Mertwig’s Maze

Overview

Mertwig’s Maze is a fantasy board game designed by Tom Wham and published by TSR in 1988 as part of the AD&D line. Players navigate a maze filled with monsters, treasures, and traps, competing to reach the center and claim the ultimate prize. The game features Tom Wham’s distinctive cartoonish art style and lighthearted fantasy humor.

Components

• 1 game board (maze layout)
• 16-page rules booklet
• 8 cardstock scenario cards
• Play mat with counters
• Play cards
• Dice

Setup

1. Choose a scenario card that determines the maze layout and objectives.
2. Place the board and set up counters according to the scenario.
3. Each player selects a character and places it at the maze entrance.
4. Shuffle and deal play cards as specified.

Turn Structure

On your turn:

1. Move: Roll dice and move your character through the maze.
2. Encounter: Resolve any encounters (monsters, traps, treasures) at your location.
3. Combat: Fight monsters using dice and play cards.
4. Collect: Gather treasures and items.

Actions

Movement

• Roll dice to determine how many spaces you can move.
• Navigate through the maze corridors and rooms.
• Some passages may be blocked or require keys.

Encounters

• Different maze locations contain monsters, treasures, or traps.
• Monsters must be fought or avoided.
• Treasures provide victory points or useful items.
• Traps may cause damage or teleport your character.

Combat

• Compare your character’s combat stats with the monster’s stats.
• Roll dice and add bonuses from equipment and play cards.
• Defeat monsters to earn rewards; losing may cost health or items.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game has multiple scenarios with different victory conditions. Common objectives include:

• Reaching the center of the maze first.
• Collecting the most treasure.
• Defeating a specific boss monster.
• Escaping the maze with the most loot.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Different scenarios provide different maze layouts and objectives.
• Characters can use items found during exploration.
• Player interaction includes blocking passages and competing for treasures.
• The game supports up to 9 players, making it unusually high for its era.

Player Reference

Turn: Roll for movement -> Move through maze -> Encounter/Combat -> Collect rewards

Scenarios: Multiple scenarios provide different layouts and victory conditions

Combat: Dice + bonuses vs. monster stats