Rules
Credits:
Game Design & Artwork: Tony Boydell
Colour and
Layout Design: Charlie Paull
Rules: Alan Paull
Translation: Melanie Koster
Playtesting: Alan Paull, Charlie
Paull, Karen Boydell, the Lee-Hynes family, the Carver family....and many many
more!
Game Pieces
52 Game Cards
Also required: 3 life tokens for each player (not supplied)
Game Set-up
1. Each player takes 3 life tokens (you could use peas, beads, or indeed, live crocodiles)
2. Decide who starts the first round by rolling a die, staging a pie eating competition, etc. Give this person the deck box.
3. Shuffle the 52 cards and deal 3 cards to each player.
The object of the game
The objective is to be the last player with life tokens left in the game, while all the other players have lost theirs.
Game play
Play proceeds in a clockwise direction, starting with the player with the deck box. In your turn, pass the deck box to the player on your left, and if you have at least one Trap card, you MUST choose one other player and play a single Trap against that player.
Once the Trap (if any) has been dealt with, it is the end of your turn.
If you have no Traps, your turn ends straight away, and you say "Pass".
If all players have no Traps, then shuffle all cards into the deck and
deal the appropriate number of cards back to each player.
A player targeted by a Trap may use a Trick card to negate it or to move it to a different player, who may also use a Trick to negate it or to move it to a third player, and so on. When the Trap comes to rest at a player who cannot or chooses not to play a Trick, it will either do damage to that player or that player will lose a card. Put the Trap face-up in front of the player affected by it.
You can only play one Trap per turn, although that Trap may "bounce" to many other players, including back to you.
Whenever any player plays a Trap or Trick card, he or she must draw another card from the playing deck immediately. Place Tricks and negated Traps in a discard pile next to the playing deck. When no cards remain in the playing deck, shuffle the discard pile and return it to play as the playing deck.
A player loses a life token and is 'out' for the remainder of the round, if :
- The total damage from all the Traps in front of that player equals or exceeds FIVE; or
- At the end of any turn that player has NO cards in hand.
When players are 'out', put their hand of cards and any Traps that they have accumulated into the discard pile straight away.
When only one player is 'not out', the round ends, and a new round is started.
At the start of a new round shuffle the deck and deal 3 cards to each
player who still has one or more life tokens. The player who was 'not
out' at the end of the previous round takes the deck box and gets to go
first in the new round.
The player with the last remaining life token wins.
DEADLY TRAPS
If a Deadly Trap cannot be passed on or negated, then the player who receives it automatically loses a life token and is 'out' for the remainder of the round.
SLIPPERY TRAPS
If a Slippery Trap cannot be passed on or negated, then the player who receives it must discard a card at random from their hand. That player's hand of cards will be reduced by one for the remainder of the round. Put the Trap face-up in front of the affected player.
TRAP
If this type of Trap cannot be passed on or negated, then the
player takes
damage equal to the number of skulls printed on the card. Place
the Trap face-up in front of the affected player and check to see if that
player has five or more skulls.
TRAP
If this type of Trap cannot be passed on or negated, then the player holds this Trap card at least 40 cm above the playing area and flips it on to the playing area. If the card lands face-up, the damage is two skulls otherwise it is four skulls. Place the Trap face-up in front of the affected player with the end showing the number of skulls equal to the damage pointing away from the player. Then check to see if that player has five or more skulls.
PASS LEFT TRICKS
Play this card to pass a Trap targeting you to the player on your left.
PASS RIGHT TRICKS
Play this card to pass a Trap targeting you to the player on your right.
PASS LEFT OR RIGHT TRICKS
Play this card to pass a Trap targeting you to the player either on your left or right.
NEGATE TRICK
Play this card to negate a Trap targeting you. Discard the Trick and Trap.
REMEMBER: WHENEVER YOU PLAY A CARD, DRAW A REPLACEMENT CARD FROM THE DECK.
