How to Play Onitama: Way of the Wind

Goal of the Game

In Onitama: Way of the Wind, rival schools return to Onitama to prove which martial art is superior. This time, a Wind Spirit interferes in the confrontation, adding an unpredictable element to the game. The goal remains the same: capture the opponent's Master or occupy the opponent's Arch Temple with your Master to win.

Setup

1. Set up the board as in the original Onitama game.
2. Position the Wind Spirit miniature in the center space of the board.
3. Choose 5 cards for the match: 2 Wind Spirit cards and 3 Movement cards (from the base game or expansions). You may select them or draw them randomly.
4. Randomly distribute to each player: 1 Wind Spirit card and 1 Movement card. Place the last Movement card in the center of the table — the symbol on it determines who goes first.

Consult the manual for details regarding this section.

Gameplay Flow

The game follows the original rules of Onitama, with these changes:

• On your turn, play a card from your hand:
• If it is a Movement card, use it to move your Student or Master OR move the Wind Spirit (if the movement is valid on the card).
• If it is a Wind Spirit card, move two pawns: first your Student/Master (top part of the card) and then the Wind Spirit (bottom part). If a movement is impossible, ignore it.

Actions and How to Play

Moving the Wind Spirit

• The Wind Spirit follows the movements indicated on the card, like any other pawn.
• If it lands on a Student (ally or enemy), it swaps places with them (without capturing).
• It can never occupy the same space as a Master (ally or enemy).
• No pawn can move into the space occupied by the Wind Spirit (it blocks movements!).
• Moving the Spirit to the opponent's Arch Temple does not grant victory.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when a player:

• Captures the opponent's Master, or
• Moves their Master to the opponent's Arch Temple.

There is no scoring — victory is determined by these criteria.

Tips for Winning

• Use the Wind Spirit to block key positions and limit the opponent's movements.
• Swap places with the Spirit to reposition your Students advantageously or disrupt enemy strategy.
• In matches with more Wind Spirit cards, plan ahead, as the board will change rapidly.