Hey folks! I thought I would try and compile all the relevant Rulings into one neat thread. I will try and keep up to date with this thread. For the most up to date, please refer to the threads on the BGG here
Rulings:
Does the Minotaur move into empty spaces? Yes. Thematically, the Minotaur will always check every corridor of their dungeon. Mechanically, this allows players to track how many spaces the Minotaur has moved based on the Party’s Level. (Page 10 — "...regardless of what is occupies in that pile")
When a Minotaur lands on top of any card in the Dungeon, am I able to move it from underneath? No — That's what makes the game tricky Wherever the Minotaur lands it will block the players ability to progress. (Page 5 — the Minotaur is a purple bordered card)
Does the Minotaur move before you reveal a Dungeon pile card? No. You would reveal the card in the Dungeon pile before moving the Minotaur. To increase difficulty, you may reveal it after the Minotaur moves.
When the Minotaur covers the Fanatic, is the Fanatic’s Ability still in effect? No. Can’t curse what you can’t see.
Can you play the Treasure as a Level One Adventurer? No. You can’t play gear on a Adventurer that isn’t there(Page 12 implies that the Adventurer is already in the Party pile).
Can the original card that the Treasure card become still be in play? Yes. If you had a card that was locked in a sequence, it can remain while the Treasure card is played in the Party pile. You can set it out of play when it no longer serves you (similar to the Minor Illusion).
Can Minor Illusion start a sequence? No. It must be played into an already existing sequence. (Page 12 — "...to continue any sequence".) This would also implied that a Minor Illusion cannot be used as a 10, and cannot be played into an empty passage as any card.
What happens when there are less than three cards left at the end of the Explore pile? You would reveal the remaining cards and these would be playable. When you are ready start over, you would flip over all the cards in the Discard pile and continue.
Variation — Players may treat the Explore pile as such: If you have less than three remaining cards, lay those down, flip the rest of the Discard over and flip up additional cards to complete the three. And continue.
Does the Level 10 Adventurer need to be alone to move into a passage? No. The wording in the current printed Rulebook reads that a passage "... can only be filled with a Level 10" ; Some players might read that as "alone". The word "only" was to identify the Level 10 card as the only card with the ability, not that it had to move alone. For clarity, a passage can only be filled "...with a sequence beginning with a Level 10...". Just like Classic Solitaire.
Some tips:
Winning a game of Cavern Shuffle can often feel impossible. Trust me, it isn’t. Here are some tips to get you started:
Go through the Explore pile before moving any cards in the Dungeon. There is no limit to the amount of times that you can go through the Explore pile. Be sure to note how many Level One Adventurers are in the pile. This will help you determine what type of game it will be; whether you need to strategically move cards in the Explore pile or whether you need to dig for the right cards in the Dungeon piles.
Wait to complete your Obstacle Encounters. They aren’t hurting anyone. Even though you can get rid of it, should you? For instance, if the Ranger Obstacle is out in the Dungeon and you have access to leveling up the Ranger to Level Five, you should probably prioritize passing through other Obstacle Encounters first.
You don’t need to level all your Adventurers to Level 10. The Minotaur’s difficulty is only 30, which means you can have two Adventurers be Level 7 and two Level 8. Alternatively, if you have the Potion of Might, you only need to get to 25!
Remember to be patient. Similar to a tabletop experience, strategically planning ahead versus kicking in every door can often improve your chances of success.
Not every game is a winner. Just like Solitaire, some games you will deal an unwinnable board — this is a great way to sharpen your shuffling skills.
Hope that helps!
- Ryan