The World of SMOG: Rise of Moloch Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Overview
• Components
• Components Overview
  • Gentlemen Dashboards
  • Agent and Minion Dashboards
  • Ally Cards
  • Equipment Cards
    • Arsenal - Weapon Cards
    • Arsenal - Item Cards
    • Gear, Artefact, and Moloch Stone Equipment Cards
  • Upgrade and Role Cards
  • Control Tokens
  • Nemesis Power Cards
  • Chaos Cards
  • Torment Cards
  • The Game Board
• Starting the Game
  • Campaign Mode or One-Shot Adventures?
  • 1. Select Chapter
  • 2. Game Board Set-Up
  • 3. Nemesis Set-Up
  • 4. Gentlemen Set-Up
  • 5. Gather Starting Ether and Equipment
  • 6. Gather Remaining Components
    • 6.1 Components for a One-Shot Adventure
    • 6.2 Components for Campaign Mode
• The Game Round
  • 1. Order Phase
  • 2. Activation Phase
    • Individual Gentlemen and Agent Activations
    • Minion and Ally Activations
    • Nemesis Powers and Chaos Cards
  • 3. Wrap-Up Phase
  • Continuing the Campaign
• Combat Basics
  • Types of Attacks: Melee and Ranged
  • Measuring Range
  • Line of Sight
  • Cover
  • Making the Attack
  • Ether & Attack Effects
  • Using Special Skills
  • Bonus, Actions, & Upkeep Timing
  • The Price of Power
  • Ether Reserve
  • Torments and Neutralization
• The Intermission
  • Prepare Intermission Board
  • Visit Locations
  • Nemesis Gains Power
  • The Nemesis Plots
  • Prepare for Mission
• Rules Summary

Game Overview

The World of Smog: Rise of Moloch is intended to be played as a campaign of six interlinking Chapters, each telling a part of the overarching story. Each Chapter can be played individually as a unique One-Shot Adventure as well, in case players do not wish to play a full campaign. One player will take on the role of the Nemesis: leader of the seditious cult dedicated to resurrecting Moloch, while the other players each control one or more Gentlemen: stalwart heroes dedicated to defending the Empire against any and all threats.

As the game progresses, the Nemesis player and the Gentlemen players will take turns activating and moving their figures around the game board, attempting to accomplish various goals set by the Chapter. The first side to accomplish these goals will be victorious, and their success will impact future games in the Campaign (or just ensure the day's victory, in the case of playing a One-Shot Adventure!)

Components

• 1 Nemesis Board
• 1 Activation and Intermission Board
• 1 London Fire Board
• 1 Rulebook
• 1 Campaign Book
• 5 Hero Dashboards
• 14 Villain Dashboards
• 5 Player Aids
• 1 Curtain Token
• 9 Rubble Tokens
• 5 Box Tokens
• 2 Exit Tokens
• 12 Nemesis Benefits Tokens
• 30 Fire Tokens
• 12 Interest Tokens
• 4 Control Tokens
• 45 Ether Tokens
• 75 Damage Tokens
• 12 Door Bases
• 12 Doors
• 35 Minions (10 Shambling Zombies, 5 Dismembered Zombies, 5 Flaming Zombies, 5 Royal Guard Zombies, 10 Killer Clowns)
• 8 Dice
• 13 Agents (4 Lamias)
• 5 Gentlemen
• 10 Allies (6 Bobbies)
• 6 Double-Sided Base Tiles
• 12 Double-Sided Overlay Tiles
• 19 Activation Cards
• 40 Upgrade Cards
• 7 Ally Cards
• 8 Nemesis Power Cards
• 5 Moloch Stone Cards
• 97 Equipment Cards
• 6 Role Cards
• 25 Location Cards
• 30 Chaos Cards
• 20 Torment Cards

Components Overview

Before explaining the Game Phases or Chapter Set-up, we'll go over some of the various Dashboards and Cards players will use throughout the course of the game, as well as explain the basics of the Game Board.

Gentlemen Dashboards

Gentlemen are the figures that each non-Nemesis player will control during the game. Each one is a dedicated Hero of the Empire with their own strengths, powers, and abilities. While each Gentleman is unique, they all share some common traits:

NOTE: While the Empire has dubbed their collective Heroes "Gentlemen," there is no shortage of female legends and heroes dedicated to the protection of Crown and Country! This is merely the adopted term for Heroes as a whole!

1. Name: The Gentleman's name
2. Physical Attributes: Each Gentleman has 3 attributes: Agility, Trigger, and Punch, which represent their aptitude at moving around, using ranged weapons, and fighting in melee, respectively. For more information on using these Attributes, see pgs. 15 and 18.
3. Job: Each Gentleman has a Job. This represents the training and background of the Hero. A Gentleman's Job also determines which Upgrades they will have access to during each Chapter/Campaign. For more information on Upgrades, see pg. 9.
4. Gift: Every Gentleman has a unique special power. This is known as their Gift.
5. Special Skills: Each Gentleman may have 1 or more Special Skills: Charge, Counterattack, and Evasion. For more information on Special Skills, see pg. 21.
6. Ether: Ether is used to fuel special abilities and powers. This number represents both a Gentleman's Starting Ether amount, as well as the maximum Ether they can store at any time. Note that some special abilities and Upgrades may modify this total!
7. Starting Equipment: Some Gentlemen might begin the game with some Equipment cards. These, if any, will be listed here.
8. Arsenal Slots: When a Gentleman gains a piece of Arsenal, it will be placed in 1 of the 3 Arsenal Slots at the bottom of their Dashboard. Each Gentleman may only carry as much Arsenal Equipment as they have Arsenal Slots available. If they would gain an extra piece of Equipment, they will select 1 piece to discard before gaining the new 1.
9. Health Boxes: The combined numbers in these boxes represent the amount of Damage a Gentleman can suffer before they are Neutralized (temporarily incapacitated). When a Hero receives an amount of Damage equal to the number in their leftmost Health Box, they gain a Torment card that represents a nasty wound or hindrance they have suffered. When a Hero receives an amount of Damage equal to the sum of both Health Boxes, they are Neutralized.
10. Portrait: Besides displaying the stalwart hero, this area is also useful for keeping any tokens you might gather through the course of the game.

Agent and Minion Dashboards

Agent and Minion Dashboards share much of the same information as the Gentlemen Dashboards:

1. Name
2. Portrait
3. Physical Attributes
4. Special Skills
5. Ether

The primary differences between Agents/Minions and Gentlemen are as follows:

6. Health Boxes: Backed by the power of Moloch, Agents tend to have much higher Health than Gentlemen. Minions, on the other hand, are trivial to Moloch and, as a result, only ever have 1 Health, meaning they will be immediately Killed if they ever suffer even 1 Damage!
7. Gifts: Unlike Gentlemen, Agents may have multiple Gifts they can use during the game.
8. Type: This tells you if a character is an Agent or a Minion.

Unlike Gentlemen Dashboards, Agent and most Minion Dashboards are also double-sided, each showing a unique profile for that Agent/Minion. At the start of each Chapter, the Nemesis player will select 1 of the 2 profiles to use for that Agent/Minion. That will be the profile used for the entirety of that Chapter.

Ally Cards

Allies represent loyal citizens of the Empire who have pledged their support to the Crown. Unfortunately, they lack the raw power and skill of the Gentlemen, and as such will only ever have Physical Attributes and, in rare cases, a trivial amount of Health. Each Chapter will explain any Allies and special rules they have in greater detail.

Equipment Cards

Equipment cards represent the various tools that the Gentlemen will use over the course of the game.

They come in various types, each with their own special rules and abilities:

Arsenal - Weapon Cards

These represent the various weapons that the Gentlemen will use in their fight against the Agents of Moloch.

1. Name: This lists the name of the Weapon.
2. Attribute Boost: Most Weapons grant an Attribute Boost. This number is added to the Physical Attribute of the Gentlemen when the Weapon is used.
3. Ether Effect: When a Weapon is used, the equipped Gentleman may spend 1 Ether to activate its Ether Effect, gaining the various benefits listed on the card. For more information on Ether Effects, see pg. 20.

Note that only Arsenal cards take up Arsenal Slots! Gear, Artefact, and Moloch Stone Equipment cards do not take up slots and should be placed around your Gentlemen Dashboard.

Arsenal - Item Cards

These represent the various non-weapon tools and Equipment that the Gentlemen can use.

1. Name: This lists the name of the Item
2. Effect: Each Item is unique and carries various powers and abilities. Some effects cost Ether to activate, whereas others are free benefits that are always active. See each individual Item card for more information.

Gear, Artefact, and Moloch Stone Equipment Cards

Gear and Artefacts are powerful one-time-use tools that are discarded after use. Moloch Stone Fragments are powerful relics gained over the course of the campaign. Gear, Artefact, and Moloch Stone Fragment cards do not take up Arsenal slots on a Gentleman's Dashboard!

Gentlemen can only use Gear and Artefacts they possess during their activation, unless stated otherwise on the card.

Upgrade and Role Cards

Over the course of a Campaign (or at the start of a One-Shot Adventure), Gentlemen will gain access to various Upgrade and Role Cards. Upgrades are unique to each Gentleman based on their Job, while Role cards are assigned to a Gentleman at the start of each game.

While they might serve different functions, they share the following information:

1. Name: The name of the Upgrade or Role.
2. Ether Cost: This lists the amount of Ether that a Gentleman must use to activate the card's Special Effect. Note that sometimes a card will have no cost. It will merely have a permanent boost to the Gentleman!
3. Special Effect: This lists any Special Effect granted by the card.
4. Timing: This box will list if the card takes an action to use, when it triggers, or if it is just a passive boost.

Control Tokens

• Conspiracy Token - Track the Conspiracy Points gained by the Nemesis player to use during the Intermission (Nemesis Board).
• Round Token - Track the number of Rounds that have been played (Activation Board).
• Death Token - Track the number of Gentlemen Neutralizations (Nemesis Board).
• Generic Token - Track specific End Conditions for some Chapters (Nemesis Board).

Nemesis Power Cards

These cards represent persistent and reusable powers the Nemesis player will have access to during the Chapter. Once acquired, these cards should be placed faceup on the Nemesis Board. They all list the following information:

1. Name: The name of the Nemesis Power card.
2. Ether Cost: The amount of Ether that must be used to activate the card's Special Effect.
3. Special Effect: This lists any Special Effect granted by the card.

Chaos Cards

These cards represent hidden threats and powers the Nemesis player can call upon throughout the game. They remain hidden in the Nemesis' hand until its use. Each is unique, but they all list the following information:

1. Name: The name of the Chaos card.
2. Special Effect: This lists any Special Effect granted by the card.
3. Timing Trigger: This lists when the Chaos card can be played.

Torment Cards

Torment cards represent various hindrances and nasty injuries that may happen to the Gentlemen if they suffer too much Damage. They have the following information:

1. Name: The name of the Torment card.
2. Special Effect: This lists the effect caused by the card.

The Game Board

The Game Board, also known as The Stage, is comprised of 2 main elements: Base Tiles and Overlay Tiles. Each Chapter will show how to set up the Stage and its various tiles.

Each area of the Stage is divided into individual Squares, which will be used to designate where a particular element is located. They are also used to determine range when making Attacks. Squares are separated by a white (or light brown) outline.

There are a number of important traits that the various squares and elements of the Stage may have. They will be explained in detail in later sections as appropriate, but here is a general description of the main traits:

• Outdoor Square: Outdoor squares are any squares not located inside a building on the Stage.
• Indoor Square: Indoor squares are any squares located inside a building on the Stage.
• Door: This icon marks a door spot. Check the Chapter's map in the Campaign Book to know where to place the doors at the start of the Chapter. Once a door is opened, the token must be removed. Doors are treated as Impassable until they are opened.
• Window: Windows are used to determine Line of Sight for Ranged Attacks, as well as potentially granting Cover to figures next to them!
• Impassable: Marked by a red line, this represents a side of a square that completely blocks movement for figures and Lines of Sight. Walls regularly have a red line.

NOTE: All external edges of the Stage are treated as Impassable, unless the Chapter states otherwise!

• Fire: If a square has a Fire token in it, any figure beginning their activation or entering that square automatically suffers 1 Damage.
• Rubble: Unless stated otherwise on the Chapter, Rubble tokens represent destroyed Walls. Figures may move freely through them and they do not block Line of Sight.

Starting the Game

Campaign Mode or One-Shot Adventures?

First, the players should agree to which mode they wish to play: Campaign Mode or a One-Shot Adventure.

• Campaign Mode: This mode is for groups who wish to play the full story of Rise of Moloch from beginning to end. In this mode, both the Gentlemen and Nemesis will keep any Equipment, Upgrades, and Powers they gain from one game to the next. In addition, the results of each game will impact the games that come after, crafting a unique story with each and every play-through. When playing Campaign Mode, players will always start with Chapter I: An Unhappy Hour, only moving onto subsequent Chapters once the previous Chapter has been completed.
• One-Shot Adventure: This mode is for groups who only wish to enjoy a single game session. Any Chapter may be selected in this mode, using the One-Shot rules for starting Equipment, Upgrades, and Powers. In addition, if the players wish, they may use the One-Shot Adventure rules to start the Campaign from a later Chapter, continuing afterwards using the standard Campaign rules.

Regardless if playing a new Campaign or a One-Shot Adventure, players should complete the following steps, in order:

1. Select Chapter

If playing a Campaign, you will always start at Chapter I: An Unhappy Hour. If playing a One-Shot Adventure, players should decide as a group which Chapter they wish to play.

2. Game Board Set-Up

Each Chapter of the game has a different Stage set-up, which involves placing various Room tiles, Tokens, and Figures across the game board. All this information is described on the corresponding Chapter page in the Campaign Book.

3. Nemesis Set-Up

The first thing players should decide is who will be the Nemesis. This player will assume control of various Agents and Minions in service of Moloch, as well as gain access to a collection of unique Chaos cards and Nemesis Powers - special abilities they will use to hamper the efforts of the Gentlemen!

Each Chapter will list which Agents and Minions to use. Each Agent and most Minion cards are double-sided, showing 2 different profiles for that Agent/Minion. The Nemesis player should select 1 profile to use for that game and then place all their Dashboards within reach.

In addition to their Agents and Minions, the Nemesis will have access to Chaos cards - a deck of powerful and unexpected traps they will unleash on the Gentlemen.

• The Nemesis player take the Chaos cards and places it within their reach.
• The Nemesis player draws the 2 Chaos cards marked as 'Basic Power' at the start of each Chapter.

4. Gentlemen Set-Up

Once the Nemesis has gathered their cards, other players should then choose 4 Gentlemen to play that Chapter and distribute their matching Gentlemen Dashboards among them, each player controlling at least 1 of the 4 Gentlemen.

Note: 4 Gentlemen will always be selected, regardless of the number of Gentlemen players.

Note: If you have extra characters (expansions, add-ons, etc…), when selecting Gentlemen, only 1 Gentlemen of each Job (Arcanist, Dilettante, Knight, Mekamancer, Monster) may be chosen for each team.

Gentlemen Elect Leader: The Players, as a group, will elect 1 Gentleman to be the Leader. The Leader Role card will be assigned to that Gentleman. The Leader will then collect the remaining Role cards and assign 1 to each other Gentleman.

Role Cards: The Role assigned to a Gentleman details their duties in the group and can range from dealing extra Damage to supporting their allies. In addition, the Role card grants that Gentleman a powerful special ability they can use during the game.

Once the Leader has assigned a Role to each other Gentleman, they should verify the rules for adding any Ally Reference cards being used in the Chapter and place them within reach.

5. Gather Starting Ether and Equipment

Each Gentlemen and Agent starts with a number of Ether tokens, represented by the number above the Ether icon on their Dashboard. In addition, some Gentlemen may also begin the game with 1 or more Equipment cards, also listed on their Dashboard. Take these tokens/cards and place them on their matching Dashboard.

6. Gather Remaining Components

Take the Damage tokens, remaining Ether tokens, and the Torment Deck, and place them within reach of all players. Next, gather the Activation cards matching the various Agents, Minions, and Gentlemen, as well as the Chaos Nemesis Activation card, and give them to their respective controllers. Finally, if the scenario calls for the use of any Equipment Decks (Gear, Common Arsenal, Expert Arsenal, Royal Arsenal, or Artefact) gather those decks and place them within reach of the players.

6.1 Components for a One-Shot Adventure

When playing a One-Shot Adventure, the Gentlemen will start with a preset amount of Equipment, and the Nemesis player will receive Conspiracy Points to spend on benefits listed on their Nemesis Board (pg. 24). They should agree and choose 1 of the following power levels for the game:

Light Power

Gentlemen start with: 1x Upgrade each; 2x Common Arsenal; 2x Artefact; 2x Gear. Nemesis starts with: 4 Conspiracy Points; 1x Nemesis Power card.

Medium Power (Recommended)

Gentlemen start with: 1x Upgrade each; 2x extra Upgrades to 2 different gentlemen; 3x Common Arsenal; 2x Expert Arsenal; 2x Artefact; 4x Gear. Nemesis starts with: 8 Conspiracy Points; 2x Nemesis Power cards.

Heavy Power

Gentlemen start with: 2x Upgrade each; 5x Common Arsenal; 3x Artefact; 4x Gear; 2x Expert Arsenal; 1x Royal Arsenal. Nemesis starts with: 10 Conspiracy Points; 4x Nemesis Power cards.

6.2 Components for Campaign Mode

When playing the full campaign, the Gentlemen start Chapter 1 with 1 Upgrade card each. The Nemesis player starts with 2 Basic Nemesis Power cards, and also chooses 1 Nemesis Power card from the others.

Once this is done, Set-Up is complete and the game is ready to begin.

The Game Round

Rise of Moloch is played over a series of Game Rounds, with each Round divided into 3 unique phases, that are completed in order:

1. Order Phase

In this phase, the Gentlemen and the Nemesis secretly choose the order in which the figures under their control will activate by placing their matching Activation cards onto the Activation Track of the Round Board.

Chaos Activation: The Nemesis player also has a special Activation card marked "Chaos". When this card is revealed, no Agent/Minion figures activate, but other Sinister effects might take place! See Nemesis Powers and Chaos Cards, pg. 17.

The top row of the Activation Board is used by the Gentlemen, while the bottom row is used by the Nemesis. Each Round, the Nemesis player lays down all of their Activation cards before the Gentlemen place all of theirs, giving the Gentlemen group a moment to discuss strategy and general plans (this can be done in secrecy from the Nemesis).

During the Order Phase, the Leader will have final say on the Activation Order for the Gentlemen and Allies (if any). They should, however, consult with their team to properly strategize! The Nemesis, being the supreme commander of Moloch's forces, simply chooses the order in which they wish to activate their Agents and Minions, placing their cards facedown on the track.

Once all Activation cards have been placed facedown, the Order Phase ends and the Activation Phase begins.

2. Activation Phase

The bulk of the game takes place during the Activation Phase, in which the Gentlemen, Allies, Agents, and Minions perform various actions during their respective activations. For the first activation of the round, flip the card in the 1 slot of the Activation Track. This figure (or figures, in the case of Minions, some Agents, and some Allies) will take their activation first. Once they have finished, the card in the 2 slot is flipped, with that figure or figures taking their activation, continuing in this fashion until all cards on the Activation Track have been flipped and all figures have been activated.

Individual Gentlemen and Agent Activations

Gentlemen and Agents follow most of the same rules during their activation: They may perform up to 2 actions, and then their activation ends. The actions an Agent/Gentleman may perform are: Attack, Agility, Recover, Revive, and Special. An Agent/Gentleman may repeat the same action twice if they so wish (taking 2 Attack or 2 Agility actions in the same activation, for example).

• Attack: The figure may perform 1 Attack action. See the Combat Basics sections (pg. 18) for how to complete an Attack.
• Agility: The primary purpose of the Agility action is to move a figure a number of squares up to their Agility Physical Attribute. Those points can be used for a range of options:
  • Move 1 square: By spending 1 Agility point, the figure can move 1 square. Figures are free to go orthogonally or diagonally when moving but may never end their movement in a square containing another figure. They can, however, freely move through squares containing non-enemy figures. Figures may never enter squares containing enemy figures. Figures may never cross Impassable lines (red lines), Walls, go through Closed Doors, or go off the edge of the Stage.
  • Open a Door: To open a Door, a figure must spend 1 Agility point while adjacent to the Door. When this is done, remove the Door from the Stage. Once removed, Doors are never replaced.
  • Move Through a Window: A figure must spend 2 Agility points to move through a Window.
  • Escape Damage: Enemies aren't just going to stand around while you escape! Whenever any figure moves to leave a space adjacent to an enemy, it suffers 1 Damage (regardless of the number of enemies that were adjacent). An exception to this rule is that if a figure is being controlled by an enemy, they don't suffer Escape Damage. Knocked down and Neutralized figures also don't cause Escape Damage. Example: If an Agent leaves a square adjacent to a Gentleman, they suffer 1 Damage. If the square they move into is also adjacent to another Gentleman, they would suffer another Damage when they moved out of that square, even if it was during the same Move action.
  • Give 1 Equipment: A Gentleman may spend 1 Agility point to give 1 piece of their Equipment to a Gentleman in an adjacent square.
• Recover [GENTLEMEN ONLY]: Gentlemen may spend 1 action during their activation to Recover themselves. When they do this, they remove up to 3 Damage and gain 2 Ether.
• Revive [GENTLEMEN ONLY]: Gentlemen may spend 1 action to Revive a Neutralized Gentleman in an adjacent square that's not on the other side of an Impassable line. Remove all their Damage tokens and Torment cards, and place their figure standing up. This is useful for preventing a Gentleman from having to skip their entire activation Reviving.
• Special: Many Gifts, Upgrades, and Powers require the figure to perform an action to use them. The exact effects of this special action will be listed under that ability.

Minion and Ally Activations

Minions and Allies function much in the same way as Agents and Gentlemen, with the following exceptions:

• When the Ally/Minion Activation card is flipped, all Ally/Minions on the Stage will activate.
• Each Ally/Minion only performs 1 action during its activation.
• When multiple Allies/Minions wish to Attack the same target, they do not roll their dice individually. Instead, they will pool their dice together to perform 1 powerful Attack. Take the Attribute listed on the Ally/Minion card (Punch or Trigger) and add +2 dice to the Attack for each Ally/Minion also attacking the same target.

Example 1: At the start of a Minion activation, Drogo is surrounded by 3 Clowns (quite the unlucky place to be)! They all decide to perform an Attack action on Drogo. Checking the Clown's Dashboard, we see they have a Punch of 3. Since there are 3 of them attacking, there will be 7 total dice rolled: 3 for the initial Clown attacking, and +2 dice for each of the other Clowns attacking.

Nemesis Powers and Chaos Cards

While the Gentlemen have various Artefacts and Equipment at their disposal, the Nemesis has access to powerful abilities granted to them by Moloch. These take the form of Nemesis Powers and Chaos cards.

• Chaos Cards: The Nemesis begins each Chapter with 2 Chaos cards, and they may purchase additional Chaos cards through specific Nemesis Powers. Each Chaos card lists when it can be played, as well as its specific effect. Chaos cards should be kept hidden from the other players. Once a Chaos card is used, it is discarded. There's no limit in how many Chaos cards the Nemesis can play per activation.
• Nemesis Powers: The Nemesis will have access to various Nemesis Power cards, including the 2 Basic Powers received during the Set-Up. When the Nemesis gains Ether (usually from The Price of Power special rule, pg. 21), instead of giving that Ether to an Agent, they may place 1 or more of that Ether on a Nemesis Power. A Nemesis Power may have any amount of Ether on it at any time.
• Once per Nemesis Activation, at any time during it, the Nemesis may spend Ether from 1 Power Card (and only 1 Power!) to activate its effect. Each effect is unique, so be sure to check the specific power.
• When the Chaos Activation Card is revealed, the Nemesis Player is free to activate each of their Powers once.
• During Intermissions, the Nemesis player will use Conspiracy Points to activate special abilities (listed on the right side of the board).

3. Wrap-Up Phase

Once all Activation cards have been revealed, the Activation Phase ends and the Wrap-Up Phase begins. Advance the Round token 1 space on the Round Track. If the Chapter has any Effect or End Condition based on the number of Rounds played, check if it has been fulfilled.

After this is done, the Nemesis and the Leader should take all the Activation cards for any figures still remaining on the Stage (since Agents can be permanently eliminated).

Once this is done, the round ends and the next round's Order Phase begins. Play will continue until 1 side's victory conditions have been met.

Continuing the Campaign

If playing a One-Shot Adventure, once 1 side's victory conditions are met, the game is over. If playing a Chapter as part of a Campaign, however, there are some additional steps to take!

First, check the Campaign section of the Chapter. It will list a bonus to be gained by the winning side during the next Chapter, as well as a list of outcomes and benefits for both sides, depending on the outcome of the Chapter.

Note that Gentlemen keep all Equipment they may have acquired during the previous Chapters!

Now, before the next Chapter begins, the players will take part in a special phase known as The Intermission (pg. 23), where Gentlemen can train to access more Upgrades, gather intel, and gain new and exotic Equipment to aid them in their fight. Unfortunately, while the Gentlemen take this time to prepare, the Nemesis only grows stronger, gaining more power as the Gentlemen delay stopping Moloch's plans!

Combat Basics

Types of Attacks: Melee and Ranged

All Attacks fall into 1 of 2 types: Melee Attacks and Ranged Attacks. Melee Attacks utilize a figure's Punch attribute, while Ranged Attacks use the Trigger attribute. The higher the value, the more adept the figure is at using that type of Attack. In addition, Upgrades, Powers, and/or Equipment might aid in boosting an Attack as well.

Measuring Range

• Melee Attacks have a range of 1 and, thus, may only ever target an enemy in an adjacent square (including diagonally). In addition, the target cannot be on the other side of an Impassable edge from the attacker.
• Ranged Attacks have the following rules:
  • A Gentleman must have a Ranged Weapon (a Weapon showing the Trigger Icon) to use a Ranged Attack.
  • Agents do not need to have a Ranged Weapon in order to make a Ranged Attack (as they usually don't have Weapons).
  • If the weapon does have the Short Range Icon, it may only target enemies up to 4 squares away.
  • If the weapon does not have the Short Range Icon, it may target any enemy in Line of Sight. There is no maximum range.
  • If the Gentleman has any adjacent enemies, they must choose 1 of those as the target of the Ranged Attack, if possible.

NOTE: Sometimes strange situations happen where a figure might need to Attack an ally. Though this is NOT recommended, it IS allowed (though there better be a good reason for it!)

Line of Sight

When making a Ranged Attack, the attacker must have Line of Sight to the defender. To see if the attacker has Line of Sight, draw a straight line from the center of the attacker's square to the center of the defender's square. If the line does not cross through any Impassable edge (closed doors, walls, red lines), the defender is within Line of Sight.

Ranged Attack Example 1: This Bobby wants to make Ranged Attack against a Killer Clown. He has Line of Sight to the ones on green lines and does not have line of sight with the ones with red lines. He does not have Line of Sight with 1, 2, 3, or 6 because there is a wall in the line between their centers. However, the Bobby does have Line of Sight to 4, 5, and 7 because there are no walls in the line between their centers.

Cover

When making a Ranged Attack, sometimes intervening figures and obstacles may grant Cover to the defender, giving them a higher chance to be missed. If, when checking for Line of Sight, the line used crosses a Window or another figure, the defender has Cover. When attacking a figure with Cover, the defender gains extra defenses via the dice Cover icon. When a target has Cover, each Cover icon rolled removes 1 Success from the Attack.

Ranged Attack Example 2: The Bobby now wants to kill the Killer Clown he has most chance of killing, knowing that he needs to know which one does not have Cover. The clown 2 has Cover because there is a window between their centers, even though it is in line of sight. The clown 5 has Cover because there is a model between their centers.

Making the Attack

Once Line of Sight and Cover has been determined, the Attack can be rolled. Regardless if it is a Melee or Ranged Attack, or whether it is performed by an Agent, Gentleman, or Minion, all Attacks follow the same steps, in order:

1. Select Weapon [Gentlemen Only]: When Gentlemen Attack, they may select 1 equipped weapon to use (remember, to even make a Ranged Attack, a Gentleman must select an equipped ranged weapon!).
2. Activate Weapon Ether Effects: If the selected weapon has an Ether Effect, the attacker may now pay 1 Ether to activate it. See next page for explanation of the various Ether Effects.
3. Activate Attack Boosts/Gifts: If the attacker has any Gifts/Powers/Upgrades/Equipment that grant an Attack Boost, they may activate them now (by paying the required cost).
4. Attacker Rolls Dice: The attacker now takes dice equal to their Physical Attribute total (for Melee Attacks Punch, and for Ranged Attacks Trigger) and add any bonus dice from their Weapon, Gifts, Upgrades, and any other bonuses they might have and roll them.

When attacking, the following die faces are important to note:

• Hit: When attacking, this icon generates 1 success.
• Hit+: When attacking, this generates 1 success. In addition, many weapons and powers trigger additional effects when a Hit+ is rolled.
• Crown [GENTLEMEN ONLY]: When attacking, a Crown may be used as either 1 success or be spent to gain 2 Ether. The attacker must choose which effect they will use before the defender rolls their dice. Note that in most cases using the Crown is the only way Gentlemen can replenish Ether!
• Crown [NEMESIS]: When attacking, this counts as 1 success.
• Dodge, Cover: When attacking, these faces are all treated as Misses.

Once the dice have been rolled, the attacker will tally the total number of successes rolled.

5. Defender Rolls Dice: After the total number of successes has been determined, the defender rolls a number of dice equal to their Agility Physical Attribute. The following faces are important:
   • Dodge: Each Dodge result removes 1 success from the attacker's total.
   • Cover: If the defender has Cover, each Cover result subtracts 1 success from the attacker's total.
   • All other results on the dice have no effect when defending. Note: Some special abilities may modify this, so be sure to check each special ability carefully!
6. Tally Results: Subtract all the defender's Dodge and Cover results (if applicable) from the attacker's successes. For each success that remains, the defender suffers 1 Damage. Place 1 Damage token on them to represent this.

Ether & Attack Effects

Some weapons have Special Effects that can be triggered by spending 1 Ether before players Attack with them. When an Ether is spent, the upcoming Attack gains all benefits shown in the Ether Effect box. The various Ether Effects are as follows:

• Bonus: Add this number of dice to the total Attack roll.
• Re-Roll: After rolling, the player may re-roll any number of their dice (a die may only ever be re-rolled once per action).
• Spread: The Attack may target up to 1 additional enemy in a square adjacent to the target (that's not on the other side of an Impassable edge). Only 1 Attack roll is made, but each target makes a separate defense roll. Spread additional targets never get Cover.
• Knockdown: If this Attack deals at least 1 Damage to the target, they are knocked down. Place the figure on its side to represent this. Before it can take any other action, the target must spend 1 action to stand up. While a figure is knocked down, it does not provide Cover or cause Escape Damage.
• Daze: If this Attack deals at least 1 Damage to the target, they lose 1 Ether per Daze icon. For each Ether they must lose and don't have, they suffer 1 Damage.
• Fire: If this Attack rolls any successes (regardless of Defender's results), place 1 Fire token in the target's square (pg. 22).

Ether Effects Example: Major has decided that he is going to boost his Melee Attack so he can surely kill his target. He would usually have 5 dice to Attack (3 from his base punch +2 from the Gauntlet). He spends 1 Ether to use his Gift: get 2 bonus dice and Hit results will count as two Hit. He spends another 1 Ether to use the Gauntlet: the Attack gains Knockdown and Hit will remove 1 defense die from the target.

Using Special Skills

• Charge: This figure may spend 1 Ether to make a Charge Special action. Target a figure in Line of Sight that the charging figure may reach using Agility points, then move adjacent to that figure and make a free Melee Attack against them. The Player may not Charge a figure that they began their activation adjacent to.
• Evasion: When this figure is attacked, but before the defense roll, it may spend 1 Ether to roll +3 additional Defense dice. This may only be done once per attack.
• Counterattack: When this figure is attacked, and after that Attack is complete, this figure may spend 1 Ether to immediately make 1 Attack. That Attack action must target the attacker. Counterattacks may not trigger Counterattacks on the target!

Bonus, Actions, & Upkeep Timing

Role cards, Upgrade cards, Gifts, and Powers can be activated/used at different times during a round. The 5 different Classes will describe when their powers activate:

• Bonus - Bonus effects are always active for the Gentleman to use.
• Upkeep - Upkeep effects have a cost in Ether. In order to activate those effects, the Gentleman needs to put that many Ether tokens on top of the effect. While the Ether is there, the effect is active. At the start of the Gentleman's activation, give all Ether allocated on Upkeep effects to the Nemesis player. The effect can be activated again by once more placing the Ether cost on top of the effect. When Gentlemen spend Ether on Upkeep abilities, the Nemesis will only gain that Ether (from the Price of Power rule) at the start of that Gentleman's next activation or if that Gentleman is Neutralized before their next activation.
• Action - Actions give extra options for the Gentleman to spend their action points on.
• Bonus Action - Bonus actions are actions that need to be activated and that may be used only once per character activation. They don't spend actions.
• Attack/Defense Boost - Boosts are effects that may be used to modify attacks or defenses. They are permanent, as long as the card remains in play, and some require Ether to be used.

The Price of Power

Using Ether allows the Gentlemen to gain tremendous power. However, power comes at a price! When the Gentlemen use Ether, for any reason, that Ether is handed to the Nemesis player, who is then free to distribute it among their Nemesis Power cards and Agents! It is worth noting that, in many cases, this is the only way the Nemesis can gain Ether, but such is the price the Gentlemen must pay!

Ether Reserve

Some cards, effects, or abilities will tell the Nemesis to gain "X Reserve Ether". This Ether is not placed on a specific Agent or Nemesis Power, but is instead held on the Ether Reserve located on the Nemesis Board that the Nemesis can draw from to power any Nemesis Power or Agent Gift/Skill they wish.

Fire!!! One of the most common elements of chaos used by the Nemesis is Fire, represented on the Stage by Fire tokens. Any figure that begins their activation in a square with a Fire token automatically suffers 1 Damage. Any figure that enters a square containing a Fire token also automatically suffers 1 Damage. There may only be 1 Fire token in a square at any time.

During the Wrap-Up Phase, any Fire tokens in an Outdoor Square are removed (perpetual rain does that), while Fire tokens inside a building will begin to spread: the Nemesis will place 1 additional Fire token in a square adjacent to an existing Fire token for each Fire Token in that building. If, therefore, during the first Wrap-Up Phase, 1 Fire token was inside a building, the Nemesis player will place 1 additional token. During the next Wrap-Up Phase, they will place 2 more (for a total of 4 now), since there were now 2 tokens there at the start of the phase. Note that the Nemesis must place these tokens adjacent to Fires that were there at the start of the Phase. They may not string new Fire tokens together during the same phase.

Fire can spread through Doors and break them (remove from the Stage). Fire can spread through Windows but cannot spread through Walls or Red Lines.

Torments and Neutralization

• When a Gentleman gains Damage tokens equal to the total in their leftmost Health Box, they draw 1 Torment card. Torments represent various ailments and hindrances to the Gentleman. They may have an immediate effect and are then discarded, or stay on the Gentleman until certain conditions are met. See each specific Torment card for its full effect. If the Gentleman heals, and then takes Damage to once again fill their leftmost Health Box, they draw another Torment card.
• Some Upgrades and Equipment may grant a Gentleman additional Bonus Health Boxes. Damage is always applied to these bonus Health Boxes before being applied to their normal Health Boxes, thus making it harder for a Gentleman to suffer the effects of Torment cards.
• Whenever a figure gains Damage tokens equal to its total Health Points, it is Neutralized. If the figure was an Agent, Ally, or Minion, it is removed from the Stage and cannot be used again unless a card or power allows it.
• Gentlemen are too stubborn to permanently die, pushing onward until they are victorious (or the Nemesis completes their nefarious goals). When a Gentleman is Neutralized, place their figure on its side. On that Gentleman's next activation, they will automatically Revive, removing all Damage tokens and standing their figure up. Their activation then immediately ends. In addition, whenever a Gentleman is Neutralized, the Nemesis player immediately adds 2 Ether to their Ether Reserve, as Moloch feeds on death and despair!
• While a Gentleman is Neutralized, they cannot perform any actions and cannot be targeted or affected by Attacks or abilities. Figures (both friendly and enemy) may freely move through (but not end on) their square and do not suffer Escape Damage.

The Intermission

Prepare Intermission Board

The Intermission Board represents the various locations around London that the Gentlemen can visit to gain aid in their fight. Be warned, however! As the Gentlemen spend their time stocking up, the Nemesis plots and plans, growing in power! Prepare the Intermission Board by following these steps, in order:

1. Draw and place 2 random Gear cards faceup on each of the 3 slots on Hardy's Bazaar.
2. Draw and place 3 random Common Arsenal cards faceup on Wilkinson's General Store
3. Draw and place 3 random Artifact cards faceup on The Shadow Market.
4. Draw and place 3 random Location cards faceup in the slots in the middle of the Intermission Board.
5. Place each Job's Upgrade Deck in its slot on Club Unicorn.

Visit Locations

Once the Intermission Board has been set up, the Gentlemen will take turns visiting Locations to gather equipment and aid. Starting with the Leader and going clockwise, each Gentleman player places their figure on 1 of the empty spaces of the Intermission Board and performs the following:

• Hardy's Bazaar: Select 1 of the sets of 2 Gear cards and gain that Equipment.
• Wilkinson's General Store/Shadow Market: Select and acquire 1 piece of Equipment available at that location.
• Club Unicorn: Select 1 Upgrade card from your respective Job. A Gentleman may only have 3 Upgrade cards at any time; if they would gain a fourth Upgrade, it instead replaces an existing one.
• Random Locations: Each other Location card revealed will list the specific benefits of visiting that Location.

Gentlemen must visit a Location during Intermission. They cannot choose to simply sit out!

Nemesis Gains Power

Once the Gentlemen have finished their Intermission Steps, the Nemesis will select and choose 1 additional Nemesis Power, gaining that power for the remainder of the Campaign. If the Nemesis already has 6 Powers, they may exchange any current power for a new one.

The Nemesis Plots

Each Location on the Intermission Board lists a number of Conspiracy Points. Each time a Gentleman visits this Location, the Nemesis receives the number of Conspiracy Points listed at that location. During Set-Up for the next Chapter, the Nemesis may use these points to purchase various benefits listed on their Nemesis Board.

• These points must be used before the start of the next Chapter. They cannot be saved for later Chapters!
• Each benefit may be selected 2 times, except for the "Gain 2 Reserve Ether" benefit, which may be selected multiple times. However, an Agent may only be granted a given benefit once. (Example: You couldn't give an Agent +1 Agility multiple times, but you could give them both +1 Agility AND +1 Trigger).
• Some Agents have more than 1 Figure. The benefits must be assigned to a specific figure starting the game on the Map, and only that 1 may use it.
• Purchased benefits only last until the end of the next Chapter.

Prepare for Mission

Once the Gentlemen have each visited a Location, they will prepare for the next Chapter.

• Players may change characters before a new Chapter. Whenever a job is used for the first time on the Campaign, they get 1 Upgrade. Players need to keep track of the Upgrades of the Job not being used in the current Chapter, since it can be used in future Chapters.
• Remove all Damage tokens and Torment cards (if any) from themselves and replenish each Gentleman's Ether to max.
• All Equipment the Gentlemen have acquired thus far in the campaign is collectively known as the Gentlemen's Armory. Before the next Chapter, the Gentlemen may take and distribute any Equipment they have collected among themselves.
• Assign a Leader, then the other roles.

Once this is done, the Intermission Phase ends and the next Chapter begins. Continue playing the Chapters and Intermissions, one after the other, in order, until you reach the Final Chapter. It's then time for the Gentlemen to face the Nemesis once and for all!

Whoever wins the Final Chapter can be considered the winner of the Campaign Mode.

Rules Summary

1. Order Phase: The Gentlemen and the Nemesis will secretly choose their figures' activation order by placing their Activation cards on the Activation Board.

2. Activation Phase: Following the order, players reveal their Activation cards:

• A Gentleman may perform up to 2 actions (Attack / Agility / Recover / Revive / Special);
• A Nemesis Agent may perform up to 2 actions (Attack / Agility / Special);
• All Nemesis Minions are activated at the same time and may perform only 1 action each;
• The Nemesis player may play as many Chaos cards as they wish per activation, but they can only pay and activate 1 Nemesis Power card.
• When the Chaos Activation card is revealed, the Nemesis may activate each of their powers once.

3. Wrap Up Phase: Players check for end-game conditions. If the game is not over, they all collect their respective Activation cards for Figures remaining on the Stage.