Credit for the original Epic Thunderstone variant goes to noted game designer Richard Launius.

Document version 1.1, by Yoki.

Epic Thunderstone
This is a Thunderstone rules variant by noted game designer Richard Launius. He comments that as more Thunderstone sets are
released, he reduces the number of each type of card included in the decks to ensure more variety. This variant is evangelized and
tweaked by Tom Vasel as noted below. Further variants and modifications by Yoki Erdtman and others are also listed.
Monsters & Dungeon Features (1 Dungeon Deck, Row #1):
Richard Launius Original:
Shuffle all Monster, Siege, and
Dungeon Feature cards together. Deal
out 10 Cards per player into the
Dungeon Deck. Do not use Hordes, or
Swarm cards. Lastly add 1 or more
Thunderstones to the bottom 10 cards
and shuffle them.
Tom Vasels Variant:
Sort the Monster and Siege cards into
three decks, sorted by XP. Shuffle 1
Guardian, 1 Thunderstone, and 7 x
XP3-4 Monsters together and put in the
Dungeon pile. Shuffle three more XP3-
4 Monsters and put on top of the
Dungeon, then add a shuffled stack of
10 x XP2 Monsters, and lastly top it off
with a shuffled stack of 10 x XP1
Monsters. All the monsters are
randomly selected. Add Dungeon
Features (Traps, and Treasures), Horde,
and/or Swarm as desired.
Yoki Erdtmans Variant #1:
Use 4 x XP1 Monsters, 3 x XP2
Monsters, and 3 x XP3-4 Monsters per
player. You may also add one Trap
and/or Treasure per player to any or all
of the three levels of the Dungeon.
Yoki Erdtmans Variant #2:
Use the rules as written and the
randomizer cards to create the Dungeon
Deck. This helps lend an overall
strategic choice to the players based on
the types of cards they know to be in
the Dungeon Deck. This leads to an
RPG adventure style feel as you
tackle a particular dungeon, and even
more so if you use the Setting cards.
Yoki Erdtmans XP Variant:
Instead of, or in addition to, the
modified Rest action listed under New
Actions, grant 1 extra XP per monster
defeated in Battle. This is trying to
improve the speed of the game, as you
can no longer purchase Level 2+
Heroes with Gold and therefore require
more XP in the games economy.
Heroes Deck(s) (4-5 stacks, Row #2):
Richard Launius Original:
Shuffle together all Level 1 Heroes and
cut them into 4 stacks. Heroes can only
level up through XP; you may never
recruit Level 2+ Heroes by purchasing
them with Gold.
4 Stacks

Tom Vasels Variant:
Same as Richard Launius version.
4 Stacks

Yoki Erdtmans Variant:
Sort all the Heroes by Trait and put
each in its own stack, for a total of 5
stacks; i.e. Archer, Cleric, Fighter,
Thief, and Wizard. Multi-class
characters go in the stack for the
keyword listed first, or if youd like put
half in one stack and half in the other,
or lastly you just put them in the pile
that contains least cards.
5 Decks, 1 Stack each
Spells & Magic Items Deck (2 Stacks, Row #2):
Richard Launius Original:
Shuffle all the Spell, and magic item
(Trait: Item Magic) cards together
and cut them into 2 Village stacks.
2 Stacks
Tom Vasels Variant:
Same as Richard Launius version.
2 Stacks
Yoki Erdtmans Variant:
Put the Spells in 2 stacks, and all Item
Magic, and Weapon Magic in 1.
3 Stacks
Credit for the original Epic Thunderstone variant goes to noted game designer Richard Launius. Document version 1.1, by Yoki.
Weapons Deck (2-3 Stacks, Row #3):
Richard Launius Original:
Shuffle all Weapons cards (including
Trait: Magic), except for the starting
Dagger cards, and cut them into 2
Village stacks (3 if you are using
multiple expansions).
2 Stacks
Tom Vasels Variant:
Use three Weapon shop stacks for more
variety.
3 Stacks
Yoki Erdtmans Variant:
Sort the weapons by type and use three
stacks, 1 each for Blunt, Bow, and
Edged Weapon cards. Cards of the type
Weapon Magic, but lacking another
trait go in the Spells & Magic Items
Deck instead.
3 Stacks
Villagers Deck (2-3 Stacks, Row #3):
Richard Launius Original:
Shuffle all Villager, including Villager
Mercenary, cards and cut them into 2
Village stacks.
2 Stacks
Tom Vasels Variant:
Same as Richard Launius version.
2-3 Stacks
Yoki Erdtmans Variant:
Put the Villager cards in 1 stack and the
Villagers Mercenary cards in a 2
nd
.
2 Stacks
Food Deck (1 Stack, Row #3):
Richard Launius Original:
Shuffle all Item Food cards (i.e. any
card with the Food Trait), except for
the starting Iron Rations, and put them
in 1 Village stack.
Tom Vasels Variant:
Same as Richard Launius version.
Yoki Erdtmans Variant:
Same as Richard Launius version.
Light Deck (1 Stack, Row #3):
Richard Launius Original:
Shuffle all Item Light cards (i.e. any
card with the Light Trait), except the
starting Torch, and put them in 1
Village stack.
Tom Vasels Variant:
Same as Richard Launius version.
Yoki Erdtmans Variant:
Same as Richard Launius version.
Starting Cards (5-6 Stacks, Row #4):
Richard Launius Original:
Put the starting cards, Militia, Torch,
Iron Rations, Dagger, and Diseases in 5
Village stacks.
5 Stacks
Tom Vasels Variant:
Same as Richard Launius version.
5 Stacks
Yoki Erdtmans Variant:
The Elite Militia (Militia Hero) cards
go in a 6
th
stack to the left of the regular
Militia.
6 Stacks
New Actions:
Richard Launius Original:
Discard Top Offer (Village Action)
When visiting the Village, you may
discard the top card from any location,
before taking any other action.
Note: Tom and Yoki both play with
Richards Discard Top Offer (Village
Action) variant.
Tom Vasels Variant:
Market Variety (Village Action)
If the same card is showing on top of
any two Village stacks, then discard all
of them (only use this action when
playing with multiple expansions).
Note: Yoki also plays with Toms
Market Variety (Village Action)
variant.
Yoki Erdtmans Variant:
Rest & Recuperation
When selecting to Rest, instead of
visiting the Dungeon or Village, you
not only Destroy one card, but also gain
2XP. This helps mitigate the slow-
down of gameplay due to no longer
being able to purchase level 2+ Heroes.
Credit for the original Epic Thunderstone variant goes to noted game designer Richard Launius. Document version 1.1, by Yoki.
Other Thunderstone Variants
Thunderstone Guardians
(Influenced by Skylar and Mark Roberts)
Dont add a Thunderstone to the Dungeon Deck, but use three (or more) Guardians and award a random Thunderstone to the
player who defeats a Guardian in Battle. If a player gains both the 1
st
and 2
nd
Thunderstone, they may choose to end the game at
the end of their turn, and you add up VP as normal to determine the winner. If a player wins three Thunderstones they
automatically and immediately win the game (regardless of VP totals). Otherwise the game ends when the last Guardian has been
defeated.
Traps & Treasures Deck
(Influenced by Ricky C)
Create a deck containing all the Trap and Treasure cards shuffled together. Whenever an XP2+ Monster is defeated in Battle draw
a random card from the Traps & Treasures Deck and resolve it as normal. However, if you have Destroyed a card in the Battle,
then that Destroyed card is no longer of any help in disarming a Trap.
A perhaps milder variant would be to draw a card from the Trap & Treasures Deck prior to resolving the combat, and resolving a
potential Trap before fighting commences, but a Treasure is still not gained until after the Battle has been won (if you lose put the
Treasure card on the bottom of the Traps & Treasures Deck).
Why the Heck Would We Run Away After Kicking Your Ass?
Disregard the rule that states that cause Monsters not defeated to retreat into the dungeon (i.e. putting moving the card to the
bottom of the Dungeon Deck) if you lose a Battle, as thematically it sounds like some very wimpy monsters! How about moving
them to Rank 1 instead (if not there already)? Perhaps better yet, apply the Shame of Defeat variant below
The Shame of Defeat!
Each time you lose a Battle you suffer a negative one VP. Use an appropriately shameful token to represent each -1VP loss.
Bill Hs FUDGE Battles
Roll 4dFUDGE when in a Battle, granting from -4 to +4 to your Attack value.
Stephen Schaefers and Rickard Erikssons Modified Game Setup
X = the number of players.
X Monster types or Dungeon Features in the Dungeon Deck
X+1 Hero stacks in the Village
(X+1)x2 Village Cards
Shuffle the Thunderstone into the bottom 3X cards (bottom 30%)
This scales the game down for 2-player games so that you don't have a wealth of Heroes, and it
makes the game a little quicker and more cutthroat. 20+ monsters are a lot of points between 2
players. It also scales the game up for 4 or 5-player games, alleviating two scarcities in large
games: number of Heroes and number of Monsters.

Players Village Card Stacks
2 6
3 8
4 10
5 12
6 14