by Infyra
Epic DND Boardgames VariantNote: This variant Changes some of the rules of the game in a dramatic way and makes the gameplay feel quite different. A lot of table space is needed, depending on which of the 3 DND boardgames you own, and the gameplay time will exceed the 1 hour playtime of the usual game by quite a bit!
For this variant the same setup is always used, and depending on the tiles that are randomly found while exploring the dungeon, different objectives may arise.
All compatible games (Castle Ravenloft, Wrath of Ashardalon and Legend of Drizzt + the 5 dungeon command sets) can be combined in this set for an epic experience.
During setup put the monster tiles and treasure tiles into two bags, so they can be randomly drawn from. Choose one start tile and add a tile from the stack to each unexplored edge of the start tile - do not add monsters to these first tiles!
Make one stack of the Dungeon Tiles and another of the Cavern Tiles.
One of the most important changes is the removal of the Exploration phase from the player turn sequence.
Instead this rule is used during the Hero Phase:
Whenever a hero figure moves onto a tile with a unexplored edge, emediatly draw a tile from the stack for each unexplored edge and place the tiles as usual, with the arrow pointing towards the tile the hero is on.
Instead of drawing a monster card an placing that monster on each tile, for each tile draw a monster tile (the tiles that say 1-4 monsters or a unique villain), and place the indicated monsters on the tiles as usual (as close as possible to the skull/ash pile). Put the tokens with a number of monsters on them back into the back, keep the tokens representing villains near their villain card.
After this interuption, the player continues his turn with any squares left for his movement.
If a villain is indicated that is on the reverse side of a villain in play, do not put the new villain in play.
This change gives the player the initiative over the monsters, but it will make a lot more monsters come into play, also it will put villains into play.
The villain phase is the same as indicated in the rulebook except for the following:
- If there are multiple villains in play, activate them in the order they came into play.
- If there is any villain in play, do not draw a Encounter Card, even if the players did not explore a tile with a white arrow this turn.
- Only draw a encounter card if there were no tiles explored with a white arrow during the hero phase.
These changes make sure there is pressure to exlore, but not when there is a villain monster in play.
The following changes to the gameplay are also in effect for this variant:
Whenever a villain is defeated, the players earn a healing surge, remove the monster token representing the villain from the selection available in the monster bag (return it to the box).
Players at level 2 can keep leveling up, every time they level up they can either recharge one of their cards, or gain access to another card from their character skill deck.
Each time a level 2 character levels up, it heals damage equal to their surge value.
Whenever a monster is killed, draw a treasure tile for every monster killed instead of a treasure card.
Exiting the Dungeon:
Some tiles allow the players to exit the dungeon to recuperate, everytime they do every player can heal all damage on their hero, and the party draws cards from the treasure deck until 5 cards with a cost in gold are indicated. These cards can be bought as usual during campaign play.
After that either remove the board from the game (keep all the tiles on the table in a seperate "explored" stack, or if the players are up for more, place a face-down monster tile/token on every tile at least one tile away from any exit/entrance to the dungeon.
Whenever a hero figure is adjecent to a tile with a face down monster token on it, turn over the token and place monsters as usual.
Some tiles might have special effects as follows:
Start tile: This can be used to exit the dungeon and recuperate (see exiting the dungeon above)
Any tile with a crpyt on it: Use one of the crypt tokens and place it on the crypt.
Tunnel Exit: This can be used to exit the dungeon and recuperate (see exiting the dungeon above)
Doors: Place a door token on the tile and do not count the tile behind the door as an unexplored edge for the sake of drawing new tiles.
Dire Chamber Entrance: Draw a dire room as described in the Wrath of Ashardalon scenario book, plus one random room card for what it contains.
Secret Stairway: This leads down into the dark caverns of the underdark, it leads to the entrance tile from the Legend of Drizzt Set.
Horrid Chamber Entrance: Draw a horrid room as described in the Wrath of Ashardalon scenario book, plus one random room card for what it contains.
Continueing over multiple sessions: If you keep the skills the characters have unlocked seperate, all the villains tokens that have been defeated in the box and a seperate stack for the tiles that have been explored before the following steps can be used to continue on another day with the exploration of the castle/mountain/underdark:
- Place the start tile on the center of the table and add one tile from your "explored" stack to each edge. Add tiles from the stack to unexplored edges with the following rule in mind: no tile can be placed unless it is equally close or closest to the starting tile as any other tile that can be placed.
- Place a face down monster token on every tile that is at least one tile away from a dungeon exit/entrance (just to make sure the hero's do not get swarmed from 4 tiles the moment they enter!)
- Continue the hunt for villains and continue exploring more of the dungeon complex.
The final objective of the game is to kill all the Villains and explore every tile in the Dungeon and the Cavern Stacks, and to do this with as little trips back to town as possible!
A lot of cards will need some sort of errata, such as Ashardalon, to make use of his breath needs to draw encounter cards even if he is in play. Use common sense to solve any situation that does not make sense, and have fun!