Rulebook (PDF) Rulebook (HTML)
Tiles and Rules Reference PDF

 

 

Robot Quest Arena FAQ & Rules Supplement

Table of Contents

Contradictory Rules

If a Player Board, card, or tile contradicts the rules, it supersedes them.

Running Out of Cubes or Gems

Players should replenish the Reserve as needed by trading in 5 red cubes from their Victory Point Piles for 1 gem from the Reserve. In the unlikely event that the Reserve runs out of cubes or gems, use tokens in their place. For example, coins, dice, etc.

Making Change

You lose Victory points when you or a teammate loses health on your turn. (See “Health, Victory Points, and Damage” in the rulebook.) Effects can also cause you to lose Victory Points. For example:

Short Circuit Card (Backer Promo Pack) says: “Lose 1 {VP}, draw 3 cards.

Whenever you lose Victory points, “make change” as needed. For example, if you would lose 1 Victory Point but you only have a gem in your Victory Point Pile, exchange the gem for 5 red cubes from the reserve, then lose 1 of those. If you would lose 1 Victory Point but only have a blue cube in your Victory Point Pile, return it to the Game Box (never return blue cubes to the Reserve) and move 2 red cubes from the Reserve into your Victory Point Pile, then lose 1 of those.

Corner-Point Obstacles

If line of sight crosses just the corner of any space containing an obstacle, that obstacle does not block line of sight. For example, two diagonally aligned robots could shoot each other through two diagonally adjacent walls. Similarly, if you play Omniwheels, you could move and push between two diagonally adjacent walls.

Omniwheels Card (Base Game) says: “+3 {Energy}. You may move and push diagonally this turn.”

 

Entering and Exiting Spaces

Some tiles have effects when you enter or exit them. Whenever you move (or something else moves you), you exit each space that you move off of and enter each space that you move onto. If you move at an angle over only the corner point of a space, you do not enter/exit that space. For example:

Omniwheels Card (Base Game) says: “+3 {Energy}. You may move and push diagonally this turn.”

Some effects can knock robots back across multiple spaces or pull them across multiple spaces. In this case, make the move one space at a time, with each step triggering exit and enter effects as appropriate (but don’t resolve the effects until after whatever is moving you is completely resolved, see “Resolving Effects and Partial Effects” below).

Note: If an effect adds, removes, moves, or swaps tiles under robots, “enter” effects trigger, but “exit” effects do not trigger.

Moving Over Obstacles

When you play a card that lets you move over obstacles, it still costs 1 Move per space. For example:

Jump Jets Card (Base Game) says: “+2 Move. You may move over obstacles this turn.”

Additionally, you cannot stop moving on top of an obstacle that blocks movement. So, if you don’t have enough Move to get off obstacles that block movement, you can’t get on them.

Rocket Booster Card (Base Game) says: “+4 Move, draw 3 cards, and you may move over Obstacles this turn.”

For example, you play Rocket Booster. You could spend 1 move to move onto a Wall tile that’s next to you. If there’s another robot next to that, you could spend another 1 Move to move on top of them, but you can’t stop there. You must keep moving or pushing your way onto a space that doesn’t block movement before you can do anything else (you can’t play cards or activate abilities while you’re on top of an obstacle that blocks movement).

Knock Back is not Pushing

Pushing causes knock back and can interact with effects related to knock back. However, knock back is not pushing and cannot interact with effects related to pushing. For example, you can use Tackle to push Crate without needing to pay extra Move.

Tackle Card (Base Game) says: “Knock the targeted robot back 1 space.”

Crate Player Board (Base Game) says: “It costs +1 Move to push Crate.”

In another example, Electrified Plating does not add damage to Tackle.

Electrified Plating Card (Base Game) says: “Whenever you push a robot this turn, deal +1 {Damage} to them.”

Area-of-Effect Attacks

Some attacks specify an area-of-effect. For example, they may damage robots “in melee range” (see Ground Pound) or “in a straight line” (see Laser Cannon). In these cases, you do not pick targets. Just do whatever the Attack card says.

Ground Pound Card (Base Game) says: “Deals {Damage} to each enemy robot in {Melee} range. Knock each of them back 1 space.”

Laser Cannon Card (Base Game) says: “Deals {Damage} to each enemy robot in a straight (not diagonal) line away from you. Ignores line of sight (may shoot through Walls and other obstacles).

Attacking Spaces and Tiles

Some Attack cards say to target spaces. Some tiles also say you can attack them, in which case you may do so using regular attacks. Note: You cannot target or attack a space or tile that you are currently on.

Whenever you target a space or tile, you target it instead of a robot. Any robot that happens to be there is not targeted, although it may still be affected if so described by the attack.

Whenever you attack a tile, apply any effects your attack has to the tile. If that attack refers to “the targeted robot”, it refers to the tile instead, where possible. Lastly, apply the Attack’s damage to the tile (see “Damaging Tiles” below).

Pushing Tiles

Most tiles cannot be pushed, knocked back, or pulled. However, if a tile says it can be pushed, effects can push, knock back, and pull that tile as if it was a robot. For example:

Loot Box and VP Crate Tiles (Backer Promo Pack) say: “These tiles can be damaged, attacked, and pushed as if they are enemy robots.”

Whenever a tile is damaged, the player whose turn it is is the person who “damages” it. For example, if you push an enemy robot into a Loot Box, you gain its effect (not the enemy robot).

Note: While you can push one tile into another tile that blocks movement (dealing 1 damage to each of them), you cannot push one tile on top of another tile. For example, you cannot push VP Crate on top of Smoke.

Smoke Tile (Base Game) says: “This tile is an obstacle that blocks line of sight (but not movement).”

Damaging Tiles

Damage dealt to tiles usually has no effect. However, some tiles say they can be “damaged as if they were robots.” For example:

VP Crate Tile (Dozer Pack)

Loot Box Tile (Dozer Pack and Backer Promo Pack)

Gumball Machine Tile (Backer Promo Pack)

Button Tile (Jaws Pack)

Note: These tiles have no health and can’t get Knocked Out. Instead, they have effects that trigger when they take damage. You may damage them as follows:

Tiles that block movement (not Button) may also be damaged as follows:

  • By pushing or knocking something else that blocks movement into the tile (dealing 1 damage to each of them).
  • Or vice versa – By pushing or knocking the tile into something else that blocks movement (dealing 1 damage to each of them). Note: The tile itself must be pushable.

“Once Per Turn” Abilities

Some player boards and cards have abilities that may be used “once per turn.” You may use these abilities once on each of your turns during your main phase. You cannot use them on other players’ turns.

Resolving Effects and Partial Effects

When a Player Board, card, or tile says to do something, that’s called an effect. You must do everything the effect says in the order written before doing anything else. If you can’t complete part of an effect for any reason, just do as much as you can. For example, you have one card left in your deck and no cards in your discard pile. If you play Pneumatic Piston, you will draw 1 card, then discard 2 cards.

Pneumatic Piston Card (Base Game) says: “Draw 2 cards, then discard 2 cards.”

When multiple effects need to be resolved

Some expansion packs contain effects that happen at the same time. For example, the Jaws Pack includes multiple Upgrade cards that happen “at the start of your turn”. Whenever multiple effects need to be resolved, the player whose turn it is chooses any one of them, it resolves, then they repeat this process. Any new effects are added to the same pool of unresolved effects.

Checking a Card’s Cost (Expansion Packs)

Cards that do not have a printed cost (like starting deck cards) count as having a printed cost of 0. Whenever an effect scraps the top of the Shop Deck and checks its cost, if that card’s cost is 0, scrap another card and use its cost instead (repeat as needed).

Whenever an effect refers to a card’s cost, use the printed cost and ignore any modifications. For example, if you use Membership Card to acquire a 6-cost card for only 4 Energy, you would still gain Victory Points from Bling.

Membership Card card (Jaws Pack) says: Pay 2 Energy less to buy your first card each turn.

Bling card (Jaws Pack) says: Whenever you acquire a card of cost 6 Energy or more, gain 2 Victory Points.

Getting Knocked Out on Your Own Turn

If you are knocked out on your own turn, your turn ends immediately. (Proceed to your Cleanup Phase: discard cards, draw cards, and lose unspent resources. This happens even if you have a second robot, as you would in a 2-player game.)

Playing with Additional Players

While the base game only comes with 4 robots, you may add robot packs to support additional players. Note: Adding players increases the time between each of your turns and the length of the game. The Reserve starts with a number of blue cubes equal to equal to 4 plus the number of players. Each player gets a spawn tile.

Arranging Tiles that Block Movement (Expansion Packs)

Whenever you add, move, or swap tiles on the Game Board (For example, using Arena Add-on or Remodel), you may be tempted to place a series of walls around your opponent so they cannot move. This is not allowed. You cannot block off spaces on the Game Board.

Arena Add-on Card (Dozer Pack) says: “The player whose turn it is may place a tile from the Game Box onto an empty space.”

Remodel Card (Dozer Pack) says: “The player whose turn it is may swap a tile from the Game Box with a non-spawn tile on the board.”

If a space contains an obstacle that blocks movement and an effect adds, moves, or swaps a tile that blocks movement onto the same space, the original obstacle gets knocked back onto the nearest empty space (in any direction). If there are multiple nearest empty spaces, the player whose turn it is chooses one of them.

Player Board, Card, and Tile Notes

Pit Stop Card (Base Game)

Pit Stop says: “+1 {VP}   +2 {Energy}   +3 {Health}”

When you play Pit Stop, it gives you all three of the resources listed at once: VP AND Energy AND Health.

Pug Player Board (Base Game)

Pug says: “Pug may spawn on any empty space among the 9 spaces in the center of the board (including during setup).”

After you’ve finished setting up the tiles on the game board, players take turns choosing spawn points. When it is Pug’s turn to choose, she always chooses a tile. Then she must decide whether she wants to spawn on her chosen spawn tile or in the middle of the game board. If she chooses the middle of the game board, she may end up starting her first turn on a space without a tile in the center of the game board. If that happens, she gains a victory point as usual.

Reprogram Card (Base Game)

Reprogram says: “+1 {Energy}. Move any robot up to 2 empty spaces (spaces without tiles or robots).”

Omniwheels card (Base Game) says: “+3 {Energy}. You may move and push diagonally this turn.”

Reprogram can move any Robot, whether it is your own or someone else’s. You may move the robot in a straight line or in an “L” shape (for example, up then right). If the robot currently has an effect that allows them to move diagonally (for example, if you have played Omniwheels), Reprogram can move them diagonally.

Tackle Card (Base Game)

Tackle says: “Knock the targeted robot back 1 space.”

If you Tackle a Robot with only One Health Cube left, you’ll knock the targeted robot back before dealing Tackle’s 1 damage to them. This means if you knock them into another robot, each of them will be damaged.

Omni-wheels Card (Base Game)

Omni-wheels says: “+3 {Energy}. You may move and push diagonally this turn.”

Omniwheels allows you to push a robot that is diagonally next to you (45 degrees) and move them diagonally away from you.

It does not allow you to push a robot that is next to you (one space straight up, down, left, or right) and move them diagonally away from you.

Smoke Tile (Base Game)

Smoke says: “This tile is an obstacle that blocks line of sight (but not movement).”

This applies in both directions:

  • That robot cannot target other robots with ranged attacks
  • Other robots cannot target that robot with ranged attacks

Melee attacks are not blocked in either direction.

Pothole Tile (Base Game) and Glue Tile (Backer Promo Pack)

Pothole and Glue say: it costs some amount of extra Move “to move your robot off this tile.”

The cost penalty only applies when you take the move action to move your own robot, not when you push another robot, are pushed by another robot, or are moved by an effect.

Jump Jets says: “+2 Move. You may move over obstacles this turn.”

You can use Jump Jets, etc., to ignore the Pothole and Glue tiles’ effects. Simply move off the tiles without paying any extra Move and leave the tiles where they are on the game board.

However, if an effect moves you off a Glue tile, you do “exit” the tile and it is removed from the board.

Event Cards (Dozer Pack)

Events speed up the game by giving players extra Energy, Moves, etc. If you’re using Events, you may choose to add extra blue cubes to the Reserve during setup.

Defense Cards (Kettle Pack)

Defense cards lengthen the game by making it harder to knock out robots. If you’re using Defense cards, you may choose to add fewer blue cubes to the Reserve during setup. If a Robot with Defense cards on it is Knocked Out by means other than damage (for example, from Trash Compactor), they also lose all Health cubes on their Defense cards (their Defense cards break, Victory Points are claimed or lost as usual).

Trash Compactor tile (Base Game) says: “Whenever you enter this tile, scrap the top card of the Shop Deck. If it costs 6 {Health} or more, you are Knocked Out (lose all of your {Energy}).”

Double-Sided Tiles (Jaws Pack)

Most game tiles are identical on the front and back. The Jaws Pack includes double-sided tiles, which have different tiles on the front and back.

During setup, you may place these tiles with either side face-up. The first edition rules said to place them “Side 1” face-up (the “harmless” side), but we are now allowing players to setup however they like.

Arena Add-on Card (Dozer Pack) says: “The player whose turn it is may place a tile from the Game Box onto an empty space.”

During play, any effects that add these tiles to the game board (such as Arena Add-on) always place them “Side 1” face-up (the “harmless” side).

Loot Box tile (Dozer Pack) says: “When you damage a Loot Box, reveal the back of it, gain the effect stated, and return the tile to the Game Box.”

Button tile (Jaws Pack) says: “Whenever you enter or damage this tile, flip all double-sided tiles.”

Loot Boxes also have different fronts and backs. However, Loot Boxes do not count as double-sided tiles because only the front is a tile (the back is an effect). As a result, Loot Boxes cannot be flipped using the Button Tile.

Loot Box Tile (Dozer Pack & Backer Promo Pack)

Loot Box says: “These tiles can be damaged, attacked, and pushed as if they are enemy robots. You cannot push any tile on top of any other tile.”

Air Cannon Card (Backer Promo Pack) says: “Knock the targeted robot back 4 spaces.”

If a robot is knocked back into a Loot Box (causing it to break), any extra knock back has no effect. For example, if someone uses Air Cannon to knock you back 4 spaces but the first space contains a Loot Box, you’ll be knocked into the Loot Box and you won’t be knocked back anymore.

Hologram Card (Bot Battle Promo)

∞ is the infinity symbol. Don’t bother putting infinite cubes on this card. When this defense takes any amount of damage on your turn, it will break. If this defense is attached to:

  • An enemy robot: you claim Victory Points from the reserve equal to the damage.
  • A friendly robot: you lose Victory Points equal to the damage.

 

Hypercharge Card (Backer Promo Pack)

Hypercharge says: “Draw a card. The next Attack card you play this turn deals +1 {Damage} for each Function you have in play (including this one).”

You will count the Function cards when you play the attack card (not when you play Hypercharge). So, if you play any Function cards after Hypercharge, they will add to the damage.

Cubes in the Arena (Expansions)

Gumball Machine Tile (Backer Promo Pack) says: “Whenever you damage Gumball Machine, put 1 {VP} from the Reserve onto each space that’s diagonally adjacent to this tile and doesn’t have a gumball on it. On your turn, claim any gumballs from spaces you are on and/or enter.”

VP Crate Tile (Dozer Pack) says: “This tile starts with 2 {VP} on it. Whenever an Event enters the shop, place 1 {VP} on this tile. For each point of {Damage} you deal to this tile, claim 1 {VP} off of it. This tile stays on the board even when its last {VP} is removed.”

Gumball Machine and VP Crate can place Victory Points inside the Arena. (“Gumball” is a flavorful name for a Victory Point.)

Gumball Machine can place gumballs onto diagonal spaces, even if there are tiles or Robots there. If placed onto a tile that blocks movement, you’ll have to use something that lets you move over obstacles to claim them. For example:

Jump Jets says: “+2 Move. You may move over obstacles this turn.”

Robots can’t claim gumballs on their current space until it is their turn. This means you can push a robot out of the way to steal a gumball from underneath them!

If a tile is pushed, moved, or placed onto a space that has Victory Points on it, put those Victory Points on top of that tile. If a tile with Victory Points on it is pushed or moved, move those Victory Points with that tile.

If a gumball ends up on VP Crate, it becomes a regular Victory Point and may be claimed as usual by damaging VP Crate. Note: If you use Jump Jets to pass over VP Crate, you cannot claim any gumballs that were converted into Victory Points.

If a tile with gumballs on it is returned to the game box, leave the gumballs in the same space. If a tile with Victory Points on it is returned to the game box, also return those Victory Points to the Reserve.