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HOW TO PLAY

Overview Header

Trailblazer Heroes is a collaborative pattern-matching strategy card game.

Take turns to place Resource Cards into the Field to match the colored elemental patterns on the Quest Cards.

 

Win together by solving all 6 Quest Cards!

Trailblazer Game Board with Example Cards
Example event card

However, negative historical Events may appear as you draw cards. Event Cards mess up your patterns.

Example hero card

Use your Hero and Elemental Abilities to move Resource Cards around and fight back against the negative Events.

 

Discuss with your team and think strategically – otherwise the game ends when all of the spaces in the Field are filled.

All the quest cards
Header Set Up

To start, place the Playmat at the center of your playing area. Separate the cards into:

  • Hero Cards
  • Resource Cards
  • Quest Cards
  • and Barrier Cards
 

Hover your mouse over each of the seven numbers below to view the game setup steps.

Full game set up with all cards on the game board
1

Step 1: Give each player one of each Reference Card.

2

Step 2: Shuffle the Hero Cards. Deal 3 cards to each player.

Each player chooses 1 Hero Card and places the card
face up in front of them. Return the rest of the cards
to the box.

3
Step 3: Shuffle the Barrier Cards.
Place 9 cards Barrier-side up
on all slots in the first row and
column of the Field. Return the
rest of the cards to the box.
4

Step 4: Shuffle the Resource Cards. Deal 4 cards to each
player’s hand. Players may look at their cards.

You may choose to play with Resource Cards
shown or hidden throughout the game.

5

Step 5: Draw 10 Event Cards, then return the rest of the cards to the box.

Insert the drawn Event Cards into the Resource Deck.
Shuffle the combined deck, then place it face down on the Resource Deck
section of the Playmat.

AlertThis game includes historic events involving mistreatment and
injustice. Some players may find them distressing. You may remove Event
Cards with this symbol in the corner.

6

Step 6: Draw 6 Quest Cards to place face down on the Quest Deck section
of the Playmat. Place the remaining cards back in the box.

7

Step 7: Draw 2 Quest Cards and place them face up in the
Current Quests section of the Playmat.

1. Action Phase

Play cards into the field:

Place Resource Card(s) face up onto any free space on the Field.

Use your Hero’s Ability:

Discard 2 Resource Cards of the elements specified on your Hero Card to use your ability.

Use an Element Ability:

Discard 2 Resource Cards of the same element to use an Element Ability, as specified on the Element Ability Reference Card.

For example, if you discard 2 Earth cards, you may use the Swap ability.

2. Draw Phase

Draw back up to 4 Resource Cards in your hand.

If you draw an Event Card, read it aloud and immediately resolve the Event by following the steps in the Event Cards section on the back.

Keep drawing until you have 4 cards in your hand.

FOR COMPLETE RULES AND FAQ

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