Who Goes There? Rulebook

Table of Contents

Object of the Game
- Goal
Setup
- Game Setup (The Camp)
- Game Setup (Individual Players)
Gameplay
- How to Play
Camp Elements
Game End

Object of the Game

In Who Goes There?, players make up an Antarctic research team struggling for survival. Players will need to work together to build items and upgrade their characters in order to last until the final round and board the helicopter. Players must also venture outside to search for Helicopter bonuses which will help them successfully escape.

Every player starts the game as a human and is uninfected. During the game, there will be a number of situations that will force unprepared players to draw a Vulnerable card. The more Vulnerable cards a player draws, the higher their chances of becoming infected.

A player must draw a Vulnerable card if any of the following occurs:

They don't have food to eat during a Food round.
They have to bunk alone during a Sleep round.
The Camp Door is damaged and broken by reckless players searching outside.
They fail the Camp Event "Hunger Pangs" and have no Canned Food to eat.
They encounter the Thing and fail to fend off the attack.

Goal

GOAL: The goal is to survive until the final round and board the helicopter with enough collected bonuses to reach the required Helicopter total. This allows players to escape and return to civilization with research that proves the existence of this dangerous threat. Players must be wary not to let anyone who is infected on board or else humanity could be doomed!

If you become infected during the game, play it cool. Your goal has not changed. You still want to gather bonuses and try to board the helicopter. Infected players lower the Helicopter total needed, making it easier for the humans—but if they get on board, their bonuses count against the humans. If the humans fail to meet their Helicopter total while any infected player is on board, they lose, and the infected players win.

All that's easier said than done. The more Vulnerable cards you have, the more suspicious you become.

Setup

Game Setup (The Camp)

Follow the example when setting up the camp. The setup for the camp is always the same, no matter how many players are involved in the game.

Position the inside and outside game boards facing each other in a central location. Leave plenty of room around the edges for each player's character board and cards. Off to one side, pile all the Strikes together. Do the same with all the XP gems. Next, divide the Action dice and place them on opposite ends of the boards within arm's reach of all players.
Organize the Item tiles in the tile tray and place them to the side; this is the tile bank. Place the Phase marker on the white starting space at the top of the Phase Meter. Place the Helicopter die on the "Helicopter" space outside.
Shuffle the Storage deck and the Workshop deck. Place them on their corresponding spaces inside.
Shuffle each Phase deck and place it on the corresponding space outside. Remove the top 5 cards from each Phase deck and place them face down on the Phase Deck Discard space. This will keep players guessing at what's left when each Phase deck begins getting low.
Shuffle the Vulnerable deck and place it on the "Trust No One" space outside.
Place the Camp Event board next to the team leader (the player who will be going first). Shuffle the Camp Event deck and place it on the corresponding space on the Camp Event board.
Leave room around the boards for each player to set up their character components (see "Game Setup (Individual Players)" below).

Game Setup (Individual Players)

Follow the example when setting up each player's character board and components. The setup for each player is the same.

Choose a character board. Make sure all the Unlock tiles are placed in the correct locations and in the locked position. Place the character's miniature on the character board.
Place 5 Actions in the Actions tray. Place the 6th Action in the "Agility" Unlock slot.
Place 3 Stamina in the Stamina bar. Then, place 1 Stamina in the Cardio Unlock slot and the last 2 in the Exhausted Stamina tray.
Place the character's Locker die in the Locker Combo Unlock slot with the character's attribute icon facing up (see "Locker Die" below).
Each player gets a Build Menu.
Each player gets an Infection Clicker.
Shuffle the character's Specialty deck and place it next to the character board.

Gameplay

How to Play

The game consists of 15 rounds (18 for the extended game). Players must search, build, and trade to upgrade their characters as they search for the precious Helicopter bonuses needed to escape (see "Helicopter Bonuses" under Game End). Each round, players will deal with escalating Camp Events (see "Camp Events" below), as well as the Thing lurking outside among the Phase decks. Once players reach the final round, the game end is triggered.

THE TEAM LEADER: The character with the highest rank (lowest number) will be the team leader. The leader has a few extra responsibilities during the game. They will be the first player and will choose the rest of the turn order. They will be in charge of the Camp Event board as well as taking players through the pre-round sequence at the beginning of each round. It's also the job of a good leader to take care of their team. They will need to keep an eye out and remind players who forget to resolve any Camp Events. Being the team leader also comes with a few perks. They will be the first to board the helicopter, and they will be in charge during the boarding process. When determining which player is the team leader, the highest ranking player can always choose another player to take command. The chosen player will be the team leader (the first player) instead and will assume all the responsibilities listed above. If the team leader dies, their responsibilities are passed to the next player in turn order.

BEGINNING THE GAME: Once setup is complete and turn order is determined, follow these steps to begin the game:

DRAW CARDS: Following turn order, each player draws 1 card from each of the decks inside (Storage, Workshop, and their Specialty deck). Each player will begin the game with 3 cards.
PICK A STARTING SPACE: Each player will take their character mini and place it on the starting space of their choice. There are only 3 starting spaces available to players: the Storage Room, the Workshop, or the Phase 1 deck outside. Players can start in the Workshop if they want to get a jump on building, or they can start in the Storage Room if they would prefer to look for some Consumables (like First Aid, Canned Food, or Snacks). Players may also start outside in the Phase 1 deck to get some early XP. Keep in mind, players who start outside will suffer a Temperature Drop at the beginning of the round (see "Temperature Drops" below).
THE FIRST ROUND: The leader begins the first round by taking the team through the pre-round sequence.

PRE-ROUND SEQUENCE: There is an order of events to begin each round.

Move the Phase Marker to the next round.
Resolve an Eat or Sleep round.
Players outside suffer a Temperature Drop.
Players reset their Actions and Locker die.
Flip over the next Camp Event card.
Resolve any Instant Camp Event.
The round starts and players take their turns.

ROUNDS AND TURNS: A round consists of 1 turn for every player. Each player is required to resolve the Camp Event in play before the end of their turn. During their turn, they can spend their Actions to search, build, trade, repair, gain Stamina, or gain XP (see "Actions" below). Once all players have taken their turn, the leader will take them through the pre-round sequence to begin the next round. This continues until players reach the final round (see "The Helicopter Round" under Game End).

Camp Elements

Action Dice

The Action dice are the main tool players will use when determining all the various outcomes during the game. Each Action die has 3 blank sides and 3 sides.

Success side
Miss side

Spaces and Locations

There are 5 spaces players can move to, and these spaces are divided into 2 locations: inside and outside. The Storage Room and Workshop spaces are inside, and the 3 Phase deck spaces are outside. A player's location will heavily influence most of the things that happen to them (unless otherwise specified on a card in play).

MOVING SPACES: Players may move to and from spaces in the same location as many times as they choose. The spaces must be unlocked, and the player must have Actions to spend (see "Actions" below).

MOVING LOCATIONS: Players can only change locations once per turn. They may not return to the location they moved from until their next turn. Players also cannot change locations during a Lockdown (see "Camp Events" below).

Boiler Room and Camp Door

There are 2 key utilities that players will need to maintain throughout the game. If they fail to do so, the effects could be disastrous. The camp utilities receive Strikes through Camp Events and searching outside (see "Strikes" below). If either utility receives 3 Strikes, then it is considered broken and players suffer the penalties for that utility. Utilities can have more than 3 Strikes, but the penalties only take effect when the 3rd Strike is received.

DESIGNER'S NOTE: Be careful when repairing utilities. If a camp utility has 3 Strikes and players only repair it once, then the utility will deliver its penalty again when it receives another Strike.

BOILER ROOM: The Boiler Room allows players to gain Stamina (see "Stamina" below). As long as the Boiler Room is functioning properly, players will be able to use their Gain Stamina Action. The Boiler Room can only be repaired by players who are inside.

BOILER EXPLOSION: When the Boiler Room receives a 3rd Strike, the Boiler explodes and all players inside immediately receive 1 Strike. As long as the Boiler Room has 3 or more Strikes, players cannot use their Gain Stamina Action. Players can still replenish Stamina by playing cards or lighting the Bonfire.

CAMP DOOR: The Camp Door protects the players inside from the freezing temperatures, as well as anything else that may be lurking outside. As long as the Camp Door is not broken, players inside will not be affected by Temperature Drops. The Camp Door can only be repaired by players who are outside.

BROKEN DOOR: When the Camp Door receives a 3rd Strike, the Door breaks and all players inside immediately receive 1 Vulnerable card (see "Vulnerable Cards" below). As long as the Camp Door has 3 or more Strikes, players inside are affected by Temperature Drops at the beginning of each Round.

REPAIRING: Players can remove a Strike from a camp utility by using the Repair Action (see "Actions" below). Keep in mind that each utility can only be repaired while players are in a specific location.

The Bonfire

The Bonfire is a community resource available to all players who are inside. When 5 or more cards have been collected on the Bonfire, it's ready to be lit. When a player lights the Bonfire, all players inside gain 2 Stamina.

ADDING CARDS: On their turn, players may add as many cards as they like to the Bonfire. They must be inside to do so. When adding cards, place them face down on the Bonfire pile. Only inside cards can be added to the Bonfire (Workshop, Storage, and Specialty cards). Players cannot draw cards from the Bonfire.

LIGHTING THE BONFIRE: Players can light the Bonfire during their turn. There are only 2 ways to light the Bonfire: playing a Matches card or using a Lighter Item tile. To use the Lighter Item tile, announce to the other players that you are "Lighting" the Bonfire. After it's lit, move the cards from the Bonfire to the Camp Discard pile and keep them face down.

The Phase Meter

PHASE METER: The Phase Meter is divided into 3 Phases, and each Phase consists of a maximum of 6 rounds. Every Phase unlocks a new deck to search and increases the difficulty of all Attacks and Setbacks.

PHASE MARKER: The Phase Marker begins on the white space and tracks the progress of the game. The team leader is responsible for moving the Phase Marker each round.

PHASE 1

DECK UNLOCKED: Players can move to and search the Phase 1 deck.
TEMPERATURE DROPS: Affected players lose 1 Stamina during a Temperature Drop.
ATTACKS AND SETBACKS: Players must roll 1 Success to resolve any Attack or Setback.

PHASE 2

DECK UNLOCKED: Players can move to and search the Phase 1 and 2 decks.
TEMPERATURE DROPS: Affected players lose 2 Stamina during a Temperature Drop.
ATTACKS AND SETBACKS: Players must roll 2 Successes to resolve any Attack or Setback.

PHASE 3

DECK UNLOCKED: Players can move to and search the Phase 1, 2, and 3 decks.
TEMPERATURE DROPS: Affected players lose 3 Stamina during a Temperature Drop.
ATTACKS AND SETBACKS: Players must roll 3 Successes to resolve any Attack or Setback.

OPTIONAL SPACES: The grey spaces at the beginning of each Phase are optional. Skip these spaces during a standard game or add them in for an extended game.

Rounds

ROUNDS: Each space on the Phase Meter represents 1 round. During a round, each player will take their turn. Once all players have taken their turn, the round is over. At the end of each round, and before the next, the leader will take the team through the pre-round sequence to begin the next round.

PRE-ROUND SEQUENCE: To begin each round, there is an order of events players must follow:

Move the Phase Marker to the next round.
Resolve an Eat or Sleep round.
Players outside suffer a Temperature Drop.
Players reset their Actions and Locker die.
Flip over the next Camp Event card.
Resolve any Instant Camp Event.
The round starts and players take their turns.

Food and Sleep Rounds

At the end of each Phase, there are 2 special rounds players will need to plan for. If they are caught unprepared, they will be left vulnerable. After the special round requirements are fulfilled, the rest of the round plays normally.

FOOD ROUNDS: All players are required to eat food on a Food round. Players must play 1 Canned Food card (not a Snack) during the pre-round sequence of each Food round. Players who do not play a Canned Food will become vulnerable and must draw 1 Vulnerable card.

DESIGNER'S NOTE: Don't forget, you also receive the benefit of the Canned Food card when you play it during a Food round.

SLEEP ROUNDS: All players are required to sleep on a Sleep round. For safety, players must bunk in pairs, and they must be in the same location (they do not need to be on the same space). To resolve a Sleep round, both players must agree to bunk together during the pre-round sequence. Players should communicate and work together when preparing for a Sleep round. If neither player has a Vulnerable card, nothing further needs to be done. If either player has a Vulnerable card, there are further steps necessary (see "Infection Clickers" below). Players can choose to sleep alone, but any player who sleeps alone will become vulnerable and must draw 1 Vulnerable card.

Temperature Drops

TEMPERATURE DROPS: At the beginning of each round, players outside lose Stamina due to falling temperatures. During a Temperature Drop, if a player has no Stamina on their character board, they begin to freeze and receive 1 Strike. This will continue to happen each round unless the player can replenish their Stamina or move back inside. A player does not receive a Strike as long as they have 1 Stamina during a Temperature Drop. Each space indicates the amount of Stamina players will lose during Temperature Drops.

FOR EXAMPLE: If a player has only 1 Stamina and suffers a Temperature Drop during Phases 2 or 3, they lose what Stamina they have and receive no Strike during that drop. They will not receive a Strike until the next Temperature Drop.

Stamina

GAINING STAMINA: Players will lose Stamina while staying outside. The more Stamina players lose, the less Natural dice they will have when resolving events (see "Resolving Events" below). Players must keep their Stamina up as much as possible. There are a few ways this can be done:

GAIN STAMINA: When inside, a player may use their Gain Stamina Action (see "Actions" below).
LIGHTING THE BONFIRE: A player can gain 2 Stamina if they are inside when the Bonfire is lit.
PLAYING CARDS: Playing a Canned Food or Snack Food card will give the player 1 Stamina. Playing an Alcohol card when outside will do the same. Some players can also gain Stamina from unique cards in their Specialty deck.

Experience (XP)

GAINING XP: Players need to collect and spend XP to unlock new abilities on their character boards. When a player collects XP, they can store it on their character board until they are ready to spend it. There is no limit to the amount of XP a player can collect and store. There are 4 ways players can gain XP:

THE LOCKER DIE: Once unlocked, a player may gain XP from their Locker die (see "Locker Die" below).
ROLLING FOR XP: When outside, a player may use their Gain XP Action (see "Actions" below).
SEARCHING THE PHASE DECKS: A player will gain 2 XP each time they search a Phase deck.
PHASE CARDS: Most of the cards in the Phase decks will give the players the option to gain XP instead of what the card is offering. The XP gained in this manner is in addition to the XP you gain for searching the deck. A player can gain a large amount of XP quickly this way.

SPENDING XP: Spending XP costs no Actions and can be done at any point during a player's turn. Simply remove the amount being spent from the character board and place it back in the community pile of XP. There are 2 colors of XP gems; the clear gems are 1 point and the blue gems are 5 points. This comes in handy when players start accumulating large amounts of XP.

Player Assault

If a player feels they have discovered an infected player, they have the option to perform an Assault during their turn. An Assault is when 1 player attacks another.

DESIGNER'S NOTE: Assaulting should be the last option for any player. Unless players are 100% positive the player they are assaulting is infected, they could be hurting the team and reducing their chances of escaping successfully. Assaulting will also make the player who attacked look suspicious. If the Assault fails, the attacking player will most likely be targeted next. Think it through before you choose to Assault.

ASSAULT: Assaulting is location specific. Players must be in the same location as the person they are assaulting. They do not need to be on the same space. An Assault costs 5 Actions and can only be performed during a player's turn. An infected player can also perform an Assault.

PERFORMING AN ASSAULT: To perform an Assault, a player will notify the group that they will be assaulting (player x). The Assault is resolved like a red event; the attacking player will roll their Natural dice plus the additional dice granted by any equipped Item tiles with a red number (see "Resolving Events" below). Each Success deals 1 Strike to the player being attacked. The player being assaulted cannot roll in defense. A player must roll all their available Action dice when performing an Assault.

Strikes and Critical Strikes

RECEIVING STRIKES: Players receive Strikes through various ways during the game. When a player receives a Strike, they will take a Strike and place it on their character board. There are 2 types of Strikes players can receive:

STRIKES: These are the common type of Strikes. Players will receive these from Camp Events, Thing Attacks, Boiler Explosions, and Assaults. The Boiler Room and the Camp Door also receive these types of Strikes.
CRITICAL STRIKES: Critical Strikes are very dangerous. Players can only receive these through certain Camp Events. When a player receives a Critical Strike, they must remove it by the end of their next turn; if they fail to do so, then they will receive another Strike at the end of that turn. This will happen each round until the player heals the Critical Strike or dies. Players need to work together when someone on the team receives a Critical Strike.

HEALING STRIKES: A Strike can be removed from a player's character board if they play a First Aid card. A First Aid card only removes 1 Strike per card, and only the player playing the card will be able to remove the Strike. Both types of Strikes can be healed this way. It's a good idea to heal a Critical Strike as soon as possible.

Out of the Game

3 STRIKES: During the later Phases, players will begin to receive Strikes more easily. When a player receives a 3rd Strike on their character board, they are dead and out of the game. Remove their character from the game board. Once dead, a player cannot reveal their infection status. Their status will be revealed at the end of the game along with everyone else's. Any bonuses and cards they have collected are lost and unusable. Return their Item tiles to the tile tray.

General Card Info

A player may look at the cards in their hand. Teamwork is strongly encouraged. Everyone is allowed to say what cards they have and what cards they need, but they must never show their cards to the other players.

PLAYING CARDS: On their turn, players may play as many cards as they want. It costs no Actions to play a card. To play a card, place it in the Camp Discard pile face up and claim any benefits granted. The details of all cards are clearly defined in the text box at the bottom.

DISCARDING: Players may discard any cards from their hand on their turn. Certain Camp Events will also force a player to discard a card. Any time players discard a card, it must be placed face down on the Camp Discard pile. Discarded cards cannot be added to the Bonfire. Players cannot look through any of the Discard piles.

MAXIMUM HAND SIZE: Players must end their turn with no more than 5 cards in their hand. They may hold as many cards as they want before and during their turn. If their turn is about to end, and they have too many cards, they may add some to the Bonfire (only when inside) or discard until they have 5 or fewer cards.

DESIGNER'S NOTE: During a round, if a player gains cards by any means before their turn, they may hold more than the maximum number since they have not yet reached the end of their turn.

Inside Cards

Any cards drawn from an inside deck will go directly into the player's hand. Inside cards are the only component players are allowed to trade. The following are all inside decks and can only be searched when a player is inside.

WORKSHOP CARDS: The Workshop deck is the preferred space for players to look for Buildables. 5 of the 7 types of Buildables are located in this deck. This deck contains: Wood, Cloth, Rope, Screws, and Metal.

STORAGE CARDS: The Storage deck contains the rest of the Buildables (Alcohol and Matches) as well as various Consumables. Consumables are one-time use cards that cannot be used for building. Players can expect to find First Aid, Canned Food, One in the Chamber, Shotgun, Flare, Dex, and Empty Lighter cards. There are also cards that can be played to receive instant Item tiles such as: a Flare Gun, Crowbar, or Torch.

CHARACTER SPECIALTY CARDS: Characters come with a unique personal deck loaded with the essentials and more. Each Specialty deck is slightly different from the rest and complements its character's strengths (see "Character Specialty Decks" below). Players can only draw from their Specialty deck; they cannot search another player's deck.

Phase Cards

The cards players draw outside are Phase cards. Once drawn, the card is placed face up on the Phase Deck Discard pile (unless otherwise stated on the card), and immediately resolved by the player who searched the deck. These cards do not go into the player's hand. Every time a player searches one of the Phase decks they immediately gain 2 XP for searching. All Phase cards are discarded on the Phase Deck Discard pile.

PHASE CARDS: The Phase decks are where players can find the bonuses that will help them to successfully escape, but they also contain dangers players need to be wary of. In the beginning, the only deck available to search is Phase 1, but the other decks will unlock once the Phase Marker moves into the corresponding Phase. Players may not search a Phase deck until it is unlocked. There are 7 types of cards players will come across when searching the Phase decks:

INSTANT TILES: These cards will give the player an Item tile or XP if they choose.
SPECIAL PHASE ITEMS: There are a few special cards in the Phase decks that are placed next to a player's character board and remain there until the player chooses to use them.
CHOICES: Players will be given a choice: gain XP or receive the benefit on the card.
LOCKBOXES: Players will be given a choice. They can walk away with XP, or they can risk rolling for the contents of the Lockbox.
HELICOPTER BONUS: These are what the players are searching for the most. Helicopter Bonuses are used during the Departure to help players escape safely.
DOOR DAMAGE: Players must add 1 Strike to the Camp Door.
THE THING ATTACKS: These are not the cards players want to draw. Thing Attacks must be resolved immediately when flipped. They are resolved in the same manner as a Camp Event Attack (see "Resolving Events" below). If a player fails to fend off the Thing, they will receive 1 Strike and must also draw 1 Vulnerable card. Only the player who drew the card will be required to resolve it.

DESIGNER'S NOTE: When a Player fails their roll against a Thing Attack and there are no more Vulnerable cards left to draw, then the player will only receive the Strike and disregard the rest.

Camp Events

During the pre-round sequence, the team leader will flip the top card of the Camp Event deck and place it on the Camp Event Discard pile. That will be the Camp Event in play for the round. A Camp Event affects all players in camp, regardless of their location (unless it's locked). Each player must resolve the Camp Event on their turn. It does not cost any Actions to resolve an event, and a player can choose to resolve the event at any point during their turn. If a player ends their turn and forgets to resolve the event, they automatically take the event's penalty if no one reminds them before the next player begins their turn.

There are 3 types of Camp Event cards players will encounter:

ATTACK (red)
SETBACK (blue)
INSTANT (green)

ATTACKS AND SETBACKS: To resolve an Attack or Setback, players need to roll the required amount of Successes or receive the penalty for failing to do so. The number of Successes needed to resolve an Attack or Setback corresponds with where the Phase Marker is on the Phase Meter (see "The Phase Meter" above).

FOR EXAMPLE: During Phase 1, all Attacks and Setbacks will require 1 Success to resolve. During Phase 2, they will require 2 Successes, and 3 Successes during Phase 3.

INSTANTS: Instant events are different from the others. When flipped, an Instant event is resolved immediately by following the directions on the card. This is done during the pre-round sequence before the first player begins their turn. Once the event is resolved, players no longer have to worry about a Camp Event during that round.

LOCKDOWN: When a Camp Event card has a symbol in the top left corner, that means the camp is locked down. During a Lockdown, only the players inside are required to resolve the Camp Event. Players can no longer move to another location until the camp is unlocked. The camp will be unlocked when a Camp Event card without a symbol is in play. If the Camp Door is broken, all the rules for a Lockdown remain the same.

MOVEMENT EXAMPLE: During a Lockdown, players who are inside cannot move outside or vice versa, but they may still move to another space in the same location.

Resolving Events

NATURAL DICE: When resolving an event, players have a natural defense. They can have up to 2 Action dice naturally available to them (see "Action Dice" above). The number of dice available is determined by the amount of Stamina in their Stamina Bar. The Natural dice can be used when resolving both Attacks and Setbacks.

No Action die available when: 0, 1, 2, or 3 Stamina.
1 Action die available when: 4 or 5 Stamina.
2 Action dice available when: 6 Stamina.

RED VS. BLUE: Pay attention to the color of the event being resolved. The 2 most common types of events are Attacks (red) and Setbacks (blue). Weapon Item tiles will have corresponding red and/or blue numbers in the top corners. When equipped, these tiles will give a player additional Action dice to roll when resolving either event. Each equipped tile with a number in the matching color adds more dice to the player's roll.

FOR EXAMPLE: With Items equipped that add 2 dice when resolving Attacks and 1 die when resolving Setbacks, a player would be able to add 2 Action dice to their roll when resolving any Attack but only 1 Action die when resolving a Setback event.

RESOLVING AN EVENT: Camp Events (Attacks and Setbacks) can be resolved at any point during a player's turn. No Actions can be spent while an event is being resolved. Cards can still be played when resolving any event because it costs no Actions to play a card. Go through these steps when resolving each event:

CHECK THE EVENT: Determine the type of event being resolved. Attack (red) or Setback (blue).
CHECK THE STAMINA BAR: Add any Natural dice available (these work against both types of events).
CHECK THE ITEMS: Add the Action dice available from any equipped Item tiles (add all the red together, or all the blue together).
ROLL THE DICE: Check to see if the required amount of Successes was rolled. If the required amount or more was rolled, take no penalty. If not, receive the penalty listed on the event.

DESIGNER'S NOTE: Playing cards is still allowed while resolving an event, even after the dice are rolled. If more Successes are needed, a player may play any cards that will help them gain extra dice to roll. Be sure to also use any Item tile attributes that may help (see "Item Tiles" below).

Characters

Each character brings something different to the team. Individually, they are strong. But when they work together, they have the best chance for survival.

COMMANDER GARRY: Garry is the highest ranking member of the team. He naturally has the option to be the leader during any game. His Unique Ability Unlock is a handgun. It allows him to use the Bullets in his Specialty deck when resolving any Attacks. His Taking Control card lets him assist any player resolving an Attack. He also has Bullets on his Locker die.

MCREADY: McReady is best equipped to survive in the freezing temperatures. His Unique Ability Unlock allows him a chance to gain Stamina while he is outside. With a Specialty deck full of Alcohol, he can help players build tiles or gain Stamina outside. His Landmark card gives anyone in the same location 1 Stamina when Alcohol is played on it. He also has Alcohol on his Locker die.

KINNER: Kinner is the one responsible for keeping the team fed. He has the most Canned Food of the team. His Unique Ability Unlock lets him eat a Snack on a Food round, so he can save his Canned Food for his fellow teammates. Kinner's Landmark gives players a little extra help when searching for some food. His Locker die comes with Snacks.

DR. COPPER: Dr. Copper will help keep the team alive. His Unique Ability Unlock keeps him safe from Critical Strikes. With his medical expertise, and a deck rife with First Aid, players will rely on him once the infection starts to spread. His Blood Test helps players find an infected player, but it can't find them all. His Locker die comes with First Aid.

EXPANSION CHARACTERS (not included with the base game)

BLAIR: Blair is the biologist on the team. His Unique Ability Unlock gives him a Lighter that helps when building and lighting the Bonfire. His Specialty deck contains Kindling which strengthens the effect of the Bonfire. He also has a Host Test that will help players when trying to discover the Host. When spent, the Snowshoes on his Locker die allow him to move without having to spend 1 Action.

CLARK: Clark is the team's dog handler. His Unique Ability Unlock is his Loyal Companion, Jack. His Landmark card can allow players to trade across locations. The Training Manual in his Specialty deck will train and improve Jack (flip when trained). His Locker die comes with Dog Treats to help feed his Companion during the Food rounds. If the player discards the Companion tile, they cannot get it back.

VAN WALL: Van Wall is the builder of the group. His Unique Attribute Unlock allows him to hold 1 extra Item tile. His Specialty deck contains a large number of cards that will help him and the team when building. His Landmark card will help players who are having trouble finding the Buildables they need. His Locker die comes with a Repair Kit. It's useful for repairing the camp utilities.

NORRIS: Norris is the muscle on the team. He is always ready for action. His Unique Attribute Unlock allows him to equip duplicate Item tiles. His Specialty deck is designed to help him when resolving Attacks. When his Landmark card is in play, players will be able to build when outside. His Locker die comes with Knuckles. When used, it allows him to reroll 1 Action die when resolving any Attack.

Character Boards

The character board is the player's central hub and is used to manage their Actions, Stamina, Unlocks, and Item tiles. Each board has 1 character specific Unlock (marked with their color), and 5 Unlocks that are the same for every character. Players unlock these abilities by spending XP (see "Experience (XP)" above). Once unlocked, an ability is permanently unlocked and can be immediately used. A character's Unlocks only affect the character they belong to; they cannot be used on or by other players.

ALTERNATE CHARACTER BOARDS: Clark and Van Wall have a Unique Ability Unlock that works differently than the others. These are expansion characters. Disregard this section when using the base game.

The character board is numbered with the following areas:

CHARACTER PROFILE: This area tells the character's name, rank, and Specialty deck contents. Use this area as a tray to store XP and Strikes.
- 1A. RANK: The character with the highest rank will be the team leader (1 is the highest rank). That player is responsible for choosing turn order.
- 1B. SPECIALTY DECK: This lists the contents of the character's Specialty deck (see "Character Specialty Decks" below).
ACTIONS: This is where players will store their Actions. Move them off the board and set them to the side as they are spent. Each round, when resetting the Actions, place them back in this area. There is also a quick guide here that lists what players can spend their Actions on.
EXHAUSTED STAMINA: When Stamina is lost, move it from the Stamina bar to the Exhausted Stamina tray.
STAMINA BAR: The Stamina bar tracks how many Natural dice a player will have when resolving any Attacks or Setbacks (see "Resolving Events" above).
ITEM SLOTS: This is where players will equip Item tiles. Each character begins with 2 open slots. When a tile is placed in a slot, it is considered equipped and ready for use (see "Item Tiles" below).
CHARACTER UNLOCKS: Each character has 6 Unlocks available to buy (the cost is listed on the Unlock). On every board 5 of them are the same and 1 is unique to the character. At any point during their turn, a player can spend XP to purchase and open an Unlock. Once purchased, the ability is permanently unlocked. All Unlocks can be used as soon as they are purchased.
- 6A. UNIQUE ABILITY (3XP): Unlocks the character's unique ability. This is different for each character. Once purchased, flip the tile over to the green side.
- 6B. CARDIO (2XP): Unlocks 1 extra Stamina, increasing a player's max Stamina to 6. Once purchased, place the unlocked Stamina in the Stamina bar.
- 6C. AGILITY (6XP): Unlocks 1 extra Action, increasing a player's max Actions to 6. Once purchased, place the unlocked Action in the Actions tray. The Action can be used as soon as it's unlocked.
- 6D. LOCKER COMBO (6XP): Unlocks the character's Locker die (see "Locker Die" below).
- 6E. EXTRA ITEM SLOTS (4XP): Unlocks 3 extra Item slots. Once purchased, remove the tile and place it to the side. Now 3 more Item slots are available.
- 6F. XP OVERSTOCK (8XP): Unlocks the XP storage tray (must purchase all other Unlocks first). Once purchased, remove the tile and place it to the side. Every 5 XP collected here equals 1 Helicopter bonus. Players may only collect a max of 5 bonuses (25 XP). They may continue to collect and store XP here, but after 25 XP no more Helicopter bonuses will be gained.
- 6G. COMPANION (3 XP): Unlocks Clark's dog, Jack. Jack always starts with the "Loyal Companion" side facing up. Once purchased, equip the tile in the Items section of the character board. Players may now add Jack's mini onto their Clark mini. As long as the Companion tile is equipped, the player must feed Jack during any Food round. Jack can be fed Canned Food or Dog Treats. The player will be vulnerable for each one of them that does not eat. They could potentially be vulnerable twice during a Food round. The Companion does not receive Strikes or allow Clark to receive more than 3 Strikes. The Companion tile may be discarded like any other tiles. If the Companion tile is discarded remove Jack's mini and Clark's Landmark card (if it's in play).
- 6H. ITEM MANAGEMENT (3 XP): Unlocks Van Wall's extra Item space. Once purchased, remove the tile and place it to the side. 1 extra Item slot is now available.

Character Miniatures

Each player will have a miniature of their character that will represent their location in camp. Players will move their miniature around the camp as they search each different deck.

Locker Die

Every character comes with a unique Locker die. Players access the Locker die when they spend XP to unlock the Locker Combo on their character board. The Locker die is an additional resource players can use to their advantage. The Locker die has 4 attribute icons available; 1 is unique to each character.

Locker Die Attribute Icons

Character attribute icons:

BULLETS: Adds 2 dice when resolving any Attack event, requires the handgun.
ALCOHOL: Use as an Alcohol Buildable or use outside to gain 1 Stamina.
SNACK: Gain 1 Stamina. Best used with the Light Eater unlock.
FIRST AID: Remove 1 Strike from your character.

Common attribute icons:

SNOWSHOES*: Move to another space (costs no Action).
DOG TREAT*: Use to feed Clark's dog during a Food round.
REPAIR KIT*: Removes 1 Strike from the Camp Door or the Boiler Room.
KNUCKLES*: Reroll 1 Action die when resolving any Attack event.
BUILDABLE: Use in place of any 1 Buildable.
FLARE: Change 1 rolled Miss into a Success.
2 XP: Gain 2 XP, regardless of location.

*only relates to the expansion characters.

USING THE LOCKER DIE: The Locker die starts with the character attribute icon facing up. Once unlocked, it's moved to the Actions tray on the character board. It may be used the moment it's unlocked or saved for another turn. To use the Locker die, move it off the board and set it to the side; it is spent like an Action. Once it's spent, the player will reset the die next round. The locker die may not be traded or used on another player.

RESETTING: When unlocked, players can reset their Locker die during the pre-round sequence. To reset the die, players simply roll it once, then place it back in their Actions tray. The side facing up is now available to use on their turn. If a player is looking for something specific, they may reset their Locker die during any pre-round sequence (even if the die was not spent that round). If the player likes what they have rolled, they may save it until they decide to use it. A player does not have to reset their die if they are saving it.

Character Specialty Decks

The character's Specialty deck is a personal resource meant to help players take care of themselves and the team. They contain common cards, such as First Aid and Canned Food, as well as a few other cards that are unique to each character.

SEARCHING: A player may only search their Specialty deck when inside. They can do this from either space.

SYMBOLS AND MEANINGS: Each character has the contents of their Specialty deck listed in the profile section on their character board. The list shows the card types, as well as the number of each in the deck. Below is a chart that defines the meaning of each symbol.

Character Specialty Deck Icons: First Aid, Matches, Unique, Alcohol, Dex, Item Tile, Canned Food, Buildable*, Landmark, Snack, Bullets.

*only relates to the expansion characters

CONTENTS: The contents of each character's Specialty deck is listed on their character board.

UNIQUE: These are cards that are specific to one character or not common in all the Specialty decks.
ITEM TILE: These are cards that will give a player an Item tile when played.
LANDMARK: These are powerful cards that utilize the character's skillset in order to help the team.

LANDMARK CARDS: Landmark cards will offer players various benefits when in play. A Landmark card must be played while the player is in a specific location (listed on the card). Once played, lay the card in any open area next to the specified board. The card will remain there and in play for the rest of the game unless it has a limited number of uses. While a Landmark card is in play, any player may use its ability.

Actions

Players begin each turn with 5 Actions (6 after purchasing the Agility Unlock). Players will store their Actions on the character board in the section labeled "Actions" until they are spent. Players may repeat the same Action more than once as long as they have the required amount of Actions to spend.

SPENDING: When spending Actions, remove the appropriate amount from the character board and place them to the side. Once spent, an Action is no longer available until the player's next turn. Players may spend their Actions to do any of the following:

MOVE: Spend 1 Action to move to any space regardless of location. The space must be unlocked. A player cannot switch locations if a Camp Event with a Lockdown is in play.
SEARCH: Spend 2 Actions to draw a card from the space you are currently on. If you are inside, you may also draw from your Specialty deck.
BUILD: Spend 1 Action to build an Item tile (see "Building" below).
RECEIVE (FROM PLAYERS DURING A TRADE): Spend 1 Action to receive any number of cards from another player during a trade (see "Trading Cards" below for further explanation).
GAIN STAMINA: Spend 1 Action to roll 1 Action die (only available when inside). Roll a Success and gain 1 Stamina; roll a Miss and gain nothing. Players may roll for Stamina as many times as they choose as long as they have the Actions to spend.
GAIN EXPERIENCE (XP): Spend 1 Action to roll 1 Action die (only available when outside). Roll a Success and gain 1 XP; roll a Miss and gain nothing. Players may roll for XP as many times as they choose as long as they have the Actions to spend.
REPAIR: Spend 2 Actions to remove 1 Strike from the Boiler Room (while inside) or the Camp Door (while outside). If players are feeling lucky, they may choose to spend only 1 Action and roll an Action die. Roll a Success and remove 1 Strike; roll a Miss and do nothing.

Reserving Actions

RESERVING: Sometimes you will need to save an Action at the end of your turn for a future trade during the round. This is called reserving an Action. Reserving an Action does not extend your turn. To reserve an Action, simply leave it in the Actions tray (unspent) at the end of the turn. It is possible to reserve more than 1 Action at a time for trading purposes. Any reserved Actions may only be used to receive cards during a trade.

SAVE ROOM: If a player plans to reserve an Action, they must make sure they do not have a full hand of cards at the end of their turn (see "Maximum Hand Size" above). They may discard or play cards during their turn to make the necessary room. If they end their turn with a full hand of cards, they can still pass them during any trades to make room. If they cannot make room in their hand, then they will not be able to receive any more cards during the current round.

Trading Cards

Cards drawn from the Storage Room, Workshop, or the character's Specialty deck are the only game components that can be traded between players. Item tiles and any cards collected outside cannot be traded.

TRADING: 2 Players may initiate a trade as long as they are in the same location; it must be 1 of the 2 player's turn. Trades are initiated through player communication. Do not show the cards being traded. A player may pass 1 or more cards during a trade. Both players do not have to pass a card during a trade; some trades can be one-sided. There are plenty of instances where a player will find something another player needs but wants nothing in return.

COST: Any player taking cards during a trade must spend 1 Action to receive the cards. A trade does not cost any Actions for the player giving the cards unless that player also receives a card. Players can receive more than 1 card during a trade; it still costs only 1 Action as long as it's during the same trade.

TRADING EXAMPLE: If it is Commander Garry's turn, he may trade with Kinner or Dr. Copper; but not McReady, since they are not in the same location.

TYPES OF TRADES: There are 2 types of trades possible: one-sided trades or mutual trades.

ONE-SIDED TRADE: One player has something another player needs. They initiate a trade; the only player that must spend any Actions is the player receiving the card or cards.
MUTUAL TRADE: Both players give and receive cards. During this type of trade both players will have to spend Actions to receive the cards.

TRADING OUT OF TURN: The player involved in a trade when it's not their turn will be trading out of turn. Trading out of turn is the only time players may spend an Action when it's not their turn. Before their turn, players may receive cards during a trade since they still have Actions available to them. But if a player has already taken their turn for the round, then they must have an Action reserved in order to receive any cards during a trade (see "Reserving Actions" above).

DESIGNER'S NOTE: The most common time to reserve an Action is when a Food Round is approaching. If a player cannot find a Canned Food card, then they may choose to reserve an Action for a future trade in case another player finds an extra one before the Food round.

VULNERABLE TRADES: If both players taking part in a trade have no Vulnerable cards, simply follow the rules above. If either player has a Vulnerable card, there are further steps necessary (see "Infection Clickers" below).

Buildables

BUILDABLES: Buildables are the materials players will use to build Item tiles. Players will find Buildables by searching the Workshop deck and the Storage Room deck (see "Inside Cards" above). There are 7 types of Buildables spread throughout the 2 decks. Buildable cards are marked with a symbol in each of the top corners; the menu symbol is on the left and the Buildable symbol is on the right. Players will also find a Buildable on their character's Locker die (see "Locker Die" above).

Wood, Cloth, Rope, Screws, and Metal can be found in the Workshop deck.

Matches and Alcohol can be found in the Storage Room deck. These Buildables can also be used as Consumables. Players can use these cards as Buildables or Consumables, but not both at the same time.

Item Tiles

Item tiles help players by giving them more Action dice to roll when resolving events, as well as giving them special attributes. Building Item tiles will greatly improve a player's chances of survival during the later Phases. If a tile is not available in the tile tray, that Item cannot be built or gained through cards until one is returned to the tray. There are 2 types of Item tiles players can build: Weapons and Utility.

EQUIPPING TILES: To equip an Item tile, players must place the tile in the Items section of their character board. Players may not equip duplicate Items. A player can only equip one type of coat at a time.

WEAPONS: Weapon Item tiles have a red and/or blue number in the top corners. These are used when rolling to resolve an Attack or Setback event (see "Resolving Events" above).
UTILITY: Utility Items will help players with other things such as adding rerolls, holding more cards, and saving Actions when searching or moving.

Building

BUILDING: While inside, a player may build Items. To build an Item, players must collect the specific Buildables listed on the Build Menu; they can then spend 1 Action and play the cards to collect the tile from the tray. Once the tile is built, equip it on the character board. Building costs 1 Action and only 1 Item tile may be built per Action. Players must follow the specific recipe when building and upgrading any Item tiles.

BUILD MENU: Each Player has a Build Menu that will show the recipes needed to build each Item tile. There are 2 sides to the menu: Weapons and Utility.

UPGRADING ITEMS: Certain Items can be upgraded. The recipe for an upgraded Item will call for Buildables as well as 1 or 2 Item tiles. Players must have the Item tile required in the recipe already equipped on their character board. When building an upgraded Item, remove the tile that is required for the recipe and continue building as normal. Equip the new upgraded Item tile in the old tile's location.

FOR EXAMPLE: If a player has a Club, the first upgrade options are a Torch or a Barricade.

ITEM ATTRIBUTES: Most Items come with a special attribute to help players. Don't forget to take advantage of these benefits when the Item is equipped. All reroll attributes can only be used once per turn. A reroll attribute lets a player reroll only 1 Action die, not all of them.

DISCARDING TILES: If a player's Item slots are full, a tile may be discarded to make room for a new one. Item tiles may be discarded at any time during a player's turn. When discarding a tile, place it back into the tile tray. Item tiles may not be traded between players.

Vulnerable Cards

Vulnerable cards are the way the infection will begin. There are 12 Vulnerable cards; 11 of them are clean and 1 is contaminated. Keep your Vulnerable cards secret. Be careful when drawing the cards and don't let the other players see what is on the card. As long as a player draws a clean card, they will remain human—but once a player draws the contaminated card, they immediately become infected. That player is now the Host (see "Becoming Infected" below).

BEING VULNERABLE: When a player is vulnerable, they must draw 1 Vulnerable card. Any time multiple players must draw a Vulnerable card, follow the turn order. The times when a player is considered vulnerable are:

FOOD ROUND: Players who do not play a Canned Food card during the pre-round sequence of a Food round will be vulnerable.
SLEEP ROUND: Players who sleep alone during the pre-round sequence of a Sleep round will be vulnerable.
CAMP EVENT: Hunger Pangs and the Thing Attack are 2 Camp Events that will leave players vulnerable if they fail to resolve them.
BROKEN CAMP DOOR: When the Camp Door is broken, all players inside will become vulnerable.
THING ATTACKS: Players who come across the Thing in the Phase decks and fail to resolve the Attack will become vulnerable.

OUT OF VULNERABLE CARDS: When there are no Vulnerable cards left to draw, players who become vulnerable will receive 1 Strike instead. Thing Attacks are the only exception to this rule. When there are no Vulnerable cards left, players who fail to resolve a Thing Attack will only receive 1 Strike; they do not receive 2.

Infection Clickers

The Infection Clicker is the tool players will use when showing their infection status to another player. A player must have at least 1 Vulnerable card before they are required to use their Infection Clicker. Players must always remember to be discreet when passing or showing their clickers to other players. There are 3 settings each clicker can be set to:

3 Different Infection Clicker Settings:

CLEAN: This is the only setting a human player can show. An infected player may show this, if they are choosing not to spread the infection.
NEUTRAL: All clickers should be set to neutral when not in use.
INFECTED: An infected player will show this when they are choosing to spread the infection. The player looking at this is now infected as well.

HOW TO PASS: When a player needs to show their status to another player, all they need to do is set the clicker to "clean" or "infected" and then discreetly pass their clicker (face down) to the other player. Once the player checks it, they will then set the clicker to "neutral" and slide it back to the player who passed it to them. A human player can only show "clean" when they are required to pass their clicker. An infected player has the option to show "clean" (when they want to stay hidden) or "infected" (if they choose to infect another player).

WHEN TO PASS: When a player has 1 or more Vulnerable cards, they will now be required to pass their Infection Clicker during trades and Sleep rounds. Other players will now need to keep their guard up. The situations in which these players must use their Infection Clickers are described below:

SLEEP ROUND: Players with a Vulnerable card must pass their clicker to any player they bunk with.
TRADING: Players with a Vulnerable card must pass their clicker when they pass a card to another player (see "Trading When Vulnerable" below).
BLOOD TEST: Dr. Copper has a Blood Test card in his Specialty deck. This card will require both players involved to discreetly and honestly reveal their infection status to each other. Simply follow the instructions on this card.

TRADING WHEN VULNERABLE: All the rules for trading are the same. When receiving a card from a player with a Vulnerable card, the Infection Clicker must now be taken as well. The receiving player still has a chance to avoid taking the clicker.

The Action spent to receive the card during a trade also allows the player to roll 1 Action die to try to avoid taking the Infection Clicker.

IF A SUCCESS IS ROLLED: The player does not have to take the Infection Clicker; they can take the card and the trade is over.
IF A MISS IS ROLLED: The player has 2 options: stop there and accept the Infection Clicker or spend another Action to roll again. If they are suspicious of the other player, then they may continue spending Actions and rolling. It's the only way to avoid being infected during a Vulnerable trade.

Once a player agrees to the trade and rolls the die, it's now locked in and must be completed. They may not back out if they do not roll a Success. They have to either spend more Actions to avoid the clicker or simply accept the clicker with the trade.

Becoming Infected

There are 4 ways a player can become infected: drawing the contaminated Vulnerable card, trading with an infected player, bunking with an infected player, or through an Infection Attack. Once infected, a player's objective does not change; they still want to collect bonuses, survive until the Helicopter round, and escape to civilization. The only difference is their motivation for wanting to escape. It's not easy to figure out who is infected. Players should definitely keep an eye on anyone with multiple Vulnerable cards as well as the players they are trading or bunking with.

BEING INFECTED: Once a player becomes infected, that is now their permanent status. Players cannot remove the infection. Infected players no longer count towards the final Helicopter total needed to escape. If an infected player sneaks on board, their Helicopter bonuses and Bonus roll count against the humans (see "The Bonus Total" under Game End). An infected player can do anything an uninfected player can. The only difference is now they can also spread the infection to other players when passing their clickers.

SPREADING THE INFECTION: In order to spread the infection to another player, an infected player needs to pass the "infected" status on their clicker when they trade or bunk with another player. An infected player must have at least 1 Vulnerable card to be able to spread the infection since they need at least 1 to be able to use their Infection Clicker.

THE HOST: The player who draws the contaminated Vulnerable card is the Host. They are the same as any other infected player, but the Host is the only player able to perform the Infection Attack (see "Infection Attack" below).

Blood Test and Host Test

Players will have options available to help them discover infected players. Dr. Copper has a Blood Test card in his Specialty deck and *Blair has a Host Test card in his. They will require the players involved to share their infection status or Vulnerable cards with each other. Once the tests have been given, players are allowed to tell the team what they saw. Since it's possible for either player involved in the test to be infected, it will be up to the other players to decide who to trust.

*Blair is an expansion character not available in the base game.

Infection Attack

The Host has the ability to perform the Infection Attack. The attack is used to spread paranoia, confusion, and the infection. To perform the Infection Attack, the player must have 1 clean Vulnerable card for every player they will target in the attack. The more Vulnerable cards the Host has, the more powerful the attack can be.

THE INFECTION ATTACK: The Host may perform the Infection Attack on their turn. The attack costs 5 Actions and can only target players in the same location as the Host. When performing the attack, follow these 6 steps to avoid confusion:

ANNOUNCE THE ATTACK: Show the contaminated Vulnerable card; announce the Infection Attack and who will be targeted.
SPEND THE ACTIONS: Spend the 5 Actions needed to perform the attack.
PREPARE THE VULNERABLE CARDS: Take the contaminated Vulnerable card and add 1 clean Vulnerable card for each player being attacked. The Host can attack as few or as many players as they want as long as they have the required amount of Vulnerable cards to do so.
SHUFFLE THE CARDS: Shuffle all the Vulnerable cards involved in the attack and fan them out face down.
PASS OUT THE CARDS: Following the turn order of the game, each player being attacked chooses 1 of the cards (be very careful to keep the cards secret).
KEEP THE LAST CARD: After all the attacked players have drawn, the 1 remaining card stays with the player who initiated the attack. That resolves the Infection Attack.

The player that ends up with the contaminated Vulnerable card is now infected and the Host. The player who had the contaminated Vulnerable card before is still infected, but they are no longer the Host. The new Host now has the ability to perform the Infection Attack, but keep in mind that over-infecting can be costly to the Thing.

It is possible for the Host to end up with the contaminated Vulnerable card after an Infection Attack. If this happens, then the player is still the Host and the infection was not spread during the attack. If they have enough Vulnerable cards, they could perform another attack on their next turn (if they choose to do so).

Once the Infection Attack is over, everyone will continue to claim they are clean and uninfected. They could be telling the truth or they could be lying. One thing is certain: players will have to re-evaluate who they trust after the Infection Attack.

DESIGNER'S NOTE: The Infection Attack is usually the last line of defense for the Host. After the attack is performed, everyone knows the player who attacked is infected. They will most likely perform an Assault on that player and knock them out of the game. The Infection Attack is best used to spread paranoia and confusion when the other players start getting an idea of who is infected.

Game End

The Helicopter Total

THE HELICOPTER TOTAL: The Helicopter total is the number of points required for human players to successfully escape. The total is determined by the number of human players in the game. Count all the human players (including dead ones) and multiply the number by 6. That will be the Helicopter total the humans must reach during their escape on the helicopter. If a player (who is human) dies or is left behind, they still count towards the Helicopter total. Any humans left behind are no longer able to help the team reach that total when escaping.

Infected players do not count towards the Helicopter total. Once a player becomes infected, their points are removed from the total (this is not known until the end of the game). Infected players must sneak on board the helicopter, so that their Bonus total will count against the humans and add to the Helicopter total.

EXAMPLE 1: At the start of a 4 player game, each human counts as 6 points; so the Helicopter total will be 24. If 1 of the players gets infected, then the Helicopter total will now be 18.

The Bonus Total

The Bonus total is the number players will calculate to determine if they succeed or fail during the Departure (see "The Departure" below). The Helicopter Bonuses, from those players on board, are added together (in addition to their Bonus rolls) to determine the Bonus total. Depending on the player's infection status, their points will count towards the human's Bonus total or the infected's Bonus total.

HELICOPTER BONUSES: These are the main items players should be searching for. Players can find the bonuses in the Phase decks outside. Players on board will add their Helicopter Bonuses together when calculating the Bonus total. The more bonuses a player collects, the more valuable they will be to the team.

BONUS ROLL: Players that survive until the final round and board the helicopter will be rewarded with a Bonus roll. This helps them collect those last-minute Helicopter bonuses. The Bonus roll takes place once the team has reached the Departure (after the reveal). When each player is adding their bonuses together, they will roll the Helicopter die once. The number they rolled will be added to their Bonus total.

HUMAN'S BONUS TOTAL: Each human player on board the helicopter will add their Helicopter bonuses together, and they will roll their Bonus roll. The total number of points will be the human's Bonus total.

INFECTED'S BONUS TOTAL: If there are any infected players on board the helicopter, they will add their Helicopter bonuses together, and they will each roll their Bonus roll. The total number of points will be the infected's Bonus total. The infected players' bonus total is added to the Helicopter total.

EXAMPLE 2: If there are 2 players on board the helicopter (1 human and 1 infected), and there are 2 players left behind (1 human and 1 infected), then the Helicopter total would be 12. The 2 infected players do not count when calculating the Helicopter total. Since there is an infected player on board, its Bonus total (once determined) will be added to the Helicopter total.

The Helicopter Round

The Helicopter round is the goal players have been working towards. There is no pre-round sequence for this round. Once the Phase Marker reaches this round, the boarding process begins. Players can no longer spend Actions, play cards, Assault, or perform Infection Attacks. Players do not need to be in a specific location when the boarding process begins.

THE BOARDING PROCESS: Once the boarding process begins, player 1 (the team leader) moves their character to the Helicopter space outside; they are the first to board the helicopter. Next, the team decides which players will be allowed on board and which players will not. When a player is allowed on board, move their character to the Helicopter space. During this process, pretty much anything goes. Players will need to debate using logic or lies while they try to convince the leader to take certain players and leave others behind. How the players choose to play is entirely up to them. There are only a few rules players must follow.

The team leader decides which players will be allowed to board the helicopter. All players are encouraged to plead their case to get on the helicopter or argue why another player should not. Everyone needs to decide as a team who to trust, but the team leader has the final say. The team leader can also force a player to step off the helicopter.
A player may decide to step off the helicopter at any point during the deliberations. If someone does not trust a player on board, sometimes the best way to convince the team is to stay behind. Once they step off, move their mini off the Helicopter space. The team leader will need to agree to let them on board again if they want to get back on.
Infected players cannot knowingly leave on the helicopter without a human. The Thing is still weak and recovering from its time frozen in the ice. Splitting itself into so many pieces and mimicking other lifeforms has depleted most of its energy reserves. It cannot make the helicopter trip alone. It must use the humans for as long as possible and bring them along to replenish its energy when the time comes. Infected players cannot proceed to the Departure if there are no humans on board.

A SUSPICIOUS LEADER: The team leader has a powerful position during the Helicopter round. They will be the first one on board and they will be in charge of the boarding process. What if the leader is the most suspicious player in the group? Players still have the power to force a suspicious leader off the helicopter. If everyone is in agreement that they do not trust the leader, they can all agree to not get on board. That will force the leader to do 1 of 2 things: step off the helicopter or leave by themself.

THE TEAM LEADER STEPS OFF THE HELICOPTER: If the leader is infected and no one boards the helicopter with them, they will be forced to step off since an infected player cannot leave without a human. If the leader steps off, that doesn't guarantee they are infected. A good leader will know they need as many humans on board as possible. They will step off for the benefit of the team and try to convince everyone to let them back on. When the leader steps off the helicopter, the next player (following turn order) gets on board and is put in charge of the boarding process. If the previous leader gets back on board, they do not become the leader again. The leadership stays with the current leader. If players also do not trust the new player in charge, they could force them to step off in the same manner.
THE TEAM LEADER TAKES OFF ALONE: This option is only available if the leader is human. But as stated above, a good leader knows they need as many humans as possible on board; otherwise, they will not be able to reach the Helicopter total to escape.

THE REVEAL: Once everyone has agreed who will be on board and who will be staying behind, it's time for every player (even dead ones) to openly reveal their infection status. Each player will set their clickers according to their status; then on the count of 3, all players will lay their Infection Clickers face up on the board. Everyone now knows who is human and who is infected.

OVER-INFECTION: It doesn't happen often, but the infected players could spread out of control and infect the entire team, unknowingly sabotaging their chance to escape on the helicopter. If all the players realize they are infected, or they find out during the reveal, then everyone loses the game since they can no longer proceed to the Departure.

A BOARDING ERROR: Like over-infecting, this is rare but still possible. A boarding error happens when 2 or more infected players board the helicopter (each thinking the other is human) and decide to leave without a human player on board. Since each player's status is not revealed until the end, it's possible for the infected players to be unaware that there are no humans on board. Once they choose to move on to the reveal stage, they will realize the problem. They have caused a boarding error, and they can no longer move on to the Departure. But if there are still humans in the game (just not on board the helicopter), and everyone's status has already been revealed, all the infected players must get off the helicopter, then only the humans (excluding dead players) will get on board and move on to the Departure.

DESIGNER'S NOTE: The presence of this section should not lead players to believe these events happen often. It exists here merely to instruct players what to do if this ever happens. Players are allowed to communicate through any secret means they can think of. Infected players being unaware of other infected players should not be a common scenario.

Next, move on to the Departure.

The Departure

DETERMINE THE HELICOPTER TOTAL: Now that all players have revealed their infection status, the new Helicopter total must be determined (see "The Helicopter Total" above). If there are any infected players on board, calculate their Bonus total (see "Infected's Bonus Total" above). The infected players' Bonus total is added to the Helicopter total.

HUMAN'S BONUS TOTAL: Each human player on board will calculate their Bonus total (see "Human's Bonus Total" above). The total number of points will be the human's Bonus total.

THE HELICOPTER FLIGHT: The helicopter has taken off and the team is flying back to civilization. From this point on, everything relates solely to the players who have successfully boarded the helicopter. All players left behind (human or infected) cannot weather the oncoming storm, and have lost.

THE ENDING: The players will now follow 1 of 2 scenarios to determine how the game ends. If all players on board are human, go to Scenario #1. If an infected player has snuck on board, go to Scenario #2.

SCENARIO #1 — Everyone on board is human: The players have managed to escape and leave the Thing behind. There may have been some tough decisions made during the boarding process, or some friends lost, but this is for the greater good.

If the human's Bonus total is equal to or higher than the Helicopter total, the team makes it back safely and warns the world of the alien entity they encountered. The humans win.

If the human's Bonus total is lower than the Helicopter total, the helicopter vanishes into the storm and never arrives at its final destination. Everyone loses.

SCENARIO #2 — An infected player is on board: The players have managed to escape and leave the Thing behind—or so they thought. During the flight, one of the team members reveals its true, monstrous nature.

If the human's Bonus total is equal to or higher than the Helicopter total, the team reacts quickly and works together to overpower the Thing and force it from the helicopter. They make it back to civilization safely and warn the world of the alien entity they encountered. The humans win.

If the human's Bonus total is lower than the Helicopter total, the humans have been caught off guard, and the Thing overtakes the team. Humanity is doomed.