Dark Souls

TCG

Rule Book
Dark Souls TCG
Game Mechanics 2
Card Anatomy 2
Rule Keywords 2
Card Keywords 3
Equipment and Character Building 4
Character Setup 4

How to Battle 6
How turns work 6
Actions 6
Step 1: Choose an action 7
Step 2: Reveal Actions 8
Controlling Multiple Characters 8

Duel 8

Team Battle and Battle Royale 9

Campaign 9
Classes 10
Setup 13
Dungeon Card Types 13
Playing Campaign 14

Campaign Starter Contents 15

Action Cards 15
Starting Equipment 15
Other Cards 15
Dice 15

Undead Burg Contents 16

Dungeon Pack 16
Loot Pack 16
Enemy Pack 16
Special Cards 16

2

Game Mechanics
The following sections specify how
the game works and how cards can be used.
Card Anatomy
Name - The name of the card
Weight, Spell type, or Stamina Cost (X) -
This symbol in the top right corner indicates
the weight of the equipment, the spell type
of the equipment (sorcery/blue,
pyromancy/red, miracle/white), or the cost
to perform an action.
Type - the type of the equipment, such as
spell, weapon, item, armor, ring, etc.
Subtype - a second classification, usually
the campaign deck or location it came from.
Text - The text of the card which explains
what happens when it is used or equipped,
including any cost to use the item such as
stamina
Lore - The lore behind the item, this text has
no mechanical impact on the card
Attack (LA / HA) - Weapons the bottom
right corner will have the weapons light and
heavy attack
Rule Keywords
Player(s) - one or more people playing a
game other than the Game Master.
Game Master (GM) - Person incontrol of
the enemy characters in a campaign.
Characters - Any entity which can engage
in battle, including player characters and
GM characters.
Range - if you are at range with an
opponent, you can only attack with
weapons, items, or spells which are ranged.
Melee - if you are in melee with an
opponent, you can attack with ranged and
non-ranged weapons, items, or spells.
Equipment - any card which can be
equipped to a character, including armor,
weapons, spells, items, etc.
Encounter - the 14 cards of the dungeon
deck.
Battle - combat encounters between two or
more characters
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Attuned - A spell is attuned if it is equipped
or available to equip during a battle.
Prepared - An item is prepared if it is
equipped or available to equip during a
battle.
Stunned - For this round you cannot choose
or perform an action
Melee/Ranged Weapon - If a weapon has
the keyword Ranged than it is considered a
ranged weapon, otherwise it is considered a
melee weapon
Card Keywords
Ranged - Can be used at Range, Damage is
halved when Blocked.
Spell Damage - This spell deals damage
though block, if it is Ranged it is still
halved.
Lunge - Can be used for the Lunge Action
One Handed - This weapon can be
equipped to either left or right hand.
Two Handed - This weapon must be
equipped to both hands.
Parry {#} - Add this amount to parry roles
using this weapon.
Speed {#} - Subtract this amount from parry
rolls made against you while attacking with
this weapon
Poison - On a successful Attack with this
weapon, the targeted opponent takes 1
damage at the start of each turn until the
next Rest. This effect cannot be stacked.
Toxic - On a successful Attack with this
weapon, the targeted opponent takes 1
damage at the start of each turn until the
next Bonfire. This effect cannot be stacked.
{Type} Casting - This weapon can be used
to cast spells of this type.
Stunned - You cannot choose an action this
turn and are susceptible to the backstab
action.
Reusable - This item is not discarded after
use and can be used any number of times.
Refillable {#} - This item can be used {#}
times, and is not discarded. Uses are
replenished at Bonfires.
Finite {#} - This spell can be used {#}
times. Uses are replenished at Bonfires.
Colossal - This Character cannot be parried,
cannot be backstabbed.
Hallowed {#}, Burning {#}, Enchanted {#}
- This weapon does an additional {#}
Miracle, pyromancy, or Sorcery damage
respectively. This bonus is applied after all
other bonuses.1
1
This means bonuses like that of the backstab action
are applied first
4
Chaotic {#}, Ephemeral {#}, Radiant {#} - Item - Some can be used to attack, and
This creature takes {#} less an {#} more others have special effects. Unless otherwise
damage from Pyromancy/Sorcery, specified, Each can only be used once. After
Sorcery/Miracles, or Miracles/Pyromancy use the item is discarded (or set aside for a
respectively. duel). To use an item you must have it
prepared and equipped, you can change
which items you have prepared at rests. You
Equipment and Character Building can ready up to five items.
Weapons - weapons are equipment which
can be used to attack, cast, and block. They Ring - Give specific boons.
have a light and heavy attack value which
represents the damage done by each attack,
if the value of the light or heavy attack is 0
that attack cannot be used. Most weapons
can also be used to block either with a Character Setup
partial (where the damage blocked and the
stamina cost are set) or a full block (where 1 6 7
you block all damage and use an equal
amount of stamina). Some weapons are 2 3 4 8 9
ranged, they can attack at range but are 5 10
easier to block. Additionally some weapons
can be casting weapons which can be used
1 - Spells Slot
to cast spells in melee or range.
This slot contains the spell you have
equipped and all spells you have attuned. It
Armor - a piece of equipment which often
is a stack of spell cards with the current
Affects your maximum health,and can have
equipped spell on top. The current equipped
other benefits.
spell can be changed to an attuned spell with
the change equipment action. By default you
Spell - Can be used through the use of
can have two attuned spells.
casting weapons. They can have different
effects, some can be used to attack, and
2, 4 - Left and Right Hand Weapon Slots
some cannot. The Casting does not count as
These slots contain your current weapons for
an attack for the parry action. To use a spell
your left and right hand. There is no
you must have it attuned and equipped, you
functional distinction between left and right
can change which spells you have attuned at
hand. Your weapons can be changed with
bonfires. By default you can attune to two
the change equipment action to your
spells, though equipment can give you more
alternative weapons. You can only have one
attunement which raises this max by one.
weapon in each slot.

5
3 - Armor Slot weight a character can have is 20, but some
This slot contains your current armor and actions are affected by your character weight
cannot be changed in a battle. You can only such as the Roll action.
have one armor in this slot

5 - Items Slot
This slot contains the item you have
equipped and all items you have prepared. It
is a stack of item cards with the current
equipped item on top. The current equipped
item can be changed to a prepared item with
the change equipment action. You can only
have 5 items prepared at a time, including an
Estus Flask.

6, 7 - Ring Slots
These Slots contain your equipped rings,
you can only have 2 rings equipped (one for
each slot). You cannot change rings during a
battle.

8, 9 - Alternate Weapon Slots

These slots contain you alternative weapons,
you can only have one per slot. These
weapons can be swapped for the currently
equipped weapons with the changed
equipment action.

10 - Backpack
The backpack is where you store items not
usable in the current battle, in a campaign
you can use it to store any amount of
equipment, in other game modes there may
be a maximum equipment amount.

Weight
Your character weight is the total weight of
all equipped items. Unless otherwise
specified by equipped items, The maximum

6
How to Battle
You have 2 key resources in battle,
health and stamina. Unless otherwise
specified by your equipment, your max
health and stamina is 10. You start a battle
with max health and stamina, except in
campaign modes where health is tracked
between battles.
There are also 2 types of positions
any character can be in, range where you
can typically use ranged weapons, and
melee where you can typically use melee
weapons. You can switch between the two
positions with specific actions (advance,
fallback, roll, etc.) and when you move to
range you move away from all characters
you are in melee with. When you move into
melee you must target a player you wish to
move into melee with. When you are in
melee with a character you are also in
melee with all characters that are in melee
with them. This can be shown by making
character cards (enemy cards or player
cards) adjacent for melee or separated for
range.
How turns work
There are 4 steps to each turn,
picking an action, revealing actions,
resolving actions, and movement. Actions
use stamina, and you cannot use an action
which costs more stamina than you have.
Though if you still use more stamina than
you have (for example with a full block)
your stamina is 0 and you will be stunned
during the next turn.
Actions
The following section explains all
possible actions. Most of these rules are on
the action cards themselves, but some
clarifications are made here.
Light Attack - Costs 2 stamina. Deal that
weapon’s Light Attack damage to a target
player. Choose a Weapon: After Choosing
cards and before revealing your cards, you
must declare if you are doing so with your
left or right hand, which must have a
weapon with more than 0 Light Attack
damage.
Heavy Attack - Costs 3 stamina. Deal that
weapon's Heavy Attack damage to a target
player. Choose a Weapon with more than 0
Heavy Attack damage. If you deal no
damage you will be stunned for the next
turn.
Block - Costs stamina depending on the
weapon you choose. Choose a Weapon with
Block. Partial Block: reduces the damage
you take this turn by a set amount, and costs
a set amount of stamina. The amounts are
determined by the weapon chosen. Full
Block: Reduces the amount of damage you
take this turn to 0, and costs stamina equal to
the damage blocked. The Type of block
capability is determined by the weapon.
Advance - Costs 2 stamina. Forces a chosen
enemy into melee. Cancels Fall Back.
Fall Back - Move out of melee and gain 4
stamina. Does NOT prevent damage.
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Estus Flask - Use your estus flask item. It
does not need to be equipped, but must be
prepared.
Change Equipment - Change 1 piece of
equipment with another. Change 2 if you are
at range with all enemies. Can only be used
to change weapons for alternative
weapons,spells with attuned spells, and
items with prepared items.
Roll - Costs 3 stamina. Costs 1 more if your
weight is 13 or more, costs 1 less if your
weight is 7 or less. Dodge an attack taking
no damage and suffering no on hit effects.
You may move into melee with a target
player, or move to range and cancel an
advance. If you want to move you must
declare which way you are moving and any
targets, BEFORE hands are declared or
cards are revealed.
Backstab - Can only be used on a stunned
Opponent. Costs 3 stamina. Choose a
Weapon with more than 0 Light Attack
damage. Deal twice the LA of a chosen
weapon.
Cast - Costs 2 stamina. Choose a Weapon
with Casting with the appropriate spell type
for your equipped spell. Cast your equipped
spell.
Parry - Costs 2 Stamina. Choose a weapon.
If a target opponent revealed an Attack
Action, roll 1d6. If you roll a 4 or higher,
cancel that attack.
If they are in melee or will move to melee
this turn, deal the Heavy attack damage of
an equipped weapon of your choice (this
weapon can be chosen after actions are
revealed and can be different from the
weapon used to parry).
Use Item - Use your equipped item.
Lunge - Costs 4 Stamina. Choose a weapon
with Lunge. Move into melee with an
opponent and deal the chosen weapons
heavy attack. Cancels Roll and Fall Back
Step 1: Choose an action
You must choose an action card (you
cannot pass a turn) and the action must be
valid, for example if you do not have a
casting weapon you cannot choose the cast
action. Then after each player has chosen a
card, if you chose a card which requires you
to choose a weapon you must declare a
weapon (left hand or right hand or by their
name), and the player(s) you will target if
required. The weapon you choose must also
be valid, for example you cannot make a
light attack with a weapon with 0 light
attack.
If the action you choose does not
require you to target any player(s), or choose
a weapon, you still can declare these to bluff
a certain action. However once declarations
are made you cannot change your action.
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Step 2: Reveal Actions
First make sure all players have had
a chance to pick an Action and declare a
weapon if needed (only declare after all
actions are chosen). Then reveal all actions.
Step 3: Resolve actions
Check if any action cancels another,
if an action is canceled it is not resolved but
the stamina required is still consumed
(unless the cost is dependent on the action
such as Full Block). If possible resolve all
actions as though they happen at the same
time. For example if you have 3 health and
your opponent has 4 health, and you both
attack for 5 damage, both you and your
opponent will die at the same time (possibly
resulting in a tie). If, in the rare case, the
actions cannot be resolved simultaneously,
priority goes to the player with the least
health.
Finally after actions are resolved if a
player has spent or lost more stamina that
they had, their stamina remains at 0 and they
are stunned during the next turn.
Step 4: Movement
Resolve any movement abilities of
revealed actions.
Controlling Multiple Characters
In some game modes, such as
campaign, it is required that one person
controls multiple game characters.
First, before actions are chosen, you
must signify an order which you will reveal
your actions. You can do this by arranging
character cards, announcing it, or using
numbered dice. In order for different
characters to use the same action you must
reveal their actions sequentially in order to
use the Copy Action card which acts as a
copy of the last action you revealed. When
Copying an action you can choose new
targets and different weapons.
If you prefer you can also use
multiple copies of the same action card
instead.
Duel
Duel is the simplest way to play. A
Duel is a one off 1v1 battle. The 2 players
start at range with maximum health and
stamina. Booth players take their turn at the
same time, and turns proceed until one or
both players have 0 or less health or they
until a player concedes (a player can
concede at any time).
You can also play duels as a best of
X games (i.e. best of 3). In that case you
start each round at range with maximum
health and stamina. If you play a best of X
game, you can store equipment in your
backpack to switch out with other equipment
between rounds. You can store a maximum
of 5 pieces of equipment, and you can only
switch equipment after the first game. Items
which would normally be discarded or spells
with a finite number of uses can be used
again in each round.
9
Team Battle and Battle
Royale
These game modes are similar to
duels except with more than two players. In
a Battle Royale any number of players fight
in a free-for-all and the last player standing
wins. You also can play a Battle Royale as a
best of X game, with Backpack equipment.
Players are able to concede, but only at the
start of a turn.
A Team Battle is similar except
players are split into two or more teams, and
the last team to have living players wins.
You also can play a Team Battle as a best of
X game, with Backpack equipment. Teams
are able to concede, but only at the start of a
turn by a unanimous decision.

Campaign
Campaign is significantly different
from other gamemodes. Instead of one off
battles you will fight continuous battles
against tougher and tougher foes. In this
mode instead of player versus player, you
will be fighting player versus Game Master.
To start the game the player must pick a
class and a gift, which determine the
equipment they start with. This is the
equipment the player starts with

10
Classes
Pyromancer

Sorcerer

Cleric

11
Knight

Warrior

Hunter

12
Rogue

Gifts

x2

Every Character
also starts with an
Estus Flask

13

Setup
After the player choses a class the
GM must set up the next location. Each
location has a Dungeon Pack, a Loot Pack,
an Enemy Pack, and a Special Cards Pack.
First open the Enemy pack, the GM and
player can inspect the cards inside, then set
these cards aside. Next, from the Dungeon
Pack, remove the loot cards (3), merchant
card (1), Black Knight Encounter Card (if
there is one), and Bonfire card from the
Dungeon Pack and put them aside. Then the
player should shuffle the remaining cards
from the Dungeon Pack, while the Game
Master shuffles the Loot Pack. Once both
are shuffled, set the loot pack aside face
down, this is the Loot Deck. The Player
should give the Dungeon Pack back to the
GM face Down. Then the Game master
deals himself 3 cards face up, picks one, and
discards the rest. They repeat this process
until they have chosen 10 cards, these are
the Dungeon Encounters. The Game master
then secretly arranges the encounters, loot,
Black Knight and Merchant cards in any
order they wish, BUT they must put the
bonfire card in the center (7 cards in). After
arranging them the cards are placed face
down, and this is the Dungeon Deck (cards
are drawn from the top). The GM may also
open the Special Cards Pack and inspect
them, either way set them aside for now.
This pack contains Merchant and Boss
cards.
Dungeon Card Types
Loot - The cards will have you draw from
the Loot Deck, and then are discarded from
the Dungeon Deck. They come in different
types like Chests which allow the player to
choose from 3 options, or Lost Souls where
the player draws the top card of the loot
deck.
Merchants - Merchants allow you to trade
equipment for other items. You can discard
any 2 equipment cards for 1 card of the
matching merchant type form the Special
Cards Pack. For example after drawing
Petrus of Thorolund, you could discard a
shortsword and a firebomb, to gain the Force
Spell.
Hazard - Hazards have no effect when
drawn but instead effect the next Battle
when drawn.
Battle - Battles are encounters where the
players fights with one or more enemies, and
sometimes have additional effects. They
must defeat all enemies before moving on.
Battles follow the same rules as Duels
except the GM controls one or more
enemies. However the player's health is not
reset at the end of a Battle.
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Playing Campaign
Each Dungeon Area has 2 bonfires,
14 dungeon encounter cards (The Dungeon
Deck), and a boss. The player’s goal is to
reach the Boss and defeat it. To do so they
must go through each card in the dungeon
deck, which the GM uses to try to stop them.
Between dungeon encounters the player’s
health, item uses, spell uses, and other stats,
roll over and are not reset. Stamina however
is reset during rests between encounters.
Rests - Between each dungeon encounter
there is a rest phase, during each rest the
players stamina is reset to max, and you can
use any equipment that says it can be used
during a rest any number of times. You can
also change any of your equipment during a
rest, including changing with equipment in
your backpack. Some equipment abilities are
triggered by rests as well, if anything is
triggered at the “start of a rest” it happens
before you can change equipment (except
attuned spells) or perform any rest actions
and they cannot be triggered by equipping
them during a rest. If anything is triggered at
the “end of a rest”, it occurs after the player
performs any rest actions, and no rest
actions can be performed after the trigger.
Bonfires - Bonfires are a special type of
rest. There are 2 per region, One at the start
of the dungeon deck (before the first card),
and one in the middle (after 7 cards).
Bonfire rests can be represented through a
bonfire card, but they are not an encounter
card. A bonfire card is not required (you can
count cards instead). If a card from the
dungeon deck is discarded the middle
bonfire stays in the same order (i.e.
discarding one card before the bonfire
makes the bonfire appear after 6 cards).
Bonfires are just like normal rests except,
the players HP also resets to max, and some
equipment uses are reset, like the estus flask.
Attuned Spells can be changed at a bonfire.
In addition if the player Dies they return to
the last bonfire they visited and have a
bonfire rest phase.
If a player dies they return to the last
Bonfire they visited and Reset their Health,
Stamina, Spell uses, Refillable item uses,
and all conditions are removed. If a player
dies and completes a battle with loot, they
still gain the loot (and the card is discarded
if applicable).
After surviving all dungeon cards the
player fights the boss (there is a rest phase
before boss), Bosses have special actions,
effects, and usually a special hazard, and
usually a white player ally spirit. If the boss
is defeated and the player survives, the
player chooses one of the boss loot cards
and moves to the next region.
15
 1 ✕ Rotten Pine Resin
Campaign Starter Contents 1 ✕ Cloak
2 ✕ Firebomb
1 ✕ Humanity
Action Cards 1 ✕ Divine Blessing
2 ✕ Block 1 ✕ Master Key
2 ✕ Advance 1 ✕ Old Witch's Ring
2 ✕ Fall Back 1 ✕ Pendant
2 ✕ Cast
2 ✕ Light Attack
2 ✕ Heavy Attack Other Cards
2 ✕ Parry 7 ✕ Player Cards
2 ✕ Backstab 1 ✕ Black Knight Reminder Cards
2 ✕ Change Equipment 3 ✕ Condition Reminder Cards
2 ✕ Drink Estus Flask
2 ✕ Roll
2 ✕ Use Dice
2 ✕ Lunge 2 ✕ Red d20 (health)
5 ✕ Copy Action 2 ✕ Green d20 (stamina)
15 ✕ Red d10 (enemy health)
Starting Equipment 15 ✕ Green d10 (enemy stamina)
1 ✕ Ember of Pyromancy 10 ✕ Yellow d6 (estus)
2 ✕ Parrying dagger 20 ✕ white d6 (various counters)
2 ✕ Worn Robe
1 ✕ Fire Bolt
1 ✕ Faint Catalyst
2 ✕ Kite Shield
1 ✕ Soul Arrow
1 ✕ Mace
1 ✕ Ragged Talisman
2 ✕ Knight Armor
1 ✕ Heal
1 ✕ Broad Sword
2 ✕ Green Blossom
1 ✕ Spear
3 ✕ Short Sword
2 ✕ Leather Armor
1 ✕ Short Bow
1 ✕ Poison Arrow

16
Undead Burg Contents
Enemy Pack
4 ✕ Broken Straight Sword
Dungeon Pack 1 ✕ Cracked Round Shield
1 ✕ Chest 2 ✕ Spear
2 ✕ Lost Souls 1 ✕ Black Knight Sword
1 ✕ Petrus of Thourland 1 ✕ Black Knight Shield
1 ✕ The Black Knight 4 ✕ Desperate Hollow
3 ✕ Ambushed! 2 ✕ Hollow Spearman
4 ✕ Check Every Corner 1 ✕ Hollow Grenadier
3 ✕ Hollow Guards 1 ✕ Hollow Soldier
3 ✕ Hollow Soldiers 1 ✕ The Black Knight
5 ✕ Lone Undead 1 ✕ Blue Tearstone Ring
1 ✕ Bonfire
3 ✕ Archers Overhead Special Cards
2 ✕ Big Boulder 1 ✕ Taurus Demon
4 ✕ Precarious Pit 1 ✕ Bull Charge
1 ✕ No Retreat
Loot Pack 1 ✕ Prepare To Strike
2 ✕ Charcoal Pine Resin 1 ✕ Bash
1 ✕ Gold Pine Resin 1 ✕ Huge Slam
4 ✕ Souls 1 ✕ Demon’s Greataxe
3 ✕ Firebomb 1 ✕ Drake Sword
2 ✕ Poison Arrow 1 ✕ Astora’s Straight Sword
2 ✕ Bastard Sword 1 ✕ Thourland Talisman
1 ✕ Broad Sword 1 ✕ Force
2 ✕ Light Crossbow 1 ✕ Great Heal Excerpt
1 ✕ Kite Shield 1 ✕ Heal
1 ✕ Mace 1 ✕ Atop The Ramparts
1 ✕ Short Bow
1 ✕ Spear
1 ✕ Shortsword
1 ✕ Cloak
1 ✕ Knight Armor
1 ✕ Leather Armor
1 ✕ Worn Robe
3 ✕ Humanity
2 ✕ Caduceus Round Shield

17