Illegal
Illegal Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Number of Players
1 Game Master (GM) and 4 to 8 players.
Game Components
1 sand timer, 1 rulebook and 112 cards consisting of:
- 80 resource cards (10 of each type)
- 8 dealer role cards: The player receiving this dealer role starts the game with 5 resources of the appropriate type (here, Guns).
- 8 buyer role cards: The player receiving this buyer role gains 1 victory point (1 VP) at the end of the game for each resource of the appropriate type in his hand (here, Luxury Cars).
- 8 dealer suspect cards
- 8 buyer suspect cards
The suspect cards are used by the GM in the Tribunal phase.
Setting Up the Game
The Game Master (GM) is responsible for preparing the game, away from the players' view.
Selecting resources
The GM selects as many different types of resources as there are players. So with 8 players, all cards are used.
For a 6-player game, two resources have been removed from the game, along with all the dealer, buyer and suspect cards related to those resources. For example, the Luxury Cars and Guns resource cards have been removed from the game along with the Car Thief, Arms Dealer, African President, General Guerillero and the 4 suspect cards corresponding to those roles.
All cards removed from the game are returned to the box, hidden from view.
Preparing resource decks
The GM prepares 4 resource decks, each consisting of one resource card of each type in play. These decks will be used to infuse new resources into the game during Phase 1 - Deals and Negotiations. Keep them face down.
Building player decks
Then the GM creates one deck per player. Each deck contains one buyer role card and one dealer role card of his choice, 5 resources of the type shown on the dealer card, plus one extra resource of his choice, for a total of 8 cards per deck.
The following restrictions must be followed for each deck:
- The dealer and buyer cards must not be related to the same resource. Example: The Pimp deals Call Girls and the Rich Emir buys them, so they cannot be in the same deck.
- The extra resource cannot be related to either the dealer or buyer cards in the deck.
- Two decks cannot be mirror images of each other. Example: If one deck contains the Arms Dealer and the Hollywood Star (respectively related to Guns and Alcohol), another deck may not contain the Alcohol Dealer and General Guerillero (respectively related to Alcohol and Guns).
Pairing suspect cards
When all the decks are created, the GM takes all the suspect cards in play and creates pairs of dealer and buyer suspect cards matching each of the double roles he created in the player decks. These card pairs are kept separate and set aside face down, away from prying eyes.
The GM will reveal the suspect card pairs during Phase 2 - The Tribunal.
Choosing player decks
The GM lays out the player decks face down and calls the players. They each pick one of the face-down decks and secretly look at the 8 cards in it. They should never show any of their role cards to any other player. It is recommended to keep those two cards in a pocket or in a secret location in the room where you are playing.
Example of an initial setup for 6 players plus a GM:
- The GM creates one deck per player, each containing 8 cards (buyer role, dealer role, the 5 resources related to the dealer role, and the extra resource). He lays them out face down, then calls the players. Each player picks a deck at random and looks at it secretly.
- The suspect cards are paired to match each player's double buyer / dealer role and kept face down until the Tribunal phase. They are not part of the decks.
Game Objective
Collect as many resource cards as possible matching the resource indicated on your buyer role card while attempting to keep your dealer and buyer roles secret.
Phase 1 - Deals and Negotiations
Once each player has chosen a deck and looked at his cards, the GM gives the players 3 minutes to deal and negotiate. Measure the time either with the provided 1-minute sand timer, turned 3 times, or with the timer on any cell phone, or with any other timer of your choice.
During these 3 minutes, players are free to talk and exchange cards at will. There are only two rules to follow:
- Players who wish to perform an exchange must first show the cards they are proposing to trade, face up, to each other. If they both agree, the trade can occur. Otherwise, the trade is cancelled. Resource cards cannot be exchanged at random or face down.
- Trading may not happen publicly around the table. Players should leave the table, split up in pairs or groups and go to different rooms, quiet places, dark corners, etc. to perform the various dealings. Of course, these pairings should change during the 3-minute dealing session. Players generally try to see each other at least once to see what everybody has to offer.
Although exchanges are usually for the same number of cards, you could very well propose two resource cards for one, or even more. But know that you will get only one new resource card every 3 minutes.
There is no maximum hand size.
Players are not allowed to show or exchange their dealer or buyer role cards.
New resources arriving at the docks!
After 3 minutes, the GM calls all the players back to the table: "New resources arriving at the docks! Dealers, come get your share!"
With all players standing around the table, the GM picks one of his previously prepared resource decks, shuffles it, and reveals it one card face up at a time, until all are revealed, laid out on the table so that each player can see and reach any of them.
As soon as the last card is revealed, all players rush to pick one up with one hand. Each player is entitled to get one resource card and only one.
New round of negotiation
Then the GM restarts the timer for another 3-minute session of dealing and negotiating.
The GM repeats this process until all resource decks have been distributed, at which point the players get a final 3-minute dealing session before entering Phase 2 - The Tribunal.
Phase 2 - The Tribunal
After the last dealing session, the GM invites the players to come sit around the table. They will now play the roles of jury members, witnesses, suspects and judges at the Tribunal.
Each player places his resource cards and both his role cards in one face-down pile in front of him.
The GM reveals the first pair of suspect cards, laying the cards face up on the table, and clearly announcing the suspected dealer and buyer role indicated on the cards. Then he starts a 1-minute timer with the sand timer or his cell phone.
During this minute, players talk freely around the table, sharing information, accusing, denying, relating facts or lying. It's an open debate to try to figure out which player has the two suspected roles.
When the timer runs out, the GM calls for a vote: He asks the players to point an arm up and counts to 3. All players simultaneously lower their arm to point to one player of their choice. If a player does not want to vote, he keeps his arm up. Players may not vote for themselves.
The GM identifies the player with the highest number of fingers pointed to him or her. This player receives both suspect cards, placed face up in front of him. For now, nothing more happens.
If two or more players are tied for the number of votes, nobody gets the suspect cards, they are removed from the game.
The same player can end up being suspected more than once and hence may get more than two suspect cards.
The GM proceeds the same way for each pair of suspect cards, with a 1-minute debating session each time, until all suspect pairs have been discussed and voted on. Then players enter Phase 3 - Revelations and Scoring.
Phase 3 - Revelations and Scoring
Starting with a player of his choice and continuing clockwise, the GM asks each player individually to reveal his face-down deck of cards: first his roles, then his resources. The GM counts the score as follows:
- +1 VP (victory point) for each resource card related to his buyer role card
- +1 VP for each suspect card wrongly accusing him
- -5 VP for each suspect card accurately accusing him
The player with the most victory points wins the game.
Players who end up with a negative score are advised not to engage in such illegal activities!
Scoring example
Adam received the Pimp dealer role and the Hollywood Star buyer role. He ends the game with 9 Alcohol resource cards which earns him 9 VP, and one Call Girls resource card which earns him nothing. He is suspected twice: first of being the Car Thief and Swiss Banker. Since these accusations are incorrect, he earns 2 VP. He is also accused of being the Pimp and the Hollywood Star, which is right this time, so he loses 10 VP (= 5 VP per suspect card). His final score is 1 VP.
Advanced Game Variant
If you and your friends are getting too good at the game and are getting discovered too easily, you might want to try out the following advanced variant. The game plays out exactly the same way with the following exceptions:
- The GM does not prepare pairs of suspect cards during set up. He just keeps all suspect cards in play together in one deck.
- During the Tribunal phase, the GM reveals all suspect dealer and buyer roles, one by one, not as pairs. For each suspect card, players get one minute to debate. Each accusing and voting session concerns one suspect card. Players can be suspected multiple times and there is no limit to how many suspect cards can end up in front of a player.
Casual Game Variant
You can plan to play this game during a buffet, a birthday party or any other sort of event without monopolizing the attention of people full time.
Each dealing session should then last 15 to 30 minutes. Players just take their time throughout the evening, dealing in the middle of normal conversations, blending the game into the event or dinner.
Every 15 to 30 minutes, the GM simply goes to the players with one of his prepared resource decks. Each player draws a new resource card at random from the deck.
Players only need to get together for the Tribunal phase.
Strategic Hints
The game obviously requires the players to be skilled at dealing and negotiating while avoiding detection.
Additional skills that will prove useful:
- Investigative skills - Players need to play detectives and try to discover each opponent's roles so they can better strike them at the altar of justice during the Tribunal phase.
- Charisma - Players need to be able to convince the other players to vote according to the results of their investigations.
Players will improve on these skills as they play more games, resulting in a longer learning curve and keeping the interest alive as players progress.
Card Glossary
Each row lists Dealer Role / Related Resource / Buyer Role. Each dealer starts the game with 5 resource cards of the related resource in hand. Each buyer earns 1 VP per resource card of the related resource in hand at the end of the game.
| Dealer Role | Related Resource | Buyer Role |
|---|---|---|
| The Car Thief | Luxury Cars | The African President |
| The Arms Dealer | Guns | General Guerillero |
| The Jewelry Thief | Jewelry | The Swiss Banker |
| The Alcohol Dealer | Alcohol | The Hollywood Star |
| The Porn Publisher | Pornography | The Obsessed Porn Collector |
| The Hacker | Secret Files | The C.I.A. Director |
| The Pimp | Call Girls | The Rich Emir |
| The Powder Dealer | Powder | The Rock Star |