The Game - Discovery Version

DID YOU KNOW

You can play BOARD GAMES with your Hero's Journey Bandana?!

Game Rules - Discovery Play (Ages 6+)

This is a great game version to start with if you are new to the Hero's Journey concept or are playing with Elementary-aged players. Helpful for practice with:

Number of Players

2 - 4 Players

Materials Needed:

Setup

Put all of the cards in the Secret Hero Card deck face down in the middle of the board in a “pool”.
Each player selects 6 cards to start. Lay them face up along your side of the bandana gameboard. If you want an extra “secret” twist, hold the cards in your hand and don’t let anyone else see what you have!
Stack extra cards face down and place them in a Draw pile in the center of the board – they’ll be used later.
Place all player game pieces start in center of board as well.
Person whose birthday is closest to today goes first. After that, take turns going in a clockwise motion.

Game Play

Starting with Ordinary World, each player must complete a set of “Challenges” in order to advance to the next section until the entire Hero’s Journey Cycle has been completed. Each turn is your opportunity to try and complete as many Challenges as you can.

The Challenges

The Ordinary World

Roll both dice. The first person to roll a 1 “unlocks” Ordinary World for everyone and gets a bonus roll! In other words, when that first 1 is rolled, everyone moves their game piece to the Ordinary World and the person who rolled the 1 gets to continue with their turn.

The Call to Adventure

Roll both dice. If the sum of your roll is EVEN, you have answered your Call and can advance to Call to Adventure. If your roll is odd, you have denied the call and must try again next turn.

Crossing the Threshold

Roll both dice. If the sum of your roll is ODD, you have earned the Golden Key that you can then use to advance to Crossing the Threshold. If your roll is even, you must try again next turn.

Meeting the Mentor

Give the dice to the person on your LEFT. They are now your Mentor. They will then roll the dice on your behalf. If the sum of their roll is EVEN, you can advance to the Meeting the Mentor. If their roll is odd, your Mentor has not yet appeared and must try again on your next turn.

Allies & Helpers

Give the dice to the person on your RIGHT. They are now your Helper. They will then roll the dice on your behalf. If the sum of their roll is ODD, you can advance to Allies & Helpers. If their roll is even, your Helper has not yet appeared and must try again on your next turn.

The Road of Trials

You have (up to) 3 rolls to make the sum of your dice add up to 6. If after 3 rolls you are unable to do this, you must try again next turn.

The Final Showdown

Part A: You have (up to) 3 rolls to make the sum of your dice add up to 6.

Part B: After that, you must then select another player of your choice to be your “Monster”. Play a round of Rock-Paper-Scissors and WIN in order to advance to Final Showdown.

Notes:

Didn’t roll 6? Try again next turn. Rolled 6 but lost at Rock-Paper-Scissors? Next turn, you don’t have to try and roll 6 again. Just select a Monster (can be same or different) and try to win Rock-Paper-Scissors again.

To help you remember that you've completed Part A but still need to complete Part B on your next turn, place your game piece on the line between Road of Trials and Final Showdown.

The Return Home

Roll both dice. If the sum of your roll is EVEN, you have earned the map you need to advance to Return Home. If the sum of your roll is odd, you must try again next time.

Having Changed

Roll both dice. If you roll two of the same number (doubles) then you have completed your full transformation and can advance to Having Changed. If you do not roll doubles, you must try again next turn.

Return to the Ordinary World (to WIN the game)

Roll both dice. If you roll a 1 advance to Ordinary World, otherwise you must try again next turn.

Quick Tip

Having Trouble remembering which Challenges require EVEN or ODD rolls? Just look at the number on the section (Call to Adventure = 2 = EVEN; Crossing the Threshold = 3 = ODD, etc.) and it will help you remember! We also have a Challenge Board cheat sheet you can print out to help you remember the Challenge requirements.

Secret Hero Cards

While you are attempting to complete your challenges to advance around the board, you can use the Secret Hero cards you were dealt at the beginning of the game to help you or your fellow players!

To play a card, simply lay it face up in a Play pile in the center of the board next to the Draw pile.

After playing a card, grab replacement card from the stack of extras in the center of the board. Each player that plays a card continues to do this until all of the cards in the Draw pile are gone!

Play this card instead of rolling to automatically complete the Call to Adventure Challenge.

Play this card instead of rolling to automatically complete the Crossing the Threshold Challenge.

Play this card instead of allowing your Mentor to roll for you to automatically complete the Meeting the Mentor Challenge.

Play this card instead of allowing your Helper to roll for you to automatically complete the Allies and Helpers Challenge.

Play either of these cards to automatically complete Part A of the Final Showdown Challenge.

Play this card to automatically complete the Return Home Challenge.

Play this card to prevent another player from rolling or to nullify a Secret Hero Card they just played.

Play this card to nullify Roadblock cards.

NOTE: You can use this card on ANY Roadblock card played – against you OR any other player.

Play this card to prevent another player from rolling or to nullify a Secret Hero Card they just played. There is no way to nullify this card, so it can be pretty powerful!

Play this card at any time to grant another player an extra roll.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You MUST play all Generosity Cards dealt or drawn before you can win the game!

DON’T FORGET - you have the option to play these cards to help your fellow players as well! For instance, if you draw an extra Mentor card, you can choose to play it to help a fellow player complete their Mentor Challenge…or not!

How to Win

Travel all the way around the game board once, starting and ending at Ordinary World.

NOTE: Remember, you must play any Generosity Cards dealt or drawn in order to win!

Variations

Once the basic game play is mastered, feel free to layer in additional rules to make things even more interesting and fun. Here are some additional things you can do to make the game more interesting, challenging or fun!

Additional Secret Hero Cards:

We've included blank Secret Hero Cards if you'd like to add your own twist!

Challenges Change Up:

Math Challenge: Instead of even or odd SUMS, allow players to use subtraction, multiplication or division to come up with their even or odd roll number.
Adding Physical Challenge to Road of Trials: If you want to get your blood flowin', consider adding a physical component to Road of Trials and/or Part A of the Final Showdown Challenge. Think "Minute-to-Win-It" style challenges or completing a certain number of sit ups, push ups, races or an mini obstacle course within a certain time.
Final Showdown Mix Up: Instead of (or in addition to) Rock-Paper-Scissors for Part B of the Final Showdown Challenge consider...
- Creating a Challenge Bank:
  - Dice Wars - both players roll dice and highest (or lowest) number wins
  - Thumb Wars
  - Arm Wrestle
  - Quick Physical Challenges or Minute-to-Win-Its (see above)
- Allowing the player to select which Challenge(s) they will attempt; or
- Rolling a die to determine which and/or how many of the Challenges in the Challenge Bank you must complete; or
- Having the player select a "Monster" that will then decide what Challenge(s) they should complete.
DIY Challenge Board: Think of completely new challenges that a player must complete in order to advance and record them using a blank Challenge Board.

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