How to Play

Vindication

2-5 players 45-150 min 7.8 Board Game Geek Rating

Stranded castaways explore a dangerous island seeking redemption in this strategic fantasy adventure. Players use flexible action selection to recruit companions, collect relics, and battle monsters. The unique attribute alchemy system lets you combine basic traits like inspiration and strength into powerful abilities like courage. Victory comes through mastering heroic attributes to regain lost honor.

Published 2018

Get Ready

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

Place the game board

Put out the game board in the center; both sides are functionally the same

Prepare attribute decks

Set up 6 colored decks around the main board in their matching areas

Reveal top cards

Flip the top card of each deck face-up on the other side of its deck

Distribute player components

Each player takes a Game Trayz container with colored components and 1 matching player board

Set character tile

Place your character tile guilt-ridden scumbag side face-up next to your player board

Set movement

Current movement starts at 2 using the movement 2/3 tile

Deal Journey cards

Each player receives 1 Journey card and follows its instructions

Return Journey cards

Put all Journey cards back in the box after setup

Deal Secret Quests

Shuffle Secret Quest cards, deal 2 to each player; keep 1 and discard the other

Prepare region tiles

Place the 19 core region tiles in the bag (Academy, Ancient Tomb, Arcane Tower, Command Post x2, Fort x2, Gaping Maw, Holy Spire x2, Inn x3, Library x2, Monastery x2, Shrine x2)

Place Mastery tiles

Set the 6 large Mastery tiles next to the board for end-game majority scoring

Place Proficiency tiles

For each color, place Proficiency tiles equal to number of players minus 1 behind each attribute sphere

Place trigger tokens

Put the 4 metal trigger tokens on score track spaces 30, 45, 60, and 75

Prepare End Game Triggers

Shuffle End Game Trigger cards and flip 2 face-up next to the board

Determine first player

Give the 1st player miniature to the player on the lowest numbered starting space

Draw initial tiles

Starting with 1st player, each player draws a tile from the bag and places it on an empty hex adjacent to their starting marker

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Activate a Person

Choose to activate yourself or one of your Companions

Move

Move up to your current speed level (starts at 2)

Visit a Region OR Rest

Choose one of these two options

Convert Heroic Attributes

Combine basic attributes to create heroic attributes (can be done multiple times)

Acquire a Proficiency Tile

Spend 3 influence cubes of one color to take a matching Proficiency tile; counts as 2 cards for Mastery; can spend later for 2 matching attributes

Gain Control of a Region

Place 1 Conviction cube on an adjacent tile you used or will use this turn

Recover Influence Cubes

Move any cube from anywhere back to middle influence sphere (can be done multiple times); cannot recover from Potential area

Vindicate Yourself

One-time action when you have 25+ Honor AND empty Potential sphere; flip character to light side and gain 5 Honor immediately

Academy

Roll white attribute die and gain 1 of that attribute; if you had none of that attribute, roll again and gain that too

Ancient Tomb

Spend 2 Wisdom to obtain 1 Trait card

Arcane Tower

Spend 2 Vision to obtain 1 Relic card; also recharge currently owned relics

Gaping Maw

Spend 2 Courage to fight and obtain 1 Monster card; must have at least 1 Companion

Inn

Spend 2 of a basic attribute (Red, Yellow, or Blue) to obtain 1 Companion of that color

Card selection options

Take face-up card, draw top of deck, or spend 1 Conviction to choose from face-up plus top 3 cards

Command Post

Spend 3 Strength to upgrade speed tile one level (2→3→4→5) and earn shown Honor

Fort/Holy Spire/Library

Gain 2 of the associated attribute (Strength, Inspiration, or Knowledge)

Monastery

Spend Knowledge cubes to augment cubes on your player board one sphere right each

Shrine

Spend Inspiration cubes to remove 2 influence cubes from Companions without penalty each

Companions

Activated by placing cubes; provide attributes and special abilities

Monsters

Require a Companion to fight; lowest initiative Companion fights; roll black die for outcome (blank=nothing, faded circle=add 2 cubes to Companion, skull=Companion dies); roll white die for bonus attribute

Traits

Provide immediate Honor and ongoing passive abilities (once per turn)

Relics

Provide Honor when acquired; require recharging at Arcane Tower; usable once per turn