Rules, Variations, & FAQs!
FAQs
Q: How does movement work?
A: Players can move up to their speed (or not at all!) in any direction, and can occur before or after playing cards.
Q: Can I travel through the middle deck?
A: Yes, but no cards can be drawn from it. You also return to this space to trigger the end of the game after reaching the objective.
Q: When do I reveal my legendary assignment/apply bonus?
A: Legendary Assignments must be revealed at time of capture; the bonus is applied to the first Legendary Creature of that name that you capture.
Q: Is there a limit to how many Items I can use in a Hunt?
A: Cards during a Hunt are only limited by their own rules (play anytime, play during your turn, etc.), and any cards played on you by other players.
Q: Can I Play as many Items as I want?
A: Players can play as many cards as allowed by card text (play anytime, play on your turn, etc) that were not drawn on the current round during the Play phase of their turn.
Q: How can I play this with my kids?
A: Invite them! And for players that would like to remove reference to any drug/alcohol imagery, remove: Von Heckhum and Gary of the River, and their equipment (“Potion”, Crossbow, Indiscriminate Herbs, Lucky Rabbit Amulet) If players would like to remove direct reference to weapons or firearms, remove: The Damsel, Von Heckhum, Cassie Dean Samson, and all their equipment Items (As-Salt Pepper Spray, Running Shoes, “Potion”, Crossbow, Rock Salt & Desert Eagle, Pie). These account for all up-close references, but there is still some reference in Item card imagery with these Hunters featured, feel free to remove any cards not suitable for your game’s needs.
Q: Do I have to play Items to capture a creature?
A: Collection is automatic for creatures that fall under your strength with preferred studied type bonus.
Q: I’m not getting weapons to fight, is there anything I can do?
A: If the luck of the draw isn’t on your side, you can trade, discard Items from your hand to make room for new ones, and don't neglect the other Item decks that may offer better options on the other side of the board. If your game is still having issues, try ObCo Graduate mode, which ensures even distribution of SUPPLIES & WEAPONS Items in all Item decks.
Q: Can I “equip” any Items?
A: Backpacks and Fanny Packs can be “equipped” by placing them in front of you on the table, these do not count toward your hand. In Level 9 Time Trial mode, if you find your Hunter’s named SUPPLIES & WEAPONS Item, it can be equipped like a Backpack, but stolen and lost as normal.
Q: What IS Adjacency? Line of Sight?
A: Adjacency and Line of Sight are both in reference to a Hunter’s position on the board, and what deck they are currently occupying. A deck, discard pile, or player is considered Adjacent when they are occupying a deck immediately next to the Hunter playing the card. Line of Sight is a straight line from the Hunter’s position on the board, and if on a corner deck, Line of Sight is two straight lines from their position to the other corner decks.
Q: Can I trade Items? How?
A: You can trade! You must be on the same or adjacent deck. See question above for adjacency.
The Rules of the Game
Searching for Legends
A cryptid-collecting card-board game for 2-6 players.
Rules of the Game:
Objective:
To collect as many creatures, cryptids, and urban legends as possible, to have the most points by the end of the game.
How to Win:
Reach 35 VP (50 for two players) by collecting creatures and totaling their strength, OR, collect both of your Legendary Assignments, and return to ObCo HQ on the center deck space to trigger the final round. Once each player (excluding the player who triggered the end) takes one more turn, score all your creatures and bonuses. *See Bonuses in Your Final Round* The highest total VP wins! Captured Legendary Assignments are worth double VP.
Setup:
Shuffle each deck of Region Cards, Item Cards, Hunters, and Legendary Assignments. Deal 1 Hunter, 1 ObCo Field Guide, and 2 face-down Legendary Assignments to each player. Place each of the shuffled Region decks on the table, laid out like a world map. North America (orange) is the top left corner of the map, Oceania (blue) is the bottom right corner. Deal 3 face-down Item cards to each player for their starting hand, and deal the rest into six roughly equal decks to place between the Regions. These decks create your game board, each is a space to travel to/through or draw from*. Any leftover Hunters and Legendary Assignments should be placed face down in the center of the map, between the Europe and Africa Regions. Cover these extras with the Searching for Legends ObCo HQ card to create the center space of the board. There should now be a grid of 13 decks as your board, playable from any side of the table.*ObCo HQ can act as a space to travel through, but cannot be drawn from. Return to this deck when you’ve reached a game-ending objective to trigger the final round.
Your First Round:
Start your Hunter card at ObCo HQ (Center deck), this is your player token. View your Legendary Assignments, but keep them private, these cards do not count towards your hand. Whichever players’ birthday is next will go first, and play continues to the left. The back of each Hunter card will show their Speed (used for Travel), and their Strength (used for Hunting). You can Travel to Hunt, or Travel to Resupply. You may Play any amount of cards from your hand before or after you Travel, but not a card you’ve drawn this round. This doesn’t include cards played during a Hunt. Travel does not have to be in a specific direction, and Hunters can move freely up to their speed limit. You do not have to Travel or use all of your speed on your turn. If you Travel to or currently occupy a Region Deck on your turn, you may draw a creature to Hunt. After the Hunt is resolved, your turn is over. If you Travel to or currently occupy an Item Deck on your turn, you may Resupply by drawing 2 cards, max of 5 in your hand. This action ends your turn.
Item Card Categories:
Supplies and Weapons can be used against creatures or to get more Items. Hunting Items will help you find and run away from creatures. Plot Twists will help you gain advantages, make/break friends, and cause chaos.
Discarding:
Any cards you play on your turn, or any cards played on you, will be discarded next to the nearest (closest and clockwise) Item Deck to your player token. Region cards are never discarded, instead they are shuffled back into the deck. Discard piles cannot be traveled through. If you wish to discard from your hand, you may discard ONE card once per turn, before you take a Resupply or Hunt action.
Hunting:
Drawing a card from a Region Deck will start the Hunt. Flip it face-up and announce the name of the Creature (as best you can). Legendary creatures are marked with an (L-Stamp). Creature strengths range from 3-11. Use your Hunter’s Strength, your Studied +2 bonus if applicable, and play Item cards to collect the creature.(Ex: Your Hunter is Von Heckhum, the creature you draw is a Bloodsucker type, add +2 to your strength.) Hunters may assist other Hunters but ONLY if they are in the same Region, or on an Item Deck adjacent to that Region. A Hunt can be resolved in these three ways:
If you MEET it: If your Hunter’s strength and the Creature’s strength are equal after all cards are played, you must abandon the Hunt. Move to an adjacent Region Deck in any direction, draw no cards, and no points are scored. Shuffle the creature back into the Region Deck. This ends your turn.
If you BEAT it: If your Hunter’s strength is higher than the creature’s strength after all cards are played, you’ve captured it! Take the Region card and place it creature side up in front of you. The creature’s strength is added to your total Victory Points (VP). If the Creature is one of your Legendary Assignments, take your assignment card and reveal it face up next to the creature, this Legendary Creature is now worth double the VP. This ends your turn.
If you LOSE it: If your Hunter cannot match the creature’s strength, move to an adjacent Region Deck in any direction, draw no cards, no points are scored. Shuffle the creature back into the Region Deck. If you lost to a local Creature, you must sit out the next round . If you lost to a Legendary, you must sit out a round AND discard an Item from your hand. This ends your turn.
Other Stuff to Know:
Cards will state when they can be used: Play on your turn, play anytime, play anytime except/including during a Hunt, etc. On your turn you can Play any amount of Item cards from your hand, if the play instruction allows. You can play cards on other players (even if it’s not your turn) if the play instruction allows. If you play a card on another Hunter to cancel their Hunt, you don’t need to be on a same/adjacent deck, but you must play it as the Region card is drawn, and before any Items have been used by the Hunter.
Any cards played by any player during a Hunt must be played one at a time, and discarded when the Hunt is resolved.
If you are sitting out a round after losing to a creature, you may not Play any cards, trade, or be stolen from until your recovery round is over.
Your Final Round:
Once the final round is triggered by a player checking in at ObCo HQ, each player (excluding the player who triggered the end) takes one more turn. Score all your creatures and bonuses. Captured Legendary Assignments are worth double VP.
World Traveler Bonus: Capturing at least 1 creature from all six Regions is worth 10 extra VP.
Monster Match Bonus: Capturing both of the same-named creatures available in a Region deck is worth 2 extra VP for each set.(Ex: Capturing both Jersey Devils, worth 3 VP each, gives you an extra 2 VP for 8 total points. In the case you find and collect a set of Legendary creatures, the Monster Match bonus will still apply, but your Legendary Assignment double VP would only apply to the first creature of the set captured.)
4 Horseman of the Ob-PoColypse: Collect a set of four, one of each creature type, for an extra 4 VP per set.(Ex:1 Humanoid, 1 Bloodsucker, 1 Supernatural, 1 Megafauna)
The winner is whoever’s VP total is highest!
In the case an Item Deck runs out completely, immediately shuffle all discards and replace the deck. If there are no discards for that deck, combine the nearest two Item Deck discard piles, shuffle, and replace the Item Deck.
Backpacks/Trading: You can hold up to 5 cards in your hand. Pack cards that increase your hand size do not count toward your hand, instead they’re placed in front of you on the table.
Players may trade/give Items to other players on their turn, but they must be on the same or adjacent deck to do so. Any type of Item card can be traded, including Packs.
When discarding Items played during a successful Hunt, you may sacrifice a Pack to take a used Item(s) back into your hand, matching the value of the hand increase discarded. (Ex: Discard a Backpack to keep 2 Items used, a Fanny Pack to keep 1). You may use these Items normally once they’re back in your hand.
Certain cards will allow players to swap hands. If one player has a higher hand limit due to Packs (which cannot be stolen or lost, only traded or discarded to return Items), the player whose hand is being taken will choose which Items to discard to meet the max hand limit of the player who initiated the trade.
We recommend playing to 25VP your first time before the end of the game is able to be triggered. For two player games (and the solo modes below), play to 50 VP. Standard gameplay is 35VP, but Searching for Legends is flexible! After your group has played a few times, feel free to adjust your play-to goal to suit your game’s tastes.
In case of conflict, the rulesheet is the last word. If there is still conflict, argue until there is a victor.
Small Table Setup/Apartment Mode:
-Instead of discarding on the outside of the Item decks during gameplay, discard any cards played during a Hunt or on Hunters, into two piles in the spaces on either side of ObCo HQ (center deck).
-Any cards that direct you to an adjacent discard pile, can now be interpreted as the discard pile on your Hunter’s side of the map. If there is no discard pile on your side of the map, there is nothing to choose from.
-If a card played directs you to shuffle the deck, including any discards, choose the smallest discard pile and shuffle the Item deck you occupy (or are nearest to) with it. Replace the Item deck just shuffled, with 16 Item cards, and distribute any remaining to the other Item decks as evenly as possible.
Play Mode Variations
Variations and Play Modes
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“Have you ever seen so much stuff?! They must really want this thing.” – ObCo Agent
After reviewing the recommendations section (See RECOMMENDATIONS below), shuffle Region decks, Hunters, and Legendary Assignments as normal. When it is time to set up the Item decks STOP and read this carefully.
Separate the Item cards into their 3 categories. HUNTING, SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS, and PLOT TWISTS. You can determine which card belongs in which category by the grey emblem on the top right of the card (See ObCo Field Guide card for further breakdown).
Combine the HUNTING and PLOT TWISTS decks and shuffle. Shuffle the SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS (still separate from the other deck). You should now have TWO decks (one of the combined HUNTING/PLOT TWISTS decks, and the other just SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS).
Deal two cards from the HUNTING/PLOT TWISTS deck and one from the SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS deck to each player.
Then evenly distribute the remaining combined PLOT TWISTS/HUNTING deck into 6 decks between the Region decks (as normal); once this is done, evenly distribute the remaining SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS cards on top of these 6 decks. Do not shuffle.
Set up continues as normal.
At the end of setup, you will have 6 decks where the top half is composed entirely of SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS Items, and the bottom half is HUNTING/PLOT TWISTS. Play as normal, shuffle as required by cards. Discard played cards as normal.
SPECIAL RULES
No special rules in this mode, players start their game locked and loaded.
RECOMMENDATIONS
For a longer game, we do not recommend this game mode. This is for those players seeking a faster game, or one more friendly to the first-time player. Experienced players may find this mode too easy. We recommend keeping all cards in play.
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“You think things are gonna be structured out there?! Get with the program!” – ObCo Instructor
To evenly distribute Items, you may set up ObCo Academy Mode, but shuffle each of the 6 Item decks at the end of step 4. This makes sure you have an even distribution of Item categories in each deck on the board, and adds challenge and strategy to ObCo Academy Mode.
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“When there is no more room in hell, the dead catch these hands.” - ObCo Field Agent
After reviewing the recommendations section (See RECOMMENDATIONS below), shuffle Region decks, Hunters, and Legendary Assignments as normal. When it is time to set up the Item decks STOP and read this carefully.
After removing recommended cards, deal or select your hunter, deal legendary assignments, and shuffle and deal cards as you would in a “classic” game of Searching for Legends. Play continues as normal, except for the existence of a “Ghost player”. This “Ghost player” acts as a timer and an “opponent”. They do not control a hunter, have no assignments, and do not possess a hand.
At the end of every other round (end of round 2, end of round 4, and so on), the “Ghost” player will draw a card from a region deck. They automatically score this monster. (See SPECIAL RULES below for more info on “Ghost” scoring). Once the “Ghost” reaches the set amount of VP for your game, play ends, and final scores are tallied.
SPECIAL RULES
For the purpose of solo play, treat any plot twists you draw as effects on you. (For example, when you draw the card “Blowout” from the Item deck, you treat it as though it was played on you directly, it does NOT go into your hand).
Scoring the Ghost: The “Ghost” automatically beats any creature it draws, receiving the VP. If the ghost draws a Legendary, they automatically beat it, but cannot receive double points. No other bonuses will apply to the Ghost. (*unless you would like a slightly more challenging version of this mode, in which case the “Monster Match” and “4 Horsemen of the ObPoColypse” bonuses may apply.)
RECOMMENDATIONS
We recommend removing “Wrong Briefcase” and “Baggage Claim”, as well as any cancel cards “Broadside of a Barn” “Not Today”. They do not add anything to play in this solo game.
We recommend starting the “ghost” draws at North America and working your way around the Regions clockwise. Ultimately, the order of draw is unimportant, if the “Ghost” player draws every other round.
FINAL ROUND
When you have reached 50 and have returned to ObCo Headquarters (center deck), count all of your creatures and apply bonuses (ghost player does not receive any end game bonuses). If you beat the ghost player you win and are offered a job with ObCo!
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“Monkeys not included.” -ObCo Representative
After removing recommended cards (See RECOMMENDATIONS below), deal or select your Hunter, deal yourself 2 Legendary Assignments, and shuffle and deal Region and Item cards as you would in a “classic” game of Searching for Legends. Gameplay is normal, except:
Every two turns you take, flip one Region card face-up and place it above/below it’s Region. This is now the Region’s individual collected VP.
Each Region will play to 20 VP. Once enough creatures have been flipped in a Region to total 20, you take a final turn, and the game is over. Legendary Assignments and bonuses do not apply to Regions, but still apply to you.
While competing against each Region, you are also competing against the Game. Searching for Legends will play to 50 VP. Once each Region’s total collected VP added together reaches 50, you take a final turn, and the game is over. Legendary Assignments and bonuses do not apply to Searching for Legends, but still apply to you.
You are also playing to 50 VP. Once your collected creatures total 50 points, reach ObCo HQ on the center deck to trigger the final round. You will not take another turn, but the next Region card to be flipped still gets scored. Legendary Assignments captured and bonuses still apply.
The highest VP wins!
SPECIAL RULES
There is an additional action you may take in this mode, to remove creatures scored by Regions from the game.
Instead of a Resupply or Hunt to end your turn, you may travel to a Region and discard an Item that allows you to run away from a Hunt, or that cancels an action or card’s effect. (Ex: Running Shoes, They’re Not Here, Not Today, etc.) You may then remove the creature from the game, and it no longer applies to the Region’s collected VP. If the creature you want to discard is a Legendary, discard two of these run-away Items. If you choose to take this action, it must be in place of your Resupply or Hunt, and you may not play any other cards this turn. You are only able to travel to the Region you wish to remove a creature from. Once the creature is removed from the game, the turn is over.
Any Item cards that allow you to swap hands, (Ex: Wrong Briefcase) can be played as the “FUBAR” card is played. Play a Wrong Briefcase/Baggage Claim card, discard your entire hand, and draw Items up to the number you discarded to replace your hand.
Any Item cards that allow you to steal and keep Items from others, (Ex: Yoink, Pickpocket) can be played to allow you to “steal” an Item from an Item deck you occupy or are adjacent to.
RECOMMENDATIONS
There are no cards to remove in this mode. Any card that cannot be used should be discarded normally. You may still discard ONE card from your hand before you take a Resupply or Hunt action on your turn. In this mode, this is a good way to remove cards like “Blowout”, or “What Do You Mean, You Forgot?” (These cards are normally played on others and don’t have much benefit in this mode, but they will take up space in your hand. Most of these are Plot Twist Items).
We recommend starting the region card flips at North America and working your way around the regions clockwise. (Ex: You take a turn to Resupply, you take a turn to Hunt, a card flips over in North America. You take two more turns, a card flips in Europe.)
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“Climbing the ObCo ladder can be really cutthroat.”-ObCo Office Assistant Manager, 62 Years of Service
After reviewing the recommendations section (See RECOMMENDATIONS below), then shuffle Region decks as normal. When it is time to set up the Item decks STOP and read this carefully.
Separate the item cards into their 3 categories. HUNTING, SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS, and PLOT TWISTS. You can determine which card belongs in which category by the grey emblem on the top right of the card (See ObCo Field Guide card for further breakdown).
Combine the HUNTING and PLOT TWISTS decks and shuffle. Shuffle the SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS (still separate from the other deck). You should now have TWO decks (one of the combined HUNTING/PLOT TWISTS decks, and the other just SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS).
Deal two cards from the HUNTING/PLOT TWISTS deck and one from the SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS deck to each player.
Then evenly distribute the remaining combined PLOT TWISTS/HUNTING deck into 6 decks between the Region decks (as normal); once this is done, evenly distribute the remaining SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS cards on top of these 6 decks. Do not shuffle.
Set up continues as normal.
At the end of setup, you will have 6 decks where the top half is composed entirely of SUPPLIES AND WEAPONS items, and the bottom half is HUNTING/PLOT TWISTS.
Once the decks are in place, and Hunters and Items are dealt, determine who plays first. Once decided, pull up a timer (preferably one that displays the time throughout) and set it for your preferred game length (see RECOMMENDATIONS below). Once the timer is prepared, and the first player is selected, press start and PLAY HAS BEGUN! As long as the timer is going, PLAY IS ON.
THIS GAME VARIANT REQUIRES ONE (1) SIX-SIDED DIE, NUMBERED 1 - 6. (NOT INCLUDED)
Roll the dice. Each number corresponds to a region deck, shown below:
North America
Europe
Asia
Oceania
Africa
South America
The number you roll determines which Region card is flipped. (e.g. a player rolls a 1, they must flip the top card of the North America Region deck). Once this card is flipped, the creature is active and in play; only one creature can be in play at a time. Active creatures can be hunted by any player occupying the Region deck on their turn. Once the creature is captured, the player who captured it must roll the dice, and flip the next region card. Play continues in this fashion until the timer runs out, or (inexplicably… for real, good job) the Region decks are exhausted.
Item decks and discard piles are treated normally. Cards, excluding special cases below, are played normally on creatures and other players.
SPECIAL RULES
Once a Region card is flipped, if it is removed from play by any other means than being captured in a Hunt, the card is removed from the game. It is not discarded, or reshuffled into the deck.
If the Hunter draws their character specific weapon, it can be EQUIPPED in front of the player, and used multiple times. If a Hunter loses against a creature, and has an EQUIPPED item, the item is lost. Otherwise, this Item can be stolen, or lost as normal, and is treated the same as any Item card for the resolution of other cards; if equipped it does NOT count towards your hand.
Hunter does NOT have to return to center (ObCo HQ) to score points. Once the timer ends, play ends immediately. Tally scores. Highest VP wins the Battle Royale!
CARD EFFECT CHANGES
Cards that end an ongoing Hunt (e.g. Guy In A Costume, Better Part of Valor, etc.) can be used to remove the active creature from play. Immediately reroll, and flip new Region card.
Searching for Legends can be used on the active region, player will flip cards until a Legendary is found and proceed with the Hunt as normal. Any cards flipped to find the Legendary are removed from the game after use.
When a Yoink or other steal card is played, EQUIPPED items can be taken; the player stealing does not need to allow the player being stolen from to shuffle it into their hand.
RECOMMENDATIONS
This mode is designed to be faster-paced. It is made with more experienced players in mind, with a solid grasp of the Searching for Legends mechanics.
Keep on top of your turns and actions! You have limited time! We recommend 20-25 minutes.
We recommend keeping all cards in play.