Quickstart and Rules
Quickstart and Rules
Quickstart and Rules
Before we start, grab some scratch paper, or go to dungeonsheet.com to keep track of your health
(number by the heart icon at the top of the card) and Heroic Abilities uses (these are explained later).
You can also conveniently use this site to roll dice if you don’t like that hands-on garbage.
In the regular game, the Door Master creates the floor from the cards in their hand however they see
fit, and the heroes choose which doors to open. However, for teaching purposes, this quickstart has
you to lay them out and open them in a particular order.
Note: You don’t have to do this quickstart first. Go ahead, be a rebel, jump right to the full
instruction manual. But don’t blame us if you get confused.
STEP 6: EXITS
An exit is how the party successfully escapes the dungeon. Exits present unique, often deadly
challenges that must be overcome in order to win. In a regular game, the DM attempts to be sneaky
and strategic in their decision of when and where to lay down an exit.
This game is played 1 vs. 2-5, with a Door Master (DM) creating a unique dungeon that heroes have to
fight through and escape. If the Heroes manage the escape, they win. If they all die, the DM wins.
There is a quickstart to get you into the game … quicker. If you haven’t done that yet, we recommend
doing it first. But if you’re too cool for that stuff and want to jump right into the meat of the real
game, we can’t stop you (or can we!?!). No, we can’t.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?!
ŭ 1 Instruction booklet ŭ 10 Armor Cards ŭ 13 Quickstart Cards
ŭ 14 Hero Cards ŭ 10 Weapon Cards ŭ 1 - 20-sided dice
ŭ 10 Monster Cards ŭ 10 Item Cards ŭ 1 - 6-sided dice
ŭ 10 Exit Cards ŭ 3 Companion Cards ŭ A fantastic time
ŭ 10 Treasure Cards ŭ 3 Summons Cards
ŭ 10 Obstacle Cards ŭ 5 Afterlife Cards
GAME SETUP
ɯ Decide who will be the DM. If you don’t know what this is, play the quickstart, or keep reading.
We explain later. Patience.
ɯ Everyone else draw a Hero Card (not the quickstart Hero Cards. The real ones.).
ɯ Players collect any Treasure Cards their hero starts with from the Treasure Deck. This will be
stated on your card under the Hero Trait (not all heroes start with a Treasure). Some Hero
Traits and Abilities give them access to special cards. Please read your cards carefully.
ɯ Someone shuffle the Treasure Deck and set it aside.
ɯ The DM shuffles the DM deck (Monster, Obstacle, Treasure and Exit Cards) and draws 5 cards
from the DM Deck. He (or she. No sexism here in the death-filled dungeons) may choose to
reshuffle any number of these cards back into the deck and draw back up to 5 cards 1 time at
the start of the game before play begins.
ɯ The DM is now ready to work very hard to screw everyone over.
ɯ They place 3 cards face down in a row on the table. This is considered the first floor. He then
draws 3 more cards so as to always have 5 cards in his hand.
COMPANION AND SUMMONS CARDS
Companions: Companion cards are much like hero cards. Each companion has stats and abilities
that assist the hero in the ways specified on each card.
Companions:
ɯ must make all obstacle rolls and are subject to everything a Hero is
ɯ use their masters’ initiation roll during combat and go after their master
ɯ continue to fight even if its master has died.
ɯ can only be called for once and will not return to a dungeon after health reaches 0.
Summons: A helper with special abilities. Once it completes its task it disappears, waiting to be
summoned again.
GAMEPLAY
ɯ All heroes roll a 20-sided dice (d20) to decide who will be the first Party Leader. The highest
role is the Party Leader. In the event of a tie, race to the nearest door and back. The winner is
the Party Leader (or those two could just roll again).
ɯ Party Leader chooses a door to open.
ɯ The door is flipped over and, and with an open door the heroes begin their adventure. The
party deals with whatever the door reveals. Once a room has been completed, the turn is over.
The Party Leader role shifts clockwise. The new Party Leader can choose to:
ɯ Open another door on the current floor (unless otherwise stated on the card).
ɯ Have the DM lay down a new floor (3 more cards placed just above the previous 3). If a new
floor is requested, then the Leader must choose one of the new cards.
ɯ Play continues in this manner, with a new Party Leader each turn, until either the party
discovers and successfully makes it through an Exit, or they all die.
Before a door is chosen, any of the following actions can be taken.
ɯ Represent all Creatures. In battles, the DM rolls for Creature attacks and damage, just like the
party members roll for their Heroes.
ɯ Direct gameplay. When doors are open, whether it’s a battle, Obstacles, Treasure, or Exit, they
make sure the card mechanics are followed. They also direct/narrate the story of the
adventure, particularly during battles.
ɯ Is the ultimate judge. If any disputes break out, the DM is the law and whatever he says goes.
Feel free to yell, “I AM THE LAW”.
Note: Get into it. Tell the story and be descriptive when the party moves through the
dungeon. Instead of just saying “an attack hits,” say “your sword chops off 6 toes and the
monster slipped on the blood and fell and knocked his skull on the rock wall.” We are all
about the role-playing, so get creative ...or don’t, see if we care. (Spoilers: we care).
THE DM CARDS
General rule: the text on a card overrules anything we say in this rulebook.
EXIT ROOMS
The title says it all: clear this card and and the party wins the game. Only 1 Hero has to make it out
for the party to win.
CREATURE ROOMS
Creature Cards have the same stat line as the Heroes, with the exception of Heroic Points. Monsters
do not have Heroic Abilities. They do, however, have Creature Traits, which is the same concept as
Heroic Traits, except they destroy heroes.
ROOM CONDITION
After the party engages the contents of a room, that room gets one of 3 labels:
Dangerless: The party may move freely without hindrance through this room between floors as
much as they want.
Treacherous: Every time this room is entered the obstacle must be completed again.
Impassable: This room is permanently sealed and may not be passed through again for the rest of
the game.
Note: For impassable cards, we suggest turning the card sideways to indicate passage is no
longer possible. Or do it your own way, what do we know?
ARMOR, WEAPON, AND ITEM CARDS
There are several things to consider when drawing or ‘equipping’ a Treasure Card
ɯ Your hero immediately gains the regular effect stated on the card.
ɯ You may only have one of each card type at the same time (so you can’t have 2 weapons or 2
items at the same time).
ɯ You’ll find your hero’s Proficiencies at the bottom of your Hero Card. Having proficiency
means you are particularly good with that type of Treasure card. Every Treasure Card has a
regular effect and a proficiency effect. If you are proficient, you get both the regular effect
of the card AND the proficiency effect.
Note: Since trading cards is allowed, considering swapping cards around based on who is
proficient with what. You may also consider trading cards around if you draw a type of
card you already possess.
FIGHTING!
When a Creature Card is revealed in the game, you are immediately engaged in battle.
ɯ Grab some scratch paper, or go to dungeonsheet.com to keep track of your health (number
under the heart icon in the stat line) and Heroic Points used. You can also conveniently use
this site to roll dice.
ɯ All players (including the DM) roll a d20 to see who goes first. This is called Initiative. The
highest roll goes first and play continues clockwise. Initiative is rolled at every Creature
encounter.
ɯ On a turn, the hero or DM declares who or what they are attacking, then rolls a (d20). Add or
subtract your attack modifier (the number under the target icon in the stat line) to this roll.
After adding or subtracting the modifier, if the roll matches or exceeds the armor (number
under the shield icon) of what you’re attacking, it’s a hit.
ɯ On a hit, roll a 6-sided dice (d6) to see how much damage is inflicted. Add or subtract the
damage modifier (number under the fireball icon) to this roll. Either the DM or the player will
adjust their health accordingly.
ɯ On a turn, instead of an attack, players may also choose to use an Item or Heroic Ability if it
can be used in combat.
ɯ Continue until the Creature is defeated, or until all the heroes are dead.
ɯ In gameplay, a Creature or player is dead when their health reaches 0. If a Hero dies, whether
in combat or via some other terrible accident, and no other hero has the ability to bring them
back to life, they drift into the afterlife. When the party moves out of this room, draw one of
the 5 Afterlife Cards and play that role until the game ends or a situation arises that allows
you to come back to life.
Note: At this point some might be asking “Wait, what exactly am I attacking with!! Since all
the damage is 1d6, you can get as creative as you want. When you attack, say you’re
wielding a sword, or a rock, or kicking with spiked boots, or spitting in the eye, or biting a
nose, or lightly caressing a cheek, or whatever you feel like at the time. If you’re really
creative, maybe the DM will grant you extra damage or abilities. Or maybe the opposite.
WINNING
Heroes: Win by finding an exit and successfully completing its challenge.
Note: Only one member of the party has to make it out for the group to win and the DM lose.