Catacombs Black Box

Expansion Overview

The Black Box expansion provides alternate versions of most monster cards published for Catacombs 3E, including monsters from other expansions. These new “Set 2” (S2) monster cards feature a distinctly colored front to differentiate them from the original grey “Set 1” cards.

Set 2 monsters utilize advanced features of the Catacombs 3E game system. For novice players, it is strongly recommended to play first games with Set 1 monster cards while learning the core mechanics.

The expansion is fully compatible with Catacombs 3E and Catacombs Alpha, and integrates with all existing expansions including Cavern of Soloth, Ice Box, Keystones & Keeps, Resurrection Pack 1, and Wyverns of Wylemuir.

Key Features

Alternate S2 Monster Cards

The Black Box includes 68 alternate monster cards that replace most monsters from the base game and expansions. These variants introduce new mechanics including:

Conditional Shot Operators - Shots that must succeed before the next shot in sequence can be attempted. Some monsters require damage to be dealt, while others simply require hitting one or more characters.

Limited Shots - Special attacks that can only be performed once per room per character piece. The expansion includes mechanics for tracking these limited-use abilities.

Enhanced Monster Rewards - Defeating monsters provides rewards beyond gold coins, including random items, random weapons, healing salves, random spells, cure poison effects, health restoration, ability refreshes, and rescue opportunities for devoured heroes.

New Monsters

Eight brand new monsters appear exclusively in the Black Box:

Flesh Golem - A transforming monster that can shift between its original form and its Blue Flame Skull form, each with different shot sequences.

Gelatinous Slime - A hazardous vermin creature with distinctive combat behaviors.

Cavern Wyrm - A dangerous serpentine monster that lurks in dark passages.

Insurgent - A cunning dungeon dweller with tactical abilities.

Lurker - A shadow creature featuring the Anchor attribute, allowing it to materialize and attack when advantageous.

Magma Titan - A powerful infernal creature with devastating attacks.

Quagmirage - An illusory monster that confounds heroes.

Enchanter - A spellcasting adversary with magical abilities.

New Shot Types

The expansion introduces innovative shot mechanics:

Move to Rune - Characters can pick up and place their piece directly on any unoccupied rune icon on the playmat. If all runes are occupied, players may attempt a rush shot to displace an occupying character.

Snowball Shot - A ranged shot with the stun modifier that inflicts 1 point of damage.

Hook Shot - After flicking, the player may move their character piece anywhere within 2.5cm of the hook piece. The hook shot is for movement only and does not inflict damage.

Group Rush Shot - Enables the active character plus three different characters on the same side to each perform a rush shot in sequence.

Transmogrify Shot Modifier

When a shot with the transmogrify modifier hits a hero, they are transformed into another form. In this expansion, heroes can be transmogrified into a Frost Wyrm.

The affected hero places the Frost Wyrm portrait and rules cards on top of their hero cards. Their character piece is replaced with the Frost Wyrm piece. The hero retains all coins, items, spells, mounts, and Poisoned cards, though weapons and spells cannot be used while transmogrified.

Heroes can return to original form by being teleported, surviving the Battle Phase, receiving the Cure Poison spell, being resurrected, or visiting any Special Room.

New Character Attributes

Anchor Attribute - During another player’s turn, any player controlling a character with the Anchor icon may use a finger to hold that character in the same location, opening strategic possibilities. When shadow monsters use the Anchor attribute, they materialize and can be damaged normally.

Flying Attribute - Monsters with the Flying attribute may perform Move to Rune at the end of their shot sequence.

Double-Sided Playmat

The expansion includes a premium double-sided neoprene playmat featuring:

Nolothag Dungeon - A volcanic underground stronghold where heroes face the Basilisk Catacomb Lord in a lava-filled environment.

Athenoch Mortuary - An ancient burial chamber where heroes confront the Despoiler Catacomb Lord among ancient tombs.

Each playmat side includes its own pre-designed campaign with specific room progressions and monster encounters.

Burial Chamber Special Room

This new Special Room card provides unique bonuses based on hero type:

• Cleric (no weapons, no magic) - Health track returned to starting level or take a Healing Salve item
• Fighter (weapons, no magic) - Take one weapon item card of their choice
• Spell Caster (no weapons, magic) - Take two spell cards of their choice
• Monarch (weapons, magic) - Take the Mushroom familiar or a familiar of their choice

Pre-Designed Campaigns

The Black Box includes two complete campaigns matching the playmat environments:

Athenoch Mortuary Campaign - Heroes progress through Steep Passageway, Shurhot’s Tomb, Twilight Chamber, Kramaötha’s Tomb, Abandoned Tomb, and finally face the Despoiler in the Catacomb Lord’s Lair. Special Rooms include Izchak the Merchant, Amaranth Inn, Althea the Healer, Secret Tunnel, and the Burial Chamber.

Nolothag Dungeon Campaign - Heroes navigate Lava Hollow, Glowing Tunnel, Natau’s Tomb, Achorr Lake, Burial Chamber, Monster Pit, Minoll’s Tomb, and ultimately challenge the Basilisk in the Catacomb Lord’s Lair. Special Rooms include Althea the Healer and the Burial Chamber.

Random Monster Variant

The expansion introduces an optional Random Monster Variant gameplay mode. At game start, the Overseer separates Monster cards into four decks by level. During Setup Phase, when presented with a Monster Metre icon on a Battle Room card, the Overseer draws the top monster card from the deck matching the icon’s level. This creates unpredictable encounters and increased replayability.

Components

Catacombs Black Box includes:

• 6 Catacomb Lord Cards
• 15 Room Cards
• 68 Alternate Monster Cards (S2)
• 8 New Monster Cards
• 1 Item Card
• 2 Transmogrified! Cards
• 1 Catacomb Lord Piece (wooden disc)
• 17 Vermin Monster Family Pieces (wooden discs)
• 1 Despoiler / Basilisk Piece (large wooden disc)
• 1 Quagmirage / Enchanter Piece (large wooden disc)
• 1 Frost Wyrm Piece (large wooden disc)
• 1 Cavern Wyrm Piece (small wooden disc)
• 1 Flesh Forged Golem / Blue Flame Skull Piece (small wooden disc)
• 1 Insurgent Piece (small wooden disc)
• 2 Lurker Pieces (small wooden discs)
• 4 Magma Titan Pieces (small wooden discs)
• 2 Gelatinous Slime Pieces (small wooden discs)
• 1 Mushroom Familiar Piece (small wooden disc)
• 2 Snowball Shot Pieces (wooden)
• 2 Hook Shot Pieces (wooden)
• 2 Ranged Pieces (wooden)
• 1 Double-Sided Neoprene Playmat (Nolothag Dungeon / Athenoch Mortuary)
• Sticker Instructions

The expansion uses Elzra’s Dexterity Game System with wooden discs representing different characters and projectiles.

Compatibility

Catacombs Black Box requires Catacombs 3E or Catacombs Alpha to play. It is compatible with all Catacombs 3E expansions including:

• Cavern of Soloth
• Ice Box
• Keystones & Keeps
• Resurrection Pack 1
• Wyverns of Wylemuir

The expansion references rules from these expansions for certain monster abilities and shot types.

Resources

Read the Manual

Component List and Support

View on BoardGameGeek

Purchase at Elzra USA/International Shop

Purchase at Elzra Canada Shop