Castle Panic: Wizard's Tower Rules

This expansion requires Castle Panic. These rules follow the Second Edition expansion and include accessibility notes where they help explain information that is normally conveyed visually.

OBJECTIVE

Defend Castle Bravehold as in Castle Panic. The Wizard's Tower replaces 1 normal Tower and gives the players access to the Wizard deck while it remains standing.

SETUP CHANGES

Place the 6 normal Towers, then remove 1 and replace it with the Wizard's Tower. Players may choose the Tower or determine the arc with the die. Place all 6 Walls normally.

Remove the core Monster tokens specified by the official Wizard's Tower setup before adding the expansion Monsters. Keep all Imp tokens in their own separate pile.

Set aside the 6 Mega Boss tokens and their Harbingers. Shuffle the Harbingers facedown and add 3 at random to the Monster supply. The other 3 Harbingers and their Mega Bosses will not be used that game.

Add the other expansion Monster tokens to the Monster supply. For The Wizard's Tower with the core game, draw 6 eligible starting Monsters at random and place 1 in each Archer-ring arc, returning effects and Boss Monsters rather than using them as starting Monsters.

Keep Flame tokens within reach. Shuffle the new Castle cards into the Castle deck. Shuffle the Wizard deck separately and leave space for its own discard pile.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTE - SEPARATE PILES

Keep the Castle deck, Wizard deck, Imp pile, and Monster supply in fixed, labeled locations. Tactile labels or containers prevent the separate decks from being confused. When a Harbinger is drawn, announce the Mega Boss name before replacing the Harbinger with the matching Mega Boss token.

WIZARD DECK

Wizard cards count toward hand size and may be traded or played like Castle cards.

Draw Up in Phase 1 is still from the Castle deck only.

During Phase 2, after discarding 1 card, the replacement may be drawn from either the Castle deck or Wizard deck.

Wizard cards use their own discard pile. If the Wizard deck is exhausted, shuffle its discard pile to make a new Wizard deck.

Unless a card specifically names the Wizard deck, a general instruction to draw cards or use the discard pile normally refers to the Castle deck. Draw 2 Cards and Scavenge, for example, normally apply only to the Castle deck.

Monsters slain by Wizard cards may be kept as Trophies when using Master Slayer scoring.

A Hit card is an Archer, Knight, Swordsman, or Hero card. Special cards have their own special-card marking and may modify Hit cards as stated. Color cards include cards with a color in their title, including Any Color cards.

If the Wizard's Tower is destroyed, remove the Wizard deck from the game immediately. Players may keep Wizard cards already in hand and play them normally; after they are played, remove them from the game rather than discarding them.

FLYING MONSTERS

Flying Monsters are identified visually by a sky background on the official token.

They are not affected by Knight or Swordsman Hit cards, Tar, Drive Him Back!, or Boulders.

Archer and Hero cards can hit a Flying Monster even when it is physically in the Knight or Swordsman ring. Once a Flying Monster is inside the Castle ring, Archer and Hero cards no longer hit it, although cards such as Barbarian can still apply.

Flying Monsters interact with Walls, Towers, Fortify tokens, and applicable Wizard cards as stated by those rules.

HARBINGERS AND MEGA BOSS MONSTERS

A Harbinger announces a Mega Boss. When a Harbinger is drawn, remove the Harbinger from the game and roll the die to place the matching Mega Boss in the Forest.

Mega Boss abilities remain active while that Boss is in play. Many also have an immediate entry effect or special movement.

When another Monster token or effect moves or rotates a Mega Boss that has its own special movement rule, use that Mega Boss's special movement rule instead. The special movement rule does not apply when the players move the Mega Boss.

Mega Bosses are not affected by Giant Boulders, Flaming Boulders, or the Trebuchet. In Master Slayer scoring, each Mega Boss is worth 5 points.

IMPS

Imps form a separate pile. They do not count toward the number of Monsters that must be defeated to win.

When an Imp is slain, return it to the Imp pile. It is not kept as a Trophy and is worth no victory points.

FIRE - BREATHING FIRE

The Chimera and Dragon can breathe fire toward the Castle.

A fireball travels in a straight line from the Monster toward the Castle until it reaches a Wall, Tower, or Fortify token. It does not damage Monsters in its path. If it crosses the entire Castle without hitting a structure, it continues into the opposite arc until it reaches a structure or exits as the rulebook describes.

When fire hits a Wall or Tower, place 1 Flame token on that structure. A structure with 3 Flame tokens is destroyed. A fireball that hits a Fortify token removes the Fortify token.

FIRE - EXTINGUISHING STRUCTURES

Discard 1 Brick or 1 Mortar to remove 1 Flame token from a burning structure.

A Fortify token may be placed on a burning Wall to remove all Flame tokens from that Wall; the Fortify token is then discarded.

FIRE - BURNING STRUCTURES UNDER ATTACK

A burning Wall or Tower is weakened and deals no collision damage to a Monster that attacks it.

Instead, transfer all Flame tokens from that structure to 1 attacking Monster chosen by the players. If more than 1 Monster attacks the same burning structure, the players choose which one receives all the Flame tokens.

A burning Wall still delays Monsters in the Swordsman ring for the normal turn, and burning structures still stop Boulders and similar effects.

FIRE - BURNING MONSTERS

When a Monster is caught on fire, place 1 Flame token on it for each fire effect.

Do not deal that fire damage immediately. After Monsters complete their normal Phase 5 movement, a burning Monster takes 1 damage per Flame token.

A burning Monster moved by another Monster or token still takes the fire damage. A Monster moved by the players does not take fire damage from that movement.

Flame tokens stay on the Monster until removed or the Monster is slain. If fire itself slays a Monster, no player receives that Monster as a Trophy.

When a burning Monster attacks a Castle structure, first resolve the structure attack and any damage the Monster takes from that attack. Then resolve damage from the Monster's Flame tokens.

Monster movement is simultaneous. If a Phoenix is destroyed during movement and newly sets other Monsters on fire, those newly placed Flame tokens do not damage those Monsters until their next movement.

CASTLE CARDS

STAND TOGETHER: Choose 1 player. That player may immediately play exactly 1 Hit card or Wizard card, not a Special card. The chosen card cannot be combined with another card. If it slays a Monster, the player who actually played the attack card receives the Trophy.

CHANGE RANGE: Play with a Hit card to treat that Hit as Archer, Knight, or Swordsman. A Hit changed to Archer can attack a Flying Monster.

DOUBLE STRIKE: Play this before the Hit card. Play 1 Hit card, not a Special or Wizard card, twice during the turn. It may strike the same Monster twice or 2 different Monsters. Cards another player plays through Stand Together do not count as the doubled Hit. Other Special cards can modify only one of the two uses unless their own text says otherwise.

ENCHANTED: Play with a Hit card to add 2 damage to that Hit.

FLAMING: Play with a Hit card to set the hit Monster on fire in addition to the Hit card's normal effect.

NEVER LOSE HOPE: Immediately discard as many cards as desired, then draw 1 Castle card for each card discarded.

BERSERK: For the rest of the turn, draw 1 Castle card for every Hit card you play, including Hit cards drawn because of Berserk.

KNOCK BACK: Play with a Hit card. After the Hit damages the Monster, move that Monster back 1 space.

CHANGE COLOR: Play with a Hit card to change the color of that Hit.

REINFORCE: Each player immediately draws 1 card from either the Castle deck or Wizard deck.

WIZARD CARDS

WIZARD QUAKE: Destroy 1 Tower and slay all Monsters in the same arc as that Tower.

RAIN OF ICE: Monsters do not move this turn. Remove all Flame tokens from all Monsters.

ARCANE ASSEMBLY: All players may immediately build Walls by paying 1 Brick or 1 Mortar for each Wall.

MYSTICAL MANUFACTURING: Play with 1 Brick or 1 Mortar to rebuild 1 destroyed Tower. Place the rebuilt Tower in any empty Castle space; it may also be rebuilt in a Castle space currently occupied by a Monster. This can rebuild the Wizard's Tower. If the Wizard's Tower is rebuilt, access to the Wizard deck resumes.

HAMMER OF LIGHT: Slay 1 Monster in the Forest ring.

TELEPORT: Move any Monster in play to another space, or move any Fortify token in play to another Wall.

CHAIN LIGHTNING: Deal 1 damage to every Monster in the same space.

VALADOR'S WAVE: Deal a total of 4 damage in 1 color, divided among any Monsters in that color as desired.

EXTINGUISHING WIND: Remove all Flame tokens from all Walls, Towers, and Monsters. Then move every Monster except those already in the Forest back 1 space toward the Forest. A Monster pushed from the Castle ring moves through any Wall into the Swordsman ring without taking Wall damage.

RED FIREBALL: Deal 1 damage to 1 Monster in any red ring and set it on fire.

GREEN FIREBALL: Deal 1 damage to 1 Monster in any green ring and set it on fire.

BLUE FIREBALL: Deal 1 damage to 1 Monster in any blue ring and set it on fire.

BURNING BLAST: Set all Monsters in 1 space on fire. It cannot be used in the Castle or Forest rings.

HYPNOTIZE: Choose 2 Monsters in the same space, including the Castle ring but not the Forest. They attack each other simultaneously, each dealing damage equal to the health currently showing on its token. If either chosen Monster is already burning, the other Monster also catches fire when it attacks the burning Monster.

RAIN OF IRON: Deal 1 damage to every Monster in 1 arc in the Castle, Archer, Knight, and Swordsman rings; it does not affect the Forest ring.

EYE OF THE ORACLE: Draw the top 5 Castle cards, keep 1, then return the rest to the top of the Castle deck in any order.

WAR STORM: Choose 1 color. Deal 1 damage to every Monster in that color's Archer, Knight, and Swordsman rings.

LIGHTNING BOLT: Deal 1 damage to 1 Monster in any ring except the Forest, then move that Monster to any Forest arc.

AZRIEL'S FIST: Deal 1 damage to 1 Monster anywhere on the board.

RING OF FIRE: Set every Monster in every color of the Swordsman ring on fire.

THALGAR'S BLESSING: Every player draws from the Castle deck until reaching a full hand.

WALL OF FORCE: Move every Monster in 1 arc back to the Forest.

MEGA BOSS MONSTERS

BASILISK

When drawn, every player discards down to a hand of 2. While the Basilisk is in play, players skip Phase 2, Discard and Draw.

CHIMERA

When it enters play, it breathes fire. During its special movement it moves 1 space counter-clockwise, then 1 space toward the Castle, then breathes fire.

If the Chimera does not move, or is destroyed during its movement, it does not breathe fire. Once inside the Castle ring, it follows standard Castle movement and no longer breathes fire.

DRAGON

When it enters play, it breathes fire.

During movement, roll the die:

1: Move 1 space clockwise, then breathe fire.

2: Move 1 space toward the Castle, then breathe fire.

3: Do not move; breathe fire.

4: Move 1 space backward, then breathe fire.

5: Move 1 space toward the Castle, then breathe fire.

6: Move 1 space counter-clockwise, then breathe fire.

The Dragon still breathes fire if an edge of the board prevents part of its rolled movement. If a card stops the Dragon's movement, it does not breathe fire. Once inside the Castle ring, it follows standard Castle movement and no longer breathes fire.

HYDRA

For every point of damage dealt to the Hydra except the final point that slays it, draw 2 Imps and place them in the Forest of the Hydra's arc. Damage from fire and Castle structures can also summon these Imps. If an effect slays the Hydra outright, or the last damage point kills it, do not draw Imps for that final damage.

NECROMANCER

When drawn, randomly choose 2 slain Monsters from the Monster discard pile and return them to the Monster draw supply.

When the Necromancer attacks a Castle structure, the Necromancer is destroyed. For each health point it had remaining immediately before that attack, return 1 slain Monster from the discard pile to the Monster draw supply.

WARLOCK

When drawn, every player discards 1 Wizard card if able.

While in play, the Warlock is unaffected by Wizard cards.

During its normal Monster movement, roll the die and move the Warlock to the corresponding numbered arc while keeping it in the same ring, then move it 1 space toward the Castle. Once the Warlock is in the Castle ring, it follows the normal Castle-ring movement rules instead.

OTHER MONSTER TOKENS

CENTAUR: If it is damaged by a Hit card in the Knight ring, it is slain immediately. Hit cards cannot damage it in the Archer ring.

CLIMBING TROLL: Bypasses Walls and Fortify tokens, moving directly from the Swordsman ring into the Castle ring. It still takes damage when it later attacks a Tower. If it bypasses a burning Wall, add that Wall's number of Flame tokens to the Troll without removing the Flame tokens from the Wall.

CONJURER: Place it in the Forest, then roll the die and place that many Imps into the Forest beginning with arc 1 and continuing by arc.

CYCLOPS: If damaged by a Hit card in the Archer ring, it is slain immediately. Hit cards cannot damage it in the Swordsman ring.

DOPPELGANGER: The Doppelganger cannot be moved, hit, or slain. When the next non-Mega-Boss Monster is destroyed, put that destroyed Monster in the Doppelganger's space and discard the Doppelganger. Treat the replacement as though it had just been drawn, including any entry ability. It cannot be claimed as a Trophy until it is slain again. If several Monsters are destroyed simultaneously, the players choose which eligible one replaces the Doppelganger.

FLAMING BOULDER: Roll for its starting arc and send it straight across the board like a Giant Boulder. It destroys every non-Flying Monster in its path. It destroys the first Castle structure it reaches but keeps going; the second structure it reaches is set on fire. If it has not reached a structure, it can continue through the Castle and into the opposite arc, destroying non-Flying Monsters there as well. Discard the Flaming Boulder after resolving it.

GARGOYLE: Immune to Knight and Swordsman Hit cards, all Boulders, Tar, and Drive Him Back!

GOBLIN CAVALRY: Moves 2 spaces during normal Monster movement and stops if it hits a Wall. If another Monster token moves it, it also moves 2 spaces as directed by that effect. Inside the Castle ring it uses normal Castle movement. If burning, it takes the normal 1 damage per Flame token after its movement, not double damage for moving 2 spaces.

GOLEM: If damaged by a Hit card in the Swordsman ring, it is slain immediately. Hit cards cannot damage it in the Knight ring.

1 IMP PER TOWER: Place 1 Imp in the Forest for each arc that currently contains a Tower.

PHOENIX: A Flying Monster with the same basic Hit-card and Boulder immunities as the Gargoyle. When destroyed, it sets all other Monsters in its space on fire. Those newly placed Flame tokens do not deal damage until those Monsters next move. The Phoenix does not set Castle structures on fire.

TREBUCHET: Roll for its launching arc. Its projectile travels straight across the board like a flying Giant Boulder, destroying Flying Monsters in its path. It continues until it reaches and destroys a Castle structure. If no Castle structure is in its path, it can continue through the Castle into the opposite arc, still destroying Flying Monsters. Discard the Trebuchet after resolving it.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTE - FIRE AND FLYING STATUS

Use distinct tactile markers for Flame tokens and keep them physically attached to the affected structure or Monster. When a Monster is Flying, say "Flying" whenever its location is announced; its physical ring does not always determine which Hit cards can affect it.

Source

Based on the official Castle Panic Second Edition expansion rulebook published by Fireside Games. If a component or card conflicts with this web summary, use the official component or rulebook text for that edition.