Twisted Fables
Twisted Fables Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Game Overview
- Winning the Game
- Components
- Game Setup
- Playing the Game
- 2v2 Mode
- Relic Mode
- Red Riding Hood
- Snow White
- Sleeping Beauty
- Alice
- Mulan
- Kaguya
- Quick References
- Credits
Game Overview
Twisted Fables is a fast-paced fairy tale fighting game inspired by old-school 2D arcade fighters. In Twisted Fables, players take on the roles of beloved heroines (or villains) from some of history's most famous stories, myths, and legends. Plucked from their traditional settings, the women find themselves thrown into a world of cybernetic assassins, magical manipulations, and malevolent darkness. These are not the classic characters you remember, but rather superpowered fables drawn from their own lands to battle across sweeping, bizarre alternate dimensions and realities. What mysterious force has brought them together? What is the purpose of their war? Only the Weaver of Tales knows for sure.
Driven by deck building, Twisted Fables is a game for two players in 1v1 Mode or four players in 2v2 Mode (available with the separately released 2v2 Upgrade Pack.) In the game, each warrior will strengthen their abilities, learn potent new skills, unlock devastating special powers, and use unique asymmetric strategies to defeat their opponents. Even the same fable may display utterly different fighting styles depending on her player's decisions. The various specializations a fable can choose from not only provide fantastically flexible tactical choices but also offer one more layer of depth and surprise to this frenetic, frantic fighter. Twisted Fables brings a highly interactive experience to deck builders that you'll want to come back to again and again.
The book opens. The fables have arisen. Let's begin.
The Golden Rule
If a component's text contradicts any part of this rulebook, the rules on the component take precedence.
Winning the Game
Defeat your opponent(s) to win the game. When a fable's HP is reduced to 0, that fable is defeated. In 1v1 Mode, if you beat your opponent, then you win the game. In 2v2 Mode, if both of your opponents are defeated, you and your partner win the game together – even if one of you was beaten earlier.
Components
- 2 Fable Boards
- 8 Fable Board Trackers: 2 HP Trackers, 2 Epic Threshold Trackers, 2 Defense Trackers, 2 Power Trackers
- 6 Fable Sheets and matching Standees
- 120 Basic Cards - 001-120
- 36 Attack Cards (12 for each level) - 001~036
- 36 Defense Cards (12 for each level) - 037~072
- 36 Movement Cards (12 for each level) - 073~108
- 12 Wild Cards - 109~120
- 180 Fable Cards - 121-300
- 27 Red Riding Hood Cards - 121~147
- 45 Snow White Cards (including 18 poison cards) - 148~192
- 27 Sleeping Beauty Cards - 193~219
- 27 Alice Cards - 220~246
- 27 Mulan Cards - 247~273
- 27 Kaguya Cards - 274~300
- 50 Relic Cards - R01-R50
- 3 Avatar Cards (Alice)
- 9 Awakening Tokens (Sleeping Beauty)
- 12 Qi Tokens (Mulan)
Limited Number of Components
The maximum number of any components (cards, tokens, etc.) the fables can use and have is limited by the actual number of components included in the game.
NOTE: After a card is destroyed, it is removed from the game (unless otherwise stated) and cannot be acquired again during this game.
Game Setup
In Twisted Fables, players can play in 1v1 or 2v2 Mode (with the 2v2 Upgrade Pack), and can also add Relic Mode into either version to increase the game's level of strategy.
Max HP Limit
A fable's HP cannot exceed her maximum HP limit for any reason.
Max Defense Limit
A fable's defense cannot exceed her maximum defense limit for any reason.
Epic Threshold
When a fable's HP is reduced to or below this threshold, she secretly chooses one of her three epic cards and adds it into her hand, then removes the other two epic cards and the epic threshold tracker from the game.
Power
Power is the primary resource in Twisted Fables. Fables can purchase more powerful cards by spending their accumulated power.
This section will show you an example of a 1v1 Mode game's setup process without the inclusion of Relic Mode. We recommend that new players play their first game in 1v1 Mode with Red Riding Hood and Snow White as their fables. These two fables have more straightforward rules than some others, and it's easier for new players to grasp the game's mechanics with them. See more details for 2v2 Mode and Relic Mode on pages 14 and 17.
1. Choose Fables
Each player chooses a fable sheet. From now on, the fable is synonymous with the player controlling her. Each fable receives a fable board, HP tracker, epic threshold tracker, defense tracker, and power tracker, and then follows these steps:
a) Place your fable sheet on the fable board.
b) Place the HP tracker and epic threshold tracker on the HP track according to the max HP limit and epic threshold listed on your fable sheet.
c) Place the defense tracker and power tracker on the "0" slots of the defense track and power track.
Fable Sheet and Fable Board
The fable board holds an HP track (with an HP tracker and an epic threshold tracker), a power track (with a power tracker), and a defense track (with a defense tracker) around the edge. The fable sheet sits in the middle of the board and shows the fable's name, fable icon, max HP limit, max defense limit, epic threshold, fable special rules, and the skill supply decks list.
2. Prepare the Fighting Track
During the game, fables will move back and forth along the fighting tracks as they war against each other.
In 1v1 Mode, only one fighting track is needed. Place nine face-down relic cards in a row in the center of the table to create the fighting track's nine spaces. (The relic cards' effects won't be used unless Relic Mode is added into the game.) Each fable is placed on one of the fighting track's two starting spaces — the fourth and sixth spaces from either end, on either side of the center space.
3. Prepare the Basic Supply Decks
Separate the different levels of attack cards, defense cards, movement cards, and wild cards into ten face-up decks. Place them beside the fighting track.
Attack cards, defense cards, and movement cards are the three types of basic cards. Wild cards are also basic cards; however, when you use a wild card, you must choose to use it as an attack card, defense card, or movement card.
Basic supply decks are available to all fables. During the game, every fable can purchase any basic cards from these basic supply decks using the power-up action.
4. Prepare the Fables
a) Create Skill Supply Decks.
Each fable receives all her fable cards and creates her skill supply decks according to her fable sheet. Then place them beside her fable board.
NOTE: Each fable has three face-up skill supply decks. The order of the cards in each skill supply deck is fixed. The card titles listed on the fable sheet for each skill supply deck are (in order from the top of the deck to the bottom of the deck): 1 Lv1 skill card, 2 Lv2 skill cards, 1 twist card, 3 Lv3 skill cards, and 1 twist card.
A fable's skill supply decks are only available to herself. During the game, a fable can purchase any skill cards from the tops of her own skill supply decks using the power-up action.
b) Prepare the Epic Cards.
Each fable places her three epic cards beside her skill supply decks.
During the game, when a fable's HP is reduced to or below her epic threshold, she secretly chooses to add one of these three epic cards into her hand and removes the other two cards from the game.
c) Create Fables' Starting Decks.
Each fable takes 3 Lv1 attack cards, 3 Lv1 defense cards, and 3 Lv1 movement cards from the corresponding basic supply decks. Next, she takes the top card from each of her skill supply decks (her 3 Lv1 skill cards). Lastly, she shuffles these 12 cards together to form her face-down deck and places it beside her fable board.
d) Create Fables' Discard Piles, Play Areas, and Twist Card Areas.
Each fable leaves some space beside her deck for her discard pile, in front of her fable board to create her play area, and beside her fable board to form her unlocked twist card area.
e) Fable Special Setup.
Each fable performs any special game setup steps listed on her fable sheet, if there are any. These setup steps are preceded by the word "GAME SETUP" in bold.
Example — Fable Special Rules (Snow White): GAME SETUP: Create the Poison Deck. Place the 6 Lv3 Poison Cards at the bottom. Next, place the 6 Lv2 Poison Cards on top of them. Lastly, place the 6 Lv1 Poison Cards on the top to form a face-up Poison Deck.
5. Start the Game
Choose someone to be the starting fable. The starting fable draws four cards from her deck, and the other fable draws six cards from her deck. Now the game is ready to begin with the starting fable's turn.
NOTE: During game setup, each fable has a chance to have a mulligan. She can shuffle all cards in her hand back into her deck and draw again. She must keep the result of the second draw.
Playing the Game
Twisted Fables is played over a series of turns. In 1v1 Mode, each fable completes her entire turn before the other fable takes her turn. The starting fable takes the first turn.
A fable's turn sequence is taken in this order:
- Beginning phase
- Refresh phase
- Activation phase
- Ending phase
Beginning Phase
Resolve every game effect that says it is resolved at the beginning of your turn in any order you decide.
Usually, most ongoing effects are resolved or ended at this point. See more details regarding "ongoing effects" on page 13.
Refresh Phase
During your refresh phase, resolve the following game effects in order:
-
Discard all of the cards in your play area.
Usually, the cards still in your play area during the refresh phase are cards with ongoing effects and their required basic cards. Discard these cards into your discard pile at this point. See more details regarding "required basic card" on page 11.
-
Reset your Defense to 0.
You cannot begin your activation phase with your previous turn's defense level. It must be reset to 0 at this point.
Activation Phase
The activation phase is the core phase of the game. During your activation phase, you can perform each of the following actions any number of times and in any order (except Focus):
- Focus
- Attack Action
- Defense Action
- Move Action
- Use a Skill
- Use an Epic Card
- Power-Up Action
- Component Actions
When you cannot or do not want to perform any action, your activation phase ends.
Focus
Before you perform any actions, you can choose to skip your entire activation phase to destroy a card from your hand or discard pile. Your activation phase then ends immediately.
When you destroy a card, remove it from the game, unless otherwise stated. Destroying weaker cards from your deck may help you streamline it to improve your efficiency.
Attack Action
Play any number of attack cards from your hand to inflict X damage on an opponent in range 1 and gain X power. (X is equal to the cumulative attack value of every attack card you just played.)
NOTE: If the opponent is beyond range 1, you cannot use this action at all. When there's not an opponent within range 1, you cannot use attack actions just to gain power.
Each basic card shows its card level (Lv) and attack value in the upper-left corner, and its cost to purchase in the upper-right corner.
Attack Action Example: Red Riding Hood uses an attack action against her opponent, who is within range 1. She plays 1 Lv1 attack card and 1 Lv2 attack card to inflict 3 (1+2) damage on the opponent and gain 3 power.
Defense Action
Play any number of defense cards from your hand to increase your defense by X and gain X power. (X is equal to the cumulative defense value of every defense card you just played.)
When you increase your defense, move the defense tracker upward along the defense track on your fable board. Likewise, when an effect reduces your defense, move the tracker downward.
NOTE: Your defense cannot exceed your max defense limit for any reason. However, even if you cannot fully utilize the increase gained from a defense action due to reaching your max defense limit, the amount of power gained from this action won't be affected. Furthermore, unlike the attack action, you may still use defense actions to acquire power – even if your defense value has already reached its limit.
You use your defense to offset the damage inflicted on you before reducing your HP. You must use your defense first before taking damage. You cannot choose to reduce your HP first to keep your defense when receiving damage.
NOTE: You must bypass your defense when a game effect instructs you to directly lose HP.
Defense Action Example: Snow White's max defense limit is 6, and her current defense is 5. She uses a defense action, playing 1 Lv2 defense card to gain a defense value of 2. She can only increase her defense by 1 (increasing from 5 to 6) because of reaching her max defense limit. But she still gains 2 power from this defense action.
Inflicting Damage, Taking Damage, and Losing HP
Two effects can reduce a fable's HP: taking damage and losing HP.
TAKING DAMAGE
After a fable receives damage, she must first use her defense to offset the damage inflicted. After that, if there is any damage left over, her HP will be reduced by the remaining amount.
NOTE: Some game effects are triggered by inflicting a certain amount of damage. However, these game effects are often based on the attacking player's initial attack value rather than the final damage inflicted after subtracting defense. As such, they don't rely on the defending fable actually losing that amount of HP. In uncommon instances, though, some game effects do require the defending fable to take the listed amount of damage to trigger the effect. This exception should be clearly noted in the effect's text, so keep an eye out for these instances.
LOSING HP
When a game effect instructs a fable to lose HP, she directly reduces her HP, ignoring her defense.
Losing HP won't trigger any game effects caused by inflicting damage or taking damage, and vice versa.
Move Action
Play any number of movement cards from your hand to move X spaces (if able) in one direction and gain X power. (X is equal to the cumulative movement value of every movement card you just played.)
When performing a move action:
- You can only move in one direction. (But you can move back and forth using multiple move actions.)
- You can move through your opponent, but you cannot end your movement in the opponent's space. A space can only contain one stationary fable.
- You must spend all the movement value of the movement cards you played for this move action, if able. If you cannot move because you've reached the edge of the fighting track or you would end in your opponent's space, then stop moving and ignore the rest of the movement value you haven't spent. However, the amount of power you gain from this move action won't be affected. Unlike the attack action, even if you wouldn't move at all via a move action because of the reasons described above, you can still use a move action just to gain power.
Move Action Example: Red Riding Hood uses a move action to move to the right, while Snow White is standing in the space beside her.
If Red Riding Hood plays 1 Lv1 movement card, she won't move because she cannot end in Snow White's space, but she will still gain 1 power.
If she plays 2 Lv1 movement cards or 1 Lv2 movement card, however, she will move through Snow White to Space A and gain 2 power.
If she plays 3 Lv1 movement cards, 1 Lv1 and 1 Lv2 movement card, or 1 Lv3 movement card, she will still end in Space A, because Space A is the edge of the fighting track. She will still gain 3 power.
NOTE: Performing attack, defense, and move actions are the most common ways to gain power.
Wild Card
A wild card is a Lv1 basic card. It can be used as an attack, defense, or movement card to provide 1 point of attack value, defense value, or movement value.
When a wild card is used as an attack, defense, or movement card, it is treated just like an attack, defense, or movement card.
When a game effect refers to or requires an attack, defense, or movement card, you can use a wild card instead, unless explicitly otherwise stated.
Use a Skill
Play a skill card as well as its required basic card from your hand to trigger the skill card's effect.
Each skill card shows its card level (Lv) and skill value, card title, effect text, card number, fable icon, cost to purchase, and required basic card type.
- A skill card with an attack icon requires playing an attack card at the same time.
- A skill card with a defense icon requires playing a defense card at the same time.
- A skill card with a movement icon requires playing a movement card at the same time.
A higher level of skill card has a more powerful effect. Additionally, the required basic card's attack, defense, or movement value also affects the skill's strength.
- The attack-value icon in a skill card's text represents the required attack card's attack value.
- The defense-value icon in a skill card's text represents the required defense card's defense value.
- The movement-value icon in a skill card's text represents the required movement card's movement value.
- The skill-value icon in a card's text represents the skill card's skill value.
NOTE: When you use a skill, you can only play one required basic card for it. A basic card played to activate a skill won't let the fable gain any power from it.
Example of Using a Skill: Red Riding Hood uses her skill "Crack Shot" (122) on an opponent within range 2. (If the opponent is beyond range 2, she couldn't use this skill at all.) This card is a skill that requires her to play an attack card at the time of its use. She plays a Lv3 attack card for this skill and inflicts 5 damage (2 from the skill + 3 from the attack card's attack value) on her opponent according to the game effect on this skill card.
Use an Epic Card
Play an epic card from your hand to trigger its effect.
Each fable has three epic cards, which are placed beside her skill supply decks during the game setup. Every epic card provides a unique and powerful effect.
When your HP is reduced to or below your epic threshold, you secretly choose one of these three epic cards and add it into your hand, and then remove the other two cards from the game. From now on, the chosen epic card is a part of your deck and will cycle through it.
After choosing the epic card, remove the epic threshold tracker from your fable board.
NOTE: Epic cards do not have levels.
Discard a Card and Play a Card
When you discard a card, place the discarded card directly into the discard pile.
When you play a card, place it into your play area, NOT into your discard pile. The cards in your play area will remain there during your activation phase, and will only be discarded at the end of your turn (or during your following turn's refresh phase, if there is an ongoing effect).
Power-Up Action
Choose the top card from a basic supply deck or one of your skill supply decks. Spend the amount of your power equal to the chosen card's cost, then place the newly purchased card into your discard pile.
A purchased card will always enter your discard pile first. You will shuffle your entire discard pile (including your new card(s)) to form a new deck as soon as you have depleted your draw deck and still need more cards. At that point, your purchased card will become a regular rotating part of your deck.
NOTE: When you purchase a skill card from one of your skill supply decks, you must always take the top card. The order of the cards in a skill supply deck is fixed and cannot be altered. If, after you buy a skill card, you reveal a twist card on top of that deck, then that twist card is automatically unlocked. You immediately acquire that card and place it in front of you in your twist card area, unless otherwise stated.
There is no limit to the number of cards you can purchase during your turn.
Twist Cards
Most of the twist cards provide permanent passive effects. Some, however, instead offer powerful one-time-use abilities. Regardless, twist cards are a vital part of your fable's growth and your strategy.
Every skill supply deck contains two twist cards: The first one is under the two Lv2 skill cards, and the second one is on the bottom of the deck. The first twist cards in the various skill supply decks are different, while the second ones are usually identical.
If a twist card is on top of a skill supply deck after you purchase a skill card from it (or because of a game effect), you have automatically unlocked that twist card. Immediately acquire it and place it in front of you in your twist card area, unless otherwise stated.
Component Actions
In addition to the above actions, some components allow you to perform unique actions described on those components. Each component action is preceded by the word "Action" in bold.
Example: Action: Place a card from your hand onto this card. There can be no more than 1 card stored on this card. The card stored here will not be discarded at the end of each of your turns.
Important Terms
Inflict X damage: After you inflict damage on an opponent, the opponent must first use her defense to offset the damage she receives. After that, she takes the remaining damage, which reduces her HP.
Lose X HP: When you lose HP, you directly reduce your HP, ignoring your defense.
Recover X HP: When you recover HP, your current HP increases. NOTE: A fable's HP cannot exceed her max HP limit for any reason.
Range X: The card effect takes effect on an opponent within range X. NOTE: If the opponent is beyond range X, this card cannot be used at all.
Range +X: The card effect's range is increased by X.
Damage X: You inflict X damage on the opponent.
Damage +X: The damage you would inflict on the opponent is increased by X.
Defense X: Increase your defense by X. NOTE: A fable's defense level cannot exceed her max defense limit for any reason.
Knockback X spaces: You force the opponent to move X spaces away from you. If the opponent cannot move backward because of reaching the edge of the fighting track during this process, she stops moving. NOTE: This is not a move action for the opponent.
Ongoing: A card with an ongoing effect and its required basic card (if it is a skill card) won't be discarded from your play area at the end of your turn. They will remain there to remind you of their game effect until the refresh phase of your next turn.
Draw X cards: Draw X cards from the top of your deck. If your deck runs out during this process and you still need to draw more cards, shuffle your discard pile to form a new deck and then draw the remaining cards.
Reveal X cards from your deck: Reveal X cards from the top of your deck and follow the game effect's text regarding the revealed cards. If your deck runs out during this process and you still need to reveal more cards from it, shuffle your discard pile to form a new deck and then reveal the remaining cards.
Play a card: When you play a card, place it into your play area, NOT into the discard pile. The cards in your play area will remain there during your activation phase.
Discard a card: When you discard a card, place the discarded card directly into the discard pile.
Destroy a card: When you destroy a card, remove it from the game and return it to the game box (unless otherwise stated.)
Gain X Power: Move your power tracker X spaces to the right along your power track. The limit to power is 25.
Spend X Power: Move your power tracker X spaces to the left along your power track.
Up to X: You may choose from 0 to X for this value.
May: If a game effect's text has the word "may" in it, it means you can choose to apply this effect or not. If a game effect's text doesn't include "may" in it, then you must apply this game effect when you use it.
Examining the Discard Pile
A fable's discard pile is public information. You can examine your opponent's discard pile at any time.
NOTE: You can also check the number of cards in your opponent's deck.
The Resolve Time of Responsive Game Effects
Sometimes, your opponent's actions may trigger a responsive game effect. However, these responsive game effects can only be triggered after the active fable's current action has been fully resolved.
For example, Red Riding Hood's twist "Hooded System" (132) allows her to discard a skill card from her hand to reduce the damage inflicted on her. However, she can only do this after her opponent Snow White's current action is fully resolved. Snow White is using her epic "Rain of Mirrors" (172), which inflicts 3 damage and forces Red Riding Hood to discard her entire hand and then draw 4 cards. At this moment, Red Riding Hood must discard her entire hand and draw 4 cards first, and then she can decide if she wants to discard a skill card from her new hand to reduce the damage inflicted on her.
NOTE: Choosing an epic card when your HP is reduced to or lower than your epic threshold is a responsive game effect.
Values Cannot be Reduced below Zero
Values in this game cannot be less than zero. If a value would be reduced below zero, it is treated as zero.
Ending Phase
At the end of your turn, resolve the following steps in order:
-
Reset your Power Track to 0.
The power you didn't spend during your activation phase cannot be carried over to your next turn. Your power value must be reset to 0 at this point.
NOTE: A fable's power value will only be reset to 0 at this point during a fable's turn. Some game effects can let a fable gain power after this checkpoint or outside of her turn.
-
Discard all of the cards from your hand.
The cards you didn't use during your activation phase cannot be stored. If there are still any cards in your hand at this point, you must discard them into your discard pile.
-
Discard all of the cards from your play area except those with ongoing effects.
The cards you played during your activation phase will be discarded from your play area into your discard pile at this point, except those with ongoing effects and their required basic cards.
A card with ongoing effects and its required basic card that you played during your activation phase will remain in your play area to remind you of their game effect until they are discarded during the refresh phase of your next turn.
-
Draw 6 cards from your deck.
Draw 6 cards from the top of your deck. Whenever you need to draw a card while your deck is empty, shuffle your discard pile to form a new deck.
-
"At the end of your turn" effects resolved.
Resolve any other game effects that need to be resolved at the end of your turn, in any order you decide.
After you resolve these steps at the end of your turn, your turn is over. Your opponent then takes her turn. The game goes around like this until a fable defeats her opponent and wins the game.
2v2 Mode
Twisted Fables can be played in 2v2 Mode for four players with the optional 2v2 Upgrade Pack.
Setting Up a 2v2 Mode Game
1. Choose Teams and Fables.
Divide the players into two teams, with each one having two players. Each player must sit with her opponents on her left and right.
Next, each player chooses a fable just like in 1v1 Mode. If the players cannot agree on fable selection, shuffle all the fable sheets and randomly deal one to each player. (Alternatively, players can decide on their own selection method.)
2. Prepare the Fighting Tracks.
In 2v2 Mode, two fighting tracks are needed. Place 11 face-down relic cards in a row in the table's center. The two fighting tracks lie on either side of this row of relic cards, as shown in the graphic below. The relic cards' effects won't be used unless Relic Mode is added into the game.
Choose a fable to be the starting fable. From the starting fable onward in clockwise order, each player places her fable on one of the tracks' empty starting spaces. NOTE: Two fables from the same team can never be on the same fighting track.
Players can choose to add Relic Mode into the game at this point if desired.
3. Prepare the Basic Supply Decks.
This process is the same as in 1v1 Mode. For more information on this process, refer to "Prepare the Basic Supply Decks" on page 6.
4. Prepare the Fables.
This process is the same as in 1v1 Mode. For more information on this process, refer to "Prepare the Fables" on page 7.
5. Start the Game
The starting fable draws four cards from her deck, and every other fable draws six cards from her deck. Each fable may take one mulligan, shuffling all cards in her hand back into her deck and drawing again. Then, the game is ready to begin with the starting fable's turn.
Playing a 2v2 Mode Game
Turn Order
In 2v2 Mode, the game is played over a series of turns, much like in 1v1 Mode. Each fable completes her entire turn before the next fable takes her turn. However, unlike in 1v1 Mode, the turn order will change as the game progresses:
- When no fable has been defeated, each fable takes her turn in clockwise order. The starting fable takes the first turn.
- When one team loses a fable while their opposition still has two fables, then the lone fable takes another turn in place of her defeated partner. (In other words, the remaining fable takes her turn after each of her opponents takes a turn.)
- When each team has only one fable left, then the turn order is the same as in 1v1 Mode.
Turn Sequence
Each fable takes her turn just like in 1v1 Mode, with only one exception: fables can perform a new type of action during their activation phase called Switch Fighting Track.
Switch Fighting Track
Discard a movement card of any level (or a wild card) from your hand to switch your fighting track. Place yourself into the parallel space on the opposite fighting track and do the same to your partner. NOTE: If this action would cause you or your partner to end in an opponent's space, you cannot use this action at all. Remember, two fables from the same team can never be on the same fighting track.
NOTE: After your partner is defeated (and while the opposing team still has two fables,) you can still switch your fighting track, just ignoring your partner's portion of the action.
NOTE: When you defeat one of the opposing team's fables while you are the only remaining fable on your team, the remaining opponent must immediately switch to your fighting track (without discarding a movement card). If this would place her in your space, then instead move her into the starting space farthest from you on your fighting track. When only one fable remains on both teams, then the Switch Fighting Track action is no longer available.
NOTE: The concept of range only applies to opponents on the same fighting track. Opponents on opposite fighting tracks are neither within range nor out of range.
Switch Fighting Track Example: Red Riding Hood wants to switch her fighting track with her partner Alice via a switch fighting track action. She discards a movement card from her hand to place herself into Space A while placing her partner into Space B. In a second situation, Red Riding Hood can still switch fighting tracks with her partner, because they would never occupy the same space. In two further situations, Red Riding Hood cannot switch fighting tracks with her partner, because one of them would occupy another fable's space.
Defeated Fable
After a fable is defeated, all of her components are removed from the game.
NOTE: After Snow White is defeated, her opponents need to remove the poison cards from their hands, discard piles, and decks, then shuffle their decks.
Shared Information
In 2v2 Mode, the two fables in the same team are not allowed to share their cards' information with each other. However, they can offer suggestions, such as, "You can switch the fighting track and let me deal with her," "Save me," or "I think you've bought too many skill cards."
Relic Mode
Experienced players can play with Relic Mode, which provides another level of strategy to the game.
To add this Mode into the game, shuffle the 50 relic cards to form a face-down relic deck during Step 2 of setup ("Prepare the Fighting Track"). Next, place nine relic cards (1v1 Mode) or 11 relic cards (2v2 Mode) face-up in a row in the table's center to create the fighting track(s).
NOTE: In 2v2 Mode, the parallel spaces on either fighting track share the same relic card. That relic card is considered to be in the same location as both of the fighting tracks' spaces.
A fable can perform a new type of action during her activation phase: Use a Relic Card.
Use a Relic Card
Limit once per turn. Discard a skill card from your hand to trigger the relic card's effect in your current space. Then discard that relic card into the relic card discard pile.
Relic cards provide various game effects. The strength of the effect depends on the skill value of your discarded skill card.
At the end of your turn, after resolving all of the steps, fill any empty relic card slot by revealing the top card of the relic deck and placing it face-up on the empty space. If the relic deck is empty, shuffle the relic card discard pile to form a new relic deck.
NOTE: When you trigger the effect of the relic card "Alakazam," play the skill card you just discarded into your play area instead of placing it into your discard pile.
NOTE: When you trigger the effect of the relic card "Navigating Dreams," you cannot search for an epic card or any other type of card without levels.
Example of Using a Relic Card: Red Riding Hood would use the relic card "His Command" in her space. She discards a Lv2 skill card (which provides a skill value of 2) from her hand to use the relic card's effect ("gain power") to gain 2 power.
Red Riding Hood
Red Riding Hood's father had a conscience – a dangerous thing for a politician. It was his concealment of a potent technology, though, that eventually got his family and him killed. One afternoon, a covert band of hired assassins followed Red Riding Hood home from school. They gutted the house in search of the device; then, when that failed, they did the same to Red's family. They killed Red last and were surprised to uncover their prize hiding inside her. While the others celebrated, though, one assassin turned on his crew, slaughtering them all. The man then gathered up the girl and the device. Taking them both to a secretive augmentation chop shop, he got to work splicing together the girl's body. He placed stone-shaped, AI-powered augment-drones into her belly, then returned the stolen device: a limitless power-source driven by otherworldly energies. Sewing her up, he finished his work by searing a wolf's head brand into her stomach.
Red wrenched awake to find both her life and body irrevocably altered. Looking around, she realized she was utterly alone. Red wandered in shock through the city's streets. She had nearly given up when she heard a wolf's strange growl inside her head. It showed her how to use her changed body and how to survive. It taught her to channel her anger. Before long, Red wasn't just surviving: she was a vigilante assassin whose name brought chills throughout the underworld. Donning the symbol of her innocence, a red cloak, and harnessing the violence of the wolf within her, Red set out to do in the dark what her father couldn't do in the light. Red didn't know it then, but she was on a collision course with the underworld's shadowy puppetmaster, the Weaver of Tales. And that confrontation would change everything – including Red herself – forever.
Advantages
Red Riding Hood is excellent at quickly defeating her opponents from a distance. All three of her skill categories feature range attacks and can inflict sizable damage. She can also boost her skills' power by discarding other skill cards. As a result, there won't be many wasted skill cards in her hand. After her skills decks' bottom twist cards are unlocked, Red Riding Hood gains the ability to store cards between turns, offering a new layer of strategy. Additionally, her three epics all feature powerful effects. Red Riding Hood is the most straightforward and new-player-friendly fable.
Disadvantages
Red Riding Hood has the lowest HP, so she needs to finish her opponent quickly. Also, since she heavily relies on her skills (which will expense many of her basic cards), she tends not to accumulate a lot of power in most instances.
Tips
- "Overdrive Burn" (124) and "Transformed Senses" (140) can be triggered at the same time. You need to discard a skill card from your hand for each of them in this case. But remember, when you use a skill that requires a defense card, these two twists cannot be triggered.
- When you use a skill that requires a movement card or the epic "Raining Vengeance" (147), you can choose not to knockback the opponent at all.
Snow White
When Snow White was young, an oracle announced that someday the girl would grow to engulf the kingdom in darkness – ultimately destroying it. Her overwrought royal parents inquired how to avert this disaster, and the oracle replied simply: feed the child one of the prophet's poisoned apples before it was too late. Years passed, and the parents watched the girl grow, searching for signs of evil in the fair youth. Unfortunately, Snow displayed a worrisome curiosity for the dark arts – and a strange habit of speaking to her ornate mirror as if it lived. Undone, the queen realized the time had come to use the apple.
The plan went flawlessly, and, the morning after she ate the apple, Snow's attendants found her unmoving in her bed. Her grieving parents commissioned a beautiful crystal coffin for her, burying her in the royal crypt. The only problem was, for whatever reason, Snow didn't remain dead. She woke up, trapped in her crystalline tomb. Growing more desperate and mad with every passing day, week, and month, Snow White called upon the dark forces to aid her, and, in exchange, she would become their vessel. The powers responded, summoning seven traveling knights to her crypt. The knights freed Snow, and she arose – not as a fair maiden, but as a mad-woman bent on revenge. Turning the seven knights into deadly serpents, she raged through the kingdom, first killing the oracle and her parents before turning her attention on the masses. In the end, the realm was nothing more than a gutted husk, so Snow left. She wandered the lands, becoming a dark rumor or scary bedtime tale for children - though in her case, the whispers were true. Snow persisted for hundreds of years, stumbling upon occasion into a local village. And, whenever she did, it was time to feast.
Advantages
Snow White is an expert at corrupting her enemy's deck while poisoning her opponents to death. Poison bypasses her opponent's defense, going straight for HP. All of her skill categories can spread her poison, though each of them focuses on different aspects: delivering poison in massive doses, speeding up the opponent's deck cycling, or getting close to the opponent quickly. As the game goes on, the opponent will find it more and more difficult to organize effective tactics, and will continuously hemorrhage HP. So, it's unwise to delay the fight too long when facing Snow White.
Disadvantages
Most of Snow White's attacks are very short-range. Getting close to her opponent can be an obstacle in some cases, especially when facing long-range attackers. Additionally, it takes a while for the poison to accumulate to produce a significant effect. Combined with her lack of defensive abilities, Snow White will usually be at a disadvantage in the early stage of the game, needing to come back quickly in the later stage.
Tips
- The effect of "Poisoned Purity" (155, 163, and 171) is cumulative with the poison cards' effects. Each poison card will cause the opponent to lose 1 extra HP for each "Poisoned Purity" unlocked, when entering the opponent's discard pile.
- When you use the epic "Rain of Mirrors" (172), the effect of this card will be fully resolved before the opponent can use any responsive abilities. This epic can potentially discard the opponent's epic card, should it be used at the right time.
Sleeping Beauty
On Sleeping Beauty's 16th birthday, her family was shocked to discover the young woman trapped in what they thought was a coma. It soon became apparent that wasn't strictly accurate, though: the teenager still mumbled and moved fitfully, her eyes fluttering open before sinking shut again. And occasionally, she would even rouse enough to interact with the strange, shadowy beings that flickered periodically into the room around her. Her family tried everything they could to bring her out of her stupor, but nothing worked. As such, they were almost relieved when men arrived at their home from a mental institution, saying they had come to take Sleeping Beauty away. Her parents hoped she would finally be able to recover. She didn't. But, eventually, she did wake up.
The institution was not truly an asylum, but rather a facility that specialized in studying "gifted" individuals. They ran innumerable tests on the girl, treating her more like a piece of meat than a human being as they strove mercilessly to find what made her tick. They restrained her, abused her, as they inflicted their barbaric treatments on her. Ultimately, it was one of their failed experiments that woke the teen and doomed them all. When Sleeping Beauty awoke, she was disturbingly changed. It was as if black shadow oozed from her eyes and down her cheeks. And, when she stood, snapping her bonds like twine, it was as if she opened a gateway to another world: a place filled with living, sentient shadows. Otherworldly beings flooded the asylum, raging against their chosen vessel's captors. As the institution rang with the screams of doctors and orderlies, Sleeping Beauty strode dreamily out the front doors and into the wide world beyond, never bothering to look back at the destruction left in her wake.
Advantages
Sleeping Beauty has a very high max HP, and her HP can be sacrificed as an additional resource to increase her strength. After taking a certain amount of damage, she will enter Awakened Mode, which can significantly improve her skills. Sleeping Beauty is very attack-focused: when the time is right, she can create massive damage and severely wound her opponent. After becoming an expert in a skill category, she also has a chance to restore HP.
Disadvantages
Sleeping Beauty is very attack-focused, but both her defense and mobility are weak. Even though she can inflict massive damage, she must carefully calculate her timing to maximize her attack's potential, which can be difficult for new players. The strategic switching between Awakened Mode and Asleep Mode is also sometimes hard to capitalize on for unseasoned players.
Tips
- When asleep, you can gain awakening tokens but cannot spend them (i.e., you must ignore the game effect related to awakening tokens on the skill cards.) When awakened, you may spend up to 3 awakening tokens when using a skill, but cannot gain them (unless explicitly stated otherwise.)
- You can actively gain awakening tokens via a skill that requires an attack card if you choose to inflict damage on yourself. But remember, losing HP won't gain you any awakening tokens. (See the skill "Bloodletting" (196) for an example.)
- When "Blood Rite" (204) is triggered, you cannot add a wild card into your hand from your discard pile instead of an attack card.
- You cannot switch your fighting track in 2v2 Mode by using the effect of "Bloodletting" (196).
Alice
Alice lived in a utopia of marvelous madness. She and her fellow Heart City citizens spent every day smoking the state-mandated hooka while flitting from one curiosity to the next, undone by fits of raucous laughter. Alice was simultaneously a highly regarded socialite, an adept inventor, and the beloved magician called the Mad Hatter. One day, she discovered a way of utilizing magic and science to transfer her consciousness into her automaton companion, the Cheshire Cat. This development proved to be great fun, until the day the Cheshire Cat wandered somewhere it wasn't supposed to go. Alice found herself in a chamber filled with society's highest elite. An ethereal being stood before them: it was something like a woman, but its red-tinted substance seemed to fluctuate in and out of reality. It disturbed Alice in a way she had never experienced before. The others in the room bowed and scraped to this woman as if she were some sort of goddess, which she repaid by summoning the hookas' crimson contents out of her very being, her eyes burning as red as the smoke. The people prostrated themselves, then swarmed the hookas she had filled, sucking deeply.
Alice watched, aghast, as the society's leaders stumbled backward in uproarious laughter. She realized what the hooka smoke was now: an opiate to keep the masses docile and unquestioning, supplied by a woman barely classifiable as human. Her whole society was a lie fueled by a strange, otherworldly entity. That day, Alice stopped smoking the hooka and created a new alias for herself: the clandestine freedom fighter that people dubbed the Queen of Hearts. Alice immediately faced intense hostility from the state authorities, but that only served to convince her that her actions were right. She kept up her appearances as the socialite and the magician to throw people off her trail, using the Cheshire Cat for stealth and the Queen when circumstances required a more direct approach. In this way, she fought to free her people. Alice would reclaim her world from this otherworldly madness, no matter the cost. It was time her city woke up.
Advantages
Basic cards are important to Alice. Alice can switch among three different states, each of which strengthens a type of basic card while weakening another. Alice can decide her state at the beginning of her turn based on the cards currently in her hand to push her effectiveness to the limit. She can even change states within her turn using skills, producing a very flexible strategy. She also has her own methods of eliminating weaker basic cards from her deck and adding in stronger ones. Again, basic cards are vital for Alice.
Disadvantages
Alice only has one category of skills that can inflict damage. The damage she inflicts via skills is relatively weak overall. Additionally, each twist unlocked mid-deck only benefits her when she is in that specific state, significantly reducing the frequency of triggering these twists. Furthermore, Alice must change her state at the beginning of each of her turns. Alice is a late-stage fable who needs a long growing process. She needs to survive first before she can finish her enemy with massive blows.
Tips
- Remember, the amount of power you gain from attack, defense, and move actions will not be affected by the effect bonuses on your avatar cards or the epic card "Frabjous Day" (244). For example, when playing a Lv3 attack card for an attack action while your avatar is Queen of Hearts, you would inflict 4 damage but gain 3 power. If your avatar is Mad Hatter, you would inflict 2 damage but still gain 3 power.
- You can change your avatar after using a skill inside of your turns, which can give you more benefits from your avatar cards. You just need to plan carefully to maximize your turn.
- Your twists can only benefit you when you are playing as the appropriate avatar.
Mulan
It was a day that survivors would forever remember as the beginning of humanity's fall. The necrovenge came from the stars, their armada breaching the solar system's rim. Initially, diplomats sought an agreement with these new arrivals. But, after the necrovenge quartered every ambassador for parts, it quickly became apparent the intruders weren't interested in peace. The young Mulan volunteered to fight, quickly climbing the ranks due to a distinctive ability: her father had trained her to channel her inner qi, harnessing it as a weapon. Becoming the division leader of an elite group of interstellar shock troops, Mulan found other qi-wielders like herself to forge an intimidating unit. Her division soon became the beacon of hope for humanity, and they pressed forward relentlessly against the necrovenge.
At last, on an outpost near the solar system's edge, Mulan's force engaged the necrovenge in a critical battle. Unfortunately, Mulan was too cocky and too reliant on the military's support – both of which proved disastrous. When things grew tough, the fleet withdrew, stranding Mulan and her soldiers just as the necrovenge surged. The skeletal cyborgs exterminated her entire division. Of them all, only Mulan escaped with her life, though even she lost her right arm. Crippled emotionally and physically, Mulan retreated to a backwater outpost mostly unnoticed by both humans and necrovenge, forsaking the army that had first abandoned her. Humanity suffered multiple crushing defeats after that. The necrovenge seethed into the solar system, this time pressing onward to earth. Finally, Mulan realized her loathing for the military mustn't outweigh her hatred of the necrovenge. She couldn't watch her species struggle and die any longer. So, she built a new arm for herself – one she could manipulate with her qi and wield as a powerful weapon. Then she struck out as a lone avenger, set on inflicting a swath of destruction across the stars. Perhaps she couldn't save humanity. But, at least, the necrovenge would know that she and her people had caused them pain.
Advantages
Mulan can use defense cards outside of her turn to counter the damage she receives while gaining an essential resource at the same time – the mystical Qi. Mulan can use Qi to increase damage, boost movement, and add more cards into her hand outside of her turn. Mulan can force her opponent to discard cards randomly if she can corner her opponent on the fighting track's edge, thus giving her a chance to disrupt her opponent's plans. She has very powerful epics. Mulan also has the best balance between attack, defense, and mobility.
Disadvantages
Mulan has the lowest max defense limit among all the fables. Her defense relies mainly on defense cards held in hand outside of her turns. All her damaging attacks are within range 1. So, she must maintain a high degree of mobility. Furthermore, Mulan needs to take chances to force her opponent into the fighting track's edge more frequently than other fables. Effectively using her Qi is also vital for her to achieve victory.
Tips
- At the end of your skill that requires an attack card or a skill that requires a movement card, if the opponent is on the edge of the fighting track, you can randomly discard a card from her hand. These skills' effects should be fully resolved before the opponent can use any responsive abilities. As a result, you have a chance to discard the card that can be used for your opponent's responsive abilities first.
- When you use a skill that requires a movement card, you must knockback the opponent that many spaces, if possible.
- When an opponent inflicts damage on you during her turn, you can discard a wild card instead of a defense card to trigger your special rule. When the opponent inflicts damage on you, even if the damage is 0, you can still use your special ability to gain Qi.
- Your special ability cannot trigger during your turn. For example, if you hurt Kaguya during your turn and she inflicts damage on you via her special rules, then you cannot use your special ability to counter the damage and gain Qi.
Kaguya
The full moon loomed in the sky on the night the couple found the baby bundled up outside their front door, a bamboo shinai sword by her side. The couple found no sign of the child's family, so they raised her as their own. Early on, Kaguya could tell she didn't fit in, so she mainly kept to herself. She spent countless hours in quiet introspection. When she turned sixteen, her parents gave her the bamboo sword they had found next to her the night she arrived. As Kaguya took the sword, she felt like she had regained a missing piece of herself. She began practicing with her sword every day until, finally, her inner monster woke up.
Kaguya's back arched as strange images flashed before her eyes: She saw a moon goddess fusing with a monstrous Yao Guai, creating something part-deity and part-beast. She watched the court of the gods banish the goddess. She observed the being hurtling toward earth – When Kaguya came to, she felt something dark stirring inside her. It pressed outward, turned her fingers into claws. With a jolt, Kaguya realized something horrific lived beneath her skin. Kaguya entered a daily struggle to either suppress the being or expel it altogether, and that's when she started to feel the others. There were more terrors loose in her city: evil entities that stalked the streets. She could sense them as surely as she knew when she was hungry. Perhaps they were indeed human, or maybe they weren't. Regardless, their scent called out to her. So, as the blood moon rose, Kaguya began a two-fold quest: first, to bring an end to the evils lurking in her city's black depths, and, second, to discover what she was and how to purge the beast that she could feel lurking within. Could she use her darkness to carve the cancer out of her metropolis? Could her good deeds cleanse her tarnished soul? Kaguya intended to find out.
Advantages
Kaguya can gain more defense from skills and twists than any other fable. She also has a very high max defense limit after her twist cards are unlocked. Furthermore, defense can serve as a weapon for Kaguya, which gives her powerful resistance and counterattack abilities. She can use attack cards outside of her turn to counterattack, and she can use defense cards as attack cards inside of her turn. Kaguya also has several different styles. She can be a deadly retaliator, a fierce defender, or a ranged attacker that is difficult to reach.
Disadvantages
Kaguya has very low HP that makes her vulnerable when she doesn't have much defense. The damage she can inflict is relatively lower than other fables. And she also takes a while to build up her abilities completely.
Tips
- When you would trigger your special rules on the fable sheet, you must wait until the opponent's action is fully resolved.
- You can use a wild card instead of an attack card when triggering your fable's special rule.
- You can only use the effect of "Swift Reprisal" (277) during your turn, so you cannot use a defense card to trigger your fable special rules outside of your turn.
- You can only use the action on the twist card "Uncanny Instinct" (293) against the opponent on the same fighting track. The ongoing effects of the epic "Judgment Arising" (298) and "Impulsive Onslaught" (299) will take effect on the opponent on the same fighting track at the beginning of your next turn.
Quick References
Turn Sequence
Beginning Phase
Resolve every game effect that should be resolved at the beginning of your turn, in any order you decide.
Refresh Phase (In Order)
- Discard all of the cards from your play area.
- Reset your Defense to 0.
Activation Phase
During your activation phase, you can perform each of the following actions any number of times and in any order (except Focus and Use a Relic Card):
- Focus (Skips entire Activation Phase.)
- Attack Action
- Defense Action
- Move Action
- Use a Skill
- Use an Epic Card
- Power-Up Action
- Component Actions
- Use a Relic Card (Limit once per turn. Relic Mode only.)
- Switch Fighting Track (2v2 Mode only.)
Ending Phase (In Order)
- Reset your Power to 0.
- Discard all of the cards from your hand, if there are any.
- Discard all of the cards from your play area except those with Ongoing effects and their required Basic Cards.
- Draw 6 cards from your deck.
- Resolve any other game effects that should be resolved at the end of your turn, in any order you decide.
- If there is an empty relic card slot, reveal the top card of the relic deck and place it on that empty slot. (Relic Mode Only.)
Actions
- Focus. Before you do anything else, you may skip your entire Activation Phase to destroy a card from your hand or discard pile.
- Attack Action. Play any number of attack cards from your hand to inflict X damage on an opponent in range 1 and gain X power. (X is equal to the cumulative attack value of every attack card you just played.) If the opponent is beyond range 1, you cannot use this action.
- Defense Action. Play any number of defense cards from your hand to increase your defense by X and gain X power. (X is equal to the cumulative defense value of every defense card you just played.)
- Move Action. Play any number of movement cards from your hand to move X spaces (if able) in one direction and gain X power. (X is equal to the cumulative movement value of every movement card you just played.)
- Use a Skill. Play a skill card and its required basic card from your hand to trigger the effect of that skill card.
- Use an Epic Card. Play an epic card from your hand to trigger its effect.
- Power-Up Action. Choose the top card from a basic supply deck or one of your skill supply decks. Spend the amount of your power equal to the chosen card's cost to place it into your discard pile.
- Component Actions.
- Use a Relic Card. (Limit once per turn.) Discard a skill card from your hand to trigger the effect of the relic card in your current space. Then discard that relic card. (Relic Mode Only.)
- Switch Fighting Track. Discard a movement card from your hand to switch your fighting track. (2v2 Mode Only.)
Credits
Game Design: Gang Wang and Xiang Gao
Twisted Fables Story Team: Cherry Li, Roger Ho, and Byron Leavitt
Stories and Editing: Byron Leavitt
Art Direction: Cherry Li
Graphic Design: Chris Doughman
Art: Denys Tsiperko, Ibrahem Swaid, and Fajareka Setiawan
Production Manager: Cherry Li
Playtesters: Roger Ho, Chauncey, Ruoyu Sun, Yang Gao, Ran Yang, and Zhuo Zuo
My deepest thanks go out to my wife, Grace, for her support these many years. This game is also for my beloved Peach. — Gang Wang
As a media man in the board game industry, I am honored to participate in this project. Over the past few years, through writing articles, conducting interviews, and recording podcasts, I've watched this game grow from scratch to reality - a process I'll fondly recall for many years to come. I hope that this game can establish a thriving community that supports and loves it. Let's become friends through Twisted Fables. — Xiang Gao
Thanks to all our internal beta playtesters. Twisted Fables exists because of you.
© 2020 Diemension Games, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this product may be reproduced without specific permission. Twisted Fables and Diemension Games are trademarks of Diemension Games, Inc. Diemension Games is located at 701 S Barnett street, Anaheim CA 92805, USA.
Actual components may vary from those shown. Made in China. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT A TOY. NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY PERSONS 14 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER.