Objective of the Game

In the expansion Shards of Madness, the denizens of Wonderland are facing a chaotic new reality. The Cheshire Cat is offering a "madness fix" through corrupted shards. Players take on the role of factions navigating this chaos, seeking to gain powerful rewards from Wonderlandian cards and artifacts. Your goal is to manage the risks of madness and leverage new resources to outmaneuver your opponents.

Setup

To prepare your game with the Shards of Madness expansion, follow these steps:

• Cards: Replace all original Wonderlandian cards from the base game with the new ones provided in this expansion.
• Quests: Shuffle the 10 new expansion Quest cards into the quest deck before dealing the starting quest cards.
• Forge: Replace the standard Forge card with the Corrupted Forge card.
• Starting Battle Reward: Place the Starting Battle Reward card near the Region containing the Starting Battle marker. Ensure the "Resist the Madness" side is face-up.
• Tea and Crumpet Drafting Variant (Recommended for higher player counts):
  1. Separate the Wonderlandian figure cards and place them face-up in the center of the table.
  2. Shuffle the Tea and Crumpet cards and deal 3 to each player (or 2 in a 5-player game).
  3. Place all Tea and Crumpet cards face-up in the center of the play area.
  4. In player order, each player selects 1 card.
  5. In reverse player order, starting with the last player, each player selects a second card. You must choose which card provides your Wonderlandian and which card provides your starting resources/penalties.
  6. Note: The card chosen for rewards/penalties may reduce your starting Supporters in your supply.

Game Flow

The game follows the standard structure of the base game but incorporates new mechanics and phases:

• Battle Phase: Battles occur in specific Regions. The first Region where a Battle occurs each round awards a bonus to the winner via the Starting Battle Reward card.
• Starting Battle Reward Resolution: At the end of the Battle in the Region with the Starting Battle marker, the winning player gains the reward shown on the face-up side of the card. If players tie, or if all players bust, no reward is granted.
• War Phase: At the end of the War phase, the Starting Battle marker moves to a new Region. Place the Starting Battle Reward card near that new Region. The player with the fewest VP chooses which side of the Starting Battle Reward will be face-up for the next war phase.

Actions and How to Play

The expansion introduces several new ways to interact with the game components:

Forging with the Corrupted Forge

The Corrupted Forge card introduces a new option during the Forging action. When you Forge a chip, you may spend 1 Shard to Forge an exhausted chip instead of an active chip. This rule applies to Forge chips and Forge spaces on the Battle track.

New Quest Types

• Leader Feats: These can be completed in any Region where your leader is present at the end of Battle. Note that Leader feats do not count as a Region for other quest Objectives.
• Double-Feat Quests: These feature two Feats and no Objectives. You may complete the Feats in any order. Once the first Feat is completed, place the card face up in your play area with the completed side upside down. Once the second Feat is completed, tuck the quest under the side of your faction mat.

Wonderlandian Abilities (Examples)

Consult the manual for details on specific Wonderlandian abilities. Some examples include:

• March Hare: May copy Wonderlandian cards in the market.
• Lock of Unicorn Hair: Gain +1 Strength if you have the most Shards.
• Befriend the Populace (Alice): If no Wonderlandian figure cards remain in the deck, gain the topmost Wonderlandian chip card.

End of Game and Scoring

The game concludes based on the standard end-game triggers (consult the base game manual for specific triggers). Scoring in this expansion includes:

• VP from Quests: Each completed Feat in a Double-Feat Quest is worth 3 VP. If you complete both Feats in a Double-Feat Quest, you gain a bonus 3 VP.
• Starting Battle Rewards: Winners of the Starting Battle gain rewards as indicated on the Starting Battle Reward card.

Tips for Winning

Based on the expansion mechanics, consider these tactical approaches:

• Manage your Madness: Use the Corrupted Forge strategically to turn exhausted chips into useful resources by spending Shards.
• Optimize your Start: Use the Tea and Crumpet drafting to balance your starting Wonderlandian and resources against the potential loss of Supporters.
• Target Leader Feats: Ensure your leader is present in a Region at the end of Battle to maximize your ability to complete Leader Feats.