Hi all,
I just received the Frozen Wastes and was looking for a way to use it in conjunction with Runebound in a solo game since that is what I play most of the time. I came up with some detailed rules over the weekend and ran one test game to see how it went and I liked the results. The game is broken into two parts: the first part takes place on the Runebound board and the second part takes place on the Frozen Wastes board. You will never go back to the Runebound game once that part is over.
The biggest issue I had was changing the challenge difficulty since players could be bringing a high level character into the Frozen Wastes to start the game. Most of my rules focus on that area. Admittedly, these rules make the game longer and maybe a little more complicated, but I am one of those folks who likes to enjoy the ride and scenary and don't like to rush to the endgame when going solo. If you don't have to much time, you can stop the game after the first part as long as you keep all your possesions and experience in one place to retrieve and resume later.
I do apologize for the length of the post, but I could not find a way to attach these in a Word document. They are much neater and easier to read that way. Anyway, if you want the Word version, you can email me at [email protected] .
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The short Prologue sets the background for the adventure.
Battlemaster Jaes poked at the meager remains of the mead that had cost him his last three coppers. He stifled a cough and waved a gloved hand in a futile attempt to push away the ghostly smoke that hung in the air. Sitting in rundown tavern on the edge of Tamalir, penniless and without a hope, this was not, Jaes thought, the life of adventure he dreamed. He looked up to see a ragged beggar stumble towards him and quickly placed a greedy hand on his fraying backpack. He frowned; maybe it would be better if it was lost. Full of hopes and dreams, the backpack now only held despair and crushed hopes.
“Stop this,” Jaes growled as he pounded the splintered wooden table and gnashed his teeth. The time to wallow in self pity was at an end. He felt the heat from patron’s stares but kept his eyes locked straight ahead staring into the morning light streaming through the cracks in the rickety tavern door.
In an instant, light exploded into the tavern as a man tumbled through the door.
Jaes blinked away the blindness and saw him grimace in pain as he stumbled to raise himself. The man leaned heavily on the top part of quarterstaff that been violently shredded. His right arm pressed tightly against his midsection covering part of a blood-stained fur tunic. Jaes could not place the man’s background. His face was weathered like it had been worn by a relentless cold. His shredded fur armor and boots stood in stark contrast to summer heat in Tamalir. His clothes were ripped and his dark skin was riddled with dried blood from a hundred wounds. Several blood-stained bandages wrapped his arms and legs. The man lifted his head; searching out all of the patrons, one by one. His eyes burned brightly despite his pain, and no one could hold his gaze for more than an instant. When his gaze turned towards him, Jaes saw a mix of desperation and determination and forced himself to meet his stare. The stranger nodded fractionally in recognition and took a labored step.
Jaes watched the man struggle across the room towards him. Every step caused a ripple of pain to wash over his face. Jaes pulled over an empty chair. As the man approached, Jaes saw many of the bandages oozed fresh blood and disease, and his scrapes were deep and jagged. The man collapsed into the chair, whatever adrenalin or demons driving him expiring. Jaes started to speak but the man shook his head.
“Our land is in grave danger,” the man said, his voice starting to shake and his breathing becoming ragged. “You must help… only you can,” he trailed off as a fit of coughing shook his body.
Jaes offered the remains of his mead, but the man pushed it aside and sent it crashing to the ground, “What is this land?” Jaes asked.
"We came from Isheim. Our shamans discovered a portal to this land, and we came,” he stopped as his eyes glazed over and he groaned, “to seek aid.”
“We?” Jaes asked. “Where are your people?”
The man shuddered, “A dragon…terrible and evil attacked our party and stole the Portal Rune, the only way between our lands. Only I escaped,” he said as a fierce bolt of pain racked his body.
Jaes frowned. “Lord Margarth or one of his minions, no doubt.”
The man grasped frantically for Jaes’s arm. Jaes saw death creeping into his eyes. “You must find the Portal Rune, journey to Isheim and save my people, you are our only hope.”
Jaes held the man’s hand, its strength gone. “What must I do?”
The man started to reach into his tunic, but his hand fell limp by his side. He tried to say something, but his voice died on his lips. He pulled Jaes close. “Beware the Guardian,” the man said as he breathed his last. Jaes searched his tunic and found an unopened parchment. The parchment was addressed to some unknown adventurer. Jaes tore open the parchment and devoured the contents, determined that the man’s dying request would not go unanswered.
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Object of the Game: In this game, the hero must find and defeat the dragon lord possessing the Portal Rune. Once defeated the hero must use the Portal Rune and journey to Isheim and defeat the challenges that await him by either defeating Arshan or locating and returning Princess Taira to Green Vale.
Game Setup:
Part 1: Runebound
Set up the game in accordance with Runebound rules with two exceptions:
1. Divide the market deck in half. Use one half during the Runebound portion and the other half during the Frozen Wastes portion. If you do not have enough cards, you can use all the cards for both parts.
2. Take two of the seven red encounter markers.
a. Use a pencil to color in the number four on two of the encounter markers. These markers represent the dragon that captured the Portal Rune.
b. Turn all the markers dot side up and without looking move them around to mix them up.
c. Place them one by one on the board. Ensure that you do not know where the two Portal Rune encounters are.
3. Solo Rules:
a. I use Mr. Skeletor’s ruleset along with his doom counter. For this game, I use 18 and not 10 to signal the end of the game. If I end the first portion of the game with the doom counter at 9, then I start the Frozen Waste portion at 9 and continue until 18 and then when 19 is reached, the game is immediately over.
b. I also use the Travel Hazards rule for both parts of the game.
Game Play
1. The goal of this part of the game is to find and defeat the dragon who stole the Portal Rune so you can reach Isheim.
2. Game play continues similar to Runebound rules until you start the red encounters. When you land on a red encounter:
a. Do not look at the underside of the adventure marker until after the encounter is complete.
b. If you pick a red event card, activate it, but continue picking cards until you get Lord Margath or one of his dragon lords.
c. If you win the encounter and the marker has the colored four, you find the Rune Portal and are immediately transported to Isheim.
d. If you win the encounter and the marker is not one of the two darkened ones, you must continue until you find the right marker.
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Part 2 Frozen Wastes
1. Remove all the adventure counters from the Runebound board
2. Remove all the market items from the Runebound cities and set aside
3. Remove all failed challenges from the top of the board
4. Remove all adventure cards from the left side of the board
5. Place the Frozen Wastes board on the Runeboard board
Set up the game in accordance with Frozen Waste rules with the following exceptions:
1. Use the second half of the market deck for the Frozen Waste portion of the game.
2. To simulate the intent that Survival Gear is meant to be limited (only six Luckstones and Flare Crystals for multiple players), these items will only be available in select cities.
a. For each Luckstone and Flare Crystal, roll 1D10 for each individual item and place the gear in market stack of each city in accordance with the results from this table:
i. 1 Seragart
ii. 2 Vaijak
iii. 3 Vrede
iv. 4 Ukirulj
v. 5 Iagart
vi. 6 Reijaku
vii. 7 Weikgart
viii. 8 Player Choice
ix. 9-10 Reroll
b. Repeat this procedure each time you use a Flare Crystal or Luckstone. Snowshoes are considered common items and can be purchased at any town.
Game Play
1. Since you are entering Isheim at a high level with good gear, there needs to be some way to level the playing field so all the challenges are not too easy. I offer two ways to play the remainder of the game: Basic and for lack of a better term, Advanced.
Basic Rules:
1. When you pass through the Portal, you feel a strange sensation as your body and mind is warped. After coming through, you notice several things about you:
a. Any dragon runes you may have collected disintegrate as you moved through the portal.
b. All allies, items, and gold are lost as you move through the portal.
c. Any experience you had has been wiped from your memory. You must start all over again.
2. The Portal drops you in the Mountains of Smoke in the top right corner of the land.
3. When you arrive, you find a large dead creature, probably the Guardian, and a chest with four gold pieces and a Flare Crystal in it.
4. Begin this part of the game per the Frozen Waste instructions.
5. Skill Tests: Since swimming is not in the Frozen Wastes and since it has a lot to do with endurance, any characters with the swim skill are given the endure skill in its place.
6. The game ends when Arsham is defeated or the Princess is returned…or the doom track runs out.
Advanced Rules
Character and Challenge Advancement: Prior to starting the Frozen Waste part of the game, count the number of advancement counters (hearts, stamina, mind, body, and spirit) you have. If you have four advancement counters, you are considered level four. All changes will be based on your initial level upon entering Isheim.
A. Increased Challenge Difficulty. To provide more challenge to an equipped hero, creatures in the Frozen Wastes have increased capability depending on what level you enter Isheim.
1. If you are level 1-3, then you roll a 1D10 three times on the chart below. If you are level 4-6, you roll five times on the table below. If you are level 7-9, roll eight times on the chart below. If you are level 10-12, roll eleven times on the chart.
2. Each time you roll, take an experience counter out and place it to the side so you can reference it throughout the entire game. For increased damage, I use the appropriate counter placed vertically instead of horizontally. (For an alternate method, see the optional, optional rule at the end of these instructions. This method will provide a more predictable game.)
a. 1 Ranged Damage +1
b. 2 Melee Damage +1
c. 3 Magic Damage +1
d. 4 Mind Rating +2
e. 5 Body Rating +2
f. 6 Spirit Rating +2
g. 7 Mind Rating +2
h. 8 Body Rating +2
i. 9 Spirit Rating +2
j. 10 Heart (Hit Points) +1
2a. Example.
You enter Isheim at level 5 and roll the following numbers on the chart: 2 (+1 ranged damage), 4, (+2 mind rating) 4 (+2 mind rating), 8 (+2 body rating) , 10 (+1 hearts). You seletc a Green challenge with these stats: Heart: 3 Mind: 10/0 Body: 9/1 Spirit: 11/2
When you add the additional creature levels, the creature you are fighting has these stats: Heart:
4
Mind:
14/1
Body:
11
/1 Spirit: 11/2
The bold numbers show the increase in encounter difficulty.
3. All future challenges will receive the same increases. Do not reroll on the improvement table for each encounter. (For some added difficulty and unpredictability, you could roll anew for each challenge, but this may quickly become tiresome.)
B. Ally increases. Your allies will need to improve a bit as well to keep pace with the tougher encounters. For any ally that cost between 1 and 3 gold, you will add one experience counter. For any ally that cost between 4 and 7 gold, you will add 2 experience counters. For any ally that cost between 8 and 11 gold, add three experience counters. For any ally above 12 gold, add four experience counters.
1. The player can select the first experience counter to place on the ally.
2. The remaining experience counters must be distributed according to the table below:
i. 1 Stamina +2
ii. 2 Player choice
iii. 3 Reroll
iv 4 Mind Rating +2
v. 5 Body Rating +2
vi. 6 Spirit Rating +2
vii. 7 Mind Rating +2
viii. 8 Body Rating +2
ix. 9 Spirit Rating +2
x. 10 Heart (Hit Points) +1
3. Perform this boost to all current allies and new allies, when purchased.
4. Allies do not level after this initial boost.
C. Character Leveling. S ince Isheim is a difficult land and higher levels skills require more training and additional practice, heroes level slower in this part of the game. Use the following experience table to determine when levels are gained in the Frozen Wastes:
1. First level gained in Isheim: 5 experience
2. Second level gained: 6 experience
3. Third level gained: 8 experience
4. Fourth level gained: 10 experience
5. Fifth and future levels gained: 12 experience
D. Skill Test Changes
a. Determine your starting level in the Frozen Wastes per the Character and Challenge Advancement rule
b. Change the difficulty of the skill tests based on your level
i. If you are level 1-3, add +2 to all skill tests that come from event, challenge, and encounter cards. This includes skill tests on any ally or your hero.
ii. If you are level 4-6, add +4 to all skill tests that come from event, challenge, and encounter cards. This includes skill tests on any ally or your hero.
iii. If you are level 7-9, add +6 to all skill tests that come from event, challenge, and encounter cards. This includes skill tests on any ally or your hero.
iv. If you are level 10-12, add +8 to all skill tests that come from event, challenge, and encounter cards. This includes skill tests on any ally or your hero.
c. SWIM Test. Since swimming is not in the Frozen Wastes and since swimming has a lot to do with endurance, any characters with the swim skill are given the Endure skill in its place.
Entering the World
A. Initial Entry
1. Prior to beginning the starting, be sure and complete all leveling additions based on the rules above. You will need them immediately.
2. After defeating the dragon lord and finding the Portal Rune, the Portal Rune instantly sends you into Isheim.
3. All allies, items, and gold make it through the portal. Any dragon runes are disintegrated. You do not receive any survival gear upon entering Isheim.
4. You are ported while still in the Adventure phase of the Turn Sequence directly into the Mountains of Smoke. You arrive on the second mountain hex from the top (on the first red encounter) where the Guardian awaits you. Take the top encounter off the red encounter stack. If it is an event, shuffle it back in the deck and continue to pick until you get a challenge encounter.
a. Use the following rules for the encounter:
i. You are ambushed so no Before Combat abilities can be used.
ii. You are still in the Adventure phase so no items are refreshed from the previous combat.
iii. The mountains are steep and you are unfamiliar with the territory so there is no escape phase.
iv. Be sure you have leveled your allies and the creature before starting.
v. After the encounter is complete, take appropriate knockout or victory steps according to the rules
b. Continue the game until you win or the doom tracker runs out.
B. Heart experience and Encounter difficulty
1. If you entered the Frozen Wastes with +1 or more hearts, the encounter limitation form Runebound will apply. For example, you cannot fight a green encounter if you enter the Frozen Wastes with +1 to your hit points. The only exception is listed below.
2. The only time you may take on a lesser encounter is when you are trying to uncover a Legendary Item. When you are trying to get a Legendary Item:
a. Complete the encounter in accordance with regular battle rules and appropriate encounter color
b. The only reward you receive is the Legendary item. You do not receive gold, the card, or experience from the adventure card.
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Optional Leveling Rule
A. Instead of rolling against the advancement table, you can increase the level of the monsters based solely on your level when you enter Isheim.
1. If you are level 1-3, increase the mind, body, and spirit ratings by +2
2. If you are level 4-6, increase the mind, body, and spirit ratings by +4
3. If you are level 7-9, increase the mind, body, and spirit ratings by +6
4. If you are level 10-12, increase the mind, body and spirit ratings by +8