2025 · Mythology
Valpiedra: Descensus ad tenebras
A cooperative dungeon-crawl card game set in a cursed village where demonic creatures spill from an infernal rift. Players (1–4) assume distinct heroes who descend into catacombs to locate a sacred relic and seal the portal. Gameplay alternates exploration and tactical combat: reveal and resolve encounter cards, move through stacked levels, and face enemies that can evolve, summon reinforcements, or alter rules. Combat uses dice and individual hero abilities while players manage health, equipment, and limited resources. The group wins by recovering the relic and escaping; defeat comes from corruption or character death. Modular creature cards, random events, and optional modes increase replayability.
- Players
- 1–4 best 1
- Playing time
- 40–60 min
- Age
- 14+
- Complexity
- 2.5 / 5
About the game
- Design
- Publisher
Expansions
See them in Ludoya
Photos from Ludoya tables
All photos in Ludoya
Where to buy it
Shop prices and second-hand copies, checked every day.
On Ludoya's tables
Full stats in Ludoya- 194
- Plays logged
- 79
- Players
- 33m 33s
- Average play
- 66
- In collections
- 9
- On wishlists
- 1
- Pre-ordered
7.8/10
from 13 Ludoya reviews
TRIUNFOS -1
Played it 23 times
Juego muy entretenido y difícil.
Played it 30 times
Rules questions
Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.
Do all my attack dice deal damage?
No. Each die showing 1, 2, or 3 deals 1 damage; a creature ignores dice matching its Defense value. A creature that survives your attack counterattacks for 1 damage, even if your attack dealt no damage (pp. 11, 13).
Does a creature’s Vulnerability give me extra damage even if my hero doesn’t match it?
No. You deal 1 extra damage for each matching Vulnerability icon on your hero or their active equipment. (p. 13)
Do Evil and Pursuit happen as soon as we enter a new level?
No. Level-card Evil and Pursuit effects are resolved starting in the second combat round, not the first. At the end of each round, however, Evil still increases by 1 for each creature on your level that has no damage. (pp. 9, 12, 14)
Can we use the same defeated creature for its loot and its experience?
No. Each defeated creature can be used once: either equip its loot or spend it as experience, never both. Any unused experience or equipment is lost when the Rest Phase ends. (pp. 16, 18)
If we use Camp to clear all our damage, does it have a downside?
Yes. Clearing all damage summons a face-down creature of the indicated black rank at every other level—the levels where your heroes are not present. Increasing Health is a separate Camp option and costs the experience shown on the Valpiedra card. (p. 15)
Do we win as soon as we pick up the Relic?
No. After gaining the Relic in Level IV, the heroes must ascend back to Valpiedra and complete the Rest Phase there to win. (pp. 5, 10)
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Free, on web, Android and iOS
Play Valpiedra: Descensus ad tenebras with Ludoya
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Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.