DUAL FATES ONLINE RULEBOOK V 3.0
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Welcome to Dual Fates
Dual Fates is a fast-paced tabletop skirmish game set in the world of Ashura. Players take command of small teams of heroes, companions, monsters, and powerful champions as they battle for control of magical objectives known as the Pillars of Fate.
Unlike many tabletop games where victory comes from simply destroying your opponent, Dual Fates rewards strategy, positioning, and objective control. Every round presents new challenges as Fate itself determines which objectives are worth fighting over.
Whether you lead the savage Warfang Clan, the mysterious Undead Court, the disciplined Dwarven Forge, or one of Ashura's many other factions, every battle tells a story and every decision matters.
What Makes Dual Fates Different?
Dual Fates was designed around three core ideas:
Objectives Win Games
Defeating enemy units can help, but controlling the right objectives at the right time is what earns Victory Points.
Players must constantly decide whether to fight, defend, reposition, or push for objectives.
Every Round Is Different
At the start of each round, players roll Fate to determine which Pillars of Fate they must capture.
Because objectives change throughout the game, no two battles play exactly the same.
Small Teams, Big Decisions
Most games of Dual Fates involve a small number of highly important units.
Every activation matters.
Every movement matters.
Every Fate Token matters.
What Do I Need To Play?
To play Dual Fates, each player will need:
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A Dual Fates team worth up to 8 Summoning Points
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A Summoning Totem
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Six Pillars of Fate
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A measuring tape marked in inches
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Two six-sided dice (2d6)
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Fate Tokens
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A battlefield approximately 3 feet by 3 feet
Optional terrain is highly recommended and helps create more tactical and exciting battles.
How Do I Win?
The goal of Dual Fates is simple:
Earn more Victory Points than your opponent by controlling the Pillars of Fate.
At the beginning of each round, players roll Fate to determine which Pillars are important to them.
At the end of the round, players score Victory Points for controlling the correct Pillars.
After Round 10, the player with the most Victory Points wins the game.
The Game In 60 Seconds
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Build an 8 Summoning Point team.
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Deploy up to 5 Summoning Points into the Vortex.
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Roll Fate to determine objectives.
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Summon reinforcements when space becomes available.
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Activate units one at a time.
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Move, attack, and use abilities.
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Control the Pillars of Fate.
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Score Victory Points.
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Repeat until the end of Round 10.
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The player with the most Victory Points wins.
Why The World Of Ashura?
Dual Fates takes place in Ashura, a world filled with powerful factions, ancient magic, dangerous monsters, and legendary heroes.
Each faction offers a unique playstyle, allowing players to find an army that matches the way they enjoy playing.
Some factions rely on overwhelming aggression.
Some focus on speed and positioning.
Others use magic, summoning, or powerful defensive tactics.
No matter which faction you choose, every battle helps shape the ongoing story of Ashura.
Ready To Begin?
If this is your first time playing Dual Fates, continue to the Quick Start Guide.
The Quick Start Guide will teach you everything you need to play your first game in just a few minutes.
[ Quick Start Guide ]
[ Download Rulebook PDF ]
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QUICK START GUIDE
Learn Dual Fates In 5 Minutes
Welcome to the Quick Start Guide for Dual Fates.
This teaches the game's basic flow so you can start playing as quickly as possible. Once you understand the game loop, you can use the full Rulebook to learn the details.
If you can understand the ten steps below, you can play your first game of Dual Fates.
STEP 1: BUILD YOUR TEAM
Before the game begins, each player builds a team worth up to 8 Summoning Points.
Your team may contain:
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Characters
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Companions
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Monsters
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Faction-specific units
Each unit has a Summoning Point cost listed on its Unit Sheet in its Codex.
You may not exceed 8 Summoning Points when building your team.
Example Team: (Not a real team)
Eric (1 Point)
Krystal & Ali (1 Point)
Training Knight (1 Point)
Training Knight (1 Point)
Training Knight (1 Point)
Training Knight (1 Point)
Training Knight (1 Point)
Training Knight (1 Point)
Total = 8 Points
STEP 2: BUILD THE VORTEX
Although your team is worth 8 Summoning Points, only 5 Summoning Points may begin inside your Vortex.
The remaining units stay in Reserve.
Reserve Units may enter the battlefield later through Summoning.
Example:
8 Point Team
5 Points begin in the Vortex
3 Points remain in Reserve
STEP 3: SET UP THE BATTLEFIELD
Place:
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Terrain
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Six Pillars of Fate
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Summoning Totems
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Starting Units
Each player then deploys their units within their deployment zone.
Once both players have deployed, the game begins.
STEP 4: ROLL FATE
At the start of every round, both players roll 2d6.
The results determine which Pillars of Fate are important to them that round.
Example:
Player A rolls:
2 and 5
Player A must capture
Pillar 2 and Pillar 5
STEP 5: SUMMON REINFORCEMENTS
During the Summoning Phase, players may bring Reserve Units into the Vortex if they are under 5 points in the Vortex.
Units enter play through their Summoning Totem.
Reserve Units allow players to adapt throughout the game.
STEP 6: DETERMINE INITIATIVE
Both players roll Fate.
The higher result gains Initiative.
The player with Initiative activates the first unit that round.
STEP 7: ACTIVATE UNITS
Players alternate activating one unit at a time.
During an activation, a unit may:
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Move
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Attack
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Use Abilities
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Perform Free Actions (some Free Actions are reactive)
Once a unit finishes its activation, the opposing player activates one of their units.
This continues until every unit has activated.
Example:
Player A activates Eric.
Player B activates a Bone Archer.
Player A activates a Training Knight.
Player B activates a Bone Boy.
Continue until all units have activated.
STEP 8: FIGHT FOR THE PILLARS
Throughout the round, players move their units toward the Pillars of Fate.
Controlling the correct Pillars is how players earn Victory Points.
Defeating enemy units can help, but objectives win games.
STEP 9: SCORE VICTORY POINTS
At the end of the round, players determine which Pillars they control.
If a controlled Pillar matches one of their Fate Rolls, they score Victory Points.
Example:
Player A rolled:
2 and 5
Player A controls:
Pillar 2
Pillar 5
Player A scores both objectives.
STEP 10: BEGIN THE NEXT ROUND
After scoring:
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Roll Fate again
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Determine new objectives
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Summon reinforcements
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Roll Initiative
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Activate units
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Score objectives
Continue until the end of Round 10.
The player with the most Victory Points wins the game.
ROUND FLOW
Start Round
↓
Roll Fate
↓
Summoning Phase
↓
Initiative Phase
↓
Activation Phase
↓
Control Pillars
↓
Score Victory Points
↓
Next Round
THE THREE THINGS TO REMEMBER
1. Objectives Wins Games
Destroying enemy units is useful, but controlling the correct Pillars is how you score Victory Points.
2. Fate Changes Every Round
The objectives change constantly. Adapt your strategy as Fate changes.
3. Positioning Matters
Being in the right place at the right time is often more important than dealing damage.
READY FOR THE FULL RULES?
You now understand the basic game loop of Dual Fates.
To learn the complete rules, continue to the Core Rules section.
[ Core Rules ] [ Download PDF ] (Printer-friendly)