Spartacus: The Shadow of Death Expansion Set
Spartacus: The Shadow of Death Expansion Set Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 34 Intrigue cards
- 1 Dominus board
- 6 Market cards
- 3 Gladiator figures
- 45 tokens
Rulebook
Expansion symbol (the expansion's card icon: a skull in a laurel wreath)
New Intrigue Cards
The Shadow of Death expansion includes two new types of Intrigue cards: Celebration cards and Boast cards.
All cards in this set are marked with the skull-in-laurels symbol. To add these cards to your game, simply shuffle them into the existing Intrigue deck.
New House Board
The Shadow of Death introduces a new House: Calavius. This House can be used with any number of players. This expansion is self-contained and includes enough tokens to add a new player to the game. Together with the Wolves and Serpents expansion, you can play with up to 7 players.
Games With Larger Numbers
A game for 5 or more players follows all of the basic rules of the game, but such a game may take longer.
Primus
Many of the cards in the Shadow of Death expansion use the Primus rules, which were introduced in the Wolves and Serpents expansion. These rules are also repeated at the end of this rulebook.
Note: the insert as sourced does not contain the repeated Primus section its text refers to at the end, so no further Primus rules are transcribed here. The Primus rules themselves come from the Wolves and Serpents expansion.
The House of Calavius
"In the name of my ancestors, I, Titus Calavius, present to you the main fight! In the traditions of the greatest gladiatorial contests, a spectacle of blood and death, offered up to Ceres, great goddess of fertility! May she water our lands, and may streams of rain pour from her lips!"
House Abilities
Eye of the Magistrate: Calavius can use his political influence and power to thwart his opponents' plans. During his turn, he may choose an opponent's House ability and block it until the end of the remainder of the current Intrigue phase. This applies only to that specific ability, meaning the Dominus opponent may still use other House abilities of their House. The earlier in the Intrigue phase Calavius acts, the greater the effect he can get from using this ability.
Bow Down at My Feet: Calavius's other House ability is a passive rule that is always in effect. Whenever the opponent who is the Games Master loses any amount of Influence, Calavius gains 1 Influence. This ability may be applied several times in a round.
Example
In the Intrigue phase, Batiatus is the Games Master. Calavius attacks Batiatus with a Scheme card, causing Batiatus to lose 2 Influence, and as a result Calavius gains 1 Influence. Later, Solonius plays another Scheme on Batiatus, causing him to lose another 1 Influence; Calavius again gains 1 Influence. Solonius becomes the Games Master during the Market phase. In the Arena phase, he makes a difficult choice, executing a champion gladiator, and loses 1 Influence. Calavius again gains 1 more Influence.
The Rise of the Titan
The Shadow of Death includes new versions of the Spartacus, Crixus and Theokles cards. Replace the original versions of these three Market cards with their new versions.
Spartacus
"From the House of Quintus Lentulus Batiatus... Before you stands Spartacus, the Thracian!" — Titus Calavius
Rain-Bringer: If Spartacus's team wins in the Arena, all Dominuses who bet on it receive double profit, but only if Spartacus is not wounded or beheaded.
Crixus
"Today he will fight together with the undefeated Gaul! The Champion of Capua! Before you stands Crixus, the Murmillo!" — Titus Calavius
Shoulder to Shoulder: Crixus may use his defence dice to block an attack against a teammate in a Primus, using them in place of the teammate's defence dice. The wounds are still received by the teammate; Crixus, by providing his abilities, does not risk receiving wounds himself.
Theokles
"Together they will meet the one who knows no defeat. With a spear that cannot be tamed. With a legend that does not fade. Thanks to Marcus Decius Solonius. Before you stands Theokles, the Deadly Shadow!" — Titus Calavius
Shadow of Death: Invited to a Primus, Theokles fights alone for the entire team. No other Gladiator may be on a team with him, and after he enters, the Lanista makes one fewer arena invitation. A fourth House that accepts an invitation to a Primus may not field Theokles. A traitor Gladiator may NOT join Theokles's team in a Primus.
Example
Lisa holds a Primus and wants to invite four players. First, Lisa invites Peter, who enters the fight fielding Spartacus. Next, Lisa invites Eugene, who enters with Theokles. Theokles fights alone, so Lisa may make only one more invitation. Whoever accepts the last invitation must be paired with Peter's Spartacus.
May I Begin?: Once per Primus, Theokles may restore all of his stats to their starting values, so that all of his dice return to their starting values: 5 attack, 5 defence and 3 speed. This is done on his turn, instead of attacking; he may still move on that turn. If Theokles is defeated, wounded or beheaded before he has used his "May I Begin?" ability, he may not use it and loses the fight.
Roman Festivals
The Shadow of Death contains ten new Intrigue cards: Festivals. Festival cards are a new, special type of Reaction, which are played at the start of the Arena phase, before the summoning of the gladiators for the bout begins. As with all Reaction cards, you may not ask other players to support you with Influence points. All rules for Reaction cards also apply to Festivals.
Only one Festival card may be played in the Arena phase. If more than one Dominus wants to play a Festival card, the Dominus with the highest level of Influence plays their card. In the event of a tie, the Games Master may choose which of these players plays their card. All unplayed cards are returned to their players.
Each Festival card tells the Games Master whether they "must" or "may" announce a Primus. Festivals follow all the rules of the Primus, with the special conditions listed on each Festival card.
When a Festival card is played, the minimum Influence level requirement for the Games Master to announce a Primus is ignored. A Primus may or must be held, regardless of the Games Master's current Influence level.
Festival Cancellation
In any case where the Games Master cannot secure a sufficient number of players to start a Primus, the Festival card is simply discarded. The first two players who accepted the invitation to the festival bout fight under the normal rules.
Note: Since a Festival is a Reaction, the Games Master may not use a Guard to discard a Festival card.
Boasting
"Just listen to the crowing of this rooster…" — Vettius, to Batiatus
Boast tokens represent a combination of components such as: public boasting; bragging; general praise of the strength, speed and daring recklessness of your gladiators. Loud, public praise of your team of fighters may increase the number of citizens who gather to watch the fight, but this can have consequences. If a Gladiator whose reputation you have inflated is defeated, you will look foolish.
Applying Boast Tokens
Various new Intrigue cards and Reaction cards will invite you to place a "Boast token" on one of your Gladiators. Some cards will have special instructions about which gladiator may receive a Boast token. One Gladiator may not have more than one Boast token. Once a Boast token is placed, you tie your fate to that fighter. You may not transfer or sell such a Gladiator to other players or to the bank.
Victory Ambrosia
Nothing is as sweet as sharp words washed in the blood of your rivals. If one of your Gladiators with a Boast token wins in the Arena, remove that token from it.
Price of Arrogance
The gods do not favour liars: if a Gladiator with a Boast token loses in the Arena, its owner loses 2 Influence. Remove the token from the defeated gladiator.