TALISMAN: DIGITAL 5th EDITION MANUAL

Talisman: Digital 5th Edition is based on the 5th Revised Edition of Talisman made by Avalon Hill. This manual covers everything you’ll need to know to get started, and goes over all of the rules of the game. If you’re still stuck, you can also join our official Nomad Games discord, full of expert Talisman players who are always happy to help.

You can check out the full game over on Steam:

Introduction

In Talisman, up to six players assume the roles of hopeful characters, the would-be rulers of the land of Talisman. Each character is very different and has his own strengths, weaknesses, and special powers. To win the game you must journey to the Inner Region to defeat the Elder Dragon. The first player to do so wins.

Your travels will be hard and fraught with danger. Only by gradually building up your adventurer’s powers, gathering valuable allies, and winning potent magical items will you stand a chance of surviving the ultimate test that lies beyond the Portal of Power.

Object of the Game

The first player to obtain a Talisman, reach the Crown of Command in the centre of the board and defeat the Elder Dragon wins the game. Future house rules and expansions will modify the ending of the game.

Number of Players

Up to six players can play a game of Talisman, but the more players that are participating, the longer the game will last. One player can play against up to 5 AI players and six human players can play against each other online.

Game Board

The main game board is divided into three Regions: Outer, Middle, and Inner Region.

Adventure Cards

Gold Coins

Fate

Purchase Cards

Character Cards

Character Figures

Each character card corresponds to a figure that is used to represent that character on the board.

Toad Character Cards and Figures

Toad Cards and Toad figures are used when a character is turned into a Toad during the game. When this happens, a Toad Card is used instead of the original character card and a Toad figure is substituted for that character’s figure for the duration of being a Toad. 

Game Setup

1. You may access a previously saved game from here by clicking on the relevant part of the screen. Alternatively choose ‘PLAY’ from the top menu bar of the screen. This takes you to a screen that contains ‘SAVED GAMES’ and the ‘+’ button to create a new game.

2. A new game is initiated by pressing ‘+’ in the ‘NEW GAME’ section above the saved games list.

3. On the next screen you select characters, character alignments and whether the players are local or AI. N.B. if you choose another human player here, your spell cards will be hidden. To see them select ‘DETAILS’ in the Inventory Menu at the bottom of the screen, then ‘SHOW CARDS’ from the command button on the right of the screen. If you highlight this button so it turns green, the ‘SPACEBAR’ will also flip the cards. 

4. Choose a player by selecting the player portrait, choosing another character from the displayed menu, then pressing ‘SELECT’ on the bottom right of the screen. Do this for all the players.

5. If you wish to change alignment for the characters, press the round Alignment Token next to a character’s portrait. Gold represents good, Green represents neutral and Red denotes evil. Remember to check spaces and cards for relevance to player alignment. Sometimes there are advantages and sometimes dangers!

6. Select whether you wish a character to be an ‘AI PLAYER’  or a ‘LOCAL PLAYER’.

7. From this screen you will also access expansions for the game and the relevant deck editor under ‘DECKS’. Any expansions you own can be switched on here by pressing the 'SELECT' button on each expansion.

8. To edit a deck, press the ‘DECKS’ button on each relevant component of the game, for Base Game to Expansions. From this screen you can ‘CREATE’, ‘DELETE’ and ‘RENAME’ your custom decks. Press ‘CREATE’ to make a new deck, then press the ‘QUILL ICON’ to start the process. The deck that you are working on will be active by default.

9. The different card categories are named on the left and if the ‘EYE ICON’ is active, those cards will appear on the right. When editing it is useful to turn the card categories on and off to make it easier to navigate. 

10. Select the card that you wish to edit and change the ‘Number In Deck’ by using the ‘UP’ and the ‘DOWN’ arrows.

11. If desired you may use the ‘CLEAR ALL’ button to remove all cards from a category, or select ‘USE CARD AS A THUMBNAIL’ as the image for your deck.

12. Once you have finished editing, press the ‘X’ to leave the editing screen. 

13. Press the ‘RENAME DECK’ to give your custom deck a memorable identity.

14. Decks are saved automatically but using the ‘DELETE’ button may be permanently removed.

15. Check which deck is active, then press ‘X’ to return to the ‘EXPANSIONS’ screen. From here press the ‘START GAME’ button to begin the adventure or press ‘HOUSE RULES; on the left to further tailor your game.

16. If changing house rules make your changes in the ‘HOUSE RULES’ screen then press the ‘START GAME’ button from here to begin the adventure.

The Game Turn

A character's start space is the space on which they start the game. A character's start space is listed on the bottom of their character card next to their alignment.

On their game turns, characters move around the board, usually by the roll of the die but sometimes by the use of Spells or due to strange beings or places that they have discovered.

Having moved, characters can then encounter another character in the space they land on or follow the instructions on the space. The instructions are often to draw Adventure Cards. These cards depict the Objects, Enemies, and other things that the character meets in the space.

Gradually characters will become more powerful, until they assume to be strong enough to head for the centre of the board and attempt to reach the Crown of Command.

More specifically, each player’s turn consists of two parts, in this order:

Movement - The player rolls a die and moves their character that number of spaces around the board.

Encounters - Once a character has finished their move, they must encounter either the space by following the instructions on that space, or another character on the space.

Character Cards

Characters are at the core of the experience of playing Talisman. It is through a player's character the player interacts with the game board, travels to new Regions, attacks creatures, and gains Objects, Followers, and powerful Spells. Each player's character card lists his character's Strength, Craft, fate, and life values, as well as a number of special abilities.

Strength

Strength represents your character’s might, stamina and fighting ability. You’ll use it in battle and certain encounters. You gain strength by exchanging trophies and through encounters. Some cards let you add strength during encounters. When you obtain a card like this, the strength counter does not increase but the card itself represents the increase in strength.

Your strength can never drop below the number listed on your character card, also called your starting value. Your total strength at any given time is the strength starting value on your character card + any strength counters you have + any strength gained from collected cards.

Example of a Character's Strength

The Warrior (Strength value of 4) has a total of 2 Strength counters, the Magic Belt (a Magic Object that increases Strength by 1), the Unicorn (a Follower that increases Strength by 1), and a Sword (an Object that increases Strength by 1 during battle only).

The Warrior’s total Strength is 8 (4 Strength value, plus 2 Strength counters, plus 1 each for the Unicorn and for the Magic Belt). In battle, Strength is 9 if the Sword is selected and used.

During play, if The Warrior lands on the Cursed Glade, Strength from Objects and Magic Objects cannot be counted. 

Craft

Craft represents a character’s intelligence, wisdom, and magical ability. It is a character’s main asset in psychic combat and determines how many Spells he may have. When a character gains Craft, this increase is recorded next to the character’s portrait on the left of the game screen.

Craft gained from Objects, Magic Objects, or Followers is not recorded but is added to the character’s Craft when required or allowed. A character’s Craft at any time is the character’s Craft value, plus Craft counters, plus any Craft gained from Followers, Magic Objects, and Objects that may be used at that time.

A character’s Craft can never drop below that character’s Craft value (i.e. the number printed on the Character card). This is an important rule and is often missed - Craft Value is the number printed on the character sheet, whereas a character's current Craft is their Craft Value plus modifiers from traded trophies, Objects, Followers, etc.

All characters may acquire and cast spells if their craft is sufficient (see the table below). Only those characters whose special abilities allow them to start the game with spells may do so. Otherwise, spells are typically acquired via encounters. The number of spells you may have at one time is limited by your craft as follows:

Total craft and maximum number of spells

1: 0
2: 0
3: 1
4: 2
5: 2
6+: 3

You may look at your own spell cards at any time but your spell cards are hidden from other players. The effects of each spell and when it can be cast are listed on individual spell cards. The only other way to get rid of a spell is to cast it!

Casting Spells

On any given turn, you may cast only as many spells as you started the turn with. You may ‘Queue’ a spell so that it is triggered at the start of your turn, or use it when it is your turn. When another player casts a spell on you and you have a Counterspell, this may be cast at that time.

You may cast only one spell during another player’s turn. You may keep spells for as many turns as you’d like before casting them. You are never required to cast a spell; it is always optional.

A spell that affects a character reaches them wherever they are on the board, in any region. No spells affect creatures in the Inner Region, such as the Pit Fiends of the Pit space.

Lives - Healing and Gaining

Life represents your character’s health. You’ll start the game with the number of life counters listed on your character card. You can lose lives in battle, psychic combat and other dangers you may encounter. 

Different encounters throughout the game allow you to replenish lives by:

Healing – Replenish life counters as instructed up to the starting life value shown on your character card. Or Gaining – Replenish life counters as instructed.

You may exceed your starting life value when gaining lives. Follow the rules of the encounter to know whether to heal or gain lives.

Losing All Lives

Losing all lives means defeat! Your turn immediately ends and your character is placed on the Village space in the Outer Region.

All objects, magic objects, followers, spells, trophies, gold, strength, craft counters and fate tokens stay with your character. At the start of your next turn, you must spend your gold to purchase as many lives as you can afford up to your starting life total at the cost of 1 gold per life counter. If you have no gold, one life counter is granted and your turn ends.

Fate - Replenishing and Gaining

Each character starts the game with a number of fate tokens equal to the fate value listed on his character card. A character may only replenish fate up to the stated fate value. However, if a character gains fate, fate tokens over and above the fate value are taken.

Fate is a measure of a character's luck and fortune. Once per die roll, a player may spend one fate token to reroll one die that a character just rolled under the following circumstances: A die rolled for a character's movement; rolling a die to determine his character's attack role; rolling a die due to the instructions on a card or board space.

If a player rerolls a die because a fate was spent, the new result must be accepted. Another fate cannot be spent to reroll the same die again. If a player rolls multiple dice, for example the Dice with Death space in the Inner Region, fate will allow reroll of only one die. 

Special Abilities

Your character has one or more special abilities, as listed on the character card.

In any instance where an encounter’s effects indicates that a character cannot perform an action or use an ability (such as casting a spell or using an object), the character cannot do so. For example, if a card indicates that no weapons may be used when fighting a certain creature, the Warrior may not use any weapons, despite their special ability that allows them to use two weapons at the same time.

If an effect or special ability refers to a die result, only the number on the die is counted, not the modified result obtained by adding bonuses or subtracting penalties.

For example, the Troll’s special ability allows them to heal whenever they roll a 6 for their movement. During the Troll’s turn, they roll a 4 for their movement. They also use a card that allows them to add 2 to their movement roll, resulting in a total movement of 6. In this instance, the Troll does not heal since the die result is a 4, not a 6.

Adventure Cards

Most of the spaces on the Talisman board instruct players to draw one or more Adventure Cards. If there are any Adventure Cards already in a space a character lands in, his player draws only enough new cards to take the total to the number indicated for the space. For example, if a space instruction reads “Draw 2 Cards,” but there is already one card there, then the player only draws one new card to bring the total to two cards.

Adventure Cards should be dealt with in the order determined by their encounter number (the number at the bottom right corner of the card in the physical game, centre-right in the digital game).

The lowest number is tackled first, then the next lowest, and so on. In the case of a tie, the character encounters Adventure Cards in the order they were drawn.

One exception to the rule about resolving Adventure Cards in encounter number order is that Adventure Cards with instructions that result in their being placed in a space other than the one where they were drawn are dealt with first, before any other Adventure Cards are resolved. If placed elsewhere, an Adventure Card does not affect the character who drew it at that time.

Types of Adventure Cards

The different types of Adventure Cards and their effects are listed below. Keep in mind that Adventure Cards must be encountered in encounter number order, so only after Events and Enemies are dealt with may the more frequently beneficial cards be encountered.

Enemy - Animal, Dragon, Monster, etc.

These Enemies attack any character encountering them by battling the character. Killed Enemies of this type may be kept as trophies to be exchanged for Strength. Enemies that defeat characters remain on the space.

Enemy - Spirit, Elemental, etc.

Strength/Craft

Many Enemies possess a Strength/Craft value. If a character encounters these Enemies, he can choose to fight these Enemies in either battle or in psychic combat. Characters may exchange trophies with a Strength/Craft value for either Strength counters or Craft counters.

Places

Events

The instructions on the card must be followed. Any instructions that result in the loss of a turn by the character encountering the card ends the character’s turn immediately. This counts as a missed turn for that character if there are other cards to be encountered; otherwise, the next turn is missed instead.

Objects and Magic Objects

Purchase Cards

Purchase cards act like Adventure cards.

Strangers

The instructions on Stranger cards must be followed. Strangers have various effects on characters that encounter them, and sometimes their reaction is based on the character's alignment.

Followers

Followers are “helpers” who may provide assistance by lending their skills and abilities – not all followers are helpful, though, such as the Poltergeist. The Guide and the Gnome are examples of helpful followers, and there are several others.

Toading

You may be transformed into a toad by landing on a certain board space or drawing a certain card. As a toad, you will be weaker. If you become a toad:

You may move only one space per turn and must follow the same rules of space and character encounters. You may not gain or cast spells (though you keep the spells you had before you became a toad). You may not use any of your character’s special abilities. Your strength and craft are equal to 1. You may not use gained counters to add to your strength or craft.

You may not lose, use or gain objects, gold or followers (though you keep the ones you had before you became a toad). You may not use or gain fate (though you keep the fate you had before you became a toad). You keep any trophies you have and can still earn trophies. Trading in trophies is not possible, however; you must discard any strength or craft you gain as a toad after you turn back into your character.

If you lose any lives as a toad, you do not get them back when you turn back into your character. To become your character again: At the end of your next turn as a toad, you turn back into your character. 

More than one player may be a toad at a time. If you are already a toad and you land on a board space or draw a card that would turn you into a toad, you simply remain a toad for the original duration.

If you’re turned into a toad, your objects and gold transform with you! You retain all cards and strength and craft counters, but while in toad form, you cannot benefit from, lose, or gain objects or gold. You cannot gain new followers. At the end of your next turn, you revert to your original form. See ‘Dire Toad’ in ‘Alternate Rules’ for a tougher rule on becoming a toad.

Crossing The Sentinel’s Bridge

If your roll to move is enough for you to move across the bridge to the opposite region, you may do so.

If you’re moving from the Outer Region to the Middle Region, you must cross the bridge and face the Sentinel. You may challenge the Sentinel only if your movement is sufficient to carry you across the bridge into the Middle Region. If you simply land on the Sentinel space, you may not face the Sentinel.

If you defeat or evade the Sentinel, move to the Hills space and complete your movement according to your roll, choosing whether you’ll move left or right. If you are defeated, lose one life (or use an object or spell card to protect it). Your turn ends on the Sentinel space.

If it’s a tie, your turn ends, but you don’t lose a life.

Encountering The Warlock’s Cave

If you land on the Warlock’s Cave in the Middle Region, you may choose to accept a quest. Such quests are one way to acquire a Talisman!

To accept a quest: Roll one die. Follow the matching rules listed on the Warlock’s Cave space. If you can complete your quest immediately, you must do so. If you are on another part of the board and complete a Quest, you will be transported back to the Warlock’s Cave.

You may not accept more than one quest at a time. If you have accepted a quest but not completed it and collect a Talisman through other means, your quest ends and you are not teleported to the Warlock’s Cave space.

ALTERNATE RULES

Dire Toad

Use this alternate rule to make the toad transformation more challenging. When you’re transformed into a toad, instead of being transformed for one turn, you’re stuck as a toad for three turns!

As a toad, you have: 

Strength: 1
Craft: 1
Movement: 1 space per turn
Life: Retain your character’s life
Fate: Retain your character’s fate

When you become a toad, all of your objects, followers and gold are dropped onto the space where you transformed. Additional strength and craft counters are not added to your attack score. You cannot cast or gain spells, though you keep the ones you had. When you return to normal, your character will be as before, minus any objects, followers, gold, fate and lives lost while a toad.

Fatality

Use this alternate rule to make character death more challenging. If you lose all your lives, you are defeated! All objects, magic objects, followers and gold in your possession are dropped on the space you occupy. Your turn is over.

Remember, if you’re still stuck, you can always join our official Nomad Games discord, full of expert Talisman players who are always happy to help.