The Sheep Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Welcome
• Components
• Setup
• Gameplay
• Day
• Caravans
  • Moving Caravans
  • Purchasing Equipment
  • Caravan Corruption
  • Reaching Safety
  • Impassable Spaces
• Essence
• Using Abilities
• Using Lanterns
• Your Shepherd
  • Gaining Traits
  • Your Hand
  • Moving Your Shepherd
  • Gaining Curses
  • Dying
• Night
• The Sheep
  • Moving Sheep
  • Attacking Sheep
  • Weakness and Immunity
  • Lesser, Standard, and Greater Sheep
  • The Sheep Strike Back
  • Sheep During the Day
• The End
• Changing Difficulty
• Glossary
• Icon Reference
• FAQ

Welcome

Welcome to The Sheep, a cooperative survival horror board game for 2–4 players. You and your fellow players take the role of Shepherds: well-armed protectors tasked with escorting Caravans through a Victorian countryside overrun with magically-mutated Sheep. Each day, you'll gather your strength by upgrading your loadout of Equipment, Traits, and Curses with the Essence you've gathered on your journey; each night, you'll need to avert the effects of Pollution and weather the attacks of a horrifying new Mutation, while resisting the Corruption inflicted on you and the Caravans. Hold out long enough for the Caravans to reach the Finish, and you'll win the game!

A typical game of The Sheep takes about 40 minutes per player (though you can expect your first game to take longer).

First time playing? Start here! This rulebook is written so you can play along as you read. Feel free to start playing and performing game actions, using the sections in blue like this one to help you along the way. After you've learned to play, use the Glossary in the back of the book to help remind you of important mechanics and send you to the relevant rule if you need clarification.

Components

• 1 double-sided game board
• 1 Pollution meter
• 6 Pollution tiles
• 1 Pollution tracker token
• 10 Corruption tracker cubes
• 5 Experience tracker cubes
• 6 Shepherd boards
• 6 Shepherd standees (+ bases)
• 6 Caravan boards
• 6 Caravan standees (+ bases)
• 36 Trait tiles
• 26 Essence tokens
• 14 Lantern tokens
• 4 cloth bags
• 20 lesser Sheeples
• 15 standard Sheeples
• 10 greater Sheeples
• 14 starting Equipment cards
• 20 Equipment cards
• 20 Curse cards
• 18 Mutation cards
• 20 Day Event cards
• 20 Night Event cards
• 24 Flock cards (8 each of Wave 1, 2, and 3)
• 8 Reminder cards

Setup

1. Set up the map:

   a. Place the game board in the center of your play area. (Both sides of the board have a unique map; for your first game, use the Downs.)

   b. Find the Pollution meter that matches your player count and place it in its zone on the map.

   c. Place the Pollution tracker on the lowest space on the pipe.

2. Set up your Shepherds:

   a. Each player selects a Shepherd Board and places it in front of them.

   b. Take the standee, 3 starting Equipment cards, and 6 Trait tiles belonging to that Shepherd.

   c. Choose a Level I Trait and place it in the top slot of your Trait board. Keep your Level II and III Traits nearby.

   d. Place your starting Equipment cards below your Shepherd Board, face-up. (Return all unused starting Equipment to the box.)

   e. Place three Lantern tokens lit side up in your Lantern zone.

   f. Place two Essence tokens in your Essence slots.

   g. Place a corresponding tracker cube on the leftmost slots of your top Experience meter and your Corruption meter.

   h. Place your Shepherd's figure on the Start space on the map.

3. Set up the decks:

   a. Separately shuffle each Flock deck (Waves 1, 2, and 3).

   b. Assemble this game's Flock deck by placing the stack of Wave 3 cards near the board, then placing four Wave 2 cards on top of that stack, then placing four Wave 1 cards on top of that stack (such that you'll draw four Wave 1, then four Wave 2, then eight Wave 3 cards).

   c. Return any Flock cards that weren't added to the stack to the box; they won't be used this game.

   d. Shuffle the Mutation deck and place it in its zone on the game board.

Gameplay

We spent our days travelling alongside the caravans as they rolled down the deserted roads. At sunset, we hunkered down and drew our weapons, for at night the sheep would transform and descend upon us in force.

The Sheep is played in alternating Days and Nights. Each Day, you'll refresh your character, move the Caravans, attack stray Sheep, and prepare for the Night. Each Night, the Sheep will reveal a new Mutation, with which they'll attempt to corrupt the Caravans (and you!).

There are no "turns" for specific players in The Sheep; when it's time for you and the other players to make decisions and take actions, you may do so in any order you like, even if that means splitting up actions between other players' actions. Work together to coordinate your response to the Sheep!

Day

We rose from our bedrolls with the dawn. The drivers were up even before we were, securing the cargo and checking the wheels. Sunlight suppresses the sheep's mutations, so this was our best opportunity to move as far as we could before they turned into monsters once more.

Each Day, perform the following steps in order:

1. Refresh Step: (Skip this on the first Day.) Refresh your Equipment, Curses, Traits, and Lanterns by flipping them face-up.

2. Event Step: (Skip this on the first Day.) Draw and reveal a Day Event card, and follow its instructions.

3. Caravan Step: The Caravans act:

   a. Perform the action for each Caravan on the board (if applicable) in any order.

   b. If there are still Caravans that haven't entered the map, place any one of them on the Start zone.

   c. Move each Caravan on the board. (See page 7.)

   Go ahead and place your first Caravan (your choice or at random) on the Start zone, and move it two spaces along the path marked on the game board.

4. Action Step: Each player can perform any number of the following actions, in any order:

   a. Move up to three spaces (only once per Day).

   b. Purchase Equipment from the Caravan in your space.

   c. Use Abilities.

   d. Spend Lanterns.

   e. Give any amount of your Essence to a Shepherd on your space.

   f. Attack Sheep (see page 12).

   This is the interactive portion of the Day. Start by moving to the first Caravan to purchase some Equipment, or move just ahead of the Caravan to protect it from Sheep. Read on to see how to do all of the things above, except for Attack Sheep; you'll learn about that after the Night, since there aren't any Sheep to attack on the first Day.

When you've finished all the steps for the Day, proceed to the Night.

Caravans

The Guilds produced vital supplies for the outlying towns: medicine, tools, and most importantly, weapons. If even one of them failed to reach the next checkpoint, hundreds of people would be swallowed up by the sheep within a few weeks.

The Caravans are your primary objective: You win if all of them reach the Finish, but you lose if even one of them falls to Corruption.

(Caravans that aren't on the board yet can't be struck by Sheep or traded with.)

Moving Caravans

During the Day, each Caravan on the board attempts to move 2 spaces toward the Finish, following the path spaces on the game board. Move caravans in order from closest to farthest from the Finish. Caravans turn at forks in the path in the direction listed on the current Day's Event card (north or south).

The caravan moves two spaces, turning north at the fork to follow the Event card's sign.

Sheep impede the Caravans' movement. Attempting to leave a space with any Sheep on it costs a Caravan 1 extra movement. This means Caravans might be not be able to move their full 2 spaces each round.

Caravans also impede each others' movement. If a Caravan would enter another Caravan's space, it stops moving instead.

Purchasing Equipment

Each Caravan has an Inventory of Equipment cards for sale. During the Day, you can purchase Equipment from a Caravan by paying its Essence cost if your Character is on the same space as that Caravan. Add Equipment you purchase to your hand (see page 9). Caravans don't refresh their Inventory.

The Shepherd's Spear costs 3 Essence.

Caravan Corruption

Caravans gain Corruption when struck by Sheep. If a Caravan's corruption overflows its meter (note the broken square), the Caravan is destroyed and you lose the game. There is no way to remove Corruption from Caravans!

Reaching Safety

If a Caravan enters the Finish spaces, it has reached safety: Remove its standee from the board. Safe Caravans no longer exist; they no longer move or use their actions, they can't be struck by Sheep, and Shepherds can't trade with them.

When all Caravans are safe, you win the game!

Impassable Spaces

Spaces covered in shadow are impassable. Nothing can move into an impassable space, unless an effect says otherwise.

Essence

The Shepherd opened up the sheep's belly and extracted a crystal, which seemed to hum with arcane power. I didn't want to go near it, but apparently they can be refined into useful fuel. At least some good has come from the wretched creature.

Essence is a currency used to gain and use new Abilities. Each Shepherd can hold up to 5 Essence in their Essence zone; any Essence that can't fit in your slots is immediately discarded.

Essence can be:

• Spent to purchase Equipment from Caravan Inventories.
• Purified into Experience using a Lantern during the day.
• Spent to use a Curse's Ability.
• Given to other Shepherds on your space.

Using Abilities

Magic and technology brought about the evil sheep, but they also gave us the tools to defend against them.

Your Equipment cards, Curse cards, and Trait tiles have Abilities written on them, which can help turn the tide in and out of battle.

To use an Ability, follow its instructions, then Exhaust it by flipping its card or tile face-down. Cards and tokens can't be used again (for attacks or abilities) until they're Refreshed.

To use the Lightning Prod's ability, you'll move a Standard or Lesser Sheep 1 space, then Exhaust the Lightning Prod by flipping it face down.

Take a moment to look at your Level 1 Trait and your starting Equipment. Your Shears and Flockbuster don't have any abilities, but your other piece of Equipment and your Trait do (unless you're playing Miles).

In addition to their Abilities, your Equipment cards (and eventually Curse cards) also have damage icons on them that allow them to attack. Attacking will also Exhaust that card, so try to keep some cards ready to defend yourself!

Using Lanterns

The most innocuous of our inventions has proven to be the most treasured. We once used these bottles of distilled sunlight to brighten the streets at night, but now they've been repurposed to burn through the miasma that's infecting the land and its creatures. What little we have left has been entrusted to the Shepherds.

Lanterns can be spent to perform special actions during both Day and Night, but beware: Lanterns only refresh when the Day begins, so try not to use them all and get caught in the dark!

To spend a Lantern, Exhaust it (from its lit face to its extinguished face). You can spend one Lantern to perform any of the following effects at the appropriate time of day:

• Boost Equipment (Day or Night): Burn mutants on contact. Add 1 Lantern damage to an Attack you're making with an Equipment card (Curses can't be boosted). You may boost each attack only once.
• Purify Essence (Day): Inhale to open the mind. Pay 1 Essence to gain 1 Experience.
• Avert Pollution (Night): Neutralize infected groundwater. Contribute to averting a Pollution effect during the night.
• Move (Night): Move quickly through the darkness. Move your Shepherd 1 space.
• Distract Sheep (Night, during combat): Create a sparkling diversion. The next time Sheep would strike the Caravan on your space this turn, they strike you instead.

You'll need to split your lanterns between Day and Night functions. For your first turn, save two of your Lanterns to Avert Pollution during the night, and use the third to Purify Essence to gain 1 Experience.

Your Shepherd Board has a reminder at the bottom of the light pole for which effects can be used at which times of day.

Your Shepherd

The Shepherds used to be normal people: doctors, inventors, even actual shepherds. They've combined the skills from their previous lives with their experience guarding the caravans to deadly effect, and they are always improving their craft.

Gaining Traits

Your Shepherd has a unique selection of Abilities called Traits, which can be unlocked by gaining Experience. You can gain Experience by Purifying Essence during the Day.

When your Experience meter overflows, choose one of your Trait tiles of that level and place it over that slot on your Trait board. If you just gained your second Trait, move the Experience tracker cube to the next meter on the board.

Your Level II Trait also includes a passive effect. This effect works at all times, even when that Trait is Exhausted.

Gaining a Trait also increases your hand limit to the amount listed on the token (3 at Level I, 4 at Level II, and 5 at Level III).

Zach is playing Miles. He Purifies Essence to gain his 5th Experience. This overflows his meter, so he gets a new Trait! He moves the Experience tracker to the meter below, then chooses a Level II Trait (Battle Tested) and slots it into his Trait board.

Your Hand

The number of Equipment and Curse cards you can hold is your hand limit. Your hand limit starts at 3 when you begin the game and increases when you gain a new Trait.

If you gain a new card that puts you over your hand limit, discard an Equipment card such that you're at the limit again. You can't discard Curses this way!

Moving Your Shepherd

During the Day, you may move your Shepherd up to 3 spaces during the Action Step. You may only do this once per day, and you can't split up this movement between other actions.

During the Night, your Shepherd can only move by spending Lanterns (see page 8).

Gaining Curses

This pollution doesn't affect only the sheep. People who breathe the miasma – or worse, suffer an infected creature's bite – begin to grow wrong, exhibiting strange abilities and erratic behaviors.

Miles is struck by a Sheep and takes 2 Corruption while his meter is at 3. One of those points of Corruption gives him his 4th Corruption, overflowing his meter and causing him to gain a Curse. Zach resets Miles' meter to 0 after drawing that card, then adds the remaining point of Corruption, bringing the meter to 1.

If a point of Corruption overflows your meter, draw a Curse card and place it in your hand, then reset your Corruption meter to 0. (Any further Corruption from that strike is added to the newly-reset meter.)

Curses work like Equipment: They can be Exhausted to use their Ability or attack Sheep, and they take up space in your hand. However, Curse attacks can't be boosted.

Curses' Abilities cost Essence to use. If you can't pay the Essence cost, you can't use the Ability.

To use the Tainted Taunt's ability, you'll spend 2 Essence, then move any Sheep onto your space, then Exhaust the card by flipping it face-down.

Dying

If you're at your hand limit and all of your cards are Curses, your Shepherd dies and is no longer able to contribute to the fight. If this happens, remove your Shepherd standee from the board and discard all of your cards and tokens. Dead Shepherds can't take any actions, but they still count as players in the game for Wave cards.

Dying doesn't mean you lose. Your allies can still try to win the game without you!

Night

As the horizon dimmed, the land came alive. Uninhibited by the searing sunlight, the polluted water bubbled in the streams, stinking clouds blotted out the moon, and infected sheep surged forth from dark places. We readied our gear for a fight.

Each Night, perform the following steps in order:

1. Event Step: Reveal a Night Event card and follow its instructions.

2. Pollution Step:

   a. Increase the Pollution Meter by the amount listed at the bottom of the Night Event card.

   b. The players may avert Pollution by collectively spending a number of lanterns equal to the number the Pollution Tracker token is currently next to. If you averted Pollution, skip the next step (2c) and leave the Pollution Tracker where it is.

   Remember the Lanterns you saved? Use them now to avert the Pollution. It's easy to avert Pollution at first, but beware: it'll get more expensive on subsequent nights, and eventually you won't be able to afford it! Keep reading to see what happens if you don't avert it:

   c. If Pollution was not averted:

   • If there are less than three Pollution tiles, place a new Pollution tile in its zone on its Minor side.
   • If there are three Pollution tiles, flip a Minor Pollution tile to its Major side.
   • If all three Pollution tiles are already Major, you lose the game.

   Then set the Pollution Tracker token to the lowest slot on the pipe.

   d. Perform the effect of each Pollution tile in the order they appeared.

   Pollution tile faces are icon-based; their printed effects, as read from the rulebook images, are as follows. Minor side: "Add a Standard Sheep on the Violet Spawn." Major side: "Add a Greater Sheep on the Violet Spawn." The example tiles on page 11 read "Add 2 Lesser Sheep on the Violet Spawn" and "Any 1 Shepherd gains 1 Corruption."

When you've finished all the steps to a Night, proceed back to a new Day.

Congratulations: you've made it through your first full cycle, and you've interacted with most of the systems the game has to offer, except one: the Sheep themselves. Read on to learn how to gear up to attack them... and how they'll strike back at you!

The Sheep

During the day, they're the same harmless little creatures we grew up with. But at night...

Printed labels on the example Void Sheep mutation card: Name, Weakness, Immunity, Extra Rules, Health, Corruption. Its extra rule reads "Shepherds must have a Lantern to attack." Its per-Tier stats: Lesser Sheep Health 2, Corruption 1; Standard Sheep Health 3, Corruption 2; Greater Sheep Health 3, Corruption 3.

Each night, the Sheep become a new Mutation that defines their properties for that Night. The Sheep will attempt to overwhelm you and your Caravans with Corruption before they can reach the Finish. You'll need to thin the herd by attacking and killing them if you're to survive the trip.

Moving Sheep

During the night, each Sheep moves up to 3 spaces toward the nearest Caravan, ending on its space if able. If two Caravans are equally close, choose the Caravan closest to the Finish. Sheep on the same starting space always move together.

Sheep will move even if they can't reach a Caravan that night. If there are multiple spaces a Sheep could end its movement on, it chooses based on the following priorities in this order:

1. If two spaces are equally close, choose the one without a Shepherd on it.
2. If there are still multiple valid spaces, the players choose.

Attacking Sheep

Each of your Equipment and Curse cards has damage icons listed at their bottom edge. You can attack with a card by Exhausting it (just like using an Ability) to deal damage to one Sheep on your space. Cards can't be used again (for attacks or abilities) until they're Refreshed.

Each damage icon deals 1 damage. If a Sheep is dealt total damage equal to or greater than its Health, it's killed.

When you kill a Sheep, remove it from the board, then distribute the Essence for its Tier (Lesser = 1, Standard = 2, Greater = 3) among Shepherds on its space. Sheep only give Essence at Night. Remove all damage on surviving Sheep at the end of each Day and Night.

You can attack at different times during the Day and Night. During the Day, you can attack freely during the Action Step. However, during the Night, you can only attack during the Combat Step.

Weakness and Immunity

Sheep Mutations can be Weak or Immune to specific kinds of damage. Sheep take 1 more damage from the type they're weak to and take 0 damage from the type they're Immune to.

Zach is facing a Standard Void Sheep (the one in the diagram opposite), with a Shepherd's Spear at the ready. He Exhausts it to attack, dealing Metal and Runic damage to the Sheep.

Void Sheep are weak to Runic, so that point of damage is increased to 2. However, they're also immune to Metal, so that point of damage is reduced to 0. In total, the attack would deal 2 damage to the Sheep.

Void Sheep have 3 Health, so that's not enough to kill it. To finish it off, Zach spends a Lantern to Boost Equipment, adding 1 Lantern damage onto the attack. Sheep are never weak nor immune to Lantern, so that brings the attack's damage up to 3 for the kill!

Sheep give 2 Essence, so Zach collects those tokens and puts them into his Essence Slots.

Damage types: Metal, Fire, Shock, Runic, and Lantern. Damage types don't have any inherent properties; they only matter for Weakness and Immunity. Nothing is weak to or immune to Lantern damage.

Lesser, Standard, and Greater Sheep

Sheep come in three tiers: Lesser, Standard, and Greater. Each tier has a different amount of Health, and inflicts a different amount of Corruption when it strikes back.

The Sheep Strike Back

They don't even have top teeth. Did you know that? But they don't need teeth to hurt us now; now they have claws and wings and writhing tentacles!

At the end of each Night, all Sheep strike back, causing Corruption to you and your Caravans. When Sheep strike, they add the Corruption listed on their Mutation card to the Caravan or Shepherd they struck.

Each Sheep strikes the Caravan on its space. If there isn't a Caravan, it will strike a Shepherd on that space instead (the players choose which Shepherd is struck).

You can spend a Lantern when the Sheep strike back to Distract Sheep. If you Distracted this night, all Sheep on your space strike you instead of any other target.

Sheep During the Day

Watching them shrink back was almost as sickening to watch as their original transformation.

The Mutation only affects the Sheep at night; during the Day, they revert to a weaker form. Use the stat block and effect at the bottom of the Day reminder card when you attack sheep during the Day.

Day reminder card, "Attack Sheep" block: Lesser Sheep Health 1; Standard Sheep Health 2; Greater Sheep Health 3. Excess damage can be dealt to another Sheep in that space. (The small gem numbers in that block are not explained in the printed text and are not transcribed here.)

During the day, sheep have less Health and allow you to carry excess damage over to a new target, so you can use your attacks more efficiently to cull them during this time. However, they don't give Essence when you kill them during the day. It's usually best to kill them when you can, but as you get more comfortable with the game, you may decide to let some live to harvest their precious Essence at night!

The End

I saw the flags waving in the distance: our destination! My heart was lifted, but it sank back again when I saw the woolly masses we'd have to cut through to get there...

There is one way to win the game: Get all of the Caravans to Safety by moving them onto the Finish.

There are two ways to lose the game:

• A Caravan's Corruption overflows its meter.
• Pollution isn't averted when there are three active Major Pollution tiles.

Changing Difficulty

Things could always be worse.

If you'd like to adjust the difficulty of the game, try making the following changes during setup:

• Easier: Add additional Wave 1 and 2 cards to the Flock deck.
• Harder: Add fewer Wave 1 and 2 cards to the Flock deck.
• Much Harder: Start the game with one or more Minor Pollution Tiles already in play.

Glossary

Ability (pg. 8): An effect you can choose to use. To use an Ability, Exhaust the card or token it's written on.

Ally: Any Shepherd other than the user.

Attack (pg. 12): To attack, Exhaust a Curse or Equipment; then deal its damage to a Sheep on your space.

Caravan (pg. 7): Caravans use their effect and move 2 spaces every Day, and they have an Inventory of Equipment to purchase. If all Caravans reach the Finish, you win!

Corruption (pg. 13): Sheep that strike a Shepherd or Caravan inflict the Corruption listed on their Mutation. If a Shepherd overflows their Corruption meter they gain a Curse; if a Caravan overflows its Corruption meter, you lose!

Curse (pg. 9): If your Shepherd's Corruption meter overflows, gain a Curse. Curses behave like Equipment and have Abilities that cost Essence to use. If your hand is full of Curses, you die.

Damage (pg. 12): Each damage icon deals 1 damage of that type to a Sheep. Kill a sheep by dealing Damage equal to or greater than its Health.

Day (pg. 6): During the day, you can easily move Caravans and Shepherds, and kill Sheep without their Mutation.

Distract (pg. 8): If you spend a Lantern to Distract, Sheep in your space will strike you instead of the Caravan there.

Dying (pg. 9): If your hand is full of Curses, your Shepherd is dead and can no longer help win the game.

Equipment (pg. 7): A type of card that goes in your hand. Equipment can be Exhausted to make an Attack or use its Ability. New Equipment can be purchased from Caravans.

Essence (pg. 7): A currency collected by killing Sheep. Can be purified into Experience, spent to purchase Equipment, spent to use a Curse Ability, or given to another player on your space.

Event (pg. 6): A card drawn at the start of each Day and Night that changes the rules until the next Event is drawn.

Exhaust (pg. 8): To turn a card or token face-down after using its Ability.

Experience (pg. 9): Gained by purifying Essence. When your Experience meter overflows, you gain a new Trait.

Finish (pg. 7): If a Caravan reaches the Finish, it's safely removed from the board. If all Caravans reach the Finish, you win!

Flock (pg. 11): A card that determines how many and what tier of Sheep appear at each Spawn at Night.

Greater (pg. 13): The largest and most dangerous Tier.

Hand (pg. 9): The Equipment and Curses in your possession. Your hand limit is determined by your Traits. If you go over your limit, discard Equipment; if your hand is full of Curses, you die.

Heal: To remove Corruption from a Shepherd. A Shepherd can't have less than zero Corruption, and no amount of healing can remove a Curse.

Immune (pg. 12): Sheep that are Immune to a damage type take no damage from that type.

Impassable Space (pg. 7): A space on the board covered in shadow. Nothing can move onto an impassable space unless an effect instructs otherwise.

Inventory (pg. 7): A collection of Equipment available for purchase at a Caravan.

Kill (pg. 12): A Sheep dies when it receives Damage equal to or greater than its Health. When you kill a sheep, remove it from the board and gain the Essence listed on its Mutation.

Lantern (pg. 8): A resource that can be spent on a variety of things: purifying Essence, boosting Equipment damage, moving Shepherds, distracting Sheep, or averting Pollution.

Lesser (pg. 13): The lowest Tier of Sheep.

Level (pg. 9): A tier of Trait. Higher Level Traits require more Experience to unlock. Each Shepherd has two Traits of each Level.

Meter: A tool for measuring how much Experience or Corruption something has accumulated.

Mutation (pg. 12): A horrible new type of Sheep that appears each night. The Mutation defines the Sheep's Corruption, Health, Essence, Weakness, Immunity, and special effects.

Night (pg. 10): During the Night, new Sheep and Mutations appear, Sheep move toward the Caravans, and attempt to strike.

Overflow: A meter overflows if its tracker moves past its final slot.

Pollution (pg. 10): A potential disaster that builds every turn. Unless averted, Pollution will create tiles that make each subsequent Pollution worse. You lose if you fail to avert when you have 3 Major Pollution tiles.

Purify (pg. 8): To convert Essence to Experience.

Refresh (pg. 8): To turn a card or token face-up, such that its Ability can be used again. All Equipment, Curses, Traits, and Lanterns refresh each Day.

Remove: To take on object off the board. Removing a Sheep doesn't count as killing it.

Sheep (pg. 12): Comes in Lesser, Standard, and Greater Tiers on the game board, with stats and effects defined by a Mutation card at night.

Shepherd (pg. 9): Your character. Has a hand of Equipment and Curses, can gain Traits with Experience, and uses Lanterns.

Space: One of the hexagon-shaped locations on the game board. Any number of Sheep and Shepherds can occupy the same space, but only one Caravan can occupy a space.

Spawn (pg. 11): A space on the game board from which Sheep appear when a Wave card is drawn.

Standard (pg. 13): A moderately threatening Tier.

Strike (pg. 13): Sheep strike back at the end of each night, inflicting their Corruption on Caravans and Shepherds.

Tier (pg. 13): How large and threatening a Sheep is: Lesser, Standard, or Greater. Each Tier has different stats on the Mutation card.

Trait (pg. 9): A major enhancement for a Shepherd. Gain Experience to unlock your next Trait, gaining its Ability and increasing your hand limit.

Weak (pg. 12): Sheep that are Weak to a damage type take 1 extra damage from that type.

Icon Reference

Abilities

• Exhaust
• Refresh

Damage

• Metal Damage
• Fire Damage
• Shock Damage
• Runic Damage
• Lantern Damage

Phases

• Day
• Night

Meters

• Corruption
• Pollution

Sheep

• Lesser Sheep
• Standard Sheep
• Greater Sheep

Resources

• Lantern
• Essence

Spawns

• Green
• Red
• Blue
• White
• Violet

FAQ

Does the Violet Well of Corruption count as a Spawn?

Yes. While Sheep are not added on the Well from Flock cards, it still counts as a Spawn for the purposes of Event effects and Abilities.

I've run out of Sheeples. What should I do?

If you are unable to place a Lesser or Standard Sheeple on the board, instead place a Sheeple 1 tier higher (if able). If you are unable to place a Greater Sheeple on the board, instead place a Standard Sheeple (then Lesser if there are no Standard Sheeple left).

Can I replace a card that's been Exhausted?

Yes. It doesn't matter if a card is Exhausted or not, and your new card will always be acquired face up. (Remember that Curses cannot normally be replaced.)

Does the Prismatic Sheep mutation take 2 damage from cards with 2 of the same damage type?

The Prismatic Sheep takes only 1 damage from cards with 2 of the same damage type. Each damage icon is counted separately, so the second damage icon would be negated by the Prismatic Sheep's ability.

When attacking a Void Sheep mutation, is it possible to use my last Lantern Charge to Boost one of my Equipment?

Yes. The attack is happening at the same time that you are using your Lantern Charge, so a Void Sheep would take the damage from your Equipment as normal. However, you would not be able to attack it again after that.