Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein – Rules and FAQ
Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein is a strategy game for 2-4 players where each player takes on the role of a scientist trying to recreate a living creature. The game is inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and involves worker placement, resource management, and a race against time. Here is a breakdown of the rules and FAQs.
Game Setup
Players & Boards:
- Each player chooses a character board (representing a scientist) and places it in front of them.
- Each player also receives a player aid that explains the actions they can take.
- The main game board is set up with various locations like the morgue, cemetery, academy, and hospital.
- The event deck is shuffled, and each player starts with certain resources (body parts, money, expertise, etc.).
Objective:
- The goal of the game is to be the first to complete the creation of a creature. Players will collect body parts, improve their scientific knowledge, and bring their creation to life.
Gameplay:
Rounds: The game is played over a series of rounds, divided into phases (Event Phase, City Phase, and Lab Phase).
Event Phase: At the start of each round, an event card is drawn, which may introduce new rules, change resources, or affect the game world.
City Phase (Worker Placement): Players send their assistants (workers) to various locations around the city, such as:
- The Cemetery: Dig up fresh body parts.
- The Morgue: Buy organs and body parts.
- The Academy: Gain scientific expertise.
- The Hospital: Obtain fresher body parts.
- The Docks: Pay for secret shipments of cadavers.
Lab Phase: Players use the body parts they’ve collected to assemble their creature. This involves building the torso, arms, legs, and head. Each piece requires certain body parts and expertise levels.
Resources & Stats:
- Body Parts: Different locations provide parts like bones, muscle, blood, and organs.
- Expertise & Humanity: As you gain knowledge, your expertise increases, but your humanity may decrease (based on how you obtain body parts). Losing too much humanity leads to penalties.
- Vitality: Once parts are assembled, players must bring their creature to life by adding vitality.
Endgame:
- The game ends after a certain number of rounds or when a player successfully brings their creature to life.
- The winner is the player who has accumulated the most victory points, earned through the creation of their creature, research, and other game actions.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
How do I win the game?
- The game ends either when the final event card is drawn or when a player successfully animates their creature. The player with the most victory points at the end wins the game. Victory points come from animating body parts, research, and preserving your humanity.
How do I collect body parts?
- You collect body parts by sending your workers to places like the cemetery, morgue, or hospital. Depending on where you go, the body parts will vary in freshness and type (bone, muscle, organs, blood).
What happens if my humanity drops too low?
- If your humanity drops too low (due to unethical actions like grave robbing or using criminal bodies), you may lose points or face penalties in the game.
What is vitality, and how do I bring my creature to life?
- Vitality represents the "spark of life" you need to animate your creature. After assembling your creature's parts, you need to send enough vitality to bring each body part to life. This is done by converting resources into vitality during the Lab Phase.
Can I focus on research instead of creating the creature?
- Yes, players can focus on research and gathering expertise, which also earns points, though creating the creature typically provides the most points.
What are the consequences of failing an action?
- Some actions may result in failure, particularly in the Lab Phase. Failure can mean you waste resources, lose parts, or face other penalties like dropping in humanity.
How do events affect gameplay?
- Events are drawn each round and introduce new conditions. They can alter the availability of resources, add new locations, or introduce moral dilemmas that affect players’ humanity.
How do I increase expertise?
- You can gain expertise by visiting the Academy or by completing certain lab experiments. Higher expertise is necessary to successfully build more complex body parts.
What if I run out of money?
- Money is used to buy body parts and fund certain experiments. If you run out, you can gain funds by performing tasks at certain locations or by compromising your ethics.
Can multiple players win at the same time?
- If two players bring their creature to life in the same round, the game still continues until all rounds are completed, and the winner is the player with the most points.
