Tips for Using the Randomizer

• So you don't really like the set of cards that was generated? To keep your current settings and regenerate a new set of cards, just refresh the results page. Your browser should ask you if you would like to resend the information, answer "OK".
• Keep an eye on the cursor. When you hover over an area and the arrow turns into a hand pointer, this is a shortcut area.
• The default values for each field reflect a standard game with all available cards in use.
• To quickly set all Dungeon Features to zero, click the small box labelled "Click for NO Dungeon Features"
• If you do not own or do not wish to use an entire collection (i.e. Base Game, WotE, Doomgate, etc.), simply click anywhere on the row containing that collection's name. Clicking there a second time will re-select the entire collection.
• To only de-select/select a collection's set of Dungeon Feature, Monster, Hero or Village cards, click on that word for the desired section (i.e. click on Village under Base Game to uncheck only the Village cards for the Base Game).
• What about the Thunderstone? The Randomizer will not choose a Thunderstone. It is suggested that you select the Thunderstone, since that option is given to you in the rules: "Choose one of the special Thunderstone cards, either at random or by mutual consent." If you cannot mutually agree (we understand, we have one of those guys in our gaming group too... Kevi), just let that guy/gal select one at random from your hand. There are only a few different Thunderstones, so it was felt that it was not necessary for this program to choose one.
• Why did I get that card?!? Remember that the Randomizer is, at its core, always a randomizer. It tends to prefer some cards to be chosen to compliment others, but it always begins completely random, like a shuffled deck.

Information About the Thunderstone Randomizer

What does it do? Simply put, it does what you already do with the randomizer cards that came with the game... only better. Better how? Well, the cards are chosen in sets that tend to work together better than a simple, randomly composed set.

For the official rules, including how to draw randomizers manually, click here (follow along in the rules to see that the process used here is identical except for the skewing of some cards' position in the deck).

Set-up of the Selection Parameters

On the starting page you will be allowed to customize several of the parameters for the card selection.

First, you may customize how many of each card type (Monster, Hero and Village) will be drawn. The default values are the same number that should be used in a standard game of Thunderstone — 3 Monsters, 4 Heroes and 8 Village.

Next, you may customize how many Dungeon Feature randomizers to insert into the Monster randomizer deck. This selection is broken down into a value for each Dungeon Feature group. Take note that this value is the number of randomizer cards that will be included in the Monster randomizer deck. It only influences the odds that Dungeon Features will be selected, it is not a direct indication of how many, if any, will be selected. The odds are based on the total number of cards in the Monster randomizer deck (of which the Dungeon Feature cards are a part) and the number of Monster cards being drawn. Again, the default values are the same number that would be used in a standard game of Thunderstone, if all sets are being used.

Finally, you may select which specific randomizer cards are to be in each randomizer deck. Any cards that you uncheck will not be included in the randomizer deck during the draw and thus, will never be drawn.

Drawing of the Cards

Once you click the "Randomize" button, the cards are drawn. The order in which the cards are drawn mimics the manual method spelled out in the instructions.

First, the Monster cards are drawn. Keep in mind that the Dungeon Features are included in this deck. Cards are drawn from the Monster randomizer deck until the number of Monster cards drawn equals the amount that you selected on the previous page (generally 3, for a standard game). During that draw process, it is possible that Dungeon Features may have been drawn as well. So now any Dungeon Feature randomizer cards that were drawn are resolved. Note: if the Doomgate or Dragonspire setting was selected, the number of Monsters is adjusted accordingly. At this point the Monster and Dungeon Feature cards have been chosen randomly and up to this point the process is identical to the method used when drawing manually. Next, however, there is a difference. For each of the previously selected Monster and Dungeon Feature cards, information is compiled concerning the card's effects. This information is later used to skew the odds for Hero and Village cards that will be drawn. For example, if a Monster causes disease, it is more likely that Heroes that can deal with disease or Village cards that can effect disease will be chosen.

The Hero cards are selected next. Every Hero card starts off in a random position in the deck (like a shuffled deck). Then every card is evaluated and its position is adjusted in the deck based on any effects that the card has that match those that are desired. Many cards do not have their position adjusted at all. Any card that is moved up in the deck due to having desirable effects is by no means guaranteed to be chosen. Remember, the starting position of the card was random, like a shuffled deck, and the adjustments are only movements higher or lower in the deck. Now the top card in the Hero deck is selected. The desired effects, that were already defined by the Monster cards chosen, are now augmented by the chosen Hero. This includes adding desired effects that the card may have and reducing the value of effects that the Hero provides (reducing the chance of too many identical, overlapping effects). This draw process is repeated until the correct number of Heroes has been selected. Then the village card selection is made.

Finally, the Village cards are drawn. The process for the Village cards is identical to that of the Hero cards; a randomized deck is modified to adjust for desired effects and cards are drawn one at a time and the desired effects adjusted.