Runebound (Third Edition)

2015

Runebound is an exciting adventure board game for 2-4 players set in Terrinoth. Battle dragons, explore lost ruins, undertake quests, and customize your hero in a unique gaming experience!

180
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium

About the game

Runebound (Third Edition) is a captivating and immersive board game that takes you on an epic journey across the magical realm of Terrinoth. The game is set in a vibrant fantasy world, rich with lore and adventure, where you combat deadly foes, make daring choices, and strive to become the realm’s greatest hero.

Theme and Setting
Runebound (Third Edition) is set in the mythical land of Terrinoth, a place steeped in magic, mystery, and age-old legends. As a player, you assume the role of a brave adventurer seeking fame and fortune. Terrinoth is dominated by the Dark Star, a foreboding omen whose presence signifies the return of the ancient dragon Margath. Players must navigate treacherous terrains, battle formidable monsters, and acquire powerful artifacts to defeat Margath and restore peace to the land.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Runebound (Third Edition) is a strategy board game where players embark on adventures in the fantasy realm of Terrinoth. Here are the key components of the game:

1. Game Board: A large, hexagonal game board depicts the various terrains of Terrinoth. Players move their characters across the board’s hexes to encounter challenges, visit cities, and complete quests.

2. Hero Figures: The game includes six different hero figures, each representing a unique character. The players’ characters move around the game board, taking part in adventures and combat.

3. Adventure Cards: These cards make up the quests, enemies, and events players encounter during the game. They are drawn whenever a player lands on a hex with a corresponding adventure gem.

4. Skill Cards: These cards represent the special abilities and growth of the heroes. Players earn these cards as they progress through the game, enhancing their capabilities and strategies.

5. Combat Tokens: Used in combat situations to decide the outcome of battles. Each token has different symbols (shield, foot, etc.) that correspond to the various aspects of combat.

6. Story Cards: These cards drive the overarching story of the game. They are occasionally drawn to introduce new events or challenges that affect all players.

7. Condition Cards: These cards represent temporary statuses that can affect a character, either positively or negatively. Conditions can be gained through adventure cards, combat, or story cards.

8. Quest Cards: These cards provide heroes with specific tasks to accomplish for rewards. They offer a secondary objective for players and a chance to gain additional resources.

9. Asset Cards: These cards represent equipment, allies, and other resources that heroes can acquire. They can be purchased in cities or obtained through quests and adventures.

10. Scenario Cards: The game includes two sets of scenario cards, each presenting a unique final challenge for the heroes. The scenario sets the ultimate goal of the game and influences the types of adventures and challenges players will face.

11. Dice: The game comes with a set of specially marked dice used in combat and other actions. The dice’s symbols correspond with the symbols on the combat tokens.

12. Character Sheets: Each player has a character sheet that tracks their hero’s health, skills, and assets. It provides an overview of the player’s current status in the game.

13. Adventure Gems: These hexagonal tokens mark the spots on the board where adventures can be encountered. They are color-coded to match the different types of adventure cards.

14. Time Track and Time Marker: The time track is used to monitor the progression of the game, with the time marker moving forward after each round. Certain events or story cards are triggered when the time marker reaches specific points.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Runebound (Third Edition) is a fantasy adventure board game where players become heroes in a magical realm. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Set Up the Game Board

Place the game board in the center of the playing area. The board represents the realm of Terrinoth, which is filled with cities, forests, mountains, and rivers. Ensure all players can easily access the board.

Step 2: Choose Player Roles

Each player chooses a hero from the available options. The heroes have unique abilities and stats. Players should read their hero’s card to understand their unique abilities and starting gear.

Step 3: Prepare the Asset Deck

Shuffle the asset cards and place them in a facedown pile next to the game board. These cards represent various items, followers, and skills that players can acquire during the game.

Step 4: Prepare the Adventure Decks

There are three levels of adventure cards: green (easy), yellow (medium), and red (hard). Shuffle each deck separately and place them facedown beside the board. These cards present the challenges players will encounter in their quests.

Step 5: Prepare the Scenario

Choose one of the game’s scenarios and place its related cards and tokens as indicated in its specific setup instructions. The scenario defines the game’s progression and ultimate goal.

Step 6: Place Initial Adventure Cards

Draw and place one green adventure card faceup on each space with a green shield icon on the game board. These represent the initial challenges in the realm.

Step 7: Distribute Initial Resources

Each player receives the starting resources as indicated on their hero card. This often includes a small amount of gold and possibly some initial assets.

Step 8: Determine the First Player

Determine the first player by any random method. The first player takes the first turn, and play proceeds clockwise around the table.

Once these steps are complete, you’re ready to start your adventure in the realm of Terrinoth!

Game flow Round and round we go

In Runebound (Third Edition), players take on the role of heroes embarking on dangerous quests in the fantasy realm of Terrinoth. The game follows a specific structure, divided into rounds or phases, each with specific actions for players to carry out.

Every round in Runebound is split into three main phases:

The Start of Round Phase

This phase begins each round. During this phase, players must perform the following actions:

Refresh: Any exhausted cards (cards that were used in the previous round and turned sideways) are refreshed (turned upright).
Scenario Effect: Some scenarios may have effects that occur at the start of each round, which are carried out now.

The Hero Turn Phase

During this phase, each player takes a turn, starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise. On their turn, a player may perform the following actions:

Move: The player can move their hero across the map, exploring new territories or entering familiar ones.
Explore: The player can explore their current location, which may involve encountering enemies, finding treasures, or experiencing events.
Rest: If a player chooses to rest, they can recover lost health and prepare for future encounters.
Train: A player may choose to train their hero, improving abilities and gaining new skills.

The End of Round Phase

This is the final phase of each round. Here, players must perform the following actions:

Scenario Effect: Some scenarios may have effects that occur at the end of each round, which are carried out now.
Pass the First Player Token: The first player token is passed to the player on the left, who will start the next round.

Players repeat these phases until one player manages to meet the victory conditions specified by the scenario, thereby becoming the winner of the game. It is important to remember that the exact rules and actions can vary depending on the chosen scenario and the number of players.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In Runebound (Third Edition), each player’s turn consists of several phases. This HTML content will provide a detailed breakdown of each phase and the possible actions and strategic choices a player can make during their turn.

Refresh Phase

During the Refresh Phase, players must perform the following actions:

Refresh all exhausted cards.
Discard any number of Adventure cards from their hand and draw the same amount from the top of the Adventure deck.

Adventure Phase

During the Adventure Phase, players can choose to either travel or rest.

Travel: Players can move across the map to explore and encounter different challenges. The player rolls terrain dice and moves according to the symbols rolled. The player can also encounter enemies or events, depending on the space they land on.
Rest: If a player chooses to rest, they can recover all of their health and focus tokens, preparing themselves for future encounters.

Challenge Phase

During the Challenge Phase, if a player’s hero is on a space with an enemy token, they must encounter that enemy. Here are the steps:

The player draws a card from the enemy deck that matches the color of the enemy token.
The player fights the enemy in a combat round, using their hero’s skills, items, and allies.
If the player defeats the enemy, they receive rewards as stated on the enemy card. This might include items, skills, or attribute increases.
If the player does not defeat the enemy, they suffer the consequences listed on the enemy card. This could mean losing health or other negative effects.

Strategic Choices

There are several strategic choices that a player can make during their turn in Runebound:

Choosing the right path: When moving across the map, players can choose to take risky shortcuts or longer, safer routes. The choice can significantly affect their encounter experiences.
Choosing when to rest: Resting at the right time can be crucial to a player’s survival. If a player’s hero is low on health, it might be wiser to rest instead of engaging in a challenging encounter.
Choosing to fight or flee: Sometimes, running away from a tough enemy can be the best choice, especially if the player’s hero is not well-equipped to handle the fight. It’s important to know when to stand your ground and when to retreat.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

In ‘Runebound (Third Edition)’, the game ends when a player successfully fulfills any of the victory conditions set out by the game. The game also ends if the main antagonist, the Margrath Darkrift, is defeated.

Victory Conditions:

Defeating Margrath Darkrift: If a player manages to defeat the Margrath Darkrift, they are declared the winner of the game. This is achieved by battling Margrath in his own realm and overcoming his formidable defenses.
Completing the Scenario Objective: Each scenario has a specific objective or task that players need to complete. This could be acquiring a certain item, reaching a specific location, or defeating a particular enemy. The first player to complete this objective wins the game.

It’s important to note that only one player can be declared the winner in a game of Runebound. In the event of a tie, the player with the most remaining health points is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player with the most remaining gold wins.

Actions Players Must Take Before Final Scoring:

Before the game ends and final scoring takes place, players must ensure they have completed all their actions for the current round. Players finish their turns in the order they have been playing throughout the game. Once all players have completed their actions for the round, final scoring takes place.

Combat: Any ongoing combat must be resolved. If a player is in combat with Margrath Darkrift or another enemy, they must complete that combat before final scoring can occur.
Scenario Actions: Any actions related to the scenario must be completed. This could include exploring a location, interacting with a character, or using an item.
Recovery: Players have the opportunity to recover health points and stamina before the end of the game. They can do this by resting at a safe location or using recovery items and abilities.

Once all actions have been completed and all combat resolved, final scoring can take place and the winner of the game can be declared.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Runebound (Third Edition) is a fantasy adventure board game where players compete to become the winner by gaining the most points through various actions. Here’s a detailed overview of the scoring system.

Players gain points primarily through three activities:

Defeating Enemies: Each enemy card has a point value on it. When a player defeats an enemy, they collect the card and will add its point value to their total score at the end of the game.
Completing Quests: Quest cards also have point values. Players who complete the conditions specified on a quest card can claim it and add its point value to their score.
Gathering Artifacts: Artifacts are special items that players can find during the game. Each artifact has a point value, which will be added to the player’s total score at the end.

At the end of the game, players add up the point values of all their enemy cards, quest cards, and artifacts. The player with the highest total score is the winner.

If there is a tie, the tie-breaking rules are applied in the following order:

Most Enemies Defeated: The player who has defeated the most enemies wins the tie. If there is still a tie, move on to the next rule.
Most Quests Completed: The player who has completed the most quests wins the tie. If there is still a tie, move on to the next rule.
Most Artifacts Collected: The player who has collected the most artifacts wins the tie. If there is still a tie, the game is considered a draw.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Runebound (Third Edition) is a strategy board game with a deep rule set. There are several special rules, exceptions, and rule clarifications that players might find important:

1. Movement:

In ‘Runebound’, players are allowed to move as far as their rolled movement tokens allow. However, there are certain exceptions:

Mountains: To enter a mountain hex, a player must have at least one terrain symbol that matches the mountain.
Rivers: Crossing a river hex side is only possible if a player has a river symbol in their movement roll.
Unexplored tiles: Players cannot move onto unexplored tiles unless they’re exploring them.

2. Combat:

Combat in ‘Runebound’ is mainly resolved through dice, but there are some exceptions and special rules:

Freezing: If an effect freezes a hero during combat, they cannot use any combat tokens during this combat.
Unstoppable: Some enemies have the ‘Unstoppable’ trait. This means they cannot be defeated unless the player deals damage equal to or greater than their health in a single turn.

3. Adventure Cards:

Adventure cards give players quests, challenges, and opportunities for rewards. There are some rules clarifications regarding these cards:

Discarding: Players are only allowed to discard an adventure card when they complete it or if a game effect allows it.
Timing: Some adventure cards have timing requirements (like ‘Day’ or ‘Night’). These cards can only be activated during their specified times.

4. Scenario Specific Rules:

Each scenario in ‘Runebound’ has its own set of specific rules. These might alter game play, so it’s crucial to read the scenario rules before starting a game.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Runebound (Third Edition) is a fantasy-themed, adventure board game that challenges players to embark on epic quests, combat formidable foes, and make strategic decisions. Here are some strategies, tips, and common mistakes to avoid to optimize your gameplay:

Advanced Strategies:

Master the terrain: Understanding the terrain mechanics is crucial in Runebound. Use terrain to your advantage by choosing paths that match your strongest terrain cards.
Focus on your hero’s strengths: Each hero has unique abilities. Rather than trying to be a jack of all trades, focus on enhancing your hero’s innate strengths.
Strategize your combat: Combat is more than just rolling dice. Carefully choose which tokens to use and when to use them to maximize your potential in combat.

Beginner Tips:

Start with simple quests: If you are new to the game, begin with simpler quests. As you gain more experience and confidence, you can take on more complex quests.
Learn from your adversaries: Each adversary you face presents an opportunity to learn and strategize. Pay attention to the strengths and weaknesses of your adversaries to enhance your strategies.
Manage your resources wisely: Gold, skill cards, and tokens are valuable resources. Make sure you use them wisely and strategically.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Underestimating the importance of terrain: Terrain can significantly impact your movement and combat. Ignoring terrain mechanics can lead to strategic blunders.
Not adapting strategies: Runebound is a dynamic game. Sticking to one strategy without adapting to changing circumstances can cost you the game.
Overlooking non-combat skills: While combat skills are important, non-combat skills like navigation and interaction can also be game-changers. Don’t overlook these skills.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Keep an eye on your opponents: Watch your opponents’ moves and strategies. This can give you insights into their strengths, weaknesses, and potential plays.
Use your downtime effectively: During others’ turns, plan your next moves. This will help you save time and keep the game moving smoothly.
Communicate with your team: If you are playing in a team, communication is key. Share your strategies and coordinate your actions for maximum effectiveness.