Guide to Shadow Hunters Board Game for Newbies

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Shadow Hunters board game is famous and attractive for all people across the world that all ages can play easily. However, learning how to play and getting used to this game will be difficult for a newcomer. So, what is the most accurate and thorough method of playing this well-known game? Janbox will show everything in the article below. Let’s take a look at some of this board game’s more intriguing features.

I. Gameplay and Shadow Hunters board game characters

1. The gameplay of Shadow Hunters

Shadow Hunters is a game that is played in a turn-based system. Each player’s turn begins with a mobility roll, followed by an area action and the option to attack other players.

When the game begins, the turn order is decided at random, and play will continue in that order until one or more players have met their win condition, at which point the victors will be announced and the game will come to a conclusion!

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Players only know their own character identification at the start of the game; they have no idea who might be a potential ally or who might be a threat. Depending on the role of the dice and the luck of the draw, players can attack, heal, build up their arsenal, and uncover the allegiances of others during their turns. Players can play more strategically in pursuit of their victory condition once they’ve recognized their allies and foes.

Every game is different because the area cards, as well as the three decks, are shuffled. Characters are distributed at random to each player, however, depending on the total number of players, each game comprises a specific number of characters from each group. The following are the figures:

  • 4–player game: 2 Hunters, 2 Shadows
  • 5–player game: 2 Hunters, 2 Shadows, 1 Neutral
  • 6–player game: 2 Hunters, 2 Shadows, 2 Neutrals
  • 7–player game: 2 Hunters, 2 Shadows, 3 Neutrals
  • 8–player game: 3 Hunters, 3 Shadows, 2 Neutrals

2. Shadow Hunters board game characters

The following is a list of all playable characters, along with their names, factions, win conditions, and special abilities:

2.1. The faction of the neutral:

a. Allie (Mother’s Love)

  • Win Condition: This character is still alive at the end of the game.
  • Special Ability: Once per game, you may fully heal your damage. It means that you have the power to cure everyone. 

b. Bob (Robbery)

  • Special Ability: If there are 4-6 players, Bob can choose to remove another player’s equipment or deal damage each time you assault and force another player to lose 2 or more health. If there are 7-8 players, when one of them is killed, all of his equipment is given to Bob.
  • Win Condition: You have a total of five or more equipment cards.

c. Charles (Bloody Feast)

  • Special Ability: After attacking, Charles has the right to lose 2 health and attack the same target again.
  • Win Condition: After two other players have perished, kill the player. For example, if a table contains five players and two of them have died, then Charles will win if someone is murdered by Charles later.

d. Daniel (Scream) 

  • Special Ability: When another character dies, you must reveal your identity. You are not allowed to expose your true identity at any moment.
  • Win Condition: Daniel will win if you are the first to kill or kill all Shadows.

Note that if another player dies before Daniel, Daniel will have to divulge his true identity to everyone. Now, if Daniel is to prevail, he must eliminate the Shadow faction.

e. Catherine (Additional character)

  • Win Condition: You win if you die first (including the case of dying with 1 other person but no one has died before). If you don’t, you’ll be one of the last two people alive.
  • Special Ability: You can activate this function and restore yourself to 1 health each turn.

f. Agnes (Additional character)

  • Win Condition: If the person on your right wins at the conclusion of the game, you win as well (even if that person is dead).
  • Special Ability (Capriccio): You can modify the victory condition to win with the person on your left once you’re in the game.

g. Bryan (Additional character)

  • Win Condition: If your attack kills any target with a maximum health of 13 or higher, you win.
  • Special Ability: If your attack accidentally kills one target with a maximum health of less than 13, you must turn around.

Note: Bryan’s win conditions or abilities are solely influenced by late-turn attacks; killing the target with Black, White, or zone powers has no effect.

h. David (Additional character)

  • Win Condition: You win if you have three or more of the following four items: “Spear of Longinus,” “Holy Robe,” “Silver Rosary,” and “Talisman.”
  • Special Ability: At any time during the game, including out of turn, David may take one random equipment card from the discard pile.

2.2. The faction of Hunters

a. Emi (Teleport)

Instead of rolling the dice, you can choose to move to one of the two-zone cards on either side of your current position (1 card in the same range, 1 card in a different range).

b. Franklin (Lightning)

You can choose 1 other player and roll the 6-sided dice once in the game, only at the start of your turn. When a certain number of dice is drawn, that player’s health is depleted by the same amount.

  • Win Condition: The Shadows have all died.
  • Special Ability: Once per game, when your turn starts, you can pick a player and damage them for the role of 6-sided dice.

c. George (Demolish)

  • Win Condition: The Shadows have all died.
  • Special Ability: You can choose 1 other player and roll the 4-sided dice just once in the game, at the start of your round. When a certain number of dice is drawn, that player’s health is depleted by the same amount.

d. Ellen (Additional character)

  • Win Condition: The Shadows have all died.
  • Special Ability: Once in the game, at the start of your turn, you have the option of selecting a person and blocking the use of that person’s ability as well as all of the repercussions that come with it.

e. Fu-ka (Additional character)

  • Win Condition: The Shadows have all died.
  • Special Ability: At the start of your turn, you have the ability to restore any one person’s health to the correct level of 7 on the HP tree.

f. Gregor (Additional character)

  • Win Condition: The Shadows have all died.
  • Special Ability: After activating this skill once in the game, at the end of your turn, you become invulnerable for 1 round. The healing benefits are still in action.

2.3. The faction of the shadows

a. Unknown (Deceit)

You can deceive the hermit card’s claims (predictive card). For instance, a card might inquire, “If you are Shadow, you must lose 2 health.” The Unknown is a member of the Shadow faction, but he has the right to claim that nothing happened and that no blood was shed.

b. Vampire (Suck Blood)

  • Win Condition: The Hunters (or three Neutrals) are all dead.
  • Special Ability: You repair 2 points of your own damage whenever you attack a player and inflict harm.

c. Werewolf (Counterattack)

  • Win Condition: The Hunters (or three Neutrals) are all dead.
  • Special Ability: You can quickly counterattack after being attacked.

d. Ultra Soul (Additional character)

  • Win Condition: The Hunters (or three Neutrals) are all dead.
  • Special Ability: Since activation, you can allow 1 person standing on the “Underworld Gate” area (number 4,5) to take 3 damage at the start of each turn.

e. Valkyrie (Additional character)

  • Win Condition: The Hunters (or three Neutrals) are all dead.
  • Special Ability: When you attack, you just roll the 4-sided dice and do the damage equal to the number of sides rolled.

f. Wight (Additional character)

  • Win Condition: The Hunters (or three Neutrals) are all dead.
  • Special Ability: Once in the game, at the end of your turn, you can immediately go X more turns, where X is the number of people who died at that time.

>>> Read more: 10 most popular Japanese board games from the Janbox list

II. Shadow Hunters board game rules

“Shadow Hunter” transports the player to a world where “Shadow,” “Hunter,” and “Neutral” are all fighting for survival. Because the existence of these items would put the world in jeopardy, the “Shadows” were chosen as the “Hunter’s” target. The “Hunter” mission was to eliminate all members of the “Shadow” team in order to restore world peace. 

The Neutrals are those who happen to exist in the midst of a conflict. Each player is a distinct character from a separate group, but the other players will have no idea who you are. You must figure out who your allies are and defeat your opponents in order to win!

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The following items are included on one game table:

  • A set of six zone cards
  • A total of ten basic and ten advanced character cards are included.
  • A total of 16 prediction cards (hermit).
  • 16 white playing cards
  • There are 16 black cards in total.
  • Eight-player cards
  • A total of 16 typical wood samples were collected.
  • One 6-sided and one 4-sided dice

1. Preparation of Shadow Hunters board game

  • Center the table, then lay 6 zone cards in pairs on the game board at random. Each pair of zones is within striking distance of one another.
  • Each player selects a color and takes two pieces of the same color wood, one of which is placed in the “No Damage” region of the “Hit Points” tree, which represents health.
  • Place the other piece in the center of the board to be utilized for Zone Card movement. His correct piece of wood will be identified and controlled with the use of player cards.
  • Sort the white, black, and prediction cards (Hermit) by type and place them in random order. Place them outside the corresponding edge on the game board, facing down.

>>> Read more: Jinsei game | Special board game in Japan | Gameplay

2. The Shadow Hunters board game rules

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The game is played in a clockwise manner. When it’s your turn, you’ll be given the activities listed below, which will be repeated until the game is over. (At least one player meets their win condition)

Change your character’s position (required)

When it’s your turn, roll both dice at the same time. Add the two numbers together and place your piece of wood on the relevant Zone Card (for 4-sided dice, the number chosen is the number on the bottom edge of the triangle).

If the total of the two dice is 7, you can go wherever you wish (except the standing area). Players are compelled to move, thus if you land on the spot where you are standing, you must retreat. For instance, if the total of two dice is 6, and you are in the 6 regions, you must roll the dice again until you leave.

Create a zoning capability (optional)

You can then follow the directions for the area you’re in, which include:

  • Hermit’s Cabin (numbers 2 and 3) (predictive cards): The player stealthily examines a card from the top of the green stack. Then pass it on to another player of your choosing. The card’s request must be followed by the card’s recipient. If B is Shadow, for example, A offers B a request card; if B is Shadow, B loses 2 health. If B is truly on the dark side, he must lose two health points. B does not need to lose blood if he is not on the shadow side.
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  • Church (number 6): The player is dealt a blank card and must follow the instructions on it (with the right not to use it).
  • Cemetery (number 8): The player is dealt a black card and must follow the instructions on it (with the right not to use it).
  • Underworld Gate (numbers 4 and 5): Players will be able to use the top card from one of three stacks of white or black hermit cards.
  • Number 9: Weird Woods: That player will take one of the following two actions: Heal 1 person’s health (can heal self), or Inflict 2 damage on one person (can choose self).
  • Former Altar (number 10): Players have the ability to steal items from other players. Nothing will happen if no one has the necessary equipment.

Note: When a stack of cards is depleted, we will mix and reuse the used cards.

There are two sorts of black and white cards:

  • One-time use: You may only use this card once; the card is destroyed immediately after it is drawn, whether or not it is utilized.
  • Equipment: For this type of card, which we can use multiple times, we will place it in front of us when we draw it so that the others know we own it. Other players have the ability to steal this card type.

Launch an attack on other players (optional)

You can attack 1 additional player of your choice from among the adversaries in the same attack range as you at the conclusion of the turn (as mentioned in-game preparation).

If you opt to attack, roll both dice at the same time, and your opponent will lose the amount of health equal to the difference between the two dice (subtract the large number from the small number). Your attack will fail if both dice have the same number, and your opponent will not lose any health. For example, if you roll two dice and get 6 and 4, you will deal 6 – 4 = 2 damage to your opponent.

Note: If you’re attacking multiple players at the same time due to a card effect, you only roll the dice once and apply the result to all targets.

>>> Read more: Buy Games From Japan | Import The Desired Ones!

3. The death of a character

You move the wood on the HP tree according to the amount of health lost when you are attacked by other players or use card effects. When you lose more than or equal to your maximum health, your character will die. You will be removed from the game when your character dies. Your true identity must be revealed (character card face up). If you kill another character, you have the option of receiving one of that player’s items; if that player does not have the item, you will receive nothing.

4. Game Over

You can reveal your identity (if it hasn’t already been revealed) and proclaim that the game is ended once you meet a character’s win condition without having to wait for your turn to do so. win.

At the end of the game, all players who meet the win criterion are deemed winners. Even if they are dead, there may be players from the “Shadow” or “Hunter” factions that win with their faction.

5. Special Ability

  • Every character has a unique talent.
  • Players must expose their character’s identity by flipping their character card face up if they want to use their character’s special ability.
  • “Daniel” and “Unknown” are exceptions, as they are allowed to use special abilities without revealing their identities.
  • You have the option to expose your identity at any point, including during another player’s turn (unless specifically noted such as at the beginning or end of a turn).

III. Conclusion

Is the information provided above stimulating enough for you? The key to victory is to recognize your teammates and foes as soon as possible because once your identity is known, your enemies will be free to strike you with their unique skills. With the Shadow Hunters board game, you’ll be able to unwind with friends and family after a long day at work.  To get this game right away, go to the Janbox website.