Questline Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Components
• Card Anatomy
• Setup
• Creating a Questline
  • Questline Examples
• Card Features
  • Terrain, Tags, & Skills
  • Abilities
• How to Play
  • 1. Draw a Card
  • 2. Discard a Card
• Completing a Hand
  • 1. Remove Discarded Cards
  • 2. Gain an Epilogue
  • 3. Await Scoring
  • Timing Disputes
  • Gameplay Tips
• Final Scoring
  • 1. Reveal the Questline
    • Final Scoring Example
  • 2. Tell the Story
  • 3. Score the Questline
    • Second Scoring Example
• Solo Play
  • Solo Setup
  • Solo Gameplay
  • Solo Final Scoring

Overview

In Questline, players compete to earn the most reputation stars by chaining together seven cards in their hand, attempting to tell the most compelling story for their hero.

Players draw, swap, and discard cards to create an ascending sequence of levels, optimizing the reputation stars gained from each card.

Once satisfied with the cards forming their questline, players remove their discarded cards from play and claim an epilogue card.

All players then display their cards, recount their hero's journey, and score reputation stars. The player with the most stars is proclaimed a legendary storyteller and wins the game!

Components

• 18 Class Cards
• 72 Adventure Cards
• 6 Epilogue Cards
• 6 Reference Cards
• 1 Score Pad

Card Anatomy

Each card displays:

1. Level
2. Name
3. Terrain
4. Tag(s)
5. Skill
6. Ability or Effect
7. Quest
8. Reputation Stars
9. Shortcut
10. Mastery
11. Flavor Text

Setup

1. Shuffle the class cards and place them face down in the center of the table to form the class deck.

2. Shuffle the adventure cards and place them face down next to the class deck to form the adventure deck.

3. Collect epilogue cards based on the number of players, and return any unused epilogue cards to the game box.

   Players	Epilogue Cards
   2	4, 6
   3	3, 4, 6
   4	2, 3, 5, 6
   5	1, 2, 3, 5, 6
   6	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

4. Stack the collected epilogue cards face up next to the adventure deck in numerical order so that the card with the highest reputation star value (True Hero) is on top, and the card with the lowest reputation star value is on the bottom.

5. Each player draws two class cards and six adventure cards to create their starting hand.

6. Each player chooses a class or adventure card from their hand and places it face down in front of themselves to create their discard area. Once all players have chosen, they simultaneously reveal the card in their discard area.

The game is ready to begin!

Creating a Questline

Cards in a questline are displayed and scored from left to right, and must start with a class card. The sequence does not have to be in strict numerical order. To score a card above level 1 without penalty, all previous levels must be present on cards to the left in the questline.

For example, in order to score a level 4 card, levels 1, 2, and 3 must appear on cards to the left of it in the questline unless an ability allows that player to skip that level. (See Shortcuts, below.)

Cards with a level of "?" can be used as any single level number in the player's questline. This card's reputation stars are equal to its level.

Cards with multiple level numbers are considered all depicted levels.

Shortcuts allow players to skip a level number in their questline.

Questline Examples

A sequence such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 scores all cards.

A sequence like 1, ?, 3, 2, 4, 5, 5 also scores all cards. The sequence does not need to be strictly ascending, so the level 4 card scores because there is a level 3 card before it. Both level 5 cards also score.

Each shortcut in a questline allows one level number in the sequence to be skipped.

Card Features

Terrain, Tags, & Skills

All cards feature a terrain type. Most cards also feature one or more tags or skills. Terrain, tags, and skills do not have value by themselves but are referenced by other abilities.

• Terrains: dungeon, forest, mountain, village
• Tags: beast, combat, gear, gold, social, undead
• Skills: agility, might, magic

Abilities

Some cards feature abilities in their lower section:

• Quest and mastery abilities award reputation stars based on other cards in a player's questline.
• Shortcuts help bridge gaps in a player's questline.
• Some cards have unique abilities that provide additional scoring opportunities.

Quests are bonuses that check for the number of times an indicated terrain or tag is present to the right in a player's questline. They award reputation stars for each time the condition is met.

Example: A quest that grants 3 reputation stars each time a gold tag appears on a card to the right of this one in the player's questline.

Masteries are conditional bonuses that award reputation stars if the indicated terrain, tag, or skill is present to the left in a player's questline. Unlike quests, masteries only award stars once, even if the condition is met more than once.

Example: A mastery that grants 3 reputation stars if at least two cards with forest terrain appear to the left of this one.

If a card shows more than one quest or mastery, each scores independently.

Shortcuts allow the player to skip a level number in their questline without receiving a penalty during final scoring. Shortcuts can be applied if the card after the skipped number matches the indicated tag or terrain.

• The level skipped by a shortcut may be any level to the right of the card with the shortcut.
• Shortcuts may be combined to skip multiple levels before the same card.

Example: Skip one level before a card with an undead tag. Example: Skip one level before any card.

Setbacks prevent skill icons from meeting conditions on masteries. Matching skill icons to the left of a setback cannot be used to meet the mastery conditions to the right of the setback.

Example: An agility setback prevents a mastery from scoring.

How to Play

Questline is NOT played in turns and has no rounds. Players play simultaneously at their own pace to optimize their hand of cards. Each player decides independently when they have completed their hand and are ready to score.

To play, each player repeats the steps below in order.

1. Draw a Card

Add a card to the player's hand from either:

1. The top card of the adventure deck
2. The top card of the class deck
3. The player's own discard area
4. The discard area of a player seated immediately to the left or right

2. Discard a Card

Choose a card from the player's hand, either class or adventure card, and place it face up in their discard area.

All cards in a player's discard area should be face up and easily viewed by other players.

If a player ever has seven cards in their discard area, they may draw cards only from their own discard area. However, if another player draws a card from the player's discard area, the player can resume drawing cards from any location.

A player may never have more than eight cards in their hand.

Completing a Hand

When a player is satisfied with their hand of seven cards and has decided their questline is complete, they follow these steps:

1. Remove Discarded Cards

Collect all cards in the player's discard area and flip them face down, removing them from play.

Other players may not draw cards from the discard area of a player who has completed their hand. The players to their left and right have one fewer location from which to draw cards.

If playing with two players, do not flip cards in the discard area face down after completing a hand. They remain in play for the other player.

2. Gain an Epilogue

Take the highest value card of the epilogue deck.

3. Await Scoring

Wait and take no further actions. Once there is only one player who has not taken an epilogue card, the final player may draw and discard twice before they must complete their hand.

Move to final scoring after all players have completed their hands.

Timing Disputes

If two players want to take a face-up card at the same time, and it is not clear who was first, the discard area's owner decides who receives the card.

Gameplay Tips

• Arrange your opening hand in ascending level order to identify any gaps in the sequence. Next, modify your hand to ensure the sequence is complete and error-free. Finally, focus on maximizing reputation stars.
• Look for synergies between class cards and adventure cards in your hand. It will help decide what cards to look for.
• Place cards in your discard area facing your opponents so it is easier for them to read.
• Adjust your pace of play to the flow of the game. If there is nothing interesting available, draw a card or two. Evaluate the options in each of the discard areas. Wait for the other players to create more options.
• Avoid filling up your discard area too quickly. Leave a spot or two open for cards that may become available.

Final Scoring

Each player scores their questline, starting with the player who claimed the highest value epilogue card. To complete final scoring:

1. Reveal the Questline

Reveal each card from the player's hand one at a time, starting with the lowest level card, following the level sequence rules. (See Creating a Questline, above.)

For each gap in the level sequence without an available shortcut, place a card with the highest level from the player's questline face down in the gap. Face-down cards are not scored. Then add the player's epilogue card to the end of their questline.

Final Scoring Example

A questline reads: 1 Thief, Tamed and Trained Familiars, Withstood a Skeleton Raid, Inherited the Wyvern Lance.

• Thief provides an agility icon and scores 4 for the two gold tags to the right of this card.
• Tamed and Trained Familiars does not score any points but does provide a shortcut, which is used to skip level 7.
• Withstood a Skeleton Raid scores 4.
• Inherited the Wyvern Lance scores 2 but creates a setback, canceling the player's agility icon from Thief.

2. Tell the Story

Narrate the hero's story aloud through the events depicted in their questline.

3. Score the Questline

Evaluate each card in the player's questline and record on the scorepad the number of reputation stars awarded. Add or subtract the number of base reputation stars awarded, plus any additional reputation stars awarded by the card's abilities.

The player with the most reputation stars is the winner and proclaimed the most legendary storyteller! In case of a tie, the player with the highest-value epilogue card is the winner.

Second Scoring Example

A questline reads: Eradicated an Infestation, Consulted a Village Oracle, Conquered a Rebel Kingdom, Defender (epilogue).

• Eradicated an Infestation scores 5. It does not score 2 for the mastery, due to the setback on the previous card.
• Consulted a Village Oracle scores 3 plus 2 for the mountain terrain mastery and 4 for the two-village terrain mastery.
• Conquered a Rebel Kingdom scores 5 plus 3 for the two-village terrain mastery. It does not score 3 for the two-forest terrain mastery.
• Finally, the Defender epilogue scores 4.

The player's total score is: 36.

Solo Play

In solo play, you earn reputation stars and measure your success against storytellers of the past.

Solo Setup

1. Shuffle the class deck and place it in the center of the table.

2. Create the adventure deck for solo play and place it to the right of the class deck:

   1. Place the 1 epilogue card face down.
   2. Create four face-down piles of adventure cards with five cards in each pile.
   3. Shuffle the 2 epilogue card into one pile and stack it on top of the 1 epilogue card.
   4. Shuffle the 3 epilogue card into a second pile and stack it on top of the first pile.
   5. Shuffle the 4 epilogue card into the third pile and stack it on top of the second pile.
   6. Shuffle the last pile and stack it on top of the third pile.

   The 5 epilogue card is not used in solo play.

3. Place the 6 epilogue card face up to the right of the adventure deck.

4. Reveal one class card from the class deck and two adventure cards from the adventure deck, then place them in your discard area.

5. Draw two class cards. Then, draw five adventure cards from the remaining adventure cards (not from the adventure deck).

6. Return all remaining adventure cards to the box.

The game is ready to begin!

Solo Gameplay

To optimize your hand of cards, take one of the following actions:

• Complete Your Hand — Claim the revealed epilogue card with the lowest value, remove all cards in your discard area, and move to final scoring.

• Draw and Discard — Add a card to your hand from your discard area. Then, discard a card into your discard area, replacing the added card.

  In solo play, you never draw cards from the face-down class or adventure decks.

• Reset — Remove all cards in your discard area, replacing them with one class card from the class deck and two cards from the adventure deck.

Whenever an epilogue card is revealed from the top of the adventure deck, immediately place it face up on top of any previously revealed epilogue cards before continuing to reveal adventure cards.

If there are no cards remaining in the adventure deck, you may no longer take the Reset action. You may take only the Complete Your Hand or Draw and Discard actions.

Solo Final Scoring

Complete final scoring as in the multiplayer game. Compare your results to the scoring chart below to see how you measure up.

Reputation	Rank
48+	Legendary Storyteller of Ulos
44-47	Bardsong Favorite
40-43	Local Historian
36-39	Rumor Recounter
28-35	Campfire Myth
<27	Forgotten Fibber