X: Seekers of Fortune Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Winning the Game
• Components
• Card Types
• Game Set-Up
• Key Terms
• Taking a Turn
• Completing Adventures
• The Final Adventure
• New Player Suggestions
• ActionX Cards
• ActionX Abilities
  • Sites & Relics
  • Types of Abilities
• Heroic Feats
  • Gain Resources
  • Disrupt Rivals
  • Catch Up
• Additional Rules
  • Hand Limits
  • If a Card Deck Runs Out
  • Card Effects vs Standard Rules
  • Resting
  • Alternate Win Condition: Breakthrough
• Adventuring Tips
  • Know Your Heroic Feats
  • Chain Abilities & Build Momentum
  • More on Thwart
  • Catchup Actions
• Surviving the Final Adventure
• More Ways to Play
  • Multiplayer
  • Draft Mode
• Icons & Special Abilities
  • Leverage
  • Twist
  • Bond
  • Delay
• Resting

Winning the Game

To win the game, be the first to complete five ADVENTURES.

Your fifth and FINAL ADVENTURE starts with a clean slate of cards, meaning your rival will have ample opportunity to spoil your victory. Do you have the guile and cunning to claw your way out from the jaws of defeat?

Components

X: SEEKERS OF FORTUNE consists of three decks:

• LEADS: 72 cards
• ADVENTURES: 54 cards
• ACTIONX: 36 cards

And two quick reference cards: PLAYER AID, 2 oversized cards.

Card Types

LEAD, ADVENTURE and ACTIONX.

Game Set-Up

1. Shuffle all three decks separately and place them between the players, leaving space for DISCARD PILES.
2. Each player is dealt an opening hand of six LEADS and one ACTIONX card.
3. Each player reveals three ADVENTURES and places them face up in front of them.

Note: ADVENTURES never go to a player's hand.

Going first: The player who lost last goes first. If this is your first game of a play session, flip a coin.

Key Terms

• ACTIVE RESOURCE: Any resource (i.e. ACTIONX or ADVENTURE cards) within the ACTIVE ZONE.
• ARCHIVE: The action of moving a completed ADVENTURE or ACTIONX card to the ARCHIVE ZONE.
• BURY: The action of moving a card from a PLAY ZONE to the bottom of its corresponding card type's DISCARD PILE.
• HEROIC FEATS: Powerful actions that players can use during their turn to gain resources, disrupt rivals, or to catch up when behind in ARCHIVED ADVENTURES.
• REVEAL: The action of taking the top card of the ADVENTURE DECK and placing it face-up in your ADVENTURE ZONE.
• SCRAP: The action of removing an ACTIVE RESOURCE under your control from the ACTIVE ZONE to pay for, or comply with, an effect. SCRAPPED ADVENTURES are discarded, SCRAPPED ACTIONX cards are ARCHIVED.
• WILD LEAD: A LEAD that may be used in place of a LEAD of any type (GLYPH, MYTH, RUIN, VISION).

Taking a Turn

To start your turn, you must:

1. REVEAL AN ADVENTURE. Take an ADVENTURE from the top of the DECK -OR- DISCARD PILE and place it into your ADVENTURE ZONE. If you have more than three ADVENTURES, scrap down to three; you may never have more than three ACTIVE ADVENTURES.
2. DRAW LEADS. Take two LEADS from the top of the DECK, then discard any LEAD from your hand -OR- Take the top LEAD from the DISCARD PILE.

Then, you may:

3. TAKE ACTION. You may perform as many actions as your resources allow and actions can be used multiple times per turn unless restricted by a card. Actions include completing ADVENTURES, playing ACTIONX cards, using ACTIONX ABILITIES, and performing HEROIC FEATS.
4. END TURN. When you have taken all the actions you wish to perform, end your turn. If you have more than seven LEADS in hand, discard down to seven LEADS before the start of the next player's turn.

Completing Adventures

To complete an ADVENTURE and collect your rewards:

1. Collect and reveal all LEADS matching the LEAD emblems on your ADVENTURE.
2. Stack these LEAD cards with the ADVENTURE on top and move the entire stack to your ARCHIVE ZONE.
3. Collect the rewards listed at the bottom of the ADVENTURE card. The more difficult the ADVENTURE, the greater the reward.

Note: ADVENTURES must be paid for all at once.

The Final Adventure

After archiving four ADVENTURES, you enter the FINAL ADVENTURE and must:

1. Discard all LEADS from your hand.
2. Reveal an ADVENTURE. If that is the only ADVENTURE in your ADVENTURE ZONE, reveal a second ADVENTURE.
3. RIVAL'S CHOICE: The next player in turn order selects one of these ADVENTURES; the rest are scrapped.
4. Draw three LEADS.

You then continue your turn as normal.

You may still have up to three ACTIVE ADVENTURES in the FINAL ADVENTURE, but from now on, you skip the ADVENTURE REVEAL STEP at the start of your turn.

Complete one more ADVENTURE to win the game! See SURVIVING THE FINAL ADVENTURE section for tips and more details.

New Player Suggestions

If this is your first time playing X: SEEKERS OF FORTUNE or if you are teaching someone to play, we recommend the following adjustments to help new Seekers find their first fortunes.

• BEGINNER: When introducing players new to strategy card games, we found playing the first game of X: SEEKERS OF FORTUNE without HEROIC FEATS and without ACTIONX cards to be a fun way to help Seekers learn the basics of matching LEADS to complete ADVENTURES.
• ADVANCED: Once the basics are understood, add in ACTIONX cards, setting aside those listed below, and try your hand at HEROIC FEATS.

Add the listed cards when ready for new levels of challenge.

Challenging cards: Birthright; Callous Repossession; Cavern of the Mirror Pool; Cryptic Compass; Jewel of the Mirror Pool; Lost to History; Outfox; The Thirsting Stone.

Expert cards: Break the Seal; Cartographer's Cache; Guardian Stave; Labyrinth of the Eri Kai; Seal of the Eri Kai; Sacrificial Altar; Shrine of the Wild Tongues.

ActionX Cards

There are three types of ACTIONX cards:

• FEATS: One-time use effects. When played, follow the card's instructions, then archive. If a FEAT is THWARTED, archive it without performing its effect.
• SITES: Played into the ACTIVE ZONE and remain in play until ARCHIVED. Each SITE has two abilities that affect the game in various ways.
• RELICS: Played into the ACTIVE ZONE and remain in play until ARCHIVED. When a RELIC enters play, choose either the NOBLE or RUTHLESS mode; this choice determines its effect. If RUTHLESS is chosen, turn the card so its text faces your rival to indicate RUTHLESS mode.

There is no limit to how many ACTIONX cards you can have in your hand.

Note: ACTIONX cards have no cost. Simply play the card to gain the effect. HEROIC FEATS on ACTIONX cards do not count towards the number of times a HEROIC FEAT can be used per turn.

ActionX Abilities

Sites & Relics

Some SITES and RELICS have abilities that players can choose to use. These abilities can be used on the turn they are played unless they have the DELAY icon. Others may have LEVERAGE abilities. When you wish to activate a LEVERAGE ability, turn the card sideways. Learn more about LEVERAGE in the ICONS & SPECIAL ABILITIES section.

Types of Abilities

• AURA: Found on SITES, these abilities provide either an ongoing or reusable effect.
• EXPLOIT: Found on SITES, these abilities require that you pay a cost to receive an effect. Most often these abilities are one-time use and indicate that the SITE must be archived after use.

Heroic Feats

To perform HEROIC FEATS, players must pay the designated cost to gain the specified effect.

Gain Resources

• BARTER: Discard three LEADS or an ACTIONX card: Look at the top two ADVENTURES, reveal one, discard the other.
• BREAKTHROUGH: Discard three matching LEADS: Draw an ACTIONX card.

Disrupt Rivals

• SABOTAGE: Scrap an ACTIVE SITE, RELIC, or ADVENTURE and discard a LEAD: Choose an ACTIVE SITE, RELIC, or ADVENTURE a rival controls. If it is a SITE or RELIC, they archive it. If it is an ADVENTURE, they bury it.
• THWART: Bury two matching LEADS: Negate the effect of a rival's FEAT as it is played. No use limit.

Catch Up

Use NEGOTIATE or POACH only when tied or behind in ARCHIVED ADVENTURES, but not both in a single turn.

• NEGOTIATE: Scrap an ADVENTURE: Look at the top three LEADS of the LEAD DECK. Put two in your hand and give the other to a rival.
• POACH: Discard a LEAD: Swap an ACTIVE ADVENTURE with a rival.

Note: Aside from THWART, each HEROIC FEAT may only be used up to once per turn.

Additional Rules

Hand Limits

At the end of your turn, you must discard down to seven LEADS of your choice. There is no limit to how many ACTIONX cards you can have in your hand.

If a Card Deck Runs Out

If the ADVENTURE or LEAD DECKS run out of cards, follow these steps to replenish them:

1. Set aside the top card of the DISCARD PILE.
2. Shuffle the remaining cards to form a new DECK.
3. The card set aside starts the new DISCARD PILE.

Card Effects vs Standard Rules

If a card effect contradicts the standard rules, the card effect takes precedence.

Resting

If you do not have any LEADS in your hand before the start of your turn, you may declare that you will REST. If you do, reveal two ADVENTURES, draw three LEADS, and SKIP YOUR TURN. If you have more than three ADVENTURES, scrap down to three. Then the next player takes their turn.

RESTING cannot be THWARTED.

Note: You cannot REST while on the FINAL ADVENTURE.

Alternate Win Condition: Breakthrough

A player on the FINAL ADVENTURE may also win the game by successfully performing the HEROIC FEAT BREAKTHROUGH while having seven or more ACTIONX cards in play between their ACTIVE and ARCHIVE ZONES.

Adventuring Tips

Know Your Heroic Feats

If you cannot complete an ADVENTURE, don't have any ACTIONX cards to play, or otherwise feel stuck, HEROIC FEATS may be just what you need to outplay your rival.

• NEGOTIATE to get more LEADS.
• BARTER to get more ADVENTURES.
• POACH to steal a rival's ADVENTURE for yourself.
• BREAKTHROUGH to get more ACTIONX cards.
• THWART to negate your rival's pesky FEATS.
• SABOTAGE to destroy your rival's SITES, RELICS, and ADVENTURES.

Chain Abilities & Build Momentum

A winning strategy is being steps ahead, perform multiple actions per turn to leave your rival in the dust. But beware not to exhaust your resources lest your rival has a trick up their sleeve and you are left defenseless.

More on Thwart

• Both ACTIONX FEATS and HEROIC FEATS can be THWARTED, including THWART.
• A THWARTED FEAT does not take effect.
• A THWARTED ACTIONX FEAT is archived by the player who attempted to perform it and still counts toward the BREAKTHROUGH alternate win condition.

Catchup Actions

You may not use NEGOTIATE or POACH unless a rival has ARCHIVED their first ADVENTURE AND you are tied or behind in ARCHIVED ADVENTURES.

Surviving the Final Adventure

When you are on the FINAL ADVENTURE:

• You may use BARTER or ACTIONX abilities to add ADVENTURES to your ADVENTURE ZONE.
• You may still pay for NEGOTIATE and SABOTAGE using your ACTIVE ADVENTURES.
• If a rival's action or effect would cause you to have no ACTIVE ADVENTURES, reveal an ADVENTURE.

CAUTION: If your own action or effect causes you to have no ACTIVE ADVENTURES, do NOT reveal an ADVENTURE.

More Ways to Play

Multiplayer

Play with up to four players without changing the rules. If playing with four players, LEADS may become scarce. Combine LEAD DECKS with a second copy of the game.

Draft Mode

In Draft Mode, each player (up to three) builds their own ACTIONX DECK before the game by following these steps:

1. Deal six ACTIONX cards to each player.
2. Each player chooses one card and places it face down.
3. Pass the remaining cards to the left.
4. Repeat STEPS 2-3 until each player has selected five cards; discard the last card.
5. Deal another six cards to each player and repeat the process. Each player should end up with their own 10-card ACTIONX DECK.

Shuffle your decks and play the game normally, but draw only from your own ACTIONX DECK and maintain your own ACTIONX DISCARD PILE.

Icons & Special Abilities

Each of the following icons represents a special rule on ACTIONX cards, indicating how and when you may use the cards and their abilities:

• BOND: This card or ability requires a LEAD to be paired with it.
• DELAY: Ability cannot be used on the same turn the card enters play.
• LEVERAGE: Turn the card to show that this ability has been activated.
• TWIST: This card or ability can be used during a rival's turn.

Leverage

• To use a LEVERAGE ability, turn the card sideways to indicate it has been used this turn. Pay any additional costs indicated on the card.
• At the beginning of your next turn, reset LEVERAGED cards by turning them upright.

Twist

• This card or ability can be played or activated during a rival's turn whenever they perform an action, or at the beginning or end of their action step.
• You can also play TWIST cards / abilities during your own action step.
• If a LEVERAGE ability is accompanied by the TWIST icon, that ability may be used during a rival's turn.

Bond

• When a card with BOND enters play, choose a LEAD from your hand and place it under the SITE or RELIC.
• The chosen LEAD type becomes the BONDED LEAD type and determines how the SITE or RELIC functions.
• If the BONDED card moves to an ARCHIVE, discard the LEAD bonded to it.

Delay

This ability has unique timing and cannot be used on the same turn the card enters play.

Resting

If you have no LEADS in hand at the start of your turn, you may reveal two ADVENTURES, draw three LEADS, and SKIP YOUR TURN.