Chosŏn
Chosŏn Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Material
- 45 "Character" cards
- 10 "Event" cards
- 8 "Season" cards
- 10 "Victory Point" tokens
- 1 "1st Player" token
- 1 "Yi's Legacy" token
- 1 "Yi's Shield" token
- 1 "Counter-Attack" token
- 1 "Return Fire" token
- This rulebook
Game Preparation
- Shuffle the 45 "Character" cards with the 10 "Event" cards and place the cards in a pile, face down, at the center of the table. It will be the central card pile.
- Sort the 8 "Season" cards in ascending order from 1 to 8 and place them in a pile face down, at the center of the table, number 1 being on top and number 8 being at the bottom.
- Place the 10 "Victory Point" tokens, and the "Yi's Legacy", the "Yi's Shield", the "Counter Attack" and the "Return Fire" tokens beside the card piles.
- Randomly choose the player who will go first and hand him the "1st Player" token.
Game Rounds
During a game round, all players will play in turn and clockwise the five phases composing the round, starting with the player holding the "1st Player" token.
At the beginning of the round, reveal the top card of the "Season" draw pile. It provides key information needed during both the card distribution phase and the end phase of the round.
At the end of the 8th round, the game comes to an end: Influence Points are scored and the winner is determined.
The five phases of a game round are as follows:
I. Time Travelling Phase
If a player controls the majority of the "Time Travellers" in play, he may decide to discard one of them (if so, immediately discard the card and reshuffle it in the central card pile) to take the "1st Player" token and a "Victory Point" token. Whatever happens, only one "Time Travel" may occur per game round.
II. Card Distribution Phase
Each player is dealt a number of cards corresponding to the number printed on the "Season" card of the current round.
III. Order Phase
Each player playing in turn clockwise and starting with the "1st Player" places face down in front of him one of the four following card combinations:
- Combination 1: He may play as many "Character" cards as he wishes of the same family.
- Combination 2: He may play two different "Character" cards (for a total of 2 cards).
- Combination 3: He may play a single "Character" card along with a single "Event" card.
- Combination 4: He may play exactly three "Event" cards.
ATTENTION: When playing a combination #3, it is not possible to play a "Watcher" (#9) with the "Event" card as "Watchers" have no 'Comes into Play' effect.
IMPORTANT: All the unplayed cards are discarded and shuffled back into the central card pile. No card is retained in hand from one round to the next.
IV. Main Phase
Each player, playing in turn clockwise and starting with the "1st Player" will now play its main phase, also called "game turn". To do so, he reveals the cards he just placed in front of him during the preceding "Order Phase". He may resolve the effects of the cards he has a majority of in play at any time during his turn, either before or after revealing his newly played cards. If the new cards give him a majority, he may also resolve it during his game turn. In any case, the player is free to handle the way he wants the effects and powers he is entitled to by his cards.
NOTA: The effects that may be triggered during a player's turn are: "Yi"(#1), "Oracle"(#3), "Reaper"(#4), "Gosu"(#5), and "Scientist"(#6).
IMPORTANT: All the "Event" cards played during a player's game turn are discarded and reshuffled in the central card pile (unless the player controls the power of the "Gosu"(#5)). The cards in play of a same family are stacked together with a slight shift to allow for a quick account of the families a player controls.
V. Round Ending Phase
Each player, playing in turn clockwise and starting with the one holding the "1st Player" token, checks that the number of "Character" cards in front of him does not exceed the maximum number authorized by the current "Season" card. If a player has too many "Character" cards, he must discard enough to comply with the requirement. The discarded cards are immediately reshuffled in the central card pile. The "Event" cards retained through the power of the "Gosu"(#5) do not count toward the maximum number of cards authorized at the end of the round as they are not "Character" cards.
Once done, the "1st Player" token is passed onto the next player, going clockwise, and a new round begins. At the end of the 8th round, the game is over and Influence Points are scored for each player to determine the winner.
The "Season" Cards
The number displayed on the upper edge indicates the number of cards dealt to each player at the beginning of the game round.
The number displayed on the lower edge indicates the maximum number of "Character" cards each player will be authorized to keep in front of him at the end of the game round.
Information on the "Character" Cards
Three pieces of information are available on each "Character" card (same pieces for each family):
- Value: The value on the upper edge, both on the right and on the left corner, is the number of cards of the family available in the game. It is also the number of Influence Points earned at the end of the game by the player controlling the majority of such cards in play.
- 'Comes into Play' Effect: The symbol located just below the Value indicates the effect triggered by the "Character" card when played with an "Event" card (combination #3). This effect is applicable once, during the turn the card enters the game only.
- Majority Power: The symbol located on the lower edge of the card is the power granted by a family to the player controlling the majority of cards in play of the said family. To benefit from this majority power, a player must have displayed in front of him (i.e. controlling) strictly more cards than any other player. In case of a tie, no player is granted the majority power.
Example 1: Player A has 1 "Scientist"(#6), Player B has 1 "Scientist"(#6) and Player C has 3 "Scientist"(#6). It is Player C's turn and he may benefit from the majority power of the "Scientist"(#6).
Example 2: Player A has 1 "Scientist"(#6), Player B has 2 "Scientist"(#6) and Player C has 2 "Scientist"(#6). It is Player C's turn and he may NOT benefit from the majority power of the "Scientist"(#6) as he is tied for it by Player B.
Description of the 'Comes into Play' Effects
IMPORTANT: The 'Comes into Play' effect may be applied at any time during the game turn the card has been played as part of a combination #3 (i.e. along with an "Event" card).
Lobby: When you play a character with the "Lobby" capability along with an "Event" card (combination #3), you CAN swap two "Character" cards between two different players (you included) during your turn. Be careful however to remember that a character of a family protected by "Yi's Shield" cannot be the target of a "Lobby". The families with a "Lobby" capability are "Yi"(#1), "Oracle"(#3) and "Scientist"(#6).
Firearm: When you play a character with the "Firearm" capability along with an "Event" card (combination #3), you CAN destroy a "Character" card of another player during your turn. Be careful however to remember that a character of a family protected by "Yi's Shield" cannot be targeted by a "Firearm". The families with a "Firearm" capability are "Sniper"(#2) and "Time Traveller"(#8).
Sword: When you play a character with the "Sword" capability along with an "Event" card (combination #3), you CAN destroy a "Character" card of another player during your turn. The "Character" card you target must have "-1", "+0" or "+1" value difference with the "Character" card that triggered the "Sword" effect. Be careful however to remember that a character of a family protected by "Yi's Shield" cannot be targeted by a "Sword". The families with a "Sword" capability are the "Reaper"(#4), "Gosu"(#5) and "Hulk"(#7).
Here is the list of the possible targets for the "Sword":
- "Reaper"(#4) + "Event" = You may destroy a "Character" card of value 3, 4 or 5
- "Gosu"(#5) + "Event" = You may destroy a "Character" card of value 4, 5 or 6
- "Hulk"(#7) + "Event" = You may destroy a "Character" card of value 6, 7 or 8
Please note that as a direct consequence, "Character" cards of value 1, 2 and 9 are immune to the "Sword".
All the 'Comes into Play' Effects (triggered when playing a combination #3) are optional. You may decide not to resolve these effects on your turn. But if so, the Majority Power granted by "Gosu"(#5) or "Scientist"(#6) will not be resolved either.
IMPORTANT: During the whole game, a destroyed "Character" card is immediately discarded and reshuffled in the central card pile.
Description of the Majority Powers
Yi (1)
Once per turn, you MAY place or move "Yi's Shield" onto one of your families. As long as "Yi's Shield" will be on this family, it will be protected against "Lobby", "Firearm" and "Sword" effects as well as from any riposte (i.e. "Return Fire" and "Counter-Attack"). In addition, if a tie prevents you from benefiting from the Majority Power of a family, having "Yi's Shield" positioned on this family breaks the tie in your favor.
Attention: If you lose the control of Yi, you immediately lose "Yi's Shield".
Sniper (2)
As long as you have the majority of "Snipers" in play, take the "Return Fire" token. When an opponent destroys one of your "Character" cards with the 'Comes into Play' "Firearm" effect, you MAY riposte immediately! To do so, destroy the "Character" card your opponent has just played. But be careful: if he has protected his character's family with "Yi's Shield" you cannot retaliate.
Oracle (3)
During your turn, if you have the majority of "Oracles" in play and you also hold the "Return Fire" token and/or the "Counter-Attack" token, you MUST take a "Victory Point" token.
Reaper (4)
During your turn, if you have the majority of "Reapers" in play and you trigger a "Sword" effect, you MAY double its effect and destroy two "Character" cards instead of one. You must still follow the rule for using the "Sword" in relation with the value of the "Character" card that triggered it. You may choose to destroy two "Character" cards from two different opponents.
Gosu (5)
During your turn, if you have the majority of "Gosu" in play and you play at least one "Event" card (combination #3 or #4), you MAY keep one of them in front of you instead of reshuffling them into the central card pile. Each "Event" card so retained will be worth 1 extra Influence Point at the end of the game.
ATTENTION: The power of the "Gosu"(#5) is not triggered if you decide not to resolve the 'Comes into Play' effect.
Scientist (6)
During your turn, if you have the majority of "Scientists" in play and you play at least one "Event" card (combination #3 or #4), you MUST take a "Victory Point" token.
ATTENTION: The power of the "Scientist"(#6) is not triggered if you decide not to resolve the 'Comes into Play' effect.
Hulk (7)
As long as you have the majority of "Hulk" in play, take the "Counter-Attack" token. When an opponent destroys one of your "Character" cards with the 'Comes into Play' effect of the "Sword" you MAY riposte immediately! To do so, destroy the "Character" card your opponent has just played. But be careful: if his character's family is protected by "Yi's Shield" you cannot retaliate.
Time Traveller (8)
At the beginning of a game round, during the Time Travelling phase, if you have the majority of "Time Travellers" in play, you MAY decide to sacrifice one of them (which is then immediately discarded and reshuffled in the central card pile). If you do so, you MUST then take both the "1st Player" token AND a "Victory Point" token.
Watchers (9)
The "Watchers" have neither 'Comes into Play' effect nor Majority power. But their influence is great.
IMPORTANT: If you MUST take a "Victory Point" token but none is left in the middle of the table, then you MAY and in this case only, take it from another player.
Yi's Legacy
When you play three "Event" cards (Combination #4), you take the "Yi's Legacy" token. If another player already controls this token, then you take it from him.
At the end of the game:
If you have between 1 and 10 influence points, your score is doubled.
If you have more than 10 points, you gain:
- 3 extra influence points in a 4-player game.
- 4 extra influence points in a 3-player game.
- 5 extra influence points in a 2-player game.
End of Play and Scoring
When the game is over (at the end of the eighth round), players score their Influence Points.
For each "Family" the player controlling the majority of cards in play scores as many Influence Points as the "Family" value. In case of a tie for the majority, no one scores.
ATTENTION: the power of "Yi's Shield" only works to break ties for majority powers during the game rounds. It has no effect toward breaking ties for scoring purpose.
Example: a player has 2 "Watchers", a second has 3 of them and a third controls the 4 last. Only the third player, who has the majority of "Watchers" in play, will score the 9 Influence Points of the family. If the second and third players had had both 3 "Watchers" in front of them, then both would have been tied for the majority and nobody would have scored the corresponding 9 Influence Points.
For each "Victory Point" token he owns, a player scores 1 additional Influence Point.
For each "Event" card he kept in front of him, each player scores 1 additional Influence Point.
The player owning the "1st Player" token scores TWO additional Influence Points.
The player owning the "Yi's Legacy" token now applies its effect.
The player with the greatest influence wins the game.
In case of a tie, the player controlling the family of least value wins the game.