Version 7.

DESCENT VERSION 2.5 OPTIONAL RULES

(ADAPTATION TO STAR WARS: IMPERIAL ASSAULT STANDARDS)

The full four-hero variant

These rules adapt Descent 2nd Edition rules to closer match the changes made to the
core rules in Star Wars: Imperial Assault (SW:IA). These rules are optional and can
be selectively utilized.

CONTENTS

Turn order (alternating activations, non cooperative campaigns) ................................................................................1

Status phase (refresh, reinforcements, overlord cards) ................................................................................................2

Playing non-cooperative campaign with fewer than 4 hero players .............................................................................2

Overlord Reinforcements (type and order) ...................................................................................................................3

Movement (pass through figures and stamina moves) .................................................................................................3

Line of sight (two corner determination) ......................................................................................................................4

Rumor cards (forced play and possible automatic Overlord Victory) ...........................................................................5

Hidden information (some quest information is hidden) ..............................................................................................6

Carrying forward to a new campaign (or high score) ....................................................................................................7

TURN ORDER (ALTERNATING ACTIVATIONS, NON COOPERATIVE CAMPAIGNS)

The following alternative turn order rule is for non-cooperative campaigns only. For
cooperative campaigns, play follows the standard format of a hero phase (where all
heroes complete their two activations) and an overlord phase (where the non-player
overlord moves all monster groups).

In non-cooperative campaigns, at the start of the turn the hero players activate one hero
(their choice). When that hero completes his two actions, exhaust his Activation Card
and then the overlord player activates one monster group and then exhausts the
appropriate monster card once its two activations are finished. The hero players then
activate their next hero and this sequence continues until all the heroes and monsters
have been activated (the overlord player will activate all remaining monsters in
sequence after all hero players have no more activations).

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The turn order occurs in the following manner:

1. First hero activation

2. Start of turn reinforcements then first overlord monster group activation and play
of "start of turn" type overlord cards
3. Second hero's activation
4. Second overlord monster group activation
5. Third hero's activation
6. Third overlord monster group activation
7. Fourth hero's activation
8. All remaining overlord monster group
9. Status Phase (in order: play of "end of turn" type overlord cards, place end of
turn reinforcements, refresh all cards, remove any overlord cards that have a 1
turn duration, draw new overlord card)

If there are less monster groups than there are heroes, simply proceed to the next hero
activation and, once finished, go to the status phase.

If a quest, such as the LABYRINTH OF RUIN, features an ally (or multiple allies), then
the heroes can activate a single ally in place of a hero. If this happens, then there will be
additional hero activations in the turn order. Example: in a four hero game with one ally,
there will be a fifth hero activation where either the final hero or ally will activate.

STATUS PHASE (REFRESH, REINFORCEMENTS, OVERLORD CARDS)

The Status Phase occurs after each hero Activation Card and each
monster/lieutenant/agent card has been exhausted. During the Status Phase, the
following actions occur in order:

1. The overlord plays any cards marked as "end of turn", such as the Blood Rage
card.
2. All "end of turn" type reinforcements are then placed.
3. Refresh all player's exhausted cards.
4. The overlord player removes all cards from the table that have a 1 turn duration.
5. The overlord player draws new overlord card(s).

PLAYING NON-COOPERATIVE CAMPAIGN WITH FEWER THAN 4 HERO PLAYERS

At the start of a non-cooperative campaign, always use 4 hero characters and divide
those figures up amongst the available hero players (one or two players may have more
than one hero). The number of monsters, stats and attributes, search tokens, rewards
(and anything else that varies based on number of hero players) used is at the four hero
quantity.

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If you have already started a campaign with two or less hero characters, add additional
hero characters until you have 4 total. When you do this, choose one of the original
heroes (it does not matter which one) and add up all of that character's purchased skill
card upgrade XP costs, then add any unspent XP that hero currently has. This total is
the XP total that each new character added to the campaign will have, and that XP may
be spent immediately on skill cards for the newly added heroes. Also add 200 gold per
new character added if it is Act II, or 100 gold per new character if it is still Act I, then
conduct a special shopping phase to spend that money on any additional shop cards for
the group (you are advised to spend that money on equipment for the new characters
though). If you are in Act II, then the special shopping phase should consist of revealing
all Act I shop cards (like you normally do when transitioning from Act I to Act II), and a
standard reveal of the normal amount of Act II shop cards. This allows the new
characters to purchase things that they may have bought in Act I, or just purchase a
more expensive Act II item. It is also acceptable to buy an item for an original character,
and then give the original characters items to the new character(s).

Ensuring that there are four total hero characters in the campaign helps to maximize
balance and excitement, and also helps to create a more diverse group of heroes.

OVERLORD REINFORCEMENTS (TYPE AND ORDER)

When placing reinforcements, the overlord must place minion (white) monsters instead
of master (red) monsters if both are available. Also, the overlord can spend up to one
Threat Token to deploy two additional white monsters, or one additional red monster
within the normal restrictions of the encounter. This means that if only red monsters are
available as reinforcements, then the overlord can deploy one red monster as normal,
and can deploy a second red monster at the cost of a Threat Token.

If the encounter states that reinforcements arrive at the start of the turn then they are
placed at the start of the overlord player's first activation (before anything is activated).

If the encounter states that reinforcements arrive at the end of the turn then they are
placed in the Status Phase.

MOVEMENT (PASS THROUGH FIGURES AND STAMINA MOVES)

A hero can spend no more than two stamina per Move activation in order to move
further than the hero's speed value allows.

Figures can move through friendly figures at no additional movement cost, and can
move through an enemy occupied space at a cost of one additional movement point.
Heroes that have special abilities that allow them to move through enemy figures at no
cost are unchanged by this rule.

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Note that special abilities that allow you to move through enemy figures (such as
Scamper) simply mean that you can move through enemy figures at no additional cost
in movement points.

Figures can never end their movement in a space containing another figure.

LINE OF SIGHT (TWO CORNER DETERMINATION)

To determine line of sight, the player draws two imaginary, nonintersecting lines from
one corner of the attacking figure’s space to two adjacent corners of the target’s space.
If either of these lines overlap, pass through a wall, a third figure, or blocking terrain,
then the figure does not have line of sight to the target.

 Line of sight can be traced from or to any corner on the map. Each line can be
traced along the corners and edges of spaces containing figures, doors, walls,
and blocked spaces.

 Walls only block line of sight along an entire edge of a space. If a wall does not
cover an entire edge, then line of sight may be traced to, from, and through that
edge.

 Line of sight cannot be traced through a corner where any combination of walls
and blocking terrain intersect. It can be traced through the combination of one
figure and a diagonally positioned wall, blocking terrain, or other figure.

 Figures have line of sight to adjacent figures (unless blocked by a wall).

 It is possible for a figure to have line of sight to another figure that does not have
line of sight back to itself. This most often happens when a figure is behind a wall
or figure. Thematically, this represents a figure leaning out of cover to make an
attack and then ducking back behind cover.

 A figure does not block line of sight to itself. The target figure also does not block
line of sight.

 Adjacent figures always have line of sight to each other (unless blocked by a
wall).

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RUMOR CARDS (FORCED PLAY AND POSSIBLE AUTOMATIC OVERLORD VICTORY)

In order to keep rumor cards from being rarely utilized, the following changes are made
with the intent of making them more important and a more active and interesting part of
the campaign itself:

 During the Campaign Phase, if the HEROES just won a quest listed on the
Campaign Log, then the overlord player MUST select a valid Rumor Quest card
in his hand and put it into play as an available quest. The overlord player is
required to do this, and the hero players should remind the overlord player to
play a Rumor Quest card if a valid one is available. A Rumor Quest card is a
rumor card which features travel icons across the top of the card and has the
key words "While in play, this card is treated as an available quest."
 If the overlord player is forced to play a rumor card then that card does
count towards the one-rumor-card-per-Campaign-turn limit (he can only
play the forced card that Campaign Phase).
 If the overlord player just won a quest then he is not required to play any
of his Rumor Quest cards.
 The overlord player is never required to play non-Rumor Quest type rumor
cards.
 When a Quest card (Rumor Quest or Advanced Quest card) is in play, if the
HEROES (not the overlord) choose to play a quest other than the available
Quest cards, then before proceeding to the chosen Quest the overlord player
rolls a blue attack die for each available Quest card that the heroes did not
choose to play.
 On a SURGE result, place a stamina token on that Quest card.
 If any Quest card receives a second stamina token then that Quest card is
automatically resolved as an overlord victory (if necessary, see the
appropriate quest guide and immediately resolve only the overlord's
portion of the REWARDS section accordingly).
 The overlord may spend 1 Threat Token to reroll, for a maximum of 1
threat reroll per Quest card (the heroes do not gain fortune tokens from
this).
 After the overlord rolls for each non-selected Quest card, proceed
normally with the chosen Quest. Repeat this process as applicable after
each Quest.
 If a Quest card has text stating what to do if the card is still in play at a
certain point in the campaign, then resolve this as normal and discard the
stamina token on the card.

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Thematically this represents the agents of evil moving against the heroes behind
the scenes, encouraging the heroes to act, or to press their luck and ignore the
side quest.

Essentially the intent here is to force the Rumor Quest cards to be revealed if the
overlord is doing badly in the main quest (rather than the overlord player most
likely never playing them at all), but the overlord now has a good chance to
benefit by default if the heroes then choose to ignore the side quest, while the
heroes benefit from playing it to at least prevent the possibility of an automatic
overlord victory in those side quests.

HIDDEN INFORMATION (SOME QUEST INFORMATION IS HIDDEN)

In order to keep quests interesting and less scientifically "gamey", certain Quest
information should be kept secret. Feel free to add or subtract to this list as desired.

The following Quest information should be kept secret from both the HEROES and
OVERLORD:

 When choosing the next Quest, none of the Quest's information can be observed
at all. You simply choose the quest from the names listed in the Campaign Log or
from reading a Rumor Quest Card, while looking over the Quest Map. This
greatly speeds up play, at least for most gaming groups, and keeps the situation
surprising and less about meticulously studying each quest trying find the one
that looks the most lop sided.
 Relic cards which have not yet been rewarded. This maintains a fun element of
discovery: I wonder what the Dawnblade does exactly? It sounds cool! Let's go
get it and find out!

The following Quest information should be kept secret from only the HEROES:

 When playing a Quest, all information in the REINFORCEMENTS section. This

reduces the tendency of "gaming the reinforcements" and maintains an element
of surprise where the Heroes must discover whether or not the monsters or
Lieutenant returns, and where, rather than setting up for an ambush in some
cases.
 When playing a Quest, all information in the REWARDS section (including the
HERO/OVERLORD REWARD section on the back of Rumor Quest Cards),
except for the name of a specific relic. The overlord MUST tell the heroes the
name of the relic that each side will gain.

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 In the SHADOW OF NEREKHALL campaign, all information pertaining to

INFLUENCE.

Generally speaking, the overlord player should read all the quest information to the hero
players, except for the items listed above.

NOTE: It is deliberate that the hidden information creates an element of surprise,

causing a more uncertain situation, mostly for the heroes (that is the intent).

CARRYING FORWARD TO A NEW CAMPAIGN (OR HIGH SCORE)

The following optional rule acts as a mechanic to carry over something from previous
campaigns, and to give you a reason to include a previously used hero into a new
campaign:

NOTE: If you disagree with carrying over gold into future campaigns that involve the
same hero, then you may only want to ignore this optional rule or to minimize its effects
to the point that it is only recorded for fun (as a sort of hero "high score" to track the
lifetime total personal wealth for those persistently surviving heroes).

 When a campaign is completed, determine hero lifetime gold gained to carry

forward (or to just use as a high score) as follows...
1. Each SURVIVNG hero sells their carried items for 1/2 price, rounded up.
2. This is then added to any gold gained from search cards during the finale,
and to any unspent gold remaining at the end of the campaign.
3. Next, subtract 100 gold for each hero and ally that participated in the
campaign (survived or not), and this is considered payment of standard
adventuring fees, to come up with a final end-of-campaign total.
4. This end-of-campaign total of gold is then divided up amongst the total
SURVIVING hero characters.
 If the same hero character participates in the next campaign (regardless of who
plays that character) then the hero character will still reset back to his/her initial
state, however some or all of his/her lifetime share of gold can be carried over
into the starting pool of gold for the party, if desired.
 If lifetime hero gold is carried over in this way, then the overlord player begins the
new campaign with 1 Threat Token per every 50 gold carried over, or 1 XP per
every 150 gold carried over (or any combination of the two).
 You may also keep a record of heroes and their lifetime gold share for future use
in campaigns. Think of this as their retirement total that you can both keep a
record of for fun, and you can also "tap" for future campaigns if necessary. You
can even decide to play a new campaign with the same hero character but not
actually use any of their saved gold, but to instead add to their total in future
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campaigns (although they will lose all of that amount if they do not survive any
subsequent campaigns!).

NOTE: It is unlikely that a large amount of gold will remain at the end of a campaign and
after being divided up amongst the survivors, but this rule exists to do something useful
with any remaining unspent gold and/or any search items that were gained in the finale.
Also, the heroes should not bring an excessive amount of gold into a new campaign
(save excess towards the hero character's lifetime total!), otherwise they will have to
contend with a very powerful overlord at the start of the campaign.