BoardGamesBot

2
OVERVIEW
The Nightmares expansion adds a variety of twists to Unconscious Mind, such as a cast of Uncanny Clients,
a Haunted Location, a Treatise of the Dead, and, of course, an array of surreal Nightmares. Besides these,
you’ll get new tools to dabble with, including a cracked dial that can elevate your Insights to the next level.
But be warned: The further you delve into the dark side of the mind, the more Madness you risk…
Before playing with this expansion, you must learn the base game’s rules. The basic gameplay remains
unchanged; however, if there are conflicting rules, the expansion takes precedence.
CCOOMPONMPONEENTSNTS
6 Uncanny Routine
Client cards
4 Uncanny Case-Study
Client cards 21 Nightmare Dream cards
1 Madness
reference card
12 Metamorphosis
Grief Layer cards
(translucent)
12 Wild Research cards
1 Treatise of
the Dead tile
1 Haunted Location
Goal tile
1 Madness
Check token
6 Dark Insight pieces
4 Cracked Insight dials
6 Mad starting Notebook tiles
28 Madness tokens
(24 value one
♦ 4 value five)
PETS MODULE
GRAMOPHONE
MODULE
4 Pet tiles
(double-sided)
1 Gramophone
standee
1 Gramophone
reference card4 Pet figures

---

3
Set up the game as usual with the following modifications.
CITY MAP & LOCATION GOALS
During step 2 of the standard setup, place the Madness
Check token on the “6” space of the Reputation track.
When creating the Location Goal tiles display during step 4 of
the standard setup, place the Haunted Location Goal tile near
the others.
CLIENTS AND DREAMS DISPLAY
To create the Clients and Dreams display, replace steps 10–14 of the standard setup with the following:
1. Shuffle the Routine Clients deck and form two
face-down stacks of roughly equal heights.
2. Shuffle the Uncanny Routine Client cards into
one of the two stacks, then place this stack on
top of the other to create the Routine Clients deck.
3. Draw two Routine Clients and arrange them in a
face-up row to the right of the deck.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 above, using the Case-Study
Clients and Uncanny Case-Study Client cards to
create the Case-Study Clients deck.
5. Shuffle the Latent Dream deck and place it face
down in the area above the Client display.
6. Shuffle the Manifest Dream deck and place it
face down to the right of the Latent Dreams deck.
Then, draw the three topmost Manifest Dream
cards and arrange them in a face-up row to the
right of the deck.
SET UP
7. Shuffle the Nightmare Dream deck and place it
face down to the right of the Manifest Dreams.
Then, draw the top Nightmare card and place it
face up to the right of the deck.
8. Shuffle the Grief Layer deck and form two face-
down stacks of roughly equal heights.
9. Shuffle the Metamorphosis Grief Layer cards
into one of the two stacks and place this stack
on top of the other to create the Grief Layer deck.
Put this deck inside the dispenser box and set the
box to the left of the Routine Clients deck. Then,
draw and place a Grief Layer on top of each face-
up Client in the display.
Tutorial video

---

4
WILD RESEARCH CARDS
AND TREATISES
While creating the Research card display in step
15 of the standard setup, first shuffle the Research
cards deck and form two face-down stacks of
roughly equal heights. Then, shuffle the Wild
Research cards into one of the stacks and place this
stack on top of the other to create the Research
card deck.
While creating the Treatise tile display in step 17 of
the standard setup, place the Treatise of the Dead
tile near the others (not covering any other
Treatise tiles).
GENERAL SUPPLY
After creating the general supply during step 18 of
the standard setup, place the Dark Insight pieces
and the Madness tokens near the Bright Idea
tokens. Place the Madness reference card visible to
all players with the side facing up. all players with the side facing up. all players with the side facing up.
MAD, MAD VARIANT
To increase the tension, you may place the
Madness reference card with the side facing
up. This doubles the Victory Point penalty during
Madness Checks (see page 5).
Madness reference card with the side facing Madness reference card with the side facing
PLAYER SETUP
During step 1 of player setup, take a Cracked
Insight dial (instead of a dial from the base game).
During step 13 of player setup, randomly deal
one Mad starting Notebook tile to each player
in addition to their three starting Notebook tiles.
Choose one of these four Notebook tiles to keep
and remove the others from the game.
If you choose the Mad starting Notebook tile, refer
to its banner and place your Professor onto the City
Map Location matching the tag, as usual. Then,
move a common Insight from your center reserve to
any crack within the indicated dial section—which
may result in gaining Madness (see page 6). Then,
flip and place the tile in your player board, as usual.
44

---

5
GAINING MADNESS
Effects that give you Madness are mandatory when you trigger them.
Whenever you gain a , take a Madness token from the general supply and place it near your player
board in a personal supply. Your Madness level is equal to the Madness you currently have.
Note: The Madness supply is considered unlimited; if you run out of tokens, use any adequate substitutes.
Whenever you gain a , take a
board in a personal supply. Your
Whenever you gain a , take a
MADNESS EFFECTS
Your Madness level unlocks ongoing beneficial effects. You may trigger the effects indicated on the
Madness reference card if your Madness level is equal to or greater than the thresholds shown (e.g., if
your Madness level is “6,” then you may trigger the “3+” and “5+” effects).
MADNESS CHECKS
13+ Madness: When you Recall Ideas, return 6 Madness to the
general supply.
5+ Madness: When placing two Ideas (including Bright Ideas) on the
Meeting Table, you may point them at two different action spaces.
Then, you may trigger each action space once (in either order).
3+ Madness: When moving your Professor on the City Map, you may
move 1–2 spaces counterclockwise (instead of 1–2 spaces clockwise).
8+ Madness: You may freely Transfer Median Insights
Madness Checks may happen up to three times
per game.
Perform a Madness Check at the end of any turn in
which one of the following conditions occurs:
• Freud’s marker reaches or crosses the Madness
Check token on the Reputation track (discarding
the token from the game)
• One player’s Madness level reaches 13 or more
for the first time, claiming the Haunted Location
Goal tile (page 8)
Note: If both of these conditions occur in the same
turn, perform two consecutive Madness Checks.
In addition, perform one final Madness Check at the
end of the game (before Final Scoring).
To resolve a Madness Check:
1. The player(s) with the lowest Madness level
announces their current number of Madness.
2. All players return this number of Madness to the
general supply.
3. Each player with remaining Madness loses
Victory Points equal to their level (or twice their
level with the variant), adjusting their scoring
markers accordingly.
Note: Scoring markers may go below the “0/100”
space to indicate a negative score.
Note: If the lowest Madness level is zero, players do
not return any Madness before losing Victory Points.
Variant sideStandard side
MADMADNNESSESS

---

6
Example: The teal player may Transfer their Major Passion
Insight into a Mad Insight by moving it into the small or medium
crack within their dial’s Passion section, or they may move it
counterclockwise into the large crack of the Freedom section.
They may Transfer their Median Passion Insight into a Mad Insight
by moving it into the large crack within their dial’s Passion section,
or they may move it counterclockwise to the large crack of the
Freedom section.
CRACKED INSIGHT DIAL
The Nightmares expansion replaces the base game’s dials with Cracked Insight dials, which give you access
to Mad Insights.
Mad Insights
There is a new Insight level beyond Major: Mad.
Any Insight inside a crack is a Mad Insight.
Gaining Mad Insights
Generate Effects
Place an Insight from your center
reserve into a crack within the
indicated dial section.
Place an Insight from your center
reserve into any crack.
Effect Capacity
Small crackGain 0 Madness1 Insight
Medium crackGain 1 Madness2 Insights
Large crackGain 2 Madness3 Insights
Important: You may not Elevate, Suppress, or Transfer
Mad Insights (i.e., once an Insight is inside a crack, you
may not manipulate it in any way).
• Each colored dial section has three
cracks: small, medium, and large.
• Each time an Insight enters a crack,
you must immediately gain the
indicated amount of Madness (if any).
• You may not exceed each crack’s
Insight capacity (see the table).
• When using a Mad Insight, remove it
from its crack and place it into your
dial’s center reserve.
Transfer Effects
Whenever you Transfer a Median or Major Insight,
it moves into an adjacent crack (instead of an
adjacent colored section). Transferring an Insight
clockwise increases its level to Mad, whereas
counterclockwise increases its level to Mad and
changes its quality.
Elevate Effects
An Elevated Minor, Median, or Major Insight may move directly into a crack instead of the next ring outward.
An Elevated Minor Insight may
move into the large crack in its
dial section.
An Elevated Median Insight may
move into the medium crack in its
dial section.
An Elevated Major Insight may
move into the small crack in its
dial section.

---

7
Example: The pink player has an Uncanny Client that reached Catharsis, giving them a Dark Insight piece. They must place the piece into a crack within the Freedom section. They place it in the large crack—without gaining any Madness.

DARK INSIGHTS
The Nightmares expansion introduces Dark Insight pieces. They function like common Insights, except you do not gain Madness when placing them into cracks.
You may gain Dark Insights by reaching Catharsis with Uncanny Routine Clients. When you gain one, immediately place it into any available crack within the indicated dial section.

WILD RESEARCH CARDS
Wild Research cards differ from the base game Research cards in the following ways:
• Each Wild Research card shows a gray Volume, which may substitute for a Volume of any color when Publishing Treatises.
• Six Wild Research cards show two different Location tags. When you play one of these cards, you must gain 1 Madness.
• Three Wild Research cards show a wild Location tag. When you play one of these cards, you must gain 2 Madness (and one Minor Insight in the quality shown).
• Three Wild Research cards do not show any Location tags. When you play one of these cards, you may immediately spend one Minor Insight in the color shown to Generate one Mad Insight of the same quality.

OVERCOMPENSATING WITH MAD INSIGHTS
You may overcompensate using a Mad Insight instead of any Minor, Median, or Major of the same quality (e.g., you may use a Mad Passion Insight instead of a Major, Median, or Minor Passion Insight).

GAMEPLAY

TREATISE OF THE DEAD
To Publish the Treatise of the Dead, you must gather two gray Volumes (from your in-play Research cards or by Citing one or both of them).
When you Publish the Treatise of the Dead, immediately score 13 Victory Points. Each time a player Cites from it, you gain 1 Madness and a Bright Idea.

MAD STARTING NOTEBOOK TILE EFFECTS
Whenever you trigger a Mad starting Notebook tile, you must gain 1 Madness in addition to the effects shown.

---

8
Madness
The Id gains Madness and participates in Madness Checks like a player.
When the Id Recalls its Ideas, it must return 6
Madness to the general supply.
The Id may move its Professor counterclockwise
on the City Map, choosing the Location that will
trigger the most effects (either from counting
figures or tags). Break ties using the Compass
Arrow: right for clockwise, left for counterclockwise.
Setup
When placing Location Goal tiles
in step 4 of the standard setup,
first place the Cure five Clients
and Haunted Location tiles next
to each other (in either order),
and then place three random
tiles on either side of them.
Nightmare Dreams
If the Id drafts a Client with a
Metamorphosis Grief Layer, it
takes the face-up Nightmare
Dream from the display
(instead of a Manifest Dream).
Otherwise, the Id does not take
Nightmare Dreams.
NIGHTMARE DREAMS
Instead of a Manifest Dream, you may choose the face-up
Nightmare Dream card (or draw one from the deck). If you choose
the face-up card, refill the Nightmare Dream display by drawing
and placing a card face up.
Each Nightmare Dream card requires using one Mad Insight (in
addition to other specified Insights/Coffee) to produce a Catharsis
Therapy point . If the Client’s Therapy marker is on any space to
the right of the space with the icon, move the marker onto this
space (and score any Victory Points and resolve Catharsis, as usual).
Otherwise, you may use the Catharsis Therapy point as a single
standard Therapy point.
addition to other specified Insights/Coffee) to produce a
. If the Client’s Therapy marker is on any space to . If the Client’s Therapy marker is on any space to
the right of the space with the icon, move the marker onto this
FFiiNAL SNAL SCCORINGORING
SOLO MODESOLO MODE
Before Final Scoring, perform one final
Madness Check (page 5).
During Final Scoring, each Uncanny Case-
Study Client that has reached Catharsis scores
Victory Points for having specific qualities of
Mad Insights.
If you use a Nightmare Dream with this icon to Treat a
Client with a Metamorphosis Grief Layer, gain a Heart Shaped Box.
If you use a Nightmare Dream with this icon to Treat a
HAUNTED
LOCATION GOAL
The first player to reach 13 Madness
(or more) must claim the Haunted
Location Goal, signaling a Madness
Check (page 5). Then, they place
the tile face down in their play area
(providing a wild Location tag).
Note: The Haunted Goal tile does not
provide a Reputation point like the
base game’s tiles.
.
.
.
.
6 Victory Points for each Mad
Insight within the indicated
dial section (max. 18 points)
≠
6 Victory Points for each dial
section with at least one Mad
Insight (max. 18 points)
HAUNTED LOCATION GOAL
If the Id reaches 13 (or more) Madness and the Haunted Location Goal
tile is in the display, it claims it (signaling a Madness Check, as usual).
Note: If the Id uses a Notebook tile effect to take the Haunted Location
Goal, it signals a Madness Check.

---

9
PE S MODUL PE S MODUL 
You may use the Pets module with the base game or with the Nightmares expansion, adding an emotional
support animal by your side. Your Pet allows you to Treat Clients more effectively—and with Nightmares,
dispel Madness. Your Pet also gives you more tactical control over your Inkpot’s pace.
Components: 4 Pet tiles, 4 Pet figures
Standard Effects
Perform one Treatment action (i.e.,
use one Dream to Treat one Client)
Perform one Treatment action (i.e.,
use one Dream to Treat one Client)
Gain a Heart-Shaped Box Generate a Mad Insight
Elevate an Insight Transfer an Insight
Trigger the effect of any one
Notebook tile in your player board
Return 2 Madness to the
general supply
Nightmares Effects
Gameplay
Advancing Your Pet
Each Pet tile has a track with four levels
(featuring four effects). When determining your
Inkpot’s movement value, you may subtract
one or two from the number and apply these
movements to your Pet instead, advancing it up the track one space
per movement applied.
If you are playing with the other contents of the Nightmares expansion,
you must use the side of the Pet tile showing the icon; otherwise,
use the standard side.
you must use the side of the Pet tile showing the icon; otherwise,
Important: You may not
subtract your Inkpot’s movement
value to zero (i.e., you must move
your Inkpot at least once).
Solo
The Id does not use a Pet.
Setup
Place the Pet tile in your player color to the left of your player board with
the corresponding Pet figure on the bottom of the tile.
Note: If your Pet is on the highest level, you may not advance it.
Using Your Pet
On your turn—anytime before or after resolving other actions or effects—you may trigger the effect
shown on your Pet’s current level (or a lower one). After resolving the effect, return your Pet to the bottom
of the tile.

---

10
Standard
Anytime on your turn, you may use one
Heart-Shaped Box to take the Gramophone
and place it near your player board.
GRAMOPHONGRAMOPHONee MODUL  MODUL 
The Gramophone’s haunting melodies may inspire you to exceed your limits.
Components: 1 Gramophone standee, 1 Gramophone reference card
Setup
Place the Gramophone standee and reference card near the Meeting Table board. If you are playing with
the other contents of the Nightmares expansion, you may use the side of the card showing a Mad Insight;
otherwise, use the standard side showing a Heart-Shaped Box.
Gameplay
After you take the Gramophone, you must keep it until another player takes it from you (or the
game ends).
While you have the Gramophone, you may add one to any limited actions or effects showing this icon.
The following examples show how the Gramophone may affect different parts of the game.
You may place up to three Ideas on the Meeting Table,
triggering the action space once for each Idea placed.
You may Treat each of your Clients twice during a
Treat Clients turn. This means you may Treat each
Client with a Manifest Dream immediately followed
by a Latent Dream.
You may subtract up to three from your Inkpot
movement value, advancing your Pet once for each.
You may perform up to six Location effects after
moving your Professor or Freud on the City Map
(granted you have six matching tags or use Bright
Ideas to reach this limit, etc.).
to any limited actions or effects showing this icon.
Solo
Whenever the Id’s Inkpot moves past the icon, it takes the Gramophone from you (if you have it) and
returns it to the area beside the Meeting Table.
Note: The Id does not keep the Gramophone or use its effects, nor does it need to use a Heart-Shaped Box (or
Mad Insight) to take it.
Whenever the Id’s Inkpot moves past the icon, it takes the Gramophone from you (if you have it) and Whenever the Id’s Inkpot moves past the icon, it takes the Gramophone from you (if you have it) and Whenever the Id’s Inkpot moves past the icon, it takes the Gramophone from you (if you have it) and
- -
Nightmares
Anytime on your turn, you may use one
Mad Insight to take the Gramophone
and place it near your player board.

---

11
CREDITS
Game Design: Jonathan “Jonny Pac” Cantin
Development: Jonny Pac
Art: Andrew Bosley, Vincent Dutrait
Art Direction / Project Management: Yoma
Solo Mode: Jonny Pac
Administration: Thanos Argiris
Graphic Design / Rulebook Layout:
Zinia Redo, Vincent Dutrait, Yoma
Rulebook Editing: Miguel Conceição, Jonny Pac,
Cory Munson
Proofreading: Ricardo Gonçalves, John Guthrie,
Jonathan Cox
Tray Design: Daniel Cunningham
Primary Playtesting: Thanos Argiris, Vasilis
“Grofindel” Vasileiadis, Zinia Redo, Javier “Mishi”
Rodríguez, Ricardo Gonçalves, Hent van Imhoff,
Giorgos “Fatpenguin” Zoumpourlis, Dale Keefer,
John Guthrie, Giorgio Englezos, Jake Bless,
Eric Heitzman, Cody Ague, Cory Munson
Cultural Consultancy: Jason Perez, Vadim Deylgat,
Julian Steindorfer, Dr. John Bachman (PhD, Licensed
Psychologist)
11
Ricardo Gonçalves, John Guthrie,

---

12
Madness
Growth, Freedom, and
Passion Mad Insights
Mad Insight of any
quality
Gain a Dark Insight
Catharsis Therapy point
Advance your Pet once
The upper limit of times
you may perform an action
or trigger an effect
Idea
Unlock the leftmost Idea
from your player board
Unlocked Idea
Different Idea spaces on
the Meeting Table
Recall Ideas
Bright Idea
Coffee
≠
ZZ
Z
Minor, Median,
and Major Growth
Insights
Minor, Median, and
Major Freedom
Insights
Minor, Median,
and Major Passion
Insights
Minor, Median, and
Major Insights of
any quality
Elevate an Insight
Suppress an Insight
Disregard an Insight
Suppression
Transfer an Insight
Discard your Office
Room card
Therapy Point
Heart-Shaped Box
Treat a Client once
Cured Client
Cured Routine Client
Cured Case-Study
Client
District token
Player-color Insight in a
District (above a bonus slot)
Gain a Research card
Play a Research card
Publish a Treatise
Reputation point
Trigger the Reputation
track
Freud’s Reputation
marker
End-game signal
Advance your Inkpot up to
the number of icons shown
(and trigger the effects)
Gain a Notebook tile from
the leftmost column
Gain a Notebook tile and
trigger the banner effect
Gain a Notebook tile and
trigger the main effect
and the banner effect
Trigger any Notebook
tile effect in your player
board
Trigger all the effects of
an unlocked column on
your player board
Location Tags
Any Location tag
(i.e., a wild tag)
Trigger a tag’s Location
effects using the count
tags option (once for
the tag shown plus any
matching)
Advance your Professor
1-2 Locations and trigger
the end
Location’s effect(s)
Advance your Professor
directly to Freud’s
Location and trigger the
Location’s effect(s)
Advance Freud 1-3
Locations and trigger
the end Location’s
effect(s)
Advance Freud 1
Location clockwise
(without triggering the
Location’s effects)
+
Professor/Freud in
a Location

---