How to Play Regicide

Game Objective

In Regicide, you are brave adventurers who must work together to combat a sinister corruption that has spread across the four great realms. The goal is to defeat 12 powerful enemies, purifying corrupted monarchs and adding them to your battle lines. The game is cooperative, and players win when the last King is defeated. However, beware! Each turn, the enemy counterattacks, and if a player cannot discard enough cards to satisfy the damage, everyone loses.

Setup

1. Shuffle the 4 Kings (K) and place them face down in a pile on the table.
2. Shuffle the 4 Queens (Q) and place them face down on top of the Kings pile.
3. Shuffle the 4 Jacks (J) and place them face down on top of the Queens pile. This pile is the Castle deck.
4. Place the Castle deck in the center of the table and flip the top card face up to reveal the first Jack. This will become the first and current enemy.
5. Shuffle all numbered cards from 2 to 10 with the 4 Companions (Ace) and a number of Jokers (*) based on the number of players (refer to the table in the manual for details) to form the Tavern deck.
6. The Tavern deck is where cards are drawn from. During the game, place any discarded cards into a shared discard pile, face up, next to the Tavern deck.
7. Deal cards to each player up to the maximum hand limit, according to the number of players (refer to the table in the manual for details).
8. The player who most recently committed regicide goes first.

Game Flow

On their turn, the player will play cards from their hand to deal damage to the current enemy to defeat them. The values on the cards determine the damage, while the suit provides a special power.

Each turn has four steps:

1. Step 1 - Play a card or yield.
2. Step 2 - Activate suit power.
3. Step 3 - Deal damage to the enemy and check.
4. Step 4 - Suffer damage from the enemy.

Actions and How to Play

Step 1 - Play a card or yield

• Play a card from hand to attack the enemy, placing it in front of you. The card's number determines the attack value. For example, if a 7 of Hearts is played, the attack value is 7.
• Instead of playing a card, the player may choose to Yield and pass their turn. To Yield, simply say "Yield" and proceed directly to Step 4, skipping Steps 2 and 3. A player cannot Yield if all other players have yielded on their last turn.
• Companions: In Step 1, Companions can be played alone or combined with another card (except with the Joker). Companions count as 1 for the total attack and their suit power is also applied. If you play a Companion with another card of the same suit, you apply the suit power only once.
• Combos: In Step 1, instead of playing a single card, players can combine cards in sets of 2, 3, or 4 of the same number, provided the combined total of the cards played is equal to or less than 10. Companions cannot be added to a combo or played as a combo on their own; they can only be paired with another card (which can be another Companion). When these cards are played together, all suit powers are resolved at the total attack value.
• Playing the Joker: In Step 1, when playing a card, the Joker can be played (always alone). It has an attack value of 0. The Joker's power is to nullify the enemy's immunity. After playing the Joker, skip Steps 3 and 4. Instead of passing to the next player, the Joker player chooses any player to go next.
• Summoning a Defeated Enemy: Jacks in hand count as 10, Queens in hand count as 15, and Kings in hand count as 20. These values are applied when playing them as an attack card or discarding them from hand to suffer damage. The suit power is applied normally when played.

Step 2 - Activate suit power

Playing a card to deal damage to the enemy also grants a power associated with that card's suit. Red suit powers are resolved immediately, black suit powers will be activated in later steps. Suit powers are mandatory and cannot be ignored.

• ♡ Hearts (Heal): Shuffle the discard pile and randomly draw a number of face-down cards equal to the attack value played. Place them under the Tavern deck, then return the discard pile to the table, face up.
• ♢ Diamonds (Summon): The current player draws one card. Other players follow clockwise, drawing one card at a time until a number of cards equal to the attack value played have been drawn. Players who have reached their maximum hand size are skipped. Players can never draw cards above their maximum hand size.
• ♧ Clubs (Double Damage): During Step 3, damage dealt with the Clubs suit counts double. For example, an 8 of Clubs deals 16 damage.
• ♤ Spades (Shield): During Step 4, reduce the current enemy's attack value by the attack value played with the Spades suit. Shield effects are cumulative for all Spades played against this enemy by any player and remain in effect until the enemy is defeated.

Whenever a Hearts power and a Diamonds power are resolved together, resolve Heal before Summon.

Step 3 - Deal damage and check if enemy is defeated

Damage is dealt to the enemy equal to the attack value of the card just played. Check if the total damage dealt by all players so far is equal to or greater than the enemy's health. If the enemy is defeated, do the following:

1. Place the enemy in the discard pile. If players deal damage exactly equal to the enemy's health, place it face down on top of the Tavern deck.
2. Place all cards played by players into the discard pile.
3. Reveal the next card from the Castle deck by flipping it face up.
4. The player who just defeated the enemy must skip Step 4 and begins a new turn against the newly revealed enemy, starting at Step 1.

Step 4 - Suffer damage from the enemy by discarding cards

If not defeated, the enemy attacks the current player, dealing damage equal to that enemy's attack value. Remember to reduce the enemy's attack value by the total value of Spades that players have already played against the enemy.

The current player must discard cards from their hand with a total value at least equal to the enemy's attack value. Discard cards one at a time, face up into the discard pile. Companions (Ace) have a value of 1 and the Joker a value of 0 when discarded to cover damage. If the player cannot discard enough cards to satisfy the damage, they die and all players lose the game. It's okay to have an empty hand.

After suffering damage, the next player clockwise begins their turn, at Step 1.

Enemy Immunity

Each enemy is immune to the suit powers of cards played against them that match their own suit. For example, players do not heal when a Diamond is played against the Jack of Diamonds (however, the value is still added to the total damage). The Joker can be played to cancel an enemy's immunity.

If the Joker is played against a Spades enemy, Spades played before the Joker now reduce the enemy's attack value; however, Clubs played before the Joker against a Clubs enemy will not count for double.

Communication

Players cannot communicate to other players any information that might reveal or suggest the contents of their hand. They may, however, remind other players of any public information, such as how many cards they have in hand. After a Joker is played, normal player communication restrictions are temporarily altered. Until the next player begins their turn, players may express their desire (or reluctance) to proceed in a general way. You still cannot reveal the contents of your hand.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when players win by defeating the last King or when players lose because a player cannot satisfy the damage dealt by an enemy. Players also lose if any player cannot play a card or Yield on their turn.

Solo Play

When playing with only 1 player, note the following rule changes:

• Set up the game as usual, but place both Jokers aside.
• You play with a single hand limited to 8 cards. Play normally, taking each turn one after another.
• A Joker can serve to activate the following power: Discard your hand and reload to 8 cards - this does not count as drawing for purposes of immunity against Diamonds enemies. Since you have two Jokers, this can be done twice per game. Flipping Jokers this way does not cancel enemy immunity.
• You are allowed to use the Joker power: a) at the beginning of Step 1 before playing a card or; b) at the beginning of Step 4 before suffering damage.
• Victory having used 2 Jokers = Bronze level Victory.
• Victory having used 1 Joker = Silver level Victory.
• Victory without using a Joker = Gold level Victory.

Tips for Winning

• Work together to defeat enemies, combining the special powers of your champions and companions.
• Manage your hands wisely, as failing to discard enough cards to satisfy enemy damage leads to defeat.
• Use the Joker strategically to nullify enemy immunity and allow corresponding suit powers to take effect.