How to Play Keep the Heroes Out!: Boss Battles

1. Game Objective

In Boss Battles, players take on the roles of monsters defending their dungeon from heroes while facing an even greater threat: powerful Bosses. The goal is to survive Wave 1 (defending against heroes) and then defeat the Boss in Wave 2 before the Guild deck runs out, all while protecting Treasure "4" at the Vault. If you defeat the Boss or complete scenario-specific conditions, you win. If the Guild deck depletes or the Boss remains undefeated, you lose.

2. Setup

Initial Setup:

• Place the Battle board and double-sided room tiles (e.g., Guardians/Vortex) as specified by the scenario.
• Shuffle the Guild deck (hero cards) and place it face-down. Add Rookie cards based on difficulty: 4 for Family, 8 for Challenging, or 12 for Hardcore.
• Prepare the Boss deck (10 cards per Boss) but do not shuffle it yet—this is used in Wave 2.
• Place Gadget cards (if using the Guardians room) or Junk-bot tokens (if using the Blacksmith) as instructed.
• Distribute starting resources, meeples, and tactic cards to players based on their chosen monsters.

Scenario-Specific Setup: Each scenario may add unique rules (e.g., crates, special room types, or event cards). Follow the scenario’s Initial and Ongoing rules carefully.

3. Game Flow

The game is divided into two phases:

1. Wave 1: Play proceeds in rounds of player turns followed by the Heroes Phase. Players defend against heroes while preparing for the Boss.
2. Wave 2: Triggered when the Guild deck is exhausted. Reshuffle the deck, then introduce the Boss and its mechanics. After each Heroes Phase, resolve a Boss card and the Boss’s actions.

Player Turn Order:

• Players take turns performing actions (move, attack, activate abilities, etc.).
• After all players act, resolve the Heroes Phase: Heroes charge, attack, or plunder based on their priorities.
• In Wave 2, after the Heroes Phase, draw and resolve a Boss card, then reactivate the Boss.

4. Actions and How to Play

Key Actions:

• Activate Room Abilities: Some rooms (e.g., Guardians or Vortex) have unique actions. For example, discard a trap in the Guardians room to acquire a Gadget card.
• Attack: Use Melee or Ranged attacks to defeat heroes or Bosses. Some Bosses require discarding cards instead of attacking.
• Move: Navigate the dungeon to defend treasures or position for attacks.
• Special Abilities: Monsters and Bosses have unique powers (e.g., Werewolf’s Swarm Attack, Gorgon’s deck manipulation).

Rookies: When a Rookie card is drawn, summon one Rookie token to a room of the matching type. Defeating a Rookie drops a resource (Coin, Frog, Book, or Bone).

5. End of Game and Scoring

The game ends immediately if:

• You deal the required damage to the Boss (e.g., 15 damage to the Gorgon).
• The Guild deck runs out before defeating the Boss.
• You lose Treasure "4" at the Vault.
• Scenario-specific loss conditions are met (e.g., Gnolls escaping in Family Ties).

Victory: Complete the Boss’s defeat condition while protecting the Vault. Some scenarios have alternate win conditions (e.g., reuniting puppies in Family Ties).

6. Tips to Win

• Prepare for Wave 2: Acquire key cards (e.g., Scrolls for the Guardians Boss) during Wave 1.
• Balance Defense and Offense: Protect the Vault while focusing damage on the Boss.
• Use Rookies Strategically: Their single-token summons and resource drops help thin the Guild deck and boost your deck-building.