Defenders of the Realm: Battlefields is a competitive fantasy battle game for 2 to 4 players. In the game, one side takes the role of the Dark Lord s invading army and minions while the other side represents the heroes and forces defending the Realm. The battles are fast and furious as players place minions and heroes onto the battlefields and attack their opponents using a variety of abilities and special skills. The first side that is victorious on the agreed upon number of battlefields is the winner. Components: Game Setup: 1. Player seating arrangement - In a 2 player game, the players face each other. In a 4 player game, players are positioned around the table so that play will alternate between the sides each turn (minion player, hero player, minion player, hero player). For a 3 player game, the solo player sits on one side of the table and his opponents sit across from him. 1
2. Determine game length - Players agree on game length. Skirmish - 3 battlefields or 2 of the same primary color (not Purple). Standard - 4 battlefields or 3 of the same primary color. Heroic - 5 battlefields or 3 of the same primary color. 3. Assemble the troops! - Each player (or team) takes one of the decks of cards (Hero or Minion), and shuffles it thoroughly, then draws his hand as noted below: 2 Player Game: Each player draws 7 cards. 3 Players Game: Each player on the two-player team draws 4 cards and the solo player draws 8 cards. 4 Player Team Game: Each player draws 5 cards. 4. Choose your objectives! - The minion player(s) select any one primary color (not purple) battlefield, and places it face up on the center of the table, followed by the hero player(s). Randomly draw 1 more primary battlefield, and place the remaining battlefields to the side for easy access as battlefields are won and new battles begin. 5. Choose your Generals! - Each side selects 2 Generals (skirmish game) 3 Generals (standard game) or all 4 Generals (heroic game). 6. Place the battle dice close by for easy access. Example of a Playing Area for a 2 Player Game 1. Play or discard a card (or cards) by performing one of the following actions: Attack: Play an eligible card face up on one of the battlefields or discard a card that matches a card (the same card number and picture) already in play on the battlefield to un-stun that card (or make another attack with that already placed card if it is un-stunned). Support: Place a General above any battlefield. This General may now use any number of General actions at any time (provided you have the tokens!). It s up to you how to use them, and when, so use them wisely! Muster Troops: Discard 1 to 3 cards. This discard action has no effect on the battlefields, but at the end of your turn will allow you to draw new cards equal to the number you discarded. 2. Resolve any battle effects or attacks for a card played to a battlefield. (See Battles for details.) 3. Draw your hand back to the current hand limit (which as a result of some attacks may be less than the game hand size). In most cases, this draw will be 1 card unless the player discarded multiple (1 3) cards. Cards and icons: The following section describes the cards and how they are used. 4 Colored suit cards: The majority of cards are numbered from 1 to 10 and have a suit: red, black, blue, or green. There are also four wild and eight special cards in each deck. It should be noted, that while the names of the characters and their skills vary between the hero and the minion decks, both sides have essentially the same skills. Hero and Minion Cards Special Attack Icon: This special attack icon signifies that the attack is automatically successful no die roll is required. Each side has 1 character with this special attack icon. Number: Represents strength in battle most battles require the play of cards in decreasing numerical value (for example: 9 followed by 8 or less). Sword Icons: This represents attack value how many dice are rolled when the character is attacking (one battle die for each sword present). Color: There are four suits (identified by color). Some battles limit the colors that can be played. You are now ready to play! Playing the Game: The game always starts with the invaders (minion player(s)) taking the first turn. The game play is divided into turns and on each turn the active player will complete the following steps. Each of these steps is described in more detail in the player turn section of the rules. It is important to note that in a 3 player game, the player that stands alone has a play in between each of the opposing partners. Example: Player A is playing alone against Player B and Player C. Player A takes a turn, then Player B takes a turn, followed by Player A again, then Player C. Play continues in this manner with the lone player taking a turn after each of the partner players. Name: The name or title of the hero or minion. Attack: The attack identifies what card(s) can or must be attacked when this card is put into play or activated. Ability: Each hero or minion has at least one special ability. Some have special attack skills, special defenses, and some even force the opponent to lose a card that cannot be re-drawn until a battlefield is won by either side. Some cards have multiple abilities. Most attack abilities only apply when the card is activated (either by playing the card onto a battlefield or activating a card already present on a battlefield by discarding a matching card). However, some have ongoing abilities that remain active as long as the card is active and un-stunned. 2 3
Wild & Special Cards Wild Cards: These cards can be played as any color. They have no numerical value, but do count as a card toward winning battlefields that require X cards to win, or battlefields that require 2 or 3 of a kind, since they can be paired with any other card. Each wild card also has an attack and a special ability. Special Cards: These cards are played at any time, (even on your opponent s turn!), and grant the player a choice among the options when played. The player may choose only 1 of the options. Special cards are always played to the discard pile rather than placed onto a battlefield. Battlefield Boards: There are 14 battlefield boards in the game - 3 of each color (red, black, blue, and green) plus Monarch City and Gryphon Inn (purple). Each battlefield board has a hero side and a minion side where the players place their cards as they engage in battle. Each battlefield board also shows the requirements to win the battlefield. Example of Battlefield Board: Winning Battlefields Indicator: Indicates number of battlefields drawn by the winner. The winner then selects the next battlefield to play from what he drew, and returns the others to the pile and reshuffles. Side Indicator: Identifies which side players use when placing their cards for battle. Battlefield Indicator: Each battlefield has indicators showing what is required to win the battle. For this particular battlefield, the Number is the number of cards that must be active to win this battlefield. The Arrow Indicator requires that cards played on this battlefield must decline in value from the first card played (also see looping). The color in the arrows identifies the acceptable color(s) of cards that may be played on this battlefield. Name & Battle Text: Each battlefield takes its name from a location in the Realm. Reward: The reward that the winner may (but is not always required to) perform. In some cases, the reward may hinder the winner as well as the loser, so the winner may choose not to activate the reward. Cards that state may enable the winner to activate or ignore the reward. Note: The Curse at the Withered Hills must always be activated. Battlefield Indicators: Each of the battlefields will have a different requirement to win the battle. These are represented on the cards by the battlefield indicators on both sides of the card. Declining Order: An Arrow Indicator requires that all cards be played in a declining order beginning with whatever number is played first. For example, if the player plays a card with a value of 9, the next card played by that player in the battle would have to be an 8 or lower. If the next card played was a 6, then the player would have to play a card with a 5 or lower as the next play. Looping: When playing cards to a battlefield, and a player wishes to (or needs to) play a card higher than the last card played, this is legal as long as the card is also higher than the first card played. So a player can loop back and play a 10 (or less) down to, but not including the original number that started the battle. The player can never replay or go below the starting card in a battle when looping. For example, if the first card played by the player onto a battlefield that requires declining order is a 7, then at some point that player could legally loop and play a 10, 9 or 8. Color: Only cards that match the color indicated in the arrow(s) may be played to this battle. EVEN/ODD: When the word EVEN or ODD appears with an arrow, only cards that have that characteristic may be played to the battlefield. Set: The 2 or 3 card indicator requires that either 2 or 3 of the same card be played to a battlefield. This is the only time where more than 1 of a card (for example multiple 8s) may be on the same battlefield. (See detailed game turn for more information) No Wild Cards: This icon bans the use of wild cards on this battlefield. Players may not place wild cards onto this battlefield. Total Points: When this icon appears on a battlefield, the battle is won when one side s total active points equal or exceed the number in the shield. The order of cards played is unrestricted players do not have to play cards in declining order. The icon shown here requires a total of 35 points, only counting the points on each active (un-stunned) card in play. Key Characters: Some battles require a specific hero or minion to be present and un-stunned to win the battle. These specific cards must be played as one of the sets, or in the declining (arrow) order required to win the battle. Dice Combinations: 1 single hit. Enemy is stunned. Some characters have skills that may prevent a stun (Armor, Scales, or Flying). 2 single hits. Enemy is stunned. May apply both hits to enemy with Armor, Scales, or Flying to stun. 1 double hit. Enemy is stunned. Some characters remove their enemy with a double hit. You may not attack a stunned hero/minion unless you have no other legal targets. When attacking a stunned minion or hero, 2 single hits or 1 double hit is required to remove a stunned character from a battlefield. Important: Only when the battlefield indicator shows sets of cards (2 or 3) can multiples of the same card be placed on a battlefield. The same hero or minion can be in play on multiple battlefields, but only 1 per battlefield unless the battlefield indicator with card sets is present. When playing cards to a set, the cards are still played independently one card per turn. When cards played to a set attack the opponent s character, they still only attack 1 card even if there are multiple cards of that character in play. Example: The Hero player has 2 Dwarf cards and 1 Healer card in play on a 3 and 2 set Battlefield and the Minion player has 2 Hemlock and 2 Dark Wizard cards in play. The Hero player is active and places another Healer onto the battlefield. The newly placed Healer now attacks Hemlock (the highest rated minion on the battlefield) and if successful would stun only 1 of the Hemlock cards. 4 5
Detailed Game T urn: The following section walks through a game turn describing each action in detail. 1. Perform an Action: On their turn, the player does one of the following actions: A. Add 1 New Hero/Minion to a Battlefield (Attack): When playing a new hero or minion card onto a battlefield, the play must be legal (meaning the player must follow the battle indicator requirements color, ODD/EVEN requirements, and, if the arrow indicator is on the battlefield, declining order). Once played, the card becomes part of that battle. When a new card is added to a battlefield, the player may use that card to immediately attack, or use its special power. Unless the card states otherwise, the attack may only be on the battlefield to which the card was played. B. Discard 1 Hero/Minion Card (Un-stun): If there is an identical card (meaning matching number and character) already active in one or more battles, a second cannot be added to the battle (unless the battlefield requires sets of characters). Instead, it may be discarded either to un-stun a matching character that is currently stunned or to activate a matching character to attack and/or use skills just as if it had been newly played onto the battlefield. C. Discard 1 to 3 Cards (Muster): This discard action has no effect on the battlefields, but at the end of your turn will allow you to draw new cards equal to the number you discarded. D. Play 1 General (Support): The player may assign a General to 1 battlefield. They do NOT count as cards on the battlefield, have no numeric value, and cannot be attacked. Place 5 tokens (black or blue gems) on this General. You may now spend these tokens anytime (even on your opponent s turn). You may not move or remove a General once assigned, and once a battlefield is won or lost, the General is removed from the game. NOTE: Special cards may be played at any time (even on your opponent s turn) and in any quantity. If you play a special card, you place it in the discard pile and carry out one of the actions identified on the card. You do not re-draw cards until the end of your turn. 2. Resolve Battle: Once the player has placed a card on a battlefield, if the hero or minion has an attack, the player chooses their target based on the character s attack information and rolls the number of battle dice appropriate for the attack (shown by the number of swords at the top left of the card each sword equals 1 battle die). A hit is scored when 1 or more sword icons on the dice are rolled. Some targets require multiple hits to stun them, but the majority are stunned with a single hit. If the result is a hit, the targeted character is turned sideways to show that it is stunned. Stunned Combatants: While stunned, the card has a value of zero, but retains its position in the chain if the arrow icon is in play. In addition, the card does not count toward the battlefield requirements as long as it is stunned. This means that if the stunned card is in a battle with the arrow icon, cards played afterward must view it as an active number. Restoring Stunned Combatants: There are several ways to restore a stunned combatant. As noted earlier, if you discard an identical hero/minion card of the stunned combatant, you may turn them upright and they are active in the battle again. Stunned combatants may also be restored by a special ability on a new character card played to a battlefield, or by the play of a special card that enables a player to heal a stunned fighter. When restored, turn the hero or minion straight again and roll 1 die. If you get a sword icon on the die, the restored hero or minion may immediately attack or use its non-combat ability. If you roll a blank, it is restored, but may not attack or use a special ability. Special Combat Skills: Some of the characters have the ability to force the opponent to discard 1 or more cards with a successful attack. When this occurs, the player losing the card must play short-handed until a battlefield is won by either side. At the point a battlefield is won by either side, any player with less than his full hand size may draw up to his full hand size. Example The minion player places the Undead Minion on a battlefield and attacks by rolling 1 die (the Undead have 1 sword on their card) and rolls a hit. The target is stunned and the undead Fear Skill is activated by the successful hit, so the minion player randomly draws 1 card from his opponent s hand and places it in the discard pile. His opponent must now play shorthanded by one card until one of the players wins one of the active battlefields. At that point, the hero player can redraw back to a full hand size. 3. Draw Cards: At the end of each turn, the player draws 1 card to return his hand to full size if he played 1 card. If he discarded 1 3 cards, he draws the same number that was discarded. If he plays Special cards, he may now draw back to current hand size. If a player is playing shorthanded, he does not draw back those cards until a battlefield is won by either side, only then does he draw back to full hand size. If the draw deck runs out, reshuffle the cards and draw. Winning a Battle: If the card played on a battlefield achieves the victory condition (total card value, total number of characters present, completed sets, etc ), then the player wins that battle and takes the battlefield board. All cards played onto that battlefield for both sides are discarded (including Generals). The winning player reads the reward, and for rewards that impact play, may choose to use it or pass, but the player must decide immediately whether to use or ignore the reward. Unless the battlefield board states otherwise, the player may not hold the reward to be used later. Unless the War Victory conditions have been met, a new battlefield is brought into play (by looking at the number of cards on it, drawing the total, and the winner choosing one) and the battles continue with the next player s turn. Winning the War: The game is won by the first player achieving enough battlefield victories to meet the victory requirements of the level chosen by the players as noted below: Heroic Level: The heroic level requires 5 battlefield victories (note: Monarch City counts as 2), or 3 battlefield victories of the same color (for example all 3 green battlefields) to win the war. When a player achieves either of the battlefield victory conditions, the game ends and they are victorious. Standard Level: The Standard level requires 4 Battlefields or 3 battlefields of the same primary color. Skirmish Level: If the players desire a shorter game the skirmish level requires 3 battlefield victories, or 2 battlefield victories of the same primary color. Important Note: Monarch City (Purple) counts as 2 battlefields, but not as 2 of the same color these must be 2 of the red, black, green, or blue battlefields. Game T urn Example Scan this code using a smart phone to see an example of a game turn. Credits Original Game Design: Richard Launius and Sean Brown Game Development: Sean Brown and Keith Blume, Eagle Games Rule Graphics and Production: Pixel Productions, Inc. Thanks to all of our playtesters. A special thanks to Mr. Blount and Mr. Baldridge for their wonderful QR code idea, as well as Ken Grazier and Michael Taylor for their help editing. 6 www.eagle-gryphon.com 7
Revel in Realms of Fantasy Dragon Rampage MSRP: $59.99 From the designer of Defenders of the Realm comes this exciting game in which each player becomes one of the adventurers (all with different abilities) trying to score the most points at the end of the game by fighting against and/or running from the dragon that just woke up, and by tallying up the treasure and gold obtained in the dungeon. Players roll 6 specially designed dice and choose whether to focus on grabbing treasure (from the dragon or from another player), fighting the dragon, protecting themselves (and their treasure), or running for the exit. Players: 3 5 Time: 90 120 minutes Ages: 10 & up Defenders of the Realm MSRP: $84.99 Darkness is spreading across the realm. An ancient and long-forgotten presence has summoned dark forces to do its evil bidding. In response, the King has assembled his finest champions to defend Monarch City and defeat the oncoming hordes. The situation is desperate, and you and your fellow champions, working together, are the realm s final hope. Defenders of the Realm is a co-operative fantasy board game where 1-4 players each play one of the King s Champions (Cleric, Dwarf, Eagle Rider, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard). 8 Players: 1 4 Time: 90 120 minutes Ages: 13 & up Hero Expansions MSRP: $24.99 The Hero Expansions each contain new heroes that have come to help defend Monarch City. Each hero comes with a new figure and a matching character card. There are no new rules; simply add the cards and tokens to the base game to begin a new adventure. Expansion #1: Adventurer, Assassin, Paladin, Captain of the Guard, and Chaos Wizard Expansion #2: Druid, Elf Lord, Healer, and Monk Expansion #3: Feline, Seeker, Shaman, and Thief www.eaglegames.net Barbarian Expansion MSRP: $4.99 This expansion allows players to take on the persona of the Barbarian hero while playing Defenders of the Realm. This savage warrior can spend action points to strengthen her attacks and causes her enemies to flee in terror. Dragon Expansion MSRP: $59.99 This expansion allows players to increase or decrease the difficulty level of gameplay using variants and scenarios. 3 new Dragons, 3 Agents of the Dark Lord and 4 new minions enter the Realm!