Dungeon Twister

Dungeon Twister
Game data
author	Christophe Boelinger
graphic	Wayne Reynolds , Thierry Masson
publishing company	Asmodée Editions (2004), Pro Ludo (2005), Nexus Editrice (2006), Ludically (2009), Edge Entertainment
Publishing year	2004, 2005, 2006, 2009
Art	Fantasy board game
Teammates	2
Duration	60 minutes
Age	from 12 years
Awards
International Gamers Award 2005: 2 Player Finalist As d'Or - Jeu de l'Année 2006: nominated

Dungeon Twister is a strategy board game by the French author Christophe Boelinger , illustrated by Wayne Reynolds and Thierry Masson. Dungeon Twister was published in France in 2004 by Asmodée , from 2009 by Ludically and since 2005 in Germany by Pro Ludo , since 2008 by Asmodée GmbH. It has been distributed in Italian by Nexus Editrice since 2006 and in Spanish by Edge Entertainment .

In autumn 2009, Prison, a new base game was released, which for the first time also has a solo game mode and introduces the game over 5 scenarios. In addition, the cardboard display of the characters was omitted, but modeled plastic figures are now included.

The background story is laid out in the fantasy world of Targanum, in which an immortal ore magician kidnaps people, elves , trolls and other creatures into a labyrinthine, trapped dungeon for his entertainment , from which they try to escape. Two players (or three to four with the appropriate extensions) try to reach the opposing starting zone of the opponent with their own team. The first player to achieve five victory points wins. Players receive victory points primarily for their own figures that reach the other side of the dungeon and for eliminated opposing figures.

Game mechanics

At the beginning of the game, each player chooses eight figures and six pieces of equipment. Four of the figures are placed in the respective starting zone. The other four figures and the objects are placed face down on the eight square, also concealed space panels that form the playing field. The figures are roughly based on typical fantasy role-playing games (warrior, thief, cleric , troll, goblin and others) and differ fundamentally in their ability to move, their fighting power and each a special skill, such as opening locks, flying, regeneration and the like. The items consist of swords, armor, potions, ropes and more.

Each player receives nine battle cards, three jump cards for overcoming traps and four action cards, which are played at the beginning of each round to determine how many actions are available to the player in that round.

Basically, the player can perform the following actions with his characters:

• Uncovering an adjoining room, whereupon all figures and objects of this room are distributed in it;
• Rotating a room by 90 degrees, provided the figure is on a field of rotation;
• Fight with one or more adjacent enemy figures;
• Movement according to the specified speed of the figure;
• Use of an object or a special ability;
• Jump over a trap.

If one of the players decides to attack an opposing figure, both players face down choose a combat card and add this to the combat strength of their figure. The figure with the lower result is defeated and is considered injured. The combat cards used (except for the “0” card) are removed from the game. An injured figure cannot take an independent action and automatically has a combat strength of 0, to which a combat card is still added in the event of an attack. If an injured figure is defeated in combat, it is considered defeated.

The strategic part of Dungeon Twister is relatively high, while the elements of chance are limited: For example, the players must always plan in advance how many actions they want to use in a round, they have to manage their battle cards, the paths of the opponent similar to anticipate chess and block by skillfully positioning your own pieces and rotating the rooms, as well as finding your own way out of the dungeon. A key to success lies in the selection and formation of the team, which can always learn new accents through various expansions of the game.

Editions

Published in Germany so far:

• Base game (Jeu de Base) - 2004
• Paladins & Dragons - 1st expansion, 2004
• 3/4 players (3/4 Joueurs) - 2nd expansion, 2005
• Forces of Darkness (Puissances des Ténèbres) - 4th expansion, 2005
• Prison - reprint, 2009
• Collectors Box - 2006

Only available in English or French:

• Mercenaires - 2006
• Fire and Water (L'Eau et le Feu) - 3rd extension, 2005

Only available in French:

• Fire and Blood (A feu & à sang)
• Forest creatures (Créatures Sylvestres)
• Ice earth (Terres de Glace)

Paladins & Dragons

Paladins & Dragons (2004) is the 1st expansion for Dungeon Twister. It contains eight new characters, five new objects and new traps.

• Fields
  • Fog: blocks line of sight.
  • Rockfall: eliminates non-flying characters that pass the field.
  • Column: Hole that blocks the passage (but different from the pit).
  • Fountain of Youth: heals an injured person in an adjacent field.
  • Pentacle room: gives one victory point if only occupied by one player.

• people
  • Red Dragon (0–6): He spits fireballs in his line of sight that destroy enemies instantly.
  • Elvish Scout (7–1): He can pass pits, but not crevices.
  • Phantom (3–0): undead, can move through any terrain, but cannot transport objects.
  • Golem (2–4): can tear down walls (three times in a game).
  • Illusionist (4–1): has the evil eye, places illusions of pits or rubble.
  • Armorer (3–3): can look at the opponent's battle card before making a choice.
  • Paladin (4–3): transports up to two objects (or injured persons).
  • Pickpocket (6–2): steals items from enemies in neighboring fields.

• Objects
  • Teleportation ring: Teleports a character once to any free space in a neighboring room.
  • Fire shield: Protects against fireballs, the dragon's ray of fire and falling rocks.
  • The Parchment of Charm: Take control of an opposing character for three actions.
  • Dragonslayer: Gives a +4 combat bonus against the dragon and kills it instead of wounding it.
  • Key: Opens or closes portcullis.
  • The rope: makes it possible to cross pits and crevices.

3/4 player (2005)

The expansion for 3 or 4 players contains the basic game figures in red and green as well as eight new rooms that are comparable to the basic game (there are pits and portcullis as obstacles).

Fire and Water (2005)

Fire and Water is the third expansion for Dungeon Twister. It offers eight new characters and five new objects that are linked via the elements of fire and water.

• New fields
  • Water: one action point (AP) is required to enter and another to leave. No objects can be taken along.
  • Lava: No character can enter a lava field, whoever falls into the lava dies immediately.
  • Anti-Magic Room: Magic doesn't work in this room.
  • Library: One of four random parchments can be found hidden in each of the library chests.

• people
  • Magophage (4-2): prevents any magical action on its four neighboring spaces.
  • Acrobat (5-2): jumps up to two spaces over an obstacle without needing a jump card.
  • Barbarian (4-3): Cannot use (but wear) magical objects; wins an additional victory point when eliminating the witch and has an additional battle point against her.
  • The elemental fire (4-2): moves into the lava; +1 in battle in the lava; immune to fireballs and breath of the red dragon. It dies instantly when it enters a field with water.
  • Courtesan (3: 0): cannot be attacked or hit by a ball of fire with the breath of the red dragon, although she is allowed to initiate a fight.
  • The Prophet (5-1): spells; can look at any hall that has not yet been revealed. He can then open it in any direction.

Tournaments

Dungeon Twister tournaments are held again and again, especially in Germany, France, Belgium and the USA. These are organized by official referees and regional managers of the international Dungeon Twister League (LIDT - "Ligue Internationale de Dungeon Twister"). The national and international championships are open to all participants regardless of their nationality and level. In the meantime, various championships are held regularly: The French championship was held for the first time in 2005. The Belgian Championship followed in 2006, the World Championship in 2006 and the Three Nations Cup in 2008. The German champion has also been determined since 2009. A corresponding championship on the North American continent is being planned.

In the first few years there were various Elo ratings in which the skill levels of the individual players were recorded. In January 2009, with the publication of "Prison", the second edition of Dungeon Twister, these lists were abandoned in favor of a joint, international ranking list maintained by the LIDT. In addition to the national and international championships, regional tournaments with at least eight participants are also taken into account in this ranking.

World Championship

• 2012: Ansgar Ludwig
• 2011: Christian Freidl
• 2010: Christian Freidl
• 2009: Fabrice Wiels
• 2008: Florian Vacheresse
• 2007: Mickaël Bonnefoy
• 2006: Florian Vacheresse

Three Nations Cup (Coupe des Trois Nations)

• 2011: Saskia Ruth
• 2010: Jan Oliver Noll
• 2009: Fabrice Wiels
• 2008: Pierre Schomus

German championship

• 2013: Brian Zeltsch
• 2012: Jérôme Jambert
• 2011: Xavier Heeren
• 2010: Mario Krone
• 2009: Pierre Schomus

Belgian championship

• 2010: Saskia Ruth
• 2009: Pierre Schomus
• 2008: Saskia Ruth
• 2007: Nicolas Buckens
• 2006: François Sansot

French championship

• 2011: Alexandre Bern
• 2010: Xavier Heeren
• 2009: Illia Racunica
• 2008: Arnaud Fresnel
• 2007: Florian Vacheresse
• 2006: Christophe André
• 2005: Illia Racunica

The first three places in the annual LIDT ranking

2012
2011	Christian Freidl 606 PTS	Saskia Ruth 580 PTS	Fabrice Wiels 480 PTS
2010	Christian Freidl 606 PTS	Xavier Heeren 460 PTS	Saskia Ruth & Fabrice Wiels 410 PTS
2009	Fabrice Wiels 1100 pts	Pierre Schomus 762 pts	Christian Senksis 510 pts

Web links

• Game website (French / English)
• LIDT website
• Twister dungeon in the game database BoardGameGeek (English)
• Dungeon Twister in the Luding game database