Quick Start Guide

• 30 HP each (5d6)
• 7 Blood Stones each + 3 on the Altar = 17 total in play
• 2 Sword Tokens each — rest in the hoard pile, max 14 in play
• Jokers enter on the second shuffle

• 24 HP each (4d6)
• 6 Blood Stones each — Altar starts empty, 12 total in the system
• 1 Sword Token each — rest in the hoard pile, max 12 in play
• Jokers enter on the first shuffle

• Deal 5 cards face up
• Roll initiative — tie goes to higher HP, losing HP gives +1 to your roll
• Winner takes first card, Loser takes 1 card, Winner takes second card
• 2 "Ghosts" remain on the table
• Pay Stones or Swords to bury Ghosts into the Looming Pile — or roll initiative and be forced to take them

Heal face value. Used between rooms only. Ace = 15 HP.

Negate damage equal to face value. Break after use. Ace = 15-point blade.

Deal immediate damage equal to face value. J/Q/K/A are Elites and reward Swords.

20 damage. Discard ALL Heart cards first, then Swords at 3 damage each. Overflow hits you.

20 damage. Discard ALL Blood Stones first, then Swords at 3 damage each. Overflow hits your opponent. No Hearts allowed mid-combat.

• Hand limit: 5 item cards — Weapons and Healing only. Swords and Stones live in the Bounty Pile with no hand limit
• Blood Stones: 1 Stone = 1 HP healing, used between rooms only
• Sword Tokens vs regular monsters: 1 Sword = +1 damage mid-combat
• Sword Tokens vs Jokers: 1 Sword = +3 damage
• Claiming Stones: Take from Altar first, then steal from opponent if Altar is empty
• Sword Token cap: 12 in Knife Fight / 14 in Descent — maximum in circulation
• Swords earned: 1 per Elite or Sovereign defeated
• Blood Stone cap: 17 max in Standard / 12 max in Knife Fight — fixed

• Earn 1 Sword Token + 1 Blood Stone per kill

• Earn 1 Sword Token + 2 Blood Stones

• Each HP remaining = 1 point
• Each Heart card in hand = face value
• Each Diamond card in hand = face value
• Each Sword Token = 2 points
• Each Blood Stone = 2 points