Dilemma
Dilemma Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- The arena
- 50 cards
- 5 duel tokens
- 10 life tokens
- 1 initiative token
Margin note: 1 set of 10 cards, 1 duel token and 2 (or 3) life tokens per player.
Object of the Game
Players try to provoke a duel by skilfully throwing their cards into the arena in order to score points. The player who totals the most points wins the game.
Margin note: Win the maximum of points in the duels.
Setup
Place the arena in the middle of the table. Each player receives the 10 cards of one colour (numbered 1 to 10), 1 duel token, and 2 life tokens (with 3 players, 3 life tokens each). Then choose the player who starts: this is the "provocateur". This player places the initiative token in front of them.
Gameplay
The players take on different roles in turn. On each turn, one provocateur makes an offer to the others by playing one of their cards. The other players must then decide whether they accept or refuse to take up the offer by playing a duel card. The player whose duel card is placed directly on the offer card becomes the "contractant" (the player who takes up the offer), provided that the value of the duel card is different.
Provocation
The provocateur first places one of their cards (= offer card), face up, in the arena. If they are interested, the other players may react to this offer by throwing a card onto the provocateur's card.
Margin note: The provocateur makes an offer, to which the other players may react.
Cards thrown must land flat in the arena to be counted in the duel that follows (Drawing a).
Cards that land beside the arena are removed from the game, as are cards leaning against the rim inside the arena, or cards placed on top of the rim (Drawings b and c).
- Drawing a: card flat in the arena: good.
- Drawing b: card leaning against the rim inside the arena: bad.
- Drawing c: card placed on the rim: bad.
Only one player can take up the offer in this game. Only the card placed directly on the offer card in the arena counts (= duel card). If other cards are in the arena, they are removed from the game and can no longer be used.
Margin note: The player whose card lies directly on the offer card takes up the offer.
Margin note: Duel card ≠ offer card.
The value of the duel card must be different (higher or lower) from that of the offer card. If its value is identical, it is not valid, and the card placed on top of it counts. If no other card is correctly placed, each player may again throw a card. This happens only after the invalid cards have been removed from the game.
The two players (provocateur and contractant), whose cards remain in the arena, now face each other in a duel.
Examples
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Anne (provocatrice) has played an 8. Bernard has played a 10, but it lands beside the arena. Christine and Daniel have also played an 8, and Éric a 3. Bernard's card is out of the game, since it landed beside the arena. The cards of Christine and Daniel are not valid, since they have the same value as the offer card. Éric's 3 is the duel card, since it is the first valid card on the offer card. The cards of Bernard, Christine and Daniel are removed from the game and cannot be used again in this game. Anne and Éric now face each other in a duel.
-
Anne (provocatrice) has played a 6. Bernard has also played a 6. Bernard quickly realises his mistake and, before Christine (who played a 5), throws his 3 into the arena. Bernard's 6 and Christine's 5 are removed from the game. In this case, Anne and Bernard must duel.
Duel
The two players take their duel token in hand and choose, without consulting each other beforehand, either peace or conflict. To do so, each places their token on the table with the chosen symbol face up, hiding it with the hand so that the opponent cannot see the chosen symbol. Then they reveal the choice by withdrawing their hands at the same time.
Margin note: The players secretly place their duel token.
There are three possibilities:
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Peace / Peace: Both duel tokens show the peace symbol. This leads to a simple exchange of cards. Each player takes the card played by the opponent and places it face up in front of them.
Margin note: Each player gains the opponent's card.
-
Conflict / Peace: One duel token shows the conflict symbol, the other the peace symbol. The player who chose the conflict takes both cards and places them face up in front of them. In exchange, they lose one life token. The other player has lost the duel and goes away empty-handed.
Margin note: The player who chose conflict gains the 2 cards and loses one life token.
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Conflict / Conflict: Both duel tokens show the conflict symbol. In this case, neither player gains the two cards in play. Both players nevertheless lose one life token. The cards are removed from the game.
Margin note: The cards are removed from the game and both players lose one life token.
Players who no longer have any life tokens can no longer choose the conflict symbol.
After the duel, the initiative token is passed to the player on the left, who becomes the provocateur of the next turn.
Margin note: New turn, new provocateur.
Special Cases
a) If no player reacts to the provocateur's offer, the provocateur may place their card in front of them, and score points.
b) If only two players remain, the contractant does not have the right to throw their cards beside the arena so that their opponent scores fewer points, even if they are likely to lose the duel. Of course, they may also, as described in a), refuse the offer. In that case, the provocateur may place their card, face up, in front of them and score points.
End of the Game
The game ends as soon as only one player still has cards in hand. The points are then counted. Each player adds up the values of the cards they have won. Cards still in hand do not count! The winner is the player who totals the most points.
Margin note: The game ends when only one player still has cards in hand. The winner is the player with the most points.