The Red Dragon's Lair
The Red Dragon's Lair Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Sequence of Play
Set-Up: Prepare Target Cards, Exploration Deck, Loot Deck and Red Dragon's Lair. Each Player chooses a Character, assigns Equipment, shuffles the Character deck, and draws a Hand of 5 cards. If a Friend Adventurer card has been drawn, it must be put into play immediately and another card is drawn to replace it.
Character Flip Cards: Players may choose to use either side of a flip (double-sided) Character card.
Exploration Deck Encounter Phase: Reveal the top card of the current Exploration deck and resolve it according to the card's type.
- Monster: Enter Combat Round.
- Monster(s) Attacks: A random Target Character is chosen for each attack. A Friend, Ally or Pet of the Targeted Character may take the Attack instead.
- Players roll a die and add it to Characters' Speed for Initiative.
- Each Player, in clockwise order, takes a turn using each Adventurer and Pets controlled by that Player.
- Repeat Combat Round, or Draw Loot when Monster is slain, (or if all Characters are killed, the game ends in defeat).
- Enter Between Encounters Phase.
- Trap: Resolve, then Enter Between Encounters Phase.
- Lost Treasure: Assign to any Player randomly, then Enter Between Encounters Phase.
- Room: Resolve, then Enter Between Encounters Phase.
- Condition: Resolve, then Enter Between Encounters Phase.
Between Encounters Phase: Players may do any and/or all of the following:
- Play from their Hands any number of cards.
- Equip and/or use Equipment.
- Trade Equipment, Allies and/or Pets.
- Draw up to maximum Hand size (normally up to 5 cards).
- Any Player may reveal the top card of the chosen Exploration deck to begin the next Encounter.
Red Dragon Encounter Phase: Rounds of this phase are played until either the game is won or lost. Reveal the top card of the Red Dragon's Lair deck and resolve it according to the card's type.
- Dragon's Fire or Melee Attack: the Red Dragon Attacks a random Target Character. A Friend, Ally or Pet of the Targeted Character may take the Attack instead.
- Note: When a Lizardman, Treasure, or Special card is revealed, the Red Dragon will still Attack first, using the base Attack on his Monster card.
- Lizardman: Each Lizardman in play Attacks after Red Dragon has Attacked. A random Target Character is chosen for each Attack. A Friend, Ally or Pet of the Targeted Character may take the Attack instead.
- Treasure Card: Assign to random Target Character, or to one of the Target Character's Friends or Allies.
- Special: Resolve according to the card text.
Players Turns: Players roll a die and add it to Characters' Speed for Initiative. Each Player, in clockwise order, takes a turn: Player may discard before drawing up to the maximum Hand limit. Player Attacks using each Adventurer and all Pets controlled by that Player.
After every Player has had a Turn, if the Red Dragon has not been defeated/Slain (thus winning the game; any remaining Lizardmen are disregarded), or all Characters have been Killed (thus losing the game), then the next Round begins.
Another Red Dragon's Lair Card is revealed at the beginning of each new Round.
There is no Between Encounter Phase during or after the Red Dragon Encounter.
Character Set-Up
- Robin Hood the Rogue: First chose the characters flip side you will use for the game. Next search the character deck for her Bow, Throwing Knifes, Hood, and Quiver. Robin starts with all four equipment cards in play.
- Grumpy the Dwarven Warrior: First chose the characters flip side you will use for the game. Next search the character deck for his Mace. Ax, and Shield. Grumpy starts with all three equipment cards in play.
- Daphne the Paladin: First chose the characters flip side you will use for the game. Next search the character deck for her Sword, Armor, and shield. Daphne starts with all three equipment cards in play.
- Merlin the Magician: First chose the characters flip side you will use for the game. Next search the character deck for his Staff, Cloak, and Spell Book. Merlin starts with all three equipment cards in play.
The Red Dragon's Lair Rules
Set Up Phase
Shuffle all Exploration Decks separately and place them next to one another face-down in the center of the table. Each Exploration Deck comes with a Loot Deck. Shuffle each of these Loot Decks separately and place them next to their corresponding Exploration deck.
Take the Red Dragon's Lair Deck and remove The Red Dragon from it. Shuffle the deck and place it face-down in the center of the table. Set the Red Dragon face-up next to the deck and he will be ready to do battle. Skip down to the Red Dragon Encounter section of the rules.
Character Decks may contain the following card types:
- Specials – may be played when stated on the card or at anytime, depending on the card text.
- Attacks – One Attack card may be played during the Player's Turn.
- Equipment – includes a Character's starting Weapons and Items (remove them as explained during Set Up).
- Friends – each Character deck contains a Friend, who is an Adventurer that can accompany the Character.
A Player's Hand size is limited to a maximum of 5 cards and Players may not discard a card that hasn't been put into play unless forced to do so by other cards.
Adventurers: All Characters, Friends and Allies are considered Adventurers. When a Friend or Ally is drawn from a deck they must immediately enter play. Friends are drawn from the Player's Character deck and enter play on the side of that specific character. Allies are drawn from an Exploration deck and must be randomly assigned to a Characters.
Friends can be drawn from the Players' Character Decks and Allies can be drawn from the Exploration Decks. They must be played when drawn. Place the Friend and/or Ally card(s) next to the Character card and place the correct number of Health counters on them. Players may have any number of Friends/Allies in play and each one is considered to be an Adventurer. During the game Friends/Allies are used during the same Turn as the Player's Character. Players may use all of their Adventures each turn.
Equipment: Equipment cards include the starting Equipment found in each Character Deck, Loot cards, Lost Treasure cards, and Treasure cards. They are used for a wide variety of things in the game but must be Equipped to be used. All, including weapons, are considered to be items for purposes of losing or discarding an item.
Characters may equip a maximum of three Equipment cards each. Friends/Allies may equip a maximum of one Equipment card each.
NOTE: some cards may increase that maximum.
During the game Players may change the Equipment of their Adventurers as they acquire new Equipment at any time. Adventurers may be Equipped during the Between Encounter Phase of the game and/or during an Encounter. Equipment may also be traded to other Players' Adventurers. Any Adventurers that change Equipment during an Encounter must forgo their Attack for that Round.
Characters can have more than one Shield or Weapon Equipped. All equipped shields are automatically used in defense. Only one weapon can be used in an attack.
Each Character starts the game with all Equipment cards from the character deck. The maximum allowed per Character is three (only one is allowed for a Friend or Ally). Any further Equipment cards that are obtained when the Character has the maximum already Equipped can be kept in the Player's Hand. Players may not hold more cards in their Hand then their maximum allows for and must discard if necessary. If a Player wishes to Equip another card when the Character already has the maximum equipped, then the Player must replace one of the Equipped cards, by discarding it. Discarded Equipment cards (including Loot and Treasure cards) are removed from the game.
The following must also be Equipped to use, but are removed from the game after one use (unless there is a card Equipped that allows holding and keeping them):
- Potions (Potions held in a Belt are not removed from play after use.)
- Spellbook Pages (Spellbook Pages in a Spellbook are not removed the game when used, and can used once per Encounter.)
- Arrows (Melee weapon) (Arrows held in a Quiver can be used to attack and are not removed from play after use.) (There may be other items in the expansion decks that are removed after one use.)
Encounter Phase: All aspects of any Encounter. Round includes: Monster and Player Turns during Combat.
Turn: Monster or Player actions, with the system controlling the Monster Actions, and then the Adventurers controlled by each Player.
Between Encounter Phase: After an (Exploration Deck) Encounter has been resolved and before the next Encounter Begins.
Exploration Deck Encounter Phase
Your quest starts when any Player reveals the top card of the chosen Exploration Deck. Thus begins your first Encounter. Exploration Decks may contain Traps, Monsters, Rooms, Allies, Lost Treasures and more! Exploration Deck Encounters are followed, after being resolved, by a Between Encounter Phase.
- Allies: When revealed, may be put in play under the target Player's control, or held in the target Player's Hand, or given to another Player's Hand (following Hand limit restrictions).
- Lost Treasure: When revealed, may be equipped to any Adventurer of the target Player, or held it in the target Player's Hand, or given to another Player' Hand (following Hand limit restrictions).
- Monsters: Monsters Attack instantly (see Combat Round).
- Rooms: Follow instructions on the card, then remove the card from the game.
- Traps: Follow instructions on the card, then remove the card from the game.
- Go to next Location: This card will instruct the players to leave the current Exploration Deck and enter the next one or the Red Dragon's Lair Deck.
Any Exploration Deck card that is "removed" or "discarded" during play is removed from the game, with the exception of Monster cards, which are instead placed in the "Graveyard" Discard Pile.
Target: To select a Target Player to receive an Ally or Lost Treasure card, and to determine the recipient of a Trap, Attack, or any other effect that requires a Target Adventurer, randomly choose from the Character Target cards. A Player whose Character is targeted may choose a Friend or Ally of the Character to be targeted instead.
Save: Many times throughout the game Adventurers may be required to roll the die to determine an outcome. The term is referred to as Save. When an Adventurer must roll the die to make a Save. The number on the die must meet or exceed the Save number on the Adventurers card (the middle number).
Hide: When an Adventurer "Hides" the Adventurer is Hidden for the entire Encounter vs a Monster (even vs the Red Dragon) and cannot be targeted by any Monsters. Friends and Allies of a Hidden Character can be targeted (Use the Character's Target Card and the Player will choose the Friend or Ally affected if attacked.) Adventurers that are Hidden may perform all their normal actions.
If the revealed card is a Monster, place the correct number of Health counters on the Monster or Monsters (some Monsters are multiplied based on the number of Adventurers present), and begin a Combat Round.
If a Monster is multiplied based on the number of active Adventurers, place a number of Health tokens (or use a die to denote Health points) in separate piles, each equal to the Monster's Health stat, one pile for each additional copy of the Monster. Each of these piles of Health tokens will denote a copy of the Monster. Each copy (and the original Monster card) Targets, Attacks, and takes Wounds separately using the stats and abilities of the original Monster.
Wounds/Damage are represented by removing Health counters from the affected Adventurer, Monster, or Dragon card.
Combat Round
Monster(s)' Turns: Monsters attack immediately when revealed and this begins the first round of Combat. Randomly select a Target for each Monster using the Character Target Cards then roll for each Attack. Monsters will not automatically Attack the same Target each Round, but will instead randomly choose a new victim by using the Character Target Cards. A Player whose Character is Attacked may choose a Friend or Ally of the Character to be attacked instead.
When a Monster or Monsters attack, any Player may roll for the Attacking Monster. If the roll is equal to or higher than the number on the Red Wax Seal image on the Monster's card then the Monster's Attack succeeds and the Monster deals Wounds.
Players' Turns:
Initiative: Each Player rolls a 10-sided die and adds the Character's Speed stat. The Player whose Character has the highest score takes the first Turn. Should there be a tie, the Player whose Character has the highest Speed stat goes first. The Player may use her/his Character and the Characters' Friends and Allies. Then the other Players, in clockwise order, take their turn.
Each Player takes a turn in the order determined above.
Draw: Draw cards from your Character Deck, up to your maximum Hand limit. If you run out of cards to draw, shuffle your Discard pile and it becomes your Character Deck.
Attack: Choose one of your Adventurers. Then choose an Equipped weapon of this Adventurer, then play an Attack card from your hand that matches the weapon type (Ranged, Melee, Magic, Dragon's Fire). OR use only the Base Attack stat on this Adventurer's card. OR use an Equipped weapon with the Base Attack on this Adventurer's card. An Equipped weapon/item is not removed unless the card states so, but an Attack card played from the Hand is discarded unless otherwise stated. Some additional cards may be used to add bonuses to the Attack and/or damage.
Then roll a 10-sided dice. If the roll is equal to or higher than the number in the Red Wax seal of the Attack card, Equipment card, or Base Attack card being used then follow the instruction on that card to determine the damage and outcome for the attack. Otherwise the attack fails. Equipped items may add bonuses.
After every Player has had a Turn, if the Monster(s) has not been Slain (defeated), then the next Combat Round begins with the Monster(s) attacking. If all the active Monster(s) are Slain before all Player's have had a Turn that Round, then the rest of the Players do not get their a Turn that Round.
Slaying the Monster: When all Health counters have been removed from a Monster, it is Slain and is placed into a Monster Discard pile called the Graveyard! The Player whose Adventurer dealt the final blow draws a single card from the top of the Loot deck (which is allocated during the Between Encounters Phase). Then immediately go to the Between Encounters Phase.
Additional Notes
Poison: When Poison is dealt, place a number of Poison counters onto the an Adventurer or Monster affected equal to the corresponding Poison number ((Poison 2 = 2 Poison counters). Poison counters are only removed at the end of the Round. Remove one Health counter and one Poison counter at the end of each Combat Round until all Poison counters have been removed. If there are still Poison Counters on an Adventurer when no longer in a Combat Round, then one Health counter and one Poison counter are removed after each Exploration Deck Encounter Phase.
Wounds: Wounds can only be added to a successful Attack, although it can have been reduced.
Changing Equipment: Any Adventurers that change Equipment during an Encounter must forgo their Attack for that Round.
Killing an Adventurer: When all Health counters have been removed from an Adventurer's card, then that Adventurer is Killed. If the other Adventurers cannot revive the dead Adventurer by some means before beginning the next Encounter, then the Adventurer and all Equipment she/he has Equipped are removed from the game.
If the Killed Adventurer is a Character then the all cards controlled by that Player, including Friends and Allies, are removed from the game and the Player will have to choose to reset the Character to continue playing. See Joining/Rejoining the Party.
Joining/Rejoining the Party: A Player joining the game or rejoining the game after her/his Character was Killed may do so by reassembling and preparing the cards from the chosen Character's Deck. The Player may then join the other Players when the next Encounter begins. Some Players may need to do this a few times throughout the duration of the game ;)
Between Encounters Phase
Players may do any and/or all of the following in any order:
- Allocate a Loot card obtained from Slaying a Monster.
- Play from their Hands any number of Special cards.
- Equip, Unequip, and/or use Equipment.
- Trade Equipment and/or Allies (Friends can not be traded.)
- Draw up to the maximum Hand size (normally up to 5 cards).
- Any Player may reveal the top card of the chosen Exploration deck to begin the next Encounter.
Red Dragon Encounter Phase
Red Dragon's Lair Deck special rules: No Loot deck. No Graveyard, but there is a Discard pile, unlike the Exploration decks. Monsters are Removed from game. Treasure, if not Equipped or held in the Hand of a Player, is Removed from game. Attack cards, including Dragon's Fire Attack cards, and Special cards are placed in the Red Dragon's Lair Discard Pile.
Any Adventurers that change Equipment during an Encounter must forgo their Attack for that Round.
As with all Monsters, place the correct number of Health counters onto the Red Dragon.
The Red Dragon Attacks immediately when the top card of the Red Dragon's Lair is revealed and this begins the first round of Combat.
Red Dragon Combat Round: Each Combat Round before the Red Dragon Attacks, reveal the top card of the Red Dragon's Lair Deck. There are four card types:
- Attacks, Melee or Dragon's Fire: Any Player may roll for the Red Dragon Monster. If the roll is equal to or higher than the number on the Red Wax Seal image on the Attack card, then the Red Dragon's Attack succeeds. After using an Attack card, place it on the Red Dragon's Discard pile. If any card other card is revealed then the Red Dragon will use the attack on his Monster Card.
- Lizardmen: A revealed Lizardman is immediately added as an additional Monster and Attacks after the Red Dragon Attacks. For each Lizardman Attack, randomly select a Target Character. When a Lizardman is Slain, the card is removed from the game.
- Treasure: When discovered, a Treasure card must be given out randomly. (Use the Character Target cards to randomly select a Target Player to receive the Treasure card.)
- Special: If revealed you may cry and shed tears. I will understand. (The card will explain itself.)
NOTE: When a Lizardman, Treasure, or Special card is revealed, the Red Dragon will also Attack that Round, using the Base Attack on his Monster card. Lizardmen Attack after the Red Dragon Attacks.
Should the Red Dragon's Lair Deck run out of cards to draw, shuffle the discard pile and use it.
The Red Dragon's Lair Monster(s) will not automatically re-attack the same target each Round, but instead will randomly choose a new victim by using the Character Target Cards.
A Player whose Character is Attacked may choose a Friend or Ally of the Character to be Attacked instead.
Players' Turns:
Initiative: Each Player rolls a 10-sided die and adds the Character's Speed stat. The Player whose Character has the highest score takes the first Turn. Should there be a tie, the Player whose Character has the highest Speed stat goes first. The Player may use her/his Character and the Characters' Friends and Allies. Then the other Players, in clockwise order, take their turn.
Each Player takes a turn in the order determined above.
Discard: During the Encounter with the Red Dragon, Players may discard any number of cards each Turn before they Draw.
Draw: Draw cards from your Character Deck, up to your maximum Hand limit. If you run out of cards to draw, shuffle your Discard pile and it becomes your Character Deck.
Attack: Choose one of your Adventurers. Then choose an Equipped weapon of this Adventurer, then play an Attack card from your hand that matches the weapon type (Ranged, Melee, Magic, Dragon's Fire). OR use only the Base Attack stat on this Adventurer's card. OR use an Equipped weapon with the Base Attack on this Adventurer's card. An Equipped weapon/item is not removed unless the card states so, but an Attack card played from the Hand is discarded unless otherwise stated. Some additional cards may be used to add bonuses to the Attack and/or damage.
Then roll a 10-sided die. If the roll is equal to or higher than the number in the Red Wax seal of the Attack card, Equipment card, or the Adventurer's Card Base Attack being used then follow the instruction on that card to determine the damage and outcome for the attack. Otherwise the attack fails.
After every Player has had a Turn, if the Red Dragon Monster has not been defeated/Slain, then the next Combat Round begins.
There is no Between Encounter Phase during the Red Dragon Encounter.
Winning the game: When all Health counters have been removed from the Red Dragon then The Evil Red Dragon has been Slain and the Players win the game! Any remaining Lizardman will flee from the battle and are no longer in the game.
Losing the game: Players lose the game if all of their Characters are Killed during an Encounter.
Now, onward, adventurers, your quest awaits…
Glossary of Terms
- Adventurer: A Character, Friend or Ally.
- Ally: Adventurers that are discovered in an Encounter deck. See Image.
- Ability: Active effect when in play.
- Armor: Type of Equipment Card.
- Arrow: Melee Weapon card that is removed from the game after being used once. May be used with a Bow to make a Ranged Attack. A Quiver will allow the arrows to be kept and reused.
- Attack Roll: Rolling a dice to determine the success or failure of an Attack.
- Attack Types: Chemical, Dragon's Fire, Electrical Magic, Magic Fire, and Ice.
- Bag/Belt: Type of Item that when equipped may be used to carry and store Items and Equipment.
- Base Attack: Characters may use instead of playing an attack card. Friends, and Allies must use when attacking.
- Character: The Adventurer chosen by the Player(s) at the start of the game. Character cards have two sides. The side with the black boot, black shield, and black wax seal is for solo or beginner game play. See Image.
- Chemical Attack: Type of Wound effect.
- Counterattack: Card type that may be played as designated on the card. ***
Card Anatomy
The following are the printed callout labels from the card-anatomy diagrams on pages 19–29 of the rulebook. The printed pages carry no section heading for them, so they are listed here in printed order, one block per diagram, with no added card-type headings.
- Name: Name of the card.
- Red Wax Seal: The number required to be rolled or higher when the Monster attack's.
- Information: The Monsters attack type, Health modification, damage dealt when a successful attack is made, other details that may be useful.
- Deck Icon: This icon represents the Exploration/Dungeon Deck the Monster belongs in.
- Deck Background: For easy identification of cards that belong in the deck.
- Black Wax Seal: Base health of the Monster.
- Monster Type: Type of Monster.
- Name: Name of the card.
- Red Wax Seal: The number required to be rolled or higher when the Ally attack's.
- Information: Details for the Ally's Attack, Damage, abilities and more.
- Deck Icon: This icon represents the Exploration/Dungeon Deck the Ally belongs in.
- Deck Background: For easy identification of cards that belong in the deck.
- Black Wax Seal: from left to right base Save & Health of the Ally.
- Name: Name of the card.
- Information: Details the abilities gained and/or lost when equipped to an Adventurer.
- Deck Icon: This icon represents the Exploration/Dungeon Deck the Lost Treasure belongs in.
- Treasure Type: Type of Treasure.
- Artistic Flair: Card design is our passion and almost every card is designed with an artistic bend. So images may overlap, fade away or even move around.
- Name: Name of the card.
- Information: Details the abilities gained and/or lost when equipped to an Adventurer.
- Deck Icon: This icon represents the Loot Deck Deck the Loot belongs in.
- Loot Type: Type of Loot.
- Name: Name of the card.
- Information: Details the what is required to overcome they trap and ramifications of not doing so.
- Deck Icon: This icon represents the Exploration/Dungeon Deck the Trap belongs in.
- Deck Background: For easy identification of cards that belong in the deck.
- Artistic Flair: Card design is our passion and almost every card is designed with an artistic bend. So images may overlap, fade away or even move around.
- Name: Name of the card.
- Red Wax Seal: The number required to be rolled or higher when the Friend attack's.
- Deck Icon: This icon represents the Exploration/Dungeon Deck the Ally belongs in.
- Deck Background: For easy identification of cards that belong in the deck.
- Black Wax Seal: from left to right base Save & Health of the Friend.
- Information: Details for the Ally's Attack, Damage, abilities and more.
- Name: Name of the Character.
- Speed: Mainly use when rolling for initiative the number is added to the players dice roll.
- Information: Details for the Character's Attack, Damage, abilities and more.
- Character Icon: The Character Icon should match the Icon of the Player's Draw Deck.
- Deck Background: For easy identification of cards that belong in the deck.
- Save: Characters must roll under their Save number to make a Save.
- Health: The Characters base Health number.
- Red Wax Seal: The number required to be rolled or higher when the Character attack's.
- Name: Name of the Character.
- Speed: Mainly use when rolling for initiative the number is added to the players dice roll.
- Information: Details for the Character's Attack, Damage, abilities and more.
- Character Icon: The Character Icon should match the Icon of the Player's Draw Deck.
- Deck Background: For easy identification of cards that belong in the deck.
- Save: Characters must roll under their Save number to make a Save.
- Health: The Characters base Health number.
- Red Wax Seal: The number required to be rolled or higher when the Character attack's.
- Name: Name of the card.
- Information: Details the effects on Monsters, Adventurers and/or est. when in play.
- Deck Icon: This icon represents the Exploration/Dungeon Deck Deck the card belongs in.
- Type: Card type.
- Name: Name of the card.
- Information: Details the effects on Monsters, Adventurers and/or est. when discovered.
- Deck Icon: This icon represents the Deck Exploration/Dungeon Deck the card belongs in.
- Type: Card type.
- Name: Name of the card.
- Information: Details the effects on Monsters, Adventurers and/or est. when discovered.
- Deck Icon: This icon represents the Deck Exploration/Dungeon Deck the card belongs in.
- Type: Card type.