Fatigue: The party must periodically rest and

4AD Miniatures Rules replenish with food and water while exploring
the dungeon. For every five turns spent
exploring, the party must spend one turn
Four Against Darkness (4AD) combat rules resting or they will become fatigued. When
are designed to be quickly resolved using the party is fatigued, all attack, defense and
just your imagination, a six-sided die, a saving throw rolls are made with a -1 penalty
pencil and a piece of paper. These optional until the party is able to rest for at least 1
rules are provided if you wish to use turn. A fatigued party cannot run away from
miniatures and a scaled grid to represent combat.
more tactical combat encounters.
Recording Time: The passage of time can
Miniatures: Plastic or metal miniatures are easily be recorded on the play sheet with a
the most commonly used and readily simple tick mark for each turn the party
available, but other options include paper or spends performing the actions above.
cardboard standees, glass beads or tokens.
These rules will assume 28mm scale figures, Combat Rounds: When an encounter
standees or tokens are being used to begins, the passage of time changes to
represent medium sized creatures while reflect the types of actions required to
using a 1" square grid combat surface. respond to immediate dangers. It is assumed
that it takes about 10 seconds to resolve a
single round of attack and defense rolls. The
Time basic unit of time for combat encounters is
the Round:
Turns: As described in the 4AD Rulebook on
pg. 41, it takes about 10 minutes to explore 1 ROUND = 10 SECONDS
and map each generated room or corridor
section. The basic unit of time for exploring Most combat encounters will only last for a
the dungeon is the Turn: few rounds. When the encounter is over, the
party may need to spend a few minutes
1 TURN = 10 MINUTES
catching their breath, bandaging wounds,
collecting dropped items and other
Actions that can be performed in 1 Turn miscellaneous activities. The time spent on
include: the combat can be rounded up to a single
turn while the passage of time resumes to
- Mapping a room or corridor section being recorded in turns until the next combat
- Searching a room or corridor encounter occurs.
- Bashing down a locked door
- Attempting to pick a locked door
- Attempting to solve a puzzle Dungeon Map & Battle Grid
- Securing a door with spikes
- Applying bandages The Dungeon Map: As stated in the 4AD
- Interacting with a special feature Rulebook section, Marching Order (pg. 51) -
"A corridor is large enough to allow two
Retracing Steps: The party can move much characters to walk side by side...", it follows
faster when passing through rooms it has that the random map sections use a scale of
already explored. It takes one turn to pass one square equals 10 feet.
through three rooms or corridor sections that
the party has already mapped, rolling for 1/4" SQUARE = 10' X 10'
wandering monsters as required for each
revisited room. ¼" square = 10' is the scale of the map
sections in the core book and is the scale
often used to map the dungeon as the game
progresses, allowing the entire dungeon to fit Because larger creatures take up more
on a single piece of paper. space, fewer of them may surround a
medium sized creature. If four large creatures
The Battle Grid: Combat encounters can be surround a medium sized one, there isn't
represented on a playing surface using much room for anyone else. In contrast, as
plastic or metal miniatures, cardboard many as sixteen medium sized creatures
standees, or tokens. The playing surface may surround a huge one.
should be a rectangular or square area
around 2' - 3' each side.

25 mm miniatures and standees require a

Movement
base that is about 1" in diameter. Two figures
placed side by side in a 10' corridor require Movement Rate: Movement Rate is a
2", therefore a scale of one inch equals five measurement of how many feet a character
feet will provide an appropriate scale on the or monster could move during a single
game table. Combat Round.

1" SQUARE = 5' X 5'

Movement Rate measured in feet per
combat round results in an equal number of
Distances can be determined with a ruler, but Movement Points that are spent at a rate of
a convenient way to represent a combat 1 point per foot of movement over normal
encounter is to employ a battle grid - a vinyl terrain. Divide movement points by 5 to
mat embossed with a one inch square grid. easily determine the number of 5' squares a
Dry erase markers can be used to easily combatant may move during a round.
represent walls, doorways, columns, and
other terrain details, then easily erased when Characters and monster will have a base
the encounter has been resolved. 3D Movement Rate of 40 feet per combat round
modular terrain elements can be used if unless they are weighted down with treasure
available, but are not required. and bulky armor. Light armor reduces
movement rate by 10' per round. Heavy
Note: It is only necessary to depict a single armor reduces movement rate by 20' per
room at a time to resolve a combat round.
encounter. It is not necessary to depict the
entire dungeon on the table at this scale. Armor Worn Move Rate
No Armor: 40'
Creature Size: When a human sized figure is Light Armor: 30'
placed on the battle grid, it will occupy a Heavy Armor: 20'
single 5' x 5' square at a time. Some
creatures may be relatively larger or smaller, Monster Movement Rate: Some monsters
and will occupy a larger or smaller area. are very quick and some are slow. See
Appendix A for a list of monster movement
- Small (up to 3' tall) 2.5' x 2.5' rates. If a monster's movement rate is not
- Medium (3'-7') 5' x 5' specified, assign a movement rate based on
- Large (8'-24') 10' x 10' the armor type worn. If the armor worn is
- Huge (25'+) 15' x 15' unknown, use a movement rate of 30' per
combat round.
Multiple Opponents: There is a limit to the
number of opponents that may surround a Encumbrance: When a character is
combatant for a melee attack. Assuming Encumbered (i.e. carrying more than 200
medium sized combatants, eight opponents gold pieces, see 4AD Rulebook, pg. 56) their
may surround and attack their shared target. Movement Rate is reduced by 10' per Round
(in addition to the normal -1 defense
penalty).
Difficult Terrain: Difficult terrain, including will get a free round to sneak up and attack
rubble, undergrowth, mud, snow, stairs, etc. the party from behind, negating any
causes combatants to move more slowly. character's shield defense bonus. The party
Every foot of movement through difficult does not get a chance to counter attack
terrain costs 2 movement points (i.e. a during the surprise round. Wandering
combatant with a movement rate of 30' per monsters always surprise the party.
round can only move across 15' of difficult
terrain in the same amount of time). Monsters do not carry light sources and are
able to adequately see in the dark. The light
Running: Running characters may move up emitted by the party's lantern eliminates the
to three times their normal movement rate. chance that a party would surprise any
Mapping, searching, or combat is not monsters encountered in a dungeon.
allowed while running. Characters may only
run for 1/2 of a turn (5 minutes), before
having to stop and rest for three full turns (30 Combat
minutes). If forced to fight before fully
resting, all attack and defense rolls are made Combat occurs when characters fight
with a -1 penalty until resting. monsters. In combat, opposing opponent
groups are referred to as different "sides". It
is possible to have several groups fighting
Encounters each other and therefore have more than two
sides. Combat includes firing ranged
Encounter Distance: When a combat weapons, such as slings, bows, and
encounter occurs, the monsters will be 10' - daggers, casting spells, using magic items,
60' away from the party. Roll 1d6 to and fighting with handheld weapons such as
determine the initial encounter distance. A swords. The following sequence is used to
small room or corridor may restrict this resolve combat.
distance and encounters in these spaces
should be adjusted accordingly. THE COMBAT SEQUENCE

Light and Visibility: A torch or lantern 1. Initiative

provides light in a 30' radius. Figures outside 2. The side with highest initiative goes first
the radius of light cannot be seen or targeted A. Morale phase.
by characters with ranged weapons or B. Movement phase.
spells. As stated on pg. 65 of the 4AD C. Missile phase
Rulebook, A party without a lantern has -2 D. Magic phase
on all Attack and Defense rolls and may not E. Melee phase
use ranged weapons. 3. The side with the next highest initiative
acts next and so on using the order given
Lanterns and Torches: A lantern requires above until all sides have completed
lantern oil. A flask of lantern oil will burn for melee.
four hours (24 Turns) before running out and
needing to be replenished. A torch will burn 1. Initiative: According to the 4AD rulebook,
for 1 hour (6 Turns). Be sure to bring enough pg. 51, the party automatically wins initiative
torches or flasks of lantern oil to last for the for every combat encounter. As an optional
duration of your underground adventures. A rule, you may decide to give each side a
flask of lantern oil costs 4 gold. A single chance to win initiative as the combat
torch costs 1 gold. progresses. To determine initiative, roll a
single d6 for the characters and a single d6
Surprise: Some monsters have the ability to for the monsters (or each monster group, if
surprise the party. When the party has been more than one monster group is involved in
surprised by a monster group, the monsters the combat). The side with the highest roll
gets to act first in combat for that round. If A combatant may move through a space
two sides roll the same number, roll again. occupied by a friendly figure, but may not
end its movement in an occupied space.
The side that wins the initiative has the first
choice of actions. Members of that side may Engagement: Movement is stopped when a
choose to begin combat, take defensive combatant moves into a space adjacent to
positions and wait to see the monster's an enemy figure (see Melee Attack Phase
reactions, or run away. below). Two opposing combatants in
adjacent squares are automatically engaged
If the party wins initiative and then chooses in combat.
to wait and see what the monsters reactions
will be, the monsters will now have the Defensive Movement: An engaged
initiative for the first round if the result is combatant may move up to 1/2 of their
combat. movement rate in combat and still be able to
take a combat action during the same round
2A. MORALE PHASE as long as they remain within 5' of an
opponent.
Check to see if any monsters need to roll for
morale if: Fleeing Combat: If an engaged combatant
moves more than 1/2 of their movement rate,
1. The number of vermin or minions has each previously engaged opponent will get a
been reduced by 1/2 or more. free attack. Ignore any shield bonus when
2. The life points of a boss or weird monster fleeing combat.
has been reduced by 1/2 or more.
Running: A combatant may run up to three
To check morale, roll a single d6 for each times their normal movement rate, but may
applicable monster group and on a result of not take a combat action during the round.
1-3, all remaining monsters of the same type
fail their morale roll and flee combat at 3x 2C. MISSILE PHASE
their movement speed. The party gets a free
round of attacks against fleeing monsters. Missile fire attacks are combat actions
targeting an enemy who is not within reach
Monsters that fight to the death do not make for hand to hand combat. Missile weapons
morale checks. The player's characters do include bows (which fire arrows), crossbows
not check morale but a party member may (which fire bolts), slings (which throw sling
decide to run away if the combat is not going stones) spears and other thrown weapons
well. including daggers, axes, hammers, vials of
holy water and flasks of oil. Missile attacks
2B. MOVEMENT PHASE are adjusted by combat ability, the range to
the target, any cover the target has and any
Combatants who are not engaged in melee magical bonus, as described below.
with an opponent may move up to their
movement rate during a combat round and A ranged attack cannot target opponents
still take a combat action. Combatants who who are engaged in melee, cannot be seen,
are engaged with an enemy may only take or are not within range. A character using a
the Defensive Movement or Fleeing Combat ranged weapon may continue to attack with
movement actions. that weapon after the first combat round as
long as no opponents engage them in melee
Spell Casters may not move while casting and they are able to find targets to attack.
spells and must declare during the
movement phase if they are preparing to Range: Missile attacks can only be made
cast a spell for that round of combat. against opponents who are within the
weapon's attack range. Short range attacks
are made with a +1 attack bonus. Long
range attacks are made with a -1 attack Area effect spells, like fireball, target a
penalty. location instead of a single opponent, and
will affect all figures within the effect radius.
WEAPON SHORT (+1) MEDIUM LONG (-1) (See Appendix B: Spell Ranges and Area of
Crossbow 6 - 40 41 - 80 81 - 120
Bow 6 - 25 26 - 50 51 - 75
Effect. Use a range of 60' and effect radius of
Sling 6 - 20 21 - 40 41 - 80 20' for any spell not listed)
Spear* 6 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 30
Holy Water* 6 - 10 11 - 30 31 - 50 When spell attacks are performed use the
Axe* or Dagger* 6 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 30
normal combat rules as described in "How to
*Thrown Weapons Attack Monsters" on page 20 and
"Encounters" on page 53 of the Four Against
Line of Sight: The target of a ranged attack Darkness core rulebook.
must be within line of sight of the attacker.
An attacker has line of sight to a target if a 2E. MELEE PHASE
straight, unobstructed line can be traced
from any corner of the square occupied by A combatant who is adjacent to an
the attacker to any corner of a square opponent, and has not made a missile or
occupied by the target. Friendly figures do magical attack, or not moved more than their
not block line of sight to enemy targets. normal movement rate may make a melee
Missile attacks may not target opponents attack.
engaged in melee.
When melee attacks are performed by
Cover: Attack and Defense rolls for missile characters or monsters, use the normal
attacks may be modified by the amount of combat rules as described in "How to Attack
cover a target has. A combatant may hide Monsters" on page 20 and "Encounters" on
behind any large object (a wall, a column, a page 53 of the Four Against Darkness core
tree, a crate, a barrel, etc.) to be "under rulebook.
cover". Full cover prevents a combatant from
being targeted by a ranged attack. Smaller 3. Continue Combat
obstacles may provide partial cover. A
combatant who makes a combat action Resolve combat for the side with the next
while under full cover is considered to be highest initiative order by following the
under partial cover instead. Partial cover combat sequence steps 2A - 2E until all
provides a defensive bonus of +1 to the sides have completed the round of combat.
target of a missile attack.
Resolving Combat
When ranged attacks are performed by
characters or monsters, use the normal Once all sides have completed their actions
combat rules as described in "How to Attack for the combat round, begin the combat
Monsters" on page 20 and "Encounters" on sequence again, starting with step 1, Roll for
page 53 of the Four Against Darkness core Initiative, until a winning side has been
rulebook. determined.

2D. MAGIC PHASE

A combatant who has not made any

movement or a missile attack this round may
make a magical attack. This includes spells,
scrolls, and magical devices. Ranged
magical attacks cannot target opponents
who cannot be seen (see Line of Sight and
Light and Visibility above).
Appendix A: 4AD Monster Size and Movement Rates
*Includes creatures from Four Against Darkness, Four Against the Abyss, Fiendish Foes, Caves of Chaos, Caves of
the Kobold Slave Masters, The Three Rings, Man-Eater!

Amorphous Blob: (L) 20' Forest Wolf: (M) 60' Mutant Rat: (S) 30'
Ant People Warrior: (M) 60' Forest Wyrm: (L) 30' Orc: (M) 30'
Armored Skeleton: (M) 20' Fungi Folk: (M) 40' Orc Bandit: (M) 30'
Avatar of Xichtul: (L) 40' Gargoyle: (L) 30' Orc Brute: (M) 30'
Bandit: (M) 30' Ghoul: (M) 30' Orcling: (S) 30'
Black Manticore: (L) 40' Ghoul King: (M) 20' Orc Looter: (M) 30'
Black Ooze: (L) 20' Giant Centipede: (M) 20' Orc Reaver: (M) 30'
Blood Bird: (S) 10'/60' flying Giant Constrictor Snake: (M) 30' Orc Reaver Boss: (M) 20'
Boulder Beast: (L) 20' Giant Hornet: (S) 10'/50' flying Orc Shaman: (M) 30'
Brownie: (S) 40' Giant Rat: (S) 30' Ogre: (L) 30'
Carnivorous Plant: (L) 1' Giant Snake: (M) 30' Phasing Panther: (M) 50'
Catoblepas: (L) 20' Giant Spider: (L) 40' Rakshasa: (M) 60'
Chaos Acolyte: (M) 20' Giant Toad: (M) 30' Rat: (S) 30'
Chaos Beast: (L) 30' Gnoll: (L) 30' Scimitar Monster: (L) 40'
Chaos Champion: (M) 20' Goatman: (M) 30' Serpent Man: (M) 30'
Chaos Chimera: (L) 40' Goblin: (S) 20' Serpent Man Abom: (L) 20'
Chaos Executioner: (M) 30' Goblin Scout: (S) 20' Serpent Man, Champion: (M) 30'
Chaos Fanatic: (M) 20' Goblin Shaman: (S) 20' Serpent Man Chieftain: (M) 30'
Chaos Goatman: (M) 30' Goblin Swarmling: (S) 20' Serpent Man, Warrior: (M) 30'
Chaos Goblin: (S) 20' Golden Boar: (L) 30' Shrieking Fungi: (S) 5'
Chaos Gremlin: (S) 40' Gray Slime: (L) 5' Shrub Man: (M) 20'
Chaos Lizardman: (M) 30' Great Hunting Spider: 40' Skeletal Demon: (L) 30'
Chaos Lord: (L) 30' Green Slime: (L) 1' Skeletal Kobold: (S) 20'
Chaos Overlord: (L) 30' Hairy Goblin: (L) 30' Skeletal Rat: (S) 20'
Chaos Psyker: (M) 40' Hill Giant: (L) 40' Skeleton: (M) 20'
Chaos Skeleton: (M) 20' Hobgoblin: (M) 30' Small Dragon: (L) 30'/80' flying
Chaos Slaver: (M) 30' Hobgoblin Blademaster: (M) 20' Spider: (M) 40'
Chaos Warrior: (M) 20' Hobgoblin Leader: (M) 20' Spiked Tail Beast: (L) 30'
Chaos Wasp: (S) 10'/50' flying Hobgoblin Ronin: (M) 20' Stirge: (S) 10'/60' flying
Chaotic Ratman: (M) 40' Invisible Gremlins: (S) 40' Tentacled Brain: (M) 40' flying
Chimera: (L) 40'/60' flying Iron Eater: (M) 40' Tentacled Mutant: (L) 30'
Cockatrice: (S) 30'/60' flying Kobold: (S) 20' Thraan Scorpion: (L) 60'
Doppleganger: (M) 30' Kobold Attack Hound: (M) 60' Thunder Lizard: (L) 40'
Dark Dwarf: (M) 20' Kobold Guard: (S) 20' Troll: (L) 40'
Dark Hag: (M) 30' Kobold Ghoul: (S) 30' Troll, Large: (L) 40'
Dark Lord of Xichtul: (L) 30' Kobold Slave-Master: (S) 20' Undead Druid: (M) 30'
Demon: (L) 40' Leaf Fiend: (L) 20' Vampire Bat: (S) 10'/40' flying
Demon, Minor: (M) 30' Leopard: (M) 60' Vampire Frog: (S) 30'
Demon Worshipper: (M) 30' Leprechaun: (S) 30' Vampire, Major: (M) 40'
Demonic Kobold: (S) 20' Lich: (M) 30' Vampire, Minor: (M) 40'
Demonic Ogre: (L) 30' Lizardman: (M) 30' Werewolf: (M) 60'
Demonic Werewolf: (L) 60' Lurking Mantlebeast: (M) 40' fly Wight: (M) 30'
Dragon Man: (M) 40' Magic Fox: (S) 30' Wolf: (M) 60'
Elemental, Air: (L) 120' flying Manticore: (L) 40'/60' flying Wraith: (M) 40'/80' flying
Elemental, Earth: (L) 20' Man-Tiger: (M) 60' Wyrm: (L) 30'
Elemental, Fire: (L) 40' Medusa: (M) 30' Xichtul's Spawn: (M) 30'
Elemental, Water: (L) 20'/60' swm Metanagar: (L) 30' Young Red Dragon: (L) 30'/80' fly
Eyeball Monster: (M) 10' flying Mind Screamer: (M) 40' Zombie: (M) 40'
Floating Brain: (M) 40' flying Minotaur: (L) 40' Zombie Minotaur: (L) 40'
Flying Skull: (S) 40' flying Mole People: (M) 30' Zombie Dragon: (L) 30'/80' flying
Forest Goblin: (S) 30' Mudman: (M) 30'
Forest Hag: (M) 30' Mummy: (M) 20'
Forest Troll: (L) 40' Mutant Gorilla: (L) 40'
Appendix B: 4AD Spell Ranges and Area of Effect
Includes spells from Four Against Darkness, Four Against the Abyss, Heart of the Lizard, Ordeal of the Magic Tower

FOUR AGAINST DARKNESS Infallible Missile: Range = 60',

Area of Effect = one target per ORDEAL OF THE MAGIC
Blessing: Range = 60', Area of missile. TOWER (CANTRIPS)
Effect = one target.
Life-Force Control: Range = self, (Tag) Bane: Range = 60', Area of
Fireball: Range = 60', Area of Area of Effect = self. Effect = 20' radius.
Effect = 20' radius.
Mass Teleport: Range = Any (Tag) Dart: Range = 60', Area of
Lightning Bolt: Range = 60', Area room already explored in the Effect = a single target.
of Effect = one target. dungeon, Area of Effect = 20'
Radius around the spell caster. (Tag) Lullaby: Range = 60', Area
Sleep: Range = 60', Area of Effect of Effect = 20' radius.
= 20' radius. Aura of Terror: Range = 60', Area
of Effect = 20' radius. Lesser Immunity: Range = 60',
Escape: Range = self, Area of Area of Effect = a single target.
Effect = dungeon entrance. Reverse Gaze: Range = 60', Area
of Effect = one target. Magic Help: Range = 60', Area of
Protect: Range = 60', Area of Effect = a single target.
Effect = one target.
HEART OF THE LIZARD Torchlight: Range = 60', Area of
Effect = 40' radius.
CAVES OF CHAOS Fire Globe: Range = 60', Area of
Effect = 20' radius Pitch Black: Range = 60', Area of
Gift of Gold: Range = Current Effect = a single room or corridor.
room, Area of Effect = Current Tongue of Flame: Range = 20',
room Area of Effect = 20' radius. Ethereal Hand: Range = 60'
within sight, Area of Effect = 5'
Chaos Missile: Range = Current Fire Lantern: Range = self, Area radius.
room, Area of Effect = All major of Effect = 30' radius of visible
monsters in current room. light, 5' for unarmed melee
attacks.
Xichtul's Kiss: Range = Current
room, Area of Effect = Current Shining Flame: Range = directly
room. above where the spell caster is
standing, Area of Effect = 40'
Chaos Teleport: Range = Any radius.
previously visited room in current
dungeon, Area of Effect = Self. Pillar of Flame: Range = self, Area
of Effect = 5' radius.
Eye of Terror: Range = Current
room, Area of Effect = Current Boil Water: Range = 60', Area of
room. Effect = a single water-based
creature or all creatures in a pool
Gaze Blast: Range = 60', Area of of water in a single dungeon room
Effect = Up to two minor monsters or corridor.
or a single major monster.
Fire Gazing: Range = self, Area of
Effect = self.
FOUR AGAINST THE ABYSS
Flame Jet: Range = 60', Area of
Healing Surge: Range = 60', Area Effect = one target or one target
of Effect = 20' radius. per flame jet.