What comes in the box?

• 1 die
• 6 differently colored meeples (pawns)
• Large cards:
• 6 character cards
• 4 equipment cards
• 4 reference sheets
• Square cards:
• Effect cards
• 4 poison effect
• 1 cooldown effect
• Starting tiles
• 4 starting tiles
• 2 ladder down tiles
• Exploration cards
• 1 attack artifact
• 1 CURSED attack artifact
• 1 health artifact
• 1 CURSED health artifact
• 1 golem BOSS
• 1 green basilisk BOSS
• 1 yellow basilisk BOSS
• 4 imp enemies
• 5 goblin enemies
• 5 cave bat enemies
• 3 kobold enemies
• 5 sewer rat enemies
• 3 troll enemies
• 4 vampire bat enemies
• 3 zombie enemies
• 18 potions - 3 of each color
• 1 key
• 2 fountains of healing
• 11 4-way paths
• 10 3-way paths
• 5 2-way corner paths
• 5 2-way straight paths
• 2 dead-end paths
• Pathing tile cards
• 19 4-way paths
• 14 3-way paths
• 7 2-way corner paths
• 7 2-way straight paths
• 4 dead-end paths
• 1 Victory point chest
• 6 traps - 2 of each type
• 3 shop tiles
• Shop cards
• 1 battle axe
• 1 boots
• 1 chestplate
• 2 daggers
• 1 shopkeeper's debt
• 1 hasty boots
• 1 helm
• 1 maul
• 1 shield
• 1 sword
• 1 vision lens
• 1 shadow cape
• 2 scrolls of move
• 2 scrolls of cure poison
• 2 scrolls of identify
• 2 scrolls of health
• 2 scrolls of remove curse
• Gold cards
• 4 one gold cards
• 4 two gold cards
• 2 five gold cards
• 2 ten gold cards
• 20 spare cards

Updates from previous versions

From v1.1.1

• Grammatical corrections.
• Several small clarifications.

From v1.1

• Added a box content section.
• Strength and weakness potion now have same effect when thrown on player or enemy.
• Dying during end rush does not grant player the end rush victory point.

From v1.0

• Paralysis now ends the player's turn, and skips his next turn.
• Players may move twice in a turn if no other actions or interactions were taken.

About the game

Card Rogue is a tribute to the classic Rogue dungeon crawling game. Rogue was a computer game released in the 1980’s that featured many of the aspects that are present in this game; tributes to Rogue are appropriately named roguelike video games. Unlike other roguelikes, Card Rogue is playable with a group of friends and away from the computer.

Card Rogue is a challenging game that requires an equal amount of luck and skill. One to four players try to survive the mysteries of the dangerous catacombs. The game board is randomly created as the players make their way down uncertain paths. Thus, every game is different and requires a unique approach.

To survive, a player must be lucky, adaptable, and tactical. Traps, enemies, loot, or fame are met around every corner. Players must sometimes ally together, but other times they must betray that trust. Only the strongest and smartest will make it out alive.

The story

Stories tell of an ancient cult of sorcerers. Desiring power, they once conjured dark magics that spread fear throughout the land. Great heroes were summoned to drive back the sorcerers. As a countermeasure, the sorcerers sculpted a giant clay golem and used their magic to bring it to life. Though none of the heroes were able to defeat the monster, their perseverance forced the sorcerers to hide underground. Though the darkness was suppressed, the catacombs were never discovered.

History turned into legend and the catacombs were all but forgotten. That is, until the caravan of a debt-ridden merchant collapsed through the ground. The merchant found himself trapped in a labyrinth of underground passageways. He dared not wander from where he fell, as the passages were riddled with horrific monsters and deadly traps.

The cave-in was soon discovered, and a ladder was lowered to the merchant. He told the local village of what he discovered and vowed to aid any explorer willing to enter. Word spread across the kingdom, and fame-seeking mercenaries began to enter the underground lair. Will you face your fears and enter the catacombs? Will you bring home stories of great deeds and moments of glory? Or will you fall to the darkness that awaits you below?

About the rulebook

Card Rogue is a game about exploration and discovery. This means the rulebook can be a bit intimidating. Players are encouraged to read the rulebook and play the game in unison. Start by reading the Goal of the game and Setting up the play area sections. The rulebook will explain a part of the game, and the players should play up to that point. The sections should be used as a reference when new cards are introduced, or when players aren’t clear about certain rules or game mechanics.

Often times, the simple descriptions given in the rulebook are not enough detail. At the end of the rulebook is a Clarifications section. Many terms in the rulebook are underlined. This means further explanations can be read in the Clarifications section. Additionally, players can look up specific card descriptions for further clarification.

Starting the game

Goal of the game

Playing with friends

Card Rogue is meant to be played by a group of friends. The game includes enough player-tokens and character cards for four players, but more players can be added using enough creativity.

The goal of the game is to gain the most victory points. Victory points are awarded for completing certain goals that are outlined at the end of the rulebook. The winning player is the one who has the most victory points when the game ends. Although the players are competing, they must also work together to complete some of the challenges. An intelligent player knows when to help his friends, and when to betray them. Many of these challenges are far too difficult to face when the game begins. To overcome these challenges, players will explore the catacombs for better equipment and magical items.

Playing by yourself

A single person can casually play the game by himself. The player should decide which of the goals he wants to accomplish before starting the game. Perhaps the player is only interested in fulfilling a single goal. Perhaps he wants more of a challenge, and decides to complete all the goals. In order for the single player to succeed, he must accomplish all designated goals and leave the dungeon safely without dying. Single player rules are meant to be modified to the preference of the player. A player can modify certain in-game rules to better fit his playing pleasure.

Story mode

As a separate form of play, a single player can play using the story mode rules. Story mode is a version of the game that has a predefined dungeon to explore. The experience is more like a puzzle, as players will need to learn the perfect set of moves to make it out of the dungeon alive. Each level of the dungeon is prefaced with a story that unfolds the mystery of the dungeon.

After reading the Story Mode Rulebook, play the first campaign: A Son’s Descent.

Players may also submit their own story mode campaigns, called community challenge maps. Players can compete for a high score on a challenge map by seeing who can discover the quickest way to complete the challenge. Read more about how you can get involved in the Story Mode Rulebook.

Setting up the play area

Remove extra cards

Card Rogue comes with a few spare cards, in case some get lost, and a few cards only used in Story mode. Before beginning normal play, remove the descending ladder card from the starting tiles, and all spare cards from the different decks.

Arrange the cards

To start the game, players should gather around a large table. Shuffle the exploration cards and place them face-down in one stack. Shuffle the pathing tiles and place them face-down in another stack. All gold cards, shop cards, and effect cards should be placed in separate piles. There should also be an area reserved for a discard pile. The remaining cards are the starting tiles. Each player should take one of these tiles. The rest can be discarded.

The deciding roll and characters

Once everything is set up, each player rolls the die. Whoever rolls the highest gets to start the game. The starting player picks one of the character cards, and a player-token. The next player, to the left of the starting player, picks next, and the order continues clockwise.

Every player plays the game the same way. The character cards, however, give each player unique traits that are expressive of that character.

If a player chooses the Mage as a character, he should also take the cooldown effect card from the effect cards deck.

Convenient Cards

Once every player has chosen a character card, they should each take a pen or pencil and a score sheet, which they will update as the game progresses. Unless specified, each player starts with 10 maximum health. This should be recorded on the score sheet. Every player starts with no change to the attack roll, and a score of 0. You can download the score sheet as a pdf from the Print page.

Each player should also take an equipment card. Players will use this card to keep track of equipped weapons and armor.

Finally, players should take a Reference card.

First move

The game begins with the starting player placing his starting tile, face-up, on the table in front of him. This should be placed as close to the player as possible, so that one path on the starting tile would lead off of the tabletop surface. That path is not explorable and is treated as a wall. The player places his player-token on the starting tile.

The next player begins by placing four exploration cards, face-down, in a tight line to the left of the starting player’s starting tile. These cards keep the game in a tight grid, and separate the players in the beginning. Next, he places his starting tile down following the four exploration cards, and places his player-token on it. All players follow likewise, connecting all starting tiles with face-down exploration cards.

Depending on the layout of the players and the shape of the tabletop, players may need to deviate from this pattern. Whatever pattern is chosen, each starting tile needs to be at least four exploration cards away from each other. The game must keep a grid-like shape. Players can only place a card to the left, right, top, or bottom of another card.

Additionally, all edges of starting tiles should have a face-down exploration card next to it, excluding the edge that is against the edge of the tabletop.

Turns

Standard turn sequence

Once the initial setup is completed, the regular game sequence begins. Each player is presented with a sequence of operations that he may perform during his turn. The standard turn sequence steps are:

1. Flip adjacent cards: The player may flip over face-down exploration cards that are adjacent (directly up, down, left, or right of) his current tile. The player may flip over any or all adjacent cards in one turn, but must interact with the following cards when they are flipped over:
• If the card is a trap, the trap is triggered and inflicts the player.
• If the card is an artifact, he must pick up the card, and replace it with a Pathing tile.
• If the card is an enemy, the player enters combat.
2. Move: The player may move his player token onto an adjacent face-up card that is not occupied by another player or enemy.
   • If he moves onto a trap, the trap is triggered and inflicts the player.
   • If he moves onto a potion, he MUST pick up the card, and replace it with a Pathing Tile.
   • If he moves onto a shop, he may buy and sell with the shopkeeper.
   • If he moves onto a fountain of healing, he will interact with it at the start of his next turn.
3. Interact: If the player moves adjacent to an enemy, the player enters combat. Otherwise, if a player is adjacent to another player, he may interact with that player.
4. Place exploration cards: The player places face-down exploration cards on his current pathing tile if paths lead to unexplored areas.

If the only action taken by the player was to move his player token, and the player did not interact with another card or player, he may repeat his turn from step 2. Once a player’s turn is over, the next player takes his turn.

Walls and paths

Pathing tiles are represented as stone paths of a face-up card. Pathing tiles can be flipped over (face-up) exploration cards or cards from the pathing tile stack. Each pathing tile has a certain number of paths, ranging from 1 to 4, leading off of the edges of the card. When a player moves onto a pathing tile, he lays exploration cards face-down next to any path on that tile that does not lead to an already placed card. All edges of pathing tiles that do not have paths are walls. If one pathing tile leads to another pathing tile that has no connecting edge (because it is a wall), then that edge is counted as a wall. Players cannot move through a wall to an adjacent tile.

When a player flips an exploration card to reveal a pathing tile, he should rotate the tile so its paths connect with his current tile's path. Pathing tiles that have a red arrow should be rotated such that the arrow is pointing away from the tile the player is currently standing on.

Combat

When a player flips over an enemy, or a player moves to an adjacent tile of a revealed enemy, that player must enter combat with the enemy. Entering combat starts the combat turn sequence, and the standard turn sequence for that player is skipped until after he leaves combat.

Combat Turn Sequence

1. Roll for attack or flee: The player rolls a die. This is called an attack roll. The player will deal the rolled amount to the enemy’s health after applying any attack modifiers. The enemy’s starting (max) health is listed on the enemy card.
   Instead of rolling an attack roll, the player may attempt to flee. Read the following section for more information.

2. Apply enemy ability (if any): If the enemy has a special ability that require a die roll, roll for this ability. Apply the ability if the roll matches the ability's required roll, or if the ability does not require a roll. Ability descriptions can be found in the Clarifications section. Look up the ability itself, and not the name of the enemy.
3. Enemy attacks: The enemy will attack the player. The player will lose health equal to the attack amount listed on the enemy card after applying any defense altering effects.

A player keeps track of his current health and the current health of the combating enemy on the score sheet. If neither the player or enemy are slain during this turn, the player ends his turn and must start the combat turn sequence again next turn. If the player is affected (by paralysis or poison) those effects will continue during the start of the next combat turn sequence. If the player loses all his health, he dies. If the enemy loses all his health, he is slain.

Fleeing from an enemy

During the player’s turn of the combat turn sequence (step 1), he can choose to flee instead of attacking by announcing that he is attempting to flee. The player rolls a die. If the player rolls a 1, 2, or 3 the player failed to flee and the combat turn sequence will continue at step 2. Otherwise, he can flee from an enemy by moving his player token to an adjacent tile away from the enemy. Players may perform other actions while fleeing. Refer to Flee in the Clarifications section.

If a player successfully flees from an enemy, the player and enemy will leave combat and the player can resume his Standard Turn Sequence at step 4, and the enemy's health will be completely restored.

Slaying an enemy

When a player slays an enemy, the player places the enemy card into his hand. Each enemy card has a gold amount, this is the enemy’s loot. The card is treated like gold, and can be used to buy items in the shop, or trade with other players. If two players are attacking an enemy, the player who dealt the last attack takes the enemy card.
When the enemy card is picked up, it should be replaced with a face-up pathing tile drawn from the pathing tiles stack. The player may now resume his Standard Turn Sequence at step 2 if he flipped over the enemy card, or at step 4 if he moved adjacent to the enemy.

Player dies

When a player’s health is reduced to 0 (or below) that player is dead. However, this does not mean game-over for that player. The player places his player token on any one of the starting tiles. He keeps one card of his choosing. If he still has cards, he places one card face-down on the tile he died on. All remaining cards in his hand that cannot be sold (with a crossed-out gold amount symbol) are placed face-down on the tile he died on. All other cards are discarded.
The player's attack roll and max health are reset to their starting values. The player ends his turn and waits for his next turn to start over again. The first player to move onto the tile with the face-down cards reveals the cards and puts them in his hand.

Interacting with other players

If a player is not in combat, he may interact with another player on his turn. Some interactions benefit both parties, and some will betray your friend’s trust. A player can only interact with another player that is on an adjacent tile.

Trading

A player may trade with an adjacent player. The two players may trade the cards in their hands, but only cards that have a trading symbol. Players cannot trade if they are in combat.

Tripping

A player may attempt to trip an adjacent player. On his turn, the player can roll a die. If he rolls a 4, 5, or 6 he successfully trips the player. This means the tripped player loses his next turn, and the other player may leap over the tripped player’s token to one of that player’s adjacent tiles. This is useful if a player is blocking a path, or if two players are racing to a certain tile.

A player may attempt to trip another player who is in combat. If the roll is successful, the player in combat loses his next turn while remaining in combat. If the roll fails, the player in combat performs an attack roll: dealing the attack roll plus attack modifiers’ damage to the player who attempted to trip him.

Stealing

A player may attempt to steal from an adjacent player. On his turn, the player can roll a die. If he rolls a 6 he may pick a random card from the other player’s hand. Equipped cards cannot be stolen.

Surround an Enemy

This interaction does not follow the normal interaction rules. Two (or more) players may attack a single enemy at once. Both players must be on separate adjacent tiles to the enemy. Each player will be in combat with the enemy and may attack on his turn.

The enemy, will only attack the first player to enter combat with him. All other players attacking an enemy can flee without rolling and do not trigger the enemy's ability if the enemy has one. If the player who is being attacked by the enemy flees, the enemy will then turn to attack the next player who entered in combat. This is true even if the fleeing character returns to attack the enemy. When an enemy dies, the player who dealt the last damage to that enemy takes the enemy card as loot.

Tiles

Traps

When a player flips over a trap card, he is immediately affected by the trap. The trap will only affect him once when it is flipped over (i.e. even if a player remains on his tile, it will not trigger again). If a player or enemy moves onto a trap after it has been revealed, he will trigger the trap's effect. The trap will only affect him once while he remains on the tile. Every time a player or enemy steps on a trap again, it will trigger again.

There are three types of traps:

• Spike Trap: The player or enemy will lose 2 health.
• Paralysis Trap: An effected player ends his turn and skips his next turn. If an enemy is moved on the trap, he will be unable to attack or apply combat effects for a turn.
• Poison Trap: An effected player or enemy loses 1 health, at the beginning of each turn, for 2 turns.

The fountain of healing

Exploration may reveal a fountain of healing. At the beginning of a player’s turn, if he is on the Fountain of healing tile, he will roll a die. If he rolls anything but a 6, he is healed 2 health. If he rolls a 6, the fountain is drained. The fountain is then discarded and replaced with a pathing tile. The fountain may be used each turn by any player standing on it, until it is drained.

The Shop

A player may reveal a shop card while exploring. If a player moves onto the shop tile, he may purchase and sell cards with the shopkeeper. Any card that has a gold amount can be sold to the shop for the given amount. The shop sells cards from the shop cards pile. All cards bought from the shop cost twice as much gold as is indicated on the card. In other words, the sell price is half of the purchase price.

Buy and Sell

To buy or sell a card, a player must be on the shop tile. To sell a card, discard the card and pick up gold cards equal to the gold amount listed on the card. To buy a card, take the card from the shop pile and discard as many gold cards, or cards with a gold amount, equaling or exceeding twice the gold amount indicated on the desired card. If the player paid more for the item than twice the given amount, the player picks up the remainder in gold cards.

A player may sell and buy multiple cards during a single turn.

Items

Certain cards in the game display symbols at the bottom of the card. These symbols can also be crossed out. If this is the case, it means the item cannot be used in such a way.

• The throw symbol means that an item may be thrown on an adjacent enemy or player. See throw for more details.
• The gold amount symbol shows how much an item can be sold for at the shop. If the symbol is crossed out, the item cannot be sold or discarded.
• The trade symbol means that this item can be traded with another player. If the symbol is crossed out, a player may still steal that item.

Scrolls

Scrolls can be purchased from the shopkeeper for twice the indicated gold amount. Scrolls can be used anytime during a turn, but once used they must be discarded. A scroll can only affect the player who uses it.

Weapons and Armor

Weapons and armor can be purchased from the shopkeeper for twice the indicated gold amount. Each weapon and armor has a special property given on the card. This property is only applied if the weapon or armor is equipped. To equip an item, a player lays the card face-up on the equipment card slot that matches the equipment symbol given on that card. Only one item can be equipped for each slot.

Artifacts

Discovering an artifact

Artifacts are any items that cannot be sold and cannot be traded. An artifact must be placed in the hand of the player who discovered it. Once picked up, it should be replaced with a pathing tile.

An artifact cannot be removed from a player's hand unless a scroll of remove all your cursed items is played or the artifact is stolen. A player can have multiple artifacts in his hand.

Properties of an artifact

Artifacts provide permanent effects to a player as long as the player has the artifact. The effect is immediately applied when the card is picked up.

The artifact’s effects are listed on the artifact card, but a detailed explanation of each effect can be found in the Clarifications section of the rulebook.

Potions

A potion is any card that shows a picture of a potion. Potions are picked up by the first player who moves his piece onto the potion tile. It is placed in the hand of that player, and replaced with a pathing tile.

A potion can be drunk (used on self), or thrown on an enemy or another player. Potions can be drunk or thrown at any time on a player’s turn. Multiple potions can be used in one turn. Once a potion is used, it must be discarded from the player’s hand.

Properties of a potion

Potions provide either temporary or permanent effects. These effects are only applied to the player who drank the potion, or to the player or enemy the potion was thrown on. The potion immediately take effect on the player/enemy once drunk or thrown.

Potions start out with an unknown effect. Once the potion is used its effect is revealed. All remaining potions in the game with the same potion color have that same effect. A player may write the potion’s identity on the score sheet to help remember which potions have been identified. Roll the die to discover the potion’s property:

1. Potion of Healing: restore health to max health
2. Potion of Poison: lose 1 health, at the beginning of each turn, for 3 turns .
3. Potion of Strength: +1 to attack roll. Update attack roll on score sheet.
4. Potion of Weakness: -1 to attack roll. Update attack roll on score sheet.
5. Potion of Teleportation: move to any pathing tile and end turn.
6. Potion of Paralysis: end turn (if it is the player's turn) and skip the next turn.

If a number is rolled, but another potion color already has that effect, the player must re-roll so that each potion color has a different effect.

Potions can also be thrown on an adjacent enemy or player. Read in the Clarifications section about each potion for further information about how the potion works when thrown, or how it works in special circumstances.

Goals

The goal of the game is to gain the most victory points. Victory points are awarded for completing certain goals that are outlined below. The winning player is the one who has the most victory points when the game ends.

The chest and key

As players are exploring the passages, they may discover a locked chest. Hidden inside is, most certainly, secrets about the ancient cult of sorcerers that built these passageways. The player who unlocks the chest will be awarded a victory point for his discovery. The chest, however, can only be opened by the key. When a player finds the key card, he places it into his hand. When that player moves onto the chest tile, the key card is discarded and the player is awarded a victory point to be recorded on the score sheet.

The key may be stolen by another player, but once the chest is opened the victory point remains with the awarded player.

The shopkeeper’s debt

One of the items that can be bought from the shopkeeper is his debt. Once bought, the debt is removed from the game, and the player who purchased it is awarded a victory point to be recorded on his score sheet. This victory point cannot be stolen.

The bosses

There are three bosses in the game. Bosses are enemies that are extra tough. They should be strategically approached, and will usually require the cooperation of players to defeat. When a boss is defeated, the player who dealt the finishing damage takes the boss card, which awards the amount of victory points indicated on the card. This card cannot be sold, traded, or otherwise discarded. It can, however, be stolen by another player, along with the victory point that is associated with that card.

The basilisks

The basilisks are two mini-bosses that award a victory point each. The victory points associated with these bosses have special rules. Both basilisk cards cannot be in one player’s hand. If at any time both cards are owned by one player, they are discarded from the game, and no victory points are awarded.

The golem

The golem remains alive as a testimony that the stories of the sorcerers are true! The player who rids this monster from the catacombs will be awarded two victory points. These points are connected to this boss card. This card can be stolen by other players during the end rush.

The end rush (2+ Players only)

When the the golem is slain and the card is taken by one of the players, it is a race to the surface to share stories of glory to all that await the players’ return. Players make their way back to any exit (starting tile). Potions of teleportation have no effect during this stage of the game, and any player that dies does not reenter the game. Once a player reaches the starting tile, that player is awarded an extra victory point, to be recorded on the score sheet, and the game is over.

Game over scoring (2+ Players only)

The winner of the game is decided by tallying each player’s victory points. Certain cards have victory points can be stolen during the game. The victory points are awarded to the player who holds these cards when the game ends. The player with the most victory points is announced the winner.

Exceptional Rules

Quitting a game early

A player may want to a quit a game early. There are several possible ways to proceed if this occurs:

• If a player rage quits (quits because he becomes too frustrated), the player dies. All of his equipped cards and cards in his hand are placed face-down on the tile the player died on.
• If a player must temporarily leave the game, the other players may either wait for his return or the player is removed from the tiles. The game continues without the player. When the player returns, he is placed back on the same tile he was removed from. If another player is on that tile, he must wait for that player to move off the tile before returning.
• If a player must leave for the entirety of the game, the player dies. All of his equipped cards and cards in his hand are placed face-down on the tile the player died on.

These rules can be modified by the other players as circumstances require.

All pathing tiles lead to dead ends

If a player is unable to lay new tiles, meaning all pathing tiles lead to dead ends or loops, the player can call on the aid of the mole. The mole can instantly replace any pathing tile with a 4-path pathing tile that can be searched for through the pathing tile stack (shuffle the stack once looked through). His services cost 10 gold. A player may sell any of his sellable items to the mole if he does not have enough gold to pay for the mole's services. If the player still does not have enough gold, the mole takes all the player’s cards, excluding the unsellable cards, and aids the player.

A player does not need to call on the aid of the mole; however, if all players are unable to lay new tiles, there are only two options: 1)either one, or multiple players, call on the aid of the mole, or 2) the game enters the end rush.

There are no more Exploration Cards or Pathing Tiles in the stack

When all tiles are laid, the game does not end. The Golem must still be slain in order to start the end rush. If players don't dare fight the Golem, or cannot defeat the Golem, all players forfeit the game. There may be face-down exploration cards that are unreachable. Players may reuse these cards when the stack runs out.

Teleporting or moving to a tile, but turn is ended

A player can move, or be moved, to another location on the board when it is not his turn (the Potion of Teleportation and the scroll of Move to any adjacent tile cause this event). When this happens, the moved player does not flip over tiles, pick up cards, enemies do not attack him, and traps do not trigger until the beginning of that player's turn. If an enemy is teleported adjacent to a player, the same rules apply.

Attack roll modifier + other attack modifiers

The attack roll modifier is always applied after all other attack modifiers.

Other exceptions

There are other possible exceptions to the game. When it is unclear what to do in an instance, make sure to read the Clarifications section carefully. If it is still unclear, try to rationalize what a possible rule would be. Exceptions must always favor the player who is being afflicted.