Objective of the Game

In Obsession: Upstairs, Downstairs, players take on the roles of Victorian-era families managing their estates, staff, and social reputations. The goal is to accumulate the most Victory Points (VP) by hosting activities, renovating estates, and achieving Objective Cards (OC). The game ends after a set number of rounds, and the player with the highest VP wins.

Preparation (Setup)

Player Area Setup

1. Place the supply board centrally and populate the Servants for Hire area based on player count (see quantities below).
2. Assign the 1st player marker randomly. Starting left of the 1st player and moving clockwise, players choose a family board (e.g., Howard, York) and draft one servant from a display of one of each "short" servant (Cook, Hall Boy, Head Housemaid, Useful Man, Valet, Lady’s Maid, Footman).
3. Complete player boards per the base game rules, adding drafted servants to Available Service.

Servants for Hire Quantities

• 2 Players: 2 Underbutlers, 4 Footmen, 2 Valets, 2 Lady’s Maids, 2 Cooks, 2 Hall Boys, 2 Head Housemaids, 2 Useful Men.
• 3-6 Players: Increment quantities accordingly (e.g., 3 players: 3 of each short servant).

Central Play Area Setup

Follow base game rules for setting up the builders’ market, gentry decks, and Objective Cards. Use expansion components for 5-6 players.

Game Flow

The game is played over seasons (courtships) divided into rounds. Each player turn follows this order:

1. Reclaim Discard Pile: Return discarded cards to your hand.
2. Refresh Service: Return all Expended Service servants to Available Service.
3. Host Activity: Play a tile or card to host an activity, using mandatory/supplemental servants.
4. Cleanup: Rotate used servants to Expended Service.

1st player marker rotates counterclockwise after each season.

Actions and How to Play

Mandatory vs. Supplemental Service

• Mandatory Service: Triggered by icons on tiles/cards. Required to use the tile/card.
• Supplemental Service: Optional placement of new servants (Cook, Hall Boy, Head Housemaid, Useful Man) to enhance actions.

New Servant Abilities

• Cook (Orange): Increases reputation by 1 and allows inviting guests 1-2 prestige levels above your reputation.
• Hall Boy (Light Blue): Boosts monetary favors by £100 or stands in for a Butler/Footman.
• Head Housemaid (Pink): Converts blind guest draws to "See 2, Keep 1" or substitutes for a Housekeeper.
• Useful Man (Brown): Lowers tile prestige costs, refreshes the market, or locates specific tiles.

Passing & Hiring

When passing, players may now hire servants (valets, lady’s maids, footmen) in addition to reclaiming their deck and refreshing service. Upstairs, Downstairs servants cannot be recruited from other players.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends after the final round. Players score:

• Objective Cards (OC): Keep 3-4 OC (standard/extended play) and score their VP.
• Reputation: Tracked on the reputation track.
• Guest VP: Sum of prestige ratings from invited guests.
• Improvements/Monuments: VP listed on tiles.

Tips to Win

1. Prioritize Supplemental Servants: The Cook and Head Housemaid dramatically expand hosting options and VP opportunities.
2. Time Hiring Actions: Use pass turns to hire servants efficiently, balancing early expansion with resource management.
3. Monitor Objective Cards: Discard less achievable OCs early to focus on high-scoring ones.

Consult the manual for details on sections like Competitive Team Play or Solo Estate Challenge.