Apocrypha Adventure Card Game

卡片類型

• Saint(聖人卡)：玩家角色卡。玩家可以用卡片上的能力(Power)，四Virtue(Body，Mind，Rage，Soul)以及技能(Skill：Charm，Conjure，Hack，Resist，Sense，Strike，Study)來影響遊戲。每個聖人都有一組天賦牌(Gift)，並且被Halo of Fragment and Death環繞。隨著任務升級。
• Fragment：強大的repressed或者遠古記憶，當成功的完成任務後獲得。 Black-bordered fragments represent fleeting short-term memories, while fragments with different borders represent enduring long-term memories.
• Mission：任務卡描述專屬的設定、故事和遊戲進行模式。每個章節都有專屬的任務，在任務卡和Structure卡上。故事手冊給你lowdown，包括設定跟規則(與任務卡上相同)。
• Structure：描述任務(Mission)要怎麼設定跟遊玩。總共有三種Structure：Goal、Nexus跟Clock。你的任務通常會屬於其中一種。Goal結構描述任何特別的任務規則，以及勝利及失敗條件；Nexus結構描述how you arrange the nexuses in your play area and any special movement rules；Clock結構描述任務中的時鐘要怎麼設定跟影響遊戲。
• Nexus：遊戲中你可以調查的地區。每個Nexus同時也有特殊規則，告訴你可以如何去防衛和封印。Nexus牌的兩面一面是Hope，一面是Doom。每組Nexus牌組包含了Archetype、Gift、Omen和Threat等類型的卡片。
• Omen：用來偵查和Orient一個Nexus。用來計時的牌組叫做毀滅日時鐘(Doomday Clock或者直接稱呼Clock)，由Omen卡組成。Omen有兩種屬性：Hope跟Doom。 As the apocalyptic darkness encroaches on the world, Omens of Hope will gradually become harder and harder to find.
• Gift：A gift is a resource that helps you win a

mission. There are four types: Body, Mind, Rage, and Soul. On the bottom, a gift has chapter, skill, and trait keywords that may affect your powers. An Alpha gift is one that your saint can start with, represented by the 三角形符號 in the upper right corner. An Enhanced gift is an altered version of a Base gift, represented by the 圓形太陽圖案。 Threat：A threat is a hazard that comes out of a nexus and tries to harm or block you. Threats also have chapter, skill, and trait keywords that may affect your powers. A true threat represents a main threat in a mission; these include masters and minions, which change from mission to mission. The most powerful of these are the novem, the ultra-powerful entities whose actions may alter the world. Like gifts, chapters may have Enhanced threats that are altered versions of Base threats. Archetype：An archetype is a placeholder for the masters and minions of the mission that are displayed by the mission cards instead of shuffled into the deck. Anything that happens to a true threat generally happens to its assigned archetype instead.

• Mutation：A mutation is a game-changing power that occurs when saints assist each other or when a card’s power demands it, based on a power from a list on the mutation card.
• Death：Vision of your demise。當你任務失敗後，會獲得Death在周圍的halo上，並且該欄位的fragment將無法使用。如果九個halo欄位上都有Death，你的聖人永遠死亡。
• 其他的遊戲配件：包括骰子、人物立牌、規則書跟故事手冊。

The Golden Rules

卡片跟規則衝突，以卡片為主；卡片之間的衝突，任務和結構>mutation>nexus>saint和fragment>threat>gift和omen；規則上的字眼never>no>yes。如果有instruction不可能發生，則忽略該instruction裡不可能發生的部分。

In guided mode, if any part of the game and the guide’s intention are ever in conflict, the guide’s intention should be considered to be correct.

城主模式裡城主最大。

Enter Here

教學模式

If this is your first time playing Apocrypha, only open the “Enter Here” deck. Do not shuffle it. Up to four saints may play with this deck at a time. This mission is a smaller version of the mission Shirts and Skins from Base and is played in co-op mode (see Playing Against the Game on page 12). Place the cards for the structure Incarnate, the mission Shirts and Skins, and the true threat The Mancubs at the top of your play area. Set aside the mutation Costly/Terrifying; whenever you are told to mutate a check, use the appropriate side of this card. The next 12 facedown cards are omens that make up the doomsday clock. Place the clock in the center of your play area. The nexus Stadium is Doom side up and the following five cards in its deck are facedown; display the Stadium with its deck in the first nexus spot. Do the same with the nexus School, Bar, and Back Alley. Each nexus contains some combination of gifts (cards that help you), threats (cards that oppose you), and omens (cards that allow investigations). Do not shuffle the clock or any of the nexus decks. Four pre-built saints are in the “Enter Here” deck: Diana Jones, Frank Block, Gabriella Vargas, and Dr. Zeez. Each player chooses one and places the saint card in front of them; do not shuffle the saint’s deck. Each saint has four virtues ( Body, Mind, Rage, and Soul), showing the number of that type of gift in their deck and the number of dice they roll on a check of that virtue. Then, each player draws a number of cards from their deck equal to their saint’s hand size, and you may begin to play (see How to Play on page ##). All saint pawns start at the Stadium. If you shuffled the Enter Here deck by accident or you want to rebuild it, see page 10.

How to play the Enter Here mission

過去用影片呈現[1]

選擇一個Saint來進行第一回合。回合開始時(詳細見Start章節，p.15)，你從Clock翻開最頂端的牌。如果上面有任何使用在你身上的起始能力(詳細見Positioning章節，p.22)，現在就可以使用。接著，如果有任何你或其他聖人可以使用的支援能力(見支援Support章節，P.15)現在可以使用。

然後進行偵查(見偵查Investigate章節，p.16)，你可以偵查所在的nexus：the Stadium。從手牌中獻祭一張Omen卡。如果nexus目前是hope狀態，把它翻到hope面；否則保持doom面。頂端卡片上的能力會影響本回合中你所進行的任何偵查行動。

翻開Stadium牌組頂端的牌，是Death's Heads威脅卡。在章節關鍵字Anumus跟技能關鍵字Strike的旁邊是Soul檢定值12跟Rage檢定值15。如果你覺得你無法對抗Death's Heads，可以選擇閃避－－如果你有此能力的話。否則必須進行遭遇(confront)對決(詳細見遭遇章節，p.16和檢定章節，p.18)。

對Death's Heads的檢定可以用Soul或是Rage。如果你左邊、右邊或是同地區的聖人角色有對應的Virtue指向你(見Positioning章節，p.22)，可以幫助你(assist)讓你重擲等同於他們virute數目的骰子。或者，如果你有對應檢定的virtue指向你自己(朝下)，你也可以自己幫助自己(見幫助章節，p.21)。幫助會帶來影響(Consequence)：引發Mutation卡片上的mutation；如果你被幫助，請幫助你的玩家丟一顆骰子決定你的mutation效應。

然後，把你對應virtue的骰子集合(assemble)起來，你可以使用任何能力上面有assemble字眼的卡片。例如：如果Frank要檢定Death's Heads上的Rage數值，他和Gabriella在同一個區域，後者可以用自己的Rage 3幫助Frank重擲Evaluate的三顆骰子。Gabriella必須要為了Mutation卡Terrifing擲一顆骰子，如果她能夠丟出4，Frank可以reload一張Gift卡。

在Evaluate階段，丟擲任何能力上有Evaluate字眼的骰子數。保留其他三顆骰子，其他捨棄。在Terminate使用Soul對抗Death's Heads需要三顆骰子上的數字總數大於等於12，如果使用Rage則要大於等於15。如果你勝利，可以醫治一張卡片(Death's Heads的勝利能力)，然後棄掉此張威脅卡。如果輸了，承受對應的傷害值等於你的結果扣掉檢定值的差值(見承受傷害章節，p.26)，首先棄掉該virtue上的卡片，然後才棄掉其他virtue的卡片。最後獻祭一張Soul gift卡(Death's Heads的失敗能力)，然後把威脅卡洗回Stadium牌組。

Transfer階段，你可以移動到其他Nexus。如果待在原地，可以給同地區的玩家一張卡片。

結束階段，重設手牌，從自己的牌庫頂端抽牌直到手牌等於自己的手牌數(見結束階段，p.18)。然後由你左手邊的玩家進行下一輪遊戲，步驟按照Start，Support，Investigate，Sanctify(如果有的話)，Transfer，End進行。

當偵查時，如果遇到Gift卡，使用相同的檢定步驟，但是忽略卡片上的能力。如果你獲勝，可以獲得該卡片；失敗則摧毀卡片。如果抽到Omen，獲得卡片，然後可以再次偵查。

後期你可能會遭遇Archetype，這是一種特殊的威脅卡(見遭遇Archetype章節，p.21)。在本任務中會遭遇到的每個Nexus只會有一張。當你翻到此卡片，看The Mancubs上的True Threat，然後用相同的檢定步驟進行遭遇。這些archtype是minion，當你獲勝時，相較於獻祭該archtype，同時可以嘗試封印該地區(見獻祭章節，p.17)。如果你成功通過封印檢定，獻祭該Nexus以及剩下的地區牌組，然後把該地區上的聖人都移到其他nexus，結束這回合。

當所有nexus都被封印時，獲得勝利；如果勝利，可以獲得一張fragment卡片，上面有失落的記憶。如果有任何聖人失敗(fade)或是時間到了還沒有完成封印，遊戲結束。其中一個玩家獲得一張死亡卡。

合作模式

設定合作模式

你可以利用Apocrypha Companion app來設定新遊戲。App裡每天都會有一個新的mutation來改變當天的遊戲玩法。除此之外，app裡還有完整的卡片圖庫，以及最新更新的規則章節。

選擇聖人

1. 選擇聖人
2. 找到聖人所屬的分隔板，上面有關於聖人的資訊及起始牌組。遊戲結束後可以存放聖人牌組。一次最多可以存放六位聖人。
3. 欄位卡：如果你在過去的任務中獲得任何fragment和/或死亡卡，按照3x3的位置把它們跟你的聖人卡放在一起。每張欄位卡至少會有一邊跟聖人卡或是另外一張欄位卡相連。在任務間可以更換位置。
4. 構築專屬牌組：抽等同於你的Omen數字的新Omen卡片，把它們洗進你的牌堆。如果你的聖人沒有牌堆，利用聖人分隔板上的Alpha Gift資訊來構築牌堆。如果缺少(可能在別人的牌堆裡)，則隨機從Alpha Gift裡抽取相同Virtue的卡片來取代。對應屬性的gift卡片數目應等同於你的屬性值(Body、Mind、Rage、Soul、Omen及任何halo上有的fragmen power)。如果你之前有構築過牌組，在遊戲起始時卡片數目應該也要符合上面規則。

準備任務

This section defines a general method of setting up a mission. As you follow these rules, note that the mission and structure powers often will overwrite sections of these rules.

1. Choose a chapter: Get the storybook containing that chapter and, if it’s an expansion chapter, its divider which may have important information about the chapter. Its rules may tell you how to use the divider (which you can you track in pencil or erasable marker). • If you choose a different expansion chapter than the one currently mixed with the Base cards, first remove any cards from the dividers that are not Base cards, nexuses, structures, and the saints and their decks. Then, place the cards from that chapter into their dividers in the box. Any non-Base cards will typically have a non-black border. • If you add a different expansion chapter, put any new saints and nexuses from that chapter into the Base cards, and shuffle any other cards into their appropriate dividers. You may play with more than one chapter in addition to Base; each of those chapters’ rules are active. 2. In the chapter’s storybook, choose a mission from the chapter to play: A mission in the storybook will typically look like this: • Lowdown: A summary of the mission’s story. • Structures: (Use this Goal Structure) (on this true threat) (using this Clock Structure) (and this Nexus Structure). Then there may be additional setup instructions that alter what the structures say. • Nexuses: A list of nexuses to build and the order. Each nexus shows (the minimum number of saints to use it) then its Nexus card (then a flavorful name of the nexus that matches the story). • Master: Any true threats that follow the rules for a master (see Confronting an Archetype on page 21). Each master lists its true threat (then its master archetype numbered cards, if any). • Minion A, B, or C: Any true threats that follow the rules for a minion (see Confronting an Archetype on page 21). Each minion lists its true threat (then its minion archetype numbered cards, if any). • Powers: Any mission specific powers. 3. Read the lowdown in the storybook: Familiarize yourself with the story. Display the matching mission card and that mission’s structure cards. As you continue to set up, be aware of the rules on the structures used for the mission as they may differ from the default rules listed here. 4. Create the doomsday clock according to the mission’s clock structure. 5. Display the mission’s true threats (listed as master and/or minions) by the mission card: Find and set aside the archetype cards for the masters and minions, listed next to their named cards. Minion are often grouped under A, B, and C to distinguish which rules on the goal structure they use. 6. Display the nexuses as stated on the mission’s nexus list: Use only the nexuses specified for the number of saints playing this mission. For example, if a nexus is preceded by “(3+)”, this means a game with three or more saints will include this nexus.

準備Nexus

1. Display the nexuses Doom side up with enough space between them for their decks. You can use one or more Apocrypha Playmats to display these cards. 2. Build the deck for each nexus according to the mission’s nexus structure and the deck list; each nexus’s Doom side has a row of symbols (gifts, threats, and omens) showing its number of cards by type. Draw random cards of each type and put them facedown by each nexus. 3. If the mission’s goal structure tells you to seed masters and minions into nexuses, draw a number of master archetypes and/or minion archetypes from your set-aside pile so that each nexus will have an equal number of archetypes. For example, the mission lists one master, a minion A (1-4), and a minion B (8-16), and tells you to seed the master and minion A, then seed minion B. You have three nexus decks, so you shuffle master archetype 1 and minion A archetypes 1 and 2 together, then shuffle one into each nexus. Then shuffle minion B archetypes 8, 9, and 10 into each nexus. If you are told to seed any other cards, do so. 4. Shuffle each nexus.

開始任務

1. Arrange yourselves around the table in any order. Table position matters (see Positioning on page 22), so choose carefully. In this manner, the saints form a choir, a circular support system from saint to saint. 2. Place your saints’ pawns. The nexus structure will tell you where you can place your pawns. 3. Draw your hand. The number of cards you draw from your deck is equal to your hand size. 4. Begin play with whichever saint the choir chooses and proceed clockwise.

如何進行合作模式

To play Apocrypha, you and your fellow saints are all working together to achieve a common goal that is specified by goal structure and/or mission power. You will take turns, activate card powers, roll dice, make checks, suffer consequences, and end the mission. Mission Start Before a saint takes the first turn, sometimes a goal structure, mission power, or saint power will create this step after you finish mission setup and before the first saint enters the Start step. Activate these powers now. Taking Turns Each saint takes a turn. Go through the following steps in order on your turn; only you can do these things on your turn unless a card’s timing says otherwise.

1. Start 2. Support 3. Investigate 4. Sanctify 5. Transfer 6. End Although each step occurs each turn, sometimes you don’t do anything in a step; in this case, go immediately to the next step. have a Start, Support, Investigate, Transfer, and End step, though you don’t typically have to do anything in Support, Investigate, and Transfer if you don’t want to. Within each step, you may play as many cards as you like, but each card and saint power you play may only be activated once per step, unless it applies to all events of a certain type, such as damage. All cards have a timing that says what step they can be used on corresponding to the bold terms in this section; you cannot do anything between steps, nor go back to a previous step except as noted below.

Start

In your Start step, your turn begins. The mission’s clock structure (such as As the Hours Pass, As Things Get Strange, or While Danger Remains) describes how you start your turn. You will usually begin by flipping the top card of the doomsday clock, then take an action depending on what that card is. Typically, if the card is an omen, you draw it; otherwise, you may have to investigate it. When there are no cards in the clock at the start of your turn, you time out and the mission ends (see Ending a Mission on page 27).

Support

In your Support step, you support yourself and fellow saints with powers such as healing cards or examining decks to see what is coming up. Typically, you must play a gift or activate a saint power to support. If you examine a threat in a nexus, check if that threat has a power that happens during the Support step; you must resolve it at this time. After your Support step is over, you may return to the beginning of a new Support step as often as there are powers to play unless you have already begun the Sanctify, Transfer, or End step.

Investigate

In your Investigate step, you investigate nexuses to find gifts, omens, and threats. Typically, you must play an omen to investigate. There are two steps within Investigate: Avoid and Confront. When told to confront a card, you can either avoid it if you can or confront it; if you can’t avoid it, you must confront it. The omen may have conditions that affect the investigation, and these conditions apply for that Investigate step only. When you activate a power to investigate, flip the top card of your nexus deck. • If it is an omen, draw it and flip the next card. • If it is a non-omen card (such as a gift, threat, or archetype), you must confront it unless a power lets you avoid it. If you continue to Confront, there are three steps within it: Initiate, Act, and Terminate.

After your investigation is over, you may return to the Investigate step if cards allow you to do so, unless you have already begun the Sanctify, Transfer, or End step. An investigation may allow you another Investigate step, which you can do after you complete the first one; in the unusual case where you are given more than one extra investigation within the same Investigate step, these extras become a single extra investigation. If a card says to confront a new card, draw that card randomly from the box (see Card Powers on page 22). • Avoid: When you must confront a card, you may play a power that allows you to avoid it. The investigation ends and the investigated card is shuffled back into the deck it came from; if it didn’t come from one, sacrifice it instead. You typically cannot choose to avoid once you begin a confrontation. • Confront: If you do not avoid the card, you must confront it. To Confront, you initiate, act, and terminate. If the card is an archetype, there may be additional rules (see Confronting an Archetype on page 21).

1. Initiate: In the Initiate step, you activate powers that happen before you act. Some threats have powers that activate in Initiate that you must resolve now. 2. Act: In the Act step, you are typically attempting checks vs. a gift or a threat (see Attempting a Check on page 18). This involves targeting a virtue, getting assistance, mutating the card, assembling dice, and evaluating the result. If you fail one of those checks to win vs. a threat, you suffer damage (see page 26) before moving to the next step. 3. Terminate: In the Terminate step, you completely resolve the confrontation to end your investigation. You will either go Win or Lose; you cannot do both. If a power on the structure or any other card tells you to Sanctify, Seal, or Guard your nexus after you terminate, you may go to the Sanctify step after this investigation. • Win: • If you win vs. a gift, draw it into your hand. • If you win vs. a threat, sacrifice it. • Lose: • If you lose vs. a gift, sacrifice it. • If you lose vs. a threat, shuffle it into its nexus; if it didn’t come from one, put it back where it came from instead.

Sanctify

If a power tells you that you may go to Sanctify or your nexus deck is empty, you may begin the Sanctify step; otherwise, skip this step. In your Sanctify step, you may guard your nexus, the master may try to escape, and you may seal your nexus. How you continue through Sanctify depends on what power led you to enter this step. If there is a master that can escape, the master archetype card is shuffled into a nexus after the Guard step and before the Seal step if it occurs. You do not guard after terminating vs. a minion because minions do not escape, so you may skip to Seal in this case.

1. Guard: If the structure or mission power says the master will try to escape, in the Guard step, you attempt a check (see Attempting a Check on page 18) or pay a cost (see Paying for Powers on page 24) to guard a nexus, typically after a saint finishes the Terminate step. • If you are the saint that first confronted vs. the master and won, your nexus is automatically guarded; if you lost, your nexus is unguarded. • If the master was confronted at another nexus and you are at a Hope nexus, you may attempt to guard. If you fail, no one else at your nexus may attempt to guard. • After all nexuses are determined to be guarded or not, the master archetype will attempt to escape in the next step. 2. Escape: The master can only attempt to escape if the mission or structure says so; otherwise, skip this step. In the Escape step, the master archetype may be shuffled into an unguarded nexus. The active saint sets the master archetype aside. • If all nexuses are guarded, the master cannot escape so you sacrifice the master archetype card; this often results in the end of the mission, so refer to the mission or structure power. • If any nexuses are unguarded: • If you lost vs. the master in Terminate, draw a number of new threats equal to the number of unguarded nexuses minus the number of setaside master archetypes. • If you won vs. the master in Terminate, draw a number of new omens equal to the number of unguarded nexuses minus the number of setaside master archetypes. • Shuffle the new pile. Seed one card from this pile into each unguarded nexus. You must now track down the master again. When this step is over, nexuses are no longer guarded.

1. Seal: If a power, typically on the mission or structure, allows it, you may attempt to seal your nexus; otherwise, skip this step. In the Seal step, you may attempt a check (see Attempting a Check on page 18) or pay a cost (see Paying for Powers on page 24) to remove a nexus and its cards from the game. • If you won vs. a master automatically seal the nexus; if the master cannot escape, sacrifice the master. • If your nexus is empty, automatically seal it.

  • If you were told to attempt to Sanctify or Seal,

make the check or pay the cost on the nexus’s Seal requirements. Then, if your nexus is sealed, search it and sacrifice any non-master archetype cards. • If you find any master archetypes, set them aside and your nexus is not sealed. Shuffle them together and put them back in the nexus so that the nexus contains only the remaining masters. • If there are no master archetypes, sacrifice the nexus card and any cards displayed at the nexus, then go to the Move step inside the Transfer step.

Transfer

In your Transfer step, you can move to another nexus or give a card to another saint at your nexus. The Transfer step contains Move and Give, only one of which can be done.

1. Move: If you are at a nexus, you may move by putting your pawn at another nexus. If your nexus has been sealed or otherwise removed from the game, you must move now even if it is not your turn. 2. Give: If you did not move, you may give a card from your hand to another saint at your nexus. End In your End step, apply any end-of-turn powers, then you reset your hand. The End step contains two steps: Reset and Pass. 3. Reset: Set your hand to your hand size. • Discard cards: If there are cards in your hand that you want to filter out for upcoming turns, discard any number of those cards. • Draw: If the number of cards in your hand is less than your hand size, draw cards until the number of cards in your hand equals your hand size. Your hand size cannot be less than 1. If you cannot draw cards because your deck is empty, your saint fades (see Fading on page 26). • Recycle: If the number of cards in your hand is more than your hand size, recycle the extra cards. 4. Pass: Your turn ends. The saint to the left becomes the active saint and begins the Start step of the next turn. Special Steps In addition, the Play step, Damage step, and Mission End step may enter the sequence at any time, whether it’s your turn or not; the step they create only exists for as long as it takes to resolve. • Play: This step is created any time anyone plays a power (see Card Powers on page 22). Note that powers do not trigger themselves. • Damage: This step is created any time anyone suffers damage (see Suffering Damage on page 26). If a card, typically a threat, makes you suffer damage and has a Damage power, that power only applies to damage from that card. If a power tells you to not suffer damage, skip the Damage step. • Mission End: This step is created when you time out or the goal structure or mission power says it happens. Immediately stop your turn and end the mission. Mission End contains the steps Mission Win and Mission Lose (see Ending a Mission on page 27). At this point, the mission is considered complete regardless of whether you won or lost.

How Steps Work

Steps can be complex sequences of smaller steps, such as an Investigate step containing an Avoid step and a Confront step, which has an Initiate, Act, and Terminate step. In general, all steps occur for purposes of timing. For example, a power that says, “$ Move: If you do not move, suffer 1 Body damage” will happen whether or not you choose to move. That said, if your actions don’t trigger a step within a step, it won’t happen. For example, if you don’t win vs. a card in Terminate, no Win step occurs, but a Lose step will almost certainly occur. Sometimes a power will change the step you’re in. If a power tells you to go to a step (for example, “go to End”), go to that step. However, if a power tells you to do an action that is the same name of a step (for example, “you may move”), do it without changing your current step. Step names are always capitalized, but actions typically are not unless it’s the beginning of a sentence. Regardless, you may never investigate outside your Investigate step, nor sanctify outside a saint’s Sanctify step. If a power applies to an action that has the name of a step, it applies whenever you do that action. For example, a power with a timing of “Move” will activate in the Move step or whenever you move, and a power with a timing of “Reset” will activate in the Reset step or whenever you reset your hand. Copying a card: A card may tell you to copy a card, which will temporarily bring a copy of the card into the game. If it is a gift or threat, you must confront it unless a power lets you avoid it. Unless you are told otherwise, once the copied card has been confronted, it ceases to exist. You cannot attempt to Sanctify after confronting a copied card. You (or another saint) will typically be told to confront a copy of a card before you resolve your current confrontation. To do so, suspend the current confrontation, resolve the new one, then return to your previous confrontation. A copied card cannot copy itself or any other card.

Attempting a Check

Whenever you need to succeed at something, you likely will attempt a check. To attempt a check, you target a virtue, get assistance, mutate the card, assemble dice, and evaluate the result. You must do these steps in order unless a power says otherwise. Typically, you will begin to attempt a check in the Confront step and go to the Terminate step after Evaluate.

1. Target: You are always told which virtue to target or given a choice. If the check is vs. a gift or threat, you choose any one virtue that has an assigned target number on the card. For example, if a threat has a Body target and a Soul target, you may only choose one.

1. Assist: If a saint’s virtue is pointing towards you on a check of that virtue, you may ask for an assist (see Assisting Other Saints on page 21). When your own virtue points at you, you may assist yourself. Being assisted means that during the Evaluate step, you may reroll one die for each of the assisting saint’s points in the assisting virtue. 2. Mutate: If you are assisted or a power tells you to, the check mutates, often becoming worse for the choir. 3. Draw a new mutation card and flip it to the side of the card that corresponds to the check; one side is used to win vs. threats, and the other side is used for all other cases. 4. Roll 1 mutation die for each assisting saint. If you were told to mutate by a power, you will always roll at least one die. Use the mutation power that matches the die showing the lowest result (a minimum of 1) on the mutation card. 5. Apply the mutation power. In some cases, the mutation may not have an effect because the power is impossible for the situation (for example, trash dice of a specific virtue when there are none). 6. Assemble: In the Assemble step, you determine which dice and how many of them you will roll (see Using Dice on page 26). 7. Use your virtue that matches the target. The number inside your virtue is the initial number and color of dice you assemble. For example, in Target, you chose Body. Your saint’s Body virtue is 3, so you will get three green dice. 8. Use skills to influence the check. If you have a skill that can affect the check, add its number in bonus dice. Skills are listed in your saint’s keywords (Charm, Conjure, Hack, Resist, Sense, Strike, and Study) (see Keywords on page 22). You cannot influence a check with more than one skill at a time. You may use only one of these two ways to use a skill. • Use a skill when confronting a card. If the card has a skill keyword that matches a skill on your saint’s card, add a number of bonus dice equal to the number following that skill to the check • Use a skill when any saint plays a gift that adds dice to your check. If the gift has a skill keyword that matches one of your saint’s skills, you may use that skill on the check even if the card you are confronting does not have the keyword. (Changing virtues does not count as adding dice.)

1. Play cards that change the target, the virtue you use, and the number of dice you roll. • If a power changes your chosen target virtue to a different virtue, use your dice that match the new virtue instead; the target number remains the same. • If a power changes the virtue you use, switch your dice to be of that virtue and the virtue number. • You may play a matching gift to boost the virtue you’re using (see Paying for Powers on page 24). This adds a die of the virtue you are using. You may boost only once per check. You can never roll more than four dice of any color. If you need more than four dice of a virtue color, add the difference in bonus dice to your roll, up to a maximum of four bonus dice. 2. Evaluate: In the Evaluate step, you roll dice, manipulate the dice, and determine if you succeeded or failed at the check. 3. Roll all your dice. 4. You may reroll, explode, upgrade, downgrade, flip, and trash dice (see Using Dice on page 26). If you were assisted, you may reroll according to the assist now (see Assisting Other Saints on page 21). 5. Choose up to three dice to keep; remove the rest. Add the values of the kept dice to get your result. • If it is equal to or greater than the target, you succeed at the check. • If it is less than the target, you fail; if you do so in a check to win vs. a threat, you suffer damage equal to the difference between the result and the target (see Suffering Damage on page 26).

Confronting An Archetype

When you would confront a master or minion archetype, use the true threat specified by the mission. Minions: A minion is a true threat that you must overcome to advance your progress in a mission. Minions are grouped as A, B, or C matching the rules they follow during that mission. For example, in the structure Gather, winning vs. a minion A will allow you to attempt to Sanctify a nexus, while winning vs. a minion B will allow you to draw the archetype card. Master: A master is a major opponent for the saints to confront. Not all missions will have a master, but those that do typically want you to defeat the master to win. Some structures allow a master to escape (see Sanctify on page 17 and Ophelia Wins vs. a Master and Ends a Mission on page 27).

Assisting Other Saints

You can assist a saint’s check of a particular virtue when your matching virtue points at that saint. When you assist, the assisted saint can reroll up to a number of dice equal to your number in the chosen virtue during the Evaluate step (see Attempting a Check on page 18). Those dice do not have to be in the virtue’s color. For example, if you have Soul 3 and can assist in a saint’s Soul check, the saint can reroll any three dice on that Soul check. When and who you can assist depends on the arrangement of your virtues around your card and saints’ table position (see Positioning on page 22). • You may use your top virtue to assist ^ another saint at your nexus. • You may use your left virtue to assist [ the saint to your left. • You may use your right virtue to assist ] the saint to your right. • You may use your bottom virtue to assist $ yourself. For example, if you are at the same nexus as another saint who is attempting a Soul check, and your top virtue is Soul, you can assist that saint with a Soul check. If the saint to your left is attempting a Mind check, and your left virtue is Mind, you can assist that saint with a Mind check. For purposes of assisting, in a two-saint game, your fellow saint is to your left and right. In a one-saint game, you may assist yourself with any of your virtues. You may only assist a saint when the saint attempts a check of a virtue you can assist with; if anything forces the saint to change virtues after you’ve assisted, your assistance remains with the original virtue. = Frank Confronts A Minion Archetype Frank is at the nexus Hospital. In his Investigate step, he plays the omen Affliction, discarding the Murder Board as the 1 Rage damage before he investigates. When he flips the top card of the Hospital, it is a minion archetype card. It is minion 3, which is listed in the mission as “Minion A: Yule Lads”. Frank performs the true threat’s Initiate power; rolling two dice and adding 1, the result is 6. However, Frank is alone at the Hospital, so the final result is 4. The Yule Lad that Frank has investigated is Spoon-Licker. Because Spoon-Licker has an Initiate power, Frank is still in the Initiate step. Spoon-Licker’s Initiate power says “Choose 1: Discard all but 1 card, or go to Lose.” Since Frank wants to be able to attempt to Sanctify the Hospital, he discards Lucky Numbers and Memory Stick, leaving him with only the Rage gift Reaper. Frank assembles using Rage, which means he gets four red dice. He discards Reaper to add two more Rage dice, but since he already has four, he gets two white dice to represent these. He rolls; the result is 16. This means he wins vs. Spoon-Licker. Frank follows the win vs. a true threat power on the mission. He looks ahead to the Hospital’s seal requirement and chooses the virtue Body. He draws the Body gift Geofence, then moves to the Sanctify step. Since this confrontation was vs. a minion, he skips to Seal and discards his newly drawn Geofence. The Hospital is sealed.

Consequences

All actions in the game have consequences. This is how you deal with those consequences and what happens when you end the mission. Suffering Damage Damage is how you get hurt, either by failing a check to win vs. a threat or being assigned damage by a card. All damage has a virtue. When you suffer damage, a Damage step is created (see Special Steps on page 18); if a power tells you to not suffer damage, skip the Damage step.

1. Total the initial virtue damage: The total is equal typically equal to the difference between the dice’s final result and the target. Typically, the target virtue of the check you attempted is the virtue of damage you suffer. 2. Apply powers to manipulate the damage: Powers may increase or decrease this damage. If you need to both decrease and increase the same damage, increase it first. 3. Discard damaged cards: Discard matching gifts from your hand for each remaining point of damage. Cards are discarded from your hand unless a power says to suffer damage from another deck or pile. A card that is removed as a result of damage is a “damaged card”. Discard matching gifts from your hand for each remaining point of damage. If a power tells you to remove damaged cards in another way, such as “bury the damage,” you bury them instead. • If you have no matching gifts and there is still damage remaining, random cards are damaged. • If you have no cards in your hand and there is still damage remaining, ignore the remaining damage that applies to your hand. Powers that apply in the Damage step may still apply even if there are no cards in your hand and the game wants you to suffer damage. For example, to guard or seal the nexus Lair, someone at the nexus must suffer damage equal to the number of saints at that nexus. If you have no cards in your hand, but there are two saints at the nexus with you, you may still suffer the damage to succeed at guarding or sealing the nexus. Fading If you are ever required to draw or otherwise remove a card from your deck and there are none, your saint fades. Display a death card by your empty deck to show that you are fading. You still take your turns and use your saint powers (if you can) if the mission continues, and if you manage to get more cards, you may play as normal, but you are still fading. You will not get additional deaths. If you win the mission, you may sacrifice the fleeting fragment you would gain to sacrifice the death (see Ending a Mission on page 27).

Ending a Mission

The goal structure or the mission power will list the ways to end your mission. Doing so creates an immediate Mission End step. Then, you reconstruct your saint’s deck. Mission End When the Mission End step is created, your turn immediately stops, and you resolve the mission. If your saint or the mission has any Mission End powers, do them now. At this point, the mission is considered complete regardless of whether you won or lost. • Mission Win: If you meet any win conditions listed on the goal structure and mission powers, you win the mission. If the mission has more than one act and you would win an act, the saint that took the last turn goes to End and you go to the next act instead, only changing what the mission tells you to. If you win:

1. Display the fragment on the back of the mission, any special fragments specified by the mission, and a number of fleeting fragments equal to the number of saints. 2. Starting with the saint who took the last turn and continuing clockwise, each saint chooses a displayed fragment and either slots it or sacrifices it. Any faded saint may sacrifice the fleeting fragment and their displayed death. After each saint has done this one, sacrifice any remaining displayed fragments. 3. Any saint that still has a death displayed slots it. • Mission Lose: If you meet any lose conditions listed on the goal structure and mission powers, or you did not win, you lose the mission. • Any faded saints slot their displayed deaths. • If no saint faded, any one saint must slot a death. Clean up fragments and deaths: If you have more than eight fragments and deaths slotted in your halo (but fewer than nine deaths), sacrifice fragments until you have eight slotted cards. You may sacrifice any number of unwanted fragments between missions. However, if your saint ever has nine deaths slotted, your saint is dead forever; if this happens, sacrifice all your gifts, deaths, and fragments, and stash your saint. You cannot play a saint that is in the stashed card section of the box. 4. Remove slotted gifts: Any active powers from a slotted gift are now inactive. If a slotted gift does not say it is sacrificed in this step, put it in your deck. 5. Sacrifice slotted omens and threats: Any active powers from a slotted omen or threat are now inactive. 6. End the game: Reconstruct your decks, then put all nexuses, missions, structures, and other cards that are not in saints’ possession back in the box.

Reconstruct Your Deck

When you complete Mission End, reconstruct your deck. Your deck contains: • a number of Body gifts equal to your Body virtue. • a number of Mind gifts equal to your Mind virtue. • a number of Rage gifts equal to your Rage virtue. • a number of Soul gifts equal to your Soul virtue. • any cards from by fragment powers in your halo. Put any gifts you do not need or want into a gift pile; other saints may search through this pile for gifts they need or want. Saints may do this as many times as they wish as long as they end up with decks that match the cards described by their virtues and fragments. If you cannot construct a valid deck from the cards in your deck or the gift pile, draw 1 new matching Alpha gift for each gift you are missing.

Between Games

You may always build a new saint and play that one instead of a saint you have already played. You may bring your saint and their deck to other players’ games as well—but consequences matter. If your saint gets killed or loses cards in an away game, you cannot forget about it in your home game. (Rather than mixing up cards from someone else’s game, write down any changes to your saint’s deck or update it in the Apocrypha 1א Companion App so you can update it when you get back to your home game.) Ophelia Wins vs. A Master and Ends The Mission Ophelia has cornered Gryla at the Manor. She won vs. Gryla, so the Manor is automatically guarded. Since it’s the only nexus left, this means all nexuses are guarded and Gryla cannot escape; the master is sacrificed. According to the mission structure Corner, this is the win condition for Christmas in Candlepoint, so the saints go to Mission Win. Ophelia displays the fragment on the back of the mission, which is The Abandoned House. Dr. Zeez draws three new fleeting fragments and displays them by the enduring fragment. They are The Afternoon Tea, The Insider, and The Tech. Since Ophelia took the last turn of the mission, she chooses first. Ophelia draws and slots The Afternoon Tea. To your left, Dr. Zeez draws The Insider and sacrifices it to get rid of the death displayed by their empty deck. Frank draws The Abandoned House, so The Tech is sacrificed. Frank had slotted Love Battery at some point. He removes that and returns it to his deck. 28

城主模式

Once you’re familiar with playing Apocrypha in co-op mode, you may play in guided mode. This is a more traditional roleplaying experience, with one person being the guide and curating the game for the rest of the players, who will have no idea what is coming their way. When you guide an Apocrypha mission, you are not playing a saint. You are instead playing all the people and threats that the saints meet. Unlike most roleplaying games, in Apocrypha’s guided mode, the game basically runs itself. Players still play saints, move and investigate as normal, and gain fragments and deaths to change their saints. But much of the randomness is replaced by the guide’s imagination, leading to a much deeper connection with the other players. This section will help you create a smooth and thrilling experience for the other players. How to Be a Guide The biggest difference when you are guiding an Apocrypha game is that the game is no longer played out in the center of the table. You control the cards and story. You prepare your decks and written material in advance, and then keep it out of the saints’ view. When cards would be randomly chosen or shuffled into decks, you decide which ones they are and what order they will be confronted. In the roleplaying game, saints are built the same as they are in co-op mode. They start with the same number of cards, and gain fragments and roll dice in the same way. The biggest difference when it comes to playing Apocrypha with a guide is the storytelling. The players describe where they want to go and what they want to do, as well as interact with the people and threats you portray during the mission. They are very likely to go “off-script,” so have some options reserved for when they do. Your role is very different, though. You decide what mission the saints will play; if you don’t want to play any in the storybooks, you can make up your own. You decide what is in every nexus, and can even make up nexuses. It is not a given—it is not even likely—that there is a minion or a master in every nexus. The content in each nexus is only limited by your imagination and the story you want to tell. You can modify threats and gifts by choosing their mutations in advance. While the game is running itself, you are free to introduce plot elements and roleplay beings that the saints meet. At the end of the mission, you can help each player to grow their saint in a manner they desire, providing custom fragments that continue their progression.

After a mission, you can keep guiding, or you can stop guiding and return to battling against the game. Another player can also become the guide and you can rejoin the choir. Because there’s always a default gameplay mode, players can experiment and experience all the ways to play. Setting Up A Guided Mission If you are the guide, follow these steps to prepare the game.

1. Decide what chapter and mission you want to play. You may write your own mission or use one from the box. If you write your own, follow the format in the storybook. Include a lowdown, structure, nexus list, master and/or minions, and powers for the mission. 2. Choose any number of gifts, omens, and threats from the box. You do not have to follow the rules of a particular mission or use the number of each card type a nexus wants. You may use cards from the chapter you are playing, plus any from other chapters that fit with the mission’s plot. 3. Build each nexus. You do not have to build nexus decks in the standard method, but there should be a few cards for players to confront at each nexus. Put any number of the true threats, threats, mutations, and gifts at each nexus. You may shuffle the nexus decks or order their cards as best fits your mission. 4. Write a story and descriptions for each card the players will interact with, and anything else you will describe to the players during the mission. You want to keep some secrets from the players, so note what you will read aloud and what is only for your information. 5. Choose or write fragments for your players. These should relate directly to the story you are weaving for them. You may download a custom fragment template at lonesharkgames.com/apocrypha. Preparing A Guided Mission 6. Place the cards you selected in piles in the box lid, in an Apocrypha Soulbinder, or behind a screen—somewhere the players cannot see. Orient nexuses toward Doom or Hope, as desired. 7. Players create saint decks as in co-op mode (Choosing Your Saint on page 12). 8. Create a doomsday clock according to the mission’s clock structure. 9. Each saint arranges themselves around the table, places their pawns, and draws their hand size (see Starting the Mission on page 14).

Starting A Guided Mission

As a guide, you lead the players through the mission and use the rules on how co-op mode is played as a guideline. Set the scene and introduce the saints to the world, and if necessary, each other. They each have roles, such as Bad Cop and Karmacologist. This indicates what they do in their everyday life and gives you opportunities for involving them directly in the game. For example, a saint might be a Gentleman Burglar; you can start a mission on the 80th floor of a high-rise, and that saint has just diamond-cut a glass pane to get into the condominium of a movie starlet. If the starlet turns out to be a vampire, so be it. One way to begin a mission or chapter is with saints suffering memory loss. When you start the mission, you do not have to start at the beginning; saints can have completed part of a mission that they have forgotten, or they have wound up together in a single location without knowing how. You can start them in different cities and make them have to get to each other. The fragments you hand out may reveal elements of the plot that the saints have repressed. a confrontation with another saint at that nexus or be shuffled into the nexus deck.

Taking Turns

Once you’ve started the mission, you are in control of the mission. Either let the saint players decide what to do or plunge one of them into their first turn right away. Saints may take turns in whatever order they want and even at the same time by drawing from the clock. You may also prompt a saint to take a turn by handing them an omen (from the clock or the box) and saying, for example, “You hear a noise behind you,” especially if they haven’t taken a turn in a while. If the saints split up—and they always do—then alternate quickly between groups until they come back together. You can create dramatic tension if events are happening at the same time. Remember, the setting is modern day, so saints are only a cell phone call away. If one group is attacked in the library while another tries to get the police to believe there are monsters in the library, the two events can complement each other in building the drama. You may add a delay at any time, drawing one or more cards from the clock (or in some cases adding them) to penalize dallying or move the story along. The turn sequence is generally the same as in co-op mode, but with a few modifications.

1. Start: : Any number of saints can draw a card from the clock. Then one player who did so takes the turn, and all other players at the nexus can assist in the narrative. 2. Support: This step is unchanged. 3. Investigate: You can add mutations to any confrontation, regardless of whether a saint assists. • Confront: You can also have saints confront more than one type of threat or gift at once. Saints may choose threats to target (or vice versa), then do their checks in any order. • Terminate: If the active saint loses vs. a threat, the saints ends their turn. The threat may initiate a confrontation with another saint at that nexus or be shuffled into the nexus deck. 4. Seal: Any nexuses that have not been revealed by you cannot be guarded. 5. Transfer: Any saint at the active saint’s nexus can move; they do not have to take a turn to do so. 6. End: When the active saint has finished their turn (typically when another saint wants to begin a turn), their turn ends and they reset their hand. Any other saint may also reset their hand. You may also call an end to the active saint’s turn; the active saint and everyone assisting that saint must reset. 30

Controlling A Guided Mission

Guided mode is much more fluid than co-op mode as you have control of the pacing. To guide your players successfully, do everything briskly and with purpose while still giving different players chances to shine. Here are some ways you can keep your game under control: Controlling the clock: You may stack the clock with omens of certain types (raising hope or dashing it, influencing certain types of checks, etc.), as well as adding threats and gifts directly to the clock to trigger when a certain number of turns have passed. Balance this with the ability of the choir to handle the number of nexuses and cards you’ve chosen in the amount of time you give them. If they have more cards to confront than omens available in the clock and their hands, they are truly doomed. Manipulating decks and hands: Control for the level of preparedness you want in your mission. You may allow the saints to manipulate their hands and decks more than they’d normally do. For example, if they have a month of downtime to prepare to assault a werewolf’s fortress, you can let them search their decks for Argentines and Yankee Clippers to include in their starting hands. If the saints are surprised by the events, they might not even have a starting hand at all. You can also give out fragments at key dramatic moments during the game, altering the saints’ powers and leading them in directions you desire. Describing mechanics: Guided mode is intended to flow in a fun way that prompts spontaneous and sometimes surprising solutions to problems. If a saint confronts a Bomb, and another saint at the nexus has some Extra Razor Blades to use on it, the saint should be encouraged to tell you how that works: snip the wire, jimmy the lock, intimidate the person holding it, or the like. The saints’ skills matter here; a saint with Hack is more likely to MacGyver the Bomb with the Extra Razor Blades. Mutating confrontations: In guided mode, you may want to pick your mutations ahead of time and guarantee some number of rolls instead of having a threat spontaneously burst into flame if a saint decides to assist in attacking it. This will also let your choir roleplay their willingness to assist or not in a manner that is true to their personalities. Establishing scenes and dialogue: When the saints enter a nexus, describe the location and allude to the types of cards player’s may find there. A Fun Park isn’t just a Fun Park; it’s a specific place. For example, “Everything about Big Edie’s Big Fun Park looks big—as big as a family-run amusement park can get. Edie and her indeterminate number of overall-clad offspring are keeping the carnival rides polished and running right. ‘W e ain’t the kind of folks who like people who ask questions,’ one of the more tooth-impaired spawn says.” Jumping between scenes: You can break off one turn to switch to another saint somewhere else, either to build tension or to allow progress that will help with the first confrontation (for example, unlocking a door from the other side). You can also terminate a scene early. If nothing eventful happens in the time between scenes, the saints can all reset their decks. If a scene happens on the heels of another, however, there may not be time to rest. Building to a conclusion: The most dramatic parts of a mission come at the end. The saints are likely depleted of resources and faced with fewer options, but they are right at the edge of success or failure. If you need to increase targets or separate saints from each other, do it at this time. Make the saints fear failure with the hopes that they snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Ending A Guided Mission The game ends when you choose; this is generally about the time the saints defeat the master, seal all nexuses, or attempt to draw from an empty clock. Whether that means the saints win or lose is up to you. Ending a mission is similar to in co-op mode, except you can direct the outcome. If the saints won, give them one fragment each of your choosing. You may use fragments from the box or write your own.

Glossary

• Act: The step in which a saint attempts a check to win vs. a gift or

a threat. Additionally, one part of a multi-part mission.

• Active: The saint who is currently doing the current step being

referred to (~).

• Add: Increase the amount of cards in a hand or deck, or the

number of dice a saint rolls.

• Alpha: A starter gift ( ).
• Archetype: A placeholder card for a master or minion true threat.
• Assemble: The step in which a saint gets all the dice needed for

the roll. Assist: Help a saint with a check, allowing rerolls of certain dice. Avoid: The step in which a saint can back out of a confrontation with a card. Base: The set of typically black-bordered cards that are not part of an expansion chapter. Body Dice: Green dice representing physicality and toughness. Bonus Dice: White dice representing skills, bonuses, and virtue overflow. Boost: Discard a card to add a die of the specified virtue to your check only. Border: The outside edge or title bar of a card with a unique color and pattern that indicates its chapter. Build: Construct a deck for a nexus, saint, or other card type. Bury: Put a card in the bury pile under the saint until Mission End when you put it back in the deck. Card Number: A number for sorting cards in the box. Chapter: A section of the story that is read and played, represented by a word next to the card number. Clock: The doomsday clock, typically a deck of 24 omens or other cards that act as a timer for the mission. Complete: Bring to the final result, as when a chapter, mission, or step is finished. Confront: The step in which saints perform actions vs. gifts and threats by initiating, acting, and terminating. Co-op: The game mode in which the players work together against the game without a guide. Cost: The requirement to play a card. Some actions are in a hierarchy and may be changed. Damage: The step in which a saint takes damage, decreasing the number of cards in their hand. Damaged: Removed from your hand, deck, or halo because you suffered damage. Death: A card given to a saint as a consequence when they attempt to draw from their empty deck. Deck: A set of facedown cards. Delay: A penalty where the guide sacrifices a card from the clock. Discard: Put a card in a discard pile next to the deck. Display: Put a card faceup on the table. Doom: The negative alignment of an omen or side of a nexus. Downgrade: Turn a die to its next lowest face. Draw: Take a card, usually the top card of a deck, and put it in your hand. End: The step in which a saint resets and passes the turn to the next saint. Enduring: A type of fragment that represents a long-term memory and is not sacrificed when played. Enhanced: A chapter gift or threat that has been altered from a Base card ( ). 36 Escape: The step in which the master may attempt to hide among the nexuses. Evaluate: The step in which a saint manipulates dice, keeps some, and gets a result. Examine: Peek at the top card of a nexus, then return it. Exchange: Swap one thing for another. Explode: Roll an additional virtue die when a specific number is rolled. Face: A side of a card or die. A card is facedown when its generic card back is showing, and faceup otherwise. Fade: Gain a death after you attempt to draw or otherwise remove a card from your empty deck. Fading: The state in which there is a death card displayed by your saint. Fleeting: A type of fragment that represents a short-term memory and is sacrificed when played. Flip: Turn a card or a die to its opposite side. Fragment: A lost memory that has a story and a special power. Gain: Add a card or skill to your halo or saint. Gift: A card that can help you during a mission. Each gift has an associated virtue ( Body, Mind, Rage, and Soul). Give: The step in which a saint hands a card to another saint. Guard: The step in which a saint attempts to prevent the master from escaping into their nexus. Guide: A player who runs the mission for the saints in guided mode, rather than playing a saint. Guided: The game mode in which a guide runs the game for the saints. Halo: A 3x3 array that shows a saint’s saint card, fragments, and deaths. Hand: A saint’s cards in hand, as opposed to in a deck, buried, slotted, or otherwise not in hand. Hand Size: The default number of cards a saint has in hand at the start of the mission and at the end of the saint’s Reset step ( ). Heal: Shuffle a random card from a discard pile into its deck. Hope: The positive alignment of an omen or side of a nexus. Influence: Use keywords that impact the result of a confrontation vs. gifts and threats. Initiate: The step in which a power is activated before a check to win is made. Investigate: The step in which a saint draws a card from the nexus to avoid or confront. Investigation: The event in which you flip over a card from a nexus and avoid or confront it. Keyword: A word such as a chapter, skill, or trait that influences an investigation. Keep: Retain a specified number of dice when evaluating, or a number of cards. Left: To the immediate position clockwise around the table ([). Lose: The step in which a saint loses vs. a gift or a threat. Lowdown: The introduction to a mission which guides the plot. Lower: Decrease the cost of playing a card. Master: A major opponent in a mission. Matching: Having the same virtue as another card, check, or die. 37 38 Mind Dice: Purple dice representing mental acuity and fortitude. Minion: A major opponent in a mission, often subservient to the master. Mission: The framework for the story being played. Mission End: The instant the mission ends, after a condition specified on the mission or a structure is met, completing the mission. Mission Power: A special rule for the mission. Mission Start: The instant the mission starts before the first saint starts their turn. Move: The step in which a saint puts their saint pawn at another nexus. Mutate: Change the rules of the confrontation or check, often when saints assist each other, including self-assisting. Mutation: A card list with changes to the confrontation or check’s original rules. New: Randomly drawn from the box. Nexus: A location that saints can investigate. Novem: The most powerful entities in the game, represented by true threats in their specific chapter. Omen: A card aligned with Hope or Doom that can cause and apply special powers to an investigation ( ). Pass: The step in which one saint’s turn ends in preparation for the next saint’s turn to begin. Pawn: The physical representation of a saint at a nexus. Pile: A stack of cards that has a purpose, such as a bury pile holding buried cards. Play: The step in which a saint or card activates a power. Position: A place where a player, saint, or card is, often dictating the direction saints can assist and when they can play powers. Power: A rule that is activated to impact the game. Rage Dice: Red dice representing aggression and fury. Raise: Increase the cost of playing a card. Recycle: Put a card at the bottom of the deck. Reload: Put a card on top of the deck. Reroll: Roll a die again. Reset: The step in which a saint discards, draws, and recycles cards to get to the saint’s hand size. Return: Put a card back where it came from without paying any costs. Right: To the immediate position counterclockwise around the table (]). Roll: Toss a die to get a number. Rulebook: Any book containing mostly rules. Sacrifice: Put a card in the box or otherwise remove it from the game. Saint: The character that represents the player. Sanctify: The step in which saints can guard and seal nexuses, and the master may attempt to escape. Seal: The step in which a saint may remove a nexus and its cards from the game. Search: Look through each card in the deck without triggering any powers, stop when you find what you are searching for, and shuffle the deck. Seed: Add a number of cards (usually archetypes, threats, or omens) to nexuses in an even, hidden way. 39

Shuffle: Put a card into a deck and mix the deck, or just mix the deck. Skill: A saint’s special ability that typically lets them roll one bonus die per point of the skill when a check is influenced by that skill. Slot: Put a card into a space in a saint’s halo; the space is also called a slot. Soul Dice: Blue dice representing spiritual effort and talent. Start: The step in which a saint begins their turn. Stash: Put a card into the stashed cards divider instead of sacrificing it. Step: A part of a turn where a specific set of actions can occur. Storybook: Any book containing mostly story and mission descriptions. Structure: A card that outlines the framework for how a mission is set up and played. Support: The step in which saints play cards that help themselves or their allies. Take: Get a card from somewhere or someone. Target: The step in which you set the virtue and number that tells what kind of check it is and how difficult it is. Additionally, the virtue and number targeted. Terminate: The step in which a saint determines if they win or lose a check. Threat: A hazard that may harm and prevent progress by the saints ( ). Time Out: You attempt to draw from an empty clock or there are no nexuses remaining, likely ending the mission. Timing: The step in which a card’s power takes effect. Transfer: The step in which a saint can move their pawn, or if they do not move, give a card. Trash: Remove a die from the roll. True Threat: A major threat that can be represented by a master or minion archetype ( ). Turn: A saint’s opportunity to control and progress the game. Unstash: Remove a card from the stash divider and put it back where it came from. Upgrade: Turn a die to its next highest face.

• Virtue: A quality of a saint. Saints have four virtues: Body,

Mind, Rage, and Soul.

• Win: The step in which a saint wins vs. a gift or a threat.

Quick Reference Guide

Steps (Page 15) Power activate during specific steps. On each saint’s turn, they will go through a series of turn steps. Whenever any saint attempts a check, that saint goes through a series of check steps. Additionally, the special steps (on page 18), Play, Damage, and Mission End, happen any time they are triggered. Taking Turns (Page 15) Each turn goes through the following steps in this order:

1. Start: Begin your turn. Typically, you will draw a card from the doomsday clock. 2. Support: Help saints before and between investigations. 3. Investigate: Play a power to flip up the top card of your nexus. When an investigation is complete, you may go to Support or Investigate again there is a power that lets you. • Avoid: Avoid confronting the investigated card and shuffle it back into your nexus. • Confront: You may Initiate, Act, and Terminate vs. investigated cards. 4. Initiate: Activate powers that may help or hurt you in the Act step. 5. Act: Deal with the card you are confronting, usually by attempting a check. 6. Terminate: Resolve the confrontation by winning or losing. 7. Sanctify: If allowed, you may attempt to guard if a master tries to escape, and/or you may attempt to Seal your nexus if it is empty or a card (usually a mission or structure) allows you to. Otherwise, skip this step. 8. Guard: If a master can attempt to escape, and your nexus is Hope side up, you may attempt the nexus’s guard power. 9. Escape: The master escapes into an unguarded nexus. Omens or threats may be shuffled into the other nexuses. 10. Seal: If allowed, you may attempt to the nexus’s seal power. 11. Transfer: You may move or give a card. 12. Move: You may put your pawn at another nexus. 13. Give: If you do not move, you may give a card to another saint at your nexus. 14. End: Prepare to end your turn. 15. Reset: Discard any number of cards of your choice, then draw cards until your hand is equal to your hand size. If you have too many cards, recycle any extra. 16. Pass: Your turn ends, and the next saint Starts.

Attempting a Check (Page 18) To attempt a check, go through these steps in order:

. Target: Be assigned or choose a virtue with an assigned target number to beat.

1. Assist: Accept help with the check. 2. Mutate: If saints assist, draw a card to mutate the investigation. 3. Assemble: Use the virtue, influences, and cards played to determine how many of which dice you roll. 4. Evaluate: Perform any dice actions in this order: roll, reroll, explode, upgrade, downgrade, flip, trash, and keep. If you are confronting a threat and you fail the check to win, you suffer damage of the same virtue type. Card cost hierarchy (Page 24) 5. Sacrifice: Put back in the box. 6. Bury: Put under your saint. 7. Discard: Put in your discard pile. 8. Recycle: Put under your deck. 9. Shuffle: Shuffle into your deck. 10. Reload: Put on top of your deck. Other costs are not part of the hierarchy: add, boost, display, draw, examine, exchange, flip, gain, give, heal, keep, return, search, slot, stash, take, and unstash. Positioning (Page 22) Powers can only affect specific saints as stated on the cards: Who Symbol You $ One saint at your nexus that is not you ^ The saint to your left [ The saint to your right ] Any one saint @ All saints in the position inside the circle All saints # The active saint whose turn, step, or check it is ~ One saint in a position defined by where the card is in your halo

You may see these symbols combined, such as % defining either you or a saint at your nexus, & defining both you and all saints at your nexus, or # defining all saints.