Shadows over Camelot

A cooperative boardgame with a malevolent twist!

By Serge Laget & Bruno Cathala

For 3 - 7 players

In most games, players compete against each other to achieve victory. Shadows over Camelot proposes a journey of a very different kind, where you and your fellow players, as Knights of the Round Table, will collaborate to jointly defeat... the game!

This week we will take a brief look at your life as a Knight.

Fate (and luck!) might have made you the son of a King, casting you in the role of Sir Gawain, or even possibly the monarch himself as King Arthur. You might even appear as an exotic, foreign Saracen Knight, such as Sir Palamedes.

Freshly knighted, you will receive, at the start of the game, your very own Coat of Arms. Study it and its components carefully for the future of Camelot may very well ride on it!

On your Coat of Arms appear:

An illustration of your likeness;
Your unique Special Power that distinguishes you from all others;
A summary of the typical game turn and victory conditions;
A spot for your Life point die, which you will use to keep track of your health and stamina;
And designated spots for the fabled relics you may capture on your various Quests.

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King Arthur

Son of Uther Pendragon

In its traditional kingly role, Arthur will often be able to lend a hand to those in need.

When in play, King Arthur begins the game. Any player joining a game mid-way sits to his immediate left.
At any point during his turn, King Arthur may exchange one White card with any other Knight, regardless of their respective location on the gameboard.
The White cards are various characters and events likely to help you in your Quests.

Sir Galahad

Son of Lancelot

Son of Lancelot, Galahad knows many interesting characters in the lands. Simply make sure Galahad stays on your side or things could go dire rapidly!

During the Heroic Action phase of his turn, Sir Galahad may play one Special White card of his choice as a free Action.

Sir Gawain

Son of King Lot

An old hand among the Knights, Sir Gawain proves to be resourceful when needed.

When at the Round Table, if he chooses to draw White cards as his Heroic Action, Sir Gawain draws 3 cards instead of 2.

Sir Kay

Seneschal of King Arthur

The man of all combats, Kay remains one of the Kingdom's best defenders.

If Sir Kay is on a Quest when a combat ends, he may opt to play an additional White Fight card of his choice, after the Black cards in play have been revealed. Sir Kay may do so even if he was not the last character to play a Fight card, as long as he is still on the Quest at the end of combat.
Sir Kay may also use his Special Power when fighting a Siege Engine.

Sir Percival

Son of Pellinore

Man of thought in a world of clash and furor, Percival is a precious ally, for his uncanny sense of what might have been.

During his Progression of Evil phase, Sir Percival may look at the Black card on top of the Draw pile, before deciding which Evil Action he chooses.

Sir Palamedes

Saracen Knight

As exotic as his mysterious lands, Palamedes the Saracen often swoops into Quests with a seemingly neverending vitality.

For each victorious Quest he is on when the Quest ends, Sir Palamedes gains an additional Life point, above and beyond any that may be granted by the Quest's Victory Spoils.

Sir Tristan of Lyonesse

Tristan's knowledge of the lands is without equal, allowing to frequently rush to his companions' side at the decisive moment.

Whenever Sir Tristan departs from the Round Table, he does so at no Action cost.

Each Knight comes with its own unpainted miniature, closely ressembling his likeness on his Coat of Arms.

With a little bit of a paint and a (lot of!) talent, here is what your final Knights might end up looking like!

A special gift: To celebrate the launch of Shadows over Camelot, we have partnered with several magazines to bring you one additional Knight, Sir Bedivere. We will let you discover his Special Power once in print!
Sir Bedivere will make its appearance in the following magazines:

Game Trade Magazine (USA) - May issue, available from your local hobby game reseller
Jeux sur un Plateau (France) - May issue, available in France, Belgium and Canada
Spielbox (Germany) - May issue, available in Germany, Switzerland and Austria
Games International (UK) - June issue, available in the UK

In the USA, Sir Bedivere's miniature will also be available directly from the Days of Wonder booth at various conventions throughout the summer.
Sir Bedivere's Coat of Arms will be freely downloadable from the Rules and Goodies section of the final Shadows over Camelot web site.

Week 1