Key Words, Card Types & Special Instructions

Many cards have special instructions, icons and key

words. Key words are words in the card name, card type
or special instructions box (not in the flavor text).

ARMOR- A Player may have only one Active
Armor icon
in their Active card. Discard a previous
Armor card when a new one is Resolved.

CARDS WITHOUT A SURVIVAL OR PRESTIGE
VALUE- These cards take immediate effect when Resolved. It is not added to the Active Cards and is Discarded once Resolved. Treat all cards without a Prestige
or Survival value as a zero ( 0 ) for any Prestige Checks.

CARDS WITH A SURVIVAL AND PRESTIGE VALUE- These cards must be added to the Active Cards once
Resolved. They are always added together during Scoring to determine a death or winner. Many have special
instructions that must be Resolved or may be used in
future rounds (see key word May below).

DISCARD- Place the card face up in the Discard
deck. Reshuffle all Discarded cards whenever the Draw
deck is empty.

DRAW- This means take the top card from the
Draw deck to Resolve or to complete a Prestige Check. If
a certain type of card is required, such as Draw a Monster Card, continue to Draw and Discard until the required card is drawn.

GAINING AN ACTIVE CARD- whenever a card is
added to the Active Hand Resolve its special instructions,
even if it was Resolved in a previous round or by a previous Player.

ITEMS- These cards represent all types of equipment and material, both good and bad. There is no limit
to the number of Item cards a Player may have in the Active Hand. Weapon and Armor cards are always considered Item cards, but with a limit on the number a Player
can have in the Active Hand.

LOCATIONS- These cards represent various places in the adventure, both exciting and mundane. Location cards are added to the Active Card stack sideways
so they are readily seen. The most recent Location card
in the Active Hand is the Players current Location. Many
Location special instructions remain in effect so long as it
remains the Players current Location.

Former Location cards remain in the Active Hand

for scoring, but ignore their special instructions. If a Players

current Location card is removed from their Active Hand,
the Players current location becomes the most recently
Resolved former location in their Active Hand. This requires
the Player to again Resolve any special instructions from the
former Location card.

MAY- The Player can choose to use the special
instruction, and does not have to do so immediately. This
creates an option the Player may want to use immediately
or save for use when Resolving their own, or another Players future card.

For example, you may use the Healing Ointment (a
may instruction card) from your Active Hand to Discard
another Players Revealed card (even without their permission!) when they Resolve a future Revealed card by Discarding your Healing Ointment card.

MINIONS- Player Cards with less than 20 survival
points are considered Minions. Although they are the lesser allies of the Gore Stained Axe Tribe, they are capable of
gaining the Prestige to win the tribes respect. Minions general can take less Survival damage, have a moderate ability
and an easier Prestige goal. Conniving players will find the

Tribe. Warchiefs are tough, have an impressive ability and

have the hardest Prestige goals to win.

WEAPONS- Weapon cards have one or two hand
icons
. Players can have no more than two hands
worth of weapons. When a Player adds a Weapon to their
Active Hand that exceeds the hand icon limit, the Player
must discard their previous Weapon Cards until the hand
limit is met.

For example, if a Player has the Longbow card (2
hand icon) and gains the Sword of Fumbling card (1 hand
icon), the Player must discard the Longbow card and keep
the Sword of Fumbling card.

x2 CARDS- Multiply the matching value of the
required card. Place the two cards together to denote the
multiplier applies to required card. If that required card is
lost, do not Discard the x2 card. Re-apply the x2 multiplier on the next Active Card that also meets the requirement. Example, If you have the Dungeon Corridor card (x2
Survival on a Trap card) and Discard the Trap Card that
was with it, your next Trap Card will also be x2 if the
Dungeon Corridor remains your current Location. Multiply
each x2 card in the rare case they are stacked together.

weakness of a Minion is a great negotiating tactic to force

the Warchief players to take care of them... and win.

MUST - The Player must follow the special instruction if possible. If unable to do so, the instruction is
ignored. All cards without the key word May are consider
a Must card, even when the word Must is not used.

PLAYER CARD ABILITIES- Each Player Card has an
ability that gives them a distinct edge against certain types
of cards or situations. A Player may attempt to use their
Player Card ability once each time the listed condition or
requirement occurs to that Player. Most Player Card abilities require a Prestige Check to be successful.

PRESTIGE CHECK- Some Player Card abilities and
special instructions have a limited chance to occur. A
Prestige Check is similar to rolling a die. Draw a card and
compare the blue Prestige value of the card to the required target number of the ability or special instruction. If
the Prestige value meets the listed target value, the ability
or special instruction occurs. Always Discard the Prestige
Check card.

WARCHIEFS- Player Cards with at least 20 Survival
points are considered Warchiefs of the Gore Stained Axe

When any Special Instruction from a card conflicts

with these rules, always follow the Special Instruction.

LEVEL DRAIN

The Lich King and other powerful undead horrors can

drain a Player of their life force. When a Level Drain special instruction first occurs, the affected Player must place
a Level Drain status card above their Player Card. Level
Drain cards rotate counter-clockwise for Warchiefs and
clockwise for Minions.
Warchief Level Drains- Place a Level Drain card with the
First Level Drain edge facing center table the first time a
Level Drain instruction is Resolved. If the Player Resolves a
second Level Drain instruction, rotate the Level Drain card
counter-clockwise to the Final Level Drain. A Warchief
may not use their Player Card Ability when on their Final
Level Drain. If a third Level Drain occurs, rotate the Level
Drain card to the Dead card edge. Unless someone is
able to Discard the Level Drain card before Scoring, the
Warchief player will die during the scoring round, regardless of their Survival score. This ends the game.