Game Objective

In Destinies: Witchwood, players are explorers traversing the Witchwood in search of treasure, adventure, and secrets. The main goal is to complete the campaign, which consists of four scenarios played in the suggested order. Each scenario presents an independent story, but actions taken in one scenario can influence the next. To win, the group must meet the victory conditions set in each scenario, which typically involve collecting items, resolving encounters, and reaching specific points of interest.

Setup

1. Set up the board according to the current scenario, placing the 45 map tiles as indicated in the Destinies Basic Rules manual.

2. Distribute the miniatures (14) among the players, each receiving one to represent their character.

3. Prepare the card deck:

• 12 Destiny Cards
• 55 Item Cards
• 12 Bound Cards

4. Place the tokens and markers as instructed in the Basic Rules manual (e.g., trade markers, points of interest, etc.).

5. Distribute initial items to the players if the scenario requires it.

6. Choose the first scenario of the campaign and start the game.

Game Flow

The flow of Destinies: Witchwood follows the basic Destinies structure, with specific additions from the expansion. Each player’s turn consists of the following phases, in the order indicated by the manual:

1. Travel – The player may move their miniature across the map, interacting with Points of Interest (POI) that allow mazes or travel. If they choose to travel, they can follow a path to another location, potentially encountering encounters along the way.
2. Encounters – While traveling, the player may run into encounters. Some require skill checks; others offer benefits. For example, encountering a Wandering Merchant requires the player to set aside a Trade Stack and may trade cards.
3. POI Interaction – If the player arrives at a non-travel POI, they can explore mazes, collect rewards, or solve challenges.
4. Maintenance – At the end of the turn, the player performs maintenance actions, such as discarding excess cards or updating markers.

The game progresses by alternating player turns until an end‑game condition is met (see section 5).

Actions and How to Play

During your turn, the player can perform the following actions, as described in the manual:

• Explore – Move the miniature to a new location on the map, potentially interacting with POI.
• Travel – If the POI allows, choose a connected destination and follow the path. The player may continue traveling for the rest of the turn.
• Resolve Encounters – When encountering an encounter, perform the required checks or accept benefits.
• Use Item Cards – Play item cards to gain advantages, such as clearing paths or gaining resources.
• Interact with Maze POI – Choose paths in mazes, remembering that some lead to dead ends.
• Trade with Wandering Merchant – If you encounter a merchant, set aside a Trade Stack and trade cards.

Actions are limited by the number of movement points available in the turn, which can be altered by cards or events.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when one of the following conditions occurs, according to the manual:

• All campaign scenarios have been completed.
• A player meets the specific victory condition of a scenario.
• A player meets the defeat condition (e.g., losing all miniatures).

To calculate scoring, refer to the scoring table for each scenario in the Destinies Basic Rules manual. Generally, points are awarded for:

• Collecting specific items.
• Completing challenges at POI.
• Resolving favorable encounters.
• Reaching final points of interest.

The player or team with the highest score at the end of the campaign wins.

Tips for Winning

• Plan your routes – Use the list of connected destinations to choose paths that maximize discovery of new locations and avoid dead ends.
• Memorize the mazes – Remember the paths you’ve already explored to avoid repeating choices and uncover new rewards on future visits.
• Manage your trade cards – Take advantage of encounters with Wandering Merchants to trade cards that are useful for your current strategy.