Clash of the Cards Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Objective
• Contents
• Before You Start
• Playing The Game
  • (1) Draw Cards
  • (2) Battle
  • (3) Play a Special Card
• How to Win
• The Cards
  • Card Ranking
  • Card Strength
• Scoring
  • Army Value
• Game Variants
  • Kids Mode
  • God Mode
  • Reverse Points
• Cards In The Game
  • Character (x60)
  • WILD (x4)
  • Bonus (x4)
  • Castle (x6)
  • Death (x1)
  • Spy (x6)
  • Thief (x6)
  • Guardian (x4)
  • Chest (x1)
  • Gravedigger (x4)
• FAQ

Objective

Be the first player to obtain 1,000 points.

Contents

Each deck contains an instructions sheet & 100 cards: 60 character cards, 36 special cards, and 4 quick start cards.

Before You Start

1. Write each player's name on the top of a score pad.
2. Choose one player to shuffle and be the dealer for the hand.
3. The dealer distributes eight (8) cards, face down, one at a time, to each player. Players are allowed to look at their cards, but should keep them hidden from the other players. Each player should always have at least 8 cards in their hand. If at the end of any player's turn you have less than 8, draw up to 8.
4. The dealer places the remaining cards face down in the center of the table to create a draw pile. Play starts to the left of the dealer and continues clockwise.

Playing The Game

During each turn you can choose to do one of the following:

1. Draw cards
2. Battle
3. Play a special card.

Remember that during your turn, you may only choose to Draw, Battle, OR Play a Special Card. A player cannot battle and then use a special card unless it is used as part of the battle. All cards are explained on the back.

(1) Draw Cards

Draw two (2) cards from the draw pile.

(2) Battle

Initiate your attack by laying one (1) numbered card from your hand into the middle of the table creating a prize pile. All other players who have any matching cards must place ALL of their matching cards into the prize pile.

All players that placed a card into the prize pile can choose to be involved in a battle to try and win the prize pile. Players may also choose to surrender their cards instead of battle, but their cards remain in the prize pile.

Each player remaining in battle will choose a champion (another numbered card) from their hand and set it face down on the table. After all players have selected their champion, count to 3, and all players reveal their champion simultaneously.

The player with the highest numbered champion wins the battle and the prize pile. All champion cards used in battle are discarded after the battle. If two players use the same champion, the tie is broken by the card strength as shown by the pips under the number.

If you initiated a battle, but no player had the card requested, you draw one (1) card and your turn is over. If you run out of cards in the draw pile, simply shuffle the discarded pile.

(3) Play a Special Card

Choose one (1) special card from your hand and follow the instructions for that card. Instructions for all special cards are on the back of this sheet. Playing any special card will complete your turn.

How to Win

In order to win each hand, you must obtain two (2) armies. An army is a set of 4 matching character cards. You must hold all collected armies in your hand until you are able to lay down the required two (2) armies (or three (3) armies if you hold the Death card.) That means that someone can steal a full army if you aren't careful!

Point values vary based on the army completed, so keep that in mind as you decide which armies to collect. Refer to the scoring table on the bottom of this page for a complete chart of point values.

The first player to obtain the required number of armies at any point during their turn wins the hand. The player who ends the hand gets an additional 50 bonus points for that hand. Continue playing until one player reaches 1,000 points.

The Cards

Card Ranking

All Champion cards have a number in the top left corner. 10 being high and 1 being low.

NOTE: The WILD card can also be used as a champion and is the highest ranked card. The DEATH card is the lowest ranking card and loses to everything.

Card Strength

The highest strength is a 6, and the lowest is a 1. If a battle ends in a ranking tie, the card with higher strength wins. The Archer shown on the sheet has a strength of 4, as denoted by the 4 pips under the number on the card.

Scoring

1. Each Bonus card is worth 50 points.
2. The winner of the hand gets 50 points.
3. All players that have at least one (1) army in their hand may count the points associated with the army/armies they completed. Remember, an army is a collection of four (4) cards of the same number and character.

Army Value

• Army of 1's OR 2's = 300 points (Orange Characters)
• Army of 3's OR 4's = 250 points (Blue Characters)
• Army of 5's OR 6's = 200 points (Green Characters)
• Army of 7's OR 8's = 150 points (Red Characters)
• Army of 9's OR 10's = 100 points (Purple Characters)

4. If a player was able to obtain all six (6) of the same character, they are awarded with an extra 50 Points.
5. If a player ended the hand with the Death Card, they must subtract 150 points from their score.

Game Variants

Kids Mode

Remove all special cards and play with only the character cards. This is a simplified version of the full game, but will allow younger players to understand the objective. As younger players begin to understand how to play, slowly add back the special cards.

God Mode

The guardian and gravedigger cards can save, revive, and resurrect any card, including WILDS, not just numbered cards.

Reverse Points

Cards with higher values (9 & 10) are not only the strongest cards, but are also worth the most. Use the above point chart, but in reverse (9's & 10's are worth 300, 7's & 8's are worth 250, and so on).

Cards In The Game

There are three (3) types of cards in the game: Character Cards, Champion Cards, and Special Cards. Each card is explained below.

Character (x60)

Type: Character / Champion

Cards numbered 1-10. There are six (6) cards of each character.

Collect these cards to complete armies. These cards can also be used as champions during battle.

WILD (x4)

Type: Character / Champion

The Wild card may be used as one card needed to complete an army. You may use any number of wilds to complete an army.

The Wild may also be used in battle as a champion and is the highest-ranked card in the game. Just like all cards used in battle, it is discarded; however, unlike other champions, a Guardian cannot bring back a Wild from the discard pile.

Note: You may not battle other players for Wild cards.

Bonus (x4)

Type: Special Card

Bonus cards are worth 50 points at the end of the hand. When drawn, a Bonus card is played immediately. You place the Bonus card in front of you on the table and draw another card from the draw pile to replace the Bonus card you just played.

If you steal a Bonus card, you also get to draw an extra card from the draw pile.

If you were dealt a Bonus card, before the first player begins, place it down in front of you and draw a new card.

Castle (x6)

Type: Champion/Special Card

You may use this card as a champion anytime another player attacks one of your cards. Place your attacked card(s) in the prize pile. Then use the Castle as your champion. When the champions are revealed, retreat your card(s) that are under attack to your hand. Discard after use.

The Castle card may also protect your cards against a Thief. If a Thief is played against one of your Bonus cards or in an attempt to steal one of your cards, you may discard a Castle instead.

Death (x1)

Type: Champion

The Death card is the lowest-ranked champion and, if you have it, requires you to obtain three (3) armies, instead of the standard two (2), before being able to win the hand. If you have the Death card at the end of a hand you must subtract 150 points from your score.

You can get rid of the Death card by using it as a champion in any battle in which you are participating. This will force you to lose the battle; however, when played as champion, the Death card becomes part of the prize pile and is given to the winner of the prize pile.

The Death card cannot be discarded.

Spy (x6)

Type: Special Card

The Spy card allows you to do one of two things:

1. Initiate a battle as any numbered card. Simply name any character you want players to put in the prize pile and discard the Spy. You will still battle with other champions as normal.

OR

2. On another player's turn, use this card to join a battle, even if you are not defending a card (e.g. you did not have "Vikings" when the attacking player attacked with a "Viking".) This is your chance to get in on the action and win cards! Discard after use.

Thief (x6)

Type: Special Card

The Thief card allows you to do one of two things:

1. Steal one bonus card from any player.

OR

2. Blindly ask a player for any one (1) card. If the player has the requested card they must give it to you. If the player has more than one (1) the requested card, the player giving up the card may choose which one to give. If the player doesn't have the requested card, then your turn is over. Discard after use.

Guardian (x4)

Type: Special Card

The Guardian allows you to save a numbered Champion after a battle. Instead of discarding your Champion into the discard pile. Place the Guardian into the discard pile after a battle and place your champion back into your hand.

The guardian is only able to save character cards. The guardian cannot save special cards (i.e. Wilds, Spys, or Castles.)

Chest (x1)

Type: Special Card

The Chest allows you to protect one (1) army so that no players can steal it. During your turn, instead of drawing or battling, you simply lay face down an army (at least four (4) cards, but up to six (6)), and place the Chest on top of the army. You can then draw the required number of cards to replenish your hand to eight (8) cards. Play the Chest face up, but you do not need to reveal which army you are protecting.

Note: You cannot add cards to a Chest once it has been played.

Gravedigger (x4)

Type: Special Card

The Gravedigger allows you to resurrect one (1) numbered card from the discard pile. The Gravedigger cannot save Wilds, Spys, Castles, etc.

Discard after use.

FAQ

Who wins if two players get 1,000 points? If two players reach 1,000 points during the same hand, the player with the most points wins. If both players have the same number of points, the player to receive the most points in the final hand is the winner.

What happens when all players except one play a Castle card? The player that did not play a castle will lose their champion, but get back the cards they placed in the prize pile.

Can the Thief steal any card? Yes, but be careful. If the player you are attempting to steal from doesn't have the card you are asking for, you wasted your turn. Also, remember that a castle can be used to block any attempt to steal.

If I have 2 armies and get rid of the Death card can I end the hand on the same turn? Yes. If you initiate a battle and at the end of the battle you have the required sets to lay down, it is still your turn and you can end the hand.

If only 2 players are in battle, one uses Death, and one uses a Castle, what happens to Death? Whoever played Death must take it back after the battle. The player that used a Castle protected themselves and their card/cards.