Dungeoneer FAQ

Q. What are the differences between the first and second editions of Dungeoneer?

This is the most common question we get about the game. First, a bit of backstory: The first edition of the game, called simply Dungeoneer, was released by Citizen Games. Only the original deck was released by Citizen Games. The second edition, released by us at Atlas Games, was released as Dungeoneer: Tomb of the Lich Lord, and was followed immediately afterwards by Dungeoneer:

Vault of the Fiends, the first expansion for Dungeoneer and a complete game in its own right. Vault of the Fiends and Tomb of the Lich Lord both use the game's second edition rules.

The changes between the first and second edition are many, but do not render your first edition decks obsolete. Theseare the second edition changes:

• The card stock is sturdier.
• The cards are printed full color on both sides.
• The cards have new backs and are much easier to distinguish from each other.
• The rulebook is expanded and much more detailed, taking into consideration the feedback of the game's many players.
• There is a new Campaign rules option, which allows you to play Dungeoneer much like a role-playing game with one player as the Dungeonlord and the other players as heroes.
• The layout of the cards has been refined for quick reference while the cards are in hand, and making it easier to read a card's basic statistics. This new layout also clearly indicates when a card may be played.
• There are 2 new heroes in Tomb of the Lich Lord and several other new cards.
• Trackers have been included to reduce the number of tokens needed to play the game and to make it easier to track of your Peril and Glory resources.
• A new card type—Attachments—allows you to modify other cards.
• Heroes now go up to level 4 (though this only matters when playing Campaign-style games).

Q. Can I play a storage item card which gives my hero more storage when my hero is already carrying his or her maximum number of items?  

Yes, you may play the storage item when your slots are filled; a card takes effect the moment it is played.

Q. When can I initiate a challengeon a monster that has already attacked me?

Hold back a movement to challenge a monster after it attacks you, just as the rules say under "Special Actions." This is rare, and may cause you unnecessary complication, so it's not an essential rule.

Q. What point does it serve to hold back a movement for your opponent's turn(s)?

See above.

Q. Why can't I choose to discard one of my Boons that's already in play for another one I want to play?

Treasures can be dropped because it is logical. Think of Boons as things your hero has learned (like skills and spells). It would be odd to "unlearn what you've learned." Besides, when designing Treasures and Boons we keep in mind that Treasures may be dropped and may not be "stacked" (you can't wear two cloaks, for example), but Boons may be stocked (you may learn Improved Aim again and again).

Q. Who chooses the passages at the beginning of the game?

It doesn't matter since the passages are chosen randomly. The dealer is a good choice. The only reason for this is to make sure rooms are farther away from the Entrance at the beginning of the game, which creates a more equal playing board.

Q. The rules don't specify that completing a quest ends my turn.

Look under the "Hero Phase" heading. Beneath "Complete Quest," it reads: "When you complete a Quest, collect the Quest completion reward and go immediately to your Discard/Draw Phase. You may not complete more than 1 Quest on your turn." This means your turn ends. It would be a little odd to just say "your turn ends," though, because you still perform your Discard/Draw Phase. That, of course, is what ends your turn.

Q. Mighty Strike, Fiery Blast and Axe of Weeping Wounds each allow you to do an additional hit if opponent fails a roll. Do you first have to score a wound to use this ability?

As on Axe of Weeping Wounds, abilities that have a starburst symbol indicate that "on a hit some variable effect occurs, as described on the card." So, yes, you must make a successful hit to trigger this ability.

Q. What if they have a card that let's them ignore a wound, would you still be able to harm them with one of those three cards?

Again, "on a hit" ... the glossary further defines a hit as a "successful attack." Since a card that lets a player ignore a wound would make the attack unsuccessful, the ability wouldn't be triggered.

Q. Teleporting cards. When you teleport to a new room do you gain peril and glory?

You generate Glory and Peril "for each space you enter on your turn that's new for this turn." So, if the card affects you on your turn, then yes, you gain Glory and Peril. If it affects you but it's not your turn, then no.

Q. Do you have to face threats in a room just as you would had you entered normally?

You don't have to deal with locked or trapped doors since you didn't enter through them. However, pits and spikes are activated "anytime you enter a space with [the pit or spikes] in it on your turn." So again, if you're transported there on your turn, you have to face them. If you're transported but it's not your turn, then no.

Q. If you fall in a pit and are tipped and then use transference to switch places with another player, are you still tipped? Do they become tipped while you untip?

From the glossary: "Certain card effects may cause your hero to become immobilized. Tip your hero token on its side to indicate this. Untipping your hero costs 1 Movement, and you may also be required to overcome the Threat that caused your hero to become immobilized." According to this, tipping can represent a more general "immobilization" rather than having to be an actual physical entrapment. I'd say that the player transported to the room with the obstacle in it does NOT become tipped in your place, and you still stay tipped. However, you likely don't have to "overcome the Threat that caused [you] to become immobilized" since you're not in the same room anymore. And if it's the other player's turn he'd have to try to overcome the Threat you already failed at, since he's now in that room.

Q. The dark altar lets you target another hero or monster with a magic attack as part of using it. What monster is this referring to? The dark altar lets you target another hero or monster with a magic attack as part of using it. What monster is this referring to?

If you're attacked and have a movement point you could use the Dark Alter. (monsters are only "on the board" when they are played, before they go to a pack/hand/discard - there is a window immediately after combat when you can attack a monster)

Q. Why would a player want to send monsters back to his/her hand rather than to the pack?

I can't think of any specific moments you'd want to. I'm sure there are so the option is there. Maybe you want to keep a certain monster around but already have 3 good ones in your pack.

Q. The gating ability of the bloodstained gate: this looks like a "must use" ability.

No. It is not a must use. I suppose it should say "you may...". This is the first time I've heard confusion about this one though.

Q. How come there's no Portal symbol in Den of the Wererats?

Because we left it out accidentally. The map card Wererat Lair is missing the Portal symbol, so there is no way to link Den to a dungeon set. Download the card image of the correct Wererat Lair, which includes a separate Portal symbol that players cam cut out and glue onto the card, or just remember it during game play.

Q. The "Vermin rage" card is marked as a "Hero" card, but should be a "Dungeonlord" card. The "Elven Boots" card should be "footwear", not "skill". The "Shield of Luck" card should be "shield", not "helmet".

Good catches, here. You're right on all counts.

Q. In search quests is searching for the monster mandatory? (e.g. Heinous Creature in the Vault game). In essence is it stalking me whether I like it or not? I understand that I can only search once per a turn ... but the question is whether that search is required if I have the quest.

No it is not required. Most things like this in the game are "by choice."

Q. Do warps trigger "When you enter this room" type effects?

Are you entering the room? If the answer is yes, then yes.

Q. When placing down Map Cards, the rules say "The first one has to be connecting and they have to be places consecutively" but do the 3 pieces have to connect to one another?

Yes, that is the reason the word "consecutively" is used. Follow this rule unless it is impossible to do so.

Q. Does my pack "occupy" spaces?

Generally no: a pack does not occupy a space, and monsters do not stay on the board. A pack only occupies a space if you are playing with the wandering pack optional rule so that there's a wandering pack token on the board.

Q. When does Dodge have to be played?

Like the card says: anytime. It could be a waste to play it before dice are rolled though - you may not even get hit, so wait to see whether or not the attack was successful. Note that this does not conflict with the "play cards that affect dice rolls before dice are rolled" rule, because it is not affecting a dice roll.

Q. For items like Sword of fiendslaying, does it add +1 Melee AND +2 melee against fiends? (Providing a total bonus of +3)

No.

Q. Cloak of Phasing: How many times may this ability be used?

Unfortunately the phrase "limit once per turn" was left off, so there is no limit. The card is slightly more powerful than it should be for its cost, but it doesn't break the game.

Q. If a hero gains more speed (from Leveling, or a Potion of Speed for example), does he retroactively gain more movement?

This is a nuance in the rules. Technically movement points are reset at the Reset phase, so the answer is no. However a very common house rule is that Treasures and Boons that boost Speed give a movement point too.

Q. Do attachments take up space in your inventory? Technically they are (according to the updated rules) Readied because they are in effect, but I don't know if they count toward your treasure limit.

No. The updated rules say that Boon/Treasure limits apply to "permanents", not attachments or instants.

Q. When Ramalith uses his magic attack, it says "Gains 1 HP". Does this mean he can get to any number of HP or did you mean to say "Recover 1 HP"?

It means what it says. He can infinitely gain Life. He cannot, however, gain HP. Ever.

Q. Are there negative hit points in the game?

Yes you can have a negative score (this applies to melee/magic/speed as well). The rule you are referring to specifically applies to the Glory/Peril reward limit for inflicting wounds, not whether your actual score can be negative.

Q. Can you use Diversion against another Monster?

Yes, that is the point of the card!

Q. The hero-cards show a column for Level 4 - what is this for? I mean, as far as I have seen, a hero can only gain one level by completing a quest. So, from my point of view, as soon as a hero has completed the third quest he would indeed become Level 4, but on the other hand the game ends immediately.

You're right that the Level 4 column isn't immediately useful. The idea is that eventually we'll have an expansion that introduced "epic levels" on beyond Level 3, and this is just preparation for that.

Q. In Den of the Wererats, is there something missing in the instructions for the Divine the Holy Symbol quest?

It is missing the line "adding +1 for each space your hero is from the nearest Entrance." All search-type Quests work the same way.

Q. In Haunted Woods of Malthorin, I think some of the card categories are wrong.

Right ... Elven Boots should be Hero * Permanent * Footwear, and Shield of Luck should be Hero * Permanent * Shield.

Q. Are the hero stats off in Legendary Dungeoneer: Wrath of the Serpent Goddess?

There are typos on two of the heroes; a corrected version is shown below ...

Grognar the Bold: Base stats are not his legendary level, but the progression is correct. Correct base stats are: Melee 6, Magic: 2, Speed: 5. Also, levels are mislabeled 4-7 instead of 7-10.

Tanin Shadefoot: Stats are correct, but levels are mislabeled 4-7 instead of 7-10.