Destinies

To set up Destinies, first download the free companion app from Apple, Google Play, or Steam onto a device with a camera. Open the app and select the core game or an expansion if you have one. Choose a scenario (Nature of the Beast is recommended for first-time players) and a game mode (Normal for 2-3 players). Each player then selects one of three characters. Players collect a player board, two white main dice, three purple effort dice, and one gold coin. Skill markers are placed on the player board according to the character's starting stats shown in the app. Players also receive a starting item card and a destiny card, which is kept secret. Map tiles and points of interest are placed on the table as instructed by the app, forming the game world.

The primary objective in Destinies is to be the first player to fulfill one of your two personal destinies. These destinies are unique to your character and are listed on the back of your secret destiny card. To fulfill a destiny, you must complete a specific series of events and challenges, culminating in a final test. While players are not directly working against each other, the game is competitive, and the first to achieve their ultimate destiny wins.

A turn in Destinies consists of three steps: Start of Turn, Movement, and Visiting a Point of Interest. In the Start of Turn step, the active player refreshes one exhausted effort die by moving it from outside their player board to their personal supply. During the Movement step, the active player can move their character miniature up to two spaces orthogonally (not diagonally) on the map. If they enter an unexplored map tile, they must stop, flip it over, and follow any app instructions for placing new tiles or points of interest. Finally, in the Visiting a Point of Interest step, the active player can optionally interact with any point of interest on their current tile. Interactions can involve performing skill tests, scanning item cards, or scanning their destiny card to gain hints or advance their personal story. Players can choose multiple options in any order, but each can only be chosen once per visit.

Destinies is a competitive game where the goal is to be the first to achieve your ultimate destiny. There is no traditional scoring system; the game ends immediately when a player successfully completes their chosen destiny path. While other players may also be progressing towards their destinies, only the first to reach this final objective is declared the winner. The game's narrative and choices made throughout the scenario contribute to the player's journey, but ultimately, it's a race to fulfill one's fate.

The game concludes immediately when any player successfully completes their ultimate destiny. This is achieved by fulfilling the requirements of one of the two destiny paths listed on their secret destiny card, which typically involves a series of events and a final test triggered at a specific point of interest. Once a player initiates their finale, they cannot revert to normal turns and must complete the final sequence of events. The first player to successfully navigate their finale and meet their destiny's conditions, as confirmed by the app, wins the game.