Here to Slay Board Game Rules (2026 Guide)

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Here to Slay is Unstable Games’ charming-but-mean party battler: assemble a party of heroes across classes, roll dice to challenge monsters, and sabotage rivals until you slay three monsters or build a party with a hero from every class. This 2026 rules guide covers components, setup, action points, dice rolls, challenges, both ways to win, and table tips for the base game.

Start lighter with Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza if half the table is new to dice challenges, then graduate to Slay. More party picks live on our game night hub.

Components you’ll actually touch

The base game includes Party Leader cards, a main deck of Hero, Item, Magic, Modifier, and Challenge cards, a separate Monster deck, and two six-sided dice. The art is cute; the sabotage is not. Read the class symbols aloud once before the first turn — most first-game arguments are about symbols, not strategy.

• Party Leader: your starting card. It sets your class and gives you a special ability.
• Heroes: each has a class and a roll-to-use effect, such as stealing or destroying a rival’s hero.
• Monsters: three are face up at a time. Each lists what your party needs before you can attack it, plus the roll needed to slay it.
• Modifiers and Challenges: cards anyone can play to change a roll or try to stop a card from being played.

Setup

Each player picks a Party Leader and places it face up in front of them. Shuffle the main deck and deal five cards to each player. Shuffle the Monster deck and turn three monsters face up in the middle of the table. Put the dice where everyone can reach them.

• Players: 2–6; four is a good size for teaching.
• Teach time: about ten minutes if you demo one hero roll and one challenge.
• Game length: roughly 30–60 minutes once everyone knows the cards.

Turn structure: three action points

On your turn you get three action points to spend in any combination:

• Draw a card — 1 point.
• Play a Hero, Item, or Magic card — 1 point.
• Roll to use a Hero’s effect — 1 point; roll two dice and meet the number on the card. Each hero can be used once per turn.
• Attack a monster — 2 points; your party must meet the monster’s requirements, then roll to slay it. Fail and you take the penalty printed on the card.
• Discard your hand and draw five new cards — 3 points.

Modifier cards can be played by anyone after a roll to add to or subtract from it. Challenge cards can be played when someone plays a Hero, Item, or Magic card; the two players roll off and the result decides whether the card goes through. Check the rulebook for exact tie rules.

How to win

• Slay three monsters, or
• Build a full party with a hero from each of the six classes (your Party Leader counts toward its class).

Watch both win paths. Players often focus on monsters and miss a rival quietly completing their six-class party.

Strategy that actually shows up

• Tempo beats perfection — take a monster you can reliably roll for while rivals wait for a perfect setup.
• Hold one protection effect for the turn you are about to win.
• Deny a rival’s perfect class match even if your own kill is slightly harder.
• Track who is one monster or one class away from winning; ganging up on the leader is legal and expected.
• If the table tilts too mean, call a snack break and reset with Flip 7 before friendships fray.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting the six-class win condition while everyone races for monsters.
• Misreading dice icons and arguing after the roll.
• Building a mono-class party into a mismatched monster row.
• Teaching expansions on night one — learn base symbols first.

FAQ

Is Here to Slay kid-friendly?

Art is approachable; player elimination and sabotage still sting. Know your table’s conflict tolerance.

Do I need expansions night one?

No. Master Here to Slay until symbols feel automatic.

How long is a game?

Plan 30–45 minutes once taught; first plays run longer while people read modifiers.

Deal Here to Slay, explain symbols once, demo one failed roll, and let the first sabotage teach timing better than a speech.