1

Credits
Game Design: Matt Forbeck
Cover Art: Brian Snōddy
Interior Cover Art: Tommy Lee Edwards
Diagrams and Maps: Matt Forbeck
Character Art and Icons: Keith Nelson
Graphic Design: Tim Bowman, Matt
Forbeck, and Timothy S. Gerritsen
Produced by Proofreading: Mike Flynn, Timothy S.
Human Head Studios, Inc. Gerritsen, and Chris Rhinehart
Creative Direction: Matt Forbeck and
Visit us at:
Timothy S. Gerritsen
www.humanheadgames.com Special Thanks to: Marilyn Ho.
Original Concept and Rules: Matt Forbeck
Published by
Green Ronin Publishing
P.O. Box 1723
Components
9 dice 36 Action Cards
Renton, WA 98057-1723 20 board tiles 48 stands
Visit us at: 12 Mist Counters 2 reference cards
12 doors 2 Die Screens
www.greenronin.com
36 Character Cards 1 rulebook

Playtesting and Advice: Margo J. Abbot, David Ainsworth, Jason Andersen, Caleb Armstrong, Jeff Babb,
Aaron Bahr, Jeff Bailey, Bill Bodden, Sean Brady, Gerry Chriest, Rich Cizauskas, Joe DeShano, James Duncan,
Mike Flynn, Brian Frank, Ron Gagnon, Timothy S. Gerritsen, Russ Gullekson, Janice Haraldson, Seth Johnson,
Mary Chriest Jones, Spike Y Jones, Douglas Jorenby, M. Alexander Jurkat, Ian Kaden, Sean Lambert, Darrin
Lowery, Adam Mitchell, William J. Niebling, William V. Niebling, Adam Peck, Jon Pickens, Ken Redington,
Chris Rhinehart, Luch Robinson, Janice M. Sellers, Ben Sidwell, Matthew Tice, Bernard C. Trombley, Chris
Wilkes, Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, Chris Williams, Bryan Winter, and Jeremy York.

©2004 Human Head Studios, Inc. All rights reserved. Green Ronin Publishing authorized user.
Gothica, Dracula’s Revenge, and the Human Head logo are Trademarks of Human Head Studios, Inc.
Green Ronin and the Green Ronin logo are Trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing.

Made in China.
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 In response, Van Helsing gathers
Welcome! an army of fearless vampire hunters
to rid England of the vampire threat.
Dracula’s Revenge™ is a horror-
themed board game of tactical combat These brave souls have read Mina
set several years after the events in Harker’s record of the Dutchman’s first
Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. At the encounter with the dread vampire lord,
end of Dracula, Quincey Morris and published under Bram Stoker’s name
Jonathan Harker slay the vampire with as a work of fiction, the novel Dracula.
their knives just as the sun sets, and the Confronted with evidence of Dracula’s
Count turns to ash. While the vampire presence within the heart of England,
lord appears to be dead, Dracula not one of these fearless Victorians
instead stages his death to throw off shirks the clear duty to both friend and
his pursuers, then escapes to the safety Queen.
of his Transylvanian castle. The vampires have the supernatural
In 1898, Dr. John Seward stumbles on their side. The hunters have
upon evidence that Dracula has knowledge on theirs, and they have
returned to the streets of London. By the numbers. The time to strike is now,
the time Seward can alert Van Helsing before Dracula’s power can grow far
and the others who faced the vampire beyond England’s power to contain.
lord so many years ago, Dracula sets If the hunters wait any longer, it will
up a large coven of vampires in the soon be too late.
labyrinth of tunnels running beneath
London’s teeming streets.
The gathering of such a large group
of undead can only mean one thing:
Dracula is preparing to take the City of
London by storm. Once London falls
to the undead horde, could England
be far behind? Or the British Empire
itself?

3
 Introduction Object of the Game
Welcome to Dracula’s Revenge, the game In Dracula’s Revenge, you play one of the
of vampire hunting in Victorian England. adventures outlined in “The Adventures”
This game is the first in the Gothica™ line section, or an adventure of your own
of horror-themed games. These each share design. The object of the game varies from
a core set of rules that allows them to be adventure to adventure, but often it’s to
linked together. destroy all the characters on the other side.
If you’ve never played one of these Although several players can play on a
games before, read the first part of this side, these rules assume there’s only one
rulebook carefully. Even if you’ve played player to each side: the vampire player or
another Gothica game, you should browse the hunter player. As a player, you control
through this section to see how it differs the actions of a number of characters with
from others. Once you’ve done that, you’re which you try to accomplish the goals set
ready to tackle “The Adventures” section out in the adventure briefing to win the
and start playing. game.
The first part of the book tells all about
the types of characters that appear in
this game and the rules that govern their Characters
actions. The second part features scenarios There are two sides in Dracula’s Revenge:
which simulate action-packed parts of Van vampires and hunters. Each Character
Helsing’s campaign to root the creatures Card and its Action Card features a set of
of the night out of the heart of the British statistics. These define how the character
Empire. These can be played in any order works in the game. They are:
you like, but each one is progressively
more complex. Run consecutively, they Type: Human (hunters or minions) or
form a narrative campaign. Vampire
CA: Close Attack Bonus
RA: Ranged Attack Bonus
DF: Defense Bonus
AP: Action Points
Special: Any special abilities.
4
 A Character Card or Action Card
may also feature icons indicating special
Hunters
abilities. These are: The biggest advantage hunters have
against the creatures of the night are
weapons, which the vampires are too
Crossbow: Can use a crossbow. arrogant to use. A stake through the heart
is one of the few things that can actually
harm a vampire. Hunters who specialize
Crucifix: Can use a crucifix. in using these are called “stakers.”
Mina Harker came up with the brilliant
idea of using a crossbow to shoot
Mesmerize: Can mesmerize. wooden bolts at the vampires. These
affect vampires just like regular stakes
and, best of all, can be shot from a safe
distance. Hunters who use these are called
Vampires “crossbows.”
Vampires have several powers that Certain priests have answered Van
serve them well in their struggle with the Helsing’s call to action against the
defenders of humanity. They are faster vampires too. They have God on their
and stronger than the living. They can side, symbolized by the crucifix each
turn to mist to escape harm. Some of them carries, which they use to hold back their
can enslave the minds of hunters and foul foes.
turn them into their helpless minions, and Van Helsing, the greatest of the hunters,
others grow more powerful as they feed. carries a crucifix, a crossbow, and a stake.
The weakest of the vampires are the she- Most vampires tremble at the mention of
wolves, novice bloodsuckers who joined his name.
Dracula recently. While they can turn to
mist, they cannot yet mesmerize hunters. Minions
Nosferatu are a step up from the she-
Some vampires can enslave humans to
wolves. They aspire to someday win
their will. Minions are humans who have
Dracula’s supreme affections and become
succumbed to the vampires’ mesmerism.
vampiresses, the most powerful vampires
Minions use stakes, just like hunters, and a
of all, barring only Dracula himself.
crucifix holds no fear for them.
5
 but misted vampires do not. If a line
Seeing Things of sight touches the corner of a square
containing an obstacle, the line of sight is
It’s important to know what characters
can see. only blocked if both sides of the line touch
such corners.
Field of View Arc of Effect
A character’s field of view encompasses
every square to the character’s front that it A character can only make a ranged
can see, as in the diagram below. attack against targets within its arc of
effect. This includes any space to which it
can draw a clear line of sight through the
Line of Sight front face of its own square.
To see something within its field of
view, a character must be able to draw a
clear line from the center of its square to
the center of the target’s square. Walls,
doors and characters block a line of sight,

Range
When making a ranged attack, a target
must be within a certain number of
squares—normally 6—to be attacked.
Otherwise, it is out of range. When
figuring range, count the square the target
is in, but not the square the shooter is in.
Count diagonal spaces as 1.
6
 You cannot make a ranged attack
against a target only 1 space away. The
target is too close. The diagram below
shows all the possible target squares for a NA
ranged attack.

VA VB

C2

Example: Crossbow 2 has a clear line of

sight to Vampiress A. She can also fire at
Nosferatu A because the corner of the wall
only blocks the left side of her line of sight.
She can’t fire at Vampiress B because her
line of sight is blocked by the corner on VA
one side and by Vampiress A on the other.

Example: Crossbow 1 can’t fire at

Nosferatu B because of the corner in NB S1
the way. Staker 1 is between her and
Vampiress A. She can’t fire at Vampiress
B because she could attack that vampire in
close combat. She can’t fire at Nosferatu VB
A because her line of sight isn’t in her arc C1
of effect.

NA
7
 VAMPIRE
Setting Up a Game HUNTER
CHARACTERS
ACTION TIMELINE DIE
SCREEN
VAMPIRE
In Dracula’s Revenge, the game board ACTION
is made up of a number of tiles that CARDS
represent rooms and hallways. Later in
this rulebook, there are five premade
adventures for you to play. Each features

VAMPIRE
HUNTER

PLAYER
PLAYER
a map that shows how to arrange the tiles
to make up the board and where to place
doors and characters. Once you set up the
board as shown, choose sides and start
playing.
HUNTER
HUNTER GAME BOARD
ACTION VAMPIRE
CARDS DIE CHARACTERS
Character Table SCREEN

Close Ranged Defense Action Points

Character Attack Bonus Attack Bonus Bonus Points Special Value
She-wolf +2 — +1 9 — 4
Nosferatu +1 +1 +2 9 Mesmerize 6
Vampiress +2 +2 +2 9 Mesmerize 8
Dracula +3 +3 +3 9 Mesmerize 12
Minion +2 — +0 6 — 2
Staker +2 — +1 6 — 2
Crossbow +0 +1 +1 6 Crossbow 4
Priest +0 — +2 6 Crucifix 6
Van Crossbow
+2 +2 +3 6 12
Helsing Crucifix
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 Sequence of Play Action Table
Each turn in the game breaks down Action Point Cost
into three distinct phases. Each time Move and turn 1
you complete a turn, start over at the
beginning. Turn in place 1

1. Roll Reaction Dice. Turn to mist or solid 4

2. Play Action Cards and activate Open or close a door 1

characters in order. Close Attack 1
3. Show Reaction Dice. Ranged Attack 2

Action Points Example: Van Helsing moves forward

two squares (1 point each), turns 90° (for
Each action a character can perform
free, since it was after a move), moves
costs a certain number of points as shown
forward one square (1 points) and fires his
on the Action Table. Each human (hunter
weapon (2 points). He then turns in place
or minion) gets 6 Action Points a turn.
(1 point). This costs a total of 6 points.
Each vampire gets 9 Action Points a turn.
These actions can be performed in any
order, but each action must be paid for in
full. A character does not have to use all
its Action Points, but it cannot save Action
VH
Points from turn to turn.

Active Characters
You can only activate one character at a VH
time. Once you’re done with a character,
announce it aloud. You cannot go back
and move that character later using
leftover Action Points. VH VH

9
 spend. You can even use them to complete
Reaction Points an action for which you might not have
enough Action Points.
Reaction Points are a special type of
Action Points you can use to perform extra
actions. At the beginning of each turn, Moving Characters During
both players roll one die (known as your an Opponent’s Move
Reaction Die) and add +6 to the result to
If a character enters or takes an action
determine how many Reaction Points they
within an inactive character’s field of view
have that turn.
and line of sight—if the inactive character
Roll your Reaction Die behind your Die
“sees” the action—the inactive character
Screen. Keep the results secret from your
can react by taking a single action. The
opponent until both players finish the
same is true if the inactive character is
turn. When you spend Reaction Points,
affected by an action or sees a character
place a spare pair of dice—known as Tally
affected by an action, like an attack.
Dice—in front of your Die Screen and
turn them so they show your current total
of Reaction Points spent. Make sure you Moving Characters
never spend more Reaction Points than During Your Move
you have.
You can also use Reaction Points to take
You can spend as many Reaction Points
a single action at a time with one of your
as you need on a single action, as long as
inactive characters during your active
you have them left to spend.
character’s move. An inactive character
After the turn is over, lift your Die
can react if it sees your active character
Screen and reveal your Reaction Die.
take an action or if the inactive character
Any unused Reaction Points are lost. You
is affected by an action or sees a character
cannot save them from turn to turn.
affected by an action, like an attack.
Also, if your active character can see
Adding to Your Move the an inactive character, the inactive
When your character is active, you can character can react. The active character
add Reaction Points to its Action Points. directs the inactive character’s actions.
You can use as many Reaction Points as
you like, as long as you have them left to
10
Trading Reactions
Whenever you act or react, you must
give your opponent a chance to react. If
your opponent declines, then you can take VA
another action with your active character
or react with any of your eligible inactive
characters.
If your opponent does react, then your VA
opponent must give you a chance to act or
react before reacting again.
If both players wish to use Reaction NB
Points at once, the player with the active
figure must allow the opposing player to
go first.
Example: Halfway through its move,
Vampiress A moves through a doorway,
passing Nosferatu B. Nosferatu B uses Reaction Attacks
a Reaction Point to shut the door out of
Any attack made with Reaction Points,
turn. Vampiress A can now complete her
in whole or in part, suffers a –1 penalty.
move.
This penalty only applies to attack rolls.
You cannot react twice in a row. Your When you roll to defend, you do not suffer
opponent or the active character must take a penalty for using an inactive character.
another action for you to be able to react
again.
Example: During the vampires’ turn,
Crossbow A uses a Reaction Point to
shoot at She-Wolf B. Unfortunately, she
misses. Now the hunter player must wait
for one of the vampires to take another
action before the hunters can spend any
more Reaction Points.
11
 The cards were played in this order:
Action Cards
At the start of the game, each player
takes the Action Cards for each of his or
her characters in the game. The players
use these to create the Action Timeline,
which shows the order in which characters 1 2 3
act.
The player with the most cards is the Since both players passed in a row,
first player. That player either passes or the last card played in the line (card #3)
plays a card first, face down, forming a is turned over. It shows Crossbow 1, so
line of cards along one side of the board. Cushing activates that character.
This line extends from the first card played Once that character’s move is over,
to the last played. In case of a tie, the discard that Action Card. Then the process
vampire player goes first. of playing cards into the Action Timeline
After each card is played, the other or passing begins again, starting with the
player has a chance to either pass or play a next player.
card. If you play a card, you place it after
Example: When Cushing is done with
the last card in the Action Timeline.
Crossbow 1, it’s Lugosi’s turn to play an
Once both players pass, turn over the
Action Card or pass. He passes. Cushing
last card in the Action Timeline. The
has no cards left, so he automatically
character’s player activates that character.
passes. Since both players passed, the last
Example: The players each have two card in the Action Timeline is flipped
characters. The vampire player (Lugosi) over. It’s Staker 1 (card #2), which
goes first. He can play an Action Card or Cushing activates.
pass. He plays She-Wolf A (card #1), face When Staker 1 is done, it’s Lugosi’s
down, to begin the Action Timeline. turn to play or pass again. He passes.
The hunter player (Cushing) plays Cushing has no cards left, so he
the Action Card for Staker 1 (card #2). automatically passes. Since both players
Lugosi passes. Cushing plays the Action passed, the last card in the Action
Card for Crossbow 1 (card #3). Lugosi Timeline is flipped over (card #1). It’s
passes again. Cushing passes. She-Wolf A, which Lugosi activates.
12
 If there are no cards in the Action
Timeline and both players pass, the player
New Characters
who first passed must play a card if New characters can sometimes enter
possible. Otherwise, the other player must in the middle of the game. This happens
play a card. when a hunter is mesmerized, a minion is
saved, or a lesser vampire feeds.
Example: Once She-Wolf A is done, it’s If a character enters the game at any
Cushing’s turn to play or pass. He has point but the start of a turn, you can use
no cards left, so he automatically passes. Reaction Points to move it, but it doesn’t
Lugosi passes too. get any Action Points until the next turn.
If Cushing had any cards left, he’d be Add its Action Card to its player’s hand
forced to play one now. Instead, Lugosi on the next turn.
must play his last card, Nosferatu A.
Cushing has to pass again, as does
Lugosi, so Nosferatu A is turned over and
Action Card Sequence
activated. 1) Starting with the first player, play one
card or pass. Each player does this in
When all the cards have been played
turn until both players pass.
and activated, the turn is over.
2) If a player does not have a card left, that
Example: After Nosferatu A is done, player automatically passes.
there are no Action Cards to be played 3) If both players pass and there are no
and none in the Action Line. The turn is cards in the Action Timeline, the first
over. player must play a card. If that player
You can look at the Action Cards you’ve doesn’t have a card, the next player
played at any time, but you cannot look at must play a card.
your opponent’s. 4) Once both players pass, the last card
played is turned over, and its player
activates that character.
Killed Characters 5) When the character’s move is over, go
If a character is killed, remove its Action back to Step 1, starting with next player
Card at the end of the turn. Until then, use (who is now the first player).
the card normally. Play it from your hand 6) When all the characters have moved,
if it’s there. Leave it in the Action Timeline the turn is over.
if it’s there, and discard it when it appears.
13
 Example: Van Helsing can cut around
Action Card Strategies the corner to point A or Staker 1 to point
If you’re not sure what to do, pass B. The way back down the hallway is
often, especially early in the game. blocked by Staker 1 and Staker B, though,
Force your opponent to play cards and so Van Helsing cannot move to point C.
activate characters. Later in the turn, you
can act freely without fear of any major S2
interruptions.
C
Moving
A character must always face a side
of the square it occupies, never a corner.
S1 VH
Normally, only one character can occupy
a square at a time. A character can move
forward, backward, sideways, and B A
diagonally.
Moving in any direction costs 1 Action
Point. After moving, the character can
turn to face in any direction for free. A Facing
character can also turn in place without
Facing is important. At any point,
moving. This costs 1 Action Point as well.
your opponent may interrupt your active
A character cannot move into or
character’s move to react, and which way
through an occupied square. Even your
you’re facing can affect what happens. If
own characters block your way. The only
you are interrupted, choose your active
exception is a misted vampire, which does
character’s facing before allowing your
not obstruct anything.
opponent to react.
You can cut around an obstacle
Think about facing carefully. If you
diagonally, but you cannot move
leave your back unprotected, you may not
diagonally between two obstacles.
be able to react to an opponent until it’s
too late.

14
 Opening &
Closing Doors
A character can open or close a door
directly in front of it. When a door is
opened, place it to one side. When the
VA
door is closed again, replace the door. S2
Example: Vampiress A can open the
door. The hunters on the other side of the
door cannot. Staker 1 could use a point to S1
turn to face the door, and Staker 2 could
use 1 point to step sideways in front of the
door. Then either one could open the door
for 1 more point.

Misted vampires can see in all directions

Mist at once. They have a 360° field of vision.
Misted vampires can move though
Vampires can turn into an insubstantial and occupy squares that contain other
mist. When a vampire turns to mist, characters or other misted vampires.
remove its figure from the board and Similarly, other characters and misted
replace it with the corresponding Mist vampires can move through or occupy
Counter. squares in which a misted vampire sits.
Misted vampires cannot be attacked, nor A misted vampire cannot voluntarily
can they attack. They cannot open or shut become solid in a square occupied by a
doors, although they can move through solid character. When a vampire turns
them like they’re not there. Misted solid, replace the Mist Counter with the
vampires cannot mesmerize vampire regular Character Card. The solidified
hunters. They are not affected by a crucifix vampire starts facing in any direction the
in any way. They cannot affect anything vampire player likes.
while mist.
15
 Close Attacks
A character can make a close attack
S6 S7 S8
against any target in the three squares
S5
directly in front of it.
Example: Nosferatu A can attack only
Staker 1, Staker 2, or Staker 3. S4 NA
S1 S2 S3

Resolving a Close Attack

Declare your target, then roll a die and
add your Close Attack Bonus to it. The
defender rolls a die and adds its Defense
Bonus. If the attacker outflanks the
defender—is not in the defender’s arc of
Feeding
After a vampire kills a hunter with a
effect—the attacker adds +1 to the total. close attack, the vampire may feed. This
If the attacker’s total is higher than the costs no points and is not an action. When
defender’s, the defender is killed and a vampire feeds, replace it with the next
removed from the board. If the defender most powerful type of vampire. A she-
survives, the defender can turn to face the wolf becomes a nosferatu, and a nosferatu
attacker for free. This does not cost any becomes a vampiress. Dracula and
points and does not count as an action vampiresses cannot become stronger.
Example: Stakers 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 The vampire must feed immediately. It
outflank Nosferatu A. Staker 4 attacks, cannot take another action and feed later.
and the hunter player rolls a 3. He adds Once a vampire feeds, its move is over,
the Staker’s Close Attack Bonus of +2 and even if it has Action Points left. It can still
the +1 bonus for outflanking his target. react, but it cannot use its original Action
His total is 6. The vampire player rolls Card. Replace its Action Card at the start
a 5. She adds Nosferatu A’s +2 Defense of the next turn.
Bonus for a total of 7. The vampiress There are a limited number of vampires
survives and can turn to face Staker 4 in the game. If one of the right kind isn’t
for free. available when needed, the vampire
16
cannot feed. If one is available that was
killed that turn, you can use it, but that
Mesmerizing
new vampire cannot use the Action Card Certain vampires can gaze into a
of the killed vampire until the next turn. hunter’s soul and twist it to the creature’s
foul ends. Mesmerizing a target is a
ranged attack. For a target to be eligible to
Ranged Attacks be mesmerized, both the vampire and the
A character can make a ranged attack at target must be in each other’s arc of effect.
a target to which it has a line of sight, if the To mesmerize an eligible target, the
target is within the character’s arc of effect vampire rolls a die and adds its Ranged
and a range of 2 to 6 spaces. Attack Bonus. The target rolls a die and
To make a ranged attack, the character adds its Defense Bonus. A character with a
rolls a die and adds its Ranged Attack crucifix adds +1 to its roll to defend.
Bonus. The target rolls a die and adds its If the vampire’s total is higher than
Defense Bonus. If the attacker outflanks the defender’s, the defender is turned
the defender—is not in the defender’s arc into a minion. The minion is now under
of effect—the attacker adds +1 to the total. the control of the vampire player. Slip a
minion character into the stand behind the
mesmerized character. The character now
Crossbow Attack has the minion’s statistics. The vampire
If the attacker’s total is higher than the player can use Reaction Points to move
defender’s, the defender is killed and the minion, but it doesn’t get any Action
removed from the board. If the defender Points until the next turn. At the start of
survives, the defender can turn to face the the next turn, add its minion Action Card
attacker for free. This does not cost any to the vampire player’s hand and remove
points and does not count as an action. its Action Card from the hunter player’s
Example: Crossbow 1 shoots at hand.
Nosferatu A. The hunter player rolls a There are a limited number of minions
4. He adds Crossbow 1’s Ranged Attack in the box. If you run out of minions, no
Bonus of +1 for a total of 5. The vampire more minions can be made until a minion
player rolls a die and gets a 1. She adds is killed, freeing that character card to be
the Nosferatu’s Defense Bonus of +2 for a used again. You cannot attack your own
total of 3. The shot kills the vampire. characters in any case.
17
 Misted vampires can move freely
The Crucifix through the area affected by a crucifix, but
they cannot become solid in that area.
Certain hunters carry a crucifix to affect
vampires with their faith in God. If a
vampire and a hunter with a crucifix are Saving Minions
in each other’s arc of effect, the vampire As humans, minions are not affected by
cannot move within 3 squares of the a crucifix like vampires are. However, a
hunter. This does not require an action character with a crucifix can save a minion
and costs no points. with a successful close combat attack
A vampire within the area affected by against the minion. If the minion was
a crucifix cannot attack the holder nor mesmerized during the game, remove the
move toward the holder while facing it. It minion character from the mesmerized
can, however, move into squares that are character’s stand. If the character entered
farther away or equally far away. Smart the game as a minion, replace the minion
vampire players may move their vampires with a staker. The saved character is now
toward a crucifix while facing away, but under the hunter player’s control. It can
this can make them more vulnerable to turn to face its savior for free.
attacks. The hunter player can use Reaction
A character with a crucifix adds +1 Points to move the saved minion. Add the
to its defense rolls against mesmerizing saved minion’s proper Action Card to the
attempts. It also gains a +1 bonus to close hunter player’s hand on the next turn. If
combat attack rolls against vampires, a minion is mesmerized and saved within
although not minions. the same turn, the hunter player can still
use its Action Card, if it hasn’t already
been played.
There are a limited number of staker
characters in the game. If you run out of
staker characters for saved minions to
turn into, no more staker-minions can be
saved until a staker is killed, freeing that
character card to be used again.

18
 The Adventures Placing Characters
The adventure briefings tell you where
“My friends, this is much; it is a terrible to place the characters to start. Sometimes
task that we undertake, and there may be you have characters that begin off the
consequences to make the brave shudder. board. Moving on to the board costs 1
For if we fail in this our fight he must Action Point. You do not have to line up
surely win; and then where end we…? such characters in any kind of order before
But we are face to face with duty; and in they move on to the board. They must
such case must we shrink? For me I say enter the board on their first move unless
no; but then I am old, and life, with his the briefing says otherwise.
sunshine, his fair place, his song of birds, Other characters start the game on
his music and his love lie far behind. You specific board tiles. These are tinted
others are young. Some have seen sorrow; gray on the map. Place these characters
but there are fair days yet in store. What anywhere on the indicated tiles and facing
say you?” in any direction you like.

—Abraham Van Helsing, from Dracula Dice

In Dracula’s Revenge, the hunters strive Each player gets four dice: one Combat
to root out Dracula’s coven of vampires Die, one Reaction Die, and two Tally Dice.
entrenched in the catacombs beneath the
street of London. These five adventures Leaving the Board
represent some of the highlights of Van
Helsing’s campaign against the vampires. Characters cannot leave the board
Each adventure is progressively more unless the briefing says otherwise. Moving
complicated than the last. Start by playing off the board costs the normal amount.
the first mission. It’s an introduction to Assume that the spaces beyond the boards
how the game works. Play it until you feel are open, similar to the full-room tiles.
comfortable with it. Then move on to the
next. Continue until you reach the final, Counting Turns
climactic adventure, “Destroy Dracula.” Some scenarios require you to keep
When you finish, stop by www. track of the numbers of turns played. Use
draculasrevenge.com for more adventures. the spare die (the Tracking Die) for this.
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 In this introductory adventure, four
Into the Breach hunters enter the catacombs and confront
the four vampires guarding this entrance.
“Here! This is the place,” Van Helsing
whispered, pointing at the moldering oak This adventure is meant to introduce
door barely visible at the fringe of the beam of novice players to the basic concepts of
light. The entourage of brave men and women Dracula’s Revenge. Once you’re comfortable
hauled up behind him. They had all sworn to with the rules, move on to the full-fledged
stand against the undead, but few of them had adventures.
realized what horrors that would entail. The hunters enter the catacombs in
As he reached the rotting door, Van Helsing the middle of the day, knowing that the
turned to look at those souls that had followed creatures of the night cannot turn to mist
him on this vital undertaking. In not a few sets while the sun shines above them. But will
of eyes, he saw fear. this temporary advantage be enough?
“All of you,” he said, “No one will curse Hunter Forces: Two Stakers and two
you if you leave now. But once we cross over Crossbows [12 points]. They start off-
this threshold, we must act as one. Then, there board and enter through the corridor
can be no turning back.” marked as the hunter entrance. The
A moment of unease fluttered along the hunters win by destroying all of the
corridor. Several feet shuffled, but no one vampires within 4 turns.
walked away.
Vampire Forces: Three She-Wolves and
Lord Godalming stepped forward and
one Nosferatu [18 points]. They start
nodded grimly at the professor. “We Britons,”
on the tinted tile. The vampires win by
he gestured at those arranged behind him,
either destroying all of the hunters or
“we shall not falter now. Not while the fate of
escaping.
England rests in our hands.”
The old Dutchman nodded. “Let us get Special Rules: Because it is during the
on with what must be done.” He turned to day, the vampires cannot turn to mist.
open the door. “Not just for England,” he After 4 turns, the sun sets, and the
whispered, “but for the world.” vampires turn to mist and escape.

20
 Into the Breach
VAMPIRE
STARTING AREA

HUNTER ENTRANCE

21
 Eventually the hunters managed to
Defile the Coffins pierce the vampires’ defenses, but by then,
darkness had fallen. Knowing that the
Van Helsing looked at his watch and cursed.
“What is the matter, Professor?” Van hunters might never have a better chance
Helsing turned to face Mina Harker, the to destroy the vampires, Van Helsing
woman for whom he and his compatriots had decided to push forward. While the main
embarked on their first hunt of the vampire body of the hunters searched frantically
lord. He smiled at her. for Dracula’s lair, Van Helsing sent a force
“Ah, fair Mina. By my timepiece, I see that of hunters to defile the coffins of the lesser
the sun has no doubt set. These creatures we vampires.
fight will be at the height of their powers now.” Hunter Forces: Two Stakers, two
“Well then, Professor, it seems that we have Crossbows, and two Priests [24 points].
failed.” The dim light masked her face, but They start off-board and enter through
Mina could not hide the tremor in her voice. the corridor marked as the hunter
“Not true! The struggle will be harder, but entrance. The hunters win if they defile
if we retreat now, these vampires will escape. the coffins in each of the rooms.
Who knows how long it would take to find
Vampire Forces: Three She-Wolves and
them again? We must press on.
two Nosferatu [24 points]. Place one
“But these creatures, their arrogance works
vampire on each of the tinted tiles. The
against them. Now that darkness has fallen
vampires win if they stop the hunters
and the power to change their shape is once
from defiling their coffins. The best way
again theirs, nothing stops them escaping but
to make sure of this is to kill all of the
that they are too proud to believe we can defeat
hunters.
them.
“This is good,” said Van Helsing. “Let Special Rules: There are coffins in each of
them feel we cannot harm them. They have the the areas represented by tinted tiles. A
darkness on their side, but we have the truth!” hunter can defile the coffins on a tile by
spending 3 points anywhere on that tile.
Use the Tracking Die to mark off how
many areas the hunters defile.

22
 HUNTER ENTRANCE

Defile the Coffins

VAMPIRE
STARTING AREA

VAMPIRE VAMPIRE
STARTING AREAS STARTING AREAS

23
 Desperate to find the vampire lord, Van
Cross the Catacombs Helsing led a group of his most stalwart
hunters to make a stab deep into the
Godalming stormed into the hunters’
temporary headquarters. He tipped his hat to catacombs in an effort to outflank the bulk
Mina and turned toward Van Helsing. of the vampire force. If even just a few
“How fares the battle?” the Dutchman hunters could get to the other side of a
asked. most dangerous stretch of the catacombs,
“Not well, Professor,” said Godalming, “We they could then catch a large number of
cannot stand toe to toe with these horrors. We the creatures in a pincer maneuver sure to
are being decimated. Something has to be done destroy massive numbers of the nosferatu.
before all is lost.” Only six vampires stand between them
Van Helsing grimaced, the lines in his aged and their goal.
face deepening with worry. “And have you, Hunter Forces: Two Stakers, two
Arthur, any suggestions as to what can be Crossbows, two Priests, and Van
done?” Helsing [36 points]. They start off-board
Godalming nodded fiercely. “Some of our and enter through the corridors marked
people have discovered another way round to as the hunter entrances. The hunters win
the center of the vampires’ lair. At one point, if they get two or more hunters off the
this route was heavily guarded, but with the board through the vampire entrances.
heart of the battle elsewhere now we might be
Vampire Forces: Two She-Wolves, two
able to push through and outflank the main
Nosferatu, one Vampiress, and Dracula
force. With your permission, I’d like to lead a
[40 points]. They start off-board and
party aimed at doing just that.”
enter through the corridors marked as
Van Helsing’s frown deepened further.
the vampire entrances. They win if they
“This is a dangerous thing you wish, Arthur.
make it impossible for the hunters to
Are you sure there is no other course?”
win.
Godalming shook his head. “None, sir.”
“Then I will lead the attempt myself—and Special Rules: At the start of Turn 5 and
may God save us all.” every turn thereafter, a new She-Wolf
enters the board through the vampire
entrance. If there are no She-Wolf
characters available, none enter.
24
HUNTER ENTRANCE HUNTER ENTRANCE

VAMPIRE VAMPIRE Cross the Catacombs

ENTRANCE ENTRANCE
25
 Hunter Forces: Three Stakers, three
Rescue Van Helsing Crossbows, and three Priests [36 points].
They start off-board and enter through
“Lord Godalming! I say, Arthur!”
Godalming turned to see Jonathan and the corridors marked as the hunter
Mina Harker race up to him. “Where have you entrances. The hunters win if Van
been?” he demanded. “I’ve been searching all Helsing (see below) gets off the board.
over for you. And where’s the Professor?” Vampire Forces: Five Minions, three
Mina answered. “That’s what we’ve come She-Wolves, one Nosferatu, and one
to tell you. The vampires—they have him. Vampiress [36 points]. The vampires
They’ve got Van Helsing!” start on the tinted tiles. They win if they
Godalming was shocked to his core. Never keep Van Helsing from getting away
had he imagined that the Dutchman would and kill the other hunters.
not see this battle through to the end. “Then
Special Rules:
he’s…?”
“No,” said Jonathan. “They killed all the • Van Helsing is unconscious in one of
rest though. As Mina and I escaped, I heard the tinted rooms. Before the game, the
the creatures arguing about Van Helsing. vampire player secretly records which.
Apparently, Dracula has ordered him When a hunter enters either room, the
unharmed.” vampire player places Van Helsing. The
Mina jumped in again. “He wants the hunter player gets Van Helsing’s Action
Professor for himself. My God, we must save Card at the start of the next turn.
him!” • Van Helsing cannot be moved while
unconscious. A hunter must stand next
Assuming command, Lord Godalming to Van Helsing (as if making a close
ordered a contingent of hunters to make attack) and spend 3 points to wake him
a daring attempt to rescue the captive up.
professor. Meanwhile, he led a strike into
the heart of the vampires’ lair, cutting the • The vampires can’t kill Van Helsing, but
remnants of the ambush force off from the a successful close attack renders him
main body of the foe. unconscious. If they mesmerize him
(once he’s awake) and kill or mesmerize
all the priests, they effectively win.
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 Rescue Van Helsing
HUNTER HUNTER HUNTER
ENTRANCE ENTRANCE ENTRANCE

VAMPIRE VAMPIRE
STARTING STARTING
AREA AREA

27
 Hunter Forces: Five Stakers, five
Destroy Dracula Crossbows, five Priests, and Van
Helsing [72 points]. They start off-board
“Jonathan, Professor, you’re back!” Mina
embraced her husband and her old friend. and enter through the corridors marked
“Thank God! I thought we would never see as the hunter entrances. The hunters
you again.” win if they destroy Dracula or all of the
“That was nearly so, my dear Mina,” said other vampires.
Van Helsing. “The thanks must go to friends Vampire Forces: Three She-Wolves, Four
like you. Quickly, what has happened?” Nosferatu, Three Vampiresses, and
Godalming stepped forward. “It appears we Dracula [72 points]. The vampires start
have him, Professor. Many of the vampires on the tinted tiles. They win if they
have fled. Those that remain are holed up in destroy all of the hunters.
a dead-end area to the east of here. Dracula is
Special Rules: At the end of Turn 3,
among them.”
the sun comes up. The vampires
Van Helsing slapped his hands together
can no longer turn to mist, and any
and smiled for the first time in several days.
misted vampires turn solid. Because
“Wonderful! And with ourselves? How many
this happens between turns, no one
are left?”
can react to this. If a misted vampire
Jack Seward spoke up. He had been at the
shares a square with a solid character
front of the battle for several hours and looked
when the sun rises, the vampire player
it. The words came slow and hard. “Counting
moves the misted vampire to one of
the five of us, Professor, we are less than a
the nearest open squares before it turns
score.”
solid. Similarly, if more than one misted
Van Helsing’s eyes grew wide. “So few?”
vampire is in the same square at this
Tears started, but he blinked them away. “I am
time, one vampire becomes solid in that
sorry my friends. There will be time for grief
spot, and the vampire player places the
later. We must end this once and for all!”
other misted vampires in the nearest
available squares before they turn solid.
Van Helsing instantly assessed the
situation and formed a plan of attack. The
hunters entered the cul-de-sac in a three
pronged attack.
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 Destroy Dracula
HUNTER HUNTER
ENTRANCE ENTRANCE

VAMPIRE VAMPIRE
STARTING STARTING
AREAS AREAS

29
 The players then build their own forces
Points Value so that they total equal to or less than
that points value. The player who did not
Each character is worth a certain
number of points. Once you’ve played design the board places his characters on
through the included adventures, you can the board first.
use these points to help create adventures Even in a custom-built adventure,
of your own. though, the players should each have a
To do so, pick an adventure and see clear goal. Otherwise, the game can bog
how many points are available to each down as the vampires turn to mist and
side. Then, instead of playing with the wait for the absolutely perfect moment
listed characters, come up with your own to attack. As a default, use the following
sets of characters that has the same total goals.
points values as those listed. In this way, To win, the vampires must kill or
you can play the adventures over and over mesmerize all the hunters within 5 turns.
again in dozens of different ways. Otherwise, the hunters win. No one can
Note that some of the scenarios are leave the board.
not balanced only by points values. The You can create goals of your own if you
circumstances of the scenario may give like. The only caveat is that both players
one side or the other an advantage, which must agree to any goals or special rules
is leveled out by the imbalanced sides. before the game begins.

Your Own Optional Rules

Here are some optional rules to
Adventures add even more variety to your games.
Experiment with them at will. Both
If you like, you can design adventures players must agree to any optional rules
of your own. To do this, one player uses before the game begins.
the board tiles to design a board and sets
a total points value for the characters on
each side. The player who did not design
No Reaction Dice
the board chooses whether to play hunters If you like a bit less randomness to your
or vampires. games, try playing without Reaction Dice.
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Timer More Revenge
If you find that the players are
Other games in the Gothica line share
overthinking their turns, you can place a
the same basic rules as Dracula’s Revenge,
time limit on each character’s move of one
so experienced players can jump right in.
minute. A stopwatch works best for this,
Of course, each game stands alone, so new
as you can pause it whenever someone
players can begin with any game they like.
interrupts the active character’s move.
Stop by www.draculasrevenge.com for
free new adventures, new optional rules,
No Feeding or Saving new characters, strategy hints, and free
To cut down on the available options, copies of these rules.
you can forbid the vampires to feed. To
balance this out, forbid the hunters to save Redhurst
minions.
If you like Dracula’s Revenge, check
out The Redhurst Academy of Magic™, our
Multiplayer d20 System supplement about a wizards’
You can play games with more than two college that teleports between worlds.
players. Allow each player to purchase a Reviewers give it top marks! Visit
certain points value worth of characters, www.humanheadgames.com for details.
either hunters or vampires. Each player
fights alone, trying to defeat the others.
When playing Action Cards, start with
the player with the most cards. Dice off
in the case of ties between players with
the same number of the same types of
characters. Play then rotates clockwise
around the table.
The same goes for reactions. If a player
wants to react, the player to the active
player’s left has the first chance. The next
player has the next chance, and so on.

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