Backwoods How to Play

EVENT/BATTLE QUESTIONS

How many rounds do Battles last?
Typical Battles last only 1 round. You may follow the steps located on the back of the Melee and Ranged skill cards.

If you don’t kill the creature in a normal Battle, it escapes and you don’t get any loot, although you always gain Insight. Battles with Protective/Possessed creatures repeat the rounds of Battle until either they or you are dead.   

If an Event has me fetch another Event, do I gain Insight from both Events at the end of the Event/Battle phase?
Yes. Gain insight from both of them at the end of the phase.

SITUATIONAL QUESTIONS

If I have no water or food but I encounter mountains (region effect) or Ravenous Racoons (night card) and it says I lose 1 ration, what do I do?
You lose 2 Health any time you have no food and food is required of you. The same applies for water. This applies to Ravenous Racoons, Mountain Regions, Creatures with the Rending power, and a certain Event card.

How does Revealing Regions with Scout and Movement work?
If I fail my Scout checks can I still move?
Revealing Regions ahead of time helps you make an informed decision about where you want to move that day. If you reveal no regions via scouting, you can still move, but you must simply choose a direction to go, reveal a Region card from the top of the deck, and place it down in that direction and immediately go there with no choice.

If I resist Hypothermia how does that work?
Resisting Hypothermia means you do not increase the Hypothermia level for that Night. However, you would lose any health from the current Hypothermia level you are at.

ABILITIES AND SKILL QUESTIONS

Do I start with 1 of each Skill check even at Ability rank zero? The Pioneer mat shows I gain it at rank zero. 
You do indeed get 1 of each Skill check (Scout, Heal, Resistance) at Rank 0 like the Pioneer mat shows.

ITEM QUESTIONS

Can I craft any item I have resources for?
Yes. All items are available to craft from the start of the game, assuming you have the resources to craft them. Please see the Ranged and Melee skill cards for further details. You can craft as many of these items as you have resources to make during the Crafting phase.

If one Pioneer uses a Campfire, does its effect apply to all Pioneers in the party or just the one that uses it?
A single use of a campfire applies its effect to the whole party of Pioneers.

Can I use multiple campfires in a single night to decrease hypothermia further?
You may use multiple campfires to decrease the hypothermia multiple times in a given night.

Does using one rope prevent the negative regional effects listed on the card for all Pioneers or just the one that uses it?
The rope prevents the listed negative regional effects for all Pioneers even if just one Pioneer uses it.

How does “Weapon Rating” work on Weapons?
Weapon Rating is a number you add as a bonus to each of your Combat checks. This bonus is only for seeing if you hit the creature during battles. It does not add extra damage. Certain weapons will have a +damage symbol if they add damage to your attack.

Does Weapon Rating and effects from multiple weapons I have combine?
No, you can only have one weapon equipped at a time and that’s the only weapon that grants you any Weapon Rating or effects. This is separate from Ability ranks granted from weapons, which are gained only once, at the first moment you crafted the item. You can swap weapons between your attacks, however!

Do I lose ability ranks Items gave me if I unequip them or lose them due to effects like “Thrashing?” 
No. You keep the Ability rank even if you unequip or lose the item later.

Do I lose a trap if I use one and fail the Survival check? 
Yes. “Using” an item wherever the term “use” appears inherently means you “use it up” and you lose 1 quantity of that item.