How to Play Dungeon Petz: Setup and Rules Guide

Quick Answer

Set up the game board, give each player a pet shop and starting resources, then take turns buying baby monsters, feeding them, and entering them in exhibitions to earn victory points.

Step-by-Step Setup and Play

1. 1. Set Up the Board: Place the main game board in the center. Shuffle the monster tiles and place them face down in the designated area. Sort the food tokens, money, and imp figures into separate piles. Each player takes a pet shop board, 4 imps of their color, and starting gold (10 gold). Check that all components are present before starting. Missing tiles can be found in the rulebook's component list.
2. 2. Understand the Round Structure: Each round has 4 phases: Planning (secretly assign imps to actions), Action (resolve imps in order), Feeding (pay food for each monster), and Cleanup (prepare for next round). The game lasts 4 rounds (or 5 with the advanced variant). The feeding phase is mandatory. If you cannot feed a monster, it becomes unhappy and may lose you points at the end of the game.
3. 3. Planning Phase: Assign Your Imps: Each player secretly places their 4 imps on action spaces on their personal board, using cards numbered 1-4 to indicate priority. Lower numbers act first. Common actions include buying a monster, visiting the market for food/cages, or entering an exhibition. Don't put all your high-priority imps on the same action. Spreading them out increases your chances of getting resources you need.
4. 4. Action Phase: Resolve in Order: Reveal all players' assignments simultaneously. Starting with priority 1, resolve each imp's action in turn order. When buying a monster, draw from the face-down tiles. You can also buy cages, food, or special items. After all actions, turn order for the next round is determined by the number of monsters you have (fewer monsters = earlier turn). If two players choose the same action space, the player with the lower priority number goes first. Plan accordingly to avoid being blocked.
5. 5. Feeding Phase: Keep Monsters Happy: Each monster requires a specific amount and type of food (shown on its tile). Pay the required food tokens from your supply. If you cannot feed a monster, it becomes 'unhappy' – place a sad face token on it. Unhappy monsters give negative points at game end. Always keep at least one food token spare for emergencies. Running out of food mid-game can cripple your strategy.
6. 6. Cleanup and Preparation: Remove any used tokens, refresh the market, and draw new monster tiles to fill empty spaces. Pass the start player marker if needed. Then begin the next round. Use cleanup time to plan your next round. Look at what monsters are available and what food you'll need.
7. 7. End Game and Scoring: After the final round, calculate victory points: each monster's base value plus bonuses from exhibitions, minus penalties for unhappy monsters. The player with the most points wins. Ties are broken by remaining gold. Exhibitions are a major source of points but require specific monster types. Don't ignore them, but don't overcommit at the expense of feeding.

Game Components

• Dungeon Petz: And now you have just opened the first pet shop in town. Right next door to the other first pet shop in town. Across the street from two more. Buy baby monsters! Feed them and watch them grow! Clean their cages! This theme drives the core loop: you must balance buying, feeding, and caring for your monsters while competing with other players for the best pets and resources.