Foundation
Ontology
Defines the canonical meaning of important terms used throughout the Viva La Dungeon rules system.
Viva La Dungeon Board Game Rules Reference
The Viva La Dungeon board game is a tabletop dungeon-battle-royale game created by The Lich and published by Zontco, part of the larger Viva La Dungeon product line.
Welcome to the official rules reference for the Viva La Dungeon board game.
Viva La Dungeon Official Rules Reference
A Zontco board game created by The Lich, featuring art by Greedmaw Coffin.
What this reference is
This archive defines the core rules systems used to play Viva La Dungeon, including setup, turns, actions, combat, Dungeon Bombs, loot, death, victory, random encounters, and supported rules extensions.
The archive also includes official component reference pages for core decks and card lists, allowing players to understand how Viva La Dungeon components connect to the rules without providing print-and-play files or production-ready assets.
This is a rules reference, not a full learn-to-play guide. It is designed to define rules precisely, preserve stable terminology, and support clear answers to specific gameplay questions.
This reference is also not a substitute for the official Viva La Dungeon board game. The full game requires the official board game components, cards, art, physical materials, and product contents published by Zontco.
How to use this reference
Use this archive when you need to check the official meaning of a term, confirm a rule procedure, resolve a timing question, understand how one system connects to another, or reference the structure of the Viva La Dungeon board game.
The documents are arranged in rules-system order. Start with Ontology and Core Concepts for foundational definitions, then move through setup, player structure, actions, combat, Dungeon Bombs, loot, death, victory, random encounters, and rules extensions.
Each page is written as a precise reference document. Cross-references between pages help show which rules control specific systems and where related procedures are defined.
Rules document index
Foundation
Core Concepts
Defines universal mechanics such as dice, checks, target numbers, critical success, critical failure, Kaos, reroll tokens, timing, healing, gaining, and shared rule principles.
Game Flow
Game Structure
Defines the overall flow of play, including game objective, turn order, rounds, player turns, end-of-turn process, Dungeon Bomb timing, combat interruptions, death interruptions, victory checks, and game end conditions.
Before Play
Setup
Defines how to prepare the Viva La Dungeon board game before play begins, including component setup, loot decks, random encounters, tokens, Plot Armor, chest placement, Dungeon Bomb deck construction, turn order, character selection, and starting placement.
Player State
Player Structure
Defines each player’s game state, including player area, character, portrait, patron mat, patron bonus, stats, attributes, health, defense, Kaos, equipment slots, weapon slots, armor slots, backpack, Mystic Dagger, and Plot Armor.
Turn Actions
Actions
Defines the standard Turn Actions and related action rules, including Move, Open Chest, Hide, Seek, Ambush, Challenge, Pickpocket, Take A Shot, repeating actions, ending a turn, and free actions.
Combat
Combat Encounter
Defines Combat Encounters, Combatants, Combat Order, Combat Turns, attacks, melee attacks, ranged attacks, attack checks, defense calculation, damage calculation, Dropped Weapons, Disengage, Flee, and the end of combat.
Dungeon System
Dungeon Bombs
Defines Dungeon Bomb behavior during play, including Dungeon Bomb drawing and resolution, Dungeon Bomb Stacks, active Dungeon Bomb effects, Cube Cards, Cube State Cards, Cube Rooms, Safe Rooms, Cube Room End Effects, and Dungeon Bomb interactions with death and victory.
Items
Loot and Inventory
Defines Loot, Loot types, Loot decks, discard piles, Inventory, Equipped Loot, Stored Loot, Backpack Slots, Loot Management Windows, equipping, storing, replacing, discarding, Gear Swaps, Consumable Loot, Plot Armor, public Loot information, and Loot movement between players.
Game End
Death and Victory
Defines Death, the Death Process, Dying Players, Removed Players, Surviving Players, Death Sources, Killing Players, Loot Opportunities, player removal, victory checks, victory, and game end outcomes.
Encounters
Random Encounters
Defines Random Encounters, drawing and resolving Random Encounter cards, Encountering Players, Encounter Completion Options, Check Options, Non-Check Options, Event Rewards, Encounter Penalties, discard behavior, and interactions with Loot, Death, Dungeon Bombs, Combat, and Victory.
Rules Extension
Rules Extension: Zombies
Defines additional rules for using Zombies with the Viva La Dungeon board game. This extension should be used only when the Zombie rules module is included in play.
Core component reference index
These component reference pages define the official core card and deck contents used by the Viva La Dungeon board game. They are provided for rules clarity, teaching, review, accessibility, and archive purposes.
These pages are not print-and-play files and do not replace the official Viva La Dungeon board game components, cards, artwork, layout, or final product materials.
Component Reference
Core Weapon Deck
Defines the core Weapon cards used in the Viva La Dungeon board game, including Weapon names, quantities, melee and ranged modes, slot eligibility, Damage dice, and printed component descriptions.
Component Reference
Core Armor Deck
Defines the core Armor cards used in the Viva La Dungeon board game, including Armor names, quantities, Armor sets, Armor Slot positions, Defense bonuses, Stat bonuses, and printed component descriptions.
Component Reference
Core Common Magic Deck
Defines the core Common Magic cards used in the Viva La Dungeon board game, including Common Magic names, quantities, Magic Forms, consumable effects, printed component descriptions, and manual clarifications.
Component Reference
Core Rare Magic Deck
Defines the core Rare Magic cards used in the Viva La Dungeon board game, including Rare Magic names, quantities, Magic Forms, consumable cards, Armor cards, Weapon cards, other card-specific effects, printed component descriptions, and manual clarifications.
Component Reference
Core Dungeon Bomb Deck
Defines the core standard Dungeon Bomb cards used in the Viva La Dungeon board game, including Dungeon Bomb names, quantities, phases, printed card descriptions, active effect indicators, and manual clarifications.
Component Reference
Level 1 Random Encounter Deck
Defines the Level 1 Random Encounter cards used in the Viva La Dungeon board game, including encounter names, quantities, subtext, completion options, Check options, rewards, Event Reward indicators, penalties, and manual clarifications.
Official attribution
This reference is designed to define rules precisely. It is not a step-by-step learn-to-play guide and does not replace the official game components. These rules define the core systems but do not include the full commercial game contents, cards, art, components, or final product materials.
Official rules for Viva La Dungeon, a tabletop dungeon-battle-royale board game created by The Lich, featuring art by Greedmaw Coffin, and published by Zontco. Viva La Dungeon is a Zontco product.
© 2026 Zontco. All rights reserved. Please credit: Viva La Dungeon Board Game Rules Reference v1.0. Created by The Lich. Art by Greedmaw Coffin. Published by Zontco.
Preferred citation
Viva La Dungeon Board Game Rules Reference v1.0. Created by The Lich. Art by Greedmaw Coffin. Published by Zontco.
Play beyond the ordinary. Zontco.