FateFlip: By Royal Decree Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Attention
• Legend
• How do you play?
• FAQ

Attention

These instructions contain reference information and answers to some common questions that players might have during the game.

To start the game, take the ordered deck (1 to 72) without shuffling it, read the top card and follow the instructions on it.

Legend

Keep the legend close by until you have the meaning of all the icons memorised.

Take a random card with the corresponding icon in the top right corner (next to the number) and add it to the front of the pile in your hand after you finish manipulating the card you've just read, unless you are told otherwise.

Important! When such an icon has a number before it (for example, 5x [figure icon]), take all the cards with this icon (the number indicates their total amount in the deck), shuffle them without changing their orientation and add them to your pile as instructed on the corresponding card.

If you have to discard your previous pile from your hand, use the newly taken cards as your new pile.

The icons that appear next to a card's number (in the legend's example row: a horse icon, a book icon, a target icon, a hand icon and a figure icon) are the card category icons used throughout the deck.

Symbols used on the cards:

• Green plus dot: Add 1 point to the corresponding scale of the COUNTER by moving its clip marker.
• Red minus dot: Subtract 1 point from the corresponding scale of the COUNTER by moving its clip marker.
• # icon: Take the indicated card from the STORY or ITEM deck and immediately read it.
• Curved arrow (long edge): Flip this card over its long edge.
• Curved arrow (short edge): Flip this card over its short edge.
• X with hand icon: Discard this card: place it under the STORY deck on the table if it's a story card or put it back into the ITEM deck if it's an item card (hand icon).
• Down arrow over stacked cards: Move this card to the back of your pile.
• Stacked cards with exclamation mark: Leave this card on top of your pile.

Example: When you choose this option, first add 1 point to your JOY OF LIFE scale and subtract 2 points from your WORTHINESS scale. Then flip the card over its short edge and leave it on top. Immediately read the text on the upper half of the card.

How do you play?

1. Keep your pile in hand. Only look at the top half of the card. First, change the corresponding scales' values if you see their respective icons, and then read the introductory text at the top of the card.

2. Choose one of the available options.

   • 2a. You may only choose this option if you meet the preceding condition: you have or have not collected the indicated item(s), or one of your clip markers shows a certain value on the corresponding scale.
   • 2b. Some options have a highlighted instruction text in addition to the icons. If you choose this option, follow this instruction first, and only then continue with the icons.

3. Apply the effects of each icon next to your choice in the order they are listed.

4. Stop here. Do not read the lower half of the card.

Note! All cards have a number on their front that makes it easier to find the necessary card in the deck and return the cards to their original state at the end of the game. Most of the cards have an icon next to the number. Take these cards from the deck when you are instructed to do so.

FAQ

1. I accidentally shuffled the deck / received the game with its cards shuffled. How do I return the deck to its original state?

Stack the cards in ascending order from 1 to 72. Then read card 1 to start the game.

2. There's an icon before the introductory text. What does it mean?

First change the corresponding scale value, and only then read the text on the card.

3. Where to and in what order do I add new story cards?

Unless you are explicitly told otherwise, always add new story cards to the front of your pile after you finish manipulating the card you've just read.

Imagine your choice has the following icons and your counter corresponds to the image below:

• First of all, you need to add 1 point to your PEOPLE scale (ignore the 2nd point, you cannot go beyond the scale). Since this scale has reached 7, put the [figure] card aside to add it to your pile later.
• After that reduce your TREASURY scale by 1 point. This makes your TREASURY drop to zero, so put a random [hand] card from the deck on top of the [figure] card.
• Then flip and move your current story card according to the icons shown on it.
• Lastly, place the 2 cards you have put aside on top of your pile and read the text on the top card.

Note: the small-print example card in the source is partly hard to read at print resolution; the steps above follow the example's own numbered sequence.

4. I need to add a card to my pile but there are no more cards with this icon in the deck. What should I do?

In very rare cases the deck may run out of cards with certain icons. If all such cards are already in your pile or have been discarded, just ignore the instruction to add such cards.

5. I've chosen an option requiring an item I had previously collected. Do I have to discard the used item?

If the card does not explicitly tell you to discard certain items, keep them on the table: you may use the same items multiple times. Keep your items even when you start the next chapter, unless you are told otherwise.

6. I've realized that at some point I flipped (and/or moved) a card incorrectly. What should I do?

Backtracking the game can be really tricky. Don't worry about it and just continue playing! Think of it as though your character has dropped from a horse the previous night, bumping his head, and some events got mixed up in his head.

7. I want to take a break and finish the game later. What is the best way to stack the cards to not mix them up?

Arrange the cards in the following order (from top to bottom as shown on the picture):

• A all the items you have collected (do not flip the cards);
• B your pile (just like you were holding it in your hand);
• C your current COUNTER (do not change the values);
• D the ITEM deck;
• E the remaining deck together with the discarded story cards.

To resume the game:

• spread the items you have collected (on top of the deck) on the table;
• take your pile back in hand (all the story cards on top of the COUNTER with the clips attached to it);
• place the COUNTER in front of you on the table;
• then separate the ITEM deck from the rest of the cards;
• and finally put both these decks on the table to take cards from them when needed.

You are now ready to continue the game!