# Rattlesnake ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2026 - **BGG Rating**: 7.5 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2 (Best with: 2) - **Duration**: 15 min - **Weight**: 2.00 / 5 - **Designers**: Michael Hardacre - **Artists**: Roland MacDonald - **Publishers**: Osprey Games - **Categories**: American West, Bluffing, Card Game, Fighting - **Mechanics**: Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, Hand Management ## Verdict Perfect for those seeking a fast, aggressive duel with a Wild West vibe. The combo dynamics make every match unpredictable!Explosive and dynamic combosFast and intense matchesEngaging deck buildingDirect and aggressive interactionTwo-player limit onlyHigh language dependencyFOR GENRE FANS ## Description Ready your revolver and keep a steady hand, because the town of Rattlesnake is no place for amateurs! Imagine that classic Western movie tension: the scorching sun, the deafening silence, and two gunslingers staring each other down while the sweat drips. Once the first shot rings out, the chaos begins. Rattlesnake is a fast-paced, action-packed card game designed exclusively for two players who love a good duel. The heart of the game lies in building your arsenal. You aren't just static; as the fight unfolds, you must reinforce your dwindling deck with new cards to ensure you don't run out of ammo or tactical options. The real thrill comes from crafting explosive combos that can flip the script in a heartbeat, turning an imminent defeat into a glorious victory. But it's not just about brute force: hand management is key. You'll have to decide whether to use a special ability now to disrupt your opponent's play or save it to escape a tight spot later. It's the kind of game where the lead shifts constantly. One moment you're dominating the shootout, and the next, you're desperately trying not to get hit. With deck-building mechanics and heavy direct interaction, Rattlesnake delivers the adrenaline of a quick, strategic combat. If you love the Wild West theme and want a game that doesn't waste time and gets straight to the action, this duel is for you. Just remember: in Rattlesnake, your trigger speed and your intelligence in assembling combos are what separate the hero from the gravedigger! ## How to Play Game Objective In Rattlesnake, you take on the role of two outlaws engaged in a classic shootout. Your goal is to play strong card combinations to execute gunshots and strike your opponent. The game ends as soon as one player has no Hit cards remaining; that player's opponent immediately wins the showdown. Preparation (Setup) Follow these steps to set up your game: Player Areas Each player takes one deck of player action cards (purple or orange), shuffles them, and places them face down. Leave space for a face-up discard pile next to the deck. Each player takes 4 Hit cards matching their deck color and places them in front of them. The Saloon Place the High Noon event card face down where the saloon deck will be. Shuffle the saloon action cards and deal 5 face up to the saloon. Divide the remaining saloon action cards into 2 face-down piles of 4 cards each (return the 2 leftover action cards to the box). Shuffle 2 event cards face down into each of those two piles (return the 1 leftover event card to the box). Stack the 2 piles on top of each other, with High Noon at the bottom, to create the full saloon deck. Choosing the First Player Both players reveal the top card of their deck. The player with the higher number takes the pistol. In case of a tie, continue revealing cards until a winner is decided. All revealed cards are then discarded. Game Flow The game is played in turns, starting with the player who holds the pistol. Each turn follows these steps: Draw Phase: Both players draw from their player deck up to a hand size of 5 cards. (Note: If an event like Locked & Loaded is active, this hand size may increase). Action Phase: The active player may perform either, both, or neither of the following actions in any order: Buy 1 action card from the saloon. Attack their opponent. End of Turn: After performing chosen actions, the active player passes the pistol to the other player to start a new turn. Note: If you need to draw or play from an empty player deck, shuffle your discard pile to create a new deck. Actions and How to Play Buying a Card To buy an action card from the saloon, discard any 2 cards (either action cards or Hit cards) from your hand. Put the bought card in your hand and refill the empty saloon slot with the top card from the saloon deck. Event Cards: If an event card is added to the saloon, its text immediately takes effect and modifies the rules for the rest of the game. Event cards cannot be bought and are never replaced. Attacking and Defending When you choose to attack, you become the attacker and your opponent becomes the defender. Resolve the attack as follows: The attacker plays at least 1 card face down and declares the number of cards played. The defender plays any number of cards face down (they may choose to play no cards). Both players reveal their cards and push forward their strongest combo. If card abilities change values, push forward the new strongest combo. Declare a winner based on Winning combos criteria. If the attacker wins, the defender takes 1 Hit from in front of them and places it in their discard pile. If the defender wins, they have dodged and no Hits are taken. Discard all played cards to their owner's discard pile. Combos and Card Abilities Valid Combos: Only your strongest combo counts. Hit cards cannot be used in a combo but can be used as a bluff. Single card: One card. Run: An ascending string of numbers of length two or more (e.g., 2, 3, 4). Set: Two or more of the same number (e.g., 2, 2, 2). Winning Combos (Tie-breakers): Number of cards: Most cards in the combo wins. Type of combo: A set beats a run. Highest card: The highest single card value within the combo wins. If still tied, the defender wins. Card Abilities: These can be used at any time. Once used, place the card in the graveyard. Examples include: Reload: Discard hand, draw 3. Scout: Draw 2, return 1 to the top of the deck. Dodge 'n' Shoot: Discard all cards in attack/defense; both players play the top card of their decks; highest value wins. Distract: +/- 1 to any card in play. Take Cover: Cancel another action card's ability. Double Tap: If you successfully attacked, inflict an additional hit. Quick Draw: Draw 1 and attack again, OR discard hand and draw 6. Switch Up: Swap this card for any card in the graveyard, OR draw 2. Focus: Change the value of one attack or defense card to any value from 1 to 5. Disarm: Randomly discard 1 card from the opponent's attack/defense. End of Game and Scoring The game ends immediately when one player has no Hit cards remaining in front of them. The opponent of that player is the winner. Tips for Winning Use Bluffs: You can play Hit cards during an attack or defense to bluff your opponent, as they cannot be part of a combo but can mislead the defender about your strength. Manipulate Values: Use cards like Distract or Focus to change the values of cards in play, potentially turning a losing combo into a winning one by breaking the opponent's set or run. ## FAQ ### Is the game complex? Not really! With a weight of 2/5, it's accessible, but the strategy of building combos and hand management provides the necessary depth. ### How long does a match last? It's for those in a hurry: matches last about 15 minutes. ### Can I play with more than two people? No, Rattlesnake was specifically designed as a duel for exactly 2 players. ### Do I need to know English to play? Yes, there is high language dependency, so you'll need a translation to understand all the card abilities. ### What is the main goal? Build powerful combos to attack your opponent and survive the shootout without getting hit. ### Is it recommended for casual gamers? Absolutely! Due to its speed and theme, it's great for those who want immediate fun without reading massive manuals. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 16.10 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=7026419&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 16.17 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=7021710&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 16.42 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6897962&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 17.30 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=7008753&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 19.55 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=7124832&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 23.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=7121141&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 26.47 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=7118900&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/173978/rattlesnake?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com