Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies
Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Object of the Game
- Component List
- Basic Game Concepts and Terms
- Turn Structure
- Actions and Time Track
- End of Turn
- Challenges
- Characters, Health, and Stamina
- Skills, Status, and Character Abilities
- Cards and Resources
- Combat
- Campaign
- Already Played Sleeping Gods?
- How to Store Components
- Fate Number Frequency
- Credits
Object of the Game
Your goal in Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies is to survive the dangers of a strange world and find your way home to San Francisco. You do this by traveling through the atlas, exploring locations, completing quests, and finding rare totems that have the power to return you to Earth.
This Rulebook and the Introduction Comic Book
We recommend that one player reads this rulebook before playing, but you can start a campaign without it. The introduction comic book walks you through the setup and basic rules to get you out and exploring the Wandering World!
For component and setup instructions, see pg. 2-4 of the introduction comic.
Already know how to play Sleeping Gods?
See the "Already Played Sleeping Gods?" section for an overview of the new rules and rule changes.
Component List
- Flight Board (1)
- Starting Adventure Cards (6)
- Starting Combat Cards (14)
- Adventure Cards (142)
- Quest Cards (214)
- Ability Cards (62)
- Orfash Curse Cards (5)
- Enemy Buff Cards (17)
- Enemy Cards (73)
- Event Cards (56)
- Airplane Card (1) and Plastic Sliders (2)
- Action Board (1)
- Character Boards (5)
- Combat Deck Board (1)
- Bonus Time Token (1)
- Character Standees (8)
- Status Tokens (5 of each): Low Morale, Venom, Madness, Weakened, Frightened
- 5-Value Power Tokens (5)
- Airplane Figure (plastic) (1)
- Claire Smith Figure (plastic) (1)
- Common Resources (6 of each): Ogroot, Whiskey, Torch, Sand Honey, Rope, Meat
- Quest Resources (7 of each): Tundra Berry, Bloodflower, Gergon Leaf, Fire Quartz, Ice Diamond, Jadeworm Egg
- Damage Tokens (wood) (50)
- Synergy Tokens (wood) (5)
- Power Tokens (wood) (20)
- Combat Die (1)
- Active Player Token (1)
- Stamina Tokens (15)
- Pocket Watch (1)
Not Pictured: Storybook, Journey Log Sheet Pad, Achievement Sheet, Atlas, Introduction Comic Book, Magnetic Card Box, Helthark Token, Airplane Token, 8 Plastic Stands, 1 Foam Block, 1 Combat Tray with Lid, 1 Completed Quest Box, Plastic Insert
Basic Game Concepts and Terms
This page explains some basics that will make it easier to understand the rest of this rulebook.
Your Character(s)
You always control at least 1 character. When it is your turn, you ALSO control Claire Smith. Claire is the POV character in the storybook and the main protagonist. Depending on the player count, you may control more than 1 character. When it is your turn, you are the "active player."
Health, Damage, and Stamina
Your character's health is the amount of physical and mental damage they can sustain. When your character loses or gains health, move the damage token on the track accordingly. When the game says you take damage, this means you lose health. Sometimes this is also written as "-X health." Outside of combat, unless specified, the active player decides how to split damage between the characters.
Each character can have a maximum of 3 stamina, which they can spend to participate in challenges and activate abilities. When a character spends stamina, remove a stamina token from their character board.
Status Tokens
There are 5 types of status tokens in the game: venom, frightened, weakened, madness, and low morale. When a character gains a status, place the token on their board. Each character can have multiple status tokens, but may not have more than one copy of each status. Unless specified, the active player chooses which character takes each status token.
Draw Fate
When the game instructs you to draw fate, you draw the top card of the ability deck, check the fate number in the top left corner, and immediately discard it. If you run out of ability cards to draw, shuffle the discard pile and make a new pile. If there are no ability cards left at all because they are either equipped or in players' hands, every player must immediately discard all their ability cards in hand except 1 to make a new ability card draw deck. See the Icons and Index section for the distribution of fate numbers in the deck.
Challenge
A challenge is a test of skill that you must overcome. Each challenge is associated with one of the 6 skills: strength, cunning, savvy, perception, craft, or moxie. In a challenge, you spend stamina from characters to gain their skills, draw fate, and use abilities to try to reach a specified challenge number.
Supply
The supply refers to the resources or components your characters do not possess. When you are told to "pay," "discard," "lose," or "remove" something, it means to return it to the supply.
All components are limited, which means that if you run out, you cannot gain or use more, with two exceptions: damage tokens and power tokens. If you run out of these, use something else to keep track.
Turn Structure
Turn Overview
Starting with the first player, players take turns in clockwise order. Follow these steps on your turn:
1. Draw 2 Ability Cards. First, draw 2 ability cards. You can use these to equip ability cards to characters at any time, or you can discard them to add to any challenge.
2. Event. Draw an event card and read the effect. Events may present a choice, a challenge, consequence, or other effect. Resolve the event card before continuing your turn.
3. Actions. Perform actions. The available actions are listed on the bottom of the action board. You may perform the same action multiple times in one turn. Each action (except camp) requires you to move the pocket watch on the time track.
4. End of Turn. When the pocket watch reaches the last space on the time track, after completing your final action, your turn ends. (Alternatively, you may choose to end your turn early if on the second-to-last space, in which case the next player may use the unused time.) Pass the active player token to the player on the left. That player now starts their turn.
Step 1. Draw 2 Ability Cards
At the start of your turn, draw 2 ability cards. If the ability card deck is exhausted, reshuffle the discard pile. If, after drawing, you have more than 7 ability cards in hand, discard until you have no more than 7 (each player has their own hand limit).
Players keep their ability cards in hand secret until they are played. They do not show them or give them to other players, but they can tell other players if they have something in hand that could help during a challenge.
Equipping Ability Cards: At any time, even in the middle of another action or on another player's turn, you can equip ability cards to any character you control. To do this, discard ability cards from your hand equal to the cost of the card you want to equip (top right corner). You must also discard one extra card for each ability card already equipped to the character that has the same skill symbol as the card you are now equipping. Each equipped card increases the character's skill number by 1 in the type shown on the card. Each character can have a total of 8 equipped ability cards at once. You may discard equipped ability cards from your character(s) at any time.
Example: The cost to equip the Herbalist card is 1. Claire already has another SAVVY ability card equipped, so the cost increases by 1. You discard 2 other ability cards from your hand and place the Herbalist card beneath the Claire character board so that the top half is hidden. Claire now has a total of 3 SAVVY because she equipped these 2 ability cards. When she spends 1 stamina to participate in a SAVVY skill challenge, she contributes 3 total SAVVY.
Discarding to Aid in Challenges: You may also discard ability cards from hand during any challenge matching the appropriate skill (even a challenge on another player's turn) to increase the result by 1 per card discarded. However, ability cards are most useful when used to equip cards to characters, so do this rarely. Discarding ability cards only works in challenges; you may not discard ability cards to boost combat cards, adventure cards, or other abilities.
An ability card gives its skill bonus (e.g., +1 SAVVY) when equipped. It can also be discarded at any time to add +1 to a challenge of that skill. A number in the top right corner shows the cost to equip.
Step 2. Event
Draw the top card of the event deck and read it aloud. Apply the effect or complete the challenge. If the deck is exhausted, reshuffle the discard pile.
You cannot ignore an event card. You must complete it immediately, unless it says "this remains in play until you..." In this case, place the card face up to the side of the atlas. Any "ongoing" effects apply. If there is a "turn end" effect, it activates at the end of each player's turn until it is completed. You can complete an event in play like this at any time on your turn.
If you take any negative effects, unless the card specifies, the active player decides how to distribute the damage and status tokens among the characters.
When you complete an event, discard the card.
Threat: Each time an effect says to "gain 1 threat," place a damage token on the card. Some effects grow more dangerous or difficult the more tokens are on the card.
Actions and Time Track
Step 3. Actions
If you're the active player, you now choose actions. You may choose the same action more than once per turn. Each action (except camp) costs 1 or 2 time. A normal turn consists of 5 time. When you spend time, move the pocket watch down on the time track. The pocket watch starts on the "turn start" section of the track, then moves down for each time spent.
If a player passed early on the previous turn, that means you have one extra time to use on your turn (use the bonus time token as a reminder that you have one extra time to use). Before using the bonus time token, you must have already completed steps 1 and 2 of your turn as normal.
You may choose from 5 possible actions on your turn.
Action: Camp
The camp action costs no time. Instead, you must cross off one of the camp symbols on your journey log, starting with the left most symbol.
You may camp anywhere and at any time as long as you're not in the middle of another action (such as an explore action).
When you camp, each character regains their stamina tokens (to a max of 3). Each character also restores 2 health (limited to their max). You may remove 1 status effect from 1 character. Finally, shuffle the discard pile of adventure cards and deal them out to the players one card at a time, clockwise, starting with you, until you run out of cards. Note: This does not include combat cards, which are ONLY used during combat. Combat cards stay in their own deck until combat.
You have a limited supply of camps before the campaign ends. When you cross off these last two camps, follow the specified instructions listed at the bottom of the journey log.
Action: Travel
Move the Claire Smith figure on the atlas. Each page of the atlas is divided into a square grid, and each square you move costs 1 time. You may only move to squares that share an adjacent border; you may not move diagonally.
Squares adjacent across the spiral binding are considered adjacent for the purposes of travel.
When you reach a square with an obstacle, you must either immediately use an adventure card or ability, or discard a resource that lets you ignore the obstacle. If you cannot, you must take 3 damage (divided among the characters how you like). Types of obstacle include Treacherous Water, Cold, and Steep Terrain. You lose 3 health when you enter a space with an obstacle if you cannot ignore it.
Travel Example: You spend 2 time to move 2 squares to the east. Then you spend a further 2 time to move 2 squares to the north. The final square has a water obstacle. You do not have an ability, adventure card, or resource that allows you to ignore it, so you take 3 damage.
Edge of the Map: If you reach the edge of the map and want to keep going in the same direction, you may do so as long as there is an icon on the page indicating which page to turn to. Follow these steps:
- First, remove the Claire figure from the map.
- Turn to the page in the atlas specified on the edge you are crossing and place the Claire figure on the adjacent space on the new page.
- You always enter the map on the opposite side of where you left. For example, if you cross the northern edge of the atlas, you enter on the southern edge on the new page, etc. You must start on the new page on the square that would be adjacent were the two pages placed next to each other. Example: You start on page 2 and move north to page 10. You leave page 2 on the first square from the left edge. On page 10, you should start on the bottom of the page, on the first square from the left edge.
Action: Explore
If the Claire figure is on a square with a numbered location, you may explore it, which costs 2 time. Open the storybook to the number listed on the location on the atlas. Read the first section of text in the story (read aloud unless you are playing solo). At the end of each story section, the following may occur:
- Make a choice. This may include a challenge or combat. After completing the challenge or combat (if any), turn to the listed story number. Gain any listed rewards.
- If you fail a challenge, you suffer negative effects. These are listed in italics. Sometimes, if you fail a challenge, you must turn to an alternate story number (this is listed in the failure description). If there is no alternate story number listed, continue to the story listed in the parenthesis below the failure description.
- The end of each explore action is indicated by the phrase, "Return to the map." This means this explore action is over, and the active player continues their turn as normal.
Do not read ahead or turn to any further story section until you have made your choice/completed your challenge.
Sometimes the storybook instructs you to cross off a location on your campaign map on the journey log sheet. If so, you cannot visit the location again in the same campaign.
Story Example (38.9): You wake in the cold dirt. Dew drips from your clothes and your hands ache, bound with crude rope. You take in your surroundings: a wooden hut with an open doorway. A. Cut the rope bindings on some nearby rocks. CUNNING 5. Fail: -3 health (Turn to 38.11). B. Wriggle free of the rope bindings. STRENGTH 6. Fail: -3 health (Turn to 38.12).
Quest Cards and Keywords
When the storybook says "Gain quest x," retrieve the matching quest card from the magnetic box and place it face up near the atlas. Keep all other unclaimed quests in the box secret and in order.
When the storybook says "Lose quest x," or "Complete quest x," place the specified card in the completed quest box. Once quests are in this box, you cannot retrieve them (unless you are resetting the game for a new campaign).
Some story sections list keywords that you must have in order to read them or to make specific choices. All keywords you have are listed on quest cards you own.
If a story paragraph starts with, "If keyword X, turn to X," then you must follow these instructions if you have the keyword. If there are multiple keyword instructions at the start of a story, resolve them in order.
If a choice says "Requires keyword X," it means that you must have a specific keyword to choose it. Even if you have the specified keyword, you are not forced to select that choice. You may select another choice.
Obstacles (in Story)
Sometimes the storybook lists an obstacle and specific instructions to pass it and keep reading. Obstacles in the storybook have different negative effects than when they are encountered on the atlas.
Explore: Wandering Encounters
When you explore certain locations, instead of reading a story passage, you open the storybook to an illustration of the scene. This is called a wandering encounter. Each player then simultaneously chooses where to place their character standee(s) on the available actions there.
Each wandering encounter action can only be taken once, although up to two characters can be placed on the same action to help succeed at the challenge. Even if two characters are placed on the same action, any listed rewards are only gained once.
Each character can only visit one action.
Most actions have a challenge or other requirement that you must complete, listed beneath the name of the action. A character must spend 1 stamina as usual to add their skill symbols to the fate draw for challenges, or they can choose not to and simply draw fate. You still gain the reward even if you fail the challenge unless the action says otherwise. Some actions have no requirements and you simply gain the reward when you go there.
The reward for each action is listed at the bottom of the action. If the reward you gain is a quest card in a wandering encounter, read it silently to yourself. You can share what happened in your own words with the other players after reading, role-playing your character if you choose, or simply stating a summary. If two players participate in the same action, they both read. If a quest card says to discard it after reading, place it in the completed quest box; you can no longer gain the card in the same campaign.
After all characters have completed their chosen actions (or you choose to end the encounter), remove the character standees from the page and return Claire to the map. Unless the location is crossed off, you may use another explore action to return to a wandering encounter.
Action: Fly
The flight board and airplane figure show where the plane is and where it can land. There are 6 landing places corresponding to squares on the atlas. The atlas page numbers are listed at the top of each space on the flight board. The last space on the flight board is a distant location, which you can only reach with the airplane, and which only has one explore location.
This action costs 2 time and allows you to move the plane from one landing place to another. Claire must be on the same landing place as the plane figure (Claire on the atlas, the plane on the flight board). The plane must have at least 1 fuel and 1 health.
Choose a destination on the flight board and move the plane and Claire figure to that landing place. Place the plane and Claire on their corresponding flight board and atlas landing places (if traveling to a distant location, place both on the distant location).
Lose 1 fuel. Then draw fate and add the number of spaces the plane traveled on the flight board. Reduce the plane's health according to the result:
| Result | Plane Damage |
|---|---|
| Below 6 | No damage |
| 6-7 | 1 plane damage |
| 8-10 | 2 plane damage |
| 11+ | 3 plane damage |
If you're on a distant location, you can spend 2 time to perform an explore action there, but you must use another fly action to return to the atlas.
Refueling the Plane: When the plane is on the "Geysers" landing place you can, at any time, pay 2 resources to move the fuel slider to 5. The Claire figure can be anywhere on the atlas.
If you run out of fuel, gain quest 206, as listed on the airplane card.
The Plane at 0 Health: If the plane takes any amount of damage when it is at 0 health, you must cross off 1 camp (this represents the characters having to spend extra time repairing the plane).
New Distant Locations: As you play the game, you may gain distant location cards. All of these cards are considered adjacent to the Sapphire Pass distant location.
There's a variant rule for the fly action (see Variant Rule: Quick Landing).
Action: Repair
This action allows you to repair the plane. It costs 1 time. Claire must be on the same landing place as the plane figure (Claire on the atlas, the plane on the flight board).
Perform a CRAFT challenge. If the result is 0-8, restore 1 plane health. If 9-10, restore 2 plane health. If 11+, restore 3 plane health.
End of Turn
Step 4. End of Turn
After you complete an action, if the pocket watch is on the last space on the time track, your turn ends.
Check for end of turn effects on any active event cards and follow the instructions, then return the pocket watch to the "turn start" space on the track. Pass the active player token to the player on the left. That player now starts their turn and they control Claire Smith.
Ending Your Turn Early: You may choose to end your turn early if the pocket watch is on the second-to-last space on the time track. If you do, give the bonus time token to the player to your left. On their turn, the next player may spend the bonus time token as 1 extra time when taking actions.
Challenges
A challenge is a test of skill that you must overcome. Each challenge is associated with one of the 6 skills: strength, cunning, savvy, perception, craft, or moxie.
A basic challenge looks like this:
STRENGTH 5
Fail: -3 health
In this example, you must achieve a total of 5 strength or higher. If you fail, you take the failure consequence.
To overcome a challenge, follow these steps:
-
Decide which of your characters will participate (from characters that you control). Other players may choose to have their character(s) participate. Each participating character must spend 1 stamina. If a character cannot spend stamina, they cannot participate.
IMPORTANT: You can choose to have no characters participate and simply move on to the next step. Sometimes this is a useful strategy if you can afford the failure consequences and don't want to use up all your stamina.
Determine the sum of the appropriate skill on participating characters (which is their basic skill plus any relevant equipped ability cards they have) and move to the next step.
-
Draw fate by drawing a card from the ability deck and checking the fate number in the top left corner of the card. Add the participating characters' skills to this number. The resulting number is your total skill for this challenge.
-
You may now activate character abilities, adventure cards, and equipped ability card abilities to alter the outcomes of the fate draw. Any player may also discard ability cards from their hand to give +1 skill of the type specified on the card. Players may discard any number of ability cards.
-
Check the final skill number against the challenge number. If the final skill number is equal to or greater than the required challenge number, you succeed. Otherwise, you fail and must take consequences.
-
Discard the ability card used for drawing fate.
SUCCESS: If you obtain a high enough skill number, ignore any listed failure consequences. Read the next line and follow the instructions.
FAILURE: If you fail, you take the consequences. If this includes damage, assign the damage first to the characters that participated (if able), splitting it according to your preference. Most of the time, even if you fail, you gain the rewards and move forward with the story.
Example: Claire must complete a CUNNING 9 challenge. She spends 1 stamina. Claire has 1 basic CUNNING plus 1 equipped CUNNING, for a total of 2. She draws a fate of 8. Her total skill is 10 (2+8=10). She succeeds.
Characters, Health, and Stamina
Characters spend stamina to participate in challenges and activate their abilities. Each character can have a maximum of 3 stamina at one time.
Reaching 0 Health
When a character reaches 0 health, it means they are in a weak and vulnerable state. They're still able to walk and talk, but they cannot assist in skill challenges, participate in combat, or activate any of their abilities until they have at least 1 health.
If all characters have 0 health, you are defeated (see "Defeat").
A character with 0 health cannot take more damage. Outside of combat, if you assign damage to a character and they reach 0 health, you must assign the remaining damage to other characters. In combat, however, if an enemy deals damage to a character and the character reaches 0 health, any remaining damage is ignored.
If a character's health reaches 0, you may not simply restore their health. You must also spend 1 time on the time track when moving their health from 0 to 1. This means you cannot restore health to a character at the end of your turn or during an explore action.
Health Track
Health is the amount of physical and mental damage a character can take and still function normally. Keep track of your character's health by using a damage token on this track. When you restore health, move up the track. When you lose health (also called "taking damage"), move down the track. You can never have more than your max health.
Skills, Status, and Character Abilities
Skills
There are 6 types of character skills in the game.
- Strength: Used when anything requires physical effort or endurance.
- Perception: Used to search, use hand-eye coordination, detect, or use senses. Also used to hide and sneak.
- Savvy: Used when anything requires knowledge, either from study or experience.
- Craft: Used when something must be built, repaired, taken apart, maintained, or refined.
- Cunning: Used when you must convince, lead, speak, deceive, devise, or plot.
- Moxie: Used to withstand stress, intimidate others, overcome fear, or act with boldness.
Status Tokens
There are five types of status tokens in the game. When a character gains a status, place the matching token on their board. Each character can have multiple types of status tokens, but may not have more than one of each type. Characters gain status tokens in stories and combat. Characters can remove status tokens through character and adventure card abilities.
- Venom: The character takes 1 damage at the end of each player's turn. Once a character reaches 0 health, ignore the token until the character has at least 1 health.
- Frightened: You cannot play combat cards on this character.
- Weakened: -2 to each of the character's skills.
- Madness: The character cannot use any of their character board abilities. All of the abilities on their equipped ability cards have no effect (but the skill symbols still apply).
- Low Morale: You must pay 2 stamina to use the character in skill challenges (instead of 1).
Character Abilities
Each character has 1 or 2 abilities on their character board. You may activate any abilities on a character you control at any time by spending stamina from the character.
Claire
- Spend 1 stamina to reroll a combat die (or let any other character reroll their combat die).
- Spend 1 stamina to draw 1 combat card. Then discard 1 combat card.
Ed
- Spend 1 stamina to redraw fate on any player's turn. This can only be used once per turn.
- Spend 1 stamina to gain a temporary strength or cunning during a challenge.
Ezarius
- Spend 2 stamina to remove frightened from any character.
- Spend 1 stamina to remove 1 power from any enemy. This does not trigger an enemy counterattack.
Jessie
- Spend 1 stamina to give any character 1 block during an enemy counterattack.
- Spend 2 stamina to remove low morale from any character.
Miguel
- Spend 2 stamina to remove madness, venom, or weakened from any character.
Cards and Resources
Adventure Cards
Adventure cards represent the people, equipment, knowledge, and totems you find on your journey. When you gain an adventure card, put it in your hand or give it to another player.
- Adventure cards can be played from your hand at any time to activate their abilities. When you play an adventure card, place it in the adventure card discard pile on the action board.
- You may not give adventure cards from your hand to other players, but you may play an adventure card on any player's turn and on any player's character(s).
- While in combat, you cannot play recipes, cards that allow you to move on the atlas, or cards that move the plane.
- An "S" in the bottom left corner indicates that it is a "starting" adventure card. If there is a number, this is the adventure card number.
- If there is a slash between various abilities on the card, you must choose one of them when you play the card.
- Cost to Activate: Abilities on adventure cards that require payment of something to activate (usually a resource) have an arrow between the cost (left side) and the effect (right side). You must pay the cost when you play the card. If you cannot pay the cost, you cannot play the card.
- Abilities that do not have an arrow between cost and effect do not cost anything to activate when played. Some, however, do list specific requirements. If you can't meet the requirements, you can't play the card.
- There is no adventure card hand limit.
A totem icon indicates that an adventure card is a restored totem. One of your goals in the game is to obtain as many of these as possible.
Combat Cards & Customizing Your Deck
Combat cards are a type of adventure card, but they are only used in combat. You start with a deck of 14 cards, but will find many more as you play the game. At any time outside of combat, you may look through combat cards you own and customize (choose which of your combat cards are included in) your active combat deck. Your active combat deck is the deck of cards you use in combat. It must be at least 14 cards, but it can be larger if you choose. Keep any unused combat cards you own near the combat deck board. Keep the active deck on the combat deck board. Players decide together which cards are in the deck, although the active player has final say. You may customize this deck right before starting combat, before the first attack round, but after seeing the enemy cards or boss page.
Ability Card Abilities
General Ability Card Rules
- Ability card abilities can only be used once they are equipped to a character.
- Ability card effects (not skills) can be applied to any character at any time unless the card specifies "this character" or "self," in which case the effects can only be applied to or used by the character that has the equipped card. The player that controls the character always decides when to use their equipped abilities.
- Cost to Activate: Abilities that require stamina, resources, or taking damage to activate have a white arrow between the cost (on the left side) and the effect (right side). Stamina and damage costs must always be paid by the character that the ability card is equipped to.
- Abilities that do not have a white arrow do not cost anything to activate once equipped. Follow their instructions any time their effects apply.
- If an ability says the word "you" it means the player that controls the character.
- Damage and "remove power" symbols add to any attack card unless indicated by the words "self" or "this character," in which case they can only add to an attack by a character that the ability card is equipped to.
- If a remove power or damage ability says, "Not an attack," it means that it can be performed at any time during combat and does not trigger a counterattack from an enemy. It is performed separately from an attack card, although you must follow adjacency rules when placing damage this way.
Resource Abilities and Restoring Dormant Totems
Common Resource Abilities
You can discard these resources at any time to activate their abilities.
- Ogroot: Restore 1 health.
- Whiskey: Remove frightened OR low morale.
- Torch: Deal 1 damage (not an attack). The torch is also useful in some explore locations.
- Sand Honey: Restore 1 health OR remove weakened.
- Rope: Remove 1 power OR ignore steep terrain.
- Meat: Gain 1 stamina.
Quest Resource Abilities
You can discard these resources at any time to activate their abilities, though you should only do so under dire circumstances because these resources are most valuable when used to restore dormant totems (explained below).
- Tundra Berry: Restore 8 health.
- Bloodflower: Restore 10 health.
- Gergon Leaf: +8 to fate.
- Fire Quartz: Deal 7 damage (not an attack).
- Ice Diamond: Deal 8 damage (not an attack).
- Jadeworm Egg: Restore 5 stamina.
Restoring Dormant Totems
As you play the game, you'll obtain quest cards that represent dormant totems, tools of the gods that have lost their power. You can restore their power by discarding specific combinations of quest resources you own (these are listed on each quest card). You can do this at any time. When you restore a dormant totem, you place the quest card in the completed quest box and gain the specified totem adventure card.
Any higher level quest resource can be used in place of a lower quest resource. For example, you can use 1 fire quartz in place of 1 bloodflower, etc. The ranking of quest resources is listed on the action board (jadeworm eggs are the highest and tundra berries are the lowest).
Example: If you need a fire quartz but don't have it, you could instead discard an ice diamond or a jadeworm egg.
Combat
Combat Setup
When a story section includes the word COMBAT, followed by a list of numbers, you must start combat and defeat enemies before you can continue your story. Follow these steps to set up combat.
- Retrieve the listed enemy cards from the enemy deck. The deck should be in order, face down. Look through the cards until you find the listed numbers. (Do not look at the fronts of the other cards in the deck, only the backs.) Shuffle the cards you just retrieved and place them face up in a row in the center of the table, without any space between cards. (You may place these on the atlas if there isn't room on the table.) Each enemy card starts with power tokens equal to the "add power" symbols on the card. Place these tokens on the picture area of the card.
- Shuffle the active combat deck. The deck must be at least 14 cards, and you cannot customize the deck (add unused combat cards you own to the deck) during combat. You can, however, customize the deck right before starting combat.
- Each player draws 1 combat card PLUS 1 for each character they control (do not count Claire Smith).
Combat Rounds
Start the first combat round and continue with combat rounds until either all enemy cards are defeated or all characters have 0 health. A combat round consists of the following:
- Attack and Counterattack: In any order, each player plays exactly 1 combat card on each character they control (not counting Claire Smith), for a total of 4 cards. The player that controls Claire Smith may choose to play a card on her rather than another character they control. Each combat card is followed by a counterattack from a targeted enemy.
- End of Round (Enemy Phase): After 4 combat cards have been played, all enemies that have not yet been defeated activate their end of round abilities.
- Check for Victory/Start New Round: If any enemies remain, each player draws 1 combat card for each card they played in the previous round. Then start a new round of combat. If all enemies are defeated, place them back in order in the enemy deck, discard all remaining combat cards, put damage and power tokens back in the tray, and remove synergy tokens from character boards. Then complete your story in the storybook.
Enemy and Combat Card Explanation
- Enemy Basic Counterattack Damage: This enemy deals its listed damage plus 1 per power token on the card immediately after a character attacks.
- End of Round Ability (Enemy Phase): At the end of each combat round, uncovered abilities with the hourglass symbol activate.
- Enemy Health: Each heart must be covered to defeat an enemy. Some hearts require more than 1 damage to cover (e.g., a 2-value heart requires 2 damage). You must use that much damage at once (it cannot be split between 2 attacks).
- Synergy: When you cover a square that has a synergy icon, you gain a synergy token. You must immediately place it on another character. That character can use it to activate a synergy ability on a combat card. Characters can have multiple synergy tokens, and you can also return them to the supply without using them.
- Enemy Power Growth (Add Power): Each round, this icon (when uncovered) gives this enemy 1 additional power token. Keep power tokens on the picture section of the card.
A synergy ability on a combat card can be activated (in addition to the other effects on the card) by spending a synergy token from the character. Each synergy ability can only be activated once each time you play the card. Otherwise, ignore this section.
A remove power symbol lets you remove 1 power token from the target enemy. A block symbol gives you block, which allows you to ignore 1 damage from an enemy counterattack.
Attack and Counterattack
- Play a combat card on a character you control (that isn't at 0 health and hasn't yet attacked this combat round). The character will now use the card's abilities to attack an enemy.
- Choose an enemy card to be the target of the attack.
- Activate each of the combat card's effects in any order.
- Counterattack: After you attack, the enemy counterattacks immediately (even if you covered its last heart). It deals damage equal to its basic attack damage plus the number of wooden power tokens it has (do not count enemy power growth symbols on the bottom of the card). Mark this damage on the character who attacked. Apply any block from the attack card you used, which lets you ignore 1 damage per 1 block. You may also use block from adventure cards and character abilities at this time. If the character runs out of health during a counterattack, any remaining damage is ignored.
- If every square containing a heart symbol is covered, the enemy is defeated. Return the defeated card to the enemy deck and slide any remaining enemy cards together so that they are adjacent.
Deal Damage: Place damage tokens on an enemy equal to the basic damage number. Sometimes you also roll the combat die and add (or subtract) the result. Other effects can also add damage, such as when a skill is listed. For example, if strength is listed, the character performing the attack adds their strength skill total to the damage (be sure to add their equipped ability cards).
After you calculate your total damage, place damage tokens on the enemy grid. Distribute the damage over adjacent squares (think of it as one slash or hit). Each square takes 1 damage to cover, except hearts with a value of 2 or more. For example, a 3-value heart would require 3 damage to cover, though you still only place 1 damage token on the square. Damage cannot be placed diagonally, and you cannot place damage on squares that already have a damage token. However, you may change directions when placing damage (for example, a T shape or any other shape is allowed, as long as all squares are adjacent).
Placing a damage token on a square disables all enemy abilities there, such as power growth or end of round abilities.
Splash Damage: When placing damage on an enemy card, you may place some of it on adjacent enemy cards as long as it follows the damage-adjacency rule (this is why enemy card grids are lined up exactly). At least half of the damage (rounded up) must be dealt to the enemy card that you originally targeted. Only the first enemy counterattacks, not any enemies that you place splash damage on. Thematically, it represents using the chaos of battle against your enemies. Enemy block does not apply when the enemy takes splash damage.
Remove Power: Remove the specified number of power tokens from the target enemy before they counterattack.
Block: Ignore the specified number of damage from the enemy's counterattack.
End of Round (Enemy Phase)
If any enemies remain after 4 combat cards have been played (or fewer, if one or more characters are at 0 health), they now activate their end of round abilities (indicated by the hourglass symbol). Players can choose to move to the end of round phase even if they haven't played 4 combat cards.
- First, discard all played combat cards on characters.
- Each remaining enemy then gains power and activates their end of round abilities, from left to right. When gaining power, add power tokens to the picture area of the enemy card equal to uncovered power growth symbols on the card.
- The active player decides which characters are affected by enemy abilities.
Check for Victory/Start a New Round
If any enemies remain, each player draws 1 combat card for each card they played in the previous round (reshuffle the combat deck if you run out of cards). Then start a new round of combat. If all enemies are defeated, place them back in order in the enemy deck, discard all remaining combat cards, and remove synergy tokens from character boards. Then complete your story in the storybook.
Combat Example: Zoey and Cid start the third combat round against 2 harkian warriors. In previous rounds, they defeated 3 other enemy cards. They each played 2 combat cards in the previous round, and so they each draw 2 combat cards (they each now have 3 cards in hand). Zoey controls Claire, Ed, and Jessie. Cid controls Ezarius and Miguel. The first harkian has 1 power. The second has 3 power. Zoey starts by playing the whip on Ed. She targets the first harkian, dealing 1 damage and removing 1 power token. The harkian counterattacks and deals 2 damage (because there are no longer any power tokens on the card). The whip gives Ed 2 block, so Ed takes no damage. Cid now plays the pistol on Miguel, targeting the second harkian. He rolls the combat die for a result of 2, dealing 6 damage. When he places the damage, he covers a square with a synergy icon, so he gives a synergy token to Claire. The harkian counterattacks and deals 2+3 damage (because he has 3 power tokens). Miguel takes 5 damage. Zoey now plays the Ice Blade on Claire, targeting the second harkian. Claire has a synergy token, so Zoey discards it to activate the Ice Blade's synergy ability, which gives her 1 extra "remove power" ability. She removes 3 power tokens from the harkian. Then she rolls the combat die for a result of -1. 3-1=2, so she deals 2 damage to the harkian, covering the final heart and defeating him. Even though the enemy is defeated, the harkian makes one final counterattack, dealing 2 damage to Claire (because there are no longer any power tokens on the card). Cid plays 1 final combat card on Ezarius and defeats the remaining harkian, taking 2 damage in the counterattack. Combat is now over.
Combat vs. Bosses
Sometimes the storybook will tell you to fight a boss. Instead of using enemy cards, each boss is an entire page in the storybook. All combat rules are the same, except for a few differences.
Each boss is separated into 3 or 4 zones, divided by large lines and labeled. Treat these zones as separate enemy cards. For example, each time you attack, choose a zone as the target. That zone counterattacks based on its damage and power tokens. Each zone has separate power tokens.
When you cover all hearts in a zone, the zone is not "defeated." All uncovered enemy abilities (including end of round abilities) in the zone still apply until all hearts on the entire boss have been covered.
Splash damage can be placed on adjacent squares in different zones.
Using Enemy Buff Cards with Bosses: Use an enemy buff card for each zone, but treat the "+1 heart per level" as shared among all the cards. For example, for the Abomination, because it is level 10, you would need a total of 10 extra damage dealt. You could deal 7 of the damage on 1 enemy buff card, 2 on another, and 1 on the last card.
Enemy Card Clarifications (Enemy Abilities)
- Add Power to Ally (or Self): In the enemy phase, add the specified power to 1 other enemy card (or self, if specified).
- Allies deal +1/+2 damage: All other enemy cards deal +1/+2 damage when counterattacking while this ability is active.
- Block X: This enemy blocks the specified damage each time a character deals damage to it, until this ability is disabled. Enemy block does not apply when the enemy takes splash damage.
- Combat Die Always Rolls a -1: The combat die always has a result of -1 until the ability is disabled.
- Counter Deal 1 Dam. to All: Each time this enemy is attacked, it deals the specified damage to each character (in addition to its counterattack).
- Deal X Damage to All: In the enemy phase, deal the specified damage to each character.
- Deal X Damage to One: In the enemy phase, deal the specified damage to one character (the active player chooses).
- Discard Ability: In the enemy phase, discard 1 equipped ability card from a character (the active player chooses which card to remove).
- First Strike: This ability is active until disabled. Any time a character attacks this enemy, the enemy counterattacks first.
- Frighten: In the enemy phase, 1 character gains 1 frightened status token (the active player chooses).
- Heal Self (or Ally) X: In the enemy phase, this enemy removes the specified number of damage tokens from itself (or an ally). The active player chooses which damage tokens are removed. Each damage token is treated as 1 (it doesn't matter how many hearts the token covers). For example, a "Heal Self 1" could remove a damage token from a 3-value heart.
- Lose 1 Resource: In the enemy phase, return 1 resource to the supply.
- Low Morale: In the enemy phase, 1 character gains 1 low morale token (the active player chooses).
- Madness: In the enemy phase, 1 character gains 1 madness status token (the active player chooses).
- Venom: In the enemy phase, 1 character gains 1 venom status token (the active player chooses).
- Weaken: In the enemy phase, 1 character gains 1 weakened status token (the active player chooses).
Campaign
Defeat
Your main goals in Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies are to find dormant totems and rejuvenate them, find lost passengers, and survive the dangers of the Wandering World. You are defeated when all 5 characters reach 0 health, but that is not the end of your journey.
When you are defeated, return to the map (if you were defeated while exploring), restore all characters' health to full, regain all stamina, and remove all status effects. Then cross off 3 camps and mark 1 defeat box on your journey log.
If you are defeated during one of the end stories (starting on 120), simply mark 1 defeat, restore all character health to full, remove all status effects, regain all stamina, and read from the beginning of 120 again, repeating this until you finish the game.
Difficulty
When you start a campaign, mark your selected difficulty on the journey log. There are 3 difficulty levels: easy, normal, and hard. The differences are described below.
- Easy: When playing easy mode, draw 3 ability cards per turn (instead of 2). When you camp, restore 6 health per character (instead of 2). Enemies start with 1 fewer power.
- Normal: This is the standard and recommended way to play the game, especially if you've already played the original Sleeping Gods. When setting up the event deck, remove 8 random level 1 event cards.
- Hard: When playing hard mode, all challenges have +1 to their challenge number. When setting up the event deck, remove 14 random level 1 event cards. Also, when setting up each combat, shuffle the deck of enemy buff cards and deal 1 card to each enemy. Each enemy buff card adds health and an ability to the enemy. When placing attack damage on an enemy, you may place any or all of it on the buff card to account for the extra health (pretend it is adjacent to every square in the grid), which you must also "cover" to defeat the enemy. Even if you cover a buff card, the ability on the card still applies until the enemy is defeated.
If you're finding the game too easy or too difficult while playing, you can change your difficulty level at any time. Just be sure to mark the change on the journey log. The point of Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies is to have a fantastic adventure. It's designed with story and experience in mind, so if you're not having a good time because of the game's difficulty, do not hesitate to adjust it.
Instant Death Mode: If you want a real challenge, you can play with this option. If you do, write it on your journey log sheet at the start of the campaign. If you're ever defeated, the campaign ends immediately. Write down your final score.
Struggling to Survive?
Remember to equip ability cards. Though it costs more, stacking a character with multiple ability cards with the same skill will make you more efficient and you won't need to camp as much.
Most of the time, when you're presented with an overwhelming combat, you have the option of running away. A level 6 combat is one of the lowest levels in the game, but even that can knock you out if you're not prepared. Run away if things aren't going your way and come back when you're ready to fight. Search for more combat cards and customize your deck to be as effective as possible. You only need to have 14 cards in the deck; remove the combat cards that are less powerful.
If you are defeated, don't worry. The game was designed knowing this might happen sooner or later. Take what you learn and continue. Even if you end the campaign with fewer goals achieved than you hoped for, you'll be able to unlock new cards that will help you in the next campaign. Every ending in the storybook is a legitimate one, even if it isn't quite what you had in mind when you started.
Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies is all about balancing resources. Don't use characters on every challenge. Sometimes it's better to just draw fate without spending stamina if you can afford to take the failure consequences. It's harder to restore health than stamina, but it's okay to lose health as long as you're balancing your losses. Failing a challenge often moves the story forward even if you take some consequences.
The first map is the easiest map in the game, despite a few surprising dangers hidden here and there. The farther you venture from the starting map, the harder things get.
Journey Log and Campaign Map
When you start a new campaign, record the players' names and name your plane on a new journey log sheet. Also mark if you are playing easy, normal, or hard mode. Use this sheet throughout the campaign to write notes, track camps, mark defeats, and mark boxes on the Stormlock City Rebels and King Trusiam tracks. Also use this sheet when you need to save the game.
On the back of the journey log is a map of the northern land you're exploring, a part of the Wandering World called Serrack's Edge. Author's Note: This place is to the far northwest of the map of islands in the original Sleeping Gods. It is highly recommended to write notes on this map to help you remember things, such as where you've been, where you want to return, and more. If you know that a certain location requires a keyword, you can write this down as well so you know where to return when you gain the keyword later. You can also use notes from previous campaigns when you play a new campaign.
If you're ever instructed to cross off a location on this map, you cannot return to explore it again in the same campaign.
Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies can only support 1 campaign at a time. This is because you need to keep track of which quest cards you have completed, character status effects, adventure cards you own, and more. You may reset the game for a new campaign at any time by following the steps in "Resetting for a New Campaign."
Saving the Game
At the start of any player's turn, you can decide to pause the campaign and save your game. This is a way to pack up the game components and keep track of your progress so you can continue another time. If you have a dedicated space to keep the game set up, you do not need to save the game. Follow these steps:
- On the next available save line on your journey sheet, write down your location (it's best if you end on a square with an explore number), the plane's location, each character's health, and the plane's health and fuel.
- Place each character's status tokens and equipped ability cards in a separate bag with their standee and current stamina (you do not need to store the character boards in these bags).
- Place all of your resources, adventure cards, combat cards, ability cards in hand, character boards, and quest cards in the large trough in the storage tray. When placing adventure cards in this trough, put them in their own bag, and put any from the adventure card discard face down in the pile, while keeping the remaining cards face up (place a status token at the top of the pile to indicate the top). Place the event deck in its own bag, with active events face up on the top of the pile. If you need to, you can write how many threat tokens they have on your journey log sheet.
- Clean up the rest of the game components.
Setting up a Saved Game
- Place the atlas in the center of the table and turn to the page of the location indicated on the most recent save line on the journey log sheet. Place the Claire figure on the listed location.
- Place the action board near the atlas and the pocket watch at "turn start". Place any resources from the large trough in the storage tray on the action board.
- Set up each character with the equipped ability cards and status tokens from their individual bags. Distribute the character boards among the players as evenly as possible. Each player places their characters in front of them and sets health and stamina at the correct numbers.
- Shuffle the ability deck and place it on the action board.
- Place the event deck on the action board. Place the active events nearby (with any threat tokens, as indicated on your journey log sheet).
- Shuffle the ability cards that were in players' hands when you last saved and deal them out to the players as evenly as possible. Do the same for the adventure cards. Place the adventure card discard pile on the action board.
- Place the deck of enemy cards near the board. Place the combat deck board nearby.
- Place all of your current quest cards near the board. Place the magnetic box of quests and adventure cards nearby.
- Place all remaining tokens and the storybook nearby.
- Place the flight board and plane near the atlas. Place the plane on the last recorded location.
- Decide who will be the first player and give them the active player token.
Adding or Removing Players
You can add or remove players at the end of any turn.
Follow these steps to remove a player: After the current turn ends, assign the character board(s) to the remaining players as evenly as possible (except Claire Smith, who is always controlled by the active player). Distribute the player's ability and adventure cards in hand among the other players.
Follow these steps to add a player: If playing solo, give the new player 2 of the character boards (not Claire Smith's board). Randomly give the new player half of your adventure cards and ability cards in hand. If playing with more than one player, give the new player one of the character boards (not Claire Smith's board) controlled by a player that currently controls 2 characters. Shuffle all adventure cards in hand and ability cards in hand from all players and deal them out as evenly as possible to each player.
Campaign Final Score
When you finish a campaign, calculate your final score based on the following:
- 2 points per adventure card you have (don't include starting adventure or combat cards). Restored totems and passengers are worth 5 points instead of 2.
- 1 point per quest card (including all the cards in the completed quest box).
- 1 point per equipped ability card.
- 1 point per 4 remaining common resources.
- 1 point per remaining quest resource.
- 10 points if you reached an ending in the campaign.
- -10 points per defeat.
- +10 points if playing normal OR +20 points if playing hard mode.
- +10 additional points if playing instant death (in any difficulty mode).
Achievements
Whenever you restore a dormant totem and gain the associated adventure card, mark the appropriate box on the achievement sheet. When you complete various campaign endings, defeat bosses, find passengers, or complete treasure maps, mark the specified boxes on the achievement sheet. Each box (except the unlocked cards themselves) is an achievement. As you complete achievements, you gain "unlocked cards".
Unlocked Cards: Unlocked cards are specific cards in the quest or adventure card deck. Mark the unlocked cards you achieve when you have the specified number of achievements.
Example: To gain the unlocked card "Adventure Card 132," you would need to have completed a minimum of 3 achievements, such as Defeat Boss 10, George Gift, and Eternal Geode Totem.
Each time you start a new campaign, check the achievement sheet to see which unlocked cards you start with. You do not gain these cards during a campaign, only when you start a new campaign.
Once you have gained an unlocked card, it forever remains "unlocked" and you can use it in all future campaigns. Store it with your starting cards. You may choose which unlocked cards to use at the start of each campaign.
Resetting for a New Campaign
Follow these steps:
- Return all adventure cards and quests to the magnetic box. Make sure all cards in each deck are in numerical order (starting with 1 when face down).
- Return all tokens to the supply.
Variant Rule: Quick Landing
If you choose to play with this variant, when you perform the fly action, you may drop off Claire anywhere on the open atlas, not only on the landing place square. However, Claire must start on the landing place square as normal.
If playing with this variant, you may perform the fly action without moving the plane to a different landing location (for example, you could move Claire to a space on the same open atlas page). In this case, the plane's distance is 0 when drawing fate to check for damage, but it still costs 1 fuel.
Ignore obstacles when taking this action (including on the space where you place Claire).
Designer's Note: This variant is not as realistic, but you may want to use it if you'd like to use the plane to travel more often, and it's a great way to avoid any obstacles on your destination space.
Already Played Sleeping Gods?
If you've played Sleeping Gods, you'll recognize many of the concepts and systems here, but some things have changed in Distant Skies. Here's what's new or different:
Moxie: This new skill represents a character's ability to withstand stress, intimidate others, overcome fear, or act with boldness.
No Ship Actions: There are no ship actions in this game.
Time Track and Actions: Instead of taking two actions each turn, you now spend time to take actions. Each turn consists of 5 time, and most actions cost between 1 or 2 time.
Camp Instead of Port: Visiting a port has been replaced by a new action called "camp." You may camp anywhere and at any time (except in the middle of another action). Camping does not cost time, but it does require you to cross off a camp icon on your journey log sheet. You have a limited number of camps before the game ends, so you must use these wisely.
No Command: There are no command tokens in the game. Players no longer need to spend command to participate in challenges on other players' turns.
Stamina Replaces Fatigue: Characters no longer gain fatigue. Each character has up to 3 stamina tokens that they can spend to activate abilities and participate in challenges.
Status Effect Changes: Madness and low morale have changed (see Status Tokens).
Combat: Combat is based on the system in Sleeping Gods, but has a few changes.
- Players no longer equip weapon cards to specific characters. Instead, players use a deck of combat cards (a specific type of adventure card). Each combat round, 4 combat cards are played to deal damage to enemies and more.
- Accuracy has been removed. All attacks hit.
- Enemies have a new resource called "power." When an enemy counterattacks, it deals damage equal to its base attack plus the number of power tokens on the card.
- Enemies counterattack when they are attacked, even if you covered their last heart. They do not attack at the end of each combat round, but they do activate their end-of-round abilities.
- Synergy tokens with specific characters have been replaced by basic synergy tokens (wood). They can be given to any character and used to strengthen certain combat cards when played.
- Enemy attack damage no longer "spills over" onto other characters. If a character reaches 0 health, the rest of the counterattack damage is ignored.
Ability Cards: Players equip ability cards to characters by discarding other ability cards in hand instead of spending command. There are no level cards in the game, but equipped ability cards are never discarded unless you choose to discard them. In Distant Skies, you may only equip ability cards to characters you control (not any character).
Fate: When drawing fate, the numbers are now between 1 and 8. See the Fate Number Frequency table for the frequency of fate numbers.
Adventure Cards in Hand: Players now keep adventure cards in their hands. They do not require command to activate. When a player plays an adventure card, they place it in the adventure card discard pile. When players camp, they shuffle the adventure discard pile and distribute the cards to the players as evenly as possible.
How to Store Components
Storage Tray:
- Unused enemy buff/curse cards
- Unused status tokens
- Combat die
- Ability card deck
- Damage, Power, and Synergy tokens
- Enemy card deck
- Other components
- Airplane
- Pocket Watch
- Bonus Time Token
- Resources
Store components specific to the current campaign in the large trough:
- Acquired adventure cards
- Ability cards in hand
- Acquired resources
- Current event deck
- Current quest cards
- Characters: stamina, equipped ability cards, status effects
Magnetic Card Box:
- Unused adventure cards and quest cards (in order)
- Unused event cards
There is also a Completed Quest Box for cards that are lost or completed.
Fate Number Frequency
| Fate | Number of Cards |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5 |
| 2 | 7 |
| 3 | 8 |
| 4 | 10 |
| 5 | 10 |
| 6 | 10 |
| 7 | 10 |
| 8 | 2 |
Credits
Game Design, Illustration and Graphic Design, Story and World: Ryan Laukat
Writing: Ryan Laukat, Brenna Asplund, Malorie Laukat
Editor: Malorie Laukat
Game Development: Ryan Laukat & Malorie Laukat
Additional Development: Brenna Asplund
3D Sculptor: Francesco Orrù
Proofreading: Malorie Laukat, Brenna Asplund, Diana Parkin
Rulebook & Introduction Comic Book: Ryan Laukat
Copyright Red Raven Games 2023