HOW TO PLAY
GAME SETUP
CHOOSE A CASE
Choose a Case, set aside its Objective cards, and gather the specified Encounter sets (separating Lore Entries, Omens, Locations, and Antagonists). Randomly set aside one secret Antagonist, box the rest, place all tokens within reach, and resolve any remaining Case Briefing instructions.
PREPARE YOUR HUNTER
After selecting your Hunter, place their Hunter card in your play area and their corresponding standee directly at the Safehouse location. Grab your pre-built Journal, shuffle in one random Flaw, and place it in your play area. Draw cards equal to your Hunter's starting hand size.
ASSEMBLE DECKS
Shuffle the gathered Encounter sets along with your chosen difficulty set into a single face-down Encounter Deck. Set the Endgame Dial to the starting value printed on your Case Briefing card. Finally, shuffle the Omen Deck and place it alongside all game tokens within clear view and easy reach of all Hunters.
BUILD THE MAP
Combine the locations from your Encounter sets with random ones from your collection to total 9. Shuffle and deal them face-down into a 3x3 grid, leaving enough spacing around each location to tuck cards beneath. Place the Safehouse face-up to the left of the middle row, then shuffle all Lore Entries nearby.
Turn structure
Hunted is played over a series of rounds, each consisting of four phases.
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Skipped during the first round.
Countdown to Endgame and check for Omens.
Deal each Hunter 1 card from the Encounter Deck.
Reveal and resolve Encounter cards.
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In any order, each Hunter takes a turn performing 3 Actions. A Hunter must complete all actions they want before moving to the next Hunter.
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In Location order, perform 3 checks at each face-up location checking card effects, Enemy movement, and Attacks.
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Remove fading tokens, then flip active silence tokens.
Progress.
Ready exhausted cards.
Reset Action Points.
Discard unwanted cards from their hand.
Draw to your hand size.
hunter actions
Hunters have 3 Action Points to spend, may perform any of the actions in any order, and may repeat the same action multiple times.
Draw: Draw 1 card from your Journal.
Play: Play a card from your hand.
Activate: Trigger an ability on your current location or a card already in play.
Move: Move to an adjacent Location.
Taunt: Choose an Enemy engaged with another Hunter at your Location. Move that Enemy into your threat area.
Search: Search your Location to find Progress Tokens.
Fight: Attack an Enemy at your Location.
Evade: Attempt to escape from an Engaged Enemy.
Revive: Revive an incapacitated Hunter at your Location.
Some actions are situational and cannot be performed at all times.
Exorcise: Attempt to save a possessed civilian at your Location.
Research: Draw a Lore Entry. (Safehouse only).
WIN/LOSS CONDITIONS
How to Win: Complete all Case Objectives on your Case Briefing before the Endgame Dial reaches 0.
Incapacitation Loss: Lose instantly if all Hunters are Incapacitated simultaneously during a game.
Dial Failure: Lose instantly if the Endgame Dial reaches 0 at any point during your Case investigation.
Case Triggers: Lose immediately if a specific Case failure condition is triggered on your active Case Briefing.
KEY MECHANICS
Hunter Trials: Complete trials using core attributes (Combat, Instinct, Faith, Dexterity) by matching icons and sacrificing cards from hand.
Reactions 🗲: Cards played from hand at 0 AP cost during any phase—including the Enemy Phase—if requirements are met.
Incapacitation: Reaching 0 Health or Sanity incapacitates your Hunter. Other Hunters at your location can perform a Revive action to bring you back into the fight.
JOURNAL-BUILDING
Card Limit: Your Journal deck must contain exactly 35 cards prior to starting setup.
Hunter Core: Select your favourite Hunter and choose 10 non-upgraded cards from their locked Signature Set.
Disciplines & Basic: Choose up to 2 Disciplines alongside Basic cards to complete the remaining 25 cards.
Flaw & Shuffle: Combine your Signature and Discipline cards, then shuffle in 1 random Flaw before playing.