Fantasy Flight Games

Striking at Shadows

Published 4 January 2018 | Blood Bound

Striking at Shadows

Blood Bound Is Now Available

Two vampire clans coexisted for centuries, ruling the night with a tenuous but lasting peace. But when the Gargoyle clan began adding to their ranks more heavily, the Phoenix were forced to keep pace or perish. From there, the conflict that consumed the clans was inevitable, bringing both clans to the brink of extinction. Now, only the remnants of each once-proud group remain as both sides seek to discover their allies and capture the leader of the rival clan to finally end this conflict. Gather your clan around you: Blood Bound is on sale now at your local retailer or online through our website!

Cloak and Dagger

In this social game of intrigue and deduction, six to twelve players embody the dwindling survivors of two rival vampire clans, Gargoyle and Phoenix, pushed to the edge of extinction by war and treachery. You must unite with your allies and destroy the enemy clan—but who is a friend, and who a foe?

Treachery and betrayal abound as you seek to identify the leader of the rival clan and capture them before they can discover your own leader. While every player’s clan loyalty and rank within the clan is secret, all communication must be done openly. Still, openly does not mean honestly. In Blood Bound, you may tell the truth as you deem fit, but you are free to lie through your fangs if it will protect your allies or throw suspicion on your enemies.

In the meeting of gathered allies and enemies, the focus is on a single dagger, passed to each clan member in turn. When you are in possession of this weapon, you may either pass it to the player of your choice, or choose a target and attack. By striking another player with the dagger, you force them to suffer a wound and reveal a piece of information about themselves, such as their affiliation or their rank within the clan. The person with the lowest rank number is the leader of the clan, meaning that at the beginning of the game, you might not even know if you are the leader yourself. But even if you are not your clan’s leader, survival is preferable to the alternative, and you will always wish to avoid becoming a target.

Skilled Assailants

After you've suffered an attack and become wounded, you may find yourself in a weakened position as pieces of your identity are compromised, but you are still far from defenseless. If you choose to reveal your rank token, you may use the special ability gifted to that position. For example, a Berserker can launch a counterstrike against someone who attacked them, while a Harlequin can secretly look at any two character cards to lay their own suspicions to rest and perhaps enable them to sow discord within the rival clan.

The Gargoyle and Pheonix clans are equally matched, with the same number of players devoted to each clan. Still, if a game features an odd number of players, Blood Bound challenges the vampires with an added element of chaos as the Secret Order sends in an Inquisitor to maintain balance. Inquisitors have no affiliation to either clan, instead succeeding only in purging the vampires from the world if they are captured or if they inflict a curse upon the leader of the clan that would otherwise be victorious.

By gathering scraps of information, you will have to deduce your allies from your enemies and attempt to capture the enemy leader. You must make your choices carefully. If you make a rash decision and capture anyone other than the rival clan’s leader, you have failed your clan and your team loses the game. However, if you wait too long to strike, the rival clan may make a bold move and capture your leader before you have a chance to attack. It will take every ounce of your cunning to make it through the night alive.

Always Watching

Join the battle. Protect your allies, unmask your enemies, and ensure that your clan rules the night!

Pick up Blood Bound (HB11) at your local retailer or on the Fantasy Flight Games website today!

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The copyrightable portions of Blood Bound are ©2013 Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. Licensed by Heidelberger Spieleverlag. © of the German version by Heidelberger Spieleverlag. Blood Bound and Fantasy Flight Supply are trademarks of Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved to their respective owners.

Spilling Blood

Published 26 December 2017 | Blood Bound

Spilling Blood

Previewing the Chaotic Intrigues of Blood Bound

The battle between the Gargoyle and Phoenix clans has come to a head with countless immortals slaughtered. The clans’ numbers are dwindling, their leaders have been forced into hiding, and only a lucky few survive, scattered to the winds. Among these is the loyal Gargoyle Mentalist, Lilith. After lying low for a season, she and the other survivors have gathered, searching for their comrades and their adversaries. If Lilith can find her allies, she and the Gargoyle clan can destroy the Phoenix once and for all.

Today, we're pleased to extend an invitation for you to witness a taste of the betrayals and intrigues in a playthrough of Blood Bound! You can pre-order Blood Bound at your local retailer or online through our website today.

Caution and Paranoia

Blood Bound is a social game of lies and deduction that tasks six to twelve players with identifying the leader of the rival clan while protecting their own leader. The players are evenly divided into the two clans, Phoenix and Gargoyle. If there is an odd number of players, the Secret Order will send in an Inquisitor to maintain balance, which you can read about in our last preview, here.

In this particular meeting six vampires have gathered, three Gargoyle and three Phoenix, and none of the faces look familiar. Who is an ally, and who is an enemy? Lilith is loyal to the Gargoyle clan and is therefore seeking to capture the Phoenix Elder. If, however, the Elder has already been killed in the war, the new Phoenix leader will be the member with the lowest number on their card. The same rules apply to Lilith’s own clan. Even though her own rank as the Mentalist is five, if all of the other Gargoyle members have a higher number on their card, she could be the clan leader and not even know it.

Before the game of cloak and dagger begins in earnest, Lilith and every other survivor reveals a clue about their clan affiliation to the vampire on their left. In most cases, this clue accurately reflects a vampire's clan—but that's not always the case. Still, there will be at least one other person at the table who can suspect if Lilith lies about her clan, saying she belongs to the Phoenix when she is in fact a Gargoyle. Subsequently, that vampire’s choice to expose the truth or keep Lilith’s secret may help her decide whether the person beside her can be trusted. Likewise, Lilith herself has a suspicion the allegiance of the vampire to her right. In this case, the vampire seems to also be a Gargoyle, meaning that she may have found an ally before the intrigue even begins—a powerful starting position, provided it's true.

Elementary Deduction

Once the game begins, the gathered survivors can discuss their identities, but they are under no obligation to be honest. The only way to know for sure is to use more intense forms of interrogation. In Blood Bound, players attack each other with a lone dagger, forcing them to reveal information about themselves until one vampire receives four wounds and becomes captured.

As the game progresses, the dagger is passed to each player in turn. In this gathering, Lilith is the first active player and she is faced with an important decision. She may either pass the dagger to another player—perhaps garnering their favor—or she may strike at someone and force them to reveal a fact about themselves: taking a token that shows either their clan affiliation or their rank. If she chooses the latter option, she must be wary. If a vampire chooses to reveal their rank, they may use the special ability that accompanies it. While some abilities can help uncover vital information, such as the Harlequin, who can look at two other players’ cards, other abilities can have more dire consequences. For example, if Lilith wounds a Berserker, they could immediately counterattack and wound her in return.

Across the group, a vampire with glowing eyes and a shining amulet flashes Lilith a smirk that she does not quite trust. Despite the risk, she decides to attack him. But before she can land a blow, the vampire to the left of her target decides to intervene. This means that the intervening vampire suffers the wound on the other’s behalf. Lilith does not learn anything about her original target, but the intervening vampire reveals that they are a member of the Phoenix clan.

From this, Lilith can deduce that the vampire she had planned to attack is likely a member of the Phoenix clan as well. Why else would a Phoenix clan vampire intervene? With this information at her disposal, Lilith decides to lie, apologizing profusely and saying that she is also a member of the Phoenix clan who would never knowingly harm an ally. The vampire to Lilith’s left, the one who knows that she is actually part of the Gargoyle clan, remains silent. From this, Lilith believes that she has found her last ally, but she has also just made herself a target for the remaining Gargoyle clan vampire on her right.

In Enemy Hands

The dagger is now in the possession of the intervening Phoenix clan member. Unfortunately, they did not believe Lilith’s lie and choose to attack her with the blade. She cannot reveal her own clan association without confirming their suspicions and exposing her ally to her left. Therefore, she decides to reveal her rank token. Now, everyone at the table knows that she is a Mentalist, but she can use her ability to inflict a wound on a vampire of her choice and force them to reveal their rank as well. Lilith targets the vampire on her right. By attacking someone she knows is a Gargoyle, she can garner favor with the Phoenix clan. Besides, her single wound will not truly harm the vampire.

Her strike finds an Assassin who immediately turns and strikes two wounds against the vampire with the glowing eyes who had been Lilith’s first intended target. Of course the other Phoenix had protected him—he is now revealed to be the clan’s Elder! The wounds inflicted by the Assassin are not considered an attack, meaning that the target does not have to reveal any clues to their identity, but Lilith knows the truth. After a few more turns and attacks, Lilith manages to survive long enough to capture the vampire with glowing eyes and ensure the victory of her clan.

But when Lilith makes her final capture on behalf of the Gargoyle clan, she looks in horror as a fan falls from her prisoner’s cloak. Fans only belong to Courtesans, but that’s impossible! Unless…

She slowly turns to the vampire on her left, the one who had known her loyalty to the Gargoyle clan since the beginning and kept her secret. This vampire had truly been the Phoenix Elder all along, and Lilith has captured the wrong Phoenix. Now, weakened and exposed, the Gargoyle clan is doomed.

The Chaos Unfolds

Will you be able to find your allies and identify your foes, or will a rash decision lead you to ruin? Gather your clan and learn the true price of loyalty!

Pre-order Blood Bound (HB11) at your local retailer today or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

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Seeking Truth, Sowing Chaos

Published 2 October 2017 | Blood Bound

Seeking Truth, Sowing Chaos

Previewing the Inquisitors of Blood Bound

The conflict was inevitable, really. Ever since the insidious Gargoyle clan began conscripting more heavily, the cunning Phoenix clan had to keep pace. As a result, both clans swelled in number and territory too quickly, causing mistrust, infighting, and betrayal. The ensuing war destroyed countless immortals, and each clan’s losses were so great that the clan leaders were forced into hiding.

Only a few lucky souls managed to escape the carnage. Now, both clan leaders seek to gather the remnants of their sects. But who is a friend, and who a foe? As the conflict continues, the Secret Order works to maintain balance. If they must, they will send in an Inquisitor to prevent either clan from having an unfair advantage, keeping the numbers of each clan even. Still, their role does not prevent them from sowing a little extra chaos for their own enjoyment. As you search to find your hidden clan members and single out your enemies, Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to offer you a closer look at the Inquisitors of Blood Bound!

Lies and Alibies

Blood Bound is social game of lies and deduction that pits six to twelve players against one another as they struggle to identify their allies and outwit their enemies. Players search for the enemy clan’s leader in the hopes of capturing them and ending the war that has nearly destroyed the two vampire clans. However, they must make their attacks carefully. If a vampire cannot tell their friends from their foes until it is too late, they can bring about the end of their own clan.

A single dagger serves as the weapon among the gathered clan members, passed to each in turn. Players learn who their enemies and allies are by executing attacks, forcing targets to reveal their affiliation or rank, while trying to avoid being attacked themselves. The Inquisitor’s strength is limited in that they cannot attack a player who has already suffered three wounds, but they do have a couple tricks up their sleeves to keep their identities hidden.

The more information a player reveals about themselves, the better equipped their enemies will be to make a strategic attack, and if their allies do not deem them valuable, they may not be inclined to intervene. The Inquisitor, however, has no allies. They belong to no clan. While each Inquisitor card bears either a phoenix or gargoyle clue icon, their loyalty belongs strictly to the Secret Order. As such, his or her affiliation icon is wild, indicated in the upper right section of the card beneath their rank. This allows them to take any type of affiliation token when suffering a wound. They can assuage the fears of wary clan members who suspect the Inquisitor is working against them, or throw a clan into chaos when one too many of their clan's affiliation tokens appear.

Over the course of the game, all communication between players must be done in the open, and this is the Inquisitor’s greatest opportunity to further their goals. If they can plant the seed of doubt in the minds of even one or two select clan members, they can watch as the clans tear themselves apart and the Secret Order’s objective is secured.

A Plague on Both Your Houses

Every player in Blood Bound has a unique ability that can be used to rain destruction on their enemies or aide their allies, if they can determine which is which. Immediately after a player takes their rank token to suffer a wound during an attack, either as a target or the intervener, they may choose to use their character’s ability. When the Inquisitor uses their ability, they take all curse cards from the supply, look at them, and distribute them facedown to the players of their choosing. The Inquisitor’s goal is to give the True Curse ability card to the eventual victorious clan’s leader, thereby cursing them and winning the game. As a decoy though, the Inquisitor may use the False Curse card. It has no effect, but it can feed the paranoia that torments the other players. The Inquisitor must give each curse card to a different player, but they may distribute these cards in any order. Subsequently, players cannot look at any curse cards given to them, and all curse cards remain facedown until the end of the game.

A Bloody End

When including the Inquisitors, players still determine the victorious clan as normal: the game ends when one player becomes captured, after which all players reveal their character cards, disclosing their full identities. If the captor has successfully captured the rival clan’s leader, their clan is victorious and wins the game, but if they have captured anyone other than the rival leader, the opposing clan claims victory. If the Inquisitor is captured, the Inquisitor wins the game automatically.

If the Inquisitor is not captured, all players must then flip their curse cards face up. If the victorious clan’s leader finds that they have the True Curse card, the Inquisitor steals the victory away from that clan, and they alone win the game. However, if any player other than the leader of the victorious clan has the True Curse card, it has no effect and the Inquisitor loses.

Join the Order

Where will you swear your allegiance? Will you align with the Gargoyle Clan, the Phoenix, or the Secret Order? Become the Inquisitor and behold the deadly splendor of two clans whose paranoia will lead to their mutual demise!

Preorder Blood Bound (HB11) today at your local retailer or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

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Blood Bound

Published 25 April 2017 | Blood Bound

Blood Bound

Announcing a Social Game of Vampire Power Struggles

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Blood Bound, a social game of deduction, bluffing, and vampire clans for six to twelve players!

For centuries, you and your kind have ruled the darkness, feeding wherever you chose and turning more and more humans to join your clans. But conflict became inevitable as the clans grew in number and broadened their territories, creating an atmosphere of festering mistrust and betrayal. The ensuing war destroyed countless immortals, and the clan leaders were forced into hiding. There are only remnants left, but the war is not over. You will not rest until you’ve destroyed your enemies forever.

In every game of Blood Bound, you and a few of your fellow players become a clan of vampires, working together to deduce the identity of your rival clan leader and capture him. Your adversaries—the other players—won’t be idle, however. They’re simultaneously working to identify and eliminate your clan’s leader. You must make your attacks carefully, but hunting in the dark is never as easy as it appears. In fact, you may not know your friends from your foes until it’s far too late.

Important note: This edition of Blood Bound features the same gameplay and mechanics as earlier versions of the game, but with completely new artwork and graphic design.

Dark Wings, Shining Teeth

During a game of Blood Bound, your goal is simple—find and capture the leader of the enemy clan before your own clan leader is found and dragged out into the merciless light of the sun. Still, you can’t move too quickly. As an immortal being, you have the patience to play the long game—because if you move too quickly and capture anyone other than the clan leader, you’ve exposed your plans and your team immediately loses!

The beginning of every game sets the stage for the paranoia and intrigue to begin by simply shuffling an equal number of character cards from each clan and dealing one to each player. For example, in a six-player game, there will be three Gargoyle clan members and three Phoenix clan members, but no one will know the affiliation of the other players! If you have an odd number of players in your group, there’s another layer of deception to navigate as the nefarious Inquisitor enters the game. The Inquisitor plays by his own rules, but if he’s able to win, both clans will lose as the vampires are eradicated by the zeal of the Inquisition.

Once you’ve been dealt your character card, you may secretly look at it. Every character card shows your clan, your rank within that clan, and two affiliation icons. You’ll also notice a clue icon in the lower right-hand corner of the card. In most cases—but not always—this clue icon is the same as your clan. After receiving your character card, you must secretly show your clue icon to the player on your left. This gives you a little information to start the game—just enough to guess whether one of your neighbors is probably a friend or a foe. It’s not much to go on, but it’s more than enough to start fostering fear and uncertainty!

A Few Drops of Blood

During the game, the player who holds the dagger is the active player, and when it’s your turn, you must choose to either attack or pass the dagger to any other player. Obviously, if you choose to pass the dagger, you’ll need to consider the recipient carefully—if you give the dagger to a hidden enemy, you could find an attack coming right back at you! If you’re eager for more information, however, you can choose to attack.

Every attack forces your target to suffer a wound, and each wound forces a player to reveal information by claiming a token corresponding to one of the icons in the upper-right corner of your card. Of course, the more information you reveal, the more vulnerable you become. Revealing your affiliation icons could give away which team you belong to, but disclosing your rank could cause other players to realize that you could be the leader of your clan! There’s a benefit to suffering a wound, however. If you’re the target of an attack, you receive the dagger next, giving you the chance to enact terrible vengeance.

By attacking and inflicting wounds on the other players, you’ll start to get a sense of your teammates and your rivals. Meanwhile, you want to avoid being attacked yourself. Suffering wounds forces you to disclose information, and revealing any information about yourself is dangerous. It can make you a target for your rivals, or even a member of your own clan who believes you’re lying. You may be able to curry good favor by passing the dagger, or you may try to convince other players to attack your rivals for you. Anything works, so long as it deflects attention from you!

There are other benefits to revealing your rank as well. Every rank has a different ability, and when you reveal your rank token, you may trigger your character’s special ability. Some abilities, like the Mentalist, force another player to suffer a wound and reveal his rank. Others, like the Guardian, provide protection to another player. Because your ability may only be used once per game, your timing is essential. Wait too long, and you miss the best time to use your ability. Use your ability too early, and you must play the rest of the game with your rank revealed. Either way, you’ll need to be as cunning as possible if you’re going to uncover who is truly loyal to your clan.

Who Can You Trust?

In Blood Bound, everyone has something to hide—and the honest faces are usually attached to liars. Gather your friends, and prepare for a game of secrecy, deduction, bluffing, and betrayal.

Look for Blood Bound (HB11) at your local retailer in the third quarter of 2017!

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