# Dead Man's Doubloons ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2018 - **BGG Rating**: 6.6 - **BGG Rank**: #5528 - **Players**: 2-6 (Best with: 4) - **Duration**: 45 min - **Weight**: 2.57 / 5 - **Designers**: Jason Miceli - **Artists**: Matthew Mizak - **Publishers**: ThunderGryph Games, GateOnGames, Mandala Jogos, TCG Factory - **Categories**: Dice, Fantasy, Fighting, Nautical, Pirates - **Mechanics**: Action Queue, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Hand Management, Push Your Luck, Race, Simultaneous Action Selection, Take That, Variable Player Powers ## Verdict Perfect for those who love chaos, pirates, and don't mind seeing their friends 'suffer' through thefts and betrayals.Visceral and dynamic naval combatCreative Ghost Ship mechanicSimultaneous land and sea explorationHigh player interactionDice luck can be frustratingModerate learning curve for beginnersFOR GENRE FANS ## Description Ready your crew and sharpen your blade, because in Dead Man's Doubloons, only the strongest (and luckiest) survive! You take command of a legendary pirate captain in a frantic race for buried riches. The game unfolds across two fronts of tension: while your ships engage in skirmishes among the reefs surrounding a mysterious island, your captain and landing party explore perilous paths on land to find map fragments and hidden treasures. The dynamics are intense. You'll need to manage your hand of cards and plan action queues to move and act, but be warned: your rivals won't just stand by. Stealing gold, jewels, and even your opponent's reputation is all part of the game. The tension peaks once the buried treasure is finally unearthed, forcing everyone to rush back to their vessels for one final, epic battle on the high seas. The combat is visceral and features an interesting twist: defeated ships aren't simply removed from the game; they transform into Ghost Ships. With cursed treasures and a sinister aura, these spectral captains can still, with the right planning, make a comeback and emerge victorious. In the end, the pirate who has accumulated the most wealth after the naval carnage is crowned the richest pirate of the seven seas. It's a game of risk, betrayal, and plenty of luck, perfect for those who love table chaos while trying to ensure the gold stays in their pockets. ## How to Play Game Objective In Dead Man's Doubloons, players take on the roles of pirate ship captains in a race for buried treasure. The goal is to plunder map fragments, doubloons, and gems while facing rivals. When the treasure is unearthed, captains return to their ships for a final battle at sea. The game ends when a captain triggers the endgame (by advancing on the captain track), and the pirate with the most points wins! Setup Follow these steps to set up the game: Place the standard board in the center of the table (side with a single beach area face up). Separate the doubloons into a pile beside the board. Each player starts with 2. Place 2 loot tokens per player next to the board (discard the rest). Shuffle all the gems into the velvet bag and place it near the board. Separate the captain cards and shuffle the remaining action cards. Shuffle the landmark tiles by color and form separate stacks. Place a random water tile in each water region, following the manual's table for player count. The player who says "Ahoy Matey!" most convincingly gets the initiative token and picks their captain first. Each player receives a ship board, 6 colored markers, 2 pirate ships (one normal and one ghost), and places their markers as indicated. Set up the map tiles stack based on player count and distribute 1 random fragment per player. Game Flow Each round has 4 phases: Start of Round (simultaneous): Place doubloons on the island (2 for 2 players, 3 for 3-4, 4 for 5-6). All players draw cards up to their hand limit (5 at the start). Players secretly choose 3 cards from their hand and place them in order, revealing the first simultaneously. Action Phase (in initiative order): Players resolve movement and the action of the revealed card, one at a time. Repeat until all 3 cards for each player are resolved. Loot Phase (simultaneous): Players take doubloons from the island based on their acquired loot tokens. End of Round (simultaneous): Check if the treasure has been unearthed (if any captain reached Mount Zotètmon). Check for ghost ship redemption (if they have 5 doubloons). Discard used cards, pass the initiative token, and start the next round. Actions and How to Play Movement Cards have movement icons (sail or turn). Solid icons are mandatory; dashed ones are optional. Resolve in any order: Sail (straight arrow): Move the ship to the next water region in the current direction. Resolve "Upon Entering" effects if any. Turn (curved arrow): Reverse the ship's direction. Actions After moving, choose one of the two actions on the card: Loot (chest icon): Gain 1 loot token (+1 if the card has "+1"). Attack: Broadside (1 cannon): Deal 1 damage to enemy ships in the next region. Roll the attack die. Attack: Ramming (2 cannons): Deal 2 damage to ships in the same region. Roll the attack die. Hunt (map icon): If you have fewer than 2 map fragments: Draw 1 map tile and resolve its effect. If you have 2+ fragments: Advance (before treasure is unearthed) or Explore (after). Repair (hammer icon): Recover 1 hull (+1 if no ships are in the region). Board (hook icon): Can only target damaged ships in the same region. Effects vary (steal fragments, doubloons, crew, etc.). Ghost Ships If a ship reaches 0 hull, it becomes a ghost ship: Cannot turn, repair, or take damage. Their treasures are worth -1 point at the end. Can redeem themselves by spending 5 doubloons in the end-of-round phase. Endgame and Scoring The game ends when a captain reaches the end of the track (by playing captain cards). Count points: 5 points per diamond, 4 per ruby, 3 per emerald. 2 points per map fragment. 1 point per doubloon and per crew member. Points from the reputation track. -1 point per item above if it's a ghost ship. The pirate with the most points wins! In case of a tie, whoever has more doubloons wins. If still tied, the "smelliest" pirate wins. Tips to Win Focus on map fragments to advance your captain and unearth the treasure first. Use Board actions to steal resources from damaged ships and hinder rivals. Avoid becoming a ghost ship — your treasures are worth less, and you lose movement control. ## FAQ ### Is the game very complex? It has a medium weight (2.57 on BGG). It's not extremely simple, but it's not a heavy 'euro' either. If you're already into board gaming, you'll pick it up quickly! ### How long does a game last? It usually takes about 45 minutes, which is great for those who want fast-paced fun without spending hours at the table. ### How many people can play? From 2 to 6 players. The more people, the more chaos and fun during the skirmishes! ### Do I need to know English to play? Hardly. There is very little text, so it's easy to memorize or adapt, making it very accessible. ### What happens if my ship is destroyed? You aren't eliminated! Your ship becomes a Ghost Ship with cursed treasures, and you stay in the race for victory. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 53.45 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=997956&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/22240/dead-mans-doubloons?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com