Preliminary Info for Talisman®

Talisman is a board game originally produced by Games Workshop (?).

Brief Overview of Game

It consists of three concentric rings of squares, with a single square within the last ring. Each square interacts with the characters in different ways. Some will have the player roll dice to determine their characters fate, others will have the player draw cards and then interact with those cards.

Each player randomly selects a character from the set provided with the game. Each character has a strength and an "intelligence". Each character also starts with four lives and four gold. Gold can be used later to purchae things a character may need, such as a weapon. Each character also has "special abilities", many of which are unique to individual characters. Additonally, each character has an alignment, which affects how some cards or spaces react to them (unequivocal death, extra life)

The cards a player draws can be beneficial (extra strength, extra lives, extra intelligence), useful(weapon, armor), bothersome (one card only allows a character to move a single space at a time, others transport the character somewhere else), or dangerous( creatures that are attacking and must be defeated). Each card also has a priority, and the higher priority cards must be finished (used, taken, defeated) before the lower priorities can be "seen".

The goal of the game is to move in through the rings (one can only change rings at specified points) and reach the innermost point. In order to do this one must obtain a "Talisman", which can be drawn or awarded or bought.

Short game play

Ross
Dan
Klaus

Players choose characters from deck.
- Ross selects the Warrior
- Dan selects the Assassin
- Klaus selects the Witch
Players place their characters on board
- Ross starts in "City"
- Dan starts in "Ruins"
- Klaus starts in "Graveyard"
Players each roll dice to determine what order play moves in. (Ross, Dan, Klaus)
Ross rolls dice. (2 & 3). He can move five spaces in either direction.
1. He can go to the "Hills" [Draw one card]
2. He can go to the "Mountains" [Roll one die. if 1,2,3: lost, lost 1 turn]
- Ross is feeling adventurous. He goes to the "Mountains".
- Ross rolls a 3. "You lose a turn."
- Ross remembers that the Warrior can reroll one die per turn.
- Ross rolls a five. "No I don't."
Dan rolls. (1+6) Seven spaces in either direction.
1. Dan can go to the "Hills" [Draw one card]
2. Dan can go to the "Graveyard", where Klaus's Witch is
  - If he goes to the "Graveyard" he can choose to encounter the square [Draw one card]
  - He can also choose to attack the Witch. Dan recalls the Assassin gets an advantage on attack.
- Dan chooses the Graveyard.
- Dan decides that his Assassin can defeat the Witch, and so attacks.
  1. Klaus rolls one die (2) and adds it to his Witch's strength (2). 4.
  2. Dan's Assassin has a strength of 2, but gets an automatic +1 on any attack against another player. Dan rolls. A (1) will mean a tie, anything else will mean that Dan's Assassin won. Dan rolls a (3).
  3. Dan's Assassin can now steal a bag of gold, an item, or kill the Witch
  4. Dan recalls playing with Klaus, and he knows Klaus will become a threat later in the game. He decides that Klaus's Witch should only have three life now.
Klaus is, needless to say, annoyed. He rolls a (2) and (4).
1. Klaus can go to the "Plains"[Draw one card]
2. Klaus can go to the "Temple"[Where he will lose another life]
- Well, Klaus has no trouble making his decision. He goes to the Plains.
- He draws a "Fountain of Youth"[Four counters. Remove a counter for +1 life, max one per turn]
- Klaus takes his 1 life and sneers at Dan.
.
.
.
Klaus rolls a 7.
1. Klaus can move to the tavern and have a drink.
2. Klaus and his Witch can continue their unending persecution of Dan and his Assassin.
- Klaus doesn't like being attacked. Persecution.
- Klaus's Witch has obtained a Spell during the game. Klaus chooses now to cast it at Dan's Assassin.
- It's a Fireball, and Klaus's Witch has been incredibly lucky. Dan must roll (8) on one die to survive.
- Dan's Assassin has lost his final life. Klaus is happy. His Witch is content.
If the game is still early, and the other players agree, Dan may now select a new character and start again. But Klaus is still feeling vindictive and will not allow it.
Ross rolls a 5.
1. Ross's Warrior can go through the gate to the innermost ring, and battle his way around it [He has obtained his Talisman to allow him to try]
2. Ross may continue around the middle ring in hopes of finding a more powerful weapon than his sword.
- Ross chooses to enter the inner ring. "I have my sword and my armor!"
- Ross encounters the first space.
  1. Oops. This is a "Psychic Combat". It uses Intelligence, not strength, and Ross' Sword won't help him now.
  2. Ross rolls a (4), to add to his (4) Intelligence, 8.
  3. Dan, now rolling exclusively for the monsters, rolls (2). He adds this to the spaces (5). 7.
  4. Ross wins and may, next turn, continue to the next space. He no longer rolls dice for his movements, as each character can only move one space at a time in the innermost ring.
.
.
.
Ross has finished the innermost ring and enters the inside square, where he must face the DragonLord [the endgame].
1. Ross rolls (6), totalling 10 (His sword broke earlier)
2. Dan rolls (6) as well, totalling 11.
3. Ross has tried too soon. He loses one life and is transported back to the gateway to the inner ring, but he no longer has his talisman, and must now go find a new one. While watching for Klaus's Witch.