The Vale of Eternity

2023

Welcome to the mystical world of The Vale of Eternity, a captivating and immersive board game that transports players to a realm of magic, mystery, and adventure. As you traverse through lush forests, ancient ruins, and treacherous mountains, you’ll encounter mystical creatures, unearth powerful artifacts, and face various challenges that will test your strategy, cooperation, and resource management skills. The theme of The Vale of Eternity is deeply rooted in high fantasy, with elements of mythology and folklore woven into the narrative. The setting is a sprawling, enchanted realm filled with diverse landscapes, teeming with magic and inhabited by both ... Read more

45
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium

About the game

Welcome to the mystical world of The Vale of Eternity, a captivating and immersive board game that transports players to a realm of magic, mystery, and adventure. As you traverse through lush forests, ancient ruins, and treacherous mountains, you’ll encounter mystical creatures, unearth powerful artifacts, and face various challenges that will test your strategy, cooperation, and resource management skills.

The theme of The Vale of Eternity is deeply rooted in high fantasy, with elements of mythology and folklore woven into the narrative. The setting is a sprawling, enchanted realm filled with diverse landscapes, teeming with magic and inhabited by both benevolent and malevolent beings.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The board game ‘The Vale of Eternity’ comes with a variety of components to provide an immersive gaming experience. Each component plays a unique role within the game and interacts with other parts in a specific way.

1. Game Board:

The game board is a map of the Vale, divided into distinct regions. Each region has different resources and hazards. Players move their characters across the board to gather resources, overcome challenges, and reach objectives.

2. Character Tokens:

Each player has a character token, representing their character on the game board. These tokens move around the board, marking the player’s current location. Interaction with other components like items, monsters, or quests often depends on the character’s location.

3. Resource Tokens:

Resource tokens represent the various resources players can gather. There are different types of resources, such as wood, stone, and magic crystals. Players collect these tokens when their characters visit certain regions on the board, and use them to build structures, craft items, or cast spells.

4. Quest Cards:

Quest cards provide objectives for players to achieve. Each card details a specific task and the rewards for completing it. Players draw quest cards at the start of their turn, and complete them by performing certain actions or reaching specific locations on the board.

5. Item Cards:

Item cards represent equipment and artifacts that players can acquire. Each card provides a specific benefit, such as increased movement speed or enhanced resource gathering. Players can obtain item cards by visiting certain locations, completing quests, or trading resources.

6. Monster Tokens:

Monster tokens represent the various creatures and enemies in the Vale. Each monster has different attributes and abilities, and can pose a threat to players’ characters. Players can encounter monsters when they explore certain regions or draw certain quest cards. Defeating monsters often provides rewards, like resources or item cards.

7. Dice:

The game includes several six-sided dice. Players roll dice to determine the outcome of various actions, such as combat with monsters, resource gathering, or quest completion. The number rolled can interact with character abilities, item benefits, and monster attributes to influence the result.

8. Character Sheets:

Each player has a character sheet, which tracks their character’s abilities, inventory, and status. The sheet provides an overview of the player’s progress and capabilities in the game. It interacts with virtually all other components, as it records what resources, items, and quests a player has, and the effects of any encounters with monsters.

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

The Vale of Eternity is an immersive board game that takes you on a journey of adventure and strategy. This guide will help you understand the setup and initial steps to commence the game. The process will involve player roles, board placement, initial resources, and random elements.

Player Roles:

Each player chooses a character to play with, each with unique abilities and traits. The options could be a Warrior, Mage, Archer, Priest, or Rogue. Once a player chooses a character, they receive the corresponding character card.

Warrior: Possesses great strength and defense.
Mage: Wields powerful magic spells.
Archer: Excels in long-range attacks.
Priest: Specializes in healing and support abilities.
Rogue: Master of stealth and surprise attacks.

Board Placement:

Place the main board in the center of the table. This board represents the Vale of Eternity and its surrounding realms. Next, shuffle the Realm cards and place them face down on the corresponding spaces on the board. Each player places their character token on the starting point, the Sacred Grove.

Initial Resources:

Each player receives a set of initial resources as mentioned on their character card. This usually includes:

10 Gold Coins
3 Potions (Health, Mana, and Stamina)
1 Weapon (based on character class)

Random Elements:

The Vale of Eternity incorporates several random elements to keep every game exciting and unpredictable. These include:

Realm Cards: These cards, when drawn, reveal new areas of the map, along with challenges or rewards that they bring.
Event Cards: Drawn at the beginning of each player’s turn, these cards can trigger a variety of events, affecting the game’s progress.
Monster Cards: These cards are drawn when a player enters a new realm. The player must fight the monster, with the outcome affecting their progress.

Once the board is set, character cards and initial resources are distributed, and the random elements are appropriately positioned, you are ready to embark on your journey through The Vale of Eternity.

Game flow Round and round we go

The Vale of Eternity is a strategic board game full of intrigue and mystery. The game revolves around players navigating through the mystical Vale, with the goal of collecting the most points by the end of the game. The game structure is divided into rounds, and each round is further divided into phases. Here is a detailed explanation of the game’s structure.

I. Game Setup

Each player chooses a character and takes the corresponding character card.
The game board is laid out and the Vale cards are shuffled and placed in a deck on the designated space.
Each player places their character piece on the starting square.
The first player is determined and the game begins.

II. Round Structure

Each round in The Vale of Eternity is composed of three phases: The Draw Phase, The Action Phase, and The End Phase.

1. The Draw Phase

In the Draw Phase, players refill their hand to the hand limit by drawing cards from the Vale deck. These cards can contain useful items, powerful spells, or perilous threats.

2. The Action Phase

During the Action Phase, players can perform a variety of actions. They can move their character on the board, use the items or spells they have in their hand, or engage in combat with threats they encounter.

Movement: Players can move their character up to a number of squares equal to their character’s Speed stat.
Usage of Items/Spells: Players can use the items or spells in their hand to gain advantages or to deal with threats. Each item or spell has its own specific rules detailed on its card.
Combat: If a player ends their movement on a square with a threat, they must engage in combat. Combat is resolved by comparing the player’s Combat stat with the threat’s Combat stat, potentially modified by items or spells.

3. The End Phase

In the End Phase, players check if any end-of-round effects apply, and then pass the turn to the next player in clockwise order. The game continues with the next round.

III. Game End

The game ends when all players have had a predetermined number of turns, or when a specific condition is met, such as a player reaching a certain score. The player with the highest score at the end of the game is declared the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

The Vale of Eternity is a strategic board game that involves players navigating through a mystical land to collect resources, battle enemies, and seize control of territories. The game is turn-based, with each player taking a turn to perform a series of actions that can greatly affect the outcome of the game. Here’s a detailed breakdown of a player’s turn:

Phase 1: Resource Collection

The first phase of a player’s turn is the Resource Collection. In this phase, the player collects the resources generated by the territories they control. These resources, which include gold, crystals, and lumber, are crucial for building structures, recruiting units, and performing special abilities.

Gold is used mainly to recruit units and build structures. The more territories you control, the more gold you have at your disposal.
Crystals are primarily used to perform special abilities. These abilities can turn the tide of battle to your favour.
Lumber is necessary for building structures. Structures can enhance your territories, making them more resilient to enemy attacks or more productive in terms of resource generation.

Phase 2: Action Phase

The second phase is the Action Phase. During this phase, the player can perform a variety of actions, including:

Recruiting Units: Here, the player can use their collected gold to recruit units. The units are placed in the player’s territories and can be used for defence or offence in battles.
Building Structures: The player can use their lumber to build structures in their territories, enhancing their productivity or defensive capabilities.
Performing Special Abilities: The player can use their crystals to perform special abilities. These abilities can have various effects, such as buffing your units, debuffing enemy units, or directly damaging enemy territories.
Moving Units: The player can move their units from one territory to another. This is crucial for launching attacks on enemy territories or reinforcing your own territories.

Phase 3: Battle Phase

The final phase is the Battle Phase. If the player’s units are in the same territory as enemy units, a battle ensues. The outcome of these battles can result in the change of territory control, loss of units, and shift in resource generation.

Each player’s turn in The Vale of Eternity is packed with strategic choices. Each decision, from resource allocation to unit movement, can have significant consequences. Therefore, players must think carefully and plan their moves to secure victory.

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

The board game ‘The Vale of Eternity’ ends when one of the two following conditions is met: either all the players have run out of magic tokens or the last prophecy card has been drawn. These events initiate the final scoring phase.

Victory Conditions

There are three major victory conditions in ‘The Vale of Eternity’:

Master of Magic: This condition is met when a player has successfully harnessed all four elemental magics. The player must have at least one magic token of each of the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water.
Prophet of Prophecy: This condition is achieved when a player has successfully drawn and completed the tasks on three prophecy cards. The prophecy cards represent the predictions of the future and completing them means fulfilling these prophecies.
Conqueror of the Vale: A player meets this condition by owning the most territories on the board at the end of the game. To own a territory, a player must have their marker stone on it.

Pre-Scoring Actions

Before final scoring, players must undertake the following steps:

Each player must count their remaining magic tokens. For each set of four tokens (one of each element), the player receives 10 points. Any remaining tokens not forming a set are worth 1 point each.
Score the prophecy cards. Each prophecy card is worth a specific number of points, indicated on the card. Completed prophecy cards are added to the player’s score, but uncompleted prophecy cards subtract their point value from the player’s total.
Calculate territory control. Each territory on the board has a number of points associated with it. Players add up the points for the territories they control.

The player with the highest total score at the end of these calculations is declared the winner of ‘The Vale of Eternity’.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In The Vale of Eternity board game, players earn points through a variety of methods. These include: exploring the vale, constructing buildings, defeating monsters, acquiring relics, and fulfilling prophecy cards. The player with the most points at the end of the game is declared the winner.

Scoring Points

Points are awarded in the following ways:

Exploring the Vale: For each tile of the Vale that a player explores, they receive points equal to the number indicated on the tile.
Constructing Buildings: Players can construct buildings on their own tiles. Each building is worth a set number of points as indicated on the building card.
Defeating Monsters: Players can earn points by defeating monsters. Each monster has a point value shown on its card.
Acquiring Relics: Relics are a type of treasure that players can find while exploring. Each relic has a point value shown on its card.
Fulfilling Prophecy Cards: Players can earn points by fulfilling the conditions on prophecy cards. The points earned this way are shown on the individual prophecy cards.

Tie-Breaking Rules

In the event of a tie, the following rules are applied in order:

The player with the most completed prophecy cards wins.
If still tied, the player with the most relics wins.
If still tied, the player with the most defeated monsters wins.
If still tied, the player with the most buildings wins.
If still tied, the player who explored the most tiles wins.
If a tie still exists after all these steps, the victory is shared.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

The Vale of Eternity has a number of special rules and rare exceptions that add depth and complexity to the game. These are crucial to understanding and mastering the game mechanics.

Special Rules:

The Rule of the Ancient: This rule states that if a player draws an ‘Ancient’ card, they immediately gain three additional turns. However, this rule only applies once per game per player.

The Vale’s Favor: If a player lands on the ‘Vale’ square, they may choose to either draw two cards or resurrect one of their fallen characters. This rule adds an additional layer of strategy to the game.

Exceptions:

Dragon’s Curse: Despite the general rule that a player must end their movement when they encounter a creature, the Dragon’s Curse card allows a player to continue their movement after battling a dragon.

The Timeless Void: Typically, traversing the Timeless Void results in a loss of a turn. However, if a player possesses the ‘Voidwalker’ card, they may pass through without penalty.

Rule Clarifications:

If a player chooses to resurrect a character using the Vale’s Favor, the character returns to the game with half of their original health.
The Ancient card can only be used once per game per player, but there are multiple in the deck. If a player draws a second Ancient card, it is returned to the deck and the player draws a new card.
When battling a dragon with the Dragon’s Curse card, the player does not need to win the battle to continue their movement.
The ‘Voidwalker’ card only negates the loss of a turn in the Timeless Void. Any other penalties or effects from cards played in the void still apply.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies

Mastering the Magic System: The Vale of Eternity is renowned for its intricate magic system. Advanced players should aim to learn and experiment with different combinations of spells for strategic advantage.
Control Key Locations: Holding the crucial points on the board such as the Temple of Time or Eternity Springs can offer significant bonuses and control over the game.
Understanding Player Characters: Each character has unique abilities that can be utilized in different situations. Advanced players should not only understand their own character but also the abilities of others.

Beginner Tips

Get to Know the Rules: Make sure to thoroughly understand the game rules before starting to play. The Vale of Eternity has complex mechanics that can be overwhelming for first-time players.
Focus on Resource Management: In the beginning, it’s important to focus on gathering and properly managing resources. This will help to develop your area faster and prepare for conflicts.
Cooperation: Remember, The Vale of Eternity is a team game. Effective communication and cooperation with your teammates can greatly influence the outcome of the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Spreading Too Thin: Try not to expand too quickly without a solid defense. It leaves you vulnerable to attacks.
Ignoring Character Skills: Each character has unique skills. Ignoring these can result in missed opportunities for strategic plays.
Neglecting Resource Management: Poor resource management can lead to a decline in progress and give an advantage to your opponents.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay

Plan Ahead: Always try to plan a few turns ahead. This allows you to prepare for possible outcomes and adapt your strategy accordingly.
Balance Your Focus: While it’s important to focus on your own development, don’t ignore what your opponents are doing. Keep an eye on their progress and try to disrupt their strategies when possible.
Utilize Game Elements: Make use of all game elements, like the magic system, character skills, and location advantages. This can help you gain an edge over your opponents.