Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon

2019

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon offers a unique blend of Arthurian legends and Celtic mythology. This adventure board game allows you to influence a deep, branching storyline, face harrowing decisions and develop your character in a land filled with challenges. Perfect for 1-4 players.

120
minutes

1 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is an engaging, cooperative board game with a deep narrative, branching stories, and a myriad of quests. Set in the enchanting yet gloomy world of Arthurian legends, it offers an immersive and unique gaming experience that combines exploration, character development, and survival elements.

The game’s theme and setting revolve around a reimagined universe of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. In this dark, mystical version of Avalon, the land is dying, and the brave knights have failed in their quest to save it. Players assume the roles of unlikely heroes, stepping into the shoes of outcasts who have been left behind in their village and are now tasked with lifting the curse that plagues their land.

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

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is an adventurous and exciting board game that requires thoughtful strategy. The following steps will guide you on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Prepare the Game Board

Place the main game board in the center of your playing area. The game board represents the island of Avalon. Make sure all players can easily reach the game board.

Step 2: Set Up the Menhirs

Arrange the Menhir statues on the designated spaces on the board. These pieces are vital to the gameplay as they protect the areas from the wyrdness.

Step 3: Prepare the Decks

Shuffle the Event, Encounter, and Secret decks separately. Place them face down next to the game board.

Step 4: Set Up the Players

Each player should choose a character and take the corresponding character tray, miniature, and starting deck of cards.
Place the character miniatures on the starting tile space on the game board.
Give each player their starting resources. This usually consists of a certain amount of food, wealth, and a few items as indicated on their character sheets.

Step 5: Set Up the Player Areas

Each player should arrange their character tray in front of them. The tray holds their resources, items, and character cards.

Step 6: Prepare the Diplomacy and Combat Tracks

Set up the diplomacy and combat tracks next to the game board. These tracks are used during encounters.

Step 7: Random Elements

Random elements are a key part of the Tainted Grail experience. These are introduced through the Secret and Event decks. When instructed by the game, players will draw from these decks introducing unexpected events and secrets into the game.

Once these steps are complete, you’re ready to begin your journey into the world of ‘Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon’.

Game flow Round and round we go

‘Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon’ is a deep, immersive cooperative board game which combines elements of narrative-driven RPGs with strong, strategic gameplay. The game is designed to be played over a series of rounds, each split into distinct phases. Let’s delve deeper into the structure of each round.

1. Day Start Phase: At the very beginning of each round, players must perform several actions in this order:

Refresh Activation tokens: Players take back their activation tokens from the game board.

Resolve Status Effects: Any ongoing status effects on the characters are resolved.

Update Menhirs: Players decrease the dial on active Menhirs by 1, representing the waning of their light.

Advance Guardian: If a location is without Menhir light, the Guardian advances.

2. Day Phase: This is the main phase where players will spend most of their time. They can perform a variety of actions in any order:

Travel: Players can move their character to adjacent locations on the map.

Explore: Players can reveal and resolve an encounter card at their location.

Rest: Players can regain lost health and energy by resting at safe locations.

Trade: Players can exchange resources and items with the locals.

Activate Location: Players can use the unique ability of their current location.

Prepare: Players can ready themselves for the upcoming challenges by preparing their abilities.

3. Dusk Phase: After all players have used up their actions, the Dusk phase begins. During this phase:

Players may need to face an incoming threat from an active Guardian.

Each location without Menhir light spawns an Encounter.

4. Night Phase: The final phase of the round, the Night phase, is where players camp for the night and prepare for the next day. This phase includes the following steps:

Replenish: Players refill their energy and health to the base value.

Level Up: Players can spend experience points to improve their attributes and abilities.

Draw Dreams and Secrets: Each player draws a card from the Dreams and Secrets deck and resolves it.

After the Night phase, a new round begins starting again with the Day Start phase. The game continues in this cycle until the players either accomplish their quest or succumb to the encroaching darkness.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a complex board game that offers players a rich and varied experience during each turn. During a player’s turn, they can choose to take one of five possible actions: Move, Explore, Rest, Trade, or Activate a Location. Each action can influence the game in different ways.

1. Move:
During the Move action, a player can travel across the game board.

Moving allows players to reach new locations where they can explore and activate different actions.
However, moving also consumes Energy, a crucial resource that players must manage carefully.

2. Explore:
Exploring allows players to discover new locations on the game board.

By exploring, players can uncover new resources, encounter enemies, or find helpful allies.
Exploring can also reveal new location cards, which provide additional options during future turns.

3. Rest:
Resting is a strategic choice that allows players to recover their Energy.

While resting, players can also draw more cards to increase their options in future turns.
However, resting consumes a player’s turn, meaning they can’t take any other action during this time.

4. Trade:
Trading allows players to exchange resources with each other or with the bank.

Strategic trading can help players obtain the resources they need to achieve their goals.
However, players must be careful not to give too much away to their opponents during trades.

5. Activate a Location:
Activating a location allows players to use the special abilities of a location on the game board.

These abilities can provide powerful benefits, such as additional resources, special cards, or unique strategic options.
However, activating a location often requires specific resources or has other costs, so players must choose carefully when and where to activate locations.

In Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, strategic decision-making is key. The choice of action each turn can significantly affect the course of the game, making every turn a critical moment in the players’ quest for victory.

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

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is an epic adventure game that involves exploration, survival, and battling menacing forces. The end of the game is triggered by different conditions based on the specific chapter. However, there are some common conditions that apply to most chapters.

Victory Conditions:

Completing the Chapter Objective: Each chapter of Tainted Grail has a unique objective. The game ends when a player or a group of players successfully completes the objective. This could involve reaching a certain location, collecting specific items, or defeating a particular enemy.
Exhausting the Time Limit: Some chapters have a time limit, represented by a deck of cards. The game ends when this deck runs out. In this case, the players may lose if they haven’t achieved the chapter’s objective.
Character Deaths: If all players’ characters die, the game ends. Depending on the chapter, this can result in either a loss or a different ending.

End of Game Actions:

Before final scoring, there are a few steps players must take:

Resolve End of Chapter: After the game ends, players must resolve the final effects of the chapter. This may involve reading a passage from the game book, applying effects, or setting up for the next chapter.
Calculate Final Score: Players then calculate their final score. This is usually based on their achievements during the game, such as enemies defeated, secrets discovered, and quests completed.
Record Progress: Players record their progress on their character sheets. This includes their character’s current stats, equipment, and achieved milestones. This information is used if players continue to the next chapter.

Note: The specific victory conditions and end of game actions can vary greatly between chapters. Therefore, it’s essential to read the rules and objectives for each chapter before playing.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a cooperative, narrative-driven board game. The scoring system is crucial to the gameplay and is mainly based on the players’ achievements during the game. Here is a detailed breakdown of the scoring system:

1. Main Objective Completion:

Victory Points (VPs): Players are awarded VPs for completing main objectives. The faster these objectives are completed, the more points are awarded. The number of VPs can vary depending on the difficulty level of the main objective.

2. Side Quest Completion:

Additional VPs: Players can earn additional VPs by completing side quests. These are optional tasks that players can take on for extra rewards. The VPs awarded can vary depending on the complexity and difficulty of the side quest.

3. Character Progression:

Character Level Points: Players earn points based on the level of their characters. The higher the level, the more points are awarded. These points are calculated at the end of the game.

4. Resources and Items:

Resource Points: Players receive points for the resources they have accumulated during the game. Each type of resource has a different point value.
Item Points: Points are also awarded for unique items that players have acquired during the game. The rarer the item, the higher the point value.

At the end of the game, the player with the most points is declared the winner. If there is a tie, the following tie-breaking rules are applied:

The player who completed the most main objectives wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who completed the most side quests wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the highest level character wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most resources wins.

It is crucial to remember that while scoring is an important part of ‘Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon’, the game is primarily about the journey and the narrative that unfolds as players explore the game world.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a complex board game with several unique rules and mechanics. Understanding these rules can greatly enhance gameplay.

1. Menhir Activation:

One of the unique aspects of Tainted Grail is the Menhir system. A Menhir can only be activated if you have enough energy, but it’s important to note that the Menhir doesn’t stay active indefinitely. It dims after a certain number of days, which can be tracked using the dial on the Menhir’s card. Remember that when a Menhir dims, all location cards outside of the Menhir’s light range are removed from the game.

2. Diplomacy and Combat:

Another distinctive mechanic in Tainted Grail is the dual system of diplomacy and combat. When you enter a diplomatic encounter, you can’t switch to combat, and vice versa. It’s essential to carefully consider your approach to each encounter, as switching mid-encounter isn’t allowed.

3. Character Death:

In Tainted Grail, if a character’s health or terror reaches zero, the character doesn’t die instantly. Instead, they become incapacitated. They can be revived by another character or when the group rests at a Menhir. But remember that each incapacitation has severe consequences, like losing resources or progress.

4. Wyrd Candle Usage:

The Wyrd candles are a special resource in the game. They can be used to extend the light of a Menhir, but they are consumed in the process. Be mindful of your Wyrd candle usage as these are rare and valuable items.

5. Exploration:

When exploring the map, it’s essential to know that only the active player can decide to explore a location. Other players in the area can join, but they can’t initiate the exploration.

6. Card Limit:

Each player has a limit of 15 combat and diplomacy cards. If you gain a new card and already have 15, you must discard a card to make room for the new one.

7. Time Track:

The time track is an important part of Tainted Grail. Certain effects and locations can cause time to advance, which may trigger events or cause Menhirs to dim. Be attentive to the time track to avoid unpleasant surprises.

8. Secret Cards:

Secret cards are unique in the game. When you receive a secret card, you keep it hidden from other players until you decide to reveal it. Remember that revealing a secret card is always optional.