Here to Slay (Rules and Instructions)

The Here to Slay rules state that players need to create the best, most diverse team of characters that can defeat 3 monsters to win the game overall. 

When compared to similar roster-building games, Here to Slay has comparatively simple gameplay, which is ideal for younger players or beginners. 

But it still requires a combination of skill and luck, making it great to play no matter the skill level of your opponents. 

If you’re interested to find out more about this game, then learn exactly how to play Here to Slay by reading our guide below.

What is Here to Slay?

Here to Slay is a card game with role-playing elements where players are required to draw character cards, items, and magic cards to defeat monsters to win the game.

Made by the same creators as other popular card games like Unstable Unicorns (learn how to play Unstable Unicorns), Here to Slay was another Kickstarter success for the creators. 

The card game is in the top 50 of Kickstarter-backed campaigns, with almost 40,000 backers pledging more than $3million to get the game made. 

Number of Players Required: 2-6 players.

Who Can Play It: Recommended for ages 10+.

Difficulty: Easy-Medium. 

Length of Play: 30-60 minutes. 

Similar to: Unstable Unicorns; Llamas Unleashed; Happy Little Dinosaurs

Main Objective: Be the first player to gain a full party or slay 3 separate monster cards.

Why We Love It: Here to Slay mixes an adorable art style with surprisingly addictive gameplay. It acts as a great entry point into the world of role-playing games too.

Playing Here to Slay – What You’ll Need.

To play Here to Slay, you’ll need to buy the official Here to Slay game set, which comes with:

• 1 standard deck of 115 cards
• 6 oversized Party Leader cards
• 15 oversized Monster cards
• 2 six-sided dice
• 6 rules reference cards

And just like many modern board games such as What Do You Meme or Superfight, Here to Slay also comes with expansion packs to add to your base game. 

Related: What Do You Meme Rules | Superfight Rules

Check out the expansion pack Warriors and Druids to add a different dynamic to your base game with different characters and enemy cards for you to encounter.

How To Set Up Here to Slay

Start set-up by gathering together all of the different cards, separating them, and placing them in separate piles.

Players will need to draw a Party Leader character which will become their Party Leader throughout the course of the game. 

Each player will also need a Rule Reference card for them to refer back to if needs be during the game; any remaining Party Leader cards and rule reference cards can be put away.

Players will need to shuffle the Monster card pile too, give them a good shuffle and draw the top 3 cards to put face-up in the middle of players. 

Place the rest of the Monster cards in a pile to create the Monster deck, which you’ll need throughout the game to complete the game setup. 

The rest of the cards will need shuffling and placed in the middle of players face down, which also act as the draw pile. 

Here to Slay Rules

Players compete to create the best roster of characters possible to take down assorted monsters while sabotaging other players to hinder their chances of victory too. 

Before you begin the game, it’s a good idea to know all about the various cards you’ll come across in Here to Slay. 

• Hero Cards – Each one has a class and effect, and these get added to players’ rosters throughout the game.
• Item Cards – Weapons that players equip to their roster to help when battling monsters.
• Magic Cards – One-time use cards that have an effect that can help a player during play. 
• Modifier Cards – Adds a total to any dice roll to increase the final number.
• Challenge Cards – Used to stop another player from using a Hero, Item, Magic, or Modifier card. 
• Party Leaders – Larger in size than usual cards, players start with these and form their rosters around the leader card.
• Monster Cards – Cards that players work towards defeating; beating these is 1 way for players to win the game. 

Starting the Game

Whichever player picked their Party Leader card last gets to start the game; use the player with the highest dice roll to decide who picks first.

Gameplay goes in a clockwise fashion, with players taking their turns 1 at a time. 

There are advantages to both picking the Party Leader first but also starting the game as well. 

How to Play Here to Slay

During each player’s turn, they get 3 action points that they use with different actions using a different number of points depending on what the action chosen is.

The following actions cost 1 action point each:

• Drawing a card from the main deck;
• Play an item that’s in your hand;
• Rolling the 2 dice so you can use a Hero’s effect that’s in your hand (can only be done once per turn).

If you would like to attack a monster card, this costs 2 action points, whereas you’ll need to spend 3 action points to discard your hand and draw 5 new cards. 

Actions cards will state on them if you can use their effect without spending any action points, so keep on the lookout for those during your game. 

Once a player uses all 3 action points, their turn is over, but players can announce that their turn is over without using their action points too. 

Attacking Monsters plays a large part in Here to Slay, but for a player to attack a monster card, they need to have enough action points remaining and also need to meet the Party requirements. 

To attack, players need to roll the 2 dice and roll a score that is greater than the number displayed on the Monster card. 

If a player defeats a Monster card, then they gain the skill displayed on the defeated Monster card for their party to use during the rest of the game. 

Scoring In Here to Slay

Play continues until one of 2 things happens:

• A player manages to defeat 3 monsters;
• Your party has a full party with 6 different classes within it.

Declare whoever manages this first the winner of the game, keep score of victories if you’re playing multiple rounds to see who is the Here to Slay expert. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Action Points rollover to a player’s next turn if they go unused?

Action Points do not roll over between players’ turns; if a player doesn’t use their allocated 3, then they get lost and reset back to 3 on the next turn. 

Is there a card limit in Here to Slay?

Player’s can only have a maximum of 7 cards in their hand at the end of their turn. 

If a player has more than 7, they must discard the excess cards and put them onto the discard pile. 

Can you stack Modifiers in Here to Slay?

There’s nothing in the Here to Slay rules that state players cannot stack their Modifier cards.

If they have multiple to use and enough action points to play them too. 

Alternative Games to Here to Slay

For other card games where building up a roster of various cards is key to winning, take a look at the Exploding Kittens rules or the SushiGo Party rules.

If games like Here to Slay that started out on Kickstarter are what interests you, then check out Disturbed Friends and Santorini. 

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