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Overview
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle is a cooperative deck-building game that starts out with simple
gameplay mechanisms that gradually gets more complex as new gameplay mechanics are
added as players progress from one Game (representing each year of Harry’s journey in
Hogwarts) to the next. The Rules of Canon (working title) is a fanmade set of rules that alters
some gameplay mechanics that (attempts to) reflect events that happen in the books and/or the
movies.
This document is written under the assumption that its readers have already read the respective
rules for each Game; the Rules of Canon simply alters some mechanics. This is likely to
increase and/or decrease the difficulty of some aspects of the game, but it does increase its
complexity regardless. Therefore, it is not recommended to those unfamiliar with the base
game.
Each Game section is further divided into Game-specific rules for rules that can only apply to
that Game and rules that apply for all Games onwards.
This should be obvious, but because these rules reflect the main story of the Harry Potter
series, there’s going to be spoilers abound, both major and minor. This document is organized
by Game, allowing those who wish avoid spoilers later in the story to stop reading this document
before reaching them.
Possible Flaws
As this is the first version and is yet to be playtested at the time of writing of this document,
these rules are not guaranteed to be infallible in all cases.
Some rules, individually or as a combo, may make the game significantly harder, especially in
Game 7. Some rules may inaccurately reflect or even unintentionally omit some events of the
main story of the Harry Potter series. Additionally, some may be based on book-only or
movie-only scenes, which can be a point of argument among players.
There are also some rules that are tied to a specific Hero, which can be both a blessing and a
curse if there are less than 4 players in the game. A Game 1 example would be Harry facing
Quirrel at the Mirror of Erised - Harry suffers an HP penalty when one is revealed while the other
is active, but he deals 1 extra damage to Quirrel when attacking him. On the more “curse” kind
of rules, Ron suffers a severe HP penalty and Albus Dumbledore is removed from the game
upon the revelation of the Mirror of Erised.
Each rule comes with the reasoning as to why that rule is in place. Some rules also give some
clarifications if there is a possibility of an ambiguous situation. A Game 1 example would be a
situation where Harry assigns multiple attack tokens to Quirrel. In this case, Harry will only
assign 1 additional attack token to Quirrel, not 1 for each token assigned.
Two rules related to Game 7 may apply in Games 2 and 6. In respect to those who wish to
avoid spoilers for Year 7, these will be printed backwards, in lowercase, with no punctuation,
and in a smaller font, and will not be required to apply for the Game.
There are also a lot of rules in Game 7 that are very likely to significantly increase the difficulty
of the game, especially to those lack a solid strategy for handling them.
Legal
Harry Potter - Hogwarts Battle - Rules of Canon by Jaedon Yrad is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. You are permitted to copy,
distribute, display, and perform the work, as well as make and distribute derivative works based
on it for non-commercial purposes.
The Rules of Canon is not meant as a total redesign of the base game; these rules simply add
on to the existing rules of the game. The basic gameplay rules are left largely unaltered, and
any alterations are minor at most, such as forcing a specific Dark Arts card to be played if
specific conditions are met or the removal of some cards from the game due to events that
occur in the main story of the Harry Potter series.
Game 1 Specific
● Quirrel must be defeated last in this game. Place his card at the bottom of the Villain pile
and shuffle the rest as normal (which would make the Villain order obvious, since there
are only two others).
○ Reasoning: He is the final antagonist fought in Harry’s first year.
● If either the Mirror of Erised or Quirrel is revealed while the other is in play, Harry loses 2
HP.
○ Reasoning: Voldemort orders Quirrel to kill Harry, which Quirrel begins by
pinning Harry to the stairs and forcefully gripping his neck, choking him.
● If the Mirror of Erised is revealed, Ron loses 4 HP.
○ Reasoning: He is severely injured as a result of his sacrifice during the wizard’s
chess scene.
● Upon the revelation of the Mirror of Erised, remove the Albus Dumbledore card from the
game. If a pile needs to be searched in order to find the card, reshuffle it afterwards.
○ Reasoning: Dumbledore will be away from Hogwarts just before Harry, Ron, and
Hermione decide to enter the third-floor corridor to prevent the Stone from being
stolen.
● Once per turn, if Harry assigns at least 1 attack token to Quirrel, add another attack
token to Quirrel.
○ Clarification: If, for example, Harry adds 2 attack tokens to Quirrel, only one
additional attack token will be assigned to Quirrel. That attack token is also
considered an attack from Harry. This bonus effect only applies once per Harry’s
turn.
○ Reasoning: Physical contact from Harry causes Quirrell’s body to disintegrate.
Game 2 Specific
● The Basilisk must be defeated last in this game. Place her card at the bottom of the
Villain pile and shuffle the rest as normal.
○ Reasoning: She is the final antagonist fought in Harry’s second year.
○ Possible Point of Argument: One could argue that Tom Riddle should be the
last Villain defeated, as Harry destroys the memory of Riddle from the Diary after
the Basilisk is killed. However, Riddle was never directly fought, which leads to
the reasoning above. If this still doesn’t convince you, may put the Tom Riddle
card at the bottom instead.
○ Note: The Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets is female. According to the
companion book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, “the male [Basilisk]
has a scarlet plume upon its head.”
● Alternate rule for the above: If the Chamber of Secrets is revealed, immediately put
both the Basilisk and Tom Riddle in play, searching in the Villain pile if necessary. If the
Villain in play beforehand has not been assigned attack tokens, you may move the card
back to the Villain pile. Reshuffle the Villain pile.
○ Reasoning: The Basilisk and the memory of Tom Riddle are encountered in the
Chamber of Secrets.
● Upon the revelation of the Chamber of Secrets, remove the Gilderoy Lockhart from the
game. If a pile needs to be searched in order to find the card, reshuffle it afterwards.
○ Reasoning: His Memory Charm backfires as he, Ron, and Harry approach the
entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, erasing Lockhart’s memory.
● The following rule is related to Game 7. For those who wish to avoid spoilers, ignore
this rule. The text for this rule is printed backwards, in all lowercase, with no punctuation,
and in smaller font in respect for those who don’t want to read it.
○ ydaerla dedne tnsah emag eht fi sdrawer sti rof xurcroh eht steg ksilisab eht staefed ohw reyalp eht detaefed si
ksilisab eht nehw deyortsed eb ylno nac ti emag eht fo trats eht ta xurcroh yraid eht yalp
Game 2 Onwards
Game 3 Specific
● Upon the revelation of the Shrieking Shack Location, remove the Remus Lupin card from
the game. If a pile needs to be searched in order to find the card, reshuffle it afterwards.
○ Reasoning: Shortly after Harry, Ron, Hermione, Professor Lupin, and Sirius
Black exit the Shack via the secret passage in the Whomping Willow, the full
moon rises, transforming Lupin into a werewolf.
● If the Shrieking Shack Location has 3 or more Villain Control tokens at the end of any
Hero’s turn, remove the Sirius Black card from the game. If a pile needs to be searched
in order to find the card, reshuffle it afterwards.
○ Reasoning: Sirius gets injured after fighting off the transformed Remus Lupin
and was incapacitated as hundreds of Dementors attack him.
Game 3 Onwards
Game 4 Specific
● The Fleur Delacour, and Viktor Krum cards cannot be acquired until the revelation of the
Triwizard Tournament.
○ Reasoning: The two of them will not arrive at Hogwarts until the Tournament
begins.
○ Additionally: Players may opt to return those cards back into the Hogwarts pile
or temporarily removing them from the game until they can be acquired.
Reshuffle the Hogwarts pile when returning the cards back into the pile.
● Upon the revelation of the Graveyard, remove the Cedric Diggory card from the game. If
a pile needs to be searched in order to find the card, reshuffle it afterwards.
○ Reasoning: Cedric dies shortly after arriving at the Graveyard.
○ Clarification: This does n ot count as payment for the Location’s effect of
discarding an Ally upon its reveal.
● Upon the revelation of the Barty Crouch Jr. card, remove the Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody
card from the game. If a pile needs to be searched in order to find the card, reshuffle it
afterwards.
○ Reasoning: Crouch Jr. has been Polyjuced into the appearance of Moody. Now
that he is in play, he drops his disguise and is now openly hostile.
○ Possible Point of Argument: The real Moody is kept alive for the purposes of
procuring his hair for the Polyjuice Potion, but by the time he’s found, all the
action in this year have already been resolved.
● While shuffling the Villain pile, set Barty Crouch Jr. aside and place him near or at the
bottom of the pile.
○ Reasoning: Crouch Jr.’s identity has not been exposed until near the end of
Harry’s fourth year.
● Upon the revelation of the Graveyard, immediately put the Triwizard Cup into Harry’s
hand. If no one is playing as Harry, transfer it to another player’s hand instead.
○ Reasoning: The Triwizard Cup is a Portkey; Cedric and Harry are instantly
transported to the Graveyard upon grabbing it.
● Upon the revelation of the Triwizard Tournament, search the Dark Arts pile for a
Morsmordre! card and resolve its effects as normal. This will be the Dark Arts card that
will be used this turn. Reshuffle the Dark Arts pile.
○ Reasoning: Crouch Jr. casts Morsmordre! to conjure the Dark Mark in the sky
after the Death Eaters’ attack at the Quidditch World Cup.
● Upon the revelation of the Graveyard, search the Dark Arts pile for an Avada Kedavra!
card and resolve its effects as normal, except for the clause to reveal an additional
Dark Arts event. This will be one of the Dark Arts card that will be used this turn.
Reshuffle the Dark Arts pile.
○ Reasoning: This is how Cedric Diggory is murdered.
● Expanding from the previous rule, search the Dark Arts pile for a Regeneration card and
resolve its effects as normal. This will be the Dark Arts card that will be used as the
additional Dark Arts card from the Avada Kedavra! card. Reshuffle the Dark Arts pile.
○ Reasoning: Lord Voldemort has returned to power.
Game 5 Specific
● If either Lord Voldemort or the Ministry of Magic is revealed while the other is in play,
immediately search for the Albus Dumbledore card. If a Hero has already acquired the
card, that card goes into their hand. If not, the card goes to any Hero’s hand. Reshuffle
any piles searched.
○ Reasoning: The Headmaster himself arrives at the scene to face off against
Voldemort.
○ Alternate Rule: If the players are really good at maintaining control over the
Locations or need an easier challenge, the search for Albus Dumbledore may
start as soon as Lord Voldemort has been revealed.
● Upon the revelation of the Ministry of Magic, remove the Sirius Black card from the
game. If a pile needs to be searched in order to find the card, reshuffle it afterwards.
○ Reasoning: His death takes place after Dumbledore’s Army escapes the Hall of
Prophecy and before Harry pursues Bellatrix to the entrance hall of the Ministry.
Game 5 Onwards
Game 6 Specific
● Include Advanced Potion-Making and Felix Felicis in Harry’s starting deck.
○ Reasoning: Harry obtains the copy of the book altered (which is an
understatement) by the Half-Blood Prince. Using the Prince’s notes, Harry
receives a vial of Felix Felicis from Professor Slughorn for his performance in
class.
● Upon the revelation of The Burrow, ALL Heroes lose 2 HP.
○ Reasoning: Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback attack and set The Burrow
ablaze.
○ Possible Point of Argument: This is a movie-only scene. Some players may
want to adamantly stick to events of the books, not the movies. Players should
reach a consensus as to whether or not to follow this rule at the beginning of the
game.
● Upon the revelation of the Astronomy Tower, several events happen in this order:
○ Remove the Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape cards from the game.
Reshuffle any piles searched.
■ Reasoning: Snape kills Dumbledore and leaves Hogwarts.
○ Search the Dark Arts pile for a Avada Kedavra! card and resolve its effects as
normal, except for the clause to reveal an additional Dark Arts event. This
will be one of the Dark Arts card that will be used this turn.
■ Reasoning: This is how Snape kills Dumbledore.
○ Search the Dark Arts pile for a Morsmordre! card and resolve its effects as
normal. This will be the Dark Arts card that will be used as the additional Dark
Arts card from the Avada Kedavra! card. Reshuffle the Dark Arts pile.
■ Reasoning: Immediately after Dumbledore’s death, Bellatrix conjures the
Dark Mark above Hogwarts.
● The following rule is related to Game 7. For those who wish to avoid spoilers, ignore
this rule. The text for this rule is printed backwards, in all lowercase, with no punctuation,
and in smaller font in respect for those who don’t want to read it.
○ neves emag ni debircsed dohtem eht aiv ti yortsed emag eht fo trats eht ta xurcroh gnir eht yalp
○ ti deyortsed yllacinonac ohw eno eht saw erodelbmud ecnis sdrawer sti rof oreh evitca eht ot nevig dna
deyortsed eb yllacitamotua lliw ti yalp ni llits si xurcroh eht dna delaever si rewot ymonortsa eht fi
○ deyortsed si gnir eht litnu snekot kcatta dengissa eb tonnac eh yalp ni llits si gnir eht dna delaever si tromedlov
fi
Game 6 Onwards
Game 7
(Note: Because there are so many extra rules for Game 7, this section is divided by several
subsections organized where its set of rules roughly apply in order of the Game’s progression.)
poilers abound!
Warning! S
It was mentioned before and it should be again: there will be major spoilers, especially in this
section.
Game 7 represents the final part of the main story of Harry Potter. Of course there’s going to be
spoilers. It’s even on a separate page.
You have been warned.
Starter Decks
Horcruxes
● If the Sword of Gryffindor is played while the Locket Horcrux is active, the Locket is
immediately destroyed. ALL Heroes then gain either 2 attack tokens or 2 influence
tokens. If Ron was the one who played the card, ALL Heroes gain 2 attack tokens AND 2
influence tokens instead. The Horcrux card will then go to the Active Hero.
○ Reasoning: Ron destroys the Locket Horcrux with the Sword of Gryffindor.
○ Clarification: Each player may opt for either the attack token gain or the
influence token game, independent from the other players’ choice.
○ Additionally: If the Locket was attacked prior to its destruction from the Sword,
ALL Heroes receive the reward according to what was used to attack it as if it
was from a regular House Die roll.
● Upon the revelation of Gringotts, if the Sword of Gryffindor is in the possession of any
Hero, whether it’s in their hand, in their deck, in their played cards pile, or in their discard
pile, move the Sword back to the Hogwarts card pile. Reshuffle all decks searched
and/or altered afterwards.
○ Reasoning: Griphook takes possession of the Sword during the Gringotts heist.
After the heist, the Sword disappears.
○ Clarification: Players may still acquire the Sword as normal.
○ Alternate Rule: The Sword may instead be temporarily removed from the game,
as it is never seen until Neville pulls the Sword out of the Sorting Hat (see the
next rule).
● Once per game, if Neville plays the Sorting Hat card while Hogwarts Castle is the active
Location, he may put the Sword of Gryffindor in his hand. If a pile must be searched,
reshuffle it afterwards.
○ Reasoning: This is how he obtains the Sword of Gryffindor.
○ Clarification: In the event that another player has the Sword, it may be
transferred to either hand.
○ Clarification: This bonus effect is optional. It would be redundant to waste this
when someone already has the Sword on hand.
● The Nagini Horcrux cannot be attacked from House Die rolls except for Die rolls as a
result of playing the Sword of Gryffindor. In the event that neither Die roll is used to
attack Nagini, you may roll any of the House Dice, but it must be used to attack Nagini.
○ Reasoning: Nagini was killed with the Sword of Gryffindor.
○ Alternate Rule: For an easier challenge, Nagini may be destroyed instantly if the
Sword of Gryffindor is played.
Other
● At the end of the Active Hero’s turn, if Hogwarts Castle has at least 4 Villain Control
tokens, or if Nagini is destroyed, remove Lucius Malfoy and Draco Malfoy from the
game.
○ Reasoning: The Malfoys flee from the battle after Harry reveals that he is
actually still alive.
○ Clarification: Like the rule above, this effect occurs even if either of them have
yet to be revealed, their rewards will trigger as normal, the effect will also satisfy
the requirements of the Hogwarts cards relating to defeating a Villain, and the
effect will not trigger if they are already defeated.
○ Clarification: If one was defeated prior to meeting this rule’s conditions but not
the other, the effect will trigger only for the latter Villain. If neither of them was
defeated prior to this, the effect will trigger twice, once for each of them. The
effect will not trigger if both of them were already defeated prior to meeting this
rule’s conditions.