Talisman: Timescape
Talisman: Timescape Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
This box should contain the following:
- 1 Timescape Game Board
- 40 Timescape Cards
- 12 Timescape Purchase Cards
- 2 Spell Cards
- 8 Character Cards
- 8 playing piece cards
- 4 Timescape Data Sheets
- 1 rulesheet (you're reading it)
Rules
The following rules must be used when playing Talisman with the Timescape.
1. Set-Up
The Timescape consists of one Game Board Expansion, 40 Timescape Cards, 12 Timescape Purchase Cards, 2 Spell Cards and 8 Character Cards, all used in conjunction with the main game.
Place the Timescape board alongside the Talisman board. Shuffle the new Characters and Spells into the appropriate stock piles, along with those from the original game and any other expansion sets you are using. Shuffle the Timescape Cards and place them and the Timescape Purchase Cards beside the Timescape board.
The game is now ready to play. Read the remainder of this rulebook and begin the game as usual.
2. Playing in the Timescape
There are three very important differences between the Timescape and the other Talisman boards. These are explained in detail in the body of the rules, but here is a summary:
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Cards only ever affect the Character who draws them; they never affect any other Characters.
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Cards are always discarded after they have affected the Character who drew them; they are never left on the board. This does not apply to cards which a Character is allowed to keep.
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Characters never encounter other Characters in the Timescape; if you land on the same Space as another Character, follow the rules for the Space rather than encountering them.
Design Note. The reason behind these rules is that each space on the Timescape board represents a complete separate reality, with an area much larger than the normal Talisman board. When your Character moves to the space, they have appeared in one small part of that alternate reality, and the chances of any other Character appearing even remotely in the same place are very small indeed...
3. Entering the Timescape
There are five ways to enter the Timescape:
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You may use a Warp Gate Spell.
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If you draw the Horrible Black Void card when using the Alternative Ending cards from Talisman the Adventure, you must move your Character immediately to the Warp Gate space on the Timescape board. All Followers and Objects are retained. Return the Void card to the Alternative Ending Card stock pile.
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You may attempt to enter the Timescape with the help of the Mystic, Enchantress or Warlock on the main board:
If you visit the Mystic or Enchantress and wish to enter the Timescape, roll two dice instead of the normal one. If the score is equal to or less than the sum of your starting quotas of Strength and Craft, you are found worthy and a Warp Gate is opened for you. Move your Character immediately to the Warp Gate space. If you fail, end your Turn.
The Warlock may open a Warp Gate for you for a fee. Instead of rolling for a Quest, roll one die:
- 1-3: Ignored
- 4: Pay 1 Follower
- 5: Pay 1 Magic Object
- 6: Pay 2 Gold
If you have the fee, you must pay it and move your Character immediately to the Warp Gate space. If you do not have it, you are ignored, and end your Turn.
You may visit the Mystic, Enchantress or Warlock any number of times to attempt to enter the Timescape, but may only have one attempt per visit. Characters who have been transformed into Toads may visit the Mystic or Enchantress, but must roll a 2 on two dice to enter the Timescape. The Mystic or Enchantress will only send you to the Timescape once each. The Warlock will send you there any number of times - as long as you can pay his fee!
Any character who enters the Timescape must leave behind any Mule, Horse & Cart, Warhorse, or Horse, in the space they entered from. The Poltergeist must likewise be discarded.
Editor's note: the source says "there are five ways" but prints only three numbered methods; the Warlock paragraph above is printed unnumbered under method 3. Transcribed as printed.
4. Movement in the Timescape
The spaces in the Timescape are joined by different coloured Warp Lines. In your Turn, roll a die and consult the movement table to see which Warp Line you move along. Note that movement along Warp Lines is one way only (in a clockwise direction).
Characters have no control over their movement; they are being randomly drawn to different locations by forces they cannot control or understand. No Character may use Followers, Objects, Spells or Abilities to affect where they move. The only exception to this is the Warp Belt, which always allows the character to move as if they had rolled a 1 or a 2.
No other Movement is possible except as instructed on the Timescape Board and Timescape Cards. If you draw an Adventure card, ignore any instructions about movement.
5. Adventure Cards
When you land on a Timescape space you may be instructed to draw an Adventure card. In this case, draw the top card from the Adventure card deck used in the normal Talisman game. You cannot use a Special Ability to draw extra or look at Adventure Cards. The following rules apply to the instructions on the card:
i) Ignore any instructions to do with the movement of your playing piece.
ii) Adventure cards drawn in the Timescape only affect the Character who draws them. They never affect any other Characters, even if they are in the same space.
iii) All Adventure Cards which are drawn in the Timescape and not kept by the Character are discarded after the instructions have been followed - no matter what the card may say. Cards which are abandoned in the Timescape are also discarded.
iv) If you draw a Horse, Mule, Horse and Cart, Warhorse, Poltergeist, Arena or Blizzard, discard it. Do not draw another card.
If you draw a Dungeon Door, discard it and draw another card.
If you draw the Hermit, discard him and gain 1 Talisman.
If you draw the Pool of Life, Magic Stream or Fountain of Wisdom, discard it and add one to your appropriate attribute.
If you draw the Raiders, discard it along with all of your Objects and Gold.
6. Timescape Cards
Timescape Cards and Adventure Cards are kept separate. Make sure that you draw from the right deck whenever you are instructed to draw a card.
Also, note that Timescape Card Enemies are all designated as Aliens. Therefore, items or abilities which pertain to some other specific type of Enemy (Monster, Spirit, etc) will not work on them. Aliens which fight with Strength, however, can be saved for "cash-ins" by any Character who defeats them.
Timescape Cards are Encountered in the following order:
- Hand of Fate
- Enemy-Alien (Strength)
- Enemy-Alien (Craft)
- Object
- Follower
As with Adventure cards, any Timescape cards must be discarded after the instructions on the card have been followed, unless the Character is allowed to keep the card.
7. Spells & Magic Objects
You may only use Spells in the Timescape against Adventure cards that you have drawn. You may not cast spells at any other time. Similarly, Magic Objects will only work against Adventure cards, and may not be used at any other time. If you find a Magic Object in the Timescape you may keep it, and it will work normally when you return to the main board.
8. Imprisonment
During play you may find yourself Imprisoned by the Sentinels. In order to escape, you must roll equal to or less than your Craft on 2 dice. The roll is made at the start of your Turn. If you succeed, take your Turn as normal. If you fail, try again next Turn.
Regardless of the result of the roll, you will be released after you have missed 3 Turns.
9. Odds & Ends
While playing (or playing against) a Character in the Timescape, the following restrictions apply:
If you land on a space containing another Character you may not encounter them. Follow the instructions for the space instead.
Characters in the Timescape cannot affect or be affected by other Characters in any way (including the use of Pandora's Box). Nor can they be affected by the main Talisman Board or by Cards drawn there. Only the Timescape Cards and those Cards which are drawn as instructed by the Timescape Board may affect Characters in the Timescape.
Characters may not use ranged weapons (such as the Samurai's bow) to attack other characters in the Timescape.
The Dragon King and Hercules cannot Teleport into the Timescape. If there are no Characters on the main board, these cards must remain at the Crown of Command space until a Character returns to the main board.
When using the Timescape, the Ancient Artifact is considered an Object, not a Magic Object.
The Transmute spell will affect any Object from the Timescape deck. Discard the Object card if the Transmute spell is cast upon it.
If a follower fights the Warp Demon, or Aliens encountered on Death World, the Character does not receive the bonus to their Strength or Craft.
When a Toad enters the Fourth Dimension, he immediately reverts to normal. If, while in the Fourth Dimension, you are turned into a Toad, you will remain a Toad only until the end of that Turn.
A Warp-belt or Jet-Pack may be taken into the Dungeon but will not work there.
The Green Mist will not affect Timescape cards.
An Anti-Grav Platform may be taken into the Dungeon and will work as normal.
10. New Characters
Characters which start in the Vortex roll to see which space they move to on the Talisman board as their first Turn. Rolls of 6 are ignored, however, and the die is rolled again.
The Rogue and the Space Pirate cannot modify the die rolls at the Enchantress or Warlock when attempting to enter the Timescape.
The Archaeologist may not keep Enemies killed by his Pistol for Strength.
Characters that start in the Timescape are never affected by the Patrol card.
11. Other Rules
Except as noted in these rules, the normal Talisman rules apply.
Timescape Data Sheet
The Timescape Data Sheet is printed on both sides of the component sheet. The two printed copies carry the same text.
Vortex - When you reach the Vortex roll one die and teleport to:
1: Crags 2: Warlock's Cave 3: Village 4: Temple 5: Plain of Peril 6: Warp Gate
Nexus - Draw five Adventure Cards. Choose one you wish to encounter, and discard the others.
Rad Zone - Roll one die:
1: Mutate - gain 2 Craft 2: Mutate - lose 1 Craft 3-4: Radiation Poisoning - lose 2 Lives 5: Mutate - lose 1 Strength 6: Mutate - gain 2 Strength
Space Fortress - You may visit one of the following:
- Robo-Doc - Heal up to your starting quota of Lives at a cost of one Gold each.
- Rogue Trader - You may buy any available Purchase card from the trader, as follows:
- Gyro-Compass - 2 Gold
- Mining Laser - 2 Gold
- Combat Enviro-Suit - 3 Gold
- Jet Pack - 4 Gold
- Chainsword - 5 Gold
- Poweraxe - 5 Gold
- Psi-Helmet - 5 Gold
Warp Demon - You must fight this horrific creature. He has Strength 12 and Craft 12. You may choose which type of combat to fight. If you lose, lose 1 Life. If you win, gain 2 points of the attribute used in the combat - either Craft or Strength.
Sentinel Outpost - The Sentinels police the Timescape. Roll one die:
1: Judged a threat to the space/time continuum. Move to Vortex next Turn. 2: Imprisoned - see rule 8. 3-4: Pay fine of 2 Gold or be Imprisoned. 5-6: Judged innocent - Move to any space on the Timescape board next Turn.
Death World - Roll one die:
1: Poison atmosphere - lose one Life. 2: Fight an Alien - Craft 9. 3: Fight an Alien - Strength 9. 4: Draw one Adventure Card. 5: Draw two Adventure Cards. 6: Draw three Adventure Cards.
If you defeat an Alien here, gain 1 point of the attribute used in the combat - either Strength or Craft.