How to Play

Tyrants of the Underdark

2-4 players 60-60 min 7.9 Board Game Geek Rating

Players command Drow houses in the Underdark, combining deck-building with territorial conquest. Use influence to recruit minions from five aspects (malice, ambition, etc.) and power to deploy troops on the board. Victory comes through controlling sites, building valuable card collections, promoting minions to your inner circle, and eliminating enemies. Highest score wins.

Published 2016

Get Ready

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

Select difficulty level

Choose Easy (13 insane cards, 10 starting troops), Medium (10 insane, 7 starting), or Hard (7 insane, 4 starting)

Place Elven faction

Position the Elves in Skullport with the two white troops already present

Place Dwarven faction

Position the Dwarves in Stoneshaft Clanhold, displacing both white troops from that location

Place Duergar faction

Position the Duergar in Gracklstugh, displacing both white troops from that location

Place Svirfneblin faction

Position the Svirfneblin in Blingdenstone, displacing both white troops from that location

Relocate displaced troops

Place all displaced white troops in non-city other locations, starting from the highest available value location

Prepare automa components

Set up the Delay Deck, Trophy Hall, Discard pile, and Barracks for each automa faction being used

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Discard delay card

Remove one delay card and draw 3/2/1 market cards for insane/starting/no delay respectively

Resolve Guile action

Execute based on card value drawn:

Resolve Malice action

Execute based on card value drawn:

Resolve Conquest action

Execute based on card value drawn:

Resolve Ambition action

Execute based on card value drawn:

Apply Elven special ability

When resolving Ambition, also add the highest value devoured card this round to the elven discard deck for additional VP

Apply Dwarven special ability

Players must spend 4 power instead of 3 to assassinate a dwarf troop

Apply Duergar special ability

When resolving Malice, can assassinate any troop color where automa has presence (no color restriction)

Apply Svirfneblin special ability

When resolving Conquest 2/3, also tunnel to nearest location not connected by route

Determine site priority

Target locations in this order: City automa does not totally control, Non-city automa does not control, Non-city automa controls within 2 troops of total control, Troop space leading to site without automa presence, Any site with available troop capacity

Apply tie-breaker rules

When choosing between equal sites: Fewer enemy troops, then Higher VP value, then Reading order from current "North" VP token

Calculate automa site control VPs

Award victory points for all sites the automa controls

Refill market

Replenish the market row after the automa turn

Handle impossible actions

If automa cannot assassinate a troop, assassinate white/player troop for 2/3 value, gaining 1 VP instead