Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares

Errata / Updates

Power Cards

• Core game - 1st and 2nd printing
  Errata for timing on Vengeance of the Dead -- The base (pre-threshold) effect text should read, "3 Fear. After each effect that destroys Town/City/Dahan in target land, 1 Damage per Town/City/Dahan destroyed."

  What the Power does is identical, but the timing is different ("after" instead of "when"). This mostly only matters for Bringer of Dreams & Nightmares.

  (Eg: A land has two Towns and a City with 1 Damage. Bringer of Dreams & Nightmares uses Vengeance of the Dead. Lightning's Swift Strike uses max level Thundering Destruction to destroy Town, Town, City. The rephrased version clearly does 3 "Damage" after the complete resolution of Thundering Destruction; the original version was ambiguous.)

  Fixed in 3rd printing.
  Tags: Damage, Timing, Vengeance of the Dead, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, 0 more...

Frequently Asked Questions

General Play

• When an effect lets you play a card, does that count against your allowed number of card plays?
  No. The number of card plays on your Presence track only effects how many cards you can play during the Spirit Phase. Cards played after that are in addition to those limits.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Playing Power Cards, Spur on with Words of Fire, Unlock the Gates of Deepest Power, Gift of the Primordial Deeps (Serpent Slumbering Beneath the Island), 10 more...

Scenarios

• In the Dahan Insurrection scenario, if Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares moves Dahan do they do real damage or shadow damage?
  They deal real damage.

  It is the scenario that is causing the damage, not Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, so its special rule does not apply.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, Dahan Insurrection, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares), Transforming Aspect (Heart of the Wildfire), 0 more...
• In Destiny Unfolds, if you only have Major Powers in your Destiny, can you gain Minor Powers normally from the deck? (Or vice versa)
  Generally no. Rather than choosing a deck to gain from, you choose a single Power in your Destiny to gain. If your Destiny only has Major Powers, you must gain a Major Power.

  However, if the source of the Power Card forces you to gain a Minor Power (e.g., Gift of Power) and you have none in your Destiny, gain one normally from the Minor Power Deck (and similarly for Major Powers).
  Tags: Gaining Power Cards, Call on Midnight's Dreams (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares), Shape the Self Anew, Boon of Ancient Memories (Shifting Memory of Ages), 12 more...

Setup

• Can every Spirit be played in a solo game?
  Yes, it is possible to play and win with each Spirit in a solo game.

  It is possible to win even with Spirits with special restrictions like Ocean's Hungry Grasp or Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares. Some Spirits will be harder to win with than others (particularly against certain Adversaries), but the difficult Spirits may not be the ones you expect.
  Tags: Solo games, Ocean's Hungry Grasp, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares

Spirit Phase

• When your Presence track gives you "Any" element, when do you have to choose what element that is? Can you change what it is during the turn?
  You can wait until the middle of your turn to choose what it is, but once you've set it for a turn, it can't change that turn [base rulebook p. 14, last item under Presence Tracks]

  This holds true even if you're restricted on which Elements you can choose (e.g., Wounded Waters Bleeding having a "Water / Animal" space instead of a full "Any"). [Nature Incarnate rulebook p. 9]

  This contrasts with the timing of choosing flexible Elements gained from different sources.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Elements, "Any" element, Timing, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, 10 more...

Spirits and Innate Powers

• Can Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares' Powers benefit from Badlands?
  Yes.

  This isn't necessarily obvious: To Dream a Thousand Deaths affects the instructions of Bringer's powers (see FAQ), and unlike most damage modifiers, Badlands applies when the results of an action deal Damage (otherwise "Badlands don't apply if Damage is reduced to 0" makes no sense). So on first blush, Badlands shouldn't apply.

  However, the effects of To Dream a Thousand Deaths key off "what pieces would this Damage/Destroy instruction have destroyed if this Power were doing Damage/Destruction normally?" – and the answer to that depends on Badlands.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Badlands, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares), Flame's Fury (Heart of the Wildfire), 1 more...
• If you gain a flexible Element (e.g., an "Any" Element, or multiple Elements separated by slashes) from something other than a Presence Track, when do you choose which Element to gain?
  When directly gaining flexible Elements from an Action mid-turn, like from Absorb Essence or Lure of the Deep Wilderness’ 3rd Growth option, you must choose a specific Element immediately.

  Passive Elements on Presence Tracks or in Bonus Spaces can be chosen at any time. [Core rulebook, p. 14, last item under Presence Tracks]
  Tags: "Any" element, Elements, Growth, Presence track, 9 more...
• For the Relentless Optimism Event card *(Destroying Towns/Cities generates no fear)*, can Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares still gain Fear and Push?
  Yes, because Bringer doesn't generate Fear for destroying Towns/Cities, it generates Fear instead of destroying Towns/Cities.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Relentless Optimism, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares)
• When Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares adds Blight, does that destroy Presence?
  Yes.

  Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares can add real Blight, and it's the Blight that destroys the Presence.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Blight, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares)
• If Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares does shadow damage to a damaged Town, causing Fear and Pushing it, does the damage get healed?
  No, Towns and Cities remain at whatever Damage they had taken before Bringer of Dreams and Nightmare used its power.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Damage, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares), Terror Stalks the Land (Breath of Darkness Down Your Spine), 1 more...
• Can Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares combine Damage from multiple Powers - eg, use a "2 Damage" Power and a "1 Damage" Power to earn 5 Fear for an unhurt City?
  No. First the "2 Damage" Power resolves and does nothing (because that Power would not have destroyed an unhurt City). Then the "1 Damage" Power resolves and does nothing (because it would not have destroyed an unhurt City). Neither has any lingering effect of any kind.

  If it were a single Power doing 2 Damage then 1 Damage, it would earn the Fear, because then that Power would have destroyed an unhurt City. For each Power Bringer uses, briefly imagine a universe where you resolve the entire Power normally. Whenever it would destroy an Invader in that universe, in the real game you earn 0/2/5 Fear and Push it if it's an Explorer or Town.
  Tags: Damage, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares)
• What happens if Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares uses the threshold effect of Cast Down into the Briny Deep?
  Per its special rule, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares will not destroy the targeted board, nor anything on the targeted board other than its own Presence. Since all the Invaders there would be destroyed, they instead are pushed and/or generate Fear, per Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares' usual rules.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Cast Down into the Briny Deep, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares)
• Can Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares do real damage (destroying cities, etc) with Power X?
  The answer, in general, is 'no'. If the Power says "damage" or "destroy", it doesn't matter if it also says that Dahan, Beasts, Invaders, or anything else are doing that damage, the source is still ultimately Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares and is only nightmare damage.

  This applies even if the power has some other spirit doing something (eg, Blazing Renewal). If Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares played the power, it cannot do real damage.

  But: note that Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares can "remove" or "replace" Invaders without restriction, can trigger Invader Actions (ie, cause a Ravage, which will involve real damage), can modify how Invader actions work, and can usefully add Defense (without changing how the Dahan deal their retaliation damage in the Ravage).
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Veil the Night's Hunt, Manifestation of Power and Glory (Thunderspeaker), Instruments of their Own Ruin, Insatiable Hunger of the Swarm, 6 more...
• If a Fear or Event effect causes damage, can Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares still use it?
  Fear and Event cards are not Powers, so the special rule To Dream a Thousand Deaths does not apply. Thus the player who is playing Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares can, for instance, do real damage with the Dahan Raid fear card.

  Thematically, the Dahan are actually doing a raid in the real world, it is not just a nightmare caused by Bringer. It also doesn't matter if it's a choice Event you pay Energy for: the damage is still real.

  Similarly, if Bringer uses a Defense power, the Dahan deal real damage during the Ravage phase as normal; it's the Dahan dealing damage, not Bringer.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Fear, Events, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares), Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, 0 more...
• Against Tsardom of Russia Level 2+, if Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares uses a Power that would destroy Explorers, can it get the bonus Fear from Russia?
  Yes. Both Russia's Level 2 and To Dream a Thousand Deaths modify what happens when you destroy the Explorers; you get to choose which one to use.

  If not using the Violence Aspect, you could choose to use To Dream a Thousand Deaths if for some reason you didn't want the Fear.

  This interaction is a change from the normal modifier rules specifically for Russia + Bringer. In general, pieces can't be saved from destruction (as Russia Level 2 does) when Bringer would directly destroy or Damage them, since Bringer never directly destroys or Damages anything other than its own Presence.
  Tags: Action Modifiers, Saved From Destruction, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares), Tsardom of Russia, 1 more...
• What happens if Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares uses its special rule to push a Town into the sea on a board where Ocean's Hungry Grasp has presence?
  The Invader is Drowned, by Ocean's Hungry Grasp's special rule. It is Ocean's Hungry Grasp doing the destroying, so that works as normal.

  This generates 3 total Fear: two for the "destruction" by Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, plus another 1 Fear for the actual destruction by Ocean's Hungry Grasp.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Ocean's Hungry Grasp, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares
• What happens when Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares uses Instruments of their Own Ruin?
  The normal effect (Invaders with Strife deal damage), works like all damage-dealing powers used by Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares: it causes Fear and/or Pushing but does no actual Damage.

  However, the threshold effect (Invaders do Ravage damage to Invaders in adjacent lands) is not actually causing damage - it's modifying an upcoming Ravage Action - and therefore works normally.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, Instruments of their Own Ruin
• If Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares uses Mists of Oblivion, do they get the Power Card's bonus fear for destroying Towns/Cities? (Relatedly, can they trigger Vengeance of the Dead?)
  No. No Towns/Cities are actually destroyed, so Mists of Oblivion grants no bonus Fear. And similarly, Vengeance of the Dead doesn't do any Damage.

  To Dream a Thousand Deaths only changes what happens when Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares would destroy/damage Invaders. It doesn't change what happens if an effect checks whether or not Invaders got destroyed.
  (Discussion elsewhere) (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Fear, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, Mists of Oblivion, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares), 4 more...
• Can Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares combine Damage-dealing Powers usefully with Damage from other Spirits?
  It depends on ordering. Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares can take advantage of partially Damaged Invaders: e.g.: if another Spirit does 2 Damage to a City, then Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares could afterwards use a 1-Damage Power to earn 5 Fear (because 1 Damage would have destroyed the City). It could even use several Damaging Powers in a row to earn 5 Fear for each! But if Bringer uses a 1-Damage Power on an unhurt City, it will do nothing, and have no lingering effects that would interact with anything done later.

  For each Power Bringer uses, briefly imagine a universe where you resolve the entire Power normally. Whenever it would destroy an Invader in that universe, in the real game you earn 0/2/5 Fear and Push it if it's an Explorer or Town. But whatever Bringer does, it doesn't change the actual amount of damage on the piece.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Damage, Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares)
• When Oceans are in play, can Invader or Dahan pieces remain in the Ocean if they avoid Drowning?
  No, Invaders and Dahan are not allowed to exist in the Ocean long-term. If one manages to get there without being Drowned, move them to the closest legal land after finishing resolution of whatever got them there.

  In the base game, the edge-case where this can happen is if Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares uses Vengeance of the Dead (with threshold) on the Ocean itself. A Town/City/Dahan is moved to the Ocean, triggering Ocean In Play which Drowns it. Drowning (destroying) it triggers Vengeance of the Dead. If Bringer deals VotD's "damage" in an adjacent land to "destroy" a Town or Explorer and Push it into the Ocean, Ocean In Play can't trigger again, because actions can't trigger themselves, even indirectly. So the Town/Explorer isn't Drowned.

  In theory it can also happen if you use Infinite Vitality (with threshold) on the Ocean then Push Dahan into the Ocean, though that's usually a pointless play.
  Tags: Triggered Actions, Pieces, Drowning (Ocean's Hungry Grasp), Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares, 2 more...
• If Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares Repeats a Power, can the Repeat "destroy" Invaders that were "destroyed" by the original Power use?
  Yes. The Repeat is considered a separate action from the original.

  This also means Bringer's Repeat cannot usefully combine Damage with its original – for instance a Repeated "2 Damage" Power couldn't do anything to an undamaged City. The original action would resolve, and 2 Damage isn't enough to destroy the City, so nothing happens. Then the second use of the Power resolves, and 2 Damage isn't enough to destroy the City, so nothing happens.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Repeat, To Dream a Thousand Deaths (Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares), Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares