# Twisted Cryptids ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2025 - **BGG Rating**: 6.7 - **BGG Rank**: #8331 - **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 3, 4) - **Duration**: — - **Weight**: 2.00 / 5 - **Publishers**: Unstable Games, Reflexshop, TeeTurtle - **Categories**: Card Game - **Mechanics**: Events, Variable Player Powers, Variable Set-up ## Verdict If you enjoy bluffing, asymmetric power strategies, and a fun theme of legendary creatures, Twisted Cryptids is a definite hit!Engaging cryptid themeUnique player powersHigh bluffing and manipulationGuaranteed replayabilityFun interactionMay have some language dependencyInitial learning curveRECOMMENDED ## Description In a world where being a Cryptid is a constant challenge, get ready for a strategic adventure in Twisted Cryptids! Here, you'll navigate the complex relationship with humans, who are always lurking, and try to outwit your fellow Cryptids to become a true legend. Hunters, hikers, and researchers are everywhere, eager for a glimpse of you, and it's your mission to stage the most elaborate hoaxes, plant perfect decoys, and lurk in the shadows to build your own myth. But beware, sometimes exposing yourself can come at a high price! Each player chooses a Cryptid with unique powers and special hiding spots. Action cards are used to determine the effects if you are spotted. Additionally, you'll have Hidden Trait cards, which are secret objectives that, if completed by the end of the game, will earn you bonus Myth points. The game map, known as The Wilderness, is composed of six locations where you and other Cryptids will interact with humans. You'll need to arrange your nine Sighting cards into three stacks and place your corresponding Hiding tokens in The Wilderness. If an Encounter occurs at one of your hiding spots, the top card of that stack will be revealed. Will it be a Hoax, a Decoy, or your true self? Encounters happen at the location with the most humans at the end of three turns in each round. There are three types of humans – Hunters, Hikers, and Researchers – and each reacts differently to your Sightings, potentially earning or losing Myth points for you. At the start of each round, an Event card is revealed, showing how humans will move. Use your Action cards to manipulate humans, luring or scaring them, influencing where the next Encounter will occur. After five rounds, the Cryptid with the highest total Myth is crowned the True Legend! ## How to Play Game Objective In Twisted Cryptids, you take on the role of a legendary creature trying to navigate your complex relationship with humans. Your goal is to deceive hunters, researchers, and hikers to build your myth and achieve the status of a true legend. To do this, you must set up elaborate hoaxes, plant lures, and hide in the shadows. Victory is decided by whoever accumulates the most Myth by the end of the game. Setup Board and Scoring: Unfold the board in the center of the table. It contains the Myth Track and The Wilderness, consisting of 6 Sites. Place the Myth tokens next to the track. Humans: Place the Human tokens in the 3 Rest Areas corresponding to each type of human. Then, position the Hikers, Hunters, and Researchers tokens on each Site that possesses their respective symbols. Decks: Shuffle the Action cards deck and the Event cards deck, placing them face down with space for their respective discard piles and the Current Event pile. Player Components: Each player chooses a Cryptid and receives: 1 Cryptid card (placed face up in front of them). 1 Cryptid meeple (positioned at value 5 on the Myth Track). 9 Sighting cards. 3 Hiding Spot tokens. Hidden Trait: Shuffle the Hidden Trait cards and distribute two to each player; each chooses one to keep secret (face down) above their Cryptid card and returns the other to the box. Building the Stacks: Secretly organize your 9 Sighting cards into 3 Stacks of 3 cards each, face down. The top card will be the first to be revealed. Place the stacks to the right of your Cryptid card. The left stack corresponds to Hiding Spot token number 1, the middle to number 2, and the right to number 3. First Player: The player who most recently visited a park receives the First Player token. Hiding Spot Placement: Following the turn order (starting with the First Player and proceeding clockwise), each player places one Hiding Spot token on a Site. After everyone has placed their first, the First Player token passes to the player to the left and the process repeats for the second and third tokens. Restrictions: You cannot place two of your own tokens on the same Site. With 4 players, a maximum of 3 players can share the same Site. With 5 or 6 players, the limit is 4 players per Site. Starting Hand: Each player draws 5 cards from the Action cards deck. Game Flow The game is played over 5 rounds. Each round is divided into the following phases: 1. Dawn Phase The First Player reveals the top card of the Event cards deck, places it in the Current Event pile, and resolves its effects from top to bottom. If an effect cannot be fully carried out (e.g., there are not enough humans to move), it must be resolved partially as much as possible. 2. Day Phase Players use their charm to move humans. In turn order, each player takes 3 turns. On each turn, you must choose one of the following actions: Play an Action card from your hand. Discard an Action card to use your Cryptid Power (limit of once per round). Pass the turn to the next player. 3. Dusk Phase An Encounter occurs. The encounter Site is the one with the highest number of humans that also has at least one Hiding Spot. In the event of a tie, the First Player chooses the location. Players with a Hiding Spot at the location reveal the top card of their corresponding Stack. Gain or lose Myth based on the distribution of humans at the location, as indicated on the Sighting card. Resolve the card's effect and place it face up next to the player. The player removes their Hiding Spot from the Site and places it on top of the Stack from which the card was drawn. If the stack is empty, that token is removed from the game. 4. Night Phase In turn order, players prepare for the next round: If you do not have a Hiding Spot on one of your Stacks, you may move one of your hiding spots on the board to a new Site. If you have a Hiding Spot on a Stack (coming from Dusk), you must place it on a Site different from where the Encounter occurred. You may discard any number of cards and draw from the Action cards deck until you have 5 cards in hand (this step is ignored in the 5th round). Finally, the First Player token passes to the player to the left. Actions and How to Play Action Cards The Action cards alter the distribution of humans through specific functions. Some have an "OR" option (choose one effect) or "AND" (resolve both in preferred order). The functions are: Lure: Move a human from an adjacent Site to your Hiding Spot. Scare: Move a human from your Hiding Spot to an adjacent Site. Attract: Bring a human from the corresponding Rest Area to your Hiding Spot. Extract: Move a human from your Hiding Spot (or adjacent) back to the Rest Area. Strong Lure: Move a human from a Site up to two positions away to your Hiding Spot. Big Scare: Move a human from your Hiding Spot to a Site up to two positions away. Sighting Types (Sighting Cards) Decoys: Deceive Hunters to generate Myth. Hoaxes: Deceive Hikers to increase your Myth. Silhouettes: Attract Researchers to generate Myth. Real Deals: High risk and high reward. They can provide a lot of Myth if the right humans are present, but can cause a loss of Myth if the wrong humans are present. End of Game and Scoring The game ends after the completion of 5 rounds. For final scoring: Reveal all remaining Sighting cards in the Stacks and your Hidden Trait. Unrevealed Real Deals: Gain 7 Myth for each Real Deal card that remained hidden during the game. Hidden Trait: Gain Myth bonuses based on the completion level of your hidden trait's objective. Total: Add these points to your current value on the Myth Track (including the 10 and 30 Myth tokens). Victory: The player with the highest total Myth is declared the True Legend. In case of a tie, the winner is the one with the most humans at the Sites where they have Hiding Spots. Tips for Winning Risk Management: Real Deal cards are powerful but dangerous. You must decide during setup whether to place them on top of the Stack to try your luck or bury them at the bottom to guarantee the 7 Myth bonus for not revealing them. Strategic Positioning: Use the Night phase to reposition your Hiding Spots away from where the last encounter occurred, seeking locations that favor the activation of your Sighting cards. Flow Control: Use the Lure and Scare functions to manipulate the number of humans at the Sites, ensuring that the Encounter occurs where you have the best card configuration. ## FAQ ### What is the main objective in Twisted Cryptids? Your goal is to accumulate as many Myth points as possible, outwitting your fellow Cryptids and manipulating humans, to be crowned the True Legend at the end of five rounds. ### How many players can participate? The game is designed for 2 to 4 players, making it great for both duels and small groups. ### How long does a game last? A game of Twisted Cryptids can take up to 60 minutes, depending on the number of players and familiarity with the rules. It's an ideal time for a relaxed gaming session. ### What is the complexity of the game? With a BGG weight of 2/5, Twisted Cryptids is considered a light to medium complexity game. It's accessible for beginners but offers strategic depth for more experienced players. ### Are the components language dependent? Yes, the game has moderate language dependency, mainly on the Cryptid, Hidden Trait, and Action cards. It might be helpful to have a translated sheet or translated cards for those who are not fluent in English. ### Who is this game for? It's perfect for those who enjoy card games with lots of interaction, bluffing, and variable player powers. If you like themes of legendary creatures and want a strategic but not too heavy game, you'll love it! ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 28.30 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6391550&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/80140/twisted-cryptids?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com