This document outlines the changes for the new 3.5 rules of Machina Arcana. These rules are compatible with scenarios from both the Core (2nd or 3rd edition) and the From Beyond expansion. Please note that these are rule changes only; there are no new, updated, or renamed components.

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Deck Preparation and Management

Game Setup: Event Decks

When setting up the game and after selecting your scenario, the event decks (Explorer and Horror Event cards) need to be prepared in a new way:

• Select Core Event Cards: Take only the top cards from the shuffled Core events, equal to the number of event cards in the chosen scenario.
• Remove Excess: Remove the rest of the Core event cards from the game.
• Combine and Shuffle: Add the scenario event cards to their respective Core decks and shuffle them separately.

This ensures an even balance between Core and scenario event cards.

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 with 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.

Spawn Phase

Start of Spawn Phase

If the current spawn rating is "1":

• Increase monster threat by the chapter’s horror rating.
• If it is a non-blocking chapter: Go to next chapter, otherwise reset spawn rating.
• Reduce the current spawn rating by 1 for every explorer beyond the first (note: the spawn rating cannot be reduced below 3).

Spawn Phase

Each explorer in play rolls a game die unless all spawn spaces on their map tile are destroyed.

If the roll is equal to or greater than the current spawn rating:

• If there are 4 or more monsters on the explorer’s map tile: Increase the monster threat by 1
• Otherwise: Spawn a monster on the rolling explorer’s map tile.

End of Spawn Phase

• Reduce current spawn rating by 1.

Updated Action Spaces

Recharge Station

An explorer can activate an adjacent recharge station for 1 stamina. When doing so, they:

• Resolve Recharge Effect: Roll and resolve the recharge die.
• Trade: Trade with any explorer adjacent to either a recharge station (including the activated one) or a workbench, on any map tile.
• Use Inventory

Event Space

Activate an adjacent event space for 1 stamina to either:

• Restore 1 essence
• Invoke 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

• Explorers can activate an adjacent trap lever for 2 stamina to resolve the trigger traps effect.
• Scheming monsters can activate it for 3 stamina.
• Units can also activate the trap lever when pushed or pulled to it.

Trigger Traps

• Attack: Attack all units on trapped spaces on the activating unit's map tile for 3 high attack dice.
• Secondary Attack: If there is another explorer adjacent to any other trap lever on any map tile, attack all units on trapped spaces again, but this time for 3 low attack dice.

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FAQ

• Start of Spawn Phase / Reduce the current spawn rating by 1 for every explorer beyond the first.
  The spawn rating cannot be reduced below 3.
  - If chapter's spawn rating is 8, the updated spawn rating will be:
  = 8 if you play with one explorer
  = 7 if you play with 2 explorers
  = 6 if you play with 3 explorers
  = 5 if you play with 4 explorers
  - If chapter's spawn rating is 4, the reduced spawn rating will be 3 if you play with more than 1 explorer.
  - If chapter's spawn rating is 2, the updated spawn rating will stay 2, regardless of the number of explorers.
• Recharge Station / Trade with any explorer adjacent to either a recharge station or a workbench, on any map tile..
  This includes the activated recharge station.
  According to the inventory effect rules, you can resolve use inventory effect on an adjacent explorer instead, but not on the explorer you traded with if they aren’t adjacent to you.
• Start of Spawn Phase / If the current spawn rating is "1", and the chapter is not blocking.
  This includes chapters that place an exit token, which serves as the only way to progress to the next chapter.
• Start of Spawn Phase / If the current spawn rating is "1", and the chapter is not blocking.
  Whenever a new chapter is played, its «enters play» abilities are resolved, and its spawn and rating sliders are reset.
• Start of Spawn Phase / If the current spawn rating is "1", and the chapter is blocking.
  Only the spawn rating is reset (and then reduced for 1 for every explorer beyond the first), and the «enters play» abilities of the current chapter are not resolved.
• Compatibility with To Eternity chapters.
  To Eternity chapters feature a unique spawn and horror phase, so the updated 3.5 Spawn phase rules don't apply. However, everything else in 3.5 is fully compatible with the expansion.