Poker's Rogue Reckoning
By Damian Reloaded (2025)
The Lay of Poker
Through silent fields of Emberfen, where ashen flowers grow,
The East Wind drifts through ghostly reeds, with tidings soft and low.
“What news from yonder shadowed lands, O weary wind of night?
Hast seen fair Caelen, kind and true, in dungeon’s sunless blight?”
“I saw them bound in shadow’s keep, where Twelve dark foes hold reign;
I heard their laughter echo deep, a dirge of grief and pain.
They burned the homes of Emberfield, they razed the village fair;
They chained thy love in caverns dim, ’neath towers of despair.”
Through hollow gates of Ironhallow, the South Wind moans in grief;
It bears the cries of broken kin, of sorrow past belief.
“What news from Dungeonfall, O wind, that wanders from the fray?
Hast glimpsed the Twelve in shadowed halls, where night devours the day?”
“Ask not of me where hope may dwell; the dead their silence keep.
Their bones lie pale beneath the thrones of lords who never sleep.
Yet one walks there with dice in hand, whose heart is set aflame—
A player bold, whose name is told, and Poker is that name.”
From northern peaks of Frostvein Ridge the cold wind calls aloud;
It speaks of vengeance sworn in blood, of oaths both fierce and proud.
“What news from Dungeonfall, O wind, that sweeps the frozen plain?
What word of Twelve within their halls, who bind the world in chain?”
“I saw the halls of Dungeonfall, where curses guard the deep;
I saw the Twelve enthroned in might, where none may safely sleep.
Yet through that dark I glimpsed a flame—a will that would not part:
’Twas Poker, striding bold and tall, with vengeance in their heart.”
“O Caelen dear, through dungeon deep, thy voice shall call to me;
Though foes be twelve and darkness deep, yet I shall set thee free.
The dice shall fall, the cards shall turn, the dungeon’s lords shall die;
And from the tomb of shadow’s reign, thy chains shall break—and fly.”
Poker's Rogue Reckoning - Rulebook
Get the files at Board Game Geek ↗
See the video tutorial on YouTube ↗
Game Overview
Roguelike game using a 54-card deck, colored dice for tracking stats and resolving combat and a 2x2 or 3x3 room grid per round. Cards are flipped to reveal enemies, potions, curses and money.
Components
- 54-card deck
- 12 Red dice (for HP tracking)
- 2 Blue dice (for player/enemy Attack Points - ATK)
- 1 Yellow die (for Shield points)
- 1 Counter (for money tracking)
- 5 White dice (player combat rolls)
- 5 Black dice (enemy combat rolls)
Starting Setup
- 2 red dice (HP) set to 6 for the player (12 HP points)
- 1 red die (HP) set to 6 for the enemy
- Money set to 12 (2 yellow dice set to 6 each or a counter set to 12)
- 1 blue die (ATK) set to 2 for the player
- 1 blue die (ATK) set to 1 for the enemy
- 2 white dice and 1 black die for combat rolls
- Prepare the deck and shuffle
Level Structure
- Each round: 4 cards in a 2x2 grid or 9 cards in a 3x3 grid representing dungeon rooms.
- The player chooses which card to reveal and resolve one at a time.
- Cards that cannot be afforded remain in play until all bosses are defeated.
- When all enemies are defeated, unbought cards are discarded and the next level is dealt.
- When the round ends, the player regains 2 HP.
- In Reshuffle Mode, discards are reshuffled into the deck (recommended for 9x9 rooms).
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| 4 Rooms | Without reshuffling the discard back |
| 9 Rooms | Reshuffling the discard back into the deck every round |
The player chooses which card to reveal and resolve one at a time.
Cards that cannot be afforded remain in play until all bosses have been defeated.
When there are no more enemies left to defeat in the level, any remaining unbought cards are discarded and the next level is dealt, refilling the grid again with 4 or 9 new cards.
When the round ends the player rests and regains 2 HP
Buying Mechanics
- Cards with yellow values can be bought. Money decreases by the card value.
- Cards lower than 5 (2, 3, 4 white numbers) can only be acquired by rolling their exact value.
- Shield points can be bought for 4 money each (max 6 shield points).
- Potion yellow 5 = 5 money / Potion white 3 = free if exact roll succeeded.
Potion yellow 5 bought with 5 money / Potion white 3 is only acquired if its value (3) is rolled with one die
Combat Modes and Card Types
Enemies
- Enemies: Demons, Orcs, Sorcerer Queens, Evil Kings.
| Tier | HP Dice | ATK Die |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 red (6) | 1 blue (1) |
| 2 | 2 red (6) | 1 blue (2) |
| 3 | 3 red (6) | 1 blue (3) |
| 4 | 4 red (6) | 1 blue (4) |
| Final (12th enemy) | 5 red (6) | 1 blue (5) |
Tier 1 enemy buffed with 2 curses (1+2 ATK) Tier 3 enemy buffed with 1 curse (3+1 ATK)
Combat
- Player and enemy dice rolled together or alternately.
- ATK points discounted from opponent’s health.
- HP dice reduced to zero are set aside.
- Enemy abilities resolve first.
- Final boss has 5 ATK and 5 HP dice (6 each).
- Ties below max: optional player reroll; ties at max: full reroll.
- Enemy tier increases every 3 defeated enemies.
Combat Mode 1: Poker’s Combat
- Combat Tier = enemy's blue die value.
- Number of dice = ATK value (1 ATK = 1 die, up to 5).
- Best 5 dice form poker hand; highest wins.
- Loser takes damage equal to opponent’s ATK + buffs.
- Ties allow rerolls or reset.
Dice Poker Hands (Lowest to Highest)
- High Die / Bust
- One Pair
- Two Pair
- Three of a Kind
- Full House
- Four of a Kind
- Straight
- Five of a Kind
Example: Enemy forms Straight (2–6) / Player forms Full House → Enemy wins and inflicts 4 damage (3+1 buff).
Dice Poker Hands (Lowest to Highest)
Combat Mode 2: Jack’s Combat
“Push Your Luck” system inspired by blackjack.
- Player and enemy roll dice one at a time (Hit or Stand).
- Bust if total exceeds limit; auto-stand at 30% below max.
- Combat Tier = enemy ATK value; 1 ATK = 1 die.
- ATK die value added to combat roll.
Enemy Dice Limits per Combat Tier
| Tier | Bust | Enemy Auto-Stand (Even) | Enemy Auto-Stand (Odd) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | >7 | >=5 | >=3 |
| 2 | >11 | >=8 | >=6 |
| 3 | >15 | >=11 | >=9 |
| 4 | >18 | >=13 | >=11 |
| 5 | >18 | >=13 | N/A |
Flow of Combat
- Odd Enemies: Enemy rolls first until stand/bust.
- Even Enemies: Player rolls first, choosing Hit or Stand.
- If neither busts: higher total wins; ties cause rerolls or resets.
Damage Resolution
- Loser (or bust) takes opponent’s ATK +1 per buff card.
- Example: Enemy rolls 6 (5+1ATK); Player rolls 7 → Enemy takes 2 damage.
Combat Mode 3: Max Attack Points
- Tier = blue die value.
- Player and enemy roll dice equal to their Tier.
- Blue die = damage value + buffs.
- Combat pad used to assign dice to action slots.
Flow of Combat
- Both sides roll all dice.
- Enemy places dice left to right (high → low).
- Player allocates dice strategically.
- Higher die per slot wins that slot’s action.
- Tie = no action.
- If enemy has fewer dice, empty slot value = rightmost enemy die +1.
- Player may reposition dice for tactical advantage.
Combat Pad Slots
- Attack: Highest value deals ATK + buffs as damage.
- Heal 2HP / Prevent Healing: Player heals if higher; enemy prevents if higher.
- Block 1ATK: Highest value reduces damage by 1.
- Reroll 1 Die / Prevent Reroll: Player rerolls one die (once per combat).
- Block 1 Buff: Disables opponent’s active buff card.
- Buy / Prevent Buying: Higher die allows 1 buy action during combat.
Tie during combat roll. Enemy has 1ATK+2Roll vs Player 2ATK+1Roll. (buffs only sum for damage done) - The player can re-roll the white dice to counter attack.
Fleeing from Combat
When the player or the enemy flee from combat, the enemy is shuffled back into the deck to be fought again later.
Deck Shuffling
- Without reshuffling: if any card is shuffled back, the entire deck must be reshuffled before drawing again.
- In reshuffling mode: the discard is re-added to the deck and reshuffled at the end of each round.
Shielding
- Shield points cost 4 money each (tracked with a yellow die).
- Max shield points = 6.
- Shields absorb damage before HP. When depleted, the yellow die is removed.
- Resting does not restore shield points; they must be bought again.
- Shields can be purchased anytime, even if HP isn’t full.
Item Cards
Red Potion (Healing)
- White numbers (2–4): must roll exact value with one die to acquire.
- Yellow numbers (5–10): can be bought with money.
- Potions may remain face-up to be bought later; unbought ones are discarded if no enemies remain.
- Heals HP equal to the potion’s value.
- Potions can be used immediately or saved for later combat.
- Cannot be used if enemy pad prevents healing.
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| White numbers (2–4) | Must roll exact number |
| Yellow numbers (5–10) | Can be bought with money |
Player must roll the exact white number / Player can buy potions with yellow numbers
Blue Potion (Player Buff)
- White numbers (2–4): must roll exact value.
- Yellow numbers (5–10): can be bought with money.
- Can be bought after other cards are revealed; unbought ones are discarded if no enemies remain.
- Must be applied before battle to increase ATK +1 per card (not per value).
- Can remove curses of equal or lower total value (sum of potion values may combine).
- After combat, all buffs are discarded.
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| White numbers (2–4) | Must roll exact number |
| Yellow numbers (5–10) | Can be bought with money |
Player must roll the exact white number / Player can buy potions with yellow numbers
Curse (Enemy Buff)
- Single Curses (2–4): avoided by rolling exact number with one die.
- Dual Curses (5–10): avoided by rolling equal or higher with two dice.
- Rolling exact value turns it into a +1 ATK player buff for next fight.
- Unavoided curses are placed below enemy dice and add +1 ATK per card.
| Type | Effect |
|---|---|
| Single Curse | Buffs enemies (+1 ATK) |
| Dual Curse | Can become player buff if exact roll achieved |
Single curse only buffs enemies / Dual Curse can buff enemy or player depending on whether the player succeded in rolling its value
Money
- Money cards are picked freely when revealed.
- Value is added to player’s counter; optionally restore 1–3 HP instead.
- Max capacity = 24; excess money cards are discarded.
- If at max capacity, player may reveal new cards, spend money, then collect previous cards.
- Money cards can remain revealed during combat and collected after it ends.
Card Abilities
Card abilities may be resolved at any point during combat, unless a specific timing is stated on the card.
Card Abilities
- Abilities can be played anytime unless stated otherwise.
- Potions granting ATK must be used at combat start.
- Abilities requiring discard are optional; e.g., blue potion can remain or be activated and discarded.
- Enemy abilities resolve first during combat.
Buff Card Abilities (Blue Potion)
| Rank | Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Overcharge | +2 ATK for this fight |
| 3 | Evade | Flee combat for free; reshuffle enemy into deck |
| 4 | Tradeoff | Reroll your dice and discard this potion |
| 5 | Scout | Peek at top 2 deck cards and swap them with unrevealed rooms |
| 6 | Nullify | Cancel ATK gain from 1 curse (curse effect remains) |
| 7 | Miracle | Use healing potion and keep it; discard blue potion |
| 8 | Fortune | Gain double this potion’s value in money |
| 9 | Focus | Auto-win ties (nullified by enemy Focus) |
| 10 | Recover | Pick any card from discard; discard this potion |
Curse Card Abilities
| Rank | Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Recharge | Recover top curse from discard and put into play |
| 3 | Poison | Player loses 2 HP |
| 4 | Evade | Enemy flees if HP = 1 |
| 5 | Focus | Auto-win ties (nullified by Focus) |
| 6 | Misplace | Player loses one buff/healing potion at combat start |
| 7 | Coin Rot | Player loses 10 money (or all if <10); enemy loses 3HP if curse equipped by player |
| 8 | Blight | Disables healing; enemy discards highest curse under 5 |
| 9 | Terrorize | Opponent cannot flee combat |
| 10 | Nullify | Cancel ATK gain from 1 buff; effect remains |
Healing Card Abilities (Red Potion)
| Rank | Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Roar | Heal 2 or deal +3 damage; discard |
| 3 | Elevate | Heal 3 or roll 1 extra die; discard |
| 4 | Strategy | Heal 4 or flee if HP>6; discard |
| 5 | Prism | Heal 5 or act as buff (+1 ATK) |
| 6 | Cleanse | Heal 5 or remove one curse; discard |
| 7 | Stun | Heal 7 or disable enemy die once; discard |
| 8 | Alchemy | Heal 8 or pick 2 money cards from discard; discard |
| 9 | Shield | Heal 9 or subtract 3 combat points from enemy roll; discard |
| 10 | Time Travel | Heal 10 or restart combat (enemy full HP; player HP rerolled) |
Player Tier Cards
- Sword Cards: Permanently increase ATK +1; set aside after revealed.
- Heart Cards: Add one red HP die set to 6; set aside after revealed.
Blue Potion / Curse Buff Resolution
- Uncleansed curses grant +1 ATK to enemies per card.
- Played blue potions grant +1 ATK per card.
- After combat, all curse and buff cards under dice are discarded.
Sword cards increase the player’s ATK points permanently / Hearth cards give the player 1 additional HP die permanently.
Victory Condition
- Victory: All 12 enemies defeated.
- Defeat: Player HP reaches 0 while still having 1 ATK.
Notes
- Starting with 2 ATK and 12 HP provides balanced gameplay.
- Starting with 1 ATK or 6 HP can lead to faster loss; reshuffling improves balance.
- If HP drops below 1, player may trade 1 ATK (if >1) to fully recharge 1 HP die.
- Easy mode: trade 1 ATK to recharge all depleted dice.
- Game can be played with standard 52-card deck + 2 Jokers.
Conversion to Standard Deck
| Card | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Aces | Swords (+1 ATK) |
| Jokers | Hearts (+1 HP die set to 6) |
| Face Cards | Enemies |
| Hearts (2–10) | Red Potions (Healing) |
| Spades (2–10) | Blue Potions (Buffs) |
| Clubs (2–10) | Curses (Enemy Buffs) |
| Diamonds (2–10) | Money |
Possible Gameplay Adjustments
- Increase Tier 1 enemy ATK above 1.
- Heart and Sword cards can return to deck.
- Resting doesn’t restore HP.
- Health cards must be used immediately or wasted.
- Buff cards must be played in next combat and discarded.
- No counterattack if combat ends in tie.
- Money, curses, and potions can be reshuffled into the deck.
- Trading 1 ATK restores all red dice instead of one.
- Player starts with 6/12/18 HP and 1/2/3 ATK options.
- Final boss may have 5+ HP dice.
- Deck should include 1 enemy per 4 non-enemy cards.
- Reshuffling discard pile after each round extends gameplay and reduces randomness.
- Bribe: Spend 10/15/20 money (tiers 1–3) to flee combat; reshuffle enemy.
- Revival Pill: Combine 1 buff potion, 1 healing potion, and 10 money to revive (once per run).
- Pride: Player may reject a Tier card and shuffle it back to appear later.
Player vs Player Mode
Win Condition:
First player to gather 7 Monster Cards wins.
Setup
- Shuffle the entire deck.
- Each player receives 13 cards.
- Deal a 3×3 grid of cards face-down onto the table.
- Players take turns revealing cards from the grid.
Grid Card Resolution
Cards revealed from the grid resolve exactly as in single-player mode, with the following PvP exceptions:
Curses
- When a curse card is revealed, the player who revealed it must attempt to acquire or nullify it normally.
- If the curse cannot be acquired or nullified, it is given to the opponent, who must use it immediately during combat.
- Curse cards may be dealt in the opening 13-card hand. The player can choose when to play these curse cards. Curse cards acquired through revealing cards in the grid are automatically played and must be used during the next combat.
Monsters
- When a Monster card is revealed, combat begins.
- Both players agree on one of the three Combat Modes for this combat (Sum Combat, Poker’s Combat, or Jack’s Combat).
- Both players resolve combat using the same rules that apply to the player in single-player mode.
- Combat ends when one player’s HP is reduced to zero.
- The winner takes the Monster card and places it in their scoring area.
- The HP of each player is restored to full after combat according to their tier.
- Player's tier is increased permanently by one after they have collected 3 monsters. The 3 cards must be set on display on the table for this to have effect.
- Players may be dealt Monster cards in their opening 13-card hand. These Monster cards may be kept hidden in hand and do not need to be revealed until the player reaches the required 7 or if the player wants to increase their tier.
Acquiring Cards
- Whenever a player picks or buys a card from the grid, they must discard one card from their hand, keeping their hand size at 13 cards.
Tier Cards (Sword, Heart)
- Tier cards, when played, increase the ATK/HP points of the player temporarily for the current round only. The player's tier is reset to the previous value and the tier cards are shuffled back into the deck when all cards in the grid have been resolved and the round ends.
- A player may choose not to use a tier card immediately and instead hold it in hand to play later.
Round Flow
- When all 9 cards in the grid are revealed and resolved, the deck is reshuffled.
- A new 3×3 grid is dealt.
- Play continues in turns until one player collects 7 Monster cards, achieving victory.
