Quest Master Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Card Types
  • Character Cards
  • Item Cards
  • Event Cards
  • Castle Cards
• The Board
• Power Dial Cards
• Dice
• Movement
• Card Decks
• Cards in Hand
• Used Cards
• Symbols
• Setup
• Combat
• Turn Sequence
• Winning and Losing
• Forum Questions and Answers
  • Attacks, and Whether Attacking Is Compulsory (December 2009)
  • Card Clarifications: Fairy Bow, Attack Changes, Home Squares, Moved Characters, Warp to the Hydra Map (June 2010 to October 2010)
  • Yellow Bird Shoe Card: Extra Movement (May 2010)
  • Items After Defeating the Hydra (May 2010)

Components

• 1 Quest Master board
• 8 Character cards
• 1 Item card deck
• 1 Event card deck
• 4 power dial cards
• 8 pawns
• 2 dice of two colours: 1 red die and 1 blue die

Card Types

Quest Master has 4 types of card:

1. Character card
2. Item card
3. Event card
4. Castle card

Character Cards

1. Hp is the starting life points. When the game starts, the player spins their power dial card to the number of Hp shown in the box on their Character card. Each character has a different starting Hp.
2. Race. There are 5 races: Priest, Warrior, Mage, Robot and Evil. These relate to the Item and Event cards, and some cards state that they are used specially with particular races.
3. Starting At. This is described in the combat section. When a player starts a combat first, they can use the At value shown on their Character card to attack the opponent without paying any Mp (casting points).
4. Attack values. These are also described in the combat section. When a player has Mp left, they can pay Mp to attack, or to use the character's ability.

Example Character card: this is the Robot profession. Its starting Hp is 23 and its starting At is 2. In combat, when the player has Mp left, they may pay Mp 2 to order an attack with At 2. Its other ability: when an opponent attacks, the player may pay Mp 1 to gain Shield +1. This ability can be used only once per combat.

Item Cards

1. Item cards are weapons and support equipment that make the player more effective in combat. Item cards are gained by landing on an Item square, or from the ability of a Character card or an Event card. There are two kinds of Item card:
   • Cards played in combat. These can be used only when two players are fighting. The card's ability states when and how it is used.
   • Cards played outside combat. These can be used at various points of the game. The card's ability states when it can be used. For example, a card that can be used before rolling the movement dice can be used only at that point and at no other time.
2. The abilities of Item cards fall into 4 types:
   • 2.1 Cards that say "used together with an attack", marked with a sword symbol. These are attack weapons. The card can be used only while you are attacking.
   • 2.2 Cards that say "used while an opponent attacks", marked with a shield symbol. These are mostly defensive shields used against an opponent's attack. The card can be used only when you are defending, or when an opponent attacks you.
   • 2.3 Cards that say "this card can be used together with an attack or while an opponent attacks", marked with a sword and shield symbol. These can be used at either time described in 2.1 and 2.2.
   • 2.4 Cards that say they are used at a stated time, marked with a foot symbol. Most of these cannot be used in combat. They are used at other times, for example "this card can be used before we roll the movement dice".
3. Casting cost. This is the Mp needed to use the attack. Red cards have no casting cost, because they can be used at once outside combat. If a card is blue, its casting cost is stated in its value area, and these values are used in combat. [Translator's note: the source says "ถ้าหลังการ์ดเป็นสีฟ้า", which literally means "if the back of the card is blue". The source does not make the colour cue clearer, so the rule is transcribed as printed.] See "Combat".

Shield. Some cards have the ability "Shield +2". This is armour. For example, if the attacker attacks with At 8 and the defender has Shield +5, the defender is treated as defending against At 5. The attacker still attacks for the remaining At, which is At 3 in this example.

Event Cards

Event cards are various events. When a player opens an Event card, they must follow the card's ability. The ability is printed on the left side of the card, and may need other equipment, such as dice.

Example Event card: the Clown Doll card. Its ability: roll the red die. If the player rolls a number, they draw 1 Item card. If the player rolls a sword, they move back 1 step.

Castle Cards

Castle cards describe the five castles on the board. When a player lands on a Castle square, they must look at the Castle card and follow its ability.

1. Race. This shows which profession can start at this Castle. The starting Castles are:
   • Warrior starts at the Castle.
   • Mage starts at the Wizard School.
   • Priest starts at the Church.
   • Robot starts at the Scientist's House.
   • Evil starts at the Haunted House.
2. Upper ability. The ability in the upper box applies to all professions except the profession shown by the symbol. A player of another profession who lands on this Castle must follow the upper ability. Some abilities need other equipment, such as dice.
3. Lower ability. The ability in the lower box applies to players whose profession matches the symbol on the card. Such a player gains the lower ability immediately, and does not follow the upper ability.

The Board

The board uses 5 symbols:

• Castle
• Event
• Item
• Sword
• Warp

Castle. The board has 5 castles: the Castle (Warrior), the Wizard School (Mage), the Church (Priest), the Scientist's House (Robot) and the Haunted House (Evil). When a player lands on a Castle square, they must follow the ability of that castle on the Castle card. If the player's profession matches the castle, they instead gain the ability in the lower part of the card, and do not follow the upper ability.

Example: on the Church castle, the card's ability says: roll 1 die. The player gains Hp equal to the number rolled. If the die shows a symbol, count it as 1. However, a Priest gains Hp +5 instead.

Event. When a player lands on an Event square, they open the top Event card of the Event deck and follow its ability.

Example Event card: roll the blue die. If it shows a number, draw 2 Item cards. If it shows a chest, nothing happens. If it shows a bomb, this is a trap: Hp -3.

Item. When a player lands on an Item square, they draw 1 Item card into their hand. If the player then has more than 5 cards in hand, they must discard cards immediately until they have 5.

Sword. When a player lands on a Sword square, they must choose one other player to fight. The player who landed on the Sword square may attack with free attack power, meaning without paying Mp. See "Combat" for details.

[Translator's note: the source text reads "ค่าพลังโจมตีฟี" here. The word appears to be a typo for "ฟรี" (free), which matches the combat rules, where the attacker's first attack costs no Mp.]

Warp. When a player passes this square (simply moving through it is enough), they may immediately move to another Warp square. After moving to another Warp square, the player must stop moving at once.

Power Dial Cards

Power dial cards show the player's current Hp. At the start of the game, each player spins their power dial to the Hp shown on their Character card. When a player loses Hp in combat, they spin the dial to show the reduced value.

Dice

The dice are one red die and one blue die.

• Red die: 1, 2, 3, 4, sword, sword
• Blue die: 1, 2, 3, 4, bomb (Event), chest

Movement

When a player rolls the dice to move, they roll both dice.

• If both dice show numbers, add them together and move that many squares. Example: rolling 2 and 4 means the player must move 6 squares (2 + 4).
• If one die shows a number and the other shows a symbol, the player chooses one of the two. Example: rolling 3 and a sword, the player chooses either to move 3 squares or to fight.
• If one die shows a symbol and the other shows a different symbol, the player chooses one of the two. Example: rolling a chest and a sword, the player chooses either to draw an Item card or to fight.
• Example: rolling a bomb (Event) and a 4, the player chooses either to open an Event card or to move 4 squares.
• If both dice show symbols, the player may choose not to move.

Card Decks

There are 2 decks: the Event deck and the Item deck. At the start of the game, each deck is placed in its position on the board.

When a deck runs out, the players may take all of the used cards of that type, shuffle them and turn them over to make a new deck.

Cards in Hand

At the start of the game, each player takes 1 Item card. A player may never hold more than 5 cards in hand, at any time.

Example: a player holds 5 cards and lands on an Item square. They draw 1 Item card, making 6 cards. They must then discard 1 card so that they hold only 5.

Used Cards

There are 2 kinds of used cards: used Item cards and used Event cards.

• When a player uses an Item card, for any reason, the card is placed on the used Item discard pile.
• When a player opens an Event card and follows its ability, the card is placed on the used Event discard pile.

When the Event deck or the Item deck runs out, the players may take that type of card from its used discard pile, shuffle them and make a new deck.

Symbols

The symbols used in the game are:

• Warrior
• Mage
• Priest
• Robot
• Evil

Setup

1. The game can be played by 2 to 6 players. For more fun, it is best played by about 4 to 6 players.
2. Each player chooses a profession and takes the matching Character card, which they keep in front of them.
3. Place the board on the table. Place the Item deck and the Event deck in their positions on the board.
4. Place the Castle cards beside the board, for easy reference.
5. Each player takes 1 power dial card.
6. Each player spins their power dial card to the Hp shown on their Character card. Each character has a different Hp.
7. Each player takes 1 Item card to start.
8. All players roll the dice to decide who starts. The player who rolls the highest total goes first. If a player rolls a symbol, count it as 0. [Translator's note: the source does not say how many dice are rolled for this; the rule is transcribed as printed.]
9. Each player places their pawn on the starting square of their profession:
   • Warrior starts at the Castle.
   • Mage starts at the Wizard School.
   • Priest starts at the Church.
   • Robot starts at the Scientist's House.
   • Evil (demon) starts at the Haunted House.
10. Once every player is on their starting square, the player who goes first rolls the dice to begin the game. Play continues in turn order until there is a winner.

Combat

Whenever a player must enter combat, for example by landing on a Sword square or by an ability of an Event card, the combat follows these steps.

1. The player who starts the combat is the attacker. They choose one other player to fight. That other player is the defender.
2. Both players roll one die each to determine their Mp, which is used to play cards and abilities in the combat. Either die may be used. If the die shows a number, that player gains that much Mp. If the die shows a symbol, the Mp is counted as 0 at once.
3. The attacker always attacks first. The attacker may attack without paying any Mp. The attack power is the At value shown under the "At" label on the Character card. In this set of characters, the At value is 2 for every character. The attacker may also use Item cards marked "used together with an attack", as long as they have enough Mp to pay the card's casting cost. For example, with 2 Mp, the attacker may use Item cards with casting costs of 0, 1 or 2.
4. After the attacker attacks, the defender is the defending side and may use Item cards marked "used while an opponent attacks". The attacker may not use any Item card during this step.
5. Once the damage is resolved, reduce the defender's Hp and spin the power dial to show the lower value. For example, if the attacker attacks with At 5 and the defender uses the Item card "Shield +3", the defender loses 2 Hp.
6. After this, the defender becomes the attacking side, if they have enough Mp to pay for an attack. They may then use Item cards marked "used together with an attack", as long as they have enough Mp to pay the card's casting cost.
7. The original attacker now becomes the defender, and may use the Item cards marked "used while an opponent attacks".
8. A player who has become the attacking side but does not attack may not attack again in that combat.
9. When both players have stopped attacking, or when a player can no longer attack because they have no Mp left, the combat ends for both sides. The next player then takes their turn.

Example combat. Player A is a Warrior with Hp 3. Player B is a Robot with Hp 4. Player A chooses to fight B.

1. Players A and B each roll one die for Mp. Player A rolls 2. Player B rolls 3.
2. Player A is the attacker and attacks first for free, without paying Mp. Player A attacks with At 2 and uses the Item card "Sword" (Mp 0), which gives At +1, making At 3. Player A attacks Player B with At 3.
3. Player B uses the Robot's ability, Shield +2, by paying Mp 1 (Player B now has Mp 2). In total, Player B takes only At 1 of damage. Player B's Hp goes from 4 to 3.
4. Player B now becomes the attacker, paying Mp 2 to attack Player A with At 2. Player B now has Mp 0.
5. Player A is the defender and takes At 2 of damage. Player A's Hp goes from 3 to 1.
6. Player A becomes the attacker again, because Player A still has 2 Mp and can still attack. Player A pays Mp 2 to attack Player B with At 3. Player A now has Mp 0.
7. Player B is the defender and takes At 3 of damage. Player B's Hp goes from 3 to 0.
8. Player B loses the game.

Turn Sequence

When a player's turn begins, they follow these steps.

1. At the start, before rolling the movement dice, some Item cards may be used at this point.
2. Roll the dice to move. Roll both dice. (See "Dice" and "Movement".) Move the pawn along the path as the dice allow. Or the pawn may not move, if the dice show symbols on both dice.
3. After moving, some Item cards may be used at this point.
4. When a player lands on a square, they must follow what that square says:
   • Castle: the player must follow the ability of that Castle on its Castle card.
   • Item: the player may draw 1 Item card from the deck. If the player then has more than 5 Item cards, they must discard until they have 5 cards.
   • Event: the player may open 1 Event card and follow its ability.
   • Warp: simply passing through this square is enough to move to another Warp square. (See "Warp".)
   • Sword: the player must choose one other player to fight. (See "Combat".)
5. When all of these activities are finished, the player says so, so that the next player can continue the game.

Winning and Losing

There are 3 ways to win.

1. Last player standing. When every other player has reached Hp 0, the last remaining player wins the game immediately.
2. Five castles. When one player has landed on all 5 Castle squares, that player wins the game immediately. The player must land on each Castle square; passing through is not enough. The source says a player may mark that they have landed on a castle; it does not say how the mark is made.
3. Hp over 40. When one player has more than 40 Hp, that player wins immediately. In this case the other players may keep playing to decide the next winners.

Forum Questions and Answers

The following questions and answers are from the same St. Magnus webboard thread, in the order they were posted. Forum members' names are omitted. The moderator's answers are reproduced as written. Where the thread does not answer a question, the entry says so. Some answers refer to an expansion map (the Hydra or Warok map) and to Item cards gained after defeating the Hydra. The base rules above do not describe these, and this translation does not add them.

Attacks, and Whether Attacking Is Compulsory (December 2009)

Question. The rule says that a player who has entered combat as an attacker but did not attack may not attack again. So the questioner understood that combat continues while the players keep taking turns to attack. A attacks and B defends, then B attacks and A defends, alternating until Mp runs out. Together, the two sides may make no more than 2 attacks per combat. When one side has to attack and does not, that side may not attack again, and the other side attacks until it has made 2 attacks, runs out of Mp, or stops attacking. Is this correct? The questioner also asked: (1) Is an attack that costs no Mp compulsory, or may the player choose not to attack? (2) If a player has Hp 1, the opponent attacks for 2, and the player uses the Phoenix card to revive to Hp 5, must the player still lose 1 more Hp?

Answer (moderator). (1) An attack that costs no Mp is a free attack, and it is compulsory. (2) The player's Hp is 5. No further 1 Hp is lost.

Note: the thread does not explicitly confirm or correct the questioner's summary of the alternation rule.

Card Clarifications: Fairy Bow, Attack Changes, Home Squares, Moved Characters, Warp to the Hydra Map (June 2010 to October 2010)

Question. Several card questions were asked together, as follows.

1. The card "Fairy Bow" says it destroys cards. Does this mean (A) the user randomly discards a card from the opponent's hand, or (B) the player who must discard chooses which card to discard?

   Answer. It means destroying Item cards in the other player's hand. Answer B: the player who is ordered to discard chooses which card to discard.

2. Does "changes the attack power to" mean that the opponent's At becomes 0? Or does the At remain the same, and the card only adds Hp or Mp as stated? For example, the opponent attacks us with At 4. If we use this item, do we take no attack and gain Hp or Mp 4?

   Answer (as given in the thread). Roughly, yes: if the opponent attacks with At 4 and we use the item, we are not attacked and gain Hp or Mp 4.

3. When a card tells us to return to our profession's starting city, do we receive that city's effect, or do we only go to the square that is named?

   Answer. We also receive the effect of the home of that profession.

4. When a card moves a character forward or backward, and the character lands on a new square, does the new square's effect apply? Example: A lands on an Event square and opens the Event card "Clown jumps out of a mystery box". A rolls the red die and gets a sword. The result is "move back 1 step". A moves back onto an Item square. Does A open an Item card? If another player B is standing on the square A moves back to, must A fight B? Also, do the other 4 example cards work the same way as the Clown card?

   Answer. If an Event card moves a character forward or back to another square, the player also receives that square's effect. If the move lands on an Event square and the Event card has a similar move effect, the effects continue in the same way. The thread does not separately address whether a fight occurs when another player is on the square.

5. Can these cards move a character from the normal map to the Warok (Hydra) map? Some cards do not say that the new square's effect is not applied. If a player gets the "Time" card and returns to their profession city, do they get that city's effect? Or do they get the effect of other squares, such as opening an Item, moving to a Warp square, or fighting? Or does the move have no effect on the square landed on?

Yellow Bird Shoe Card: Extra Movement (May 2010)

Question. How is the yellow bird-shaped shoe card, which adds a movement square, used?

Answer. It is used when any player has finished rolling the dice. It adds 1 square of movement. For example, a player rolls 3 and a sword.

• Case 1: the player chooses to move forward 3 squares. The shoe card can be used to add 1 more square, for 4 squares in total. The player receives the effect of the new square reached, which is square 4.
• Case 2: the player chooses to fight. The shoe card can be used to move forward 1 square. The player then does not fight, and receives the effect of the new square reached, which is square 1.

Items After Defeating the Hydra (May 2010)

Question 1. Which character gets which item after the Hydra is defeated? The questioner thought the Swordsman might be confused with the Robot.

Answer 1. Go by the text on the card.

Question 2. If the expansion map is used, are the Item cards gained after defeating the Hydra permanent items that stay with the player and cannot be destroyed?

Answer 2. If they must be given a name, they should be called "special abilities" rather than items. After defeating the Hydra, the item is not kept in the hand. It is placed on the field, as if the character had an extra special ability.