Chain Mail - Living Rules Doc
The world of Earthshine is broken. The chasm has brought on many new challenges and we hope that you can help us solve them. Join us in the underworld to gain the glory you deserve.
Components:
4 Hero Cards
1 Time Card
1 Resource Card
1 Turn Card
1 Cube Card
4 Status Effect Mini Cards
Variable Components:
1 Map Board
1 Monster Card
1 Quest Card
1 Treasure Card
Provide Your Own Components:
Three 6 sided dice
Cubes to replace the Cube Card (optional)
Goal:
To complete your assigned quest before the time runs out.
Setup:
Each player chooses a character. A game of Chain Mail uses all 4 character cards. If playing solo, use all 4. If playing 2 player, each will take 2 characters. If playing 3 players, share the remaining character.
Choose a map. Place the map in the center of the play area.
Place the time, resource and turn cards near the map, showing the turn reference side face-up.
Choose a quest card, monster card and treasure card and place them near the map.
Place the cubes as follows:
- Place the party token on the #1 space.
- For each of the 4 characters you will place 2 character cubes on each characters’ starting spaces, and place 1 underneath the turn card. Place the remaining character cube next to the resource card. These additional cubes may be unlocked as the game goes on.
- Place one red health cube on each character at full health, and place the remaining red health cube next to the monster card.
- Place one green resource cube on each of the starting spaces of the resource card.
- Place one green time cube on the time track at 22, unless stated otherwise in the quest.
- Place one grey enemy cube next to the battle card, and the remaining grey enemy cube near the enemy card.
- Place the gold treasure cubes by the treasure card.
- Place the black quest cubes by the quest card.
- Follow any additional cube placement instructions on the Quest card or instructions, as well as the Monster, Map or Treasure cards.
You are ready to begin!
Gameplay:
The game will be played in a series of turns in which you do the following, in order. Use the turn card as a quick reference and also to track your characters actions.
1) Stay or Move
Stay - Leave the party token in the hex that it is in. Spend 1 food.
Move - Move the party token an adjacent hex that is not blocked by a wall.
Check the map to see any terrain modifiers. Some of these will take effect immediately. See Terrain Modifiers below for more information.
2) Roll for Trouble
Roll 1 die for each skull icon in your hex, plus one additional die if you just moved into this location. If you are required to roll more than 3 dice, do not roll and automatically enter battle.
Note: You may not use coins to adjust your Roll for Trouble. Unless noted otherwise, this is the only die roll that may not be adjusted.
Note: You may roll doubles and 6’s causing both a trap and a battle. Resolve the trap first, then proceed to battle.
3) Adventuring
Each character takes a turn in any order the players would like.
A turn consists of manipulating character cubes according to the character-specific rules. You will move cubes to new squares on the character card. Some are battle actions, which do not take effect during the adventuring phase (but instead may allow you to prep for potential battle), but if you move to an adventure icon, you may take the effect during this time. There are many types of icons and actions and they all have different timing. See Actions below for more information.
When a hero has completed their turn, take the hero cube that is next to the Turn Card and place on the Activated Hero space showing that the hero has taken their turn.
If a hero has fallen (reached 0 health), due to terrain, effects, traps, or anything else, they will not take their action this turn.
Once all characters have taken their turn, proceed to #4 End of Turn.
4) End of Turn
At the end of the turn you will do the following, in order:
- Reduce the time track by 1.
- Remove up to 1 status effect.
- Revive any fallen heroes to full health, and reduce the time track by 1 for each hero that was revived.
- If you have time remaining, start the next turn.
Resources
Resources are used throughout the game to assist your heroes. They can be used at any time.
Food: Spend 2 food to heal 1 heart on any hero.
Money: Spend 1 money to change a die roll by 1 (for example: change a 5 to either a 4 or 6). You can only modify each die once per roll. You may not modify dice when Rolling for Trouble.
Experience: Spend 1 experience to give a character an action while adventuring or during battle. Spend 5 experience to level up.
Level: with each level up, you may give a character a third cube. It is placed on one of their starting spaces. If not available, place on the starting space on a future turn when it’s available. Characters with a 3rd cube will have more flexibility on their turns.
Each resource has a maximum of 5. If you already have 5 and gain a resource, you cannot take it.
If you have 0 of a resource and are required to lose that resource (due to a monster or trap), you do not take an additional loss.
BATTLE
When a battle occurs, you will use the backside of the Turn Card. Here each character and the monster will have their own column (each cube will always stay in their column). Everyone starts in the battle row and some characters may work their way into other rows (prep, flank, hide, taunt) for a variety of reasons.
Determine Monster
Roll to see which monster you are battling. Each monster card will show the range of dice for each monster type. If you roll a number that is shown in black, you have been ambushed.
AMBUSH: Place the monster cube on their location on the battle line, and randomize the 4 character cubes and place them into the battle line.
NO AMBUSH: Place the monster cube on their location on the battle line, and place the 4 character cubes into the battle line into the columns of your choice.
You will also need to setup the monster’s health () and any additional cubes needed for them. It’s also good to take note of that monster’s special power, as it can occur at any time.
Quick Attack Prepped characters (in order from left to right) attack, if able
If any characters came into battle on an attack icon, those characters may each make an immediate attack.
Now it’s time to enter battle!
ROUNDS OF BATTLE
Battle Step 1) Monster Attacks
Roll a die for the monster and see if it hits anyone in the party.
The monster card will show the range of the monster, and if the die result matches a space (or spaces) on the battle card, any characters in those locations will take damage. Each monster shows how much damage () they deal on a successful attack.
When a character takes damage, reduce their heart track by the amount of damage that was dealt.
Battle Step 2) Characters Act or Move
Characters (in order from left to right) may each take one action: act or move.
Act
Move cubes on the character card using that character’s normal rules for cube movement. If you land on a battle icon, the character attacks immediately, as long as they are in a row that allows attacking. If you land on a adventure icon, it’ll take effect as long as the character is in a row that allows adventure icons.
HIDE: Adventure only
PREP: Adventure OR Battle
BATTLE: Battle only
FLANK: Adventure OR Battle
TAUNT: Adventure only
In addition to this, Flank and Taunt provide additional bonuses.
FLANK: Melee attacks are also diagonal
TAUNT: If anyone is attacked this round, you will be dealt damage instead.
To hit a monster, you must roll equal to or higher than their defense value ().
Move
Move your character either 1 space up or down in their column, or swap places with another character. If you swap places, the swap takes effect after the second character takes their movement action, and it counts as an action for both characters.
If the monster has not been defeated, return to Battle Step 1. The next round of battle begins and the monster attacks.
If the monster has been defeated, take your rewards and go to End of Turn.
Fallen Heroes
If a hero falls in battle they do not continue to battle. Their cube remains in its position but another character may swap positions with it on their turn.
If all heroes have fallen in the same battle, the game ends immediately and the heroes lose.
Additional Damage Once Fallen
If a monster attacks and any number of fallen heroes are hit, the party will lose 1 resource of their choice. It can be any of the following: food, money, experience, level, or time. This is a max of 1 resource per monster attack, no matter how many heroes have fallen.
CHARACTER RULES
Each character in Chain Mail will play differently than every other character. Many actions and icons are shared, but how they obtain those actions will be unique.
Actions are either Adventure Icons or Battle Icons.
Adventure Icons: Used during the adventuring phase of the turn, as well as when heroes are in specific rows of the battle card. These provide actions, health, movement and resources.
Battle Icons: Used when battling monsters in specific rows of the battle card, and also used during the action phase to prepare
for battle.
Actions are also Active or Passive, and some actions are Preppable.
Active Icons: These will immediately take effect when a cube is moved to the space.
Passive Icons: These will provide the effect while the cube is on the space.
Preppable: These are attacks that, if on that space when starting battle, allows the character to make an immediate attack before battle begins.
Some spaces will have cube removal.
Cube Removal: If there is a cube
removal icon, once you’ve used this icon for an action, you must immediately remove the cube in that location and
place it off of the card. At the start of the next turn, you will place the cube on the designated starting space.
CLERIC
The Cleric has two sections of cubes. The top sets his range to assist other characters, and the bottom grid sets his available actions.
Setup: The Cleric Starts with 2 cubes on the dark spaces. The near square in the top Range section, and the empty square in the bottom left.
MOVEMENT
On his turn, the Cleric must move one cube. Either the top Range cube or the bottom Action cube.
The Range cube starts on Near, and this means the Cleric can use specific actions (Bless, Rally, Rest or Heal) to assist the character to his left or right on the table.
If moved up to Any, the Cleric can direct those actions to any character. This has the Cube Removal icon, so once it’s used, the cube must be removed from the card.
And if moved to All, the Cleric can direct those actions to all other characters. This effect also requires cube removal.
The bottom action grid represents the rigid order and formation that Clerics adhere to. Starting in the bottom row, you can move the cube to any action in that row. If you start
your turn on a space with an arrow going up, you may instead move up to that space in the next row.
You may always use a space in your row, or if there is an arrow leading upwards, you may move up to the space in a row above you.
The Cleric also receives +1 re-roll vs Undead monsters.
THIEF
The Thief has two sections of cubes. The
top right determines his Direction of cube movement, and the bottom Hexagon consists of his available actions.
Setup: The Thief starts with 2 cubes on the dark spaces. The clockwise square in the top section, and the square above the (eye) icon on bottom hexagon.
MOVEMENT
On his turn, the Thief must move either one or both cubes anywhere from one to three spaces total. Cubes may be moved from both sections, multiple times and in any order.
The Direction cube starts on Clockwise, meaning the Hexagon cube below will move clockwise.
If moved down to Counter Clockwise, the Hexagon cube will be moved counter clockwise.
The bottom Hexagon represents the the twists and turns a Thief will take while picking locks and completing other dastardly deeds.
Starting in the top center, you will move clockwise or counter clockwise to the different spaces on the Hexagon. You can take up to three cube movements per turn
total, including direction changes.
You can also always move to the center of the Hexagon for the Thief’s double-knife attack.
Once you have moved cubes, but before you have taken your action, you roll for disorientation and check the chart on the bottom left. You must roll higher than the amount of spaces you moved. (Example,
if you moved 2 spaces, you must roll a 3
or higher). And if you moved to the center attack, you must roll a 3 or higher. If this roll fails, you do not take the action and remove both cubes.
WITCH
The Witch has one section of cubes in the top right, showing the ingredients that she is currently mixing up. In the bottom, it shows the spells based on her ingredient combinations.
Setup: The Witch starts with 2 cubes on the dark spaces (Berries and Frog).
MOVEMENT
On her turn, the Witch must move one cube to any ingredient.
Once you have moved, check to see if there is a Spell or Side Effect.
SPELLS: The Witch has 5 spells: Hex, Brew, Scry, Fly, and Curse.
Hex is a ranged attack.
Brew provides 1 food or 1 money.
Scry allows for a search but has cube removal.
Fly and Curse are unique to the Witch.
Fly allows the party to move an extra space, with the downside of a higher risk of alerting monsters.
Curse will send a monster’s attack damage back at it.
SIDE EFFECTS: The 3 right side items (Frog, Phoenix Feather and Eye of Newt) also provide Side Effects:
Frog Melee attack
Feather +1 Defense (absorbs 1 damage
when attacked)
Eye +1 Damage during attacks
These Side Effects may be in addition to a Spell that the Witch has cast, or possibly on their own if there is no Spell combo available.
RANGER
The Ranger has two sections of cubes. The top right represents her current training focus and the bottom Mill is made up of her available actions.
Earthshine Rangers believe that life is cyclical. They describe destiny and fate as all part of a Great Mill.
Setup: The Ranger starts with 2 cubes on the dark spaces. The track square in the top section, and the Melee 1 square in the top left corner of the great mill.
MOVEMENT
On her turn, the Ranger must move 1 or 2 spaces total. This may be the training cube, the Mill cube, or move both 1 space each.
The green training icons on the Mill track cannot be used unless the Ranger is actively focused on that ability in the training track above.
The training cube starts on Search 2, allowing the Ranger to search, receive the results and then search and receive results a second time. Next is Aim, allowing use of a ranged attack. Below that is Dual Wield for a Dual Melee attack. And finally there is Call with the Bear Attack.
Moving along this track is up or down, with no specific required direction.
The Mill goes clockwise starting in the top left. If you are on a green action that you are not actively training on, you will not take the action at this time.
The Ranger also receives +1 re-roll vs Darkling monsters.
ACTIONS
Bless: Allows a re-roll to another character (passive)
Rally: Allows another character to take another action (passive)
BATTLE
Melee 1: Roll 1 die to attack an adjacent space. Deals 1 damage if successful. (instant, preppable)
Melee 2: Roll 1 die to attack an adjacent space. Deals 2 damage if successful. (instant, preppable)
Melee 3: Roll 1 die to attack an adjacent space. Deals 3 damage if successful. (instant, preppable)
Range 1: Roll 1 die to attack anywhere in the battle line. Deals 1 damage if successful. (instant, preppable)
Extra Damage: 1 extra damage to attacks (passive)
Bear Call: Roll 3 dice to attack adjacent. 1 damage for each hit. (instant, preppable)
Backstab: 1 immediate damage to monster upon start of battle. (passive)
If hit by an attack, deal that damage back to the monster (passive)
Defense: If hit by an attack, subtract 1 damage (passive)
Dual Melee 1: Roll 2 dice to attack an adjacent space. Deals 1 damage for each successful roll. (instant, preppable)
Hide: Start a battle in the hide area or move directly to the hide area while in battle (instant, preppable)
HEALTH
Heal: Add 1 Heart to yourself (instant)
Rest: Remove one status effect from yourself (instant)
MOVEMENT
Pick Lock: Move through a wall during the movement step (passive)
Disarm Trap: Negate the effects of a trap (passive)
(special) Next turn move one extra space, but add a die to your monster roll (passive)
RESOURCES
Search: Roll 2 dice and check for Treasure/Quest Goals (instant)
Search 2: Search twice (instant) Gain Money: Gain 1 Money (instant) Gain Food: Gain 1 Food (instant)
Active Icons: These will immediately take effect when a cube is moved to the space.
Passive Icons: These will provide the effect while the cube is on the space.
Preppable: These are attacks that, if on that space when starting battle, allows the character to make an immediate attack before battle begins.
Some spaces will have cube removal.
Cube Removal: If there is a cube
removal icon, once you’ve used this icon for an action, you must immediately remove the cube in that location and
place it off of the card. At the start of the next turn, you will place the cube on the designated starting space.
Let’s take a look at the starter characters...
SHEPHERD
The Shepherd has a natural instinct for direction. So much that she specializes in different actions depending on the direction that the party is moving. She also has a trusty dog that will scout for her, finding monsters, traps and even joining battle.
Setup: The Shepherd starts with 2 cubes on the dark spaces. The dog square in the top section, and the center square in the bottom action area for her actions.
CUBE MOVEMENT
During the Stay or Move phase of the turn, if the party moves, the Shepherd will shift her action cube from its current location to the direction that the party moved. North (straight up), South (straight down), East (either of the hexes to the right) or West (either of the hexes to the left).
If the party didn’t move, the cube remains in the area that it’s currently in.
But if the cube is still in the center square at the time the Shepherd is going to take her actions (due to not moving on the first turn or after cube removal during subsequent turns) then the Shepherd can move her cube to any area.
Once in an area, the Shepherd may
take any of the actions. When taking a subsequent action in the same area, she must move to any other one in that area.
She must always move her action cube during her turn.
DOG
When moving to a dog space in her action track, she may choose to activate the dog. The dog is used for 3 things.
Check for monsters and Traps
Move the dog from its spot on the card, or from any Hex on the map into a Hex that is adjacent to the party. Then roll for trouble. If a trap occurs, the Shepherd must take the result. If a battle were to occur, place a monster cube on that location to show that the space will result in a battle.
If no battle were to occur, leave the dog in that space to show it is safe, you will not need to roll for trouble when the party moves into that space.
If you ever have to (or choose to) remove the dog from a location, then you would have to also remove a monster token that is in that space. The information gained by the dog is no longer available.
Pick Locks
When you move the dog into a location to check for monsters and Traps, it will also disable any locked walls connected to that Hex, allowing the party to safely pass through the wall.
Join in Battle / Attack
If the dog is still in a Hex when the party enters a battle there, the dog cube is moved to the battle card. The dog must be placed into the Shepherd’s column.
If the dog is not in the same Hex, activating the dog action allows you to move the dog from its location onto the battle card.
Once the dog is on the Battle Card, activating the dog action allows a melee attack with an automatic 1 damage to a monster in the column to its left or right. No roll is necessary.
When you have two cubes on the battle card (the Shepherd and the dog), the Shepherd may choose either location to be herself and either to be the dog.
If the dog is attacked during battle, the Shepherd takes the damage. Note: The Shepherd may take damage twice when the dog joins her in battle.
NOTE: At any time, the dog can be sent back to the Shepherd’s card.
THIRD CUBE / LEVEL UP
If the Shepherd levels up, she gains an additional dog. The dog space on the card only holds one at a time, but once the space on the card frees up, the second dog cube will move onto the card. This second dog could go to another space on the Map or also join in battle.
ACTIONS
Bless: Allows a re-roll to another character (passive)
Rally: Allows another character to take another action (passive)
BATTLE
Melee 1: Roll 1 die to attack an adjacent space. Deals 1 damage if successful. (instant, preppable)
Melee 2: Roll 1 die to attack an adjacent space. Deals 2 damage if successful. (instant, preppable)
Melee 3: Roll 1 die to attack an adjacent space. Deals 3 damage if successful. (instant, preppable)
Range 1: Roll 1 die to attack anywhere in the battle line. Deals 1 damage if successful. (instant, preppable)
Extra Damage: 1 extra damage to attacks (passive)
Bear Call: Roll 3 dice to attack adjacent. 1 damage for each hit. (instant, preppable)
Backstab: 1 immediate damage to monster upon start of battle. (passive)
If hit by an attack, deal that damage back to the monster (passive)
Defense: If hit by an attack, subtract 1 damage (passive)
Dual Melee 1: Roll 2 dice to attack an adjacent space. Deals 1 damage for each successful roll. (instant, preppable)
Hide: Start a battle in the hide area or move directly to the hide area while in battle (instant, preppable)
HEALTH
Heal: Add 1 Heart to yourself (instant)
Rest: Remove one status effect from yourself (instant)
MOVEMENT
Pick Lock: Move through a wall during the movement step (passive)
Disarm Trap: Negate the effects of a trap (passive)
(special) Next turn move one extra space, but add a die to your monster roll (passive)
RESOURCES
Search: Roll 2 dice and check for Treasure/Quest Goals (instant)
Search 2: Search twice (instant) Gain Money: Gain 1 Money (instant) Gain Food: Gain 1 Food (instant)
FAQ / Clarifications
For all up-to-date FAQ items, visit us at buttonshygames.com. You can also use the direct FAQ link: tinyurl.com/chainmail-faq
Treasure Card / Searching
When you search you are either looking for Treasure or looking for an element in a Quest.
To search you will roll 2 dice and check both the Quest and Treasure Card to see if your combined result provides any reward.
If you roll a number that applies to both the Quest and the Treasure Card, you may choose either one as your reward.
Rewards are required unless stated otherwise. (Note: there’s an occasional bad reward)
Coin Adjustments
Coins allow you to adjust a die by a value of one. Each die may only be adjusted once after rolled.
Example: If you are trying to roll a 5 for a mission and you have two coins, you have some flexibility. A roll of 3 and 4 could be adjusted to a 5 with two coins dropping them down to a 2 and 3.
Relics are the special items in the #12 slot on the Treasure Card. These are unique items that can be gained with very lucky die rolls.
When a Relic is gained, the active player may give the Relic to any character. Only one character may have the Relic at a time, and once gained, it may not be passed
to another player. Once it’s used up, it becomes available again, unless stated otherwise.
Treasure Cubes
Treasure Cubes are available to assist in tracking items that are gained from the Treasure Card.
The Relics will require tracking, as well as other potential items that you may gain.
If there are not enough Treasure Cubes available for an item that requires it, that item is not available.
Fallen Heroes
If a hero has fallen, they cannot do anything for the rest of the turn.
Revive
During the End of Turn Phase, each fallen hero must be revived at a cost of 1 time. If you do not have enough time remaining to revive all fallen heroes, you lose the game.
Battle
If a hero falls in battle they do not continue to battle. Their cube remains in its position but another character may swap positions with it on their turn.
Additional Damage Once Fallen
If a monster attacks and any number of fallen heroes are hit, the party will lose 1 resource of their choice. It can be any of the following: food, money, experience, level, or time. This is a max of 1 resource per monster attack, no matter how many heroes have fallen.
Tracking Score
If you have succeeded in your mission and won the game, you can track your score as follows:
Score = Current Time + Resources
Time
Check your space on the time track. That is your final time score.
Resources
Count up all of your resources at 1 point each. (Food, money, experience and levels.)