General

Note: Scotland Yard refers you to The Golden Rule on page 14 of the rulebook. Broadly speaking, when a rules question arises, choose the outcome that DOES NOT benefit investigators. The entries below cover specific instances the CID feels require clarity.

Q: It’s 1899. Some of Victoriana’s characters weren’t alive at this time.

A: Or were they?

Q: Why does the cold lead track go up to ten if players lose when it reaches eight?

A: Victoriana is designed with modularity in mind. One way to vary play is to increase the number of cold leads required for a loss. The additional numbers are there for that possibility.

Plot Tracks

Q: We’ve reached the fifth space of a plot track. Do we continue to receive the benefits from the fourth space as well?

A: Yes. You continually receive benefits from each space you’ve reached or passed, with the exception of one time benefits (the second space on all tracks and the fourth space of the science track).

Q: If a plot track token goes backwards, do we lose access to the ability from the higher numbered space?

A: Yes. You also do not receive a benefit if the backwards movement takes you onto a space with a one time benefit (the second space on all tracks and the fourth space of the science track).

Plots and the Plot Deck

Q: The instructions say to use 20 plot cards to form the plot deck, but there’s more than that included, and I have some more from expansions as well. Which ones should I use?

A: The core Victoriana game is meant to be played with five plots of each resource type, specifically the ones without discard text. If you would like a less predictable experience, feel free to choose your 20 randomly. Some of the plots (the ones with discard text) change the game’s difficulty, so factor that into your selection as well.

Q: Some of the plots say “When discarded, do X.” What does this mean?

A: The effect occurs after you decide which plot track to advance with your deductions.

Advantages

Q: How does Van Helsing’s first ability work?

A: When you are investigating a science or occult lead, you may discard the professor to choose any investigation option. Without expending anything to the left of the arrow, you gain everything to the right, including trauma. This counts as successfully investigating a lead, so you’ll have to generate a new one.

Q: How many times can I use Crowley’s Stele of Revealing?

A: As long as you can pay the trauma cost, you can use it as much as you want. You may not use it after revealing an advantage or setback as they are not leads.

Q: What happens to a lead after I reveal it with Borderland Reporters?

A: It maintains its orientation, continues to rotate like a lead would, and can still go cold. Its face is simply revealed.

Masterminds

Q: Do I suffer an extra trauma for each trauma due to Dracula’s ability? For example, if I suffer two trauma to gain an extra move, do I suffer two extra trauma or just one?

A: Just one. It’s one extra per source of trauma.

Timing

Q: Can I use an ability in response to something else to prevent it from occurring or traumatizing me? For example, if I’m on the black space on the trauma track and Sebastian Moran snipes me, can I use John Watson’s ability to heal myself before I become traumatized?

A: No. Unless an ability specifically states you can do so, game events cannot be interrupted, preempted, or undone. The die is cast!

Trauma

Q: Can I intentionally traumatize myself?

A: Yes. And you will receive the benefit of the suffered trauma before being eliminated from the game.

Agents

Q: If two investigators are prey, can we “kite” Leopard Man between us?

A: If two or more investigators are prey, Leopard Man will always move toward the closest.

Leads

Q: What happens to the lead tracker tokens when I investigate a lead?

A: As soon as the lead is revealed, collect the two numbered tokens and return them to the stock to be reused.

Q: Four leads (Unholy Boxes of Earth, Bank Heist, Cache of Schematics, and Housebreaker Gang Safe House) say to collect them as evidence if ending at their locale. Do these leads generate new leads? If so, when?

A: They do NOT generate new leads.

Q: What do I do if a lead deck runs out?

A: Sort the discarded leads and shuffle the appropriate type into a new deck. Do not add advantages or setbacks to this deck.

Q: If I use the Time Traveller’s Hermitage locale ability, what happens to leads at the 12 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions?

A: Leads can never be rewound past the 12 o’clock position.

Random Locales

Q: An effect has me choose a random locale. How do I do this?

A: Roll the lead and locale dice. Voila!

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Q: I’ve ended my turn as Hyde and suffered the three trauma. As soon as I hit the black space I revert to Jekyll. Does any trauma not applied carry over?

A: Yes. Move the trauma tracker all the way to the left and continue to apply trauma until all has been accounted for.

Errors and Errata

Q: Page 16 of the rule book says I can suffer trauma to draw resources when using a locale ability. The player aids and page 12 say I can do it when investigating leads. What gives?

A: Page 16 is wrong. You may suffer trauma to draw from the bag ONLY when investigating leads.

Q: In the page eight sidebar Dion Fortune is investigating an occult lead. Since occult is her speciality, shouldn’t she receive four deductions and not three?

A: Well done, detective! You are correct. Everything else about the sidebar is accurate.

Q: Were you aware that one side of the 3 marker is backwards?

A: .biɒɿʇɒ m'I ,Ɉlυɒʇ γM- Agent A.L., MI6