Rise of the Exiled Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Components
• Setting Up the Game
• Playing the Game
  • The Attack Phase
  • The Movement Phase
  • Ability Types
• Character Guide
  • The Coalition
    • Mandice, The Empowered
    • Hedina, Kill-Suit
    • Klim-Klam, Mad Alchemist
  • The Awakened Venery
    • The Murder of Crows
  • The Intrusion of Cockroaches
  • The Order of 1000 Doors
  • Gleem the Vine
  • Nameless
  • Gande Unchained
• Rule Clarifications
• Game Variants

Object of the Game

Destroy your enemy. Be the only team with at least one character still in play, after all damage has been dealt and all abilities resolved.

Components

The base game includes 15 character cards and 16 unique, clear-plastic throwing cards.

Illustration caption: Gande's ability allows him to pull his enemy directly to his location on succesful hits (or vice versa).

Setting Up the Game

The first step to starting the game is dividing all players into two or more equal teams. Players then each choose a character from the available 12. Make sure that each player has both their respective character card and weapon card(s).

Next, each person must choose a starting location on the field of battle. We recommend using a table, though any flat surface will do. Place your character card so that it is oriented towards you. Opposing sides should be roughly two to three feet apart, and you cannot place your card more than 2 feet away from your nearest ally.

Illustration caption: An example set up for a three-versus-three game.

Each character has at least one ability to enhance their usefulness on the field of battle. Make certain that each player understands what abilities make their character unique before the game begins. Consult the character guide at the end of this rule book for more information.

Playing the Game

Each instance of Rise of the Exiled is a battle within the overarching conflict for control of The City. Unlike other games that rely on dice rolls or random chance, Rise of the Exile's combat is all about throwing cards. The game takes place in two phases:

1. The Attack Phase
2. The Movement Phase

The Attack Phase

On the attack phase, each player will simultaneously throw their character's weapon card at the opposing team, an ally or another strategic objective. When making an attack throw, each player must keep their arm at least one foot above the playing area and release their throw before crossing the vertical plane of their own card.

Illustration caption: Example showing the plane of attack.

All players make their attack throw at the same time. You may not choose to wait until others have thrown their cards before making your own attack. Have one player call out "1, 2, 3... Attack!" (or something similar) to signify when the throw should be made. A player whose character has more than one weapon or attack may choose which weapon they want to throw on their attack phase.

Weapons and characters range in size, but if any part of the weapon on the card overlaps with an enemy player's hit zones, the attack is successful and damage is dealt. The total damage dealt will vary based on the location where the weapon card overlaps, as well as any other ability or team modifier in play.

Damage Chart

• Head: 3 Damage
• Body: 2 Damage
• Arm/Leg: 1 Damage

Each character's starting health is 7, and hit points are lost according to the damage chart shown above (unless otherwise stated on a character card). Players must keep track of their health total at all times.

Even if a weapon hits multiple damage zones on an enemy, it does not deal damage multiple times. Only the highest damage-yielding region is counted for a thrown weapon. For example, if a weapon overlaps both an arm and a head, only the regular headshot damage is dealt.

Illustration caption: In this example, the weapon card overlaps with the chest and the arm. However, only body shot damage is applied.

While rare, a thrown weapon that overlaps with two enemy players will deal damage twice. If you fight too close to your allies, you open yourself up to collateral damage.

After all damage has been resolved, any characters that have zero remaining hitpoints are defeated and removed from the game unless otherwise stated.

The back of each card includes hitzone illustrations to clarify each character's specific zones of damage.

The Movement Phase

After all damage has been dealt and any players with zero remaining hit points have been removed from the game, the movement phase begins. Each player may advance his character by one card length in any direction. Moving closer to your enemy makes the following attack throw against them easier, as you may now release your card at a distance that is closer to the enemy.

In the event that only two players remain in the game, they must move closer toward one another or not move at all.

Illustration caption: Example highlighting the different sections on a card back. Example movement phase.

Similar to the attack phase, all movement must happen simultaneously. Again, consider selecting one player to call out "1, 2, 3... Move!" to unify all player movement.

After all players have finished their movement, another attack phase begins, taking into account any abilities that were utilized during the movement phase. Play continues in this pattern until only one team remains.

Ability Types

To know when you may use your character's abilities, a brief explanation is included on the back of each character card. Various icons will let you know the type of ability, and when it can be activated.

• Active (Movement): This ability may be activated during the movement phase.
• Active (Attack): This ability may be activated during the attack phase.
• Active (Anytime): This ability may be activated at any point in the game.
• Passive: This ability is always activated when specified game conditions are met.
• Reactive: This ability may be activated when specified game conditions are met.

Character Guide

Each character's card lists a weapon and one or more abilities. Hit zone damage (3 for head, 2 for body, 1 for arm or leg) applies unless the ability says otherwise.

The Coalition

The Coalition follow their master Kheima in defense of The City. Driven by a belief that the ends justify the means, The Coalition will do whatever it takes to assume absolute power and bring peace to The Realm. They utilize advanced technology to aid them on the field of battle.

Mandice, The Empowered

Weapon: Blade Disc

Ability: Empower Disc (Active) In place of her movement phase, Mandice can activate her powerful Blade Disc. For her next attack throw, she may use the larger disc weapon.

Mandice's first throw utilizes the larger disc weapon. If an effect would cause Mandice to be displaced, she cannot activate her ability the following movement phase.

Hedina, Kill-Suit

Weapon: Morning Star

Ability: Spike Armor (Passive) If an enemy player's attack throw overlaps with any of the thorns on Hedina's armor, they are dealt one damage. This does not negate any damage dealt to Hedina. This ability can only trigger once per thrown weapon card.

Ability: Defensive Stance (Active) If Hedina's weapon overlaps with her character card during an attack throw (even accidentally), it becomes added area to which the Spike Armor is triggered. Spike Armor deals two damage for this turn.

Klim-Klam, Mad Alchemist

Weapon: Volatile Cask

Ability: BOOM (Passive) Klim-Klam's weapon card explodes on impact, dealing one damage in a radius around his thrown cask weapon card. Use the green explosion card to measure the splash radius from every point of the Volatile Cask.

This explosion is not additive. Explosion damage is dealt when the Volatile Cask does not overlap its intended target.

The Awakened Venery

The Awakened Venery were once powerful sorcerers known as the Dawn Sages. During the purge of The City, the Sages fled to the safety of the forest north. Unable to fight the Sages within the forest, Kheima instead lit the forest ablaze, trapping the Sages inside. With their dying breath, the Dawn Sages swore vengeance against Kheima, binding their essence with the magic of the forest. When the fire eventually faded, the Venery was born.

The Murder of Crows

Weapon: Crow

Ability: Eye Gouge (Passive) Enemies hit by The Murder's crow attack are temporarily blinded. They must make their next attack throw with their eyes closed.

Ability: Blot Out The Sky (Active) Twice per game, The Murder can send her crows to darken the sky. All enemy players must make their next attack throw with their eyes closed. This ability can be used two turns in a row.

Ability: Fly (Passive) The Murder can move two card lengths during Movement.

The Intrusion of Cockroaches

Weapon: Claw

Ability: Exo-Shield (Passive) The Intrusion begins each game with chest armor covering his torso. This shield prevents all damage if an attack throw overlaps with it (even if it connects with another hitzone). It can be hit three times before it is discarded. Other attack throws that do not overlap with the armor still deal regular damage when the Exo-Shield is triggered.

Ability: Persist (Passive) After taking lethal damage, The Intrusion persists for an additional turn (a subsequent Movement and Attack Phase). During this time he is immune to damage, but when this turn expires, he is eliminated. No effect can prevent this delayed death.

The Order of 1000 Doors

The Order was the original betrayer. They never trusted Kheima or her Coalition to rule the City. It was their attempted coup that eventually pushed Kheima over the edge, forcing the entire Order to flee into the mountains. And now they wait. Honing their skills and perfecting their craft until the perfect opportunity presents itself. And when that moment comes, they will be ready.

Gleem the Vine

Weapon: Vine

Ability: Rooted (Passive) Gleem is rooted in place. It cannot move and is immune to all position altering effects.

Ability: Rampant Growth (Active) In place of Gleem's movement, Gleem may move his vine appendage one card length. Gleem attacks from this vine's position. Enemy attacks that hit the vine destroy it. He must then send a new vine from his location. Gleem can only have one vine active at a time.

Ability: Incorruptible (Passive) Gleem and its appendages cannot be turned into zombies.

Nameless

Weapon: Star Knife, Shuriken

Ability: Twin Strike (Passive) Nameless has two weapons and throws both, simultaneously, each attack phase. The Star Knife deals regular damage. The shuriken is small and deals 1 damage regardless of zone hit.

The two weapons are thrown with both hands, but you may choose which hands throws the Star Knife and which throws the Shuriken.

Gande Unchained

Weapon: Kusarigama

Ability: Get Over Here (Reactive) After a successful hit, Gande may choose to either pull himself directly to his opponent, or pull his enemy directly to himself. Cards are placed directly in front of eachother after a pull (regardless of direction). An enemy pulled in by Gande is breifly stunned, and must forfeit their movement phase. This also applies to enemies Gande has pulled himself toward. Gande's ability does not forfeit his own movement phase.

Clarification: Gande cannot pull enemies immune to position altering effects, like Gleem. He may still pull himself to their location.

Evelyn, the Archer

Weapon: Longbow

Ability: Take Aim (Passive) Evelyn may skip her movement phase to take aim and deal one additional damage on her next attack throw. This effect can stack with other damage altering effects.

The Netherwalkers

Not much is known about the intentions nor the origins of the Netherwalkers. Their leader, Rayule, was never respected within the City. Him and his kind largely operated in secret, as their craft was often associated with evil. Perhaps because of this, Rayule was one of the first leaders to be executed during the Coalition's purge. Though he did not stay dead for long. Tasting the Nether, Rayule returned stronger than ever and with new purpose. Only he knows exactly what his plans entail, but The City has since come to understand that whatever that purpose is, it involves merging our world with that of the dead.

Badon, Tortured Soul

Weapon: Cat-o'-Nine-Tails

Ability: Cat-o'-Nine-Tails (Passive) Badon deals 1 damage per whip end that overlaps an enemy card. Regular hitzone-based damage is not dealt.

Ability: Taunt (Active) Twice per game, Badon can taunt all enemy players. All enemies must make their next attack throw toward Badon.

The Zombie Horde

Weapon: Claw

Ability: Reanimate (Passive) When a Zombie deals damage to an enemy on the same turn that they are killed, return that character to the battlefield under the control of the Horde. They lose all former abilities and gain all Zombie abilities. Even if the zombie dies, any characters killed that turn will return as a zombie.

Ability: Undead (Passive) Zombies have one hit point, but take head shot damage.

Ability: Overwhelm (Passive) The Horde starts with three characters cards, placed side-by-side. They move and attack as one unit and must stick together. The Horde is not defeated until all zombies have been killed.

Nahtha, Ghost Bride

Weapon: Scythe

Ability: Ethereal Escape (Reactive) Twice per game, Nahtha may turn ethereal. Doing so prevents any damage she would have taken that turn. It also cancels out any damage she would have dealth that turn.

Rule Clarifications

Example: Klim-Klam missed his flask throw, but his splash damage reaches two opposing characters, dealing one damage to each.

Example: In this example, The Murder's weapon hits Hedina's leg, but also overlaps with a foot-spike, dealing one damage but taking one damage in return. Nahtha misses her throw, but overlaps with a shoulder-spike, taking one damage while dealing none.

Example: In this example, the intrusion is hit twice, but both hits are blocked by his armor. His armor can block damage three times before it is discarded. After this turn, he would have a single "block" remaining.

Example: In this example, the Murder hits Badon in the foot. Badon must make his next attack throw blind.

• Characters who can choose to forego their own movement to improve their weapon, like Mandice, the Empowered, cannot activate this ability on turns wherein they have been pulled by Gande.
• Nameless Shuriken always deals one damage, but will still not kill a Zombie unless it is a headshot.
• If Gande hits Gleem the Vine, he can choose to pull himself to Gleem.
• Zombie's are immune to splash damage.

Game Variants

• Friendly Fire: Friendly throws that land on your allies (or yourself) deal damage like normal.
• Single Player: A thief is escaping! You have five rounds to defeat an enemy as they run away from you.
• Blocking: Throw your weapon on yourself to act as a shield. Each source of damage is reduced by one for that turn.
• Free-for-all: Every man and woman for themselves. Last warrior standing wins.
• Team Health: All players share a common health pool (7 times the numebr of players per team). The first team to remove the entire enemy health pool wins.

More to come...