The Adventure Zone: Bureau of Balance Game

The Adventure Zone: Bureau of Balance Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

What Is the Bureau of Balance?

Rising above the world are two moons. Well, just one moon, actually; the other one is the well-disguised headquarters of the Bureau of Balance. Led by The Director Lucretia, the Bureau is dedicated to tracking down relics: powerful magical artifacts that could cause untold destruction if they fall into the wrong hands. The bad news? There's a lot of wrong hands out there. There are countless villains just itchin' to get ahold of the relics. The good news? That's you. You're heroes, and Madam Director is sure that you've got what it takes to reclaim the relics and save the world. Well, "sure" is a little strong. Generally optimistic, maybe? We'll see how it goes.

The Bureau has three main jobs. Seekers track down the relics; they do the legwork that makes your missions possible. Reclaimers like you overcome deadly challenges to recover the relics. Regulators -- like Killian and Carey Fangbattle -- provide support for Reclaimers in the field... and eliminate Reclaimers that become villains themselves. If you're lucky, you might get some tips from our senior Reclaimers -- Magnus Burnsides, Taako, and Merle Highchurch.

What keeps the common folk from panicking about all these terrifying relics and villains? That's the work of the Voidfish. This amazing creature lives in a tank at the Bureau and consumes information, wiping it from the minds of everyone in the world. By drinking Voidfish ichor -- we're not saying it's urine, but we're not not saying it -- you're able to remember things about the relics that everyone else has forgotten.

Life at the Bureau of Balance isn't all dangerous adventures. Between missions, you can always relax on the fake grass lawn, hang out with your annoying roommate in a stylish dome, or grab a drink at the beloved local Chug & Squeeze. And when you have loot to spare, Gareld the Deals Warlock can provide you with exactly what you need at the local Fantasy KostCo, where all your dreams come true.

So get ready, Reclaimers! A new mission is just around the corner. The world needs you. But don't worry: You're going to be amazing!

Components

Gameboard (1): It's Where Everything Happens! (TM, TM, TM)
Character Sheets: Each player chooses a different type.
Action Tokens (5): Used to assist your teammates and other heroic moves.
The TAZ 20 (1): You'll never be so happy to roll a 6.
Mission Cards (12): Three different types: Villain, Relic, and Location. Combine to make your adventure.
Fantasy KostCo Cards (30): Trade yer loot for KostCo items that give you some bling!
Challenge Cards (120): Each Mission card has a corresponding deck of 10 double sided challenge cards.
Surprise Cards (12): TAZ characters you know and maybe love who will help your team.
Health Token (1): Track team health for the mission.
Challenge Token (1): Yeah, don't do math in your head.
Bureau of Balance Tokens (6): These are special and used in special cases.
Team Leader Token (1): For general team leader showing off.

Setup

Select one person to be the team leader.

In addition to playing a character, the team leader performs the Mission Setup, manages the rules, and keeps the story going throughout the game. The team leader is not a "master" that owns the story, but a team member who is helping coordinate and encourage collaborative storytelling.

Player Setup

Each player selects a unique character sheet and the action token associated with it.
Name your character and answer the three questions on the Character Sheet. You can use the answers on the back of the sheet or come up with your own ideas. There's no wrong answers; this is about creating a character you like. If inspired, draw a sketch of your character.

Mission Setup

Place the gameboard in the center of the table.
Select one relic, one villain, and one location mission card. Find the challenge deck associated with each mission you selected. See the back of the mission card on how to set up its corresponding challenge deck.
Each challenge deck has a finale card. Make sure that this card is face up on the bottom of the challenge deck. Each mission card includes further instructions for preparing each challenge deck.
Shuffle the surprise deck. Place one surprise card facedown in each of the three challenge decks, below the fourth card of each deck.
Place the mission cards in the appropriate space on the gameboard, with the matching challenge deck in the spaces adjacent to the mission cards.
Shuffle the fantasy kostco deck and set it to the side of the gameboard.
Place a token on the team health track at the top of the gameboard. Starting Team Health depends on the number of players. For 2 players, start at 14 Health; for 3 players, start at 12 Health; for 4 or 5 players, start at 10 Health.
Place the TAZ 20 Die and Bureau of Balance tokens within easy reach of the gameboard.

(Illustrated on the page: Character Sheet and Action Token; Challenge Card and Mission Card; Typical Game Set-up, including the discard pile.)

How to Play

Purpose

Collaborate with your friends to make a story in the Adventure Zone universe! Win or lose, this is the tale of your team of plucky adventurers, reclaimers for the Bureau of Balance.

Objective

This is a cooperative game in which all of the players win or lose together. The players win by defeating all of the challenges in two of the three challenge decks; one of these must be the relic deck. The players lose if the Team Health Track reaches zero before this happens.

Introductions

Introduce characters. Starting with the team leader, each player introduces their character. Share your name and the answers to your three questions.
Mission introduction. Now it's time for the team leader to introduce the mission. Read the text on the back of each mission card. Each card includes one or two italicized questions. Pose each question to the players and make a note of the answers. This is an important part of the game! You are about to create a story together, and this creates the foundation of that story. Who is the villain you're about to battle? What is the relic you're trying to recover, and where must you go?
Challenge introduction. Using the visible challenges, the team leader describes the situation the team finds themselves in. Look at the top three challenge cards and consider how they can relate to one another. Where are you and what do you see? "We need to find a way through this gate...but we also have to deal with the rats that are all around us, eyes gleaming when the lightning flashes." The team leader should periodically repeat this step as new challenges are revealed; how does the new challenge enter the scene?

First Player

The team leader takes the first turn and play proceeds to the left.

On Your Turn

On your turn, you must engage a challenge. Choose one of the three visible challenge cards on the gameboard.

Determine strength. The first step is to determine your Strength against the challenge. Each character has a base Strength listed on their Character Sheet, and a higher Strength when dealing with a particular type of challenge. For example, a Warrior has a base Strength of 2, but a Strength of 4 against monsters. Set your Strength on the Strength Track beneath the challenges. Add any bonuses from Fantasy KostCo items that you possess.
Tell your story. Take a moment to describe how your character will deal with this challenge. If you're facing a gerblin, will you fight it? Sneak around it? Or invite it to tea and make friends? There is no wrong answer. Certain challenges have story bonuses. These pose specific questions: if you answer those questions, you get a +1 bonus to your Strength against this challenge.
Ask for assistance. You may ask one other player to assist you. If they choose to help, they spend their action token and provide a bonus to your Strength score, as shown on their character sheet. When someone assists you, they should add to the story, describing how they assist. If a challenge has the Double Assist symbol, up to two players can assist you; if it has the No Assist symbol, no one can assist you with this challenge.
Roll the die! Once your Strength is set and you've told your story, roll the die and add the number on the die to your Strength. Compare this to the difficulty of the challenge.
- If your total is equal or greater than the difficulty of the challenge, you succeed! Take the challenge card and set it next to your Character Sheet; it's now a loot card you can exchange for Fantasy KostCo cards. Each player has their own pile of loot cards.
- The TAZ20 die has two special symbols. If you roll a Critical Hit you automatically succeed. If you roll an Epic Fail you automatically fail!
- If your total is less than the difficulty of the challenge, you fail. Reduce the Team Health Track by the damage value of the challenge.

At this point your turn ends, and play passes to the player on your left.

Final Assistance

After you roll, but before you take damage, other players have one last opportunity to assist you. A player can spend their action token to increase your Strength, but most characters provide a lower bonus when they assist after the die roll. You are still limited to one assist per challenge, unless it has the No Assist or Double Assist icons.

Some Surprises and Fantasy KostCo cards can also be discarded to provide a bonus to Strength; these bonuses are not affected by the limit on the number of assists.

Action Tokens

You primarily use your action token when assisting other players, but you'll find it's required in some players' special fancy pants abilities and a few other ways in the game. You don't normally need it to play your turn. You get your token back at the start of the team leader's turn.

Good Stuff!

Fantasy KostCo Cards

Welcome to Fantasy KostCo, where all your dreams come true! Looking for something to help you on your quest? Look no further! At Fantasy KostCo, for 3 points of Loot, Gareld the Deals Warlock will present you with an amazing treasure. It may not be exactly what you want, but trust us: it's what you need. Unless it isn't. But it is what you got.

Fantasy KostCo is where all your dreams come true -- and contains a host of useful tools and weapons for the discriminating adventurer. A Fantasy KostCo card usually provides an ongoing effect, which applies to all challenges you face. Many Fantasy KostCo cards also have a discard effect; after you use this, you must discard the card.

A character can only hold onto two Fantasy KostCo cards at a time. Whenever you get a Fantasy KostCo card, you can immediately give one or more of your cards to another player; you can do this to avoid having to discard a card, or just because you think they'll get more use from the card than you will. This is the only time you may trade cards. If any player has more than two Fantasy KostCo cards at the end of a turn, they must discard until they only have two.

The ongoing benefits of a Fantasy KostCo card only apply to the character who has the card. Usually, ongoing bonuses only apply when you engage a challenge. If a bonus applies when you assist someone else, the card will clearly state this (such as Know-It-All).

Defeating a Challenge Deck

The final card of each Challenge deck is a finale card, indicated by the word "Finale" at the bottom of the card. When you defeat a Finale, you collect a Fantasy KostCo card as if you turned in the challenge. But instead of removing the card, flip it over to reveal the opposite side and leave it on the board. You have now completed that part of the mission!

Some challenge cards have effects that flip other challenge cards. Finales cannot be flipped by any effect.

Surprises

A surprise card is placed below the fourth challenge card in each deck during setup. When a surprise is revealed, take it and place it on the game board. A surprise often provides an ongoing bonus that helps all players, and can be discarded for an immediate effect. You can only have one surprise at a time; if a new one is revealed, you must choose which you will keep.

A surprise generally reflects assistance from a mentor, a friend, or a fellow member of the Bureau of Balance. When you use the bonus from the surprise, make sure to acknowledge the surprise in your story. How is Magnus's advice or Merle's blessing helping you?

If there is more than one Surprise card at the end of a turn, one must be discarded.

Other Good Stuff to Know

Playing with Two Players

You can play with just two players with some adjustments:

Only use the Wizard, Rogue, or Warrior characters. Do not use the Priest or Bard.
Instead of adding Surprise cards to the challenge decks, choose four Surprise cards and put one into Active play at the start of the game leaving the rest to the side.
Set the Priest's action token on the active Surprise card. This token serves as the Surprise character's assist to the team. Any player can spend this action token for an assist; this follows all the standard rules for the Priest's assist, adding +2 before or after the die roll, and it refreshes on the team leader's turn. When you use this assist, explain how the Surprise character is helping!
If you discard your active Surprise, you may put out a new one at the end of your turn. You cannot discard your final Surprise.

In choosing your Surprises, select cards that provide a bonus to the things you're weak against.

Being the Team Leader

As team leader, you have two important tasks. The first is to resolve any questions regarding the rules. The second is to facilitate the story. Regardless of whether you win or lose, the ultimate goal of the game is to create a fun story with your friends. Here's a few things to keep in mind.

Establish the mission. This creates the foundation for the entire story. The Mission cards present you with questions to ask the other players. Feel free to go beyond these, to ask people to add additional details. You've determined that the Lich is Gary the Lich, but do any of the characters have previous history with Gary the Lich? Was he the wizard's annoying teacher in Magic High School? Did the warrior kill Gary before he became a lich? Once you've established these details, you can use them to add flavor to the challenges you face throughout the story. If Gary the Lich was the wizard's cruel teacher, perhaps his Smug Apprentice is one of the wizard's high school rivals!

Set the scene. There are always three challenges in play. On your first turn, take a moment to explain how these three challenges relate to one another. If your challenges are a Smack-Talking Skull, Drizzle, and the Great Gate, you might start out by saying It's a miserable, drizzly day and we're standing outside the great gate of the Caverns of Despair. We're trying to figure out how to open the gates, but the haunting skull above the gate is mocking us. You don't want people to see the three challenges as being entirely unrelated; you want to explain how they are connected. When someone defeats a challenge, you can take a moment to describe the transition to the next challenge. You manage to open the gate...and there, on the other side, you see a narrow bridge. You don't have to do this every turn, but it helps to keep the story moving.

Ask leading questions. When players engage challenges, they're encouraged to describe their actions. If someone isn't sure how to do this, ask a leading question. You're facing the Big Troll... How are you going to get past it? If they roll an Epic Fail, you might ask what went wrong?

Don't overdo it! This is a game of collaborative storytelling. Your job isn't to tell a story, it's to encourage everyone to tell the story together. There's no need to ask leading questions if people are already telling stories without prompting, and you don't have to set the scene if the current player wants to do it themselves.

Never criticize someone's story, and never push someone who doesn't want to talk. The ultimate goal here is for everyone to have fun. If you ask a leading question and a player doesn't have an answer, don't press it!

Ending Your Mission

Eventually your story will come to a conclusion. If the group has successfully reclaimed the relic and defeated one of the other decks, take a moment to reflect on this triumph and your great deeds. If the Team Health Track reaches zero, explain how you're forced to abandon the mission and return home. Either way, present the group with an opportunity to describe a final scene. For example, you might say: OK, team. The credits have rolled, and we fade in on the group of you drinking at the Chug & Squeeze after your adventure. The camera pans around: What are each of you doing?

The Sixth Player, Brad from HR

Although there are only 5 characters to play, if you have a group of six you can have one player be the designated team leader, Bureau of Balance HR supervisor Brad Bradson. Brad won't accompany you on the mission, he'll just facilitate the story while making sure everyone maintains an atmosphere of mutual respect. Hello Sirs!

For more tips on being the best team leader you can go to www.twogetherstudios.com/tazteamlead

Mission Combinations

The Adventure Zone: Bureau of Balance comes with twelve mission decks. Each mission deck has a unique theme, but many also have unique rules that can make the game easier or more challenging. Here's a few basic combinations.

First time: the Lich + the Staff + the Cave. We recommend this for your first session. It's a straightforward combination with no special rules and relatively low difficulty.
Unpredictable: the Cult + the Idol + (any). Both The Cult and The Idol are unpredictable decks that become more difficult when cards are flipped, and both of these decks flip cards. Using them both makes things wild and interesting!
Speed: the Dragon + (any) + the Temple or the Train. All of these decks cause you to discard the top challenge when you engage it and fail. You discard the top card of the Train deck any time you fail any challenge. All of these decks will make the game go quickly, but they also raise the difficulty!
Slower: the Dark Lord + (any) + the Tomb. The Dark Lord can bring fallen gerblins back into play, while the Tomb has a number of cards that must be defeated multiple times. This will make for a longer game.

Mission Deck Overview

The mission decks are, by type:

Villain: The Cult, The Dark Lord, The Dragon, The Lich
Relic: The Hoard, The Idol, The Ring, The Staff
Location: The Cave, The Temple, The Train, The Tomb

The deck descriptions printed in the rulebook's table are given below in printed order. (Transcriber's note: the source text extraction lost which description belongs to which deck, so they are not matched to deck names here.)

Random card order with unpredictable difficulty. Cards become more dangerous when they are flipped. Lots of spooky monsters.
Standard setup with powerful monsters.
Fast and deadly. Low difficulty but high damage; if you fail a challenge, you discard it.
Random card order with unpredictable difficulty. Cards become more dangerous when they are flipped. Diverse challenges.
Standard setup with a balanced variety of challenges and a number of unusual effects.
Random card order with unpredictable difficulty. Cards become more dangerous when they are flipped. Diverse challenges.
Strongly encourages storytelling; all cards have a story bonus.
Random order, low difficulty. Lots of magic and monsters.
Standard setup and low difficulty. Lots of monsters and traps.
Fast and deadly. Medium difficulty and high damage; if you fail a challenge, you discard it. Diverse range of challenges.
Standard setup and low difficulty, but you discard the top card any time you fail any challenge and fail if you reach the end. The game is faster but more difficult.
Standard setup. Lots of traps and cards that must be defeated multiple times; this adds to the length of the game.

For more mission combinations and suggestions, go to www.twogetherstudios.com/tazteamlead

Reference

Game Icons

Magic: challenges may involve enemy spellcasters, mystical wards, or things that take a lot of smarts.
Monster: challenges often require you to fight a fearsome foe, though they could also rely on simple strength.
Spooky: challenges often involve ghosts or undead, but some are just weird and creepy.
Trap: challenges usually require you to disarm or evade deadly traps, but they can also more generally involve deception or subterfuge.
The double assist icon means that two characters can assist you when you engage this challenge.
When you engage a challenge with the no assist icon, no other player can assist you. You can still receive bonuses from surprise cards and Fantasy KostCo cards.
Ongoing effect: this is an effect that always applies to your actions.
Discard: to use this ability, you must discard the card associated with it.
If you roll the Bureau of Balance symbol on the die, it is a critical hit and you automatically defeat the challenge you're facing.
If the epic fail symbol comes up on the die, you automatically fail to defeat the challenge.

Quick Reference

Turn Order

Engage a challenge. Choose one of the three visible challenge cards.
Determine strength. Account for class abilities and bonuses from surprises or Fantasy KostCo cards. Mark this on the lower track on the board.
Tell your story. How are you engaging the challenge? What are you trying to do?
Ask for assistance. One player can spend their action token to increase your strength.
Roll the die. Roll the die and add the result to your Strength. Resolve any final assists or bonuses from Fantasy KostCo cards. If the result is equal to or greater than the Difficulty of the challenge, defeat it and claim the card as Loot. If the result is lower, lose health equal to the Damage value on the card.
Fantasy KostCo. If you have cards in your personal Loot pile with a combined Loot value of 3 or more, discard them and draw a Fantasy KostCo card.
Play passes to the left.

Assistance

When you're engaging a challenge, a single player can spend their action token to assist you. This provides a bonus to the active player's Strength, shown on the character's sheet.
If the challenge has the Double Assist icon, two players can provide assistance. If it has the No Assist icon, no one can assist against this challenge.
The Warrior and the Wizard have special abilities that let them spend their action tokens to increase their own Strength. Using these abilities doesn't count as assistance and doesn't prevent another character from assisting.
The Priest and the Bard provide the same bonus regardless of whether they assist before or after the die roll. Because of this, there's never a reason for them to assist before the die roll; they can always wait to see if their assistance is required.
Spent action tokens are returned at the start of the Team Leader's turn.

Goal

You must defeat two of the three challenge decks, one of which must be the Relic deck, before your Health is reduced to zero.