How to Play

Defenders of the Realm

1-4 players 90-90 min 7.3 Board Game Geek Rating

In this cooperative fantasy game, 1-4 players choose heroic champions defending Monarch City from four advancing enemy factions: Orcs, Dragons, Demons, and Undead. Using strategy, special abilities, and teamwork, heroes must defeat all enemy generals before any faction reaches the city, while repairing tainted lands throughout the countryside.

Published 2010

Defenders of the Realm

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Place the game board
Position the board in the center of the table with the War Status board and General cards nearby
2
Set wound markers
Place wound markers on the highest value of the life track on each General card
3
Set War Status token
Place the War Status token on the "Early War" space of the War Status board
4
Prepare minion supplies
Place evil minions and Tainted Crystals near the board for easy access during play
5
Choose heroes
Each player takes 1 hero character card and matching hero figure, placing the figure in Monarch City
6
Take life tokens
Take the number of life tokens indicated on your hero card and place them on your character card
7
Shuffle Hero deck
Shuffle the Hero card deck and deal 2 cards to each player
8
Shuffle Quest deck
Shuffle the Quest deck and deal 1 card to each player
9
Place Magic Gate
Place one Magic Gate token on the Dancing Stone location; keep remaining gate tokens nearby
10
Deploy Generals
Place each of the four Generals on their marked starting locations on the board
11
Deploy starting minions
Place 3 minions of matching color next to each General
12
Place Demon Tainted Crystal
Place a Tainted Crystal next to Balazarg (Demon General) as demons taint with only 3 minions
13
Draw first minion placement cards
Draw 3 Darkness Spreads cards showing 2 locations each; place 2 minions on each location (12 total minions)
14
Draw second minion placement cards
Draw 3 more Darkness Spreads cards; place 1 minion on each indicated location (6 total minions)
15
Reshuffle Darkness Spreads deck
Return all drawn cards to the deck and shuffle
16
Add new Quest cards (Dragon Expansion)
Shuffle 12 new quest cards into the Quest deck
17
Prepare Special Hero cards (Dragon Expansion)
Separate purple Special Hero cards, combine with new ones, shuffle, remove 6 randomly, then shuffle remainder into Hero deck
18
Set up Global Effects (Dragon Expansion)
Shuffle 5 negative Global Effect cards, remove 3 unseen; shuffle 5 positive, remove 2 unseen; add 2 negative and 3 positive to Darkness Spreads deck
19
Determine first player
The most aggressive player goes first; play proceeds clockwise

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Restore life tokens
Flip all active life tokens face up on your hero card
2
Perform actions
Spend life tokens (flip face down) to take actions equal to your active life tokens
3
Walk
Move your hero to one adjacent location connected by a line
4
Ride horse
Discard a Hero card with horse symbol to move 2 connected locations
5
Fly by eagle
Discard a Hero card with eagle symbol to move 4 connected locations
6
Use Magic Gate
Discard a card with Gate symbol to move to that location or any gate on the board, OR move between existing gates without discarding
7
Use special ability
Apply your hero's unique skill; some cost additional life tokens as indicated on character card
8
Build Magic Gate
While at a location, discard a Hero card showing that location to place a Gate token there
9
Rumors at Inn
Use up to 2 actions at an inn; name a color, draw 2 cards per action, keep all of named color plus any purple Special cards
10
Heal the Land
At a Tainted location, discard a matching color card, roll 2 dice; on 5+ on either die, remove one Tainted Crystal
11
Heal wounds
At Monarch City or inns, fully heal all life tokens; at other minion-free locations, heal 2 tokens
12
Battle minions
Roll one die per minion at your location using matching colored dice
13
Extinguish fires (Dragon Expansion)
At a burning location, spend 1 action, discard matching color card, roll 2 dice; on 4+ remove Fire Token
14
Attack General
At General's location with no minions present, play Hero cards with that General's portrait and roll dice as shown on cards
15
Initiate group attack
Attacking player determines attack order for all heroes at location
16
Commit all cards
All participating players must discard their prepared attack cards even if not reached
17
Determine Slayer
Hero dealing killing blow takes General card and Slayer ability
18
Distribute rewards
All participating heroes draw 3 Hero cards if victorious
19
Apply group defeat penalty
All heroes suffer defeat penalty and move to Monarch City if unsuccessful
20
Draw Hero cards
Draw 2 cards from the Hero deck
21
Enforce hand limit
Discard down to 10 cards maximum
22
Draw Darkness Spreads cards
Draw 1, 2, or 3 cards based on War Status (Early/Mid/Late War)
23
Place minions
Add minions to locations shown on upper portion of cards
24
Move Generals
Check lower portion of cards; if General is one step from indicated city, move General there with indicated minions
25
Resolve Overflow
If 4th minion would be placed (3rd for Demons), place Tainted Crystal instead, then place 1 minion of same color in each adjacent location
26
Handle multiple Tainted Crystals
Tainted locations can receive additional crystals if overflow occurs again
27
Process Monarch City card
When drawn, one minion of each color from adjacent locations enters the city; reshuffle both decks (except purple Special cards)
28
Apply Global Effects (Dragon Expansion)
When drawn, place on board as reminder; draw another Darkness Spreads card; effect remains until new Global Effect drawn, General moves, or card instructs discard
29
Handle Brimstone's Dragon Flight (Dragon Expansion)
When Brimstone's movement activates, he immediately moves to indicated location and places a Fire Token there
30
Track Fire Tokens (Dragon Expansion)
Burning locations cost 2 actions to enter and deal 1 wound when ending turn there; 3 Fire Elementals at a location also create a Fire Token
31
Imps spread quickly
Only 1 Imp placed per location, but 1 additional Imp placed in each adjacent location without Imps
32
Imps steal cards
Instead of wounds, randomly discard 1 Hero card per Imp when ending turn at their location
33
Zealots are Berserkers
After each combat round with remaining Zealots, take 1 wound regardless of Zealot count
34
Dragon Masters scale with Dragons
Roll 2 plus number of active Dragon Generals to defeat

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Victory condition
Defeat all four enemy Generals to win the game
2
Defeat by General reaching city
If any General reaches Monarch City, all players lose
3
Defeat by minion shortage
If Darkness Spreads card requires placing minions but insufficient figures remain, all players lose
4
Defeat by Tainted Crystals
If the last Tainted Crystal is placed on the board, all players lose
5
Defeat by city overrun
If 5 minions occupy Monarch City simultaneously, all players lose
6
Defeat by fire (Dragon Expansion)
If all 10 Fire Tokens are placed and Brimstone activates movement, he attacks Monarch City and players lose
7
Determine Royal Champion
Each player totals completed Quest cards plus defeated General cards
8
Break Champion ties
Player with more Quest cards wins; if still tied, both share the title
9
Champion recognition
The Royal Champion receives greatest honors though all players share victory or defeat

watch & Learn

Let the pros teach you with these top videos.

Defenders of the Realm | Custom Heroes | Early War | House Rules

Defenders of the Realm | Custom Heroes | Early War | House Rules

Session

Defenders of the Realm | Custom Heroes | Late War | House Rules

Defenders of the Realm | Custom Heroes | Late War | House Rules

Session

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FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

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