Armour, Tome or Crown earn 1, 2, 3 or 4 glory respectively.
• F. Gems: Earn glory equal to the value shown beside the last filled circle on your Gems track.
• G. Minions: Earn glory equal to the value shown below the last filled box on your Minions track.
• H. Damage: Lose glory equal to the highest penalty beside your Damage track which has a filled heart beside it.
• I. Resurrection: Lose 9 glory if you were resurrected.
• J. Objective and Power cards: Earn glory if you partially or fully completed your Objective card. Also, lose or earn glory if your Power card has a penalty or bonus.
• K. Missions: Earn glory for each mission you completed.
• L. Total: Add up the total in shields A–K. Most glory wins!

Variants

Disappearing Gems

After the fight with a monster at the end of rounds 3 and 6, check the Monster card to see which gems disappear. All players must cross out the two gems shown. These cannot be claimed in a later round.

Campaign Mode

There is a 12 episode campaign storyline included with Paper Dungeons. Join a group of heroes as they go on an adventure through the Western lands to write their names in the history books.

To play the campaign, check the letters in the bottom-right corner of the Dungeon cards: this is the order in which to play each Dungeon. At the start of each game, read the text on the reverse of the card and play the game as normal, but keep track of the glory each player earns in each game. The player who earns the highest total glory across the twelve games is the winner.

Solo Mode

• Monsters: When you fight a monster, you do not gain the reward for having the highest total strength.
• Missions: The glory points you earn for completing a mission depend on the round in which you achieve it. The glory points are shown on the right-hand edge of the Mission card.
• Disappearing gems: Always play with the 'Disappearing gems' variant explained above

Almanac

Artifacts

• Flaming Sword: Add +3 strength when you fight a monster (not a minion).
• Death Scepter: Kill two minions anywhere in your dungeon. Cross them out and fill the first two empty boxes, going left to right, on your Minion track. Lose 1 glory point at the end of the game.
• Khar Medallion: You may now move over water. Earn 1 glory point at the end of the game.
• Intangibility Cloak: You may now move through walls.
• Crown of the Righteous King: Earn 4 glory points at the end of the game.
• Alchemist's Cauldron: Prepare 3 potions.
• Armour of Heroes: Add +1 strength when you fight a minion (not a monster). Earn 2 glory points at the end of the game.
• Tome of Wisdom: Level up any one of your heroes. Earn 3 glory points at the end of the game.

Power Cards

• Alchemist: Each time you use a dice action to brew two potions, brew an extra potion. Lose 1 glory point at the end of the game.
• Artisan: (the card is titled 'Craftsman') During setup, craft two halves of two different artifacts. Lose 3 glory points at the end of the game.
• Assassin: During setup, kill two minions anywhere in your dungeon. Cross them out and fill the first two boxes, going left to right, on your Minion track.
• Barbarian: Do not take damage when you fight a monster.
• Beastmaster: When you defeat your 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th minion, take a craft artifact action. Lose 2 glory points at the end of the game.
• Berserker: Add +2 strength when you fight a monster (not a minion). Lose 2 glory points at the end of the game.
• Fortune Teller: Each time you take damage from Skulls at the start of a round, take one less damage. Earn 2 glory points at the end of the game.
• Healer: During setup, brew two potions. Fill the first two circles on the top row of your Potions track, going left to right. Earn 2 glory points at the end of the game.
• Merchant: Each time you claim a gem, from your dungeon or as a bonus, take a brew potion action.
• Noble: Each time one of your heroes reaches level 5, take a craft artifact action. Lose 1 glory point at the end of the game.
• Psionic: Once each round, you can use a white die as if it was a black die or vice versa.
• Ranger: If you have crafted the Khar Medallion, move one extra step if you use the Medallion to move over water. Lose 1 glory point at the end of the game.
• Scout: Do not take damage when you trigger a trap. Lose 2 glory points at the end of the game.
• Shaman: When you defeat your 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th minion, take a brew potion action. Earn 3 glory points at the end of the game.
• Treasure Hunter: During setup, claim 1 bonus gem. Fill the first circle, going left to right, on your Gems track.
• Veteran: During setup, choose two of your heroes to start at level 2 (fill one box on two different Hero tracks, and fill two circles on your Health track). Lose 3 glory points at the end of the game.

Credits

The author would like to thank everyone that contributed to this project, especially to "Mansão das Peças", which was fundamental to make this game a reality.

Game design by: Leandro Pires Art and graphic design: Dan Ramos Produced by: Diego Bianchini Diagrammed by: Gerson Lopes Reviewed by: Márcio Botelho Rulebook by: Thiago Leite

English editor: Denholm Spurr English rulebook editor: Brett J. Gilbert English graphic design: Sebastian Koziner & Magalí Reyes

Published in English under license by Alley Cat Games