AIM OF THE GAME

The goal of this duel game is to reduce the opponent's HP (Hit Points) to 0. There are game modes with some additional objectives and a Solo game mode to fight against Automa, however, the main goal is still to defeat the opponent. During the game, players will take turns assuming the roles of Offensive and Defensive players. The Offensive player will play Attack Cards to deal damage, move and activate Combos, while the Defender will attempt to Punish the opponent – block the attack and regain initiative.

Key definitions

Possible positions

Close Range – a situation on the Stage when two Characters’ Miniatures are placed on adjacent Spaces. Each Symbol that affects your opponent can be resolved only when your Characters’ Miniatures are in a Close Range. Otherwise, you just punch the air and nothing happens. Learn more about Symbols further in this rulebook.

Distance – a situation on the Stage when two Characters’ Miniatures are NOT standing on adjacent Spaces. Whenever you would need to count Distance X Spaces away, X will be the number of Spaces between Miniatures in the shortest way.

1. A straight line of hexes, the Distance in this example is 1 Space away.
2. Not a straight line of hexes, the Distance in this example is 1 Space away.

GAMEPLAY OVERVIEW

In TEKKEN – The Board Game, one Round is the act of playing until a single Health Bar is depleted. Each Round consists of alternating turns called Strings – which include the flow of actions (Attack Cards, Combos, etc.) performed by the active player. During the game, players switch between two roles:

• The active player, the one who is building the String at the moment, is the Offensive player.
• The other one who’s trying to interrupt the String and regain the initiative by foreseeing the Offensive player’s Attacks is the Defender. This process of guessing is called the Punish Attempt.

The Offensive player chooses an Attack Card and plays it face-down in the first Attack Slot. The Defender guesses which type of Attack Card is played and declares one of the three Attack Areas. Then the card is revealed. If successful – the Attack is interrupted and the Defender gains initiative, placing the Punishment token in the first available Attack Slot, guaranteeing one unblockable attack. Otherwise, the Offensive player resolves the Attack Card and the additional effects it triggers.

Turn Structure: The String

The String involves one or more Attacks by the Offensive player, broken down into these steps:

The Attack Steps

1. Optional: Before playing an Attack Card, use Heat, Dash, or Stance Change.
2. Playing an Attack Card: Play an Attack Card face-down.
3. Defender’s Punish Attempt: The Defender declares Attack Area.
4. Reveal Attack Card and check if the Defender guessed correctly (it matches with declared Attack Area).
1. Attack defended – Successful Punish Attempt: Discard and switch roles.
2. Attack succeeded – Unsuccessful Punish Attempt: Resolve Attack (in any order):
• Symbols from Attack Card (and Extension, if Connected).
• Combo (if met conditions).
• Rage (once per Round, if revealed).
3. Refill cards in hand (resolve Event, if drawn).

Each step is explained in detail in the next sections of this rulebook.

TURN STEPS EXPLANATION

Before playing an Attack Card

There are several possibilities to make your situation on the Stage slightly better. That’s not obligatory to do, but feel free to use them to prepare to fight.

Stance Change – If the Offensive player has 3 Attack Cards of the same color or 3 Attack Cards with the same Attack Area in the hand before playing a card, they may reveal their hand to the opponent and then discard these cards to their discard pile face-down and draw 3 new Attack Cards from their deck.

Dash – If the Distance is more than 1 Space between Characters, they may perform a Dash. Shorten the Distance to 1 Space between Characters’ Miniatures by moving the Offensive player’s Miniature as many Spaces as needed in the shortest possible way. Note: If you need to enter any special Spaces on the way, apply the effect.

Heat – Once per Round, you may activate the Heat Token to gain an extra Attack Slot in the String. During that String, you will not lose initiative even if the Defender guessed the Attack Area correctly and blocked your Attack.

Playing an Attack Card

The Offensive player places 1 hidden (face-down) Attack Card to the first available Attack Slot on the Combo Board. Attack Slots are marked on the Combo Board with the Heat token, and the cards should be played above them, consequently from the leftmost to right.

Defender’s Punish Attempt

The Defender is trying to anticipate which type of Attack Card the Offensive player chose to play and declares one of the three Attack Areas (High, Mid, or Low). Then the Offensive player reveals the Attack Card. Unsuccessful Punish Attempt: If the declared Attack Area does not match the Attack Area on the played card. The Attack is not blocked. The Offensive player proceeds to Resolving the Attack Card step. Successful Punish Attempt: If the declared Attack Area matches the Attack Area on the played card. The Attack is blocked, the String is interrupted, and ends immediately. The Defender gains the Punishment Token and places it on their first available Attack Slot. The Offensive player discards all the cards from their Attack Slots to the discard pile face-down. Proceed directly to Refilling Attack Cards in Hand step and switch the roles.

Resolving the Attack Card

The revealed Attack Card contains a set of Symbols to be resolved and can trigger Combo and/or Rage if the player decides so.