Objective of the Game

Welcome to the thrilling, asymmetrical world of Fury of Dracula (3rd Edition)! Here, one player takes on the role of the legendary Count Dracula, a being of immense power and cunning, secretly moving across 19th-century Europe. The other players become the brave Hunters, united in their quest to track down and destroy the vampiric menace.

The game is a tense psychological duel of deduction and movement, where hidden information and strategic planning are key. So, what's your goal?

• Hunter Victory: The Hunters win if they manage to inflict a total of 15 points of damage on Count Dracula. Every hit counts!
• Dracula Victory: Dracula claims victory if his Influence marker reaches space 13 on the Influence track. He's not just running; he's spreading his dark power!

The game ends immediately when either side achieves its victory condition, so every move is critical!

Preparation (Setup)

Let's get ready to hunt (or be hunted)! Setting up Fury of Dracula is straightforward:

1. Place the Game Board in the center of your play area. This is your map of Europe, the theater of the hunt.
2. Set the Influence, Grit, and Time markers to their "0" or starting positions on their respective tracks.
3. Shuffle all card decks: Event Cards, Item Cards, Encounter Cards, Hunter Combat Cards, and Dracula Combat Cards.
4. The Dracula player should sort their Location Cards numerically for easy access.
5. Role Selection: One player becomes Dracula. The remaining players divide the four Hunter roles among themselves: Lord Godalming, Dr. John Seward, Dr. Van Helsing, and Mina Harker. Their turn order is fixed: Lord Godalming, then Dr. John Seward, Dr. Van Helsing, and finally Mina Harker.
6. Starting Positions:
   • Hunters: In turn order, each Hunter places their miniature on any city of their choice (you can't start on Castle Dracula or the Hospital).
   • Dracula: Draws a starting hand of 5 Encounter cards. He then secretly selects a starting location (cannot be a sea zone, a Hunter-occupied city, or Castle Dracula) and places the corresponding Location card facedown on the first space of his trail.
7. Hand Limits: Remember these limits throughout the game!
   • Hunters: 8 cards total (any combination of Items and Events). The 'Equipment' Item card increases the bearer's hand limit by 2.
   • Dracula: 12 cards total (any combination of Encounters and Events).

The Game Turn

A complete game round is called a "week" and consists of five phases. The game flows between day and night, with the Time marker advancing accordingly.

1. Hunter Phase (Day)
2. Dusk (Time marker advances from Day to Night)
3. Hunter Phase (Night)
4. Dawn (Time marker advances from Night to the next Day)
5. Dracula Phase

The Hunter Phase (Day & Night)

During each Hunter Phase (Day and Night), Hunters take turns in their fixed order, performing one action each. Remember, some actions are restricted by the time of day!

• Move (Day Only): Travel by Road, Railway, or Sea to an adjacent location. Hunters at sea must always move to an adjacent zone and cannot return to a sea zone they previously occupied during the same continuous voyage.
• Search: Reveal and resolve an Encounter at your current location. If no Encounter or Rumour Token is revealed, you get a Reward for Investigation: Dracula must secretly show you (and only you) one other facedown location card of his choice from anywhere on his trail. This is crucial info!
• Supply: If you're in a large city, draw 1 Item card and 1 Event card. In a small city, you draw 1 Event card only. Get those vital resources!
• Rest: Heal 1 damage. Simple, but sometimes life-saving.
• Trade: Exchange Items and Tickets with another Hunter at the same location. Coordination is key!
• Leave a Message: Place one of your Grit markers on an adjacent, unoccupied city. Any Hunter who later enters that city may immediately conduct a one-item trade with you at no cost. The marker returns to you after the trade or at the start of your next turn if unused. If Dracula enters the location, the marker is removed.
• Use Grit: At the start of your turn, before declaring your action, you may spend 1 Grit to perform a special action (e.g., reveal the oldest location on Dracula's trail, trade an item with any Hunter, or heal 1 damage). This special action does NOT replace your regular action for the phase.

The Dracula Phase

Dracula's turn is where the long-term planning and psychological warfare truly shine. It's a rigid sequence that forces him to think ahead.

1. Advance the Trail: All cards on Dracula's trail move one space to the right. The card at position 1 moves to 2, 2 to 3, and so on.
2. Resolve the Oldest Location: The card leaving position 6 now takes effect. Dracula must choose:
   • Mature the Encounter: Its primary effect triggers (e.g., a Vampire increases Dracula's Influence).
   • Build a permanent Lair: The Encounter card is placed face-up on its corresponding location on the game board, becoming a persistent threat until a Hunter defeats it.

   Note: In Dracula's very first turn, his starting card moves to position 2, and this step is skipped.

3. Select New Position: Only after resolving the past does Dracula choose a new location adjacent to his previous position 1. This is done secretly.
4. Set Trap: He places the new location card facedown at position 1 on his trail and places an Encounter card or a Rumour Token on it. This is how he lays his traps!

Expert Tip for Hunters: Dracula selects his new move only after an old Encounter has Matured. The outcome of that Maturation (like a sudden increase in Influence) can provide clues to his strategic priorities, helping you anticipate his next move!

Combat Procedure

Combat is a psychological duel, not a game of chance! It occurs if, at the beginning of Dusk or Dawn, a Hunter is at Dracula's current location.

1. Preparation: Hunters take their 3 basic combat cards. Dracula draws 5 combat cards.
2. Round 1: All participants secretly select and place one combat card facedown. All cards are revealed simultaneously. The interaction is resolved (see the Combat Matrix in Appendix G). If one side wins, the effect is executed. In case of a tie, the card with the higher initiative value prevails.
3. Subsequent Rounds: Played cards remain revealed and are blocked for the next round. New cards are selected from those remaining.
4. Conclusion: Combat ends after 6 rounds, or if one side is defeated or escapes.

Bites, Defeat & Healing:

• Bite: A bitten Hunter becomes Weakened, meaning they must keep one Item card and one Event card of their choice revealed in their play area.
• Defeat: Occurs at 0 health or upon exceeding a Hunter's bite limit. The defeated Hunter is moved to the Hospital, loses all equipment, and forfeits their next turn. Dracula gains +2 Influence (+1 per Despair marker).

Special Locations:

• Castle Dracula: If Dracula enters his castle, he is revealed and heals 2 damage.
• The Hospital: A safe location for defeated Hunters to recover.

Sea Travel: A strategic option with significant consequences for Dracula. He suffers 2 damage upon embarking and 1 additional damage for each subsequent move at sea. Hunters at sea must keep moving!

End of Game and Scoring

The game concludes immediately when one side achieves its victory condition:

• Hunter Victory: The Hunters win if they inflict 15 points of damage on Count Dracula.
• Dracula Victory: Dracula wins if the Influence marker reaches space 13 on the Influence track.

There is no complex scoring beyond these immediate victory conditions. The tension builds until one side achieves its ultimate goal!

Tips for Winning

Whether you're hunting or being hunted, these tips will help you navigate the dark corners of Europe:

1. For Hunters: Coordinate and Encircle!
   • Communication is Paramount: Talk openly about your plans! Use the Leave a Message action to transfer crucial items like Crucifixes or Knives. A lone Hunter is a vulnerable Hunter.
   • Encirclement: Don't just chase Dracula; try to cut off his escape routes. If he's at sea, blockade the ports. If he's on land, use the railway network to outpace him and force him into a corner.
2. For Dracula: Bluff and Plan Your Trail!
   • Your Trail is a Story: Don't just flee randomly. Think about the path you're leaving behind. A trail of all coastal cities might suggest you're heading to sea. A path that doubles back can confuse the Hunters. Your goal is to tell a misleading story.
   • Bluff with Rumours: Especially in the early game, Rumour Tokens are your best friend. They look identical to real Encounters. Using a Rumour forces a Hunter to waste an entire action to investigate it, buying you precious time to further your plans.
3. Master the Combat Duel: Combat is not about luck, but about anticipating your opponent.
   • Hunter Combat: Pay attention to Dracula's previous actions. Has he been aggressive? Does he seem to be trying to escape? Choose your combat cards (Fist, Dodge, Weapon) to counter what you think he'll play. Remember that Holy Relics (like Crucifix or Host) are vital against Fangs!
   • Dracula Combat: As Dracula, you have more cards and powerful options like Mesmerise to cancel a Hunter's card. Use your Claw for direct engagement, Strength for heavy damage, or Fangs to inflict a Bite. Knowing when to Dodge or Escape is crucial to survival.