Quests of the Round Table
Quests of the Round Table Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
The goal of the game is to be the first player to become a Knight of the Round Table. A player raises his rank by successfully completing "Quests" and defeating other players in "Tournaments." A player receives "Shields" for each successful Quest and each victory in a Tournament. A player starts with the rank of a Squire, and as soon as he receives enough Shields, advances in rank to become a Knight, and then a Champion Knight. When a player earns enough Shields to become a Knight of the Round Table, he wins the game. (Note: In these directions, "he" always means "he or she.")
Game Components
The game components consist of Shields and three separate decks of cards: the Rank Deck, the Adventure Deck, and the Story Deck.
The Shields
There are four sets of differently marked Shields. Each set consists of ten identical Shields. The players earn Shields for victories in Quests and Tournaments and in some Events.
Rank Deck
There are three kinds of Rank Cards: Squire, Knight, and Champion Knight. One of these cards is placed face up in front of the player to show his current rank. A player can have only one Rank Card face up at any time. As a player advances in rank, he hands in the card for his previous rank and takes the card representing his new rank.
Adventure Deck
There are five types of Adventure Cards: Foe Cards, Weapon Cards, Ally Cards, Amour Cards, and Test Cards. Twelve Adventure Cards are dealt to each player at the beginning of the game. Adventure Cards are drawn, played, and discarded throughout the game.
Foe Cards are used to challenge your opponents during Quests.
Weapon Cards may give extra strength to a Foe, and they may increase your Battle Points when fighting a Foe during a Quest or fighting other players during a Tournament. The number of Battle Points provided by a Weapon is printed on the card.
Ally Cards represent characters from the legends of King Arthur and his court. An Ally gives you extra strength during Quests and Tournaments. Some Ally Cards have special abilities that are described on the individual card.
Amour Cards represent ladies in waiting, and are played to increase a player's Battle Points during Quests and Tournaments. Amour Cards are kept face up on the table next to the player's rank card and increase the player's Battle Points for all stages of a Quest. A player may not play more than one Amour Card per Quest or Tournament, and when the Quest or Tournament is over the Amour Card is discarded. (Love is a fleeting thing...) Bid numbers on Amour Cards are used when facing a Test (see below).
Test Cards are played to challenge players to a "bidding contest" during a Quest.
Story Deck
There are three types of Story Cards: Quest Cards, Tournament Cards, and Event Cards. A player draws one Story Card at the beginning of his turn. This card determines players' actions during that turn. The card is put in the discard pile at the end of the player's turn.
Quest Cards announce an upcoming adventure. However, for the adventure to take place one player must "sponsor" the Quest. Whoever sponsors a Quest challenges opposing players by pitting fierce Foe Cards, Weapon Cards, and Test Cards against them.
Tournament Cards announce a gathering of all players of the realm to participate in a friendly contest of arms called a Tournament.
Event Cards announce a special Event for that turn which will involve one or more players.
Game Set-up
Before starting play, separate the cards into the Rank, Adventure, and Story Decks. Shuffle the Story Deck and place it in the center of the table.
Place a Squire Card face up in front of each player to indicate she begins with a rank of Squire. The remaining Rank Cards are placed aside for use later in the game. Each player places his ten identical Shields next to his Squire Card.
Shuffle and cut the Adventure Deck. Deal 12 Adventure Cards to each player.
Game Sequence
The player to the left of the dealer has the first turn. Play always proceeds in a clockwise direction.
At the beginning of each turn, a player turns over the top card of the Story Deck to see what will occur during his turn. What happens depends upon the type of card that is drawn:
Quest Card: A Quest is announced, and the players follow the rules described in "Quests."
Tournament Card: A Tournament is announced, and the players follow the rules described in "Tournaments."
Event Card: An Event is announced, and the player whose turn it is must follow the rules described on the Event Card.
A player may never hold more than 12 cards in his hand.
If a player draws more than 12 cards, he may examine them and then either discard or play the excess cards to return his hand to 12 cards.
For example, a player with ten cards draws three cards, giving him a total of 13 in his hand. He holds an Ally card; he may play it instead of discarding to bring the cards in his hand back to 12.
Battle Points
In the game you will battle other players during Tournaments and will battle Foes during Quests. How well you do in these battles depends upon your strength, which is measured in Battle Points. The more Battle Points you have, the stronger you are. Battle Points are indicated by the number in the bottom center of the Rank, Foe, Weapon, Ally, and Amour Cards.
A Squire has five Battle Points, a Knight has ten Battle Points, and a Champion Knight has 20 Battle Points (these are listed on the Rank Cards). However, you can increase your strength during a Quest or Tournament using Weapon, Ally, and Amour Cards. You add the Battle Points shown on these cards to that of your rank.
For example, a Squire with a Horse has 5+10 = 15 Battle Points.
The Foes you fight during Quests also have Battle Points which are indicated on their cards. A Foe may only increase his Battle Points by using Weapon Cards.
Shields & Rank
Each time you win a Tournament or Quest, you receive a certain number of Shields. For details on how Shields are won during Quests or Tournaments, see sections entitled "The End of the Quest" and "Tournaments." You may also win Shields based on the instructions on an Event Card. Earned Shields are placed on your Rank Card and are used as counters as you progress in rank. The number of Shields needed to advance are:
- From Squire to Knight: 5 Shields
- From Knight to Champion Knight: 7 Shields
- From Champion Knight to Knight of the Round Table: 10 Shields
When you advance in rank, you exchange your current Rank Card for one showing your new rank.
Sometimes you will have more Shields than are needed to advance to the next rank. If so, place the extra Shields on your new Rank Card. These count toward what is needed to advance to the next rank.
For example, if you are a Squire and you have earned 6 Shields, turn in 5, and exchange Rank Cards for the Knight and keep the extra Shield on your new Rank Card.
Sponsoring a Quest
The player drawing a Quest Card may decide to sponsor the Quest described on the card. The sponsor of a Quest will be able to receive new cards when the Quest is completed. The Quest's sponsor creates the Quest by setting up a layout of Foe and Weapon Cards, or a Test Card, to represent each stage of the Quest. The sponsor does not compete in the Quest. He oversees the Quest, making sure the rules are followed. If he decides not to sponsor the Quest (the player may lack sufficient cards to create the Quest, or simply may not want to sponsor a Quest), the next player on his left decides whether to become the sponsor. If this second player decides not to sponsor the Quest, the next player to his left chooses, and so on. If all players decline to sponsor the Quest, the card is placed in the Story Deck's discard pile and that player's turn is over. The order of play, regardless of who sponsors the Quest, follows the original sequence.
Setting Up a Quest
The Quest Card is placed on the table. The Quest Card states how many "stages" are in the Quest. Each stage represents a battle which the players participating in the Quest must overcome to complete that Quest.
For each stage, the sponsor places a Foe Card (which may be supplemented by Weapon Cards) or a Test Card face down on the table in groupings beside the Quest Card. Each grouping of cards represents a "stage" of the Quest. The number of stages played must be equal to the number of stages shown on the Quest Card.
As the illustration below shows, the Slay the Dragon Quest has three stages. The sponsor must place three groupings of cards (stages) face down next to the Quest Card.
[Illustration, as printed: Quest Card "Slay the Dragon", 3 Stages, Foe: Dragon. Stage 1: Foe card "Thieves", 5 Battle Points. Stage 2: Test Card "Test of Temptation", players bid to continue. Stage 3: Foe card "Dragon" 50/70, with Weapon "Sword" +10 and Weapon "Horse" +10, totaling 70+10+10 = 90 Battle Points.]
As the example shows, only one Foe or Test Card may be played during each stage of the Quest. The sponsor may strengthen a Foe's Battle Points by giving it Weapon Cards from his hand. Each Foe uses as many Weapons as the sponsor wishes to give, but it can never be given two Weapon Cards of the same type, such as two Battle Axes. The sponsor must arrange the Foe Card, or Foe and Weapon Cards, so that the total number of Battle Points coming into play at each stage increases from stage to stage. There must be more Battle Points (Foe Cards + Weapon Cards) in the second stage than in the first, and so on.
Foe Cards with extra Battle Points: Some Foe Cards have two Battle Point values, for example "15/25." When a Foe is named on the Quest Card in play, and if the sponsor uses that Foe, the higher Battle Point value applies; if the Foe is not named, the lower value applies.
For example, the Slay the Dragon Quest is sponsored, and the sponsor plays the Dragon Foe Card with Battle Points of "50/70." The higher value is honored.
Test Cards: Test Cards do not have Battle Points and may be played in any stage of the Quest, regardless of the number of Battle Points in play in the previous or next stage. Only one Test Card may be played in each Quest.
Playing a Quest
After the sponsor has set up the stages of the Quest, each of the other players decides whether to join the Quest. Players who choose not to join the Quest must sit out until that Quest is over. The Quest now begins and is played one stage at a time.
Before the Quest begins, and at the beginning of each subsequent stage, the sponsor hands out one card from the Adventure Deck to each player going on the Quest. The sponsor announces whether each stage contains a Foe Card or a Test Card:
If a Foe is encountered: Each player must fight the Foe. Before discovering what type of Foe he is encountering however, he must decide how much of his strength he wishes to use to overcome the Foe's Battle Points. (See more details below.)
If a Test is encountered: A bidding contest ensues. Players bid cards among themselves to see who is willing to discard the greatest number of cards in order to pass the Test. (See more details below.)
A Foe is encountered
If the upcoming stage is against a Foe, each player on the Quest now decides which cards in his hand he wants to use against the Foe based on the number of Battle Points needed to defeat him. He places the selected cards face down on the table.
The player's minimum strength is shown by the Battle Points of his current rank. He adds to his strength by playing Weapon, Amour, and/or Ally Cards. A player may play more than one Weapon Card per stage, as long as he does not play two Weapon Cards of the same type. A player may not play more than one Amour Card per Quest, and when the Quest is over the Amour Card is discarded. A player may play any number of Ally Cards at any time. The Battle Points provided by Ally Cards are added to those of his rank for the duration of the game or until they are taken away by an Event Card or the Mordred Foe Card (see the section entitled "The 'Mordred' Foe Card").
After players in the Quest place the cards they want to use for that stage face down on the table, the sponsor then turns over his Foe Card or combined Foe and Weapon Cards for that stage. The players turn over their cards for that stage.
Each player adds up her Battle Points and compares them to those of the Foe. If the player has more Battle Points than the Foe, or the player and the Foe tie, the player proceeds to the next stage of the Quest. If the Foe has more Battle Points, the player is defeated and must sit out the remainder of the Quest. In any stage, more than one player can defeat the same Foe. In this case, all players to do so continue to the next stage of the Quest. Prior to starting the next stage, the sponsor hands out one new Adventure Card to all continuing players.
After each stage of the Quest, players must discard all Weapon Cards used for that stage. Amour cards are discarded at the end of the Quest. Ally Cards may remain in play.
A Test is encountered (Bids are explained)
The Quest's sponsor announces the Test at the beginning of the stage in which it is encountered. He immediately turns the Test Card face up. The players must now bid, starting from the left of the sponsor. A bid is the number of cards a player is willing to discard in order to be the one who continues alone on the remainder of the Quest.
The player to the left of the sponsor begins by announcing how many cards he bids to pass the Test. The next player to the left then bids. Each player's bid must be higher than the last, or the player drops out of the Quest. Players bid until everyone on the Quest has made a bid or has chosen to drop out and continues until no one will bid higher. Note: some Ally and Amour Cards provide bids (see "free bids" on the next page). If a player has these cards in play she may use the bid points to reduce the number of cards she discards. If the bid cards are in hand, they must be played in order to use them.
The player who passes the Test (wins the bidding contest and discards the highest number of cards) goes on to the next stage of the Quest.
Sometimes a player will encounter a Test Card when he is the only player left in the Quest. In this case, the player bids the minimum bid indicated on the Test Card. If there is no minimum number on the Test Card, the player must make a minimum bid of three. If he is unable to bid three cards, he drops out and the Quest is over.
Free Bids
All Amour Cards, as well as some Ally Cards, give players "free bids" if the player has the card in play during a Test. Free bids are given on the Amour or Ally Card. The number of free bids reduces the number of cards that must be discarded if that player wins the bid.
For example, a player wins a Test by bidding nine cards. He has the Queen Guinevere Ally Card in play which gives him three free bids. He would, therefore, have to discard only six cards of his choice from his hand.
The "Mordred" Foe Card
This card may be used as a normal Foe or to remove another player's Ally from play. To remove an Ally Card, you simply say which character you wish to remove as you play the card. The Mordred Card and the Ally Card are immediately placed in the Adventure Deck's discard pile.
You may play the Mordred Card during your turn or at any point during a Quest or Tournament in which you are engaged.
The End of the Quest
The Quest ends when either:
- all players are defeated or forced to drop out, or;
- one or more players successfully make it through every stage of the Quest.
All players who successfully complete the Quest receive as many Shields as there were stages in the Quest. If all players on the Quest are defeated or drop out, no Shields are awarded.
The sponsor draws from the Adventure Deck, whether players on the Quest won, were defeated, or dropped out. He draws a number of cards equal to:
- the number of cards he used to sponsor the Quest
- PLUS
- the number of stages in the Quest.
For example, in the illustration on page four, the sponsor draws eight cards (five cards used to sponsor the Quest + three stages in the Quest) from the Adventure Deck.
Once a Quest ends, the sponsor places the cards he used to set up the Quest into the discard piles.
Discarding: Once a Quest ends, players place all Adventure and Story Cards used during the Quest (except Ally Cards) into their respective discard piles. Ally Cards remain in play until they are removed by an Event Card or Mordred Card. It is now the turn of the player to the sponsor's left. The top card of the Story Deck is turned over and a new game sequence begins. When the Decks are used up, reshuffle them and continue play.
Tournaments
In the time of King Arthur, Tournaments were held in which knights from all over the realm challenged each other to jousts and sword fights to see who was most skilled and courageous.
Whenever a Tournament Card is drawn from the Story Deck, each player decides whether to enter the Tournament. The player drawing the card announces her decision first, followed by each player to her left. If only one player enters the Tournament, that player is automatically awarded one Shield for entering, plus any bonus Shields indicated on the Tournament Card. The winner of a Tournament is the player with the most Battle Points.
Tournament Play
Each player entering the Tournament draws one card from the Adventure Deck.
Next, each player decides which cards from his hand he will use to challenge other players. Players may play Ally, Weapon, and Amour Cards to increase the number of Battle Points of their rank. As usual, a player may not play more than one Weapon of the same type or play more than one Amour Card.
In unison, all players place the cards they chose face up in front of them. The player who has the most Battle Points provided by his Rank Card, Ally Card(s) on the table, plus the cards he has just played, including Weapon Cards and Amour Cards, wins the Tournament. A player may choose to play zero cards from his hand, giving him only the Battle Points of his Rank Card (and any Ally Cards he already had in play). At the end of the Tournament any Weapon Cards and Amour Cards used towards Battle Points are discarded. Ally Cards on the table remain in play until they are removed by an Event Card or Mordred Card.
The winner of the Tournament receives a number of Shields equal to the number of players who entered the Tournament. Some Tournaments also give the winner bonus Shields. The number of bonus Shields is on the Tournament Card.
Tie-Breaking in Tournaments
The players in a tie discard the Weapon Cards just played. Ally and Amour Cards remain in play. Each of these players then decides which cards she will play in the tie-breaking round. This second round is played exactly like the first. If there is still a tie after the second round, all players in the second round receive as many Shields as the number of players who originally entered the Tournament.
Winning the Game
As soon as a player earns enough Shields to become a Knight of the Round Table, he declares himself the winner. It is possible for more than one player to declare himself a winner during the same turn. If this happens, all players who have just become Knights of the Round Table must participate in a final Tournament.
The winner of this last Tournament wins the game. If this final Tournament is also tied, those players in the tie all win the game.
Two-Player Game
Sometimes, there will be only two players available to play Quests of the Round Table. The rules are the same for a two-player game. However, there will only be one player on a Quest, and there will never be competitive bidding in Tests. This means the player must bid what the card says, or, if there is no minimum bid shown on the Test Card, the player must bid three.
Card Frequency
Adventure Deck
| Card | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Weapons | |
| Excalibur | 2 |
| Lance | 6 |
| Battle-ax | 8 |
| Sword | 16 |
| Horse | 11 |
| Dagger | 6 |
| Total Weapons | 49 |
| Foes | |
| Dragon | 1 |
| Giant | 2 |
| Mordred |
Adventure Deck total: 125
Story Deck
| Card | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Quests | |
| Search for the Holy Grail | 1 |
| Test of the Green Knight | 1 |
| Search for the Questing Beast | 1 |
| Defend the Queen's Honor | 1 |
| Rescue the Fair Maiden | 1 |
| Journey Through the Enchanted Forest | 1 |
| Vanquish King Arthur's Enemies | 2 |
| Slay the Dragon | 1 |
| Boar Hunt | 2 |
| Repel the Saxon Raiders | 2 |
Story Deck total: 28
Rank Deck
| Card | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Squire | 4 |
| Knight | 4 |
| Champion Knight | 4 |
Rank Deck total: 12