Rulebook

Version 3.

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Allied Factions
The Alliances Master Set adds Allied Factions to Summoner Wars.
Units belonging to an Allied Faction are considered to belong to both
factions that make up that alliance. For example: A card that effects Fallen
Kingdom Units would also effect Fallen Phoenix Units. Likewise a card
that effects Phoenix Elf Units would also effect Fallen Phoenix Units. A
card that effects Fallen Phoenix Units would also effect Fallen Kingdom
Units and Phoenix Elf Units. This impacts deck building in a number of
ways. For more on deck building, see the Deck Building section on page 20.

This set contains the following Allied Factions:

Fallen Phoenix
This is an alliance between the
Fallen Kingdom and the Phoenix Elves.
Sand Cloaks
This is an alliance between the
Sand Goblins and the Cloaks.
Jungle Shadows
This is an alliance between the
Jungle Elves and the Shadow Elves.
Cave Filth
This is an alliance between the
Cave Goblins and the Filth.
Tundra Guild
This is an alliance between the
Tundra Orcs and the Guild Dwarves.
Vargath Vanguard
This is an alliance between the
Mountain Vargath and the Vanguards.
Swamp Mercenaries
This is an alliance between the
Swamp Orcs and the Mercenaries.
Deep Benders
This is an alliance between the
Deep Dwarves and the Benders.

2
 Allied Factions Card Effect Aid
Cards
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Benders Deep Benders
Cave Filth Cave Goblins • Filth
Cave Goblins Cave Filth
Cloaks Sand Cloaks
Deep Benders Benders • Deep Dwarves
Deep Dwarves Deep Benders
Fallen Kingdom Fallen Phoenix
Fallen Phoenix Fallen Kingdom • Phoenix Elves
Filth Cave Filth
Guild Dwarves Tundra Guild
Jungle Elves Jungle Shadows
Jungle Shadows Jungle Elves • Shadow Elves
Mercenaries Swamp Mercenaries
Mountain Vargath Vargath Vanguards
Phoenix Elves Fallen Phoenix
Sand Cloaks Cloaks • Sand Goblins
Sand Goblins Sand Cloaks
Shadow Elves Jungle Shadows
Swamp Mercenaries Mercenaries • Swamp Orc
Swamp Orcs Swamp Mercenaries
Tundra Guild Guild Dwarves • Tundra Orcs
Tundra Orcs Tundra Guild
Vanguards Vargath Vanguards
Vargath Vanguards Mountain Vargath • Vanguards

3
Object of the Game
In Summoner Wars you are playing the role of a Summoner. You have
been endowed by a Summoning Stone with the ability to call forth
mighty warriors and cast powerful spells to aid you in your battle against
an opposing Summoner. The object of the game is to destroy your
opponent’s Summoner card. When you are the only player with your
Summoner card left in play, you win.

Components
1 Rulebook • 1 Battlefield Mat • 5 Six-Sided Dice • 20 Wound Markers
12 Poison Markers • 12 Boost Markers • 314 Cards

Unit Cards
Unit Cards represent the forces, called Units, which make up your army.
Everything from your all-important Summoner down to your lowliest
Scout, are Units represented by a Unit Card.

Anatomy of a Unit Card

5
1 KARTHOS
2 Champion of the Fallen Phoenix

6
8
2 5
4
Wrathful Dead
Instead of attacking with Karthos, you may
choose 1 Common Fallen Kingdom Unit
7
from an opponent’s Discard Pile. Pay the
3 chosen Unit’s Summon Cost and place it
adjacent to Karthos. The chosen Unit has the
PRECISE ability until the end of the turn.

1. Attack Value: When attacking with a Unit, roll a number of dice equal
to that Unit’s Attack Value.
2. Summon Cost: This is the number of Magic Points you’ll have to
spend to bring the Unit onto the Battlefield.
3. Special Ability: Special rules unique to the Unit.

4
4. Range Symbol: Unit Cards with a bow symbol on
them can attack cards that are up to 3 clear straight
line spaces away. Unit Cards with a sword symbol Bow Sword
on them must be adjacent to other cards to attack them.
5. Unit Name: Champions and Summoners have unique names like Lun
or Krusk. Common Units have generic names like Shaman or Warrior.
Some Special Abilities and Event Cards will reference Units by name.
6. Unit Type: There are 5 different types of Unit Cards: Summoners,
Champions, Commons, Conjurations and Mutations. Some rules,
Special Abilities, and Event Cards will make reference to certain types
of Unit Cards.
7. Life Points: Each colored dot represents 1 Life Point. When attacking,
you will place 1 Wound Marker on a Unit Card for every Hit rolled
against that Unit. When a Unit Card has a number of Wound Markers
equal to or greater than it’s Life Points, that Unit is destroyed.
8. Character Art: An artistic representation of the Unit. Character art
has no effect on game play.

Event Cards Purge

Event Cards represent special
events like the casting of a spell Choose a wounded Common Unit
that you control. Place 1 Wound
Marker on every card that is adjacent
or the rallying of your forces. to the chosen Unit, then destroy the
chosen Unit.
Event Cards are made up of just
2 parts: The card’s name and its
effect on the game.

Event Cards can be played on your turn during your Play Event Cards Phase.

Wall Cards
A Wall Card is a special type of
Event Card. Wall Cards do not
have a card name or a game effect
listed on them; only a picture
of a wall and a number of Life
Points. Walls are not Units, but
can be attacked and destroyed
like Units. However, Walls are not affected by Abilities or powers which
only affect Units. During the Event Card Phase you can play a Wall Card by
simply placing it on any empty space on your side of the Battlefield.

5
Walls serve 2 purposes. The first is protection. Walls give your Units
something to hide behind and they block your opponent’s movement.
Second, they are a summoning point. When summoning Units to the
game they must be placed adjacent to a Wall Card that you control. Walls
can be attacked and destroyed just like Units. Be careful - if you control
no Walls you cannot summon more Units to your aid.

Vine Walls
The Swamp Mercenaries have a
special kind of Wall called a Vine
Wall. The back of each Vine Wall
card has the basic rules for Vine Vine Wall
Walls printed on it. The full rules
for Vine Walls are as follows.
(The italic text in the rules below is omitted from the Vine Wall basic
rules for the sake of brevity.)

Vine Wall cards are not shuffled into your deck. Instead, each player that
has Vine Walls listed on his Summoner’s Reference Card starts the game
with that many Vine Wall cards in a Vine Wall Pile off of the Battlefield.
Whenever a card instructs a player to place a Vine Wall, remove a Vine
Wall from that player’s Vine Wall Pile and place it as directed. Vine Walls
are considered Wall cards for all purposes with the following exceptions:
1. Life: Vine Walls have 2 Life Points.
2. Placement: Vine Walls can be placed on any space on the Battlefield,
including on your opponent’s side! A Vine Wall can be placed on a
space where a Unit already exists, place the Vine Wall under the
existing Unit. However, you can never place a Vine Wall on a space
where a Wall (including a Vine Wall) already exists. A Unit cannot
be summoned onto a space containing a Vine Wall, but they can be
summoned adjacent just like any other Wall.
3. Movement: Units can move or be placed onto a space containing a Vine
Wall. When a Unit moves off of a space containing a Vine Wall, roll a die.
On a result of 3 or lower, that Unit receives 1 Wound Marker and cannot
move off of the Vine Wall space. On a Result of 4 or higher, that Unit
moves normally. A Unit can never use an Event or Special Ability to move
through a Unit that is on a Vine Wall.
4. Attacking: A Vine Wall can be attacked even if there is a Unit sharing

6
a space with it. A player must declare whether he is attacking the Unit
or the Vine Wall before attacking. Units on a Vine Wall space are
considered to be adjacent to that Vine Wall and can attack it. A Vine
Wall blocks line of sight just like a normal Wall, even if there is a Unit on
top of it. However, it does not block line of sight to or from that Unit
on top of it. Those Units that share spaces with Vine Walls can attack
and be attacked from any direction unless blocked by another card.
5. Destroying: When a Vine Wall is destroyed, it is placed back onto the
owner’s Vine Wall Pile rather than a Magic Pile.

Some Special Abilities refer to cards that are placed underneath them
and impact them in some unique way. For the sake of interpreting the
rules surrounding such Abilities, Vine Walls are NOT considered to be
a card under those Units. Remember that a Unit on a Vine Wall space is
considered adjacent to that Vine Wall, even though they are sharing a space.

Battlefield

The Battlefield is where the action happens. The Battlefield comes in 2

halves, separating your side of the Battlefield from your opponent’s side.
The Battlefield is further divided into card-sized spaces. These spaces
will be used for measuring distance and card placement. On either end
of the Battlefield are 3 marked areas for the cards you’ll use during the
game: The Draw Pile, the Magic Pile, and the Discard Pile.

7
Game Setup 1 3

an Ice Wall.
this Ice Golem, it is considered to be
ability. If there is an Event card under
cards as if it has the BUILT special
This Ice Golem may be affected by
Runic Transformation
2
1
Common of the Tundra Guild
ICE GOLEM
on top of your Draw Pile in any order.
those cards in your hand and the rest back
once for each Scribe you control. Place 1 of
Card under a Common Unit, draw 1 card
Once per turn, when you place an Event
Inscription
Starting

4 or higher when attacked.

Wound Markers from die results of
Walls you control only receive
Ice Fortress

A=Cultist B=Warrior C=Harbinger

Setup

S=Immortal Elien W=Wall

HOGAR

Summoner of the Tundra Guild

HOGAR

Common of the Tundra Guild

SCRIBE
WB

B
S

Common of the Fallen Phoenix

A=Marauder B=Ice Golem C=Scribe

you may roll a die. On a result of 4 or

higher, place this Warrior adjacent to
any Fallen Phoenix unit you control.

W
After attacking with this Warrior,

S
B

WARRIOR
S=Hogar W=Wall

IMMORTAL
ELIEN
Hellfire Step

A
C
5 5

Starting
Setup
A

2
an Ice Wall.
this Ice Golem, it is considered to be
ability. If there is an Event card under
cards as if it has the BUILT special
This Ice Golem may be affected by
Runic Transformation
2
1
Common of the Tundra Guild
ICE GOLEM

ELIEN
4 4

ELPhoenix
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Common of the Fallen Phoenix

Common of the Fallen Phoenix

a die. On a result of 4 or higher remove

one at a time place up to 2 Wound Markers on

enemy Unit, you may immediately roll

a Unit from your Conjuration Pile and

HARBINGER
this Cultist. Each time this Cultist receives a
at least one die result of 6 or higher is rolled,

place it on the space that the destroyed

Wound Marker in this way, place 1 additional

Burning Conjuration
Each time this Harbinger destroys an
When attacking a Unit with this Cultist, if
CULTIST

Wound Marker on the attacked Unit.

Cursed Slash

Unit occupied.
2
1
2

2
as having the Bow Symbol.
or under this Marauder, it is treated
If there is a Rune Event card on top of
Runemetal Axe
2
2
Common of the Tundra Guild
MARAUDER

6
2
1. Unroll the Battlefield and place it on a flat surface between the players
with the card piles facing the players.
2. Remove the dice and Wound Markers and place them off to the side of
the Battlefield in separate piles within reach of all players.
3. Each player chooses a card deck. Each card deck has a unique color and
symbol which denotes which cards belong in that deck.
4. Every deck includes a Reference Card to aid the player. Keep this handy.
5. Each player checks their Reference Card and puts their “Starting
Setup” cards on the Battlefield as shown on their Reference Card.
Each player should place their cards so that they can be read right-
side up from their side of the Battlefield. This will help you easily
identify which cards you control on the Battlefield.
6. Players shuffle their remaining cards and place them face-down on their
Draw Pile section. Players start the game with NO cards in their hand.
7. Each player rolls a die. The player with the highest roll chooses who will
take the first turn. Re-roll ties. The player who takes the first turn of the
game must skip phases 1 – 3 of the Turn Sequence, and instead must begin
their turn with the Movement Phase. During that first Movement Phase
the player going first can only move with up to 2 Units, instead of the
normal 3. The player may then complete the rest of that turn normally.

8
Turn Sequence
Each turn in Summoner Wars is divided into 6 phases, which must be
played in order.
• Phase 1: Draw
• Phase 2: Summon
• Phase 3: Play Event Cards
• Phase 4: Movement
• Phase 5: Attack
• Phase 6: Build Magic
After a player completes all 6 phases, it becomes their opponent’s turn.

Phase 1: Draw
Draw cards until you have 5 cards in your hand (Example: if you start
your turn with 3 cards in your hand you will draw 2 cards). If your Draw
Pile is empty, you can no longer draw cards and must finish the game with
the remaining cards on the Battlefield (including the Magic Pile) and in
your hand.

Phase 2: Summon
During this phase you may summon Units to the Battlefield. To summon
a Unit you must pay its Summon Cost by spending Magic Points. To
spend a Magic Point, remove 1 card from the top of your Magic Pile
and place it face-up in your Discard Pile. To spend 2 Magic Points
remove 2 cards from the top of your Magic Pile and place them face-up
in your Discard Pile, etc. (For example: you want to summon your
Fallen Phoenix Champion Karthos to the Battlefield. Karthos has a
Summon Cost of 5, so to summon Karthos you must first remove
5 cards from the top of your Magic Pile and place them face-up on
your Discard Pile). Next you must place the summoned Unit onto an
empty space adjacent to a Wall Card that you control. If you do not have
enough cards in your Magic Pile to pay a Unit’s Summon Cost or there
are no empty spaces adjacent to a Wall Card that you control, you cannot
summon that Unit. You can summon as many Units as you have in your
hand and can afford to pay the Summon Cost for, so long as there are
enough empty spaces adjacent to Walls that you control.

9
Adjacency
A card is only considered adjacent to another card when it occupies
1 of the 4 spaces directly next to that card. Spaces that are diagonally
connected to other spaces are not considered to be adjacent.

Phase 3: Play Event Cards

During this phase, you may play Event Cards, including Wall Cards.
There is no limit to the number of Event Cards you can play in a single
turn. Event Cards are played 1 at a time and are resolved immediately.
After playing an Event Card, place that card face-up in your Discard Pile.

NOTE: Some Event Cards state that a certain requirement must be met
before the card can be played. You must meet all listed requirements
before playing such a card.

NOTE: To play a Wall Card you simply place the card on any empty
space on your side of the Battlefield.

Phase 4: Movement
During this phase, you may move up to 3 of your Units. They may move
up to 2 spaces each. Cards cannot move diagonally. Cards cannot move
through spaces occupied by other cards. Cards must end their move on an
unoccupied space. No Unit can be moved more than once per Movement
Phase unless an Event or Special Ability directs otherwise.

Some Special Abilities activate when a Unit moves. A player may announce
that they are moving a Unit 0 spaces in order to activate such an Ability
without having to move that Unit from its current space. Doing this counts as
moving 1 of the 3 Units you are allowed to move during a Movement Phase.

Phase 5: Attack
During this phase, you may attack with up to 3 different Units that you
control on the Battlefield. The Units that you choose to attack with do
not have to be the same Units that moved in the previous phase. No Unit
can attack more than once per Attack Phase unless an Event or Special
Ability directs otherwise. If a Special Ability or Event allows a Unit to
attack multiple times that Unit still only counts as 1 of the 3 Units you
are allowed to attack with during this Phase. Resolve each attack before
moving to the next. When attacking a Unit, if you destroy that Unit,
place that Unit Card face-down on top of YOUR Magic Pile.

10
 Examples of correct movement
MARAUDER
2 Common of the Tundra Guild

2
Runemetal Axe
If there is a Rune Event card on top of
or under this Marauder, it is treated
as having the Bow Symbol.

2
MARAU
M AR
AmonRAU DEn Guild
DER
2 Common
Com
Co
Coom
mmon
mmo
m off the Tundra u

2
Runem
Run
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Ru
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unem
une
nneem
metal
ettal
et al
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xe
Iff there
tthe
here
ere
ere
re is
is a R
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nee Eve
Ev
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nntt card
ccaard
rrdd on
on topp oof
orr und
un
under
uunde
nder tthhis
is M
Maraude
Maraud
Mar
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ud r,, it is
uder is tr
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t
ass ha
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having
avin
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he Bow
B
BoowwS Sym
Symb
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mbol
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1
MAR
MARAU
M
MAARAU
ARRAAUUDE UhDEDDER
ERR uildilil
2 Common
Com
ommon
ommo
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mm eT
Tundra
Tuuundraa Guil

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Rune
Run
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unem
uunnnem
emeet
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une
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ard
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raude
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MAR
MARA
MARAU
M ARA
R DER ER Guild MARAUDER
2 Com
Common
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ild
2 Common of the Tundra Guild

2
Ruune
Runem
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22
Runemetal Axe
If there is a Rune Event card on top of
or under this Marauder, it is treated
aass hhaving
hav
aving
avin
ving
ngg thhee B
Bow
Boow
w Sym
S
Sy
Symb
ymb
m ol.ol.
ol as having the Bow Symbol.

1
MARA
MAR
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UDDER ER
Euundradraa Guild
2 Common
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mm
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of thhee Tu
T
Tundra u ld

2
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u nnem
un eem
meetal
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taall Axe
AAxxe
Iff tthere
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therere
re is
i a Rune
Ru
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Event
veenntt card
caard
rdd oon ttop
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or und
or under
undedder
er th
t iiss M
Mar
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a aaude
ude , iitt iss ttre
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You may attack and destroy your own cards but a Unit cannot attack
itself. When attacking with a Unit you must roll using that Unit’s entire
Attack Value.

Attacking with a Unit Card that has the bow symbol on it:
Unit Cards with the bow symbol on them can attack
Bow cards that are up to 3 spaces away. You can only attack a
card that is within a straight line from the attacking Unit
Card, either vertically or horizontally; you cannot attack diagonally.
You cannot attack a card that is blocked by 1 or more other cards.

11
 Attacking with a Unit Card that has the Sword Symbol on it:
Unit Cards with the Sword Symbol on them can only attack
adjacent cards. Spaces that are diagonally connected to other
Sword spaces are NOT considered to be adjacent.

Units cannot attack diagonally

Cultist you control adjacent to her.
1 Wound Marker on Helkar to place a
After moving Helkar, you may place
to its Attack Value during that attack.
control that is adjacent to Helkar add 1
When attacking with a Cultist you
Leader of the Cult
6
C

1
an
no

Champion of the Fallen Phoenix

t
HELKAR
At
ta
ck

HOGAR
2
increase
increaeaase 1 of
increas
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nncreas
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each
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Summoner of the Tundra Guild
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Poin
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Foor
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Phase, aafter ddice
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have be
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Anytiim during
Anytime
An
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player’s
any ppl ayer’s Attaack
EElie
lie
Eli n’s Will
lien’s
Elien’s
n’ Willl
Adjacent Attack
Ice Fortress
Walls you control only receive

Summoner of the Falle

IMMORTAL ELIEN
LIEN
ELI
LI
EL EN Phhoe
Ph enix
Fallenn Phoenix
Phoen
hoen
hoooen
oeenix
3 Wound Markers from die results of
4 or higher when attacked.

Resolving an attack and building your Magic Pile

To attack, roll a number of dice equal to the attacking Unit’s Attack Value.

There are 2 types of die results:

• Rolling a 3 or higher is a Hit result.
• Rolling a 2 or lower is a Miss result.
For every Hit result rolled, add one Wound Marker to the card that is
being attacked. The Wound Markers are double sided. If you place the side
WITHOUT the 3 on it face-up that represents 1 Wound Marker. If you
place the side WITH the 3 on it face-up that represents 3 Wound Markers.

If your attack has added enough Wound Markers to destroy a card, you
then place the destroyed card face-down on top of your Magic Pile, thus
supplying yourself with more power to summon your Units to the battle
on your next Summon Phase.

12
Examples of a card blocking a ranged attack

Cultist you control adjacent to her.

ICE GOLEM
1 Wound Marker on Helkar to place a
After moving Helkar, you may place
to its Attack Value during that attack.
control that is adjacent to Helkar add 1 1 Common of the Tundra Guild

Attack blocked by another card2

When attacking with a Cultist you
Leader of the Cult
6 Runic Transformation
This Ice Golem may be affected by

Champion of the Fallen Phoenix

HELKAR
1 cards as if it has the BUILT special
ability. If there is an Event card under
this Ice Golem, it is considered to be
an Ice Wall.

Ranged units must attack in a straight line

Cultist you control adjacent to her.
1 Wound Marker on Helkar to place a
After moving Helkar, you may place
to its Attack Value during that attack.
control that is adjacent to Helkar add 1
When attacking with a Cultist you
Leader of the Cult
6
Champion of the Fallen Phoenix
HELKAR
1
Ranged attack

ICE GOLEM
1 Common of the Tundra Guild

2
Runic Transformation
This Ice Golem may be affected by
cards as if it has the BUILT special
ability. If there is an Event card under
this Ice Golem, it is considered to be
an Ice Wall.

13
An example of an attack
The Hellfire Drake attacks a Stalker, rolling 3 dice (Hellfire Drake’s
Attack Value is 3). One die shows a 2, another die shows a 4, and the last
die shows a 6, so the Hellfire Drake has rolled 2 Hits (the 4 and the 6)
on the Stalker, adding two Wound Markers to the Stalker’s card. Since
the Stalker only begins the game with 2 Life Points, the attack is enough
to destroy it and the Stalker card is placed on top of the Magic Pile of
the player attacking with the Hellfire Drake.

Phase 6: Build Magic

During this phase, you may take any number of cards from your hand
and put them face-down on top of your Magic Pile. This builds up your
Magic Pile and frees up your hand so that you can draw more cards on
your next turn. You may look at the cards in your own Magic Pile, but
you cannot rearrange the order they are in.

Special Abilities
Every Unit Card in Summoner Wars has a Special Ability. Special
Abilities ‘break’ the rules of the game in some way. Special Abilities take
precedence over the regular rules. For example: the rules state that Unit
Cards can only move up to 2 spaces each during your Movement Phase.
However, Units with the SWIFT Special Ability may move an additional
space when they are being moved during your Movement Phase.

Special Abilities are not optional, with the exception of Special Abilities
that take the place of an attack. Special Abilities that take the place of
a standard attack are always optional, as are Special Abilities that use the
term “may”, as in, “You may move up to 2 additional spaces.” Using a
Special Ability that takes the place of a standard attack counts as using
one of the 3 Units you can attack with during your Attack Phase.

Victory
You are victorious when you are the only player with a Summoner on
the Battlefield.

14
Terminology and Clarifications
Discard
Whenever the terms ‘discard’ or ‘discard from the Battlefield’ are used, the
card being discarded is always put face-up into the Discard Pile of the player
discarding the card, and not necessarily the player that owns that card.

Destroy
Whenever a card is ‘destroyed’ it is placed face-down on top of the Magic
Pile of the player that destroyed that card, and not necessarily the player
that owns that card.

NOTE: Discarded cards are always put face-up into a Discard Pile and
destroyed cards are always put face-down on top of a Magic Pile unless a
card’s text specifically directs otherwise. During the game your cards are
going to get mixed in with your opponent’s cards. At the end of every game
you will need to separate your cards back out into their original decks.

Through
Some movement abilities use the term ‘through’. A card is not
considered to have moved through another card until it has moved
onto and then back off of that card. So for example in Satara’s
SHADOW BARRAGE ability it states: ‘When moving Satara during
your Movement Phase, you may move her up to 2 additional spaces and
may move her through other Units. Satara must end her move on an
unoccupied space. Roll a die every time Satara moves off of a Unit. On a
result of 3 or higher that Unit receives 1 Wound Marker.’ In the case of
Satara’s SHADOW BARRAGE, the effected Unit does not receive the
wound until Satara moves onto and then back off of that Unit.

Place or Exchange Places

Some Special Abilities use the term ‘place’ as in ‘… place this Unit
adjacent to a Wall card…’ or ‘exchange places’ as in ‘…this Unit may
exchange places with an adjacent Unit…’ For rules purposes placing a Unit
or having a Unit exchanging places with another card is not the same
thing as moving that Unit.

15
You Control and Friendly
When a card refers to a card ‘you control’ that means a card on the
Battlefield that was placed there by you or that you gained control of
by the use of an Event or Special Ability. Two players cannot control
a card at the same time, so if another player ever gains control of your
card for any period of time, you lose control of that card for that period
of time. When a card refers to a ‘friendly’ card, that means a card on the
Battlefield that either you or a teammate controls.

Wounds vs. Hits

Most of the time when you Hit a Unit you inflict a Wound on that
Unit, but there are Special Abilities that change that rule. For example
the Tough Ability states: ‘When an opponent rolls to attack this Unit,
this Unit only receives Wound Markers from die results of 4 or higher
during that attack.’ So it is possible to Hit a Unit with all of the dice
you rolled for an attack, but only Wound that Unit with some of those
Hits. Other Special Abilities let you avoid rolling dice and inflicting
Hits altogether. For example the PRECISE Ability states: ‘When
attacking with this Unit, instead of rolling the dice, count the number
of dice that would be rolled. Place that number of Wound Markers on
the Unit that is being attacked.’ So in the case of PRECISE, the Unit
is not Hit by the attack, but instead just receives Wounds equal to the
number of dice that would be rolled for that attack. The Sluggish
Ability works in a similar way. It states: ‘When this Unit is attacked,
instead of rolling the dice, count the number of dice that would be
rolled. Place that number of Wound Markers on this Unit.’ If a Unit
with the PRECISE Ability ever attacks a Unit with the SLUGGISH
Ability, you only count the dice that would be rolled for that attack
once, and inflict that many Wounds. You do not count them once for
each Ability.

Moving vs. Moving With

Some card effects refer to ‘moving’ a Unit. Moving a unit means anytime
a unit is moved, including forcibly by the result of another card effect.
Other cards refer to ‘moving with’ a Unit. A Unit has only been ‘moved
with’ when it was moved by the player who controls that Unit. A Unit
has not been ‘moved with’ if it was moved forcibly by another card.

16
Place Under
Some Special Abilities tell you to place cards underneath a Unit Card
that is on the Battlefield.
• Whenever you move a Unit that has other cards beneath it, all of the
cards beneath it move with that Unit.
• When a Unit with other cards beneath it is destroyed, that Unit Card
and all the cards beneath it are placed face-down on top of the Magic
Pile of the player destroying that Unit.
• When a Unit with other cards beneath it is discarded, that Unit Card
and all the cards beneath it are placed into the Discard Pile of the
player discarding that Unit.
• Vine Walls are an exception to the above rules. A Vine Wall can be
under a Unit card, but for the purposes of rules interpretation, they are
not treated like a card under that Unit card.

Diagonal
When counting spaces for any purpose, never count diagonally. The
only exception to this rule are Special Abilities that specifically allow a
Unit to attack diagonally. This means when you figure out the range of a
Special Ability, if that Special Ability doesn’t specify ‘straight line spaces’
count the spaces to the affected Unit like you would count out movement.

Special Movement and Attacks

Some Events and Special Abilities allow you to move or attack with Units
outside of your normal Movement and Attack Phases. For example:
Relentless
Goblin Fighters do not attack during your Attack Phase. Instead,
immediately after your normal Attack Phase, you may attack with up
to 2 Goblin Fighters that you control.

In the above example, the Goblin Fighters are a Unit that do not attack
during your Attack Phase and so do not count toward the total number
of Units you are allowed to attack with during your Attack Phase on that
turn. Moves and attacks taking place outside your normal Movement or
Attack Phases are considered free movements and attacks. So in the above
example you can always attack with up to 2 Goblin Fighters in addition
to attacking with the 3 Unit Cards you are allowed to attack with during
your normal Attack Phase.

17
Stacking Multiple Effects
Some Event Cards give Units a temporary Special Ability. A Unit
can acquire multiple Special Abilities in this way, but multiple Special
Abilities of the same name do not stack with one another. For example:
If you play a SHADOW SNARE Event Card, giving your Jungle
Shadows the ENGAGE Special Ability, playing another SHADOW
SNARE would be of no effect, as it would not improve the ENGAGE
Special Ability already in place in any way.

The effects from multiple Event Cards can stack together, including
the effects from multiple Event Cards of the same type, but as already
established Special Abilities of the same name do not stack. For
example: If you play a TRACK Event Card to move each of your Jungle
Shadows 2 spaces, you could then play a second TRACK Event Card to
move each of your Jungle Shadows 2 spaces again.

Simultaneous Effects
If the effects from 2 Special Abilities or Event Cards ever trigger at the
exact same time, the player whose turn it is determines in which order
those effects will resolve. Likewise if an attack ever Hits multiple Units
at once the attacker chooses in which order they are Hit.

Use At Any Time

If an Event or Special Ability says that you can use it at any time, you
can use it at any time during your turn or in between any phase of your
opponent’s turn.

Controlling Opponent’s Cards

When a Special Ability or Event allows you to take control of an
opponent’s card, make sure that you turn that card so that it can be read
right-side up from your side of the Battlefield. If control of that card
returns to your opponent it should then be turned again so that it can be
read right-side up from your opponent’s side of the Battlefield. This helps
you track which cards you control and which cards your opponent controls.

18
Expanding the Game
In addition to this Master Set there are 4 other types of Summoner Wars
products available.

Master Set
This set contains 6 complete Faction
Decks, a hard board, dice, Wound Markers
and a rulebook. Giving you everything you
need to play with plenty of variety.

Starter Sets
These sets contain 2 complete Faction
Decks, a paper mat, dice, Wound
Markers and a rulebook. Giving you
everything needed to duel with 2
ready to play decks.

Faction Decks
These contain 1 complete ready to play
Faction Deck.

Reinforcement Packs
These contain Units for a variety of
factions as well as Mercenary Units.

Visit our website at www.plaidhatgames.com to see everything available for

Summoner Wars, as well as news about upcoming releases.

19
Deck Building
In this set all of the Faction Decks are built for you and ready to play.
However as you collect more Summoner Wars products you will be able
to custom build a deck that fits your personal play style.

How to Build a Custom Deck

• To custom build a Summoner Wars Deck you must start by choosing a
Summoner. Collect that Summoner’s Unit Card and Reference Card.
• On your Summoner’s Reference Card is a list of Event Cards. You
must include in your deck each of the Event Cards listed and no more.
• Also found on your Summoner’s Reference Card is a ‘Starting Set-Up’.
A Summoner’s Starting Set-Up is used to determine which cards will
start the game on the Battlefield, and where on the Battlefield they
will be placed when playing with that Summoner. You must include
in your deck each of the cards that will be used in your Summoner’s
Starting Set-Up.
• Next add 2 Wall Cards to your deck.
• Finally, add enough Unit Cards to your deck so that you have a total
of 18 Common Units and 3 Champion Units in your deck. All of the
Units in your deck must belong to the same faction as your Summoner,
with the exception of Mercenary Unit Cards. You can never have more
than 1 copy of a specific Champion Unit in your deck and you can never
have more than 10 copies of a specific Common Unit in your deck.

This means your custom deck will have a total of 1 Summoner, 9 Event
Cards, 3 Wall Cards, 18 Common Units, and 3 Champion Units in it.

Deck Building with Allied Factions

Units belonging to an Allied Faction are considered to belong to both
factions that make up that alliance. This impacts deck building. For
example: When Deck Building with a Fallen Phoenix summoner, you
may include Fallen Phoenix Units, Fallen Kingdom Units and Phoenix
Elf Units in that deck. Likewise, Fallen Phoenix Units can be included in
a deck with a Fallen Kingdom Summoner or a Phoenix Elf Summoner.

Deck Building with Mercenaries

In other Summoner Wars products you will find a special kind of Unit
Card called Mercenaries. Mercenary cards are gray and don’t have a faction

20
 Allied Factions Deck Building Aid
Aadeck
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wwith
icch aef
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fect uni
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t
ts ....... al
may
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Benders Deep Benders
Cave Filth Cave Goblins • Filth
Cave Goblins Cave Filth
Cloaks Sand Cloaks
Deep Benders Benders • Deep Dwarves
Deep Dwarves Deep Benders
Fallen Kingdom Fallen Phoenix
Fallen Phoenix Fallen Kingdom • Phoenix Elves
Filth Cave Filth
Guild Dwarves Tundra Guild
Jungle Elves Jungle Shadows
Jungle Shadows Jungle Elves • Shadow Elves
Mercenaries Swamp Mercenaries
Mountain Vargath Vargath Vanguards
Phoenix Elves Fallen Phoenix
Sand Cloaks Cloaks • Sand Goblins
Sand Goblins Sand Cloaks
Shadow Elves Jungle Shadows
Swamp Mercenaries Mercenaries • Swamp Orc
Swamp Orcs Swamp Mercenaries
Tundra Guild Guild Dwarves • Tundra Orcs
Tundra Orcs Tundra Guild
Vanguards Vargath Vanguards
Vargath Vanguards Mountain Vargath • Vanguards

21
symbol. Mercenary cards can be included in ANY deck, up to a maximum
of 6 Mercenary cards in a single deck. NOTE: Mercenaries will have a
different color of card back than the rest of the cards in your deck. This
means that players will be able to tell when you have a Mercenary card on
top of your Draw Pile or in your hand.

Deck Building with Swamp Mercenaries

This Master Set includes Swamp Mercenaries. Despite the fact that
these Units are considered both Swamp Orcs and Mercenaries, Swamp
Mercenaries do not follow Deck Building rules for Mercenaries listed in
the Mercenaries section above. Swamp Mercenaries can only be included
in a deck with a Swamp Mercenary Summoner, Swamp Orc Summoner
or Mercenary Summoner. You may include more than 6 Swamp
Mercenary Units in your deck.

Deck Building with Cave Filth Mutation Cards

Note that Mutation cards included in the Cave Filth deck say ‘Mutation
of the Filth’ and have a Filth faction logo and Filth card back. This means
they cannot be built into a deck that has a Cave Goblin Summoner, but can
be built into a deck that has a Cave Filth Summoner or a Filth Summoner.

Adding More Players

There is only 1 Battlefield included in this Master Set allowing for 2
players to battle each other. However with the purchase of an additional
Master Set, a Starter Set, or an additional Battlefield board you can play
with up to 4 players.

3-4 Players
1. To play a game with 3-4 players start by placing 2 Battlefields next to
each other as shown in the example on page 24 of this rulebook.
2. Next divide the players into 2 teams. Each player will select a deck and
place their Starting Setup cards on the Battlefield. In a 3 player game
1 of the players will be on a team by themselves and that player will
select 2 decks and play each of the 2 separate decks on 2 separate turns.
When interpreting the rules a player who is playing 2 decks is treated
as 2 separate players with 2 separate turns.
3. Everyone rolls a die. The player with the highest roll must take the
first turn. Re-roll ties.
4. Play then passes back and forth as shown in the diagram on page 25.

22
When playing a 3-4 player game, it is possible that both players on 1 side
may choose to play with a deck that includes Units that their teammate is
also playing with. To help track which cards belong to which player, you
may wish to sleeve your cards in an identifiable manner.

You may want to sleeve your cards in an opaque backed sleeve for
tournament situations so that it is easier to identify your cards from an
opponent’s when you are both playing the same faction. This will also
cover up which of your cards are Mercenaries. It is not only okay to do
that, we suggest that you do.

Rules for 3-4 Players

The rules for 3 or more players are the same as the rules for 2 players
with a few additions:
1. When placing Wall Cards you may place them anywhere on your
team’s side of the Battlefield.
2. When moving, you may move from 1 Battlefield to the other, either
by moving across the sides of the Battlefield Boards that are next to
each other, or by moving from one far side of the Battlefield to the
other far side of the Battlefield, as shown in the example on page 24
of this rulebook.
NOTE: Moving and attacking from one far side of the Battlefield to
the other is not a legal move in the 2 player game.
3. Attacking works the same way as moving does in regards to having
multiple Battlefield Boards in play. You may attack across 1 Battlefield
Board, hitting a card on another Battlefield Board, as shown in the
example on page 24 of this rule book.
4. When a player’s Summoner is destroyed that player must discard all of
their remaining cards, remove their Draw Pile and Discard Pile from the
Battlefield, then place all of the cards in their Magic Pile face down on
top of their teammate’s Magic Pile. That player is now out of the game.
5. During your Build Magic Phase, in addition to being able to remove
cards from your hand and place them in your Magic Pile, you may also
remove any number of cards from your Magic Pile and place them
face-down on top of a teammate’s Magic Pile.

23
Multiple examples of how to move and attack
in a 3-4 player game

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4 or higher when attacked.
Wound Markers from die results of
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Ice Fortress Attack 3 Summoner of the Fallenn Ph
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24
WARRIOR
2 Common of the Fallen Phoenix
as having the Bow Symbol.
or under this Marauder, it is treated
If there is a Rune Event card on top of
Attack
2 Runemetal Axe

Attack
Hellfire Step
2
After attacking with this Warrior,
you may roll a die. On a result of 4 or
higher, place this Warrior adjacent to
any Fallen Phoenix unit you control.
Common of the Tundra Guild
MARAUDER
2
HELKAR HE A R
HELKAR
HELK HELK
HELKA
HE
HELKAR
ELKA
ELK
LKA
KA
1 Champion of the Fallen Phoenix
1 Cha
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ampion
on off the
thhe F
Fallen P
Movement
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1 Champion
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th Fallen Phhooenix
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6 6 6
Leader of the Cult LLead
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ad err of
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When attacking with a Cultist you When en attacking
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When enn attacking
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ontrol
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kar add 1
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After moving Helkar, you may place After
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Example of how play passes in a 3-4 player game.
Player 1 and Player 3 are on one team.
Player 2 and Player 4 are on the other team:

Player 1 passes to Player 2

3
er
ay
Pl
to
es
ss
pa
2
er
ay
Pl
Pl
ay
er
4
pa
ss
es
ba
ck
to
Pl
ay
er
1

Player 3 passes to Player 4

25
 Credits
Lead Game Design
Colby Dauch

Assistant Game Design

Jake Ollervides • Mr. Bistro • James Sitz
Frank Balog • Josh Rios • Brad Minnigh

Illustration
Jason Benningfield

Graphic Design
David Richards

Lead Playtester
Frank Balog

Playtesters
Jeffrey Joyce, Nick de Raet, Andre Plaisier-Levesque, Joe Ellis,
Ryan Schroeder, Adam Tarr, Mark Ramsey, Brian Beyke, Francis Olit,
Kyle Stewart, Ajarius Yawanche, David Glandon, Jeremy Durga,
James Sitz, Mark Failor, Taylor Kowbel, Bren Olit, Nathan Stephens,
Brad Minnigh, Cory Bullock, Ryan Kerr, Sean Fisk,
Brennen Hilgendorf, Jan Zalewski, Alastair Bartlett, Marc Dowd,
Tim Spagnoli, Joshua Nolte, Rick Heit, David Blackwell,
Jonathan Reynolds, Andrew Nicholson, James Shrimpton, Jonathan Liu,
Leo Meister, Derek Springer, Gareth Davies, William Baker, Kyle R. Woods,
John Trace, Leon William Durivage IV, Jordan Chase, Colin Jackson,
Eric Radey, Thibaud Francois, Tristan Rickett, Kent Woods,
Shirley Sheak, Rafael Amaro, Eric Fernald, Amy Pitt, Dominik Sweeney,
Bob Misenheimer, Jason McCrady, Marc J. Waters, Tucker Olsen,
Jonathan Miller, Jared Schulz, Mitsuyo Kurosawa,
Robert Cramer (BuckWilde), Jason Spain (azzurricoach),
Dallin Coons, Levi Thornton, Israel Corbo, Ashton Murphy,
David Stutzman, Stephen Aslett

26
FeAR THE COLD. FEAR THE DEAD. FEAR EACH OTHER.
Dead of Winter is an experience that can only be accomplished through the
medium of tabletop games. It is a story-centric game about surviving through
a harsh winter in an apocalyptic world. The survivors are all dealing with
their own psychological imperatives, but must still find a way to work
together to fight off outside threats, resolve crises, find food and supplies, and
keep the colony’s morale up.
Dead of Winter has players making frequent, difficult, heavily-thematic,
wildly-varying decisions, that often have them deciding between what is
best for the colony and what is best for themselves.

VISIT WWW.PLAIDHATGAMES.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION!

 www.plaidhatgames.com
Copyright © 2014, by Plaid Hat Games