1DUNGEON SAGA LOGO

RULE BOOK TITLE

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INTRODUCTIONGETTING STARTED

If this is your first time playing Dungeon Saga, play through the Getting Started booklet included in the box before reading the rest of the rules. The step-by-step examples will begin our heroes story and ease you into the rules, making this book more familiar and straightforward. For those who already know their way around a dungeon, read on!

Dungeon Saga is a game of high adventure in a fantasy world of heroes and monsters. Players take the roles of the evil overlord who lurks in the dungeon depths, or the brave heroes who venture into the darkness to face them.

Each character and minion in the game is represented by a miniature figurine, and the dungeon is represented by a series of floor tiles that can be laid out on your tabletop. Players will need all of their wits about them to fight their way through the dungeon, with a little help from the cards, counters and dice included in the box.

The game can be played with as few as two players or as many as five. One player always takes the part of the dastardly dungeon overlord, and the remainder share the heroes between them. If there is more than one hero player then they must act cooperatively to thwart the overlord or face their doom alone.

Each hero has strengths and weaknesses. The mighty barbarian can slaughter many foes at a time, yet he is lightly armoured and vulnerable to strong enemies. The Dwarf, on the other hand is steadier in his fighting, and his thick armour can resist most attacks. The Elf is not as skilled a fighter as either of these, instead preferring to stay at a distance where her finely-honed archery skills can best be used. Finally, there is the wizard. The others may laugh at his lack of fighting skill, yet it is often his magic that carries the day. If the others can keep him alive, that is.

CONTENTSTHING 1....................................................................................................................................................................................................................x THING 2....................................................................................................................................................................................................................x THING 3....................................................................................................................................................................................................................x THING 4....................................................................................................................................................................................................................x THING 5....................................................................................................................................................................................................................x THING 6....................................................................................................................................................................................................................x

Understand something, all of you. This task is not given lightly, nor is it to be taken as such. You will be treading on sacred ground, and you will do so with all of the respect that such a place deserves.

The old Dwarf eyed each of them in turn, daring any of them to contradict him. The Barbarian gave an ostentatious yawn. The she-Elf simply stared at him, not a single muscle moving to betray that she was even listening. His damnable nephew looked bleary eyed, and Golloch wondered idly which tavern they had dragged the boy from this time. Of them all, only the human wizard boy seemed in the slightest bit impressed or even interested in his words. The young mans eyes were wide in a pale face, and he was nodding with a vigorous motion for several seconds before he seemed to notice that the others were not reacting with quite such conviction, and he lapsed into stillness once more.

Golloch shook his head and continued, making a point of raising his voice and noting with no small satisfaction the wince of Rordin as he did so.

The ruins at Dolgarth have been defiled, and it would appear that those who do so practise the unholy arts. The dead must not walk in my ancestors halls. King Grunds eternal slumber must not be disturbed. You must travel there, find the source of this insult, and end him.

Even as he paused to draw breath, another voice cut across his, dripping with arrogance. The Hegemon of Basilea was used to the total obedience and adoration of all those who addressed him, and he was having difficulty dealing with the gruff dwarf King.

The insult is not just to the Dwarfs. Our allies from Therennia Aldar bring us evidence of our own holy warriors having been turned to the ends of this foul wizard. This will not stand. You will bring me the head of this vile creature, that I might have it burned.

A third voice, this one mellifluous and measured, its every syllable music to the ears.

The Hold was once well known to my kin, in a different age. It is possible that some traces of them still remain there. I ask that you allow my daughter to bring any Elven artefacts back unmolested, that they might be properly returned home.

Golloch tutted as he looked at each of them in turn.

I care nothing for your petty human pride, nor any more for your bloody elf trinkets. My nephew will ensure that proper payment is exacted against this sorcerer, and then my people will march to reclaim Dolgarth once again.

Now hold on, the Hegemon began, there was never any such agreement amongst us. The plains of Diffeth remain neutral ground as you well know. We-

I care nothing for your neutrality. For all I know, this is all some bloody ruse to get your wizard and mercenary in there to defile my ancestral inheritance!

My Lords

The voice was calm, yet authoritative. It held an edge if hidden steel, belying the age and apparent frailty of the speaker.

This bickering must stop. If Meital is indeed seeking something in Dolgarth, then it must be something very much worth the effort. It is imperative that he be stopped.

The belch was like a thunderclap in the small chamber, echoing off the walls. Every pair of eyes turned to look at the barbarian, who looked back with amused disinterest.

Are we going, or not?

The dwarf king looked about to speak, but Madriga got there first.

My uncouth associate has a point. If it pleases you all, we should perhaps set out for our destination and leave you fine gentlemen to discuss the finer political points of things without us.

CREDITS

CORE GAME

DESIGN: Jake Thornton

STORY AND

BACKGROUND

TEXT: Greg D Smith

EDITING: Greg D Smith, Stewart Gibbs

COVER ART: Ralph Horsley

BOARD AND

COMPONENT

ART: Luigi Terzi

GRAPHIC

DESIGN: Chris Webb, Kev Brett

SCULPTING: Sylvain Quirion, Ben Skinner, Gregor Adrian, Remy Tremblay

PAINTING: Dave Neild

TERRAIN: Dave Neild, Mel Bose

SCENERY:

From the authors personal collection

PHOTGRAPHY:

Ben Sandum

PLAYTESTING: Adrian Robinson, Boggwoppit, Chris Hutchinson, Chris Simpson,

Dave Symonds, Gareth Evans, Geoff Allan, Glenn Allan, Kyle Cherry, Lee Mahon, Malcolm Illidge, Matt Gilbert, Megan Gilbert, Mike Jarvis, Peter Green, Peter Harrison, Ronnie Renton

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DOORS, TREASURE CHESTS, AND MOREA selection of model furniture makes the dungeons even more interesting to explore. Doors hide what lies beyond, while chests may contain useful treasures.

[insert pic of each furniture model. Label each with their name and quantity]

HERO & BOSS CARDSEach hero has their own character card to list their abilities and keep track of any items they may have found or wounds they may have suffered. The Bosses who fight for the Overlord have the same kind of card as the heroes who fight against him.

[insert annotated pic of hero and Boss card Name, Move, Dice, Armour, Wounds, whatever else]

Each hero has three core game values listed on their card. These will be used throughout the game, so make sure you know where they are for quick reference.

Move: How many squares the model may move in a turn see page XXX.

Dice: How many dice the model may roll when fighting see page XXX.

Armour: The number that an opponent must roll above in order to harm the model see page XXX.

LEGENDARY HEROES

There will come a time in your adventure when your heroes have accomplished great feats and learned new skills that will aid them in the battle against Mortibris. This will be noted in the scenarios. When your heroes become legendary, you may turn over their hero card and use their new, enhanced versions instead!

OVERLORD REFERENCE CARDThe Overlord has a number of different types of minions fighting for him. Some of these are powerful enough to be heroes in their own right, and these Bosses have their own hero card as detailed above. Less powerful minions are all listed on the Overlord reference card, which is designed to be a handy reference for both players. You will notice that these minions all share the core game values explained for heroes, above.

OVERLORD COMMAND CARDSThe Overlord has their own set of Command cards that allow them to make additional Commands in their turn.

[insert annotated pics of overlord cards.]

HERO EXPERIENCE CARDSAs heroes adventure through the dungeon they will gain experience and equipment. These bonuses are shown on cards, whether they are new abilities, feats, spells or items. Each scenario tells you which heroes have gained experience by that point in the story, and what that experience gives them. Simply place the relevant card beside the hero card as a reminder.

[insert pic of item card.]

tWHATS IN THE BOXThis section describes the various components inside your Dungeon Saga box. Before you begin, its worth quickly looking at each component so that youll be more familiar with it when it is mentioned later in the rules. If you forget, you can always refer back to this section for reference.

BOOKSThere are three books in this box. The book you are reading is the Rule Book, and will run through everything you need to know to play Dungeon Saga. However, before you get too far we recommend that you read through the Getting Started Booklet. The short scenarios described there are intended to teach you the core rules you will need to know in every game, and also form the starting point of our heroic tale of adventure. The Adventure Book continues the story of our heroes and will guide you through each exciting chapter of their saga.

MINIATURESDungeon Saga includes a set of highly detailed miniatures to represent the heroes and monsters in the dungeon. There are four heroes:

[insert pic of hero models. Label each with their name]Against the heroes are the forces of the overlord: Mortibris. He is represented by his own miniature, showing him as a puppet master of the undead.

[insert pic of Mortibris.]Mortibris is served by heroes of his own. These underlings are powerful foes.

[insert pic of Boss models. Label each with their name]Finally, there are the lesser undead minions who have been summoned from their graves to serve the necromancer Mortibris.

[insert pic of each undead model. Label each with their type and quantity (4 skellies, 4 zombies, 2 of the rest)]

TILES & CLIPSThe various rooms and corridor sections are collectively called tiles. These are laid out as shown in the various scenario maps to make the different areas of dungeon that the heroes will explore.

[insert pic of various pretty tiles of different shapes and sizes]

The tiles can be held together by plastic clips to stop them shuffling about during play. The clips go between the tiles as shown below, and are removable to allow you to build your dungeon in many different configurations.

[insert pic of pile of clips]. [insert close up pic of clip between tiles.]

PAINTING YOUR MINIATURESThe finely detailed miniatures included in this game will serve perfectly as they come. The different colours make it easy to tell who is on each side, and there is no assembly required so you can play the game straight out of the box. However, some people enjoy painting their miniatures and personalising their dungeon experience, and throughout these rules you will see painted examples to show you what can be done with care and practice.

[insert pic of Dave]

To find out more about painting your miniatures, visit www.manticgames.com

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SETTING THE SCENEA Dungeon Saga game is called an adventure, and usually forms one chapter of a larger story. In the battle between the heroes and Mortibris there are eight adventures detailed further in the Adventure Book.

To set up a game of Dungeon Saga follow these steps:

1. Decide how many people are playing and who will play each of the Heroes and the Overlord. The heroes can all be controlled by one player, or they can be divided among up to four.

2. Choose which adventure to play.

3. The Overlord is the only one who should look at the Adventure Book. This adds an element of surprise to the heroes when they happen upon a closed door, at least the first time they play an adventure.

4. The Overlord reads out any additional items, spells and counters needed for each hero.

5. The overlord sets up the tiles as shown on the map, together with any miniatures, counters and furniture. IMPORTANT! Only set up the tiles from the heroes starting position to the first door(s). Anything beyond that is not yet in play. While the Overlord is setting up the tiles, the other players should sort out the cards, counters, and dice they will need.

6. The Overlord player shuffles the Overlord Command cards and deals out the number listed in the adventure. He then draws 3 of these as his starting hand.

7. When everything is ready, the Overlord reads out the story text for the adventure along with any special rules as well as the victory conditions for each side.

8. The game starts with one of the heroes taking their first turn.

COUNTERSDungeon Saga uses a number of different types of counter to keep track of various game items and effects.

Wound counters are placed on a heros card to show how badly hurt they are.

[insert pic of wound counter.]Spell effect counters help you remember who has had a spell cast on them. Each spell has its own counter.

[insert pic of the various spell effect counters.]There is one hero counter per hero (not Bosses). These are used to keep track of which heroes have had their turn in the current round.

[insert pic of hero counters.]Pile of Bones counters represent squares containing enough remains to be formed into another undead minion for Mortibris.

[insert pic of Pile of bones counter.]

RANGE RULER Both archery and magic spells can only reach so far. The range ruler defines the limits of short and long ranges, as well as being a convenient straight edge to find out if you have a clear line of sight to your target. See the shooting and magic rules on pages XXX to XXX for the full rules.

[insert pic of range ruler]

DICEDungeon Saga uses regular, six-sided dice, and there are enough in the box for both players to use.

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HERO TURNS

HERO TURN SUMMARY

Each Hero can:

Move

Perform Action

Or:r:

Use Heroic Feat

During a Turn a Hero may Move (see page XXX) and/or perform 1 Action. Heroes may only Move and then perform an Action, in that order. If you do not want to move before taking an Action, the Action is all you may do in that Turn. A Hero can choose to do nothing in their Turn if they wish.

FEATS

Instead of taking a normal Turn, a Hero may instead decide to use the Heroic Feat(s) detailed on their Hero Card. Each Hero may only use each Feat once per game. Choosing when to use each Feat is very important. Note that you cannot Move , change facing or perform a normal Action when using your Heroic Feat unless the Feat itself says so the Feat replaces the Heros entire Turn.

HERO COUNTERS

The Hero counters are included to use as a reminder of who has taken their Turn so far this Round. Place them where everyone can see them, and flip each one face down as that Hero takes their Turn.

HEROES OR PLAYERS?

Dungeon Saga allows you to play with anything from 1-4 players controlling the four Heroes, and this means that different players may control different numbers of miniatures. Note that it is the Hero who takes the Turn, not the player. So, if three players were controlling the four Heroes between them, one would have two and the others would have one each. The player that controlled two Heroes may move first and last in the order of Heroes, second and third, or any other combination. Each Hero is dealt with separately regardless of how many are controlled by a single player.

PLAYING THE GAMEWhen the adventure has been set up, the game can begin. Dungeon Saga is played in Rounds, each of which consists of:

Each Round always begins with a Hero Turn. The four Heroes can take their Turns in any order they choose, to be decided by the Hero player(s). This order can be different in each Round. Each Hero may only take one Turn in each Round.

The game continues for as many Rounds as are needed for one side or the other to achieve the adventures victory conditions. The first side to do this wins the game.

ACTIONS

Fight: see page XXX

Shoot: see page XXX

Cast Spell: see page XXX

Other: some adventures allow for additional actions these will be listed in the text for the adventure

The Actions available to a model depend on their abilities and situation. For example, a Hero cannot shoot a bow if they dont have one. Even if they have one they cannot use it if they are in the middle of a fight.

WORKING TOGETHERThe Heroes will only be able to beat the Overlord if they work as a team. Each one has weaknesses that the enemy can exploit and would stop them from getting to Mortibris on their own. This means that you need to think carefully not only about how to achieve your objectives, but how to do so without anyone getting killed in the process as you will need all their collective skill to overcome him in the final battle. Most obviously this means that the Dwarf and Barbarian will need to protect the physically weaker Elf and Wizard who both work better when they can deal with their foes at a distance. On the other hand, when a magical ward needs to be broken the Wizard has to be at the front of the line to do so.

To do well, each Hero needs to support the others, and adapt to the situation to overcome the Overlord together. If you are one of several different players controlling the Heroes, talk to each other! Is someone in trouble? Do you make a rush and risk the weaker Heroes, or fight methodically through? Can you afford the time to explore that side passage? One of the most important considerations is who should act next. The first Hero to act in each Round cannot be interrupted by the Overlord. Everyone else can

Meanwhile, the Overlord should be doing his best to break up the Heroes and exploit their weaknesses. The direct approach may not always be best. For example, perhaps the best way to stop the advance of the Dwarf is to threaten the Wizard and force him to return to save him. Be devious, be cunning. After all, you are the Overlord!

ROUND SUMMARY1. HERO TURNS

First Heros Turn

Move

Perform Action

Or: r:

Use Heroic Feat

Second Heros Turn ...

Last Heros Turn

Move

Perform Action

Or: r:

Use Heroic Feat

Beware: The Overlord player may have a chance to interrupt the Heroes Turns, so think carefully about which order the Heroes make their moves!

2. OVERLORD TURN

Give Commands Each adventure lists the number allowed per Turn. A Command consists of:

Move

Perform Action

Or: r:

Cast Raise Dead

Play up to 1 Overlord Command Card

Note that these can be done in any order, i.e. the Command card can be played before, in between or after any regular Commands are given.

3. END OF ROUND

Overlord draws 1 Overlord Command Card

Rotate all Major Spells a turn

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OVERLORD TURNS

OVERLORD TURN SUMMARY Give X Commands [show icon used in

adventures for this] Each adventure lists the number allowed per Turn. A Command consists of:

Move

Perform Action

Or: r:

Cast Raise Dead

Play up to 1 Overlord Command Card

Note that these can be done in any order, i.e. the Command card can be played before, in between or after any regular Commands are given.

As the Overlord is controlling a large number of followers, his Turns work differently to an individual Heros Turn. The player may give Commands to his followers, one at a time, allowing him to Move and Act with several models and/or Raise several Piles of Bones within a single Turn. Each adventure lists the number of models he can Command in a Turn. None of the Overlords models may act more than once in a Turn, but may act more than once in a Round using Interrupts - see below.

The Overlord can also play a single Overlord Command card (see below) to increase the amount he can do in that Turn.

RAISING THE DEAD

Instead of Moving and Acting with a model that is already on the board, a magic-using Overlord can cuse his Commands to cast spells - in the case of Mortibris the Necromancer he may cast the Raise Dead spell on a Pile of Bones counter.

Each adventure tells you which type(s) of undead are possible to raise, and how many of each are available. When the Raise Dead spell is cast, the Overlord player replaces a single Pile of Bones counter with a miniature of his choice from the adventures list, facing any direction he chooses. If the minion is raised in one or more enemy front arcs, then each of those enemy models gets a Free Strike (see page XXX) as the creature tries to reassemble himself. Resolve these in an order chosen by the player(s) making the Free Strikes. A Minion that is raised from a Pile of Bones counts as having made its Action, and cannot do anything else in that Turn.

You cannot cast Raise Dead on a Pile of Bones if a model (from either side) is standing on top of it. If there are multiple Piles of Bones on top of each other, only the top one can be raised.

OVERLORD COMMAND CARDS

The Overlord has a deck of cards that grant him additional actions and special abilities over and above his regular Commands. Before the game begins, shuffle the deck and deal out the number listed in the adventure [note to Curis - show the symbol that will be used in the adventures]. to form the draw pile that the Overlord will use in this game. Place the remaining cards back in the box they will not be used for now. Dont look at any of these cards.

The Overlord then deals himself the top three cards from the draw pile he has made for this adventure to form his initial hand. The Overlord player may look at his hand of cards now, and should keep them secret from the Heroes.

The Overlord may play a single Command card in each Turn. This can be done at any point before or after Moving and Acting with a model, but not during. These cards are one-use only, and the different types are explained below.

In addition, the Overlord is dealt one extra card at the end of each Round, drawn from those remaining in the draw pile.

If the deck of cards is exhausted then the Overlord cannot draw any more, and in some cases this may even mean that the adventure is over. There is no upper or lower limit to the number of cards the Overlord can have in his hand at one time.

WORKING FOR THE OVERLORD

There are two types of follower in the Overlords army: Minions and Bosses.

Minions are the rabble of the army. These are the lowly warriors who will struggle against the Heroes on their own, but can cause damage when they gang up and work together.

A Boss is a Hero that works for the Overlord. Heroes are normally thought of as good guys, but similarly powerful individuals fight for the Overlord too. A Boss works exactly like a Hero and has a Hero card in the same way. All the normal rules for Heroes apply to a Boss as well, with the exception of when they are allowed to act in a Round. Bosses only act as part of the Overlords Turn (or during an interrupt). Other than that, a Boss can have feats, use magic items and so on, just like other Heroes.

RULING THE WORLD

Each Overlord has a specific mix of 12 cards in their Overlord deck. The rules described here are the general rules that apply to all Overlords, with the specific rules for Necromancers as well. In future expansions, different Overlords will have different abilities. Obviously, an Orc warlord wont be able to raise the dead, but the wily old greenskin has other tricks up his sleeve. The same goes for Overlords such as Abyssal Dwarf Kings, corrupted Elven traitors, ancient Great Dragons and so on. The particular mix of cards included in an Overlords deck is part of his character and works together with the mix of followers he has available to make playing one Overlord quite different to playing another.

DYING FOR THE CAUSE

As an Overlord, it is important not to worry too much about the fate of your underlings. Most of them will die and early and messy death at the hands of meddlesome Heroes. Thats their job.

The important thing is your plan to dominate the world. Every Overlord has one. When you think of it in this light the lives of your minions and even your trusted Bosses are unimportant. As long as theyre sacrificing themselves to your benefit, thats fine.

So dont be shy about throwing your minions into the fray, even if the odds are hugely stacked against them. Even the lowliest skeleton can get a lucky hit on a heavily armoured Dwarf, and these wounds all add up. Weaken the Heroes with your rabble so your Bosses can finish them off later.

Use your advantages of numbers to swamp lone Heroes. Surround them and pin their best warriors in place while you slaughter their weaker allies. Remember, mercy and honour are weaknesses indulged by the so-called good guys. You dont need either of them.

EXTRA COMMANDS CARDS

There allow the Overlord to Move and Act with that many additional models this Turn.

DOUBLE COMMANDS CARDS

These llow the Overlord to give double the base number of Commands allowed in the adventure for that Turn. Note that a single model may still only Move and Act once during a single Overlord Turn.

INTERRUPT CARDS

These are played in between two Hero Turns, after one Hero has completed their Turn and before the next begins. The Overlord immediately gets to Move and Act with the number of models listed on the card, one at a time. This is not the Overlords Turn and therefore these models may Move and Act again either by using extra Interrupt cards later in the Round, or during the Overlords Turn.

You cannot play an Interrupt card before the first Heros Turn, or after the last Heros Turn in that Round. In addition, you cannot play two interrupt cards in a row without a Hero taking their Turn between them.

RAISE DEAD CARDS

These are only available to a Necromancer Overlord, such as Mortibris. Raise Dead cards allow the Necromancer to cast the Raise Dead spell a specified number of times. over and above those allowed with his regular Commands. The Necromancer player may not raise more minions than are available for the adventure any granted by a card over and above this limit are wasted.

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MOVING MODELSDuring its Turn, a model can move up to a number of squares equal to its Movement value. The model is moved one square at a time.

Changing a models facing is always part of a models Move and it can change facing freely during its movement. You may not change its facing at any other time.

If a model Moves into the front arc of an enemy model during its Turn then it must stop. It cannot go any further, though it may still change its facing before it finishes its Move.

If a model starts its Turn in the front arc of an enemy model it cannot Move freely. It has two options:

1. It can remain in the same square and change its facing if the player chooses.

2. It may Move away from the enemy. This is called Breaking Away (see page XXX).

MOVEMENTBefore a Hero can be heroic, or a minion can do some dastardly deed for his master, they need to get to the right place on the map. With a good understanding of the movement rules you can not only get your own models into the ideal positions, but also thwart your opponents plans by blocking their best moves.

ADJACENT

Throughout these rules, whenever the text refers to something being adjacent it means in any one of the squares next to the model in question. For a normal-sized model there are 8 adjacent squares, shown in red in the diagram below.

FACING

A model must sit in a single square and clearly face one of the four sides of that square. The direction the model is pointing is called its facing.

ARCS

In general, both heroes and monsters pay more attention to things that happen in front of them rather than behind. For this reason, the squares adjacent to a model are divided into a front arc and a rear arc. This is based on the direction the model is facing.

The 3 squares behind the model (shown in blue) form its rear arc. The remaining 5 (shown in red) are its front arc.

These arcs are important and many rules refer to something happening, or only being possible, when a model is in or moves into a models front arc.

PILES OF BONES AND OTHER

COUNTERS

Note that until raised with a Raise Dead spell (see page XXX), Piles of Bones cannot move, do not have any arcs, and cannot attack or be attacked. The same applies to any other counter placed onto the board itself.

MOVEMENT KEY POINTS [Insert pic of movement symbol from stat card]

A model can move a number of squares up to its Movement value, one square at a time.

A model can change its facing freely as it moves.

A model cannot enter a square containing another model or a piece of furniture.

A model can enter and end their Movement on a square containing a Pile of Bones counter.

A model can Move diagonally as long as movement to one of the squares to either side of the diagonal would normally be allowed.

INSERT DIAGRAM

The model at square A wants to move to square B. This is possible as long as the model could legally move to one or other of the squares marked X. If both of the squares marked X are blocked, then square B is also blocked.

A model must immediately end its Movement if it enters the front arc of an enemy model.

A model can only move out of a square in an enemys front arc by Breaking Away (see page XXX).

A model cannot Move directly from one square in the front arc of an enemy model to another square in the front arc of the same or any other enemy model.

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STEP 2 - DISCARD FEEBLE ATTACKS

The attacker discards any dice that are less than or equal to the defenders armour. These attacks are too weak to cause any damage.

If this leaves the attacker with no dice, the attack has bounced off and has no further effect.

EXAMPLE FIGHT - STEP 2

The Skeleton has an Armour value of 2, so removing the weak attacks that do not beat this value leaves Orlaf with 4 and 6.

STEP 3 - DETERMINE HITS

If the attacker has any dice left, compare them to the defenders dice. This is done in pairs, starting with the highest dice on each side, then the second highest, and so on. Each pair in which the attackers dice rolls a higher number than the defenders dice counts as one Hit.

If the attacker has more dice than the defender then each remaining dice that is unopposed also scores a Hit.

EXAMPLE FIGHT - STEP 3

Comparing the dice in pairs, the highest dice for the Hero is a 6 against the Skeletons 5. This is a hit. The second pair pits the Heros 4 against the Skeletons 2. This is also a hit. As the Heros other dice have been discarded this is the maximum number of hits he can get with this attack.

INSERT DIAGRAM FOR STEP

STEP 4 - DETERMINE DAMAGE

Models react differently to being Hit. What injures an Elf may be completely ignored by a Troll. Compare the number of Hits scored to the defenders model type on the damage table to find out the effect.

EXAMPLE FIGHT - STEP 4

Looking at the damage table we can see that 2 hits on a Skeleton Warrior reduces it to a pile of bones. Remove the model and replace it with a Pile of Bones counter.

FIGHTINGIntroductory text about fighting. Introductory text about fighting. Introductory text about fighting. Introductory text about fighting. Introductory text about fighting. Introductory text about fighting. Introductory text about fighting. Introductory text about fighting. Introductory text about fighting. Introductory text about fighting. Introductory text.

If a model starts its Turn with an enemy model in its front arc, or Moves so that this is the case during its Turn, it may Fight.

In the above diagram Orlaf the Barbarian doesnt have an enemy in his frortnt arc. Rordin the Dwarf does, and can fight the Skeleton. If Orlaf were to move to the space next to Rordin (marked X), the Skeleton would also be in his front arc and he could fight it too.

RESOLVING FIGHTSWhen models Fight, each will roll dice. However, only one model (the attacker) can cause damage. The other model (the defender) is simply defending itself.

Other than during a Free Strike (see page XXX), a model is always the attacker in its own Turn.

Fights are resolved in a series of steps. When you have played a few times you will be able to merge some of these steps together and resolve everything very quickly. While you are learning it is easiest to take the steps one at a time.

STEP 1 - ROLL THE DICE

Both players roll a number of dice equal to that models Dice value, modified by the following:

-1 dice if the model is injured.

-1 dice if the model is outnumbered (it is in the front arc of more than one enemy model).

-1 for the defender if the attacker is in their rear arc.

Note that it is possible for both sides to be outnumbered at the same time, where each model is in the front arc of multiple enemies. Show diagram

No model may ever roll fewer than 2 dice, regardless of modifiers. See Minimum Values below.

EXAMPLE FIGHT - STEP 1

Orlaf the Barbarian attacks a Skeleton Warrior.

Insert pics of statlines.

Orlaf normally rolls 5 dice, but he is injured, and so will roll only 4 for this attack. He gets 1, 2, 4, 6.

The Skeleton Warrior is not injured, outnumbered or attacked from behind and so does not need to modify his roll. He rolls his regular 2 dice and gets 2, 5.

:

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DAMAGE

MINION DAMAGE

Minions suffer the effect listed on the table immediately.

Model Type 1 Hit 2 Hits 3+ Hits

Any Hero 1 Wound 1 Wound 1 Wound

Skeleton Warrior, Archer or Revenant

Replaced with

a Pile of Bones

counter.

Destroyed

Zombie or Armoured Zombie

Destroyed

Ghost Destroyed Destroyed Destroyed

Skeletons for example can ignore the first hit that they take - it is assumed that the attack has passed harmlessly through where their flesh used to be. A second hit on a skeleton will be enough to break the magic holding them together, and they will fall apart. A third hit represents an attack so powerful that the skeleton is crushed into dust and removed entirely.

HERO AND BOSS DAMAGE

Heroes and Bosses only suffer 1 wound per attack, regardless of how many times they are Hit.

Wounds on Heroes are cumulative. Heroes keep track of wounds they have suffered using the counters provided. Starting from the left of the Hero card, place a counter on top of the first space on the wound track.

CRIPPLING A HERO

A Hero or Boss can take 4 wounds and still fight on. However, if they take a fifth wound then they are Crippled and they cannot continue. In most adventures the Heroes lose if one of them is Crippled.

INJURED It is important to understand the distinction between wounds (that mark each time a model is hurt) and being injured (which shows you are so badly hurt that you cannot fight properly). We expect our Heroes to take some scrapes during their adventures, and this is what wounds show. Different Heroes can ignore differing amounts of damage and this is where being injured comes in.

A Hero is injured if all the remaining uncovered wound circles on their card are red. The number of wounds it takes to injure a Hero varies.

[insert picture of two Hero cards: the Dwarf with 3 wounds, but still not injured. The Elf with a 2 wounds, but counts as injured.]Other models tend to die too quickly for it to be worth tracking whether their wounds are bad enough to hinder them or not. Unless otherwise specified, non-Hero models are never injured.

MINIMUM VALUES 2 DICE, ARMOUR 1

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Once youve established that you are able to hit, you follow the four-step process below:

STEP 1 ROLL THE DICE

The attacker rolls a number of dice equal to his Marksman value, and the defender rolls a number of dice equal to his Dice value, both modified by the following:

MODIFIERS

-1 dice if the model is injured

No model may ever roll fewer than 2 dice, regardless of modifiers. See Minimum Values on page XXX.

STEPS 2-4 DISCARD FEEBLE

ATTACKS, DETERMINE HITS, AND

DETERMINE DAMAGE

These follow the same process as Fighting on page XXX.

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Models capable of casting spells are called Spellcasters, and this will be listed on their Hero card or Necromancer Reference Sheet. Only models listed as Spellcasters may use spells. The term Spellcaster applies to all manner of different forms of magician, sorcerer, shaman, priest, necromancer, prestidigitator, paladin, and so on, as well as certain creatures that are naturally magical.

Spells available to a character will be listed in each adventure, and that character should be given the appropriate spell card from the deck before the game begins. Each card will explain the effects of that particular spell on the game, and some may have an additional counter to show that they are in effect. Sometimes this is an automatic effect, other times it may require a dice roll like a regular attack. See the spell cards for details.

Insert pic of wizard and skeleton with a feet of stone counter next to the skellie.

There are two types of spell: Major and Minor.

As his Action within a Turn, instead of Fighting or Shooting, a model can cast either 1 Major or up to 2 different Minor spells.

RECHARGING Major spells need to recharge between uses, and will be unavailable for the following round. The easiest way to remember is to rotate the card 180 degrees when you use it, and then at the end of each Round (including the one it was used) turn them 90 degrees back. Once youre familiar with this process its easy to keep track of whats recharging and whats available.

[insert diagram showing card being turned at end of Round it is cast, and at end of following Round.]

SHOOTINGSome models have ranged weapons that allow them to attack their enemies from a distance. This can be a key tactic in many games, picking off enemies before they get to you, or softening up a tougher enemy without it hitting you back!

Shooting works in a very similar way to Fighting, except that the attacker and defender will not be adjacent. A model that is in the front arc of an enemy model cannot Shoot.

Models that can make Shoot Actions will have an additional Marksman value on their Hero card [insert image] or Overlord Reference Card. This stat is used in exactly the same way as a Fight this is the number of dice rolled when the model attacks at range. Note that this may be different to the number of dice they have for attacking in a Fight, and for defending themselves.

RESOLVING A SHOOTING ATTACKLike Fighting, Shooting is resolved in a number of steps. However before you can make your attack you need to see whether you are capable of hitting your target in the first place.

RANGE

All Shooting attacks have a range, measured using the range ruler in the game

This is measured from any part of the Shooters square to any part of the targets square. As long as the ruler can reach from base to base, the target is in range. If the target is out of range, it cannot be shot at.

The Elf Ranger and the Skeleton Archer carry bows, which can Shoot at Long range the full length of the range ruler.

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LINE OF SIGHT

A model can only see things in front of it, and only Shoot at things it can see. When measuring the range, use the straight edge of the range stick to see if there is anything blocking the line between the shooter and target. The line is blocked by any square that contains a miniature or a wall (blank space not taken up by tiles). If the line is blocked, or the target is behind the shooter, then they cannot shoot!

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THE WORLD AROUND YOUDungeons are often littered with the remains of earlier occupants, and this includes many items of furniture. There are also doors and treasure chests that may be still in use. Collectively this is known as furniture.

Most furniture simply blocks the way for Movement. Each piece occupies one or more squares based on its size, and no model may Move into those squares.

Bookcases also block Shooting and Magical attacks that draw line of sight (see page XXX) passing through the squares containing them. Line of sight can be drawn as normal over any other piece of furniture. However, if the Shooter using the attack is not adjacent to the piece of furniture then they will suffer a -1 modifier to their attack dice on top of any others. Magical attacks are unmodified as normal.

Note: Doors, treasure chests and other furniture do not make Free Strikes, attack other models or count towards outnumbering. At least, the furniture you will see in this adventure does not. Who knows what demon-infused nightmares may be lurking in other dungeons?

DOORS AND TREASURE CHESTSDoors and Chests always start a adventure locked. Doors occupy one or two squares depending on their size, and treasure chests occupy a single square. Each should have a counter placed next to it to show what kind of lock it has.

LOCKS

There are several types of lock in the dungeon: magical and mundane. Magical locks are known as wards.

Magical locks cannot be forced by strength alone, and counter-spells have no effect on mundane locks.

Mundane locks: as well as the lock itself, this represents the thickness of the bars, heaviness of the iron bands, or simple resilience to being battered open. To smash the lock the Hero must Fight it, like any other enemy. This is worked out as normal, with the Overlord rolling a number of dice for the door and using the armour shown on the counter. A single hit will smash the lock.

Note: Mundane locks cannot be smashed by Shooting or Magical attacks they can only be destroyed in a Fight.

Magical wards: the more powerful the enchantment, the longer it will take to break. Certain spells reduce the power of a ward and this will be noted on the card. If a ward is reduced to zero, the door or chest has been successfully unlocked.

OPEN SESAME

When a door is unlocked it is removed from the game.

When a treasure chest is unlocked the Hero that unlocked it immediately takes any item(s) that were inside. Place the appropriate item card(s) next to his Hero card as a reminder. Remove the lid from the chest model to remind you that it has been opened.

ZONESNote that when the Overlord player lays out the dungeon for each adventure, the map will only be laid out as far as the first door(s). Any further part of the dungeon will not be revealed until after the Heroes have unlocked the door, at which point the Overlord will place the next set of tiles.

RANGESpells have a range like Shooting, and use the same range ruler. Spells at all ranges can be targeted on the caster himself. The range can be:

Long

Short

Adjacent the target must be adjacent to the caster as shown in the diagram on page XXX

Caster the spellcaster can only target himself with that spell

LINE OF SIGHTSpells do not always require line of sight to the target.

Those with the Sight keyword do require line of sight, and will follow the same rules as Shooting, i.e. the attacker cannot be in an enemys front arc, and must be able to draw an unblocked line to the target (see page XXX).

Those without the Sight keyword do not need to fulfil either of these criteria, and therefore can be cast at targets behind the caster, through walls, round corners, past other models, and so on. They still need to be in range.

MAGICAL ATTACKSOffensive spells use a form of attack called a Magical Attack.

Magical Attacks require the players to roll for an attacker and defender just like Shooting or Fighting. The spell itself will list the number of attack dice to use, and the defenders Dice and Armour values are used as normal.

Magical attacks are never modified by any standard modifiers such as being Injured. Sometimes however there may be magical items or abilities that can modify the dice, such as Energy Crystals.

Unless otherwise specified, if a spell effects more than one target at a time roll the attack dice separately for each defender.

Insert annotated pic of spell card.

MAGIC ITEMSThe setting for Dungeon Saga is a world of fantastical beasts and strange magics. As well as spells, magical energies can be bound into items such as weapons and armour, potions and amulets. In the game, each item is represented by its own card that includes all the information you need to use it.

Some magical items are granted to heroes for completing a certain quest, while other are found by searching within the dungeons depths. Only Heroes and Bosses can use magic items, and the items available to the characters will be listed in each adventure

Each magic items card will explain any special rules or restrictions that apply to the user. Unless stated otherwise, it is assumed that any Hero can use any magic item.

During a game, magical Paraphernalia can be traded between Heroes. Other types of magical item must remain on the Hero they began that adventure with. A Hero that moves adjacent to another Hero during his Turn can give, receive or swap items with that Hero. The other Hero must agree to this trade. Note that this can be done in the middle of moving and does not have to be at the end of a Turns movement. This trading of items is in addition to a Heros Move and Action for the Turn.

[insert pic of card showing Paraphernalia icon] such as potions

USING MAGIC ITEMS

Only Heroes and Bosses can use magic items (including drinking potions). Most magical items have effects that apply at all times. For example, the Spidersilk Armour increases Madrigas Armour value by 1 while she is wearing it this is in effect for the entire game and Madriga does not have to do anything to make it work.

Other magical items must be triggered by their owner to be used, and these will have the following symbol on their card [insert image]. Some items are triggered automatically in response to an attack or other game effect, in which case it will be detailed on the card. Otherwise, magic items can be used at any point during the turn of the Hero or Boss carrying them, and this does not count as the models Move or Action for the Turn.

ONE USE ITEMS

An item that has One Use keyword on its card can only be used once, and the card is then discarded. All other items can be used repeatedly.

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Inside Back Cover LARGER CREATURESMost models have a base that occupies a single square. However, a few of the larger creatures such as Trolls have bases that cover four squares (2x2), and in the future we may see creatures on even larger bases!

Models that cover four squares (2x2) are called Large models.

ARCS

Large models follow the same principle as single square models: they have a front and rear arc. The difference is that their arcs consist of more squares than regular figures.

The 4 squares behind the model (shown in pink) form its rear arc. The remaining 8 (shown in yellow) are its front arc.

MOVEMENT

Large creatures are less nimble than smaller models. For this reason they may only move straight or diagonally forwards, or straight backwards (without changing their facing).

Move the model a single square at a time, being careful to ensure that the whole of the models base remains on the tiles after each move. Each of the squares covered by the models base must be in a position that would be allowed to a single square model at all times.

Unlike single square models that can turn for free, Large models must sacrifice a point of movement for each quarter turn they wish to make.

FIGHTING

Large models always count as outnumbering single square models even if they are the only model in contact, and even if they are in contact with multiple enemy models. In this case they will also be outnumbered themselves.

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Back Cover Reference Sheet