Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ – designed by FireTap Games ®
Descend alone into the dark fantasy universe of Heroes of the Sanctum™ in an all-new solo card-and-dice dungeon crawler.
The Incursion has plunged our realm into chaos, leaving only ash and despair in its wake. With extinction drawing ever closer, the Sanctum turns to you—alone—to descend into the abyss of ancient, underground ruins, where the spawn of the Rift fester in the vile corruption of dark energies. Their ranks grow stronger, their reach darker, and if left unchallenged, they will devour all that remains.
Few possess the courage to step willingly into the grasp of death, but the time for hesitation has long passed. Enter the lair of demons, confront the horrors that writhe within, and strike against the darkness! Go forth, champion. Step boldly into near-certain doom and carve salvation from the brink of annihilation. Should you ascend from the darkness, your sacrifice will be etched into eternity, immortalised by the Sanctum’s highest honour: the Seal of the Doomcrawler.
By decree of the Sanctum, the edict is given.
Both A Standalone Game & Mini Expansion!
Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ is a fully self-contained, action-packed game that is portable enough to take anywhere! But there’s more—this standalone experience includes 4 secret Reward Packs that unlock bonus content for both Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ and Heroes of the Sanctum: The Strategy Card Game!™
Game Setup
Select Your Hero!
Once the basic game layout is set, choose your champion to lead the charge against the forces of the Rift. Will you wield the precision of The Sanctum’s Chosen, the devastating power of the Pyromage, the arcane armour of the Thunderhammer, or the restorative abilities of the Lightbringer?
Each hero features distinct stats, a passive effect, and a personalised Dice Track with unique events to shape your strategy. They also wield a Unique Hero Skill card, offering tactical depth and unlocking powerful new gameplay possibilities.
Randomise the Dungeon Stack & Choose Your Difficulty!
In Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™, your quest begins by randomly selecting from 9 unique dungeons. Build a Dungeon Stack of 1 to 3 cards, with more cards increasing the danger and the time spent in the depths.
Set a red die with a value of 1 on the first Dungeon’s Doom Die Slot to track the demonic energies building in the underground ruins. Only those who escape a 3-card Dungeon Stack will earn the legendary Seal of the Doomcrawler.
Set Up Dice Tracks!
A Dice Track is a grid that uses a single die to track values while sequentially triggering effects. As the core mechanism of Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™, Dice Tracks drive nearly every aspect of the game. Heroes, threats, dungeons, quests, and more all rely on these tracks to shape actions and events.
The first slot of each Dice Track determines the colour and starting value of the die to be used. Matching icons on the same card include accompanying text to explain the effects triggered by each slot. Once the dice are set up, the adventure begins!
Gameplay
Each game round in Heroes Of The Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ loops over the Hero Phase and the Dungeon Phase. If you can escape from all dungeons in the Dungeon Stack, you are victorious. The game begins with the Hero Phase.
The Hero Phase Begins!
At the start of the Hero Phase, players UPDATE their hero’s Dice Track by moving the yellow die to the next position, unlocking bonus abilities or free actions for the round.
Players then perform two ACTIVE Hero Skill cards, resolving their Action Lists one at a time. Each hero wields a Unique Skill card alongside four shared Core Skills: ATTACK, ESCAPE, QUEST, and REST. After most Skill cards are resolved, they are DEACTIVATED, limiting future options and adding strategic tension.
Below is an overview of the Core Hero Actions:
Attack Threats!
The ATTACK Skill is your key to cutting through the relentless waves of threats that infest the underground. To strike successfully, you must roll higher than the threat’s Difficulty Level, shown in the top-left corner of most cards.
The game features 26 unique threats, each with its own stats and abilities. Among them are Epic threats, marked by their purple Dice Tracks. These powerful foes boast higher health and PASSIVE effects, making them far more dangerous to face. Only the bravest heroes will survive!
Escape The Underground!
The ESCAPE Skill lets you attempt to flee the dangers of the current Dungeon card. To succeed, you must roll higher than the Dungeon’s Difficulty Level.
Reaching victory means navigating the entire Dungeon Stack and emerging from the underground alive. Can you escape the darkness, or will the depths consume you too?
Pursue Side Quests!
The QUEST Skill lets you target one of the three active Side Quests in play. Three quests are always available at all times, and progress requires rolling higher than the quest’s Difficulty Level.
Side Quests bring both rewards and dangers, making vigilance essential. Carefully consider their impact, as your choices could shape the outcome of your adventure.
Rest Your Heroes!
Wounded heroes can use the REST Skill to recover quickly and stay in the fight. Roll higher than your hero’s current health value to heal their wounds. After resting, used Skill cards are ACTIVATED, flipping face up and ready for immediate action.
Resolving Actions & Keywords
When resolving the Action List of a Hero’s Skill card, most Actions will include Keywords. Many Keywords target specific cards and require a value to measure Success. For example:
In this case, after choosing a valid threat card to ATTACK, the icons in parentheses show players how to resolve the Keyword: the 🎲 icon represents the result of a black die roll, while the ⚡ icon refers to the value of the die in the card’s CHARGE slot. These values are then added together as shown.
Subtracting the target card’s Difficulty Value from the result will give players the final Success Value of the action. This value is used to modify the die of the target’s Dice Track. The example below shows an overview of the entire process:
There are also many Keywords that do not require a Success Value!
Charge Your Skills!
Harnessing power is key to survival. Players can CHARGE another Skill card by rolling the white die and placing it on the card’s CHARGE slot. This critical preparation increases the odds of success in future actions, allowing you to strategise and unleash your hero’s full potential when the moment demands it.
Push Threats Into The Darkness!
The PUSH action allows you to do more than just ATTACK. You can drive non-epic threats back into the Darkness, where their Dice Tracks fall silent and they become untouchable. Yet in the Darkness, they linger, waiting to emerge once more…
Defend Yourself!
At the end of the Hero Phase, players roll the black die and place it on the Defence Slot of their hero card. During the Dungeon Phase, any damage you receive will first be subtracted from your defence value before affecting your hero’s health.
Other Game Features
Upgrade Your Hero!
Victory against an Epic Threat is only the beginning. After vanquishing your first formidable foe, your hero ascends to greater power. Flip your Hero card from the “Standard” side to the “Advanced” side, unlocking increased health and an upgraded Dice Track. With this transformation, you are prepared to face the even darker challenges that lie ahead.
Discover Powerful Loot!
Loot cards grant your heroes unique abilities and game-changing effects. With over 30 different Loot cards to uncover, the treasures of the underground hold countless possibilities. Loot Rolls are triggered whenever a card with a Dice Track is discarded. This happens when you defeat a threat, complete a side quest, escape from a dungeon, and more. Each Loot Roll gives you the chance to equip your hero with powerful new items that can turn the tide in your favour.
Random Encounters!
When heroes embark on side quests or attempt to escape a dungeon, they must draw and resolve an Encounter card. These narrative-driven events can bring unexpected fortune or dire consequences. Once drawn, the encounter is resolved immediately before being discarded, leaving its mark on your journey.
Handle Critical Hits!
Sometimes your hero will suffer a Critical Hit, a catastrophic setback that can cripple your abilities. These cards often override one or more of your Core Skills, forcing you to address the Critical Hit before you can use those actions again. Beware, if a player receives more than 3 Critical Hits, they are immediately defeated!
The Dungeon Phase
The darkness strikes back!
During the Dungeon Phase, threats increment their Dice Tracks, unleashing devastating effects. Next, the current Side Quests update their Dice Tracks, followed by the Dungeon and any lingering Critical Hits. Finally, threats lurking in the Darkness return to the battle, ready to strike.
With the cycle complete, the Hero Phase begins anew. But beware—this grim adventure ends only when your hero falls to the relentless horrors of the Rift… or against all odds emerges from the ruins, battered yet alive, defying the darkness itself.
The Time Has Come!
Ancient prophecies foretell of those who would sacrifice all. Those who would descend into the depths of corruption and trample the festering darkness within.
Behold! For it is you alone that shall crawl into the underground depths. It shall come to pass that you strike fear into the heart of the demon and defy the doom that awaits us all.
So it is written: You were chosen to descend, and to rise again. The sacred texts have delivered you to claim the Seal. You shall not turn away, you shall not falter… For you are the prophecy made manifest.
By decree of the Sanctum, the edict is given.
Follow Your Destiny On Kickstarter
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players does Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ support?
Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ is a solo-only game. Depending on the chosen difficulty, a session typically takes between 30 and 90 minutes. The game is recommended for players aged 14 and older.
How Is This Different To Heroes of the Sanctum: The Strategy Card Game™?
Heroes of the Sanctum: The Strategy Card Game™ is a versatile, expandable system that focuses on exploring the wider Heroes of the Sanctum™ universe. Players choose a party of four heroes from a much larger pool, creating diverse strategies and approaches in an almost entirely deterministic, dice-free environment. The game emphasises team management, strategic and tactical planning, ongoing world building, and content expansion.
In contrast, Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ is a standalone title that centres on a single hero’s journey. While there are fewer heroes to choose from, each one is more fleshed out, featuring passive effects, a unique hero skill, and a personal Dice Track with events tailored specifically for that hero. Players guide their chosen character through randomised dungeons, focusing on upgrading their abilities, amassing legendary loot, and exploring dice-based mechanisms. The Doomcrawler box also includes more physical content than the Strategy Card Game core box, as it is designed to be a self-contained and entirely portable experience rather than an expandable system.
What Secret Content Can I Expect To Find In The Reward Packs?
Each of the four secret Reward Packs includes a mix of exciting content: new Loot, Regions, Heroes, and even entirely new Game Modes. This content spans both Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ and Heroes of the Sanctum: The Strategy Card Game™.
When Will Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ Be Released?
Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ will be available during the Season Two Kickstarter launch of Heroes of the Sanctum in early 2025.
Is The How To Play Booklet For Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ available?
Yes, we have the current version of the Heroes of the Sanctum: Doomcrawler™ booklet available at the link below. Please note that it is still subject to change until it is officially released to backers.