Thunder & Lightning Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview and Goal
• Contents
• The Cards
• Game Setup and the Battlefield
• The Battlefield
• Playing the Game
  • Draw One Card
  • Play a Card onto the Battlefield
  • Challenge an Opponent's Card
    • The Challenge
  • Play a Mythological Card
• Ending the Game and Winning
• Mythological Powers
  • Thor and Loki
  • Baldr
  • Berserker
  • Dunn
  • Female Archer
  • Freya
  • Frigg
    • Spy on your opponent's hand
    • Turn over all cards in your opponent's column
    • Challenge Angrboda/Tyr from the battlefield
  • Gungnir – Loki's Deck
  • Hel
  • Longships
  • Mjölnir – Thor's Deck
  • Nightmare
  • Odin
  • Odin's Ring and Odin's Crown
  • Ravens
    • Play the Ravens to the player's battlefield
    • Challenge a card in your opponent's first row
    • Challenge an opponent's hand card
  • Seer
  • Shield Wall
  • Valkyries
  • Vidarr
• Game Summary
  • Setup
  • Playing the Game
  • Game End
• Important Rules
  • The Battlefield
  • Hand Size
  • Challenges During the First Turn
  • Cards That May Not Initiate Challenges
• Credits

Overview and Goal

The players take on the roles of Thor and Loki and must use strategy and cunning to get their hands on Odin's treasures. By playing cards, they will create a battlefield to challenge their opponent. The larger your side of the battlefield is, the more actions you have. Control the battlefield and find Odin's treasures to claim the victory!

Thor wins when he finds Odin's Crown. Loki wins when he finds Odin's Ring.

A player also wins if their opponent cannot use all of their action points during a turn or starts their turn with no cards on their side of the battlefield.

Contents

• 2 decks of 50 cards (Thor deck, Loki deck)
• 2 figures (used as a reminder when the corresponding card, Thor or Loki, is played) — Thor figure, Loki figure

The Cards

Each card shows:

A. Strength value — Strength of the card. The higher the better. Some cards have no strength value.

B. Mythological symbol (the Nordic Valknut symbol) — Found on cards with special powers. Most of these powers are used by playing the card from your hand to your discard pile. Some must first be played onto the battlefield for their power to be active. Some cards have no mythological symbol.

C. Mythological power — Description of the card's special mythological power.

D. Quantity — How many copies of that card are in your deck.

Game Setup and the Battlefield

1. Players choose who they wish to be: Thor or Loki. They then take the corresponding 50-card deck and figure. The players must sit opposite each other.

2. Each player shuffles their deck and draws 9 cards as their starting hand, which is kept hidden from their opponent. The players place the remaining cards facedown as their deck.

   Note: If a player draws Odin's Ring/Crown as one of their first nine cards, they show the card to their opponent, draw another card to replace it, and shuffle the Ring/Crown card back into their deck.

3. Each player chooses 3 cards from their hand of 9 cards and places them on the table facedown next to each other as their first row and initial cards played onto their side of the battlefield.

The Battlefield

During the game players will add other cards to the battlefield. Each player may have up to 4 rows of cards. The card in the first row and the cards behind form a column. Each column can have up to 4 cards.

As such, players may have at most 12 cards on their side of the battlefield (i.e., up to 4 cards in each of the 3 columns).

Playing the Game

Starting with Loki, the players alternate turns.

On your turn, you have as many action points to use as you have columns at the beginning of your turn. This will be 1, 2, or 3 actions.

For example, if you start your turn with 2 columns, you will have 2 action points to use.

When you have your Thor or Loki card in play, you receive 4 action points regardless of how many columns you have.

You may take the following actions for the cost of 1 action point each:

• Draw a card.
• Play a card onto the battlefield.
• Challenge an opponent's card.
• Play a Mythological card.

You may take any specific action as often as you have action points to spend. These actions may be taken in any order.

For example, with 3 action points you may: draw a card, challenge an opponent's card, and then draw another card.

You must spend all action points you are allowed. Players cannot save action points for later or refuse to use them.

Note: If a player cannot use all of their actions or begins the game with no cards on their side of the battlefield, they lose the game (see Ending the Game and Winning on page 5).

Draw One Card

Take the topmost card from your card deck and add it to your hand.

When a player has exhausted his card deck, he may no longer use this action.

Note: At any time, a player may never have more than 12 cards in his hand.

Play a Card onto the Battlefield

Play a card from your hand, facedown on your side of the battlefield.

You may play any card (i.e., with or without a strength value and/or a mythological symbol) onto the battlefield, but cards without a strength value may not challenge (see below) and will lose automatically if challenged.

When you play a card, you may place it in front, behind, or between cards in any column on your side of the battlefield. When you want to play a card in a row where another card lies, first move that card and any cards behind it backwards (towards yourself) to make room for the new card.

You need not fill in a row (with three cards across) before starting a new row in a column. Similarly, you need not fill a column before placing cards in another column.

Important: You may never have empty rows between cards in a column. If such a gap is created, the cards remaining in that column are moved foward to fill the empty row spaces.

Note that you may not voluntarily remove one of your cards from the battlefield. Therefore, your must carefully plan each card you play However, as indicated above, you may shift cards in a column by placing a new card. Also, some Mythological card actions allow a player to rearrange cards on the battlefield.

Players may look at their facedown cards on the battlefield at any time.

Challenge an Opponent's Card

Important: You may not choose this action during your first turn.

The Challenge

When the opposing columns from the two opponents both have cards, a challenge is possible. A player may not challenge an opponent's card diagonally.

A player is not obligated to initiate a challenge unless no other action is possible.

Only cards in the player's first row may normally challenge or be challenged. However, some Mythological card actions may allow a player to challenge cards in other positions on the battlefield.

Important: Once deployed on the battlefield, these cards may never initiate a challenge: a card without a strength value, Thor, Loki, Odin's Ring, Odin's Crown, Shield Wall, and Nightmare.

The player who initiates the challenge slides the challenging card forward (toward the challenged card). Then, both cards involved in the challenge are turned faceup (if any were facedown). The card with the higher strength wins the challenge. The losing player puts the defeated card faceup on their discard pile. The winning card remains faceup in the first row.

When two cards have an equal strength, both cards are discarded.

When a card loses a challenge and is discarded, the player moves the cards remaining in that column forward to fill the empty row spaces.

Play a Mythological Card

You may play a card from your hand to use its special power. Once played, that card is placed in your discard pile.

Ending the Game and Winning

The game ends in your victory when:

• Your opponents loses or discards Odin's Ring/Crown.
• Your opponent is unable to use all of his allowed action points.
• Your opponent starts his turn with no cards on his side of the battlefield.

Mythological Powers

Some cards have Mythological powers (indicated by the Nordic Valknut symbol). Each mythological power is described in the lower portion of the card.

The following pages explain the Mythological cards in detail. You do not need to read this section before playing.

Refer to each card's entry should you have any questions.

Thor and Loki

After playing Thor/Loki, place the Thor/Loki figure on the card so it is easily identifiable.

Playing Thor/Loki never costs an action point.

Starting with the turn the Thor/Loki card is played and as long as you have Thor/Loki in your first row, you get a total of four action points to spend, regardless of the number of columns you have on the battlefield. If the card is played after you have used one or more action points, you do not get four more points; instead treat your turn as though you had four points to start with.

Thor/Loki must be played faceup onto the battlefield in the player's first row of a column. No other cards can be played in front of Thor/Loki.

If a column already has 4 cards, Thor/Loki may not be placed in that column. If all 3 columns have 4 cards, the player may not play Thor/Loki. Thor/Loki may be played in an empty column.

Once Thor/Loki has been placed on the battlefield, that card may not be moved. Thor/Loki can never initiate a challenge nor may they be challenged from the opposing column. The Ravens card is the only card that may challenge Thor/Loki. A player may even choose to remove his own Thor/Loki card when playing a Ravens card.

• Does not cost an action point to play.
• Must be played faceup in the first row.
• Cannot be moved. Only challenged by Ravens.
• Once in play, you have a total of 4 action points, including the turn played.

Baldr

This movement must follow all normal card placement rules.

If this move creates a gap, the cards in that column are moved foward to fill the empty row spaces.

You may not use Baldr to move Thor/Loki or place the card being moved in front of Thor/Loki. Thor/Loki must always occupy the first row of a column.

• Move 1 card on your side of the battlefield to any other position (any row or column) on the same side.

Berserker

As long as Berserker is the top card of your discard pile, your Viking Warriors cards will challenge with a strength of 6, but will only have a strength of 3 when being challenged.

If one player has Berserker as their top card, the other player may not play or lose Berserker to the top of their discard pile. If Berserker card would be lost, in this case, the player must place the Berserker card at the bottom of their discard pile.

• When Berserker is the top card of your discard pile, your Viking Warriors challenge with a strength of 6, but only have a strength of 3 when challenged.
• Berserker may not be at the top of both player's discard pile at the same time.

Dunn

Idunn is the keeper of the golden apples of youth and acts as a tiebreaker.

As long as Idunn is the top card on your discard pile, you will win challenges that result in a tie.

If one player has Idunn as the top card of their discard pile, the other player may not play or lose Idunn to the top of their discard pile. If the Idunn card would be lost, in this case, the player must place the Idunn card at the bottom of their discard pile.

• When Idunn is the top card on your discard pile, you win all tied challenges.
• Idunn may not be at the top of both player's discard pile at the same time.

Female Archer

When a Female Archer is deployed to the battlefield and challenges a Shield Wall, the Shield Wall is defeated and is discarded. The Female Archer card remains faceup on the battlefield.

• When on the battlefield, may challenge and defeat a Shield Wall.

Freya

Freya is used to seduce an opponent's allies to join your side in the conflict.

When the top card of the opponent's discard pile does not have a strength of 1-7, you may not play Freya.

You may play your opponent's card normally on this turn or on a subsequent turn.

Note: Because the backsides of the each player's cards are different, the opponent may easily identify "his" card in the player's hand.

If this card is later lost, it is discarded to your own discard pile, not your opponent's discard pile.

• Take the topmost card from your opponent's discard pile if it has a strength of 1-7 and add it to your hand.

Frigg

Frigg may be played in several ways: spy on your opponent's hand, turn over cards in an opponent's column, or challenge Angrboda/Tyr from the battlefield.

Spy on your opponent's hand

Discard Frigg from your hand to force your opponent to show you all the cards in their hand. If Frigg finds Angrboda/Tyr in your opponent's hand, your opponent must immediately discard it. If Frigg finds Odin's Ring/Crown or Nightmare, nothing happens, but you may use that information to your advantage.

Note: Using Frigg to look at your opponent's hand on your first turn is not a challenge and is legal.

Turn over all cards in your opponent's column

Discard Frigg from your hand to turn over all facedown cards in the column of your choice on your opponent's side. You may select the column with Thor/Loki. These cards remain faceup but any cards added later are placed normally.

Note: Using Frigg to turn over the opponent's cards does not cause any effect if Odin's Ring/Crown, Nightmare, or Angrboda/Tyr are among the turned over cards.

Challenge Angrboda/Tyr from the battlefield

When on the battlefield, Frigg is the only card that wins a challenge against Angrboda/Tyr. If Angrboda/Tyr challenges Frigg when on the battlefield, Frigg loses and is discarded.

When Frigg challenges, or is challenged by, any other than Angrboda/Tyr, it is a normal challenge.

Note: Once Frigg is on the battlefield, it may not use its other special mythological powers.

• Look at your opponent's hand and defeat Angrboda, if there, or
• Select an opponent's column and turn all cards in it faceup, or
• When on the battlefield, may challenge and defeat Angrboda.

Gungnir – Loki's Deck

Gungnir is a magical spear that always hits its mark.

Gungnir allows you to remove Loki or a Shield Wall card from the battlefield.

• Remove from the battlefield any opponent's card. Place it faceup on your opponent's discard pile.

Hel

You need not tell or show your opponent which card you took.

The card taken may be played normally on this turn or on a subsequent turn.

• Search through your discard pile and take 1 card of your choice.

Important: When looking through your discard pile, you may not change the order of the cards in it.

Longships

If there are only one or two Viking Warriors and/or Female Archer cards in your discard pile, take what cards there are.

You may play these cards normally on this turn or on subsequent turns.

• Take up to 3 Viking Warriors and/or Female Archer cards from your discard pile.

Note: The 12-card player hand limit still applies.

Important: When looking through your discard pile, you may not change the order of the cards in it.

Mjölnir – Thor's Deck

Mjölnir is Thor's mighty hammer.

Mjölnir allows you to remove Loki or a Shield Wall card from the battlefield.

• Remove from the battlefield any opponent's card. Place it faceup on your opponent's discard pile.

Nightmare

Nightmare is a female who gives people bad dreams and appears in many different shapes. The Scandinavian word for Nightmare directly translated, means Mare-ride, or Mare-dream. Nightmare is a very dangerous card – for both the player and his opponent.

Nightmare can never initiate a challenge.

When a Nightmare on the battlefield is challenged, all cards in that column (on both sides of the battlefield) are lost and discarded. Each player determines the order in which the cards are placed on their own discard pile.

When you use a Ravens card and challenge a Nightmare in your opponent's hand, your opponent loses all cards from their hand and places them on their discard pile in the order they want.

If, for any reason, Nightmare forces a player to discard Odin's Ring/Crown, their opponent wins the game (see Ending the Game and Winning).

• When challenged in a column, discard all cards in its column (yours and opponent's).
• When challenged in your hand, discard all cards in your hand.

Special case: If challenging a Nightmare causes Odin's Ring AND Odin's Crown to be lost simultaneously, the player who challenged the Nightmare loses (i.e., the player whose turn it is loses).

Odin

If there are only one or two Ravens cards in your discard pile, take what cards there are.

You may play these Ravens cards normally on this turn or on subsequent turns.

• Ease up to 3 Ravens cards from your discard pile and add them to your hand.

Note: The 12-card player hand limit still applies.

Important: When looking through your discard pile, you may not change the order of the cards in it.

Odin's Ring and Odin's Crown

If, for any reason whatsoever including any special mythological powers, you must discard Odin's Ring/Crown from your hand or the battlefield, your opponent wins the game.

• If Odin's Ring is challenged by Loki's allies, you lose the game.
• If Odin's Crown is challenged by Thor's allies, you lose the game.

Ravens

Ravens may be used in several ways: playing it on the battlefield, challenging a card in your opponent's first row, or challenging an opponent's hand card.

Play the Ravens to the player's battlefield

You can play a Ravens card facedown on your side of the battlefield like any other strength card. When a Ravens card is in your first row, you may use it in a normal challenge. Once on the battlefield, a Ravens card may not use its special mythological powers.

Note: A player may not use either of the Ravens' special mythological challenge actions on the first turn.

Challenge a card in your opponent's first row

Discard Ravens from your hand to challenge a card in your opponent's first row, including Thor/Loki. Turn the challenged card faceup if it is facedown.

If the card being challenged has a strength of 0 or 1, the challenged card is discarded from the battlefield. Note that some mythological special powers may apply.

If you challenge a card with a strength value of 2 through 7, the card remains faceup.

If you challenge your opponent's or your own Thor/Loki card, remove it immediately. If you remove your own Thor/Loki card, you still have 4 action points this turn.

Note: Thor/Loki is the only card you may challenge on your side of the battlefield.

Challenge an opponent's hand card

Discard Ravens from your hand to challenge a random card in your opponent's hand.

If the challenged card has a mythological symbol or mythological symbol and a strength value of 0 or 1, the card is placed on your opponent's discard pile. Note that some mythological special powers may apply.

If the challenged card has strength of 2 through 7 (regardless of the presence of a mythological symbol), place the card faceup on an opponent's first row in a column of your choice. You may not place the card in a column with 4 cards or in a column with Thor/Loki in the first row. If there is no column where the card may be placed, the card is placed in your opponent's discard pile.

Note: The special mythological power of Shield Wall (if challenged on the battlefield), Odin's Ring/Crown, and Nightmare all apply when challenged by using either of the Ravens special mythological challenge actions.

• Challenge a card in your opponent's 1st row, or
• Challenge a card in your opponent's hand.

Seer

Foreshadowing of what is to come and reacting to it is the strength of a Seer.

Draw the cards one at a time and resolve the fate of each card drawn before drawing the next card (up to 3 cards).

You place each card drawn with strength of 1 or more faceup on your opponent's first row in a column of your choice. This must follow all normal card placement rules.

If there is no column where the card may be placed, the card is placed in your opponent's discard pile.

Mythological cards and cards with a strength of 0 are given to your opponent and added to their hand. If your opponent already has 12 cards in his hand, the card is discarded.

• Draw 3 cards from your opponent's deck. 1-7 strength cards are placed faceup in your opponent's 1st row. Any other card is given to your opponent for his hand.

Shield Wall

When any card, except a Female Archer, challenges a Shield Wall, the card loses the challenge and is discarded and the Shield Wall card remains faceup on the battlefield.

A Shield Wall can never initiate a challenge.

• When challenged on the battlefield, Shield Wall defeats all cards except for Female Archer.
• The Shield Wall may not challenge.

Valkyries

Valkyries are magical ladies that can arrange and position those who will go into battle. Tricky and mischievous Valkyries can mess up the best opponent's plans.

This movement must follow all normal card placement rules.

If this move creates a gap, the cards in that column are moved foward to fill the empty row spaces.

You may not use Valkyries to move Thor/Loki or place the card being moved in front of Thor/Loki. Thor/Loki must always occupy the first row of a column.

• Move 1 card on your opponent's side of the battlefield to any other position (any row or column) on the same side.

Vidarr

Organizing a flank attack is the strength of Vidarr.

When you challenge with the first row card in your right column, you may challenge any card in any row of your opponent's left hand column. When you challenge with the first row card in your left column, you may challenge any card in any row of your opponent's right hand column.

• Have the leftmost/rightmost card in your 1st row challenge any card in your opponent's rightmost/leftmost column.

Note: Thor/Loki do not stop a flanking challenge in the column they occupy.

Game Summary

Setup

Each player draws a hand of 9 cards. Odin's Ring/Crown may not be part of those 9 cards.

Each player then places 3 of those cards, facedown, as their first row of the battlefield.

Playing the Game

At the start of your turn, you gain 1 action point per column you have. Each action point may be used to:

• Draw a card.
• Play a card onto the battlefield.
• Challenge an opponent's card.
• Play a Mythological card.

Game End

The game ends in your victory when:

• Your opponents loses or discards Odin's Ring/Crown.
• Your opponent is unable to use all of his allowed action points.
• Your opponent starts his turn with no cards on his battlefield.

Important Rules

The Battlefield

Each side of the battlefield consists in 3 columns of 4 rows. Consequently, each player may have at most 12 cards on their side of the battlefield.

You may never have empty rows on the battlefield. If such a gap is created, the cards remaining in that column are moved foward to fill the empty row spaces.

Hand Size

A player may have at most 12 cards in their hand.

Challenges During the First Turn

Challenges are not allowed during either player's first turn. This includes the regular challenge action and any special mythological challenge actions.

Cards That May Not Initiate Challenges

• A card without a strength value
• Thor/Loki
• Odin's Ring/Odin's Crown
• Shield Wall
• Nightmare

Credits

Author: Richard Borg Illustration: Chris Quilliams Graphic design and layout: Philippe Guérin Editing: Jean-François Gagné Special thanks to Adam Marostica and Mike Young.

©2015 F2Z Entertainment Inc. All right reserved. 31 rue de la Coopérative Rigaud QC J0P 1P0 Canada