Machina Arcana 4.0 rules update

Deck preparation & management

Adding item levels

When resolving add item level 2 or add item level 3 effects:

• Remove cards — remove half of the existing cards from all item-type decks.
• Add new items — shuffle all the new item cards of the indicated level into their corresponding item-type decks.

Increasing monster level

When monster threat increases on the last position (arrow pointing upwards):

• Shuffle the monster deck — shuffle the current monster deck together with the destroyed monster cards.
• Remove cards — remove half of the cards from the deck.
• Add new monsters — shuffle the new monster cards of the corresponding level into the deck.

Updated action spaces

Recharge station (recharge effect)

1. Roll and resolve the recharge die.
2. Trade with any explorer adjacent to either a recharge station (including the activated one) or a workbench, on any map tile.
3. Resolve use inventory.

Event space

Explorers can now spend 2 stamina to activate an event space — either to restore 1 essence and invoke an explorer event, or to attempt to reduce monster threat by rolling a die.

Detailed overview

Activate an adjacent event space for 2 stamina to either:

• restore 1 essence, or
• invoke an explorer event.

Or:

• roll a game die;
• if the roll is equal to or higher than the current horror rating: reduce monster threat by 1;
• otherwise: reinvoke a horror event.

Trap lever (trigger traps effect)

No changes — attack all units on top of trapped spaces on the activating unit’s map tile for 3 high attack dice. If there is no activating unit (for example, when a horror event invokes it), attack units on trapped spaces on all map tiles instead.

Added in 4.0

Then, for each other explorer adjacent to a trap lever on any map tile, that explorer attacks all units on trapped spaces on their map tile with 3 low attack dice.

Exploding barrel

If a barrel is hit by an arcane attack, the explosion also counts as an arcane attack.

Chapter space

Units on a map tile with a lit chapter space can target ethereal units.

Game die

The game die is numbered 0–9.

A roll of 0 counts as 0, not 10.

FAQ

Recharge station

You may trade with any explorer adjacent to either a recharge station or a workbench, on any map tile — and this includes the recharge station that was just activated.

Per the inventory-effect rules, you can resolve a use inventory effect on an adjacent explorer instead, but not on the explorer you traded with if they aren’t adjacent to you.

Trigger traps

Q: Can the secondary 3-low-dice attack trigger if another explorer is adjacent to the same trap lever that was just activated?

A: Yes — this includes the trap lever that was just activated (“for each other explorer that is adjacent to a trap lever on any map tile”).

Example. Explorers A and B are both adjacent to the same trap lever on map tile X. Explorer C is on map tile Y, adjacent to a different trap lever. Explorer A activates the trap lever:

1. All units on map tile X’s trapped spaces are attacked with 3 high attack dice.
2. Because Explorer B is adjacent to a trap lever, B attacks all units on X’s trapped spaces with 3 low attack dice.
3. Because Explorer C is adjacent to a trap lever, C attacks all units on Y’s trapped spaces with 3 low attack dice.
4. Place a destroyed token only on top of the activated trap lever (map tile X).

Compatibility with other editions

These rules are fully backward-compatible with every edition of Machina Arcana, and with every published scenario.

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