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Where to Buy Dungeon!
Welcome to your beginner-friendly guide to playing Dungeon!, the fast-paced dungeon-crawling board game packed with monsters, treasure, and a classic old-school vibe. Whether you’re a newcomer or just want an easy refresher, I’m Sam, and I’ve got your back. Let’s get this dungeon open and ready for adventure.
Dungeon! is a dice-rolling, room-searching, monster-fighting board game that works great for 1 to 8 players and usually plays in under an hour. The rules are easy to learn, and once you know how a few turns work, it’s a smooth ride to victory. Grab some snacks, pick your hero, and let’s go monster hunting.
What’s the Goal of Dungeon!?
Your goal is simple: collect enough treasure and make it back to the starting chamber alive. The amount of gold you need depends on the hero you pick. Along the way, you’ll face off against monsters, search rooms, and hope your dice stay hot.
What’s in the Box?
Before we play, let’s make sure you’ve got everything set up right. Here’s what’s in the box:
- Game board (the dungeon map with rooms and hallways)
- Hero pawns (in different colors)
- Hero cards (Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, Elf)
- Monster cards
- Treasure cards (from 250 gold up to 10,000 gold!)
- Dice
Lay out the board. Shuffle the monster cards and the treasure decks (each level has its own pile). Put the appropriate monster and treasure decks near their matching areas on the board, labeled Level 1 to Level 6.
Choose Your Hero
You start by picking a hero. Each hero has different strengths and different treasure goals to win. Choose the same hero type if you’re playing with kids or newer players. Here are your options:
- Fighter
Good in fights. Needs 10,000 gold to win. - Rogue
Fast and sneaky. Needs 10,000 gold to win. - Cleric
Balanced with healing powers. Needs 15,000 gold to win. - Wizard
Has powerful spells but not as good at fighting. Needs 30,000 gold to win. - Elf
Similar to Wizard but moves better. Also needs 30,000 gold to win.
Each hero starts in the Great Hall, the middle of the board. Pick your token or pawn and place it there.
Game Setup by Level
Each section of the dungeon has a level from 1 to 6. The higher the level, the bigger the risks and better the treasure. Low-level heroes should stick to areas they can handle early on.
- Level 1-2: Safer areas for Rogues and Fighters
- Level 3-4: Better loot for Clerics
- Level 5-6: Risky zones for Wizards and Elves
Each room will have a face-down monster card on it, with a matching face-down treasure card underneath. Hallways don’t have monsters. Hallways are free to walk through unless you bump into another player.
How a Turn Works
This is where the game shines. Turns are fast, and players stay engaged. On your turn, you do the following steps:
1. Move
Roll one die. That’s how many spaces you can move. You can go up, down, or sideways, but not through walls. Diagonals are not allowed. Most players enter rooms, fight, and grab treasure, but you can also explore to find safer paths.
2. Entering a Room
If you step into a room with a face-down monster card, stop immediately. Flip it face up. Now it’s time to fight a monster.
3. Fighting Monsters
Every monster card shows the numbers you need to beat it based on your hero. Here’s how it works:
- Roll 2 dice
- If your result is equal to or higher than your target number, you defeat the monster
- If you beat it, take the treasure card underneath and keep it
- If you lose, check the bottom of the monster card to see what happens
Bad things that can happen if you lose:
- Lose treasure
- Run away (you move back)
- Lose a turn
- Be killed (you lose all your stuff and go back to the start)
4. Room is Cleared
Once a monster is defeated, that room stays clear. Anyone can pass through without fighting again. Monsters don’t respawn.
Treasure: What You’re Really Here For
Every time you beat a monster in a room, you get to take its treasure card. Here’s a quick breakdown by level:
- Level 1: 250–1,000 gold
- Level 2: 750–2,000 gold
- Level 3: 1,000–3,000 gold
- Level 4: 1,500–4,000 gold
- Level 5: 2,000–5,000 gold
- Level 6: 2,500–10,000 gold
Be smart. If a monster nearly wipes you out, maybe back off and fight in a lower level next turn. You only win if you make it back to the Great Hall alive with the right amount of gold.
Combat Spells (Only for Wizards and Elves)
Wizards and Elves have a small set of magic spells, which they can use instead of rolling dice in battle. Each spell has different effects. Typical spells include:
- Lighting Bolt (hit monsters silently)
- Fireball (stronger targets)
- Teleport (zip to any room)
Once you use all your spells, they’re gone until you go back to the Great Hall to recharge. So cast smart and don’t waste them on easy monsters.
Winning the Game
This part’s the most important. To win, you need to have AT LEAST the gold your hero type requires and bring it all the way back to the Great Hall.
If you’re carrying the right amount of treasure and you’re standing in the Great Hall at the start of your turn, you win. If someone else is on their way with the win, stop them. You can block paths or even use spells if you want to be sneaky, but you can’t attack other players directly.
Quick Tips from Sam
- Stick to your level range. Rogues fighting in Level 5 won’t last long.
- Count your gold every couple turns. You might have what you need and not realize.
- Move efficiently. Go for rooms, not hallways, unless you’re low on health.
- Don’t hoard treasure forever. You gotta get back to the Great Hall before someone else wins.
- Be ready to pivot. If a monster knocks you back hard, rethink your path.
Why Dungeon! Is Still a Blast
Dungeon! is one of those games that just works. It plays quick, has low downtime, and feels rewarding when you beat tough monsters or snag a pile of gold. The retro art and
