Rules developed by Jester's Playhouse, Northfield, NJ - www.jestersplayhouse.com (Duncan Bachen, Jeff Trout, Rich Gain).
Welcome to the Warlord league!
In the Warlord League, you take on the role of an inexperienced Warlord, leading your army to victory and adventuring for experience. Do you have what it takes to be a ruler?
Overview
Your army begins at level one, representing your characters and Warlord's inexperience. You gain experience from battles and from completing quests. Initially, your army is restricted in the items you can use and the actions you can perform. As your army advances in the league, you may use a wider variety of cards. You must pick a single faction to play for the entire league, though you may change your Warlord between league weeks.
One person is designated the "league organizer." This person tracks players wins, losses, and experience points, and hands out "score cards" on which the players can track their wins, losses, accumulated experience points, and attempted and completed quests. (A score card can be as simple as a piece of paper with the player's name at the top.) Some other duties, like league rulings and running certain quests, also fall to the league organizer.
At the start of every new league, all Warlords begin at level 1. The league organizer decides whether to include restrictions and quests from previous leagues.
Experience
All league games are one-on-one battles. After each battle, you gain experience for your fight. There are three different ways in which you accumulate experience,
The winner gains 60 XP, and the loser 20 XP. Next, at the end of the match, take the total number of character levels in your opponent's discard pile (including the Warlord if you won); you gain this many experience points.
Finally, you gain bonus experience depending on the skill level of your opponent. Take the difference between your level and your opponent's level and multiply by 10: this is the match's handicap.
- If the higher-level player wins the game, he subtracts half of the handicap from his total. The losing lower-level player then adds half of the handicap to his total.
- If the lower-level player wins the game, he adds the entire handicap to his total. The losing hiqher-level player subtracts the entire handicap from his total. You need a set amount of experience points to reach each level. Consult the following chart:
| Experience Level | Points Needed |
| 1 | 0 |
| 2 | 100 |
| 3 | 300 |
| 4 | 600 |
| 5 | 1000 |
| 6 | 1500 |
| 7 | 2100 |
| 8 | 2800 |
| 9 | 3600 |
| 10 | 4500 |
When the league organizer posts the results for the week, you advance in level if you have enough experience. You may then alter your deck for the next week if an advance in level has lifted restrictions on your army (see below). The highest level you may advance to is equal [to] the current highest army level + 1. This ensures that no single army will advance too quickly, while newer armies still have a competitive chance to quickly gain ranks. If you have enough experience, your army will still advance in level, even if you were unable to play!
If there are 4 or more players available for the league, you may not play the same person twice in a row.
Restrictions
Actions - Your army may only use actions equal to its current level. A level 1 army may only use level 1 actions, while a level 4 army could use up to level 4 actions. All actions of level 5 or more are restricted until players "unlock" them for their armies by completing quests (see below).
Items - All items of level 5 or higher as well as all Treasure cards are restricted; you may negate the restrictions on these items for your army by completing quests.
Characters - Aside from your Warlord, your army may only use characters of level 3 or less. You may raise the restrictions on individual characters of level 4 or higher through completing quests.
When you unlock cards by completing quests or advancing in level, note the fact on your score card.
You may be thinking "It's too tough to make a deck with only those cards!" Join the club! Everyone else has it just as tough as you. That's what it's like to be inexperienced. Don't worry - your army will quickly gain experience in the ways of battle.
Quests
Quests represent additional ways that your army may gain experience and have item/action restrictions lifted. Each quest may be attempted only a certain number of times per week, and each quest may only be completed once per league. Indicate on your score sheet when a quest is successfully completed. To encourage others in the league to help you complete quests, your opponent receives 10 XP for running a quest (in addition to bonuses). Having an item/action become "unrestricted" from a quest does not override the normal level restrictions. There are two types of quests:
Independent - One player uses his current army deck (unless otherwise stated) in a test of skill to gain rewards. Another player helps run the scenario. These are generally quick, allowing the players to switch roles.
Add-On - One player's deck is altered (according to the quest) at the beginning of a normal league game. The rewards for these types of quests are in addition to any normal experience. These add-ons are added to any normal game.
Quest 1 - Save the Town
Reward: Robe of the Wind or Signon's Armor, and any one level 4 character.
Type: Independent
Attempts per week: 2
The Village of Starborn has been raided by Brine Fiends for months. Send your army out to defend the town.
Rules: Find an opponent who fields 6 Brine Fiends in the front ranks. He uses no deck and has no special skills. You must slay all the Brine Fiends in 3 rounds. If you kill all the Brine Fiends in that time, you receive 40 XP and the village leader provides you with some magic against ranged attacks. Robe of the Wind and Signon's Armor are now unrestricted for your army. If you fail, you receive nothing.
Bonus: If the Brine Fiends survive, your opponent gains an additional 10 XP. Your opponent receives 10 XP for each wound inflicted on your Warlord.
Quest 2 - Treasure Trove
Reward: Any one Treasure card, and any one action card of level 5 or more.
Type: Independent
Attempts per week: 1
Your Warlord, while scouting the terrain ahead, has stumbled across a burial chamber carved into the rocky cliff face. His keen eyes notice something shiny at the far end of the cave, and he has decided to investigate - hoping to aid his army in the upcoming battle.
Rules: Find an opponent to set up the following cards in order on the table: Blast, Flame Arrows, Ice Bolt, Inferno, and Turned to Stone. Your Warlord must successfully pass each trap by having it "cast" against him as he makes his way down the corridor. If you survive the gauntlet of traps, you reach your prize and gain an additional 30 XP. You may now use any one Treasure card in your deck, and one action card of your choice of level 5 or higher.
Quest 3 - Archery Contest
Reward: Wyvernsting Bow and Bracers of Archery
Type: Independent
Attempts per league: 1
Countess Tesselina. has much admiration for the skill of the archer. She has organized an open archery contest for the champions of every army.
Rules: This contest is run by the league organizer with all league players simultaneously. Each player selects four characters capable of a ranged attack. characters who are not part of your Warlord's faction suffer a -1 to their ranged attacks. You may choose only one of any given character.
<>Four targets are set before the archers, worth 10, 15, 20 and 25 points. Each of your champions may fire three arrows at the targets with their ranged strikes; the TN to hit a target is equal to the point value. A successful hit awards your team that many points.
Each player gets 20 XP for entering the contest. Additional XP are awarded to the top three contestants: 3rd place = 10 XP, 2nd place = 20 XP, Ist place = 30 XP. The top three players also have the restriction on Wyvernsting Bow and Bracers of Archery removed for their armies. Participation in this quest is considered to be a successful completion.
Quest 4 - Brothers in Arms
Reward: Bruntor's Helm and any level 4 or 5 character.
Type: Independent
Attempts per week: 2
Defeating the dwarven army is no easy task, but the rewards of those treasures they protect can be great.
Rules: May only be completed by an army of level 3 or greater. Your opponent, who plays the dwarves in this quest, creates a single rank of the following characters: Guardian-Axe-Hammer-Axe-Hammer-AxeHammer-Guardian. In addition, he has a "deck" which consists of the following cards: 3) I Have Your Back (3) Improvised Weapon (3) Come Get Some (3) Death Blow. The Dwarves automatically roll a ‘20 for initiative each turn (no actual roll required). Should there be a tie for initiative, the dwarves have a ‘20 to break the tie as well. If you defeat the Dwarves in combat, their treasure is yours.
Bonus: If your opponent wins, he receives 5 XP for each surviving dwarf.
Quest 5 - Wolf Hunt
Reward: Timber Wolf or Deverenian Hound and any one level 5 action
Type: Add-On
Attempts per week: 1
The only way to get good trained wolves is to find a wolf trainer and overcome him in battle.
Rules: Find an opponent and play his deck. He starts the game with two Timber Wolves attached to his Warlord (even if his Warlord isn't a Rogue). If you defeat him, you gain 50 extra XP, and Timber Wolf (or Deverenian Hound) is now unrestricted for your army.
Quest 6 - Overwhelmed
Reward: Any one level 4 character
Type: Add-On
Attempts per week: 1
Your opponent's spies have allowed them to be better prepared for this battle than your army.
Rules: Your opponent starts the game with one additional level I character and one additional level 2 character. Drive your underdogs to victory and receive an extra 40 XP, and access to any one level 4 character.
Quest 7 - Amnesia
Reward: Any one level 5 action
Type: Add-On
Attempts per week: 1
Who are you, and why does this ragtag band of warriors think you're their leader? Yesterday's battle was fierce and you were thrown from your horse; now you've forgotten who you are. The enemy, however, wasn't so kind as to stop assaulting you during your infirmity.
Rules: Your Warlord is considered to have no special abilities during this battle; his text box is considered to be blank, lacking all special benefits and hindrances. The only thing remaining on the Warlord are his bold printed traits. For example: Kerebrus would be a level 4 classless warlord with no special abilities, and The Terror of Sharn Keep could attach Wizard items. Regain your memory and an additional 50 XP for defeating your enemy, plus access to any one level 5 action.