With a name like Here to Slay, you know you’re in for a good time. This fun, action-packed card game combines RPG and strategy elements for a thrilling, action adventure. The game might look a little daunting at first, but it’s easier to play than you might first think.
What is Here To Slay Card Game?
Released in late 2020, Here To Slay quickly caught the attention of card gaming enthusiasts. With its approachable but deep gameplay and fun designs, this card game quickly gathered a vocal fanbase.
The game is manufactured by TeeTurtle; you might recognize them from the Happy Little Dinosaur. The two games’ art styles are similar, including some gameplay elements. But Here To Slay is the more action-packed of the two games.
While the game might seem a little confusing at first, it’s a very beginner-friendly card game. You have to band together heroes, battle monsters, and avoid sabotage in this fun game. There are even two different ways to win!
After a few rounds, you’ll be able to balance magic, items, modifiers, and more! It will also likely help you learn the fundamentals for more complicated RPG board games. However, before we look at how you play, let’s take a quick look at what’s in the base game set.
What You’ll Need To Play?
To play Here To Slay, you’ll need a base game set. Here To Slay is quite popular, so finding a set in toy/ game shops shouldn’t be too tricky, but it’s also easy to find online. There has been one expansion set released at present as well.
The Warriors and Druids Expansion Pack adds new heroes, leaders, monsters, and items. We don’t recommend using the expansion pack right away, but it would make a fun addition for later games.
Rules and Gameplay
The Aim of The Game
In Here To Slay, you can win in two different ways. You can either be the first player to slay three monsters or be the first to gather a complete party. Collecting a full party is the easier option (not to mention safest) but will take longer.
But battling monsters could quickly go wrong and leave you on the ropes. Balancing which end goal is best to go for is part of the fun and strategic gameplay Here To Slay is all about. Before we look at how you set a game up, let’s look at the different cards in play.
The Cards
There are various cards in Here To Slay, and knowing how to use each is your key to victory. Before we look at the rules and set up instructions, we’ll outline all the types of cards in this mini-guide for you to refer to.
Also known as party leaders, these cards are larger with lightly colored backs. Every player starts the game by taking a leader card. They also have unique skills that can give you advantages during the game.
Heroes cards have different classes and battle effects. You have to meet specific dice roll requirements to use hero cards. You can win Here To Slay by collecting heroes of each class and adding them to your party.
Items can be both positive and negative. Your opponent can use one strategy to equip detrimental items to your heroes to sabotage them. When a hero is killed, any items they had equipped are also discarded.
Magic cards have potent effects that can help turn the tide of battle. These are only one-time cards, though, so think carefully before using them.
- Modifier
Modifiers are also one-time-use cards. These cards affect your dice rolls and allow you to increase/ decrease them by specific amounts.
- Challenge
Challenge cards are a great way to combat your opponents. For example, if a player wants to use a hero, item, or magic card, you can play a challenge card in an attempt to stop them.
When a challenge is played, both players roll, and if you score higher or equal to your opponent, you win. This means your opponent will need to discard whichever card they will use. Remember, players can only be challenged once per turn.
Monster cards are larger than the standard cards and have a blue back. So, if you don’t have heroes that match, you can’t attack them. In addition, each monster will have specific party requirements.
If you can meet the party requirements, you can attempt an attack. However, before this, they’ll be another roll requirement you’ll need to make. If your roll is equal to or higher than the requirement, you can slay the monster.
Monster cards can fight back, so think carefully before attacking. If you manage to slay a monster, your party will gain a new skill. You can find the skill at the bottom of the monster card. Once a monster has been slain, another monster must replace it.
- Rules Reference
These cards are given to each player before the game begins. They are pretty self-explanatory and help outline how the game works.
The Set-Up
Here To Slay makes a great two-player card game but can accommodate up to six people. First, separate all the different cards into piles. Each player should then choose a Leader card and place it in front of them.
Each player should roll the dice to decide who can pick their Leader card first. Each player should then receive a rules reference card. The cards should then be shuffled together, and each player should be dealt five cards.
Any remaining cards should be put in the center; remember not to include the Leader cards. Finally, you should shuffle the monster cards and take three from the top. Place the three cards face up in the middle of the playing space. The remaining monster cards should be placed in a separate pile in the center.
The Gameplay
The player who chose their Leader card last goes first, the game continues in a clockwise motion. On each player’s turn, you have three action points to spend. You can take multiple actions, and we’ve listed them below.
You can spend one point to do any of the following:
- Draw a card from the deck.
- Use an item from your hand.
- Attempt to use a hero ability from one of your cards.
You can use two action points to attack a monster card. Finally, you can spend all three of your action points, discard your cards, and draw new ones. Some cards may say “action immediately,” which means you can use them without spending any action points.
You don’t have to spend all your action points during your turn; however, unused points don’t roll over. To win the game, you need to be the first to kill three monsters, or you can instead try to win by collecting a hero card in each class.
Here To Slay – Adventure Awaits!
If you’re bored of games like Poker and Cards Against Humanity, then Here To Slay is just what you need! The game is surprisingly strategic, and no two rounds will ever be the same. So, if you’re looking for a fun adventure game, give Here To Slay a try!
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