2

10

11

12

13

14

15

Setting up to play is easy.

Just follow these simple directions and use the

Setting up Sunnydale diagram on the previous
pages as a guide on where to put your cards.
1) Build a deck. You can build your own deck

or you can use the deck contained in the starter

where this rulebook came from, but remember to remove all the
cards with a First Patrol Logo on them. (For more information on how to
build
a deck see page 42)

2) Shuffle all 7 of your challenge cards.

Place them facedown in a small pile to form your Challenge

Deck. Now, flip over the top card of your Challenge Deck
and leave it on top.

3) Separate out your location cards. You can

have 0 to 8 location cards in your deck at the start of the

game, but you can play only 4 during setup.

4) Shuffle your Resource Deck

and offer your opponent the
chance to cut.
5) Both players reveal their
essence card and level 1 Main
Character card at the same time.

no Villains, or 2 or more
Villains are playing, you
can choose to either flip a
coin, do rock-scissorspaper, call the psychic
hotline or whatever. Youll
figure it out.

7) Starting with the active

player, place your level 1
Main Character cards into play on one of
your 4 empty location spaces in
Sunnydale.
8)The active player then chooses whether the
game begins during the day or night. After the choice is
made rotate the Day/Night card accordingly.

9) With the active player going first,

alternate the playing of location cards
on your location spaces in
Sunnydale. You dont have to play location
cards if you dont want to. You can leave some
or all of your location spaces in Sunnydale
empty. Afterward, place all the unused
location cards in the Crypt.

Thats it.

Place your essence card at 0 on the Destiny Point tracker.

Later, you will use the notch on the right side of yoru
essence card to keep track of your Destiny Points.

6) Determine the active player. The active

player is the player whose turn it is and who plays first in all
steps. Villains are always the first active player. If there are
16

17

VI. Conflict Step Players may

start fights and face challenges in
this step.
Sunnydale Park. Moving from
Sunnydale Park to an
*Fight one of your opponents
opponents location space
characters (see Fight Phase on p. 26).
fatigues your character, otherwise
* Face a challenge (See Challenge
moving to an opponents
Phase on p. 27).
location space does not fatigue
*Play an action card that is
your character (see pp. 21-22).
playable in this step
Play an action card that is
(see p. 41).
*playable
in this step (see p. 41).
an effect of a card that
*is inUse
an effect of a card
play.
*thatUse
is in play.
*Pass. When nobody is
involved in a conflict and all
* Pass.
V. Resource Step In this step you
players consecutively pass,
get to place characters into play,
this step is over.
ascend characters and attach items VII. End Step This is the last step
and skills to characters.
in a turn.
Play an action card that is
* Place a character into play
*playable
(see p. 22).
in this step (see p. 41).
an Episode Part I card
Use
an
effect of a card
*in Place
*
play (see p. 40).
that is in play
* Ascend a character (see p. 23).
* Pass.
* Attach a skill or item (see pp. 23-24)
After all players pass
Swap an item between
consecutively, turn the
*characters
at the same location
Day/Night card.
(see p. 24).
The new active player is the
*Resurrect your Main
person to the left of the
Character from the discard pile
former active player.
(see p. 23).
Move a character to an
*adjacent
location space or to

These are the steps for each turn of gameplay.

The active player goes first in each step.
All players go through these steps together alternating between their
watches inside the steps. A watch is whenever you have the chance to
perform a sub-step or sub-stage. Players alternate performing the sub-steps of
each step in any order.

Before a player can pass, she must perform any sub-step that is
marked Mandatory.
When all players consecutively pass in any step, you move on to the next step.

I. Prologue Step This is where

Choose from 0 to 5 cards in
challenges and events are played.
your hand and discard the rest.
If you have less than 5 cards,
Mandatory.
Place
a
*challenge in play if possible and
refill your hand to a complete
hand of 5.
turn the next challenge face up.
If you cant play your challenge, III. Refresh Step This is the step
where you refresh all of your
place it on the bottom of your
fatigued cards in play (see p. 21).
Challenge Deck, and turn the
next challenge faceup. You may
Mandatory. Refresh all of
*your
only do this once per Prologue
fatigued cards at once by
Step (see p. 20).
turning them from horizontal
to a vertical position you
* Play an event card.
may only do this once per
Play an action card that is
*playable
Refresh Step.
in this step (see p. 41).
Play an action card that is
Use
an
effect
of
a
*playable
*card that is in play.
in this step (see p. 41).
Use
an
Pass.
*card in play.effect of a
*
II. Draw Step This is the step
* Pass.
where you get to discard and/or
IV.
Movement
Step Time for
refill your hand with cards.
players to move their characters
18
around Sunnydale.

Play an action card that is

*playable
in this step
(see p. 41).

an effect of a card
*thatUse
is in play.

* Pass.

A new turn begins ...

19
19

So did your brain freeze reading that last 2 pages? Did your eyes glaze
over? Feel like throwing the rulebook into the nearest trash can?
We understand! The following explanations will shed light and clarity on
the intricacies of playing this slaying game.
Step 1. The Prologue Step:
Players alternate performing one of these 5 sub-steps during the
Prologue Step: place a challenge into play, play an event card, play an
action card, use an effect power from a card in play, or pass.
These sub-steps may be performed in any order. Choose wisely or
your opponent may eat you.
1. Placing a challenge into play: In this sub-step, you place the top card
of your Challenge Deck in play on any legal location space in Sunnydale and turn the next
card in your Challenge Deck faceup. You may do this once per turn. You must play the
challenge if it can be legally played. If you cannot play your challenge, then it must be
placed at the bottom of your Challenge Deck, and you immediately flip over the next
challenge underneath, and you dont place in play a challenge for the current turn.
You may place challenges in play on any location spaces if the challenge is not
location card specific, including Sunnydale Park.
Every player can have only 1 challenge in play at each location space in Sunnydale.
There may be no duplicate challenges in Sunnydale. However, after a challenge is
defeated, another copy can be placed in play later.
If your Challenge Deck is empty of during the Prologue Step, you do not
have to attempt to place a challenge into play.
EXAMPLE: You have the challenge Spring Madness in play. Your opponent
cannot place in play Spring Madness anywhere in Sunnydale until your Spring
Madness is either defeated or removed from play.
2. Playing an event card. You may play an event card during this step. Just play the
event and do what it says.
You can play multiple events in this step, but only 1 copy of an event may be played
per game by any player.
Event cards are sent to the Crypt horizontally after use. For more information on
events go to page 42.
3. Play an action card that is playable in this step. If your action card has
Prologue in the bottom of the effect box, then it can be played during this step. Just
play the action card, resolve its effects and discard it. Every action card will tell you exactly
in what step it can be played. All you have to do is look on the bottom of the card.

20

4. Use an effect on a card that is already in play and can be used at this time.
Effects come from cards that are in play. You will find these card powers on various
characters, locations and other cards.
5. Pass: If you have tried to place a challenge into play and you cant (or dont want
to) play an event, action or effect, you must pass. When all players consecutively pass,
the step is over.

Step 2. The Draw Step:

Choose from 0 to 5 cards in your hand and discard the rest. If you have less than
5
cards, refill your hand to a complete hand of 5. This can only be done once per Draw
Step. If you run out of cards in your Resource Deck while drawing your 5 cards, then
keep the cards you have, reshuffle your discard pile back into your Resource Deck and
draw the rest. If you have no cards in your discard pile or Resource Deck, then just keep
playing with the cards you have.

Step 3. The Refresh Step:

This is the step where all of your fatigued cards get refreshed. Heres how it works:
1. Refresh all of your fatigued cards at once by turning
them from a horizontal to a vertical position. This must
be done before you can pass in this step. You can only do this
once per Refresh Step.
2. Play an action card. Action cards that are playable in this step
will have Refresh printed on the bottom of them.
3. Using an effect. You can use an effect of a card that is in play
if it can be used in this step.
4. Pass. After you have refreshed all of your characters, you may pass.

Step 4. The Movement Step:

Now you get to move around your characters. Chase your foe or fly like a bat out
of hell! You can do 1 of these 3 things in the MovementStep:
1. Move a character to
an adjacent location. In
any turn, you can move
characters to or from

21

Sunnydale Park, or to or from any other location that is

adjacent to the moving character(s).
You can move multiple characters around Sunnydale during
this step, but you can only move 1 character per watch. If you
dont want to move any of your characters, you dont have to.
Vampires move 0 times in day turns, but when its
night they can move 2 times per turn. Non-Vampires
can move 1 location space per turn in either day or night. All
characters may move 1 location space per watch.
Moving to Sunnydale park from anywhere on the board counts as
moving 1 location space. Sunnydale Park is adjacent to all locations. Moving from
Sunnydale Park to an opponents location space fatigues your character, but moving from
Sunnydale Park to your own location space does not. Moving to an opponents location
space that is not Sunnydale Park does not fatigue your character (see fatiguing: p 34).
2. Play an action card that can be played during this step. This works just like
the previous steps. Just look for Movement on the bottom of the action card to
see if you can play it now.
3. Use an effect on a card. Several cards have effects that affect movement. Check
the cards in play to see if any of them can help you in this step.
4. Pass. Heres that passing thing again. If you dont move, play an action card, or
use an effect you pass. When both players consecutively pass, the step is over.
EXAMPLE: You move Faith from Sunnydale Park to your opponents
location where her Buffy is waiting. You fatigue Faith since its your opponents
location and you came from Sunnydale Park. Your opponent uses the effect on
Buffys essence card to start a fight in the Movement Step (See the Buffy essence
card in this starter). After the fight is over, you then move Spike to Sunnydale
Park. Your opponent moves Angel to Sunnydale Park. You move Spike to one
of your locations. Your opponent passes. You pass.
The Movement Step is over.

Step 5. The Resource Step:

In this step you place new characters into play, ascend characters and equip them
with skills and items for the slayage ahead. Players alternate performing any of
these 9 sub-steps during the Resource Step:
1. Place a character into play: You can place a level 1 character on one of your
4 location spaces in Sunnydale (see p.17). Anytime you place a character into
play, you start with their level 1 card.
2. Place an Episode Part 1 card into play: When you place an Episode Part 1 card
into play, the effect on the card happens as described. The effects of Episode cards affect all
players. Episode cards turn storyline play into real strategy. Check them out on page 40.
3. Ascend your characters: Characters ascend when they advance from a level

22

1 character card to a level 2, or from level 2 to a level 3, and so forth.

How an ascension works. For an ascension to occur, you need to have
the next level of that character in your hand, and you have to meet the next
levels Destiny Requirement. Once this has been done, place the next level card
on top of your Character and she ascends. Later, if you lose any Destiny Points and
your total goes below the Destiny Requirement to ascend, she does not lose a level.
EXAMPLE: Your Buffy is ready to ascend. She has met her Destiny
Requirement of 5 listed on her level 2 card because she is currently at 6 Destiny
Points. If you have a level 2 Buffy in your hand place it on top of the level
1. Now Buffy is better than ever.
The higher level card now represents the character.
The next level cards powers supercede the previous level(s) of the
character, and all attached cards stay attached.
Each character may ascend once per turn and may not skip
levels.

How to Attach a Skill

Attaching a skill to a character fatigues
the character. If the character is already
fatigued, you cannot attach a skill to the
character. To attach a skill just place it under
your characters card. You can attach as many
skills as you want to a character, but each
character is able to attach only 1 skill per turn.
Once the skill is attached to your
character, it goes with her everywhere,
until the character is discarded or removed
from Sunnydale by either fights or card effects.
Skills cannot be swapped between
characters in play.
Some skills require a special Trait or
talent requirement before they can be
attached. Check the card text for any Trait
Requirement. Talent requirements will appear
in the lower right hand side of cards against a
diamond background. Once attached, skills
cannot be lost if the Trait or talent necessary
to attach them is either lost or changed.

4. Attach a skill or item to a

character: Skills and items give
characters special abilities. Heres
how they attach:
5. Swapping items: A swap is
one character giving another
character an item. If 2
characters are at the same location
space, they can swap an item even
if they are fatigued. Any Trait or
talent requirements must still be
met by the receiving character,
and you can only swap 1 item per
watch. Each item can only be
swapped once per turn.
EXAMPLE: Buffy gives Angel
Formal Wear. Since they are at
the same location, and Angel has
only 1 item, you swap the item
from Buffy to Angel.
6. Resurrecting your Main
Character: If your Main
Character is not in play and she
has a level 1 card in your
23

How to Attach an Item

To attach an item, just place it under your character. The character now gains
the effects printed on the item.
Items are like skills, but characters do not fatigue when you attach an item, and
fatigued characters can still have items attached to them.
Like skills, some items require a special Trait or talent requirement that
must be met before they can be attached. Once attached, items cannot be lost
if the Trait or talent necessary to attach them is either lost or changed.
Characters can carry up to 2 items. You can give more than 1 item per turn
to the same character, but the most he can carry is 2 at the same time.
EXAMPLE: You give Faith the skill Knife Practice. Faith fatigues and cannot
learn any more skills this turn. Now you wait for your opponent to either play a
card or pass. On your next watch, you give Faith the item Faiths Knife even
though she is fatigued. On your next watch this step, you give her another item,
Tranquilizer Gun. Now, Faith can hold no more items, but you can attach more
skills in other turns.
Upgrading an item: If your character has already attached the
maximum number of items she can carry, and you want to attach a
different item, you can upgrade an item attached to your character
directly from your hand. Simply take the item from your hand, give it to
your character, and discard the previous item.
discard pile, you place her level 1 character card back into play on one of your 4
Sunnydale location spaces. This can be done once per turn.
Death! If the level 1 of your Main Character is not in your discard pile, the
Main Character cannot be resurrected until you draw her back into your hand
from your Resource Deck.
7. Playing an action card. If an action card in play says Resource at the
bottom of the effect box, you may play it during this step. Action cards that play
in the Resource Step are plentiful and have a wide variety of game effects.
8. Use an effect on a card. If a card allows you to perform something during
the Resource Step, you may play it during this step. Effects abound everywhere,
and yes there are many that can be used in the Resource Step.
9. Pass: A player may pass even if she has done nothing during the Resource
Step. And once again, when all players consecutively pass the step is over.

Step 6. The Conflict Step:

Now is the time to slay hard or drink deep!
Players alternate performing one of these 4 sub-steps during the Conflict Step:
1. Fight one of your opponents characters The Fight Phase: A player
may choose for one of his refreshed characters to fight one of his opponents
characters that is at the same location. The player who starts the fight goes first in
all stages of the fight. A fatigued character may not start a fight but may defend
herself when attacked. To see the Fight Phase in detail go to page 28, and to find
a quick reference to fights go to page 26.
2. Face a challenge The Challenge Phase: A player may choose to face a
challenge with her characters in play. In order to face a challenge, a character
must be at the same location space and refreshed. A player may have any number
of characters face a challenge at once if they are at the same location space. The
player that declares that they are facing the challenge goes first in every stage of
the challenge. To see the challenge phase in detail go to page 30, and to find a
quick reference to challenges go to page 27.
3. Play an action card that is playable in this step If an action card says
Conflict at the bottom of the effect box, you may play it during this step.
Unless the card says otherwise, the action card is discarded after use. For more
information, see page 41.
4. Use an effect on a card. If a card in play allows you to perform something
during the Conflict Step, you may use it during this step.
5. Pass A player may pass even if she has done nothing during the Conflict
Step. When all players consecutively pass outside of a fight or challenge phase, the
step is over.

Step 7. The End Step:

This is the last step in a turn and here is what you can do in it:
1. Play an action card that is playable in this step. If an action card says
End at the bottom of the effect box, you may use it during this Step.
2. Use an effect on a card: Look to see if any cards in play have
effects that can be used in the End Step.
3. Pass. A player may pass even if she has done nothing in the End Step. When
all players consecutively pass the End Step (and turn) is over.
Its a new turn! Turn the Day/Night card The active player is now the person to
the left of the former active player.

24

25

These are the stages and sub-stages you go through for fights.

Gameplay alternates with the attacking player going first in each

stage. Except for passing, these sub-stages can be played in any
order. Before you can pass, you must perform any mandatory
sub-stages. To start a fight, you announce that you are starting a
fight, and you choose which one of your characters is attacking
which one of your opponents characters.
A. Fight/Choose Stage
can choose a Stunt-Double (see pp. 28-29).
* Defender
Play an action card or effect that is playable in this stage (see p. 41).
* Pass. When both players consecutively pass, go to the next stage.
*

B. Fight/Draw Stage

* Mandatory: Both Players Draw 5 cards. This stage ends.

C. Fight/Battle Stage
a talent by placing a card into a talent stack (see p. 29).
* Boost
Play an action card or effect that is playable in this phase.
* Pass. When both players consecutively pass go to the next stage.
*

D. Fight/Resolve Stage
an action card or effect that is playable in this stage.
* Play
Pass. When both players consecutively pass, you resolve the winner of
*
the fight (the winner is the character with the highest resolving talent),
discard the defeated character(s), and adjust the Destiny Points accordingly.
Go to the next stage.

E. Fight/Discard Stage
Discard down to 5 cards, if possible.
* Mandatory:
Play an action card or effect that is playable in this stage.
* Pass. You may not pass until you have performed the mandatory sub*stage. When both player consecutively pass, the fight is over, and you return

These are the stages and sub-stages you go through for

challenges.
Gameplay alternates with the attacking player going first in each
stage. To start a challenge, announce that you are facing a
challenge and identify the challenge you are facing and choose the
character(s) involved (there must be at least 1). Except for passing,
these sub-stages can be played in any order. Before you can pass,
you must perform any mandatory sub-stage.
A. Challenge/Choose Stage
an action card or effect that is playable in this stage .
* Play
* Pass. When both players consecutively pass go to the next stage.

B. Challenge/Draw Stage
Mandatory: The attacking player draws 5 cards. The defending player
draws 3 cards. This stage ends.

C. Challenge/Battle Stage
a talent by placing a card into a talent stack (see p. 31).
* Boost
Play an action card or effect that is playable in this stage.
* Pass. When both players consecutively pass go to the next stage.
*

D. Challenge/Resolve Stage
an action card or effect that is playable in this stage.
* Play
When both players consecutively pass, resolve the challenge, fatigue
*all Pass.
characters and adjust the Destiny Points accordingly. Go to the next stage.

E. Challenge/Discard Stage
Discard down to 5 cards, if possible.
* Mandatory:
Play an action card or effect that is playable in this stage
* Pass. You may not pass until you have performed the mandatory sub*stage. When both players consecutively pass, the challenge is over and you
return to the previous step you were in when the challenge started.

to the previous step you were in.

26

27

FIGHTSA
CLOSER LOOK
A fight always comes down to the winner being the character with the
highest resolving talent at the end of the fight. The resolving talent is one of
the four talents on your character card.
The default resolving talent is Butt-Kicking. During a fight, you may play
action cards, skill cards, episode and item cards from your hand into talent
stacks to temporarily raise a talent at the end of the fight.
When the fight resolves, you determine who wins.

Things you need to know about fights:

Starting a fight: When a player starts a fight, he chooses his attacking
character and the character that is being attacked (the defending character that
is at the same location space). This is only done once per fight. In order for a
character to start a fight, the character has to be refreshed, although the
defending character may be refreshed or fatigued. Even though the defending
player is about to do battle, he isnt technically starting a fight.
Fights happen outside the step where they occur: The step the fight started
in is temporarily suspended until the fight is finished. After the fight is over, you
return to the step you were in.
The person who starts the fight goes first in each stage of the fight.
The resolving talent determines who wins the fight. The default resolving
talent you start a fight with is Butt-Kicking, but that often changes during play
because some cards in the game change the resolving talent of a fight.
The winner of the fight gains 1 Destiny Point. If a Main Character is defeated
in a fight, then the owner of that Main Character also loses 1 Destiny Point.
Survivors and Fatiguing: Afterward, if the attacking character (the one who
started the fight) has not been discarded, the attacking character is now
fatigued. If the defending character survived the fight, the defending character
does not fatigue.
Ditching a fight: If your character leaves a fight because of a card effect, the
fight immediately resolves, and the character loses the fight automatically but is
not discarded.
A. FIGHT/CHOOSE
Players alternate performing these 3 sub-stages during the Fight/Choose Stage.
28 1. Defender can choose a Stunt-Double. The defender may fatigue another

character at the same location to fight in place of the character chosen in the fight. This
is called Stunt-Doubling.
2. Play an action card or effect that is playable in this stage. If an action card
says Fight/Choose at the bottom of the effect box, or if an effect allows you to
perform something during the Fight/Choose Stage, you may play it during this stage.
3. Pass. A player may pass even if she has done nothing during this stage.

B. FIGHT/DRAW
Both players draw 5 cards from their Resource Decks.

C. FIGHT/BATTLE
Players alternate performing these 3 sub-stages during the Fight/Battle Stage.
1. Place an action, episode, skill or item card into a talent stack. A talent stack
is a temporary stack where a player places cards to boost any 1 talent during a fight.
Each player can have up to 4 talent stacks, one for each talent.
Skills, items and episode cards can be placed into a talent stack to boost
any talent by 1.
Action cards boost a talent by the value of one of the the matching icons
on the top half of the action card. Pretend theres an imaginary line running
through the middle of an action card. When you decide to place an action card into a
talent stack, you get to choose one of the talents that is on the top half of the card.
When you place an action card into that talent stack, the action card adds to the
matching talent a bonus equal to the number inside the icon.
The talent inside talent stacks only counts at the end of the fight. That
means that cards in your talent stacks cannot help you with talent requirements on other
cards. Also, any cards placed in talent stacks cannot be used for their effects during a fight.
2. Play an action card or effect that is playable in this stage. If an action card says
Fight/Battle at the bottom of the effect box or if a card in play allows you to
perform an effect during the Fight/Battle Stage, you may use it during this stage.
3. Pass. A player may pass even if she has done nothing during the
Fight/Battle Stage.

D. FIGHT/RESOLVE
The smoke has cleared and the dust has settled. Who won? Players
perform these 2 sub-stages during the Fight/Resolve Stage.
1. Play an action card or character power, or location
power that is playable in this stage. If an action card
says Fight/Resolve at the bottom of the effect box, or if
a card in play allows you to perform a card effect during
the Fight/Resolve Stage, you may use it during this stage.
2. Pass. A player may pass even if she has done nothing
during the Fight/Resolve Stage. When both players
consecutively pass, you resolve the winner of the fight.

29

Resolving the Fight. Total each characters resolving talent by adding the talent on
the character and any cards placed in talent stacks that boost the resolving talent. Once
the attacker and the defender have done this, the character with the highest resolving
talent (often Butt-Kicking) wins the fight.
The player that wins the fight gains 1 Destiny Point. The losing character of the
fight is discarded. If a players Main Personality is discarded from a fight, that player
loses 1 Destiny Point.
A tie means you both lose! If there is a tie, both characters are defeated and are
discarded, and no player gains any Destiny Points. But if a players Main Personality is
defeated in a tie, that player still loses 1 Destiny Point.

E. FIGHT/DISCARD
If the attacker wins the fight the attacking character fatigues. Players alternate
performing these 3 sub-stages during the Fight/Discard Stage.
1. Mandatory: Discard down to 5 cards if you have more than 5 cards in your hand.
2. Play an action card, or effect that is playable in this stage. If an action card
says Fight/Discard at the bottom of the effect box,or if a card in play allows you to
perform an effect during the Fight/Discard Stage, you may use it during this stage.
3. Pass. A player can only pass if he has 5 or fewer cards in his hand.
Once the Fight/Discard Stage is over, the fight is finished. Both players are still in the
same step where the fight began (which is usually the Conflict Step).

CHALLENGESA
CLOSER LOOK
A challenge is defeated when the combined talents of the group of
characters facing it meet or exceed the printed talent goals plus any increases
in these talent goals brought on by your sneaky opponent. This happens in
the Challenge/Resolve Stage. During challenges, you play cards into talent
stacks to meet the challenges talent goals and your opponent plays cards
into talent stacks to raise the talent goals to keep you from defeating the
challenge. When you defeat a challenge, you gain all the Destiny Points
printed on the challenge.
In challenges you try to meet all the talent goals printed on the challenge:
Talent goals are the same icons as the talents on your character cards. If the total talents of
your characters facing the challenge meet or exceed the talent goals printed on the
challenge, plus any increases in these goals caused by your opponent, you defeat it!
A player can only face each challenge once per turn: Multiple players can try to
defeat the same challenge in a turn, but each player may face it only once.
30 Some Challenges Have Trait Requirements which means one or more

characters facing the challenge must have that trait to defeat the challenge. If a challenge
has a Trait Requirement, it will appear on the bottom of the effect box.
Good challenges can only be attempted by good characters, and evil challenges
by evil characters: Evil challenges have rusty red backgrounds. Good challenges have
gold backgrounds.
Teaming up is OK: A player may have any amount of characters she wants face a
challenge.
Fatigued characters cannot face challenges.
There must be at least one character facing a challenge.
All characters facing a challenge must be at the same location as the challenge
they are facing.
You lose when you arent there: If all the characters facing a challenge are no longer
facing the challenge for any reason, the challenge instantly resolves and the challenge is not
defeated.
Starting the challenge: When starting a challenge, you first declare which of your
characters are facing what challenge.

Challenges happen outside the step where they occur: The step the challenge
started in is temporarily suspended until the challenge is finished. After the challenge is
over, you return to the step you were in.

CHALLENGE/CHOOSE
Players alternate performing these two sub-stages during the
Challenge/Choose Stage.
1. Play an action card or effect that is playable in this stage.
If an action card says Challenge/Choose at the bottom of the effect box
or if a card in play allows you to perform an effect during the
Challenge/Choose Stage, you may use it during this stage.
2. Pass A player may pass even if she has done nothing during this stage.

CHALLENGE/DRAW
The attacking player draws 5 cards. The defending player draws 3 cards.

CHALLENGE/BATTLE
Players alternate performing these 3 sub-stages during the Challenge/Battle Stage.
1. Place a card into a talent stack. This works similar to a fight. The only difference is
the defending player is trying to raise the talents on the challenge so the attacker cannot
defeat it. Also, the defending player may only boost talents that appear on the challenge
she is defending. So, if the challenge only has Butt-Kicking and Smarts, the defending
player may not play cards into talent stacks for Weirdness and Charm.
2. Play an action card or effect that is playable in this stage. If an action

31

card says Challenge/Battle at the bottom of the effect box, or if a card in play allows
you to perform an effect during the Challenge/Battle Stage, you may use it during this
stage.
3. Pass A player may pass even if she has done nothing during the Challenge/Battle Stage.

CHALLENGE/RESOLVE

Resolving Challenges
1. Attacker and defender add up
their talents. The attacking player
adds up all of his groupstalents with
any respective talents from cards that
are in his talent stacks to see if he has
met the requirements of the challenge.
The defending player adds any talent
from cards that were placed into her
talent stacks to the challenges talent
goals printed on the card.
2. Compare talent totals. If the
attackers talents equal or beat the
inflated talent goals of the challenge,
the challenge is defeated. The
attacking player gains the amount of
Destiny Points listed on the upper
right hand corner of the challenge, and
the challenge is then sent to the Crypt.
3. Losing the challenge. If the total
of any of the attacking groups talents
is below any of the challenges talent
goals, then the challenge is not
defeated. The attacking player loses 1
Destiny Point, and the challenge stays
in play.
4. Fatigue all participants.
Regardless if the challenge is defeated
or not, all characters facing the
challenge become fatigued.

Players alternate performing these 2 sub-stages

during the Challenge/Resolve Stage.
1. Play an action card or use an effect that
is playable in this stage. If an action card says
Challenge/Resolve at the bottom of the effect
box or if a card in play allows you to perform an
effect during the Challenge/Resolve Stage, you
may use it during this stage.
2. Pass. A player may pass even if she has done
nothing during the Challenge/Resolve Stage.
Once both players have consecutively passed,
you resolve the Challenge.

CHALLENGE/DISCARD

Players alternate performing these 3 sub-stages

during the Challenge/Discard Stage.
1. Mandatory. Discard down to 5 cards - If a
player has more than 5 cards in her hand, she
discards until she has 5 cards left in her hand.
2. Play an action card or effect that is
playable in this stage. If an action card says
Challenge/Discard at the bottom of the effect
box, or if a card in play has an effect you can use
during the Challenge/Discard Stage, you may
use it during this stage.
3. Pass. A player may not pass unless she has 5
or fewer cards.
After the Challenge/Discard Stage, the challenge
is over. Both players return to the original step that they were in when the challenge began
(which is usually the Conflict Step).

People to see, demons to kill;

you know the drill.
32

Stuff, game mechanics, additional rules and concepts that

make this game fun. Stuff that doesnt easily fit into a sequence
of play but is... like... important.
The Golden Rule These rules are meant to be
broken! The cards in Buffy the Vampire SlayerTM CCG do amazing
and crazy things. Anytime a card directly breaks or modifies a rule,
the card is always right.
The Most Recent Printing Rule: If 2 or more cards share
the same title, then the text, numbers, and all other symbols of that card are to
read as they appear on the Most Recent Printing (MRP) of that card with that
title. Character and essence cards are excluded from this rule.
Victory Condition #1: Destiny Victory: To win a Destiny
Victory you must reach 10 Destiny Points. This is done by winning fights and
defeating challenges. You immediately win when you reach 10 or more
Destiny Points.
Victory Condition #2: Park Victory: To win a Park Victory,
you must control Sunnydale Park at the end of the turn for 6 consecutive turns.
Control means that at the end of the turn only your characters are inside the
park. They can be different characters each turn, but they must only be your
characters. If there are characters from 2 players in Sunnydale Park at the end of
a turn, or if the park is empty of characters at the end of a turn, the count for
the Park Victory resets to 0. To keep track of how many turns have elapsed use
the park counter on the playmat with the Day/Night card as a marker.
Destiny Points Never Go Below 0. That means that you
can never have a negative amount of Destiny Points. Since some card effects
require that you pay Destiny Points to perform an effect, you have to
have the Destiny Points to pay for that effect. Sorry, no Destiny financing!

When is a turn over? When both players consecutively pass

during Step 7: The End Step.
The Resource Deck & Recycling: If you run out of cards in
your Resource Deck during play, you reshuffle your discard pile the next time
you draw a card. If you have no more cards in your Resource Deck and
33
discard pile, then you just keep playing with the cards you have.

Discarding cards: When you discard a card, it is placed in your

discard pile. Different types of cards are discarded in different ways, but they all
end up in the discard pile.
The Crypt: Cards that enter the Crypt are removed from the
game. They cannot be reshuffled into your Resource Deck
or reenter play.
The Day/Night card: To track when its day or night, rotate
the Day/Night card included inside your starter. When this card reads
Night, its night; and when it reads Day, its day.
A few things about making stacks: While playing Buffy,
you may need to adjust the play area when too many characters are on the
same location. Stack your cards to assist tracking who and what is where.
Fatiguing cards: When a character card or a card attached to a
character fatigues, you turn the card horizontally. Character cards along with
some items and skill cards can all fatigue. A fatigued card cannot fatigue again
until the card refreshes. Cards stay fatigued until the next Refresh Step. All
cards that make up a character fatigue independently of each other.
EXAMPLE: Anyanka is refreshed during the during the Resource Step and
has Symbol of Anyanka attached. You fatigue Symbol of Anyanka for its
effect in the game. Later in the Conflict Step Anyanka faces a challenge.
When the challenge resolves you will fatigue Anyanka. These 2 cards are
both fatigued, but each independent of the other. In the next Refresh
Step, you refresh all Anyankas cards.
Character cards fatigue in these 5 situations:
1) When attaching skills; 2) When an attacker wins a fight; 3) When a
character moves from Sunnydale Park to an opponent's location; 4) Whenever
a character Stunt-Doubles; 5) Whenever you resolve a challenge the character
was participating in.
When a character is fatigued he gets a -1 to all his talents. Talent values can go
below 0. So if your character has 0 Smarts then he has a -1 Smarts when
fatigued. This penalty is active at all times - during fights, challenges or for
meeting talent requirements on cards.
When a character is fatigued, she cannot do the following: attach skills, start a
fight, face a challenge, move, Stunt-Double or perform any effect in the game
that requires a character to fatigue.

34

Fatigued characters may still fight while fatigued, they just cant start a fight.
Some card effects remove the requirement for a character (or card) to fatigue
before an effect can be performed. When this occurs, a fatigued character (or
card) may perform the effect.
EXAMPLE: Faith is at Faiths Motel which says, Once per turn, anything
that would fatigue Faith does not fatigue Faith while she is here. That
means that if Faith is fatigued during the Resource Step and is at Faiths
Motel, she can Stunt-Double, learn a skill or do any other thing that would
fatigue her even though she is already fatigued.
Talents: To get things done in the Buffy-Verse, you gotta have
talent. And in this case, that means you need: Butt-Kicking, Smarts, Weirdness
and Charm. The number inside the icon represents how much talent is
represented on the card.

Butt-Kicking is represented by those spanky gold icons on cards and

show just how mighty you are in a skirmish. The number inside tells you
how much Butt-Kicking is on the card. During fights, you always start off with
Butt-Kicking as the resolving talent.
Smarts is printed inside the purple book icon and represents brainage.
Weirdness is shown by the red flaming icon and displays the characters
supernatural prowess.
Charm is reflected by the blue heart icon and indicates savoir faire and/or
raw cuteness.
Talent Requirements: A card with a talent requirement requires
that a character possess a numeric value of talent before that card
can be used or attached. However, talent requirements do not
prevent playing a card into a talent stack during a fight or
challenge. Talent requirements are listed on the bottom right
half of items, skills and action cards and are always set
against a diamond background.
Talent requirements may only be met by a single
character. This means that the talents of multiple
characters cannot be added to meet a talent requirement.
For skills and items, the attaching character must meet the talent
requirement.
35

For action cards, one of your characters in play must meet the talent
requirement. If the action card is played during a fight or challenge, then
the player of the action card must have a participating character in the fight
or challenge meet the talent requirement.
EXAMPLE: Faith wants to play Slayers Handiwork - an action
card. Before she can play this card for its effect she must have at least
3 Butt-Kicking.
NOTE: Once you meet a talent requirement for an attached card you dont
lose the attached card if that characters talent goes below the talent requirement.
Whats a talent stack? When you play cards from your hand to
increase a talent during a fight or challenge, you place them inside talent stacks
- temporary piles that help you keep track of your talent. Play your talent stacks
vertically in the same order as the talents listed on your character card so you
can remember what order your talents are in. After the fight or challenge is
over, move these cards to the discard pile and go back to the characters
previous talent level (the total talent from his character card and attached cards).
In a fight, you can play cards into talent stacks to boost any talent you choose,
not just Butt-Kicking. In a challenge, you can only boost talents that match the
talent goals of that challenge.
IMPORTANT: The talent inside talent stacks isnt considered to be real
until the fight or challenge resolves. This means that you cant use the talent in
talent stacks to meet talent requirements on cards.
Traits: A Trait is a characteristic that gives a card a label, status or
ability. Traits appear on various cards. They are always set off in small caps
like Vampire.On character cards, Traits will be the first words you see in
the effect box. On other cards you will find them described in card text.
EXAMPLE: Youre attempting the challenge
Fairy Tales are Real with Hansel and Gretel.
The challenge requires the Spellcraft Trait to
be completed. Hansel and Gretel have the item
Tome of Mediocrity attached which gives them the
Spellcraft Trait. If Hansel and Gretel have
enough talents they can defeat the
challenge.

CARD TYPES
ESSENCE CARDS
Essence cards represent who you are playing as your
Main Character. Essence cards turn any matching Minion
or Companion in to a Hero or Villain. Essence cards also
have a card power that affects game play.
There is also a groove on the side of Essence cards you can
use to track your Destiny Points on the Destiny Point track.
.

CHARACTER CARDS
There are 4 types of character cards: Heroes, Villains, Companions and
Minions. All character cards have an effect that the character can use during
game play. All character cards that are played from your hand are placed in
play during the Resource Step.
At least 1 of your level 1 character cards must match your essence card.

Main Characters are Unique: Its ok for players to have the same Main
Character in a game, however, you cannot place in play a supporting
Character if that character matches the essence card of your opponent.
Supporting Characters are any characters that you are playing that
do not match your essence card.
Supporting Hero and Villain Limits: A player may only place a supporting Hero or
Villain in play if the player has 4 or less supporting Heroes or Villains already in play.
Minions and Companions are Unlimited: You may have as many Minions and
Companions in play as you desire as long as there is only 1 copy of each. A copy
refers to the character itself, not the card representing the character.
EXAMPLE: Its a snarly Villain vs Villain game during the Resource

Step! In your hand you have The Master, Anyanka and Angelus.
Your opponent is playing Angelus as a Main Character and has The
Master already in play. You currently have 4 supporting Villains in
play already. You cannot play Angelus as a Supporting Character
(rats!) because he matches your opponents essence card, but you
can place in play either The Master or Anyanka, BUT you can only
place one or them in play because after you play one, you will have 5
supporting Villains in play.
Character cards can attach skills and items, and can carry them
throughout the game.
Characters can fatigue. When a character does fatigue turn his character
cards sideways. (See Fatiguing on pp. 34-35)

36

37

 When characters die they are moved to the discard pile. You can resurrect your Main
Character during the Resource Step, but he loses all levels, skills, and items. You can
then play the Main Character on one of your 4 location spaces. Supporting Characters stay
in your discard pile until you recycle it.
After all, when is a TV character really dead anyway?

GOOD

CHALLENGE CARDS

EVIL
Challenges are kept in their own deck on
the playmat and are played during the
Prologue Step. Unless all your challenges have
been played, there should always be a challenge
card turned faceup during play. If any card
effect would shuffle your Challenge Deck, the
top card is always turned faceup afterward.
When placing challenges into play, place them partially under the location card with the
challenges card text and talent goals sticking out.
Each player can only have 1 challenge card in play at any location space
including Sunnydale Park. All challenges are unique in play. If your opponent gets his
challenge out before you do, then to face that challenge you must go to the same location
space where the challenge was placed. Its perfectly acceptable for you to face your
opponents challenges.
Some challenges specify where they can be played. If so, then it
must be played as instructed.
Challenges grant Destiny Points to a player when they are
successfully defeated. Each challenge will have talent icons
listing the amount of each talent necessary for your character(s) to
defeat it. You will find the Destiny Points the challenge awards in
the upper right hand corner of the card inside the heart. The tougher
the challenge, the higher the Destiny Points.
You can have both good and evil challenges in your Challenge
Deck. However, Heroes and Companions can only
attempt good challenges. Villains and Minions
can only attempt evil challenges. Evil
challenges have rusty red backgrounds and
good challenges have golden backgrounds.
If a challenge can be played during
the Prologue Step, it must be played.
If a challenge cannot be put in play,
place it on the bottom of your
Challenge Deck and turn over the
next challenge card beneath.
If your Challenge Deck is empty
of during the Prologue Step,
you do not have to attempt to
place a challenge into play.
38

You can only attempt each challenge once per turn, although you can face multiple
challenges in any 1 turn. Your opponent may attempt the same challenge as you did if you were
unsuccessful in completing it, and if his characters are at the same location as the challenge.
If your challenge is defeated, it is sent to the Crypt. After your challenge has been
defeated, your opponent can place in play the same challenge if it turns up during play.
Some challenges have Trait Requirements printed on them. If a challenge
has a Trait Requirement, then one or more characters facing that challenge must
have that Trait to defeat it.

LOCATION CARDS
Location cards are placed in play during set up in an alternating
fashion on your 4 location spaces of Sunnydale and stay in play the
entire game. There are 2 kinds of location cards: unique and nonunique. Only 1 copy of a unique location card can be in play, but
you can have multiple non-unique location cards in play.
Location card types: Some location cards have types printed
on them like town or school or outdoor. If a card references a specific
type of location like, Play only at a town location, then you should use the card as
instructed.
Some location cards have card effects, restrictions, or special abilities. All
characters and challenges at a specific location can be affected by these conditions.
You can choose not to play location cards. A blank location space is still valid, and
you can play characters and challenges on it. Sunnydale Park is considered a location space
even though you cannot play location cards on it.
Location spaces without location cards are not considered to be of any type.

SKILL CARDS
Skills help make your character more powerful in the game and can
also be used to boost talents during fights and challenges. Skills include
a variety of aptitudes or disciplines.
Skills cannot be swapped between characters in play.
You fatigue a character to attach a skill: If a character does not have to
fatigue to attach a skill, that character can attach a skill while fatigued,
otherwise, fatigued characters cannot attach skills,. To attach a skill just
place it under your characters card. You can attach as many skills as you want,
but each character is able to attach only 1 skill per turn.
Some skills require a special Trait or talent requirement before they can be
attached. Check the card text for any Trait Requirement. Talent requirements will appear in
the lower right hand side of cards against a diamond background. Once attached, skills
cannot be lost if the Trait or talent necessary to attach them is either lost or changed.
When you want to boost a talent during a fight or challenge, you can play your skill cards
into a talent stack to boost any one talent by +1.

39

ITEM CARDS
Items have a dual purpose: they grant special abilities when they are attached to
characters, and they can boost one of your characters talents by +1 when played in a
talent stack during a challenge or fight, just like skills.
EXAMPLE: After the Draw Step, you have 2 copies of Love Tattoo in your hand.
During the Resource Step, you give one of them to Spike and he gains the ability on the
card. Later, in that same turn, one of your characters get called into a fight. You can play
the other Love Tattoo into the talent stack to boost his Butt-Kicking by one.
Some items require a special Trait or talent requirement that must be met before they
can be attached. Once attached, items cannot be lost if the Trait or talent Requirement necessary
to attach them either is lost or changed.
Upgrading an item: If your character has already attached the maximum number of
items she can carry and you want to attach a different item, you can upgrade an item
attached to your character directly from your hand. Simply take the item from your
hand, give it to your character, and discard the previous item.
Swapping items: If 2 characters are at the same location, they can swap
an item even if they are fatigued. Any Trait or talent requirements must
still be met by the receiving character, and you can only swap 1 item per
watch. Each item can only be swapped once per turn.
Discarding Attached Items: Except for upgrading items, only card
effects can discard items off attached characters. You cannot
discard a characters attached item just because you want to.

EPISODE CARDS
Episode cards turn story-line game play into powerful gaming combos. Heres how they work:
An Episode is represented by 2 cards: Part I and Part II. Part I cards are kept in
your Resource Deck and are limited to 1 copy per deck for each episode. Part II cards are
limited to 1 copy per player as well, and are kept in a separate stack of cards in the area
indicated on your playmat and are not considered to be in play and do not count toward
deck size minimums although Part I cards do. You must have both
Part I and Part II of an episode in your possession in order to play an
Episode card.
You place in play an Episode Part I card next to your essence
card during the Resource Step. Most Episode cards create global
card effects. When you play a Part I card the effect instantly occurs.
The Target on the Part I card lets you know what must
happen before you can play your Part II card. The instant the
Target condition of the Episode Part I card is met, you immediately
play your Part II card regardless of whether or not it is your watch, and the Episode Part I card
goes to the Crypt, and its effect is replaced by the Part II card and its Result effect.
Many Part II cards have a Cancel condition that sends the Episode Part II card to
the Crypt. This Cancel effect nullifies the card power of the Episode card.
You can play Episode Part I cards into talent stacks to boost any talent by +1 just
like items and skills. Episode Part II cards cannot do this, since they are kept off to the
40 side of Sunnydale inside a separate stack.

It is possible in the course of the game for you to have several different Episode
Part II cards in play, but you may not have more than one Episode Part I in play
at any time. If a player already has an Episode Part I card in play but prefers to play a different
Part 1 card, he can play another Episode Part I card, but the previous Part 1 card he has in
play is sent to the Crypt.
Episodes are not unique in play. You and your opponent can both have the same
Episode cards in play at once.
Your opponent cannot play off of your Episode card(s). The effects of Episodes can be
global, but the control of each Episode belongs to the owning player. Your opponent cant play his
Episode Part II on your Part I even if the conditions of your Part I are met.
EXAMPLE: You play the Graduation Day, Part I card during your Resource Step and place
it next to your essence card. All players instantly gain this effect: Characters may move to the
Fountain Quad from any location. On Graduation Day Part I is Target: A total of 4
Heroes and/or Villains at the Fountain Quad controlled by any players and Mayor Richard
Wilkins in in play. This Target means that the instant there are 4 Heroes and/or Villains at the
Fountain Quad and the mayor is in play (no matter to whom they belong), the Part II episode
card comes into play, and the Episode Part I card is sent to the Crypt. The new text on
Graduation Day, Part II is, Result: When facing Ascension of Olivikan or Commencement
Ceremonies, during the Challenge/Choose Stage, choose a talent. Ignore this talent for this
challenge. Cancel: Richard Wilkins III leaves play. This new effect means that everyone gets to
ignore a talent when facing Ascension of Olivikan. However, the effect can be cancelled if Mayor
Richard Wilkins III leaves play. If that happens, the Part II episode goes to the Crypt and its
effects are cancelled.

ACTION CARDS
Action cards can show up anytime and throw a monkey wrench into any
step during play. An action card will tell you when it can be played, just
look at the bottom of the effect box.
Boosting talent: Unlike items, which can add +1 to any one talent
during a fight or challenge, action cards add to your characters talent by
the number inside the respective icon.
Some action cards may have a talent requirement or a Trait Requirement that
has to be met before you can use them for their effect. These requirements can only be
met by the talents a character obtains from his character card and any attached cards. Cards
placed in talent stacks cannot be used to meet talent requirements.
EXAMPLE During the Draw Step, you draw the card Been There Killed That:
Discard a card. If your character just won this fight, your character does not fatigue and
may immediately start a fight with another character at this
location. Send to the Crypt after use. After a fight, you can
play Been There Killed That for this effect, or you can hold
that card if you want and use it during a fight or challenge
to boost Smarts by 2 or Butt-Kicking by 1. However,
before you can use it for its effect, your character must
have to have a Butt-Kicking of 3. You can still use it in a
talent stack during a challenge or fight even if you meet
the talent requirement to use its effect.
41

EVENT CARDS
Event cards represent consequences of life on the Hellmouth.
Event cards affect all players. Some produce effects that last
throughout the entire game, others produce effects that last for
just one turn.
Events are played during the Prologue Step. You can play
as many events as you want in this step.
Event cards are limited to 1 per deck and are unique in that only 1 of each
event can be played per game. If your opponent plays an event that you have in your
deck, you cannot play that event for the remainder of the game. After an event is played, it
is sent to the Crypt.
Event cards cannot be played into talent stacks during fights and challenges.

Hero or Villain Decks: All decks must be either Hero &

Companion decks or Villain & Minion decks. That means you cannot
include Minions and Villains inside a deck when the Main Character is
a Hero and vice versa.
Resource Deck Size: For casual play and Sealed Deck tournaments,
the deck minimum is 40 cards. Tournament decks for constructed
play have a 60 card minimum. There is no maximum size for your
Resource Deck. Challenges, Episode Part II cards, essence and
location cards do not count toward the card minimums.
Challenge Deck: Your Challenge Deck must contain 7 different
challenges, and they can be all evil, all good or a mix of both.
Episode Part II cards: are kept in a separate stack of cards off to the
side and you must have the corresponding Episode Part I card in your
Resource Deck to match any Episode Part II card in your stack.
Duplicate Card Limits: You can have 3 duplicates of any card in
your Resource Deck. Location cards are not part of your Resource
Deck, and you can have up to 8 copies of a Non-unique location
cards when you begin the game. Remember to keep your location
cards separate from your Resource Deck. The total number of
location cards you can bring to the table is 8.
42

Character card limits: Each character is limited to only 3 character

cards per level. For instance, you can have any 3 Buffy level 1 cards,
any 3 Buffy level 2 cards, and any 3 Buffy level 3 cards in your deck.
Action and Character Card Limits: You may not have more than
50% of your deck be action cards, and you may not have more than
50% of your deck be character cards.

1. Resurrections: When a Main Character resurrects, you now place her

directly into play during the Resource Step instead of placing her into your hand.
2. Deck size: The deck minimum for constructed tournament play is 60
cards. Sealed deck tournament play retains the previous deck minimum of
40 cards.
3. Only Cards: Cards that say (character) only are exclusive to the
named character and can only be used or attached if the character they
refer to matches your essence card. If the (character) only card is an
item or skill, it cannot be swapped to other characters even by card effects.
4. Leaving fights: During a fight, if a player no longer has a character
participating in the fight, you go immediately to the Fight/Resolve Stage.
The character leaving the fight loses the fight, but is not discarded.
5. Leaving Challenges: During a challenge, if the attacking player no
longer has characters facing the challenge, immediately go to the
Challenge/Resolve Stage and the challenge is not defeated.
6. Episode cards: Go to page 40 and learn about the newest card type.
7. Faith: Faith can be either a Hero, Villain, Minion or Companion
depending on her character card. Her essence card works for either a Hero
or a Villain Main Character.
8. Making Heroes and Villians out of Companions and
Minions: Minions and Companions become Heroes and Villains
when they are being played as a Main Character by virtue of their
essence card.
43

9. Duplicate Heroes/Villains are now allowed in play! You

and your opponent(s) may each have the same supporting Heroes
and Villains in play.
10. Wish Characters Rule: The following characters from The Wish
are to be treated as separate characters from their other world counterparts:
Buffy, Bizarro Land; Vamp Willow and Vamp Xander. Therefore, you can
have one player playing Xander as a Main Character and your opponent
can have Vamp Xander as a supporting Villain character. The same is true
for Vamp Willow. Other characters from The Wish are to be treated as
the same character as their counterparts.
11. Paying Destiny Points: If an effect requires that you pay a
Destiny Point to perform, you must have the Destiny Points available
to use the effect.
12. Companions and Minions and Essence Cards: Companions and
Minions automatically become Heroes and Villains when they match your
Essence card.
13. Talent Requirements: The talent values on challenges are not considered
Talent Requirements, these talent icons are called talent goals.
14. Crypted Characters: If a character is sent to the Crypt, any attached
cards become unattached and go to the discard pile.

character or challenge you want to battle. You will be dueling the

player who controls that character or challenge. Only 1 challenge or
fight at a time is allowed.
Your characters can still face your own challenges. When you do,
choose an opponent to defend yourself against when your characters
face your own challenge. When you attack one of your opponents
challenges, you have to battle the opponent that placed the challenge
into play.

Multi-play rocks! When playing a multi-player game, the play

moves clockwise regardless of whose turn it is, and you can have as
many players as you want. You will have to expand the play area to
make more room. During game set-up, just make sure that all
locations make a circle or square when placed together and that
everybody gets 4 adjacent locations, and that Sunnydale Park is in the
middle.
When its your turn to take on a challenge or fight, choose the
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Action Cards: Action cards perform unique effects during game play and can boost a talent during a fight and
challenges (pp. 12, 41).
Active Player: The active player is the person whose turn it is and who goes first in each step. (p. 17)
Ascension: Whenever characters gain a character level (p. 23).
Attaching: When a character is given an item or skill the card attaches to him/her (pp. 23-24).
Booster Pack: A package of additional game cards for Buffy the Vampire Slayer CCG that adds strength to your
deck, sizzling cards for your collection, and new game strategies.
Butt-Kicking: One of the 4 talents. Butt-Kicking is the main talent used in fighting. It is also listed on many
challenges (p. 35).
CCG: An abbreviation for Collectible Card Game
Character Card: A card that represents a character in Buffy The Vampire Slayer CCG (pp. 7, 37).
Challenge: A specific problem, project or task that must be overcome to win Destiny Points in the game (pp. 8, 30-32, 38).
Charm: One of the 4 talents.
Charm is an indication of your characters schmooze factor (p. 35).
Companion: Character cards that arent Heroes, but still are on the good side of things (p. 37).
Control Victory: Winning by controlling Sunnydale Park for 6 consecutive turns (pp. 5, 33).
Crypt: The Crypt is where you place cards that are removed from the game (p. 34).
Current Rulings Document: This document is where you can go and find answers to questions about
specific cards, situations and rules. Its at our web site www.BtVSccg.com under Tournaments.
Destiny Points: The points you earn to win the game (pp. 30, 32, 33).
Destiny Victory: When a player reaches 10 Destiny Points (pp. 3, 33).
Discarding: When you discard cards you place them into the discard pile.
Effect: The game text printed in an effect box.
End Step: The last step of the Sequence of Play (pp. 19, 25).
Essence Card: This is the card that symbolizes your Main Character (pp. 6, 37).
Fatigued Cards: Cards that get turned horizontally on the playmat during play (pp. 34-35).
Fight: A skirmish between 2 characters (pp. 26, 28-30).
Golden Rule: Any time a card circumvents or breaks a rule, the card is always right (p. 33).
Hero: One of the main Hero characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Heroes are always placed against a blue
background (pp. 37, 43-44).
Items: Items are things you can attach to a character card that give him abilities, talents and Traits. You can also
use them to boost talents by +1 in fights and challenges (pp. 10, 23-24, 40).
Location Cards: Location Cards are played at set-up and set the stage for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer
CCG (pp. 9, 16, 39).
Main Character: The character that you choose to portray during the game (pp. 6, 30, 23).
Minion: A character that is not a Villain but is still on the evil side of things (pp. 37, 43).
Pass: When a player chooses to do nothing other than say pass and play continues with the next option (pp. 18-19).
Pass Consecutively: When players pass one after another (pp. 18).
Phase: A phase is the cycle of play for fights and challenges (pp. 26, 27).
Recycling: When you shuffle your discard pile back into your Resource Deck (p. 33).
Refreshed Character: A character that is not fatigued (pp. 33).
Resource Deck: The deck you draw cards from during the game (pp. 16, 42).
Resolve: At the end of fights and challenges, both players resolve their talent values and determine
46 who won or lost the fight or challenge (pp. 29-30, 32).

Sequence of Play: The 7 steps of a turn (p. 18).

Skills: Skills are special abilities given to characters. They can also be used to boost talents by +1 during fights
and challenges (pp. 10, 23, 39).
Smarts: One of the four talents. Indicates brainage (p. 35).
Stunt-Doubling: When one character takes up a fight for another (p. 28).
Stage: The timing segment in fight and challenges where the player performs his watch (pp. 26, 27).
Step: One of the 7 steps in the Sequence of Play (p. 18).
Sunnydale Park: The location space in the middle of the play area (pp. 14, 22).
Talents: Talents are what get challenges beaten, and fights won. The four talents are Butt-Kicking, Weirdness,
Smarts and Charm (p. 35).
Talent Requirement/Trait Requirement: Some cards require a numeric value of talent, or Trait be
met by a character before they can be used or attached (pp. 23, 24, 36).
Talent Stacks: Temporary Stacks you make to keep track of the talents you are boosting (p. 36).
Tournaments: Buffy the Vampire Slayer CCG events sponsored by Score through SEVEN (Score
Entertainments Verified Event Network) and select retailers allowing player to vie for prizes, play with friends and
meet new people.
Traits: Traits are qualities that are printed on cards and affect game play. They indicate abilities and status (p. 36).
Turn: A complete progression through the Sequence of Play (pp. 18-19).
Watch: Each players individual opportunity to perform a sub-step or sub-stage (p. 18).
Weirdness: One of the 4 talents. It measures how much supernatural power a character has (p. 35).
Villain: One of the Villains from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.Villains are always placed against Red backgrounds (pp. 27, 43-44).

CREDITS
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Game Design: Chaz Elliott, Geert Van Slambrouck, David
Chipmunk Eckhard,Christian Moore, Owen Seyler
Creative Director: Chaz Elliott
Lead Game Developer: David Eckhard
Writer/Editor: William Harper

Playtesters: Jeff (Reason) Koenig, Brian Dilington, Noelle Heany, Patrick Walley, Danita
Browne, Michael Sullivan, Michael Rushing, Charlie Balicki, Stephanie Wong, Richard J. Lynch,
Marc, Luettchan, Vincent Montoya, Raistlin Serena Wakefield, Steven Friedenthal, Benjamin Davis,
Melanie Rutman, Kyle Vogt, Ben Strother, Matt Demand, Brian Crandall, Daniel Outhier, Craig
Winans, L. Matthew Tabor, David Outhier, Peale Chuang, Charles Harrington, Walter Smith,
Richard Pierson, Tom Gill, Daniel Tormey, Erin Giddings, Brennan Lile, Michael Wright, Anthony
Smith, Charles Abernathy, Greg Russell, Kevin Victorano, Troy Mayhew, Steven Booth, K.C.
Lupp, Andrew Lupp, Daniel Posey, Christopher Posey, Calvin Patten, Nancy Wester, Keri
Armstrong, Chase Jacobs, Neil Figuracion, John Bruno, Joshua Smith, R.J. Boehmer
Product Management: Amelia Bohman, Liz Honaker
Art Director: Carl Braun
Graphic Design: Junior Garza, Garyt Mabra, Francisco Rodrguez
Special Thanks: Joss Whedon, Alison Wallace, Ken Hite, Matt Colville, Ann Blake, Erin Flavin,

Liam Flavin, Larry Blackwell, Virginia King, Jeff (Reason) Koenig, Valentina Fernandez, Catherine
Nagel, Carsten Freining, Colm McFadden, Sally Jackson, Eelco De Gooijer, PEZ Candy Inc. and
our valued partners and vendors who have worked so hard in delivering their best, and most of all to
you-the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans.
For more information, fun, FAQs, more gameplay examples, latest rules updates
and a message board that bites hard go to

www.BtVSccg.com

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