Step 1 – Scenario Preparations
1-1 Choose the scenario you will play. Depending on which Modes are available for the scenario, decide if you are playing in Standard, Easy, Hard, Expert, Nightmare, Campaign, and/or Epic Multiplayer Mode. Place all corresponding Mode cards, if any, on the table. Don’t trigger their effects yet. If you are playing Epic Multiplayer Mode, divide the players into teams according to the Epic Multiplayer Card indications. Each team will resolve all the remaining steps and substeps of Setup separately.
1-2 Set up the token bank and assign 1 threat dial to each player.
1-3 Choose the first player and give the first player token to them.
1-4 Build the quest deck arranging the quest cards in sequential order, based on the numbers on the back of each card. Stage 1A should be on top, with the numbers increasing in sequence and moving down the stack. If the scenario includes multiple quest stages with the same number but different letters, arrange those quest cards in alphabetical order. If the scenario includes quest stages with the exact same number and letter, shuffle them randomly together. Some specific scenarios might have you build more than one quest deck. Place the quest deck(s) on the table.
1-5 Build the encounter deck with all the encounter sets shown by the icons on Stage 1A. Some scenarios might instruct you to create (and possibly set aside) more than one encounter deck, in which case follow those specific instructions. If you choose to play in the Core Set Easy Mode, remove the gold-ring cards from the encounter deck. If you are playing in Nightmare Mode, apply the appropriate card changes to the encounter deck card list, as instructed by the Nightmare Card (but don’t trigger its Setup effects yet). Place the encounter deck(s) on the table.
1-5-1 If you are playing in Epic Multiplayer Mode, follow the Epic Multiplayer Mode Card Setup instructions.
1-5-2 If you are playing in Campaign Mode, add to the encounter deck all earned Burdens with an encounter card back that are listed in the Campaign Pool (unless the Campaign Card says otherwise).
1-5-3 If the chosen Difficulty Mode card for the scenario has any Setup instructions, resolve them.
Step 2 – Player Decks Preparations
Based on the choices made during Setup Step 1, any Campaign Pool, scenario-specific and/or Mode-specific deckbuilding requirements are now active (each following sub-step is resolved by each player in player order, before moving to the next sub-step).
2-1 Choose a contract (optional). If you choose a contract, its deckbuilding requirements are also now active.
2-2 Choose non-conflicting starting heroes.
2-2-1 If you are playing in Campaign Mode, you can change starting heroes at this time, applying the +1 threat increase per hero during substep 3-3 (unless the Campaign Card says otherwise).
2-3 Assemble your deck with the cards available to you and place it on the table. If you decide to use Encounter keyword player cards, those are set aside now.
2-3-1 If you are playing in Campaign Mode (or The Hobbit Saga Expansion) the players can choose any Boons and/or Treasures among those available to them (following to the indications of the Campaign Log and of the Campaign Card if needed) and shuffle the chosen Boons and/or Treasures into their decks (or into the encounter deck if the Boons have an encounter card back). Boon and/or Treasure cards added to a deck do not count towards that deck’s card minimum.
Step 3 – Player Setup
(each following sub-step is resolved by each player in player order, before moving to the next sub-step).
3-1 Put your starting heroes into play. Any constant ability they might have is now active. If you are playing The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings Sagas, the first player determines the Baggins/Fellowship hero they will be playing with and place it on the table. If you are playing The Lord of the Rings Saga and the Ring-Bearer is on the table, the first player attaches The One Ring to the Ring-Bearer.
3-2 If you are playing in the Core Set Easy Mode, add 1 resource of each of your heroes’ resource pools.
3-3 Set your starting threat based on your heroes’ threat cost. If you are playing in Campaign Mode and you changed heroes in Setup Step 2, or if the Campaign Log instructs you to modify your threat in any way, adjust your threat accordingly (note that only effects that explicitly mention “starting threat”, like the contract Messenger of the King will change your actual starting threat).
3-4 If there are Setup effects on your heroes, contracts, or cards in your deck, trigger them all at the same time and you can choose the order they resolve in (note that if multiple players have included The One Ring from A Shadow in the East in their decks only one of them will be able to put The One Ring in play, all the others will remove it from the game).
3-5 Draw your starting hand of 6 cards unless an effect specifically changes this. You can choose to mulligan once your starting hand (and only that, not any other cards added to your hand during Setup) unless an effect specifically changes this.
Step 4 – Encounter Setup
4-1 If there are Setup effects on quest cards, Campaign Cards, Nightmare Cards, or cards in the encounter deck, trigger them all at the same time. The players must resolve them in an order that allows for as many of the effects to be fully resolved as possible (and in the worst order possible for players if relevant). Flip Quest Stage 1 from Side A to Side B (and possibly advance to Stage 2A/2B, resolving that quest card effects too).
4-1-1 If you are using the XP introduced in the Dream-chaser Campaign you can now spend those to upgrade or level up Boons and Burdens.
4-2 If you are playing in Campaign Mode, shuffle into the player decks the earned Burdens with a player card back listed in the Campaign Pool, according to the indications of the Campaign Log.
4-3 If during any of the previous steps or sub-steps of Setup, you have interacted with the encounter deck in any way, shuffle the encounter deck.
Step 5 – End of Setup
5-1 Some effects can be tied to this step, like the Blue Wizards’ Response or the possibility for the players to put into play a player objective. The players as a group may put into play one (and only one) player objective from their collection(s). Add it to the staging area with Side A faceup and trigger its Setup effect. The Setup effect on Side A allows players to “opt in” to the objective before it flips to Side B. After doing so, Setup is now officially and completely over.
A Long-extended Party 