Big bosses, creeping hordes of undead, and spell-slinging swamp sorcerers await you in the gloomy depths of Widower’s Wood. Today, you get an inside look at how you will fight these deadly denizens to begin your adventure as soon as your copy of the game hits your hands!

Widower’s Wood is part of the Iron Kingdoms Adventure Board Game line, and as such, it shares a core set of rules with The Undercity. You and up to three of your friends will join forces against all the enemies the game’s innovative “AI” can throw at you through the persistent and endlessly varied campaign.

For a quick refresher on the core rules that govern both games, check out this walkthrough for The Undercity and keep reading to find out more about the new terrors lurking deep in the swamp.

Now that you are an expert on the Iron Kingdoms Adventure Board Games, you are ready for the new features of Widower’s Wood.

While The Undercity explored the sewers below the city of Corvis, Widower’s Wood plunges you into fetid marshes and bogs—an environment that is practically an enemy itself and one that your enemies will use to their advantage. Lying in wait to ambush you, amphibious bog trogs hide in water spaces, safe from retaliation beneath the liquid cover. Dense vegetation presents a challenge to movement and blocks ranged shots at the villains lurking beyond them. Ritual circles and ancient ruins pepper the landscape, unleashing dark powers and acting as magnets for evil energies. Vines shoot forth from thickets, ensnaring the unwary, and leeches fill wet grass and puddles, draining the life (or at least the feats) from you.

The enemies you face will also unleash new tactics and abilities. “Goad” is a new mechanic that allows enemy leaders (think mini-bosses) to push their minions into the thick of the fight, protecting them and wearing down your defenses. “Horde” powers up villains for every friend with Horde they bring to the fight. “Bite” allows an extra attack, just the trick for up-close and dirty fighting.

The use of magic by players and enemies is also new in Widower’s Wood. Spells fly through the air, blasting those near at hand or at a distance.

Widower’s Wood is a challenging game. With the board working against you and time running out, your survival will depend on your friends and how they use the ferocious monsters available to play. Agata, the tough farrow brawler, gets in close, smashing apart her foes with her furious farrow fists. Skarg is a ferocious Tharn ranger who fires death from his bow, taking out targets before they become a threat. Vaskis (the only human in the core hero pack) uses magic to support the team, healing injuries and allowing swift movement through rough terrain. The croak Olo rounds out the team, throwing gourds filled with surprises (some have fire, some have bees), able to deal death from nearby or afar.

The Widower’s WoodKickstarter is live right now, offering you three different ways to get in on the action. The time to join your friends, become a monster, and save the world from the looming threat of ancient evil is NOW!