Near and Far is a Euro-meets-adventure-style game from the makers of Above and Below. We love it. I think we’ve logged a higher concentration of plays per day on Near and Far than any other game ever. (The first week we had it, we played 10 times!) And it is not a short game – but we love the exploring, the questing, and the unique stories that are told as you play.
Jamie seems to consistently have the idea “spark” for our variants. I often sit contentedly with a game as it is, not realizing the potential for a customized experience. But when Jamie speaks up about an idea for a tweak and we begin to venture out into the misty realms of reworking game mechanics... I realize a shining sword is held in my gauntleted hand. I’m standing mail-clad looking over a vast, green sward of untamed plains where mythical beasts and incredible dangers abound. Distant trumpet calls reach my ears, and I feel drumbeats pounding, leading me into worlds of possibility. This stuff energizes me!
So I catch onto what Jamie’s doing, and I set out with her in her adventuring party, as we pose more ideas and point out problems. We bring whatever we’ve got as we attempt these quests, talking through issues and refining our plans. And if everything rolls out fortuitously, we end up rewarded with some cool treasure – a game variant we can use any time!
Here are the variants we’ve “discovered” as we’ve quested in the realms of Near and Far. In the document the details are all laid out, to avoid any stumbling blocks. But the main concepts are pretty simple:
Campaign/Arcade Blend – Use Arcade Mode cards to attempt quests even with no quest tokens on the map. More questing!!
Story/Arcade Blend – This is the same as the previous variant, but specific to Character Mode instead of Campaign Mode gameplay.
Random Threats – Threats no longer escalate in order. The deck is shuffled at the start, so you don’t know what you’re going to get!
World Card Keepers – Now when you happen upon one of those rare and wonderful World Cards, you keep it with your character until the end of the campaign!
You can use one or several of these variants together. (Now we always play with all of them we can; we like how they enrich the story.) Or if you want to add your own spin on the game experience, feel free to explore even more of that shrouded unknown. As a young traveler once said, “Adventure is out there!”
You can download these in a Word document here. Or see below for the document text.
MINI-VARIANTS for NEAR AND FAR
“Campaign/Arcade Blend” variant
A variant to use with Campaign Mode.
This was designed to enrich the game experience with more elements of story!
● Quest tokens are placed on the map per normal game rules.
● Like normal, any quest from the storybook (map-based quests or side quests) can only be attempted at a map space with a quest token.
● At map spaces with an open book icon (but no quest token) a player can attempt a quest from the Arcade Mode cards!
○ As with normal quests, this is a choice and not mandatory. If a player ends their character’s movement on a map space with an open book icon, they can attempt an Arcade Mode quest or not.
○ Arcade Mode quests do not let a player fill in boxes toward earning experience points.
○ Any card effects that relate to “quests” can be applied to Arcade Mode quests as well as storybook quests.
○ As usual, there is no penalty for failing an Arcade Mode quest. It is just a missed opportunity for rewards.
○ After an attempted Arcade Mode quest (whether the active player succeeded or failed), the card is discarded.
● In the course of a game, players can attempt multiple Arcade Mode quests on a single map space with a book icon. There is no limit for each map space.
● For successful map-based storybook quests (where there was a quest token on the map space), quest tokens are removed like normal.
○ A player could possibly attempt a storybook quest (where there was a quest token on the map space) on one turn and on the next turn attempt an Arcade Mode quest on the same space! (Since the open book icon would show then, with a quest token no longer there.)
● When a player attempts a storybook quest, they will not always receive rewards and remove the quest token from the map.
○ If a player attempts a storybook quest but they fail, no resolution is reached and the quest token stays on the map.
■ Nothing changes for the quest token; it will still be available for any player including the player who failed at the quest.
■ Because of this, when reading map-based quests from the storybook, try not to look at the rewards before the active player succeeds or fails, as this could give you an unfair advantage.
■ If that player or another player attempts the same quest, they can try for the same check as before (skill or combat), or they can choose a different option.
○ After a player attempts a side quest (whether the outcome is failure or success), the quest token is not removed from the map.
■ If the side quest was successful, that player must move their character from that space on the map before using the same space to attempt another storybook quest (meaning another side quest or a map-based quest).
○ Example 1 (normal map-based quests): Note: All quest examples are entirely fictional so as not to give any spoilers.
■ Adam ends his character's movement on a map space with a quest token, and he decides to attempt a quest. He has no side quest, so Jamie reads from the storybook the quest and options for the numbered location on the map. Unfortunately, Adam fails the check! The storybook has a reaction paragraph and rewards for completing the quest, but since Adam failed, the quest is considered incomplete. Jamie does not read the reaction paragraph. Adam receives no rewards or penalties. His character receives no marks toward experience points, and Adam writes nothing on his character card. The quest token stays where it is on the map. As usual, Adam cannot attempt another quest this turn.
■ Jamie takes her turn and ends her character's movement on the same map space as Adam's. The quest token is there, so she chooses to attempt a quest. Jamie has no side quest, so Adam rereads the map location's quest from the storybook. Jamie succeeds, so she receives the rewards and fills in a box on her character card for earning experience points. The quest token is removed from the map.
○ Example 2 (side quests):
■ Adam ends his character's movement on a map space with a quest token, and he decides to attempt a quest. He has a side quest marked on his character card (“Q2”), so Jamie reads from the storybook the quest and options for the side quest. Unfortunately, Adam fails the check! The storybook has a reaction paragraph and rewards for completing the quest, but since Adam failed, the quest is considered incomplete. Jamie does not read the reaction paragraph. Adam receives no rewards or penalties. His character receives no marks toward experience points, and Adam writes nothing on his character card. The quest token stays where it is on the map, and Adam's side quest is still incomplete. As usual, Adam cannot attempt another quest this turn.
■ Jamie takes her turn and ends her character's movement on the same map space as Adam's. The quest token is there, so she chooses to attempt a quest. Jamie has no side quest, so Adam reads from the storybook the quest and options for the numbered location on the map. Jamie succeeds, so she receives the rewards and fills in a box on her character card for earning experience points. The quest token is removed from the map.
■ On Adam's next turn, he decides to brave his side quest again by moving to a map space that has a quest token. Jamie rereads Adam's current side quest in the storybook (since his character card still shows “Q2”). This time Adam succeeds! Jamie reads him the reaction paragraph and rewards, and Adam receives the rewards and fills in a box on his character card for earning experience points. The quest token is not removed from the board, since it was a side quest that was completed there.
■ On his next turn, Adam’s character cannot remain on this map space to attempt another storybook quest. But he can use his character’s movement, if possible, to move away from this space and back again, ending his turn on this space and then attempting a storybook quest (which could be a succeeding side quest!).
● Once a player decides to attempt a quest of any type, storybook or Arcade Mode, there is no turning back!
○ The active player must attempt one of the quest choices at their full ability (using all available skill or combat modifiers), even if they do not want to succeed. Your adventurers can't be restrained!
■ Like normal, the heart track is the exception to this. You aren’t required to overexert your adventurers, so your available hearts are not required to be spent.
■ Optional abilities are still optional (i.e., if the card text says you “can” or “may” do something). But you must count all skill hands or combat swords showing in your active party, purchased artifact cards, and acquired treasure and world cards.
Example:
■ Adam attempts an Arcade Mode quest, where he meets a Friendly Sorceress. He has the choice to learn a curse from her (Skill 4) or banish her (Combat 6). Adam attempted the quest hoping for some resources, but now he hesitates because he suspects that either of these options will give him negative reputation. Because of an artifact card he wants to buy with a required positive reputation, he doesn't want to risk losing any reputation. Yet he is locked into the quest, and he must make a choice.
■ According to this rule, Adam cannot hold back certain adventurers in his active party or ignore certain cards. Everything available that shows skill or combat modifiers counts.
■ With all of his active party and cards, Adam has 3 skill hands and 2 combat swords. So he knows he is guaranteed to succeed in the skill quest if he tries to learn a curse from the sorceress. But he might be able to fail the combat quest, since he would have to roll a 4 or higher on the die. He declares he will try to banish the Friendly Sorceress. He rolls a 6, which puts his combat total at 8!
■ He would succeed in the quest, but he still doesn't think it's worth the risk. He has purchased the Srika Hair Rope artifact card, which allows him to re-roll the die during a quest. He is never required to use this, but here he wants to, so he rolls again and gets a 3. This puts his combat total at 5.
■ Adam has hearts he could spend to add to the combat total, but this is always optional. So Adam chooses not to add any hearts, and he fails the quest.
■ The Arcade Mode card is discarded, and Adam lets out a sigh of relief!
“Story/Arcade Blend” variant
A variant to use with Character Mode. (This is identical to our “Campaign/Arcade Blend” variant above but for Character Mode instead of Campaign Mode.)
This was designed to enrich the game experience with more elements of story!
● Quest tokens are placed on the map per normal game rules.
● Like normal, any character quest from the storybook can only be attempted at a map space with a quest token.
● At map spaces with an open book icon (but no quest token) a player can attempt a quest from the Arcade Mode cards!
○ As with normal quests, this is a choice and not mandatory. If a player ends their character’s movement on a map space with an open book icon, they can attempt an Arcade Mode quest or not.
○ Arcade Mode quests do not provide players with experience points.
○ Any card effects that relate to “quests” can be applied to Arcade Mode quests as well as storybook quests.
○ As usual, there is no penalty for failing an Arcade Mode quest. It is just a missed opportunity for rewards.
○ After an attempted Arcade Mode quest (whether the active player succeeded or failed), the card is discarded.
● In the course of a game, players can attempt multiple Arcade Mode quests on a single map space with a book icon. There is no limit for each map space.
● For successful map-based storybook quests (where there was a quest token on the map space), quest tokens are removed like normal.
○ A player could possibly attempt a storybook quest (where there was a quest token on the map space) on one turn and on the next turn attempt an Arcade Mode quest on the same space! (Since the open book icon would show then, with a quest token no longer there.)
● When a player attempts a storybook quest, they will not always receive rewards and remove the quest token from the map.
○ If a player attempts a storybook quest but they fail, no resolution is reached and the quest token stays on the map.
■ Nothing changes for the quest token; it will still be available for any player including the player who failed at the quest.
■ That player will have the same quest reread the next time they attempt a quest at any map space with a quest token.
■ When that player attempts the quest again, they can try for the same check as before (skill or combat), or they can choose a different option.
● If a player has no more character-specific quests and they end their character’s movement on a map space with a quest token, they can attempt a quest from the Arcade Mode cards without removing the quest token.
○ This could be the case if:
■ You completed 8 character quests, but you are not yet to Map 11: The Last Ruin.
■ You are playing on Map 11: The Last Ruin, and you completed all 10 of your character quests.
○ Example:
■ Jamie is playing as Vera. She ends Vera’s movement on a map space with a quest token, and she attempts her first character quest (labeled “V1”). Adam reads from the storybook Vera's quest and the options available, and Jamie chooses the option to roll for combat. Unfortunately, Jamie fails the quest! The storybook has a reaction paragraph and rewards for completing the quest, but since Jamie failed, the quest is considered incomplete. Adam does not read the reaction paragraph. Jamie receives no rewards or penalties. Vera receives no experience point, and Jamie writes nothing on her character card. The quest token stays where it is on the map. As usual, Jamie cannot attempt another quest this turn.
■ Adam takes his turn and ends his character's movement on the same map space as Jamie's. The quest token is there, so he chooses to attempt a quest for his character, Shardling. Jamie reads Shardling's quest from the storybook. Adam succeeds! So he receives the rewards and the experience point. The quest token is removed from the map.
■ On Jamie's next turn, she decides to brave her quest again by moving to a map space that has a quest token. Adam rereads Jamie’s current quest for Vera in the storybook (since her character card still shows “V1”). Jamie can choose the same option for this quest as before, but she decides to choose the other option, which is a skill check. This time she succeeds! Adam reads Jamie the reaction paragraph and rewards, and Jamie receives the rewards. This includes writing in the next quest on her character card, and she fills in the first empty star for 1 experience point. The quest token is removed from the board.
● Once a player decides to attempt a quest of any type, storybook or Arcade Mode, there is no turning back!
○ The active player must attempt one of the quest choices at their full ability (using all available skill or combat modifiers), even if they do not want to succeed. Your adventurers can't be restrained!
■ Like normal, the heart track is the exception to this. You aren’t required to overexert your adventurers, so your available hearts are not required to be spent.
■ Optional abilities are still optional (i.e., if the card text says you “can” or “may” do something). But you must count all skill hands or combat swords showing in your active party, purchased artifact cards, and acquired treasure and world cards.
○ Example:
■ Adam attempts an Arcade Mode quest, where he meets a Friendly Sorceress. He has the choice to learn a curse from her (Skill 4) or banish her (Combat 6). Adam attempted the quest hoping for some resources, but now he hesitates because he suspects that either of these options will give him negative reputation. Because of an artifact card he wants to buy with a required positive reputation, he doesn't want to risk losing any reputation. Yet he is locked into the quest, and he must make a choice.
■ According to this rule, Adam cannot hold back certain adventurers in his active party or ignore certain cards. Everything available that shows skill or combat modifiers counts.
■ With all of his active party and cards, Adam has 3 skill hands and 2 combat swords. So he knows he is guaranteed to succeed in the skill quest if he tries to learn a curse from the sorceress. But he might be able to fail the combat quest, since he would have to roll a 4 or higher on the die. He declares he will try to banish the Friendly Sorceress. He rolls a 6, which puts his combat total at 8!
■ He would succeed in the quest, but he still doesn't think it's worth the risk. He has purchased the Srika Hair Rope artifact card, which allows him to re-roll the die during a quest. He is never required to use this, but here he wants to, so he rolls again and gets a 3. This puts his combat total at 5.
■ Adam has hearts he could spend to add to the combat total, but this is always optional. So Adam chooses not to add any hearts, and he fails the quest.
■ The Arcade Mode card is discarded, and Adam lets out a sigh of relief!
“Random Threats” variant
A variant to use with any mode of play.
This was designed to provide more variety and to prevent one player from running away with the victory by dominating the threat deck!
● The threat deck is shuffled during setup.
● Only the top threat is ever shown.
○ To keep players from seeing what's coming, keep the threat deck face-down except for the top card.
● If a player uses a caution shield, pack animal, or other ability to avoid a threat, the top threat card is moved to the bottom of the deck, and the next threat is immediately revealed.
○ With this rule, it is possible to cycle past several threats in a single player's turn.
“World Card Keepers” variant
A variant to use with Campaign Mode or Character Mode.
This was designed to enhance the continuing narrative of a campaign! (And World Cards are so rare that nobody wants to lose them after only using them once or twice!)
● Any World Cards gained by a player stay with their character through the end of the campaign!
● If for some reason you want to discard any of your World Cards, you can do so at the start of a game (before drafting Artifact cards).
● In the unlikely event that you are supposed to take a World Card but another player already has it:
○ You can make your own call depending on the circumstances.
○ Our recommendation is to avoid the opportunity for this to happen (such as skipping the Arcade Mode card that gives the option to take the World Card in play). But if you can’t, we recommend that the active player takes the card from the one who already has it.
© 2018 House Rules
Near and Far © Red Raven Games