Der Pate Rulebook

Table of Contents

Components
Setup
Game Overview
Sequence of a Round
The Dice Board
The Development Tracks
End of Game
About the Game

Components

4 dice boards
28 family members (7 each in four colors)
13 "Friend of the Family" tiles
12 gray "Reputation" action tiles
12 red "Influence" action tiles
10 Event cards
4 dice (black, white, gray, and red)
1 gangster car
16 marker cubes for the development tracks (4 each in four colors)
2 marker cubes for the event tracks (1 gray, 1 red)
20 debt markers (5 each in four colors)
100 banknotes (25 each of four values)
1 game board

Setup

Before the first game, carefully punch all the die-cut pieces out of their frames.
Place the game board in the middle of the table. The inner area shows the southern part of Manhattan with 12 illegal businesses controlled by the four families. In the upper left are two event tracks with the K.O. space. Below that is the place for family members who are sunk in the Hudson River. In the lower right is the prison ("The Tombs") for arrested family members. The businesses are connected by a street. In front of each business is a car space on the street where the gangster car can stop. Every 3 business spaces form a district. The four districts are separated from one another by border lines.
On each side of the game board are 4 development tracks. Each player takes the development tracks in front of which they sit. Here each player shows how their family develops over the course of the game in the areas of "Reputation," "Influence," "Income," and "Favors."
Each player takes 7 family members in one color, the 5 round debt markers, and 4 marker cubes.
Each player places their marker cubes on the starting spaces of their development tracks — on the picture of their Godfather.
Each player receives three different gray "Reputation" action tiles and three different red "Influence" action tiles, which they place on the matching spaces of their development tracks.
Each player receives the dice board with the picture of their Godfather (the same picture as on their development tracks) and places it in front of themselves.
The oldest player becomes the start player. The player sitting to their right places the gangster car on any car space. That player then chooses a district and places one of their family members on each business in that district, thereby gaining control of the business. The other players follow in turn, counter-clockwise. The start player therefore receives the district that is left over. If fewer than four people are playing, the districts that were not chosen are occupied with neutral family members in the color(s) that are left over.
- Tip: In your first game, you can set up the board as shown in the illustration. Green is the start player.
The 10 Event cards are shuffled. Then 3 of these cards are put back in the box face down. Only the remaining 7 Event cards are placed face down as a draw pile next to the start player.
- Note: To avoid "unwelcome" surprises, the start player can read all 10 Event cards aloud to the other players before the first game. Then everyone knows what may be coming.
The 13 "Friend of the Family" tiles are placed as a general supply pile on the game board near "Brooklyn."
The money is sorted by value and laid out as the "bank" next to the game board. The start player also takes on the role of the bank and gives each player a starting capital of $15,000. Players may keep their money secret.
The gray and red marker cubes are placed on the bordered starting spaces of the event tracks.
The start player takes the 4 dice. The game can begin.

Game Overview

The game runs over 7 rounds, in which the players earn income from illegal businesses. They can take over other families' businesses against their will. Their family enterprises can also bring in a regular income. The player who ultimately has the most money wins. However, they must not have dropped out by the end — because money is not everything. During the game it becomes clear what matters more to the family: its reputation in society, or its influence. Each round, an Event card advances either the gray or the red marker cube on the event tracks. As soon as four Event cards of one color have been revealed, it is determined which development track counts as the "K.O. track." Every player must reach the last space on this track. Whoever fails to do so by the end of the game need not even bother counting their money — they drop out after the seventh round.

Sequence of a Round

Start player pays out income from the bank (to everyone)
Start player reveals an Event card (applies to everyone)
All players carry out dice actions (in turn)

1. Income

Each player checks their "Income" development track to see how much money their family enterprise (depending on the family, this is a jazz club, a bakery, a laundry, or a pasta shop) currently brings in. The start player pays each player from the bank as much money as the space their marker cube is on indicates. At the start there is no income yet. During the game it can amount to up to $4,000.

2. Revealing an Event Card

The start player reveals the top Event card, reads the quote from the film "The Godfather" aloud to set the mood, and follows the instructions:

Depending on the color of the space with the X, the gray or the red marker cube is moved 1 space further up on the event tracks. Once four cards of one color have been revealed after some rounds, that color's marker cube is placed on the K.O. space (the black space with a cross). This then determines whether the "Reputation" (gray) or "Influence" (red) development track counts as the K.O. track. From this point on, the marker cubes on the event tracks are no longer moved.
The gangster car is then moved further clockwise, according to the number on the card (1 to 5 spaces are possible). The car spaces shown on the street count as spaces. As long as the gangster car is in a district, the three businesses there are under special protection: they can neither be cleared out nor change owners! Empty businesses also cannot be taken over.
Finally, the card text is read aloud and followed. When players have a choice of which instruction to carry out, the start player decides first, then the other players in turn. Afterward the card is put back in the box. Note: With two Event cards, the players carry out the instruction only at the start of their own turn. So that this is not forgotten, the card is placed face up on the game board until the round is over.

3. Players' Dice Actions

The dice actions are the heart of the game. Here the players have the opportunity to steer the fortunes of their families.
The start player is the first to carry out all their actions on their dice board. In each of the four action rows, they must place exactly one die, one after another.
To do this, they roll all four dice. They must place one of the dice on a space in the first row of their dice board. Then they must re-roll the three remaining dice and place one of those dice in the second row. Then they must re-roll the last two dice and place one of them in the third row. The fourth die is placed in the fourth row without re-rolling — no matter which side is showing.
After that, the next player clockwise takes their turn. They also roll all four dice. They then consider which die to place in their first action row, re-roll the three remaining dice, and so on.
Once the last player of a round has fully completed their turn, the start player takes their turn again and pays each player their income from the bank. Then they reveal the next Event card, and so on.

Note: Only in the first row does the color of the dice not matter, only the number rolled. In the second and third rows, both the number and the color of the die matter. In the fourth row, only the color matters.

The Dice Board

The dice board has four action rows. You should always consider carefully which die to place in a row, since that color will no longer be available in a later row.

Row 1 — Business Income

The 1st row determines income from illegal businesses. The player places any die from their roll on one of the five income spaces. The number rolled on this die must match the income space.

All businesses on the game board with that same number bring their owner the printed amount of money. For "Protection Money" and "Smuggling," players additionally advance their marker cube 1 space per business on their "Influence" or "Reputation" development track, respectively.

Important: An income space always applies to all businesses with the matching number (including opponents' businesses). For example, if a die showing a 2 is placed, the players who control the three "Smuggling" businesses each receive $2,000 per business and advance their marker cubes 1 space per business on their "Reputation" tracks.
If a player controls several businesses with their family members, they receive the income for each of their businesses matching the placed die number. Businesses that no player controls bring in no income. In a game with two or three players, income for businesses controlled by neutral family members is not paid out.

The five income spaces in Row 1, and their businesses, are:

Protection Money — die value 1 — $1,000
Smuggling — die value 2 — $2,000
Bookmaker — die value 3 — $3,000
Loan Shark — die value 4 — $4,000
Gambling — die value 5 — $5,000

The Press space: If a player has rolled one or more dice showing the "puppet hand" symbol, they may place one of those dice on the "Press" space. In doing so, they immediately advance their marker cubes on both their "Reputation" and "Influence" tracks by 1 space each. They then place no die on an income space.

Important: The player must place a die in any case, even when they themselves gain nothing from it and are only helping the other players.

Rows 2 and 3 — Family Actions

In the 2nd and 3rd rows, the player has five spaces available to place a die. On the four action spaces of each row, a die may only be placed on the space matching its color. The number rolled determines how strong the action is or which businesses are affected.

On the two "Press" spaces, as in the 1st row, a die showing the "puppet hand" symbol may be placed. The color of the die does not matter here.

Row 2 spaces:

Reputation / Influence — the player may advance their marker cube as many spaces on the matching development track as the number shown on the placed gray or red die, respectively.
Visit — the gangster car is moved clockwise as many spaces as the number shown on the placed black die. The district's protection does not apply to this action:
- If the business the car now stands in front of is empty, the player may place a family member from their supply on the business.
- If the business is controlled by another player (or, in a two- or three-player game, by a neutral family), it is cleared and remains empty. The family member is returned to its owner (or, for a neutral family, back into the box).
- Nothing happens to a business controlled by one of the player's own family members.
Fixing the Odds — the player receives $1,000 from the bank for each pip shown on the placed white die.
Gathering of the Godfathers — the player returns all debt markers they have received from other players back to those players. In exchange, those players must each pay them $1,000 per pip on the placed gray die, per debt marker.
Press — as described above (place a die showing the puppet hand; advance both Reputation and Influence by 1).

Row 3 spaces:

FBI Raid — all controlled businesses (including the player's own) that show the number rolled on the placed red die must be cleared. The affected family members are placed in the prison ("The Tombs"). For example, on a "5" this would hit the two Gambling businesses.
Business Takeover — the player may take over a business. It must show the number rolled on the placed black die and be controlled by a member of another family.
- The family member who controlled the business is sunk in the river (the figure is placed on the Hudson).
- The new owner must now give one of their debt markers to the business's former owner.
- The player must then place one of their own family members from their supply onto the business.
- Important: Empty businesses cannot be taken over with this action. If a player has no debt markers or no family members left in their supply, the takeover does not happen. In a two- or three-player game, if the taken-over business belonged to a neutral family, the player must give their debt marker to the bank instead.
- Note: One of the Event cards allows all players a business takeover. This is carried out under the same rules.
Friend of the Family — the player receives 1 "Friend of the Family" tile and must pay $1,000 per pip on the placed white die to the bank for it.
Press — as described above.

Important: In the 3rd row, the "Gathering," "FBI Raid," or "Friend of the Family" action must be carried out if a die is placed there — even if it is disadvantageous to the player. Carrying out the "Business Takeover" action, by contrast, is voluntary.

Row 4 — People

In the 4th row, the player has four people available, one of whom they may use. Which one is determined by the color of the remaining, unassigned die placed here. What the die shows does not matter.

Consigliere — the player may take over any empty business by placing a family member from their supply on it. (Note: the Consigliere is the family's lawyer and advisor.)
District Attorney — the player may take all of their family members out of the prison ("The Tombs") and return them to their supply.
Informer — the player may remove another player's family member from any business and place the figure in the prison ("The Tombs").
Banker — the player may advance 1 space on either their "Income" or "Favors" track.

Reminder: Except for the "Visit" action, there is never a change of ownership in the district where the gangster car is currently located. The three businesses there are never affected by an FBI Raid, a Business Takeover, or the use of the Consigliere or Informer. This protection generally also applies to all Event cards, except for one card on which this is explicitly noted otherwise.

The Development Tracks

Each player has four tracks on their side of the game board, on which they show how far their family has developed in the areas of Reputation, Influence, Income, and Favors. When a player is allowed to advance their marker cube on a track, they move it that many spaces to the right.
On the "Reputation" and "Influence" tracks there are three action tiles each. When the marker cube is moved onto — or past — the space with such a tile, the player takes the tile from their track and places it in front of themselves. Each tile represents an action that the player may use once, either immediately or on one of their later turns. Afterward the tile is put back in the box. The following actions exist (they also appear in short form on the back of the tiles):

Reputation Track Tiles

The spaces on the "Reputation" track show festive occasions in the family:

Wedding — the player receives 1 "Friend of the Family" tile.
Grandchild — the player may roll once with any die. For this they receive $1,000 per pip from the bank. If they roll the "puppet hand," they receive no money.
Godfather's Milestone Birthday — the player may advance their marker cube 1 space on any track.

Influence Track Tiles

The spaces on the "Influence" track show people who are indebted to the Godfather:

Cop — the player re-rolls one of their own dice.
Judge — the player repeats their entire dice roll. In the 1st row that would be all 4 dice, in the 2nd row 3 dice, and in the 3rd row 2 dice.
Senator — the player gains color freedom. That is, they may place a die on an action space of a different color than the die, and use that space's action.

Note: A player may use several action tiles on their turn.

Important: When a player's marker cube is on the last space of the "Reputation" or "Influence" track and would later be allowed to advance further on that track, they instead receive exactly $1,000 from the bank each time. It does not matter how many spaces beyond the end of the track they would have moved.

Income Track

The "Income" track shows, for each player, how much money they receive from the bank at the start of a new round for their family enterprise. At the end of the game, during the final accounting, they again receive the amount shown by the space their marker cube is on.

Favors Track

The "Favors" track shows which benefits using a "Friend of the Family" can bring. To use a favor, a player must give up a "Friend of the Family" (place it back near Brooklyn). The player may use the favor their marker cube is on, or any of the favors shown on the preceding spaces (hence the arrows between the spaces). The following favors exist:

The Friend of the Family becomes a family member — the player may take 1 of their own family members that is in the Hudson back into their supply.
The player may reclaim 1 of their own debt markers from another player (or, in a two- or three-player game, from the "bank"). The other player receives no compensation for this.
The player may advance their marker cube 2 spaces on either their "Reputation" or "Influence" track.
The player receives $5,000 from the bank.

Important: A player may use a favor multiple times, as long as they give up a Friend of the Family each time. However, a player may use at most 2 Friends of the Family per turn.

End of Game

The game ends after the seventh round. Players who have not reached the last space on the track that turned out to be the K.O. track ("Reputation" or "Influence") now drop out. All remaining players determine the winner:

Players receive the current income from their family enterprises from the bank one more time.
For each business a player controls, they receive $3,000 from the bank.
For each of their own family members in prison, the player pays $1,000 bail to the bank and takes that family member back into their supply.
For each debt marker still held by another player, the player pays that player $2,000 to settle the debt. Players who have already dropped out also receive and pay this money. For debt markers held by the bank that were given up for taking over a neutral family's business (in a two- or three-player game), the $2,000 is paid to the bank.
Whoever has the most money wins. In case of a tie, among the tied players, whoever has advanced further on the gray or red development track that was not determined to be the K.O. track wins. If still tied, the larger family wins (own family members on businesses and in the supply). If there is still no decision, the players agree to an honorable draw or play again.

Note: Should no player reach the end of the K.O. track, everyone has lost.

About the Game

Author: Michael Rieneck, born 1966, lives in northern Germany. The freelance game designer and writer passionately devotes himself to games of all kinds. He is as much at home with small, simple games like "Nichtlustig" as with his major successes "Around the World in 80 Days," "The Pillars of the Earth," and "The Gates of the World."

Editorial development: TM-Spiele Graphics: Franz Vohwinkel

We thank all playtesters and rule readers.