Malhya: Lands of Legends · Board game rules
How do special instructions on Enemies work?
Quick answer
Special instructions on enemy cards modify their behavior, attacks, or defenses. They can be passive (always active) or triggered by conditions, and may override standard enemy protocols.
Details
Special Instructions on enemy cards provide unique rules that alter how enemies act during combat or stealth. These instructions are divided into two types:
- Passive instructions (white background): Always active, applying continuous effects (e.g., extra damage, modified movement).
- Activatable instructions: Require specific conditions (e.g., rolling a Special die side, drawing an Upgrade token) to trigger.
When an Upgrade token is drawn for an enemy, any associated Special Action on the enemy card is applied immediately. For example, an Upgrade token might grant an enemy an extra Attack die or force heroes to discard equipment. Effects from multiple tokens are cumulative if applicable.
Special Instructions can also dictate enemy behavior. For instance, an enemy with the "relentless" icon will prioritize attacking an engaged hero over moving toward non-engaged ones. These instructions override the default enemy protocol outlined in the rulebook.
Watch out: If an enemy’s Special Instruction mentions "Loss and Cancelling" (page 60), it may cancel hero dice or abilities. Always check the instruction’s timing (e.g., during Attack, Defense, or setup) to apply it correctly.
Examples:
- An instruction might state: "Cancel 1 Defense die per Attack" (page 60).
- Another might allow an enemy to move and attack in the same turn if a condition is met.
These instructions take precedence over general rules, so prioritize them during gameplay.