Nîn-Gonost is a fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 adventure board game

Adventure board game

An adventure board game is a board game in which a player plays as a unique individual character that improves through gameplay. This improvement is commonly reflected in terms of increasing character attributes, but also in receiving new abilities or equipment.Adventure board games often...

 currently published by Adiken

Adiken

Adiken was a company that made miniatures and miniatures supplies. They also made an adventure board game called Nin-Gonost.Their website has not been updated since 2005 and all attmpets to contact them fail....

, a Canadian

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 game company. The game features a modular, magnetic game board. The game's name means "Fortress of Tears" in the setting's antique elvish language. The designers include Alain Henner and Arnaud Borne.

ISBN 2-9808450-1-9
-Legal deposit of National Library of Quebec, fourth quarter 2004.
-Legal deposit of National Library of Canada, fourth quarter 2004.

Gameplay

Each player gets a certain number of miniatures

Figurine

A figurine is a statuette that represents a human, deity or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay...

, with a limit on the total "value" of each player's miniatures determined by the players before a game. A total value of 150 per player is typical. Each miniature has a corresponding "character card" with statistics about that character.

The game is played on a modular magnetic "dungeon board" with Tiles of various sizes representing floor, wall, and obstacles can be snapped together. The design of the dungeon is important, as line-of-sight

Line of sight (gaming)

Line of sight, sometimes written line-of-sight or abbreviated to LoS, is a term used in wargames and some role-playing games . It refers to visibility on the playing field. Many abilities can only be used against an enemy within line of sight.In some games, miniature figures are used to determine...

, cover

Cover (military)

In military combat, the concept of cover refers to anything which is capable of physically protecting an individual from enemy fire. This differentiates it from the similar concept of concealment, in that an object or area of concealment only affords the benefit of stealth, not actual protection...

, and position affect combat.

Nîn-Gonost is a turn-based game. Each player goes through each of their miniatures, using the action points available to them.

Movement

A character has a specific run and walk speed, as stated on their character card. A character can run or walk up to that many squares on the board in the direction that they are facing using one action point. In the original basic rules, a character must start and end their movement at walk speed. In order to run, the character must have already spent one action point walking, and then must spend one action point "slowing down" (walking again).

Melee Combat

In the basic rules Nîn-Gonost, there are no hit points. If a character takes more damage than their resistance, the character dies. In the advanced rules, Manna and Hit Points are the same thing.

First, "fight modifiers" are determined. Examples include: For each extra opponent, a character earns (-1); if the character is being attacked from behind, they earn (-1); if a character is attacking from behind, they earn (+1). The fight modifiers change the dice a player uses. For example, a character that would use a red fight die according to their character card would use a yellow die if they were attacking from behind.

Next, each character rolls their "Duel Dice" and the "Fate Die." The player with the higher score on the "Duel Dice" is the winner. The consequences, however, depend on the "Fate Die." Each player has a 1/6 chance of rolling Fate, resulting in one of the following using the basic rules:

• Winner rolled Fate: Perfect Strike (instant kill)
• Loser rolled Fate: Perfect Block (no damage taken)
• Tie and both rolled Fate: Both die
• Tie and neither rolled Fate: Neither is harmed
• Not a tie, and both or neither rolled Fate: Damage is resolved

Adiken's official Core Rules by Paul DeStefano released after the initial boxed set introduced CounterStrike as a possible combat outcome as well as many rule enhancements.

If the damage needs to be resolved, per the last case, the difference of the scores on the "Duel Dice" plus the winner's "Damage" score (on the "character card") is the damage dealt. If the damage dealt is greater than the loser's "Resistance" score (also on the card), then the loser is killed. Otherwise, the loser is unharmed.

Once two characters begin fighting, they must continue fighting as long as they have action points available to do so, or until one disengages by stepping back (at a cost of one action point).

Ranged Combat

Ranged combat is similar to melee combat. An attacking player calculates "shooting modifiers": a short range or a large target gets +1; a long range, target behind cover, target with a shield, or target engaged in a fight all garner -1. It is possible to get up to +2 by spending that many attack points on "concentration." The damage done is the difference between how much an attacking player rolls on an "Accuracy Die," and the state of the "Fate Die." The target rolls just the "Fate Die." One of the following states is possible:

• If the broken arrow on the "Accuracy Die" is rolled, the attacker has missed.
• If the attacker rolled Fate, it is a "Perfect Shot" and the target is instantly killed.
• If the target rolled Fate, he is unharmed.
• If both or neither player rolled Fate, damage is resolved per below.
• If the attacker rolled Fate and a broken arrow, it is considered a "Critical Failure" and he has broken his bowstring. He must have to spend four action points to repair it.

To resolve damage, the damage on the "Range" portion of a miniature's character card is the character's ranged damage. The score on the Accuracy Die plus the ranged damage is the "Strike Power." If that number is greater than the target's resistance, the character is killed. If not, the target is undamaged.

Advanced play

In addition to the basic guidelines defined above, each character has additional statistics. They include manna, strength, con, dexterity, per, wil, ctr, wtg, and specific armor and weapon statistics.

The Revised Rules

In 2005, American game designer Paul SetDefano joined Adiken and created the wholly revamped Core Rules. These rules corrected numerous errors in the original game which were the result of both poor translations and poor playtesting. The new Core Rules streamlined play tremendously, removing the need for most record keeping, enhancing gameplay and revamping the magic system.

Overall, the new rules created a far superior game which was nominated for an Origins award for best miniatures rules. Unfortunately, the company would not last long enough to release the many planned expansions.

The new Core Rules are currently available for free download from }

Comment from the Author

The Game Nin-Gonost was nominated for an Origins award for best miniatures game and not miniatures rules in 2005, months before any collaboration with freelancers.