Oni Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Elements
• Setup
  • The 4 Basic Actions
  • Example of a 4-Player Setup
• Gameplay
  • Some of the Special Actions you may get (see Round 2 to 4)
• Turn Structure
• Useful Notes
• End of the Round
• Round 2 to 4
• End of the Game

Elements

• A- 6 Objective Cards
• B- 6 Character Cards
• C- 6 Samurai Cards
• D- 24 Basic Action Cards
• E- 20 Special Action Cards
• 40 Gold Coins *
• 1 First Player Token *
• 1 Game Rulebook

* Note: Coins and Token will change based on Kickstarter stretch goals achieved.

Setup

1. Separate as many Character cards as there are players in the game.
2. Take the Objective cards matching the Character cards you separated.
3. Separate as many Samurai cards as there are players in the game.
4. With less than 6 players, store the remaining Character, Objective, Samurai and Basic Action cards in the box; they won't be needed again.
5. Deal a hand of four unique Basic Action cards (Swap, Attack, Reveal and Peek) to each player.
6. Shuffle and place all the Special Action cards as a face-down draw deck in the middle of the table. Mind that later on, you will need a space next to it, to place a face-up discard pile for used Special Action cards.
7. Shuffle the Samurai and Character cards together and place them face-down without looking in a circle around the Special Action cards deck. This circle of cards represents the Parade.
8. Shuffle the Objective cards and secretly deal one of them to each player. Each player will look at their own secret Objective card, but not showing it to others.
9. Players will place their secret Objective card face-down in front of them and in a position right outside the Parade next to a Character card in the circle. Leave an unaccompanied Character card in between the Objective card of each player.
10. Put the Gold coins on the table beside the Special Action Deck.
11. Whoever steals the First Player token from the box is the starting player.

The 4 Basic Actions

• Reveal: Reveal the 3 cards in front of you. Before the Rotation step, turn them face down again.
• Swap: Choose one of the 3 cards in front of you and trade its place with any other card. If there is an "Attack" card over the card you are swapping for, leave the "Attack" there and put the new card under it.
• Peek: Peek at the Objective card of any player of your choice.
• Attack!: Can only be played if the Rotation step happened at least 2 times. Put attack over one of the three cards in front of you. Before the Rotate step, reveal that card. It has fallen!

Depending on the number of players (3, 4, 5 or 6), at the beginning of the game your table should look like the setup diagrams for 3, 4, 5 and 6 players.

Example of a 4-Player Setup

With 4 players in the game, 4 random Character cards are separated from the six Character cards in the game and the remaining 2 are set aside. We used the Merchant (Kyosho), the Princess (Hime), the Dancer (Odoriko) and the Daimyo (Feudal Lord) as an example. These characters are taking part of the Parade, and the Oni will be trying to play their tricks on them.

Next, the 4 Objective cards corresponding to the Character cards in play are separated from the six Objective cards in the game. Notice how the images on these cards show the character's feet stumbling. These cards indicate the particular Character each Oni is trying to make stumble and fall. They should remain secret; otherwise the other Oni may try to prevent you from achieving your objective.

Afterwards, we separate as many Samurai cards as there are players in the game. In this case, there should be 4 Samurai guarding the Parade against the mischievous Oni.

Each player is then dealt a hand of each of the 4 Basic Action cards: Swap, Attack, Reveal and Peek. All players start the game with the same hand of Basic Action cards.

The remaining Character (x2), Objective (x2) and Samurai (x2), with the eight remaining Basic Action cards (x2 of each kind) cards are placed away in the game box, since they won't be needed again.

The playing area (the Parade) will be built from the center to the outside. Start by shuffling all the Special Action cards and place them as a face-down draw deck in the middle of the table. Mind that later on, you will need a space next to it, to place a face-up discard pile for used Special Action cards.

Shuffle the 4 Samurai and the 4 Character cards together and place them face-down without looking in a circle around the Special Action cards deck. This circle of cards represents the Parade.

Shuffle the 4 Objective cards and secretly deal one of them to each player. Each player will look at their own secret Objective card, but not showing it to others. Players will place their secret Objective card face-down in front of them and in a position right outside the Parade next to a Character card in the circle. Leave an unaccompanied Character card in between the Objective card of each player.

Following these instructions, your table should now show the Parade (4 Characters + 4 Samurai) in a circle around the Special Actions deck and its (empty) discard pile, with one secret Objective per player outside the circle and the Gold coins (x40) beside it.

Gameplay

The game is played over 4 Rounds. A Round consists of a series of player's actions that go on until at least one character from the Parade is made to stumble and fall.

The Round begins with all players simultaneously selecting their action for that turn, by placing an action card from their hand face-down in front of them.

Afterwards, the action cards are revealed and resolved in Round order, except the "Attack" cards, which are revealed and placed normally, but are resolved (also in Round order) after all other actions take place.

If no attack was successful, meaning no character has fallen, all cards in the Parade are placed face-down again, and the Parade circle rotates one position counter-clockwise (as indicated by the arrow in the back of the Character and Samurai cards). Some Special Action cards may alter the speed and direction of the rotation. The Round continues with players taking another turn.

Players leave their used Action card face up and choose a new action from their hand. Once their action is selected and a new action card is played, the players can take back to their hand any Basic Action card used in the previous turn, and any Special Action cards are now discarded.

If after all Attack cards are resolved, at least one of them made a Character fall, the Round is over and Gold is awarded to the player with the corresponding Objective card (regardless of who the player that played the Attack card was). (See End of the Round)

Oni is played in 4 rounds. All players receive a Special Action card at the beginning of a new Round from Round 2. That means that in the 4 rounds of the game, you will get 3 Special Cards in all the game. Use them wisely!

After the 4 Rounds are completed, whoever has the most Gold is the winner.

Some of the Special Actions you may get (see Round 2 to 4)

Each Special card reads "SPECIAL: Discard this card after you use it." plus its effect:

• Steal: Steal a coin from the player with the most coins. If one or more players tie, choose between one of them.
• Generosity: You win 1 coin, and the player who has less coins wins 2. If 2 or more players are in a tie, each one wins 1. If you are the player with less coins, only you get 2 coins.
• Reverse: Reverse the direction of the Circle for the rest of the round.
• Distribute: You and another player of your choice win 1 coin.

Turn Structure

1. The First Player token passes to the player to the left of the one holding it. Turn order proceeds clockwise from the player holding the First Player token.
2. If any cards in the Parade are face-up, flip them face-down.
3. Secretly select one action card (either Basic Action or a Special Action if you have it) from your hand and play it face-down in front of you. That will be your action for this turn.
4. Retrieve to your hand any Basic Action card you played in the previous turn.
5. On your turn, reveal the action card you played, flipping it face-up.
6. If your action affects a Character/Samurai, assign your card to a position on the Parade in front of your Objective card or right adjacent to it on either side.
7. If you are not playing an Attack card, resolve the effect of your Action now.
8. If you used a Special Action card, discard it face-up to the discard pile.
9. Once all players have completed their turns, Attack cards are resolved. Reveal the affected cards in the attacked positions of the Parade.
   • If the revealed card is a Samurai, the Attack has no effect.
   • If the revealed card is a Character, the Character will stumble and fall.
10. If no attack was successful, meaning no character has fallen, all revealed cards in the Parade are placed face-down again and the Parade circle rotates one position counter-clockwise. The Round continues with players taking another turn. Otherwise, continue to the End of Round.

Useful Notes

When assigning your Attack card (turn step 6), bear in mind you are attacking a position on the Parade, not the particular card that is there during your turn. A tricky Oni may use your attack against you, by swapping characters.

More than one player can target the same position on the Parade. All Attack cards effects must be resolved before the Round ends.

When making the Parade rotate (turn step 10), remember some Special Action cards may alter the number of places and direction of the rotation. Use the arrows in the back of the Character and Samurai cards as reference to in which direction the Parade will advance. If a "Reverse" Special Action card is played, you can turn all Character cards around so arrows in them now point to the opposite direction.

End of the Round

Award Gold coins to the players with the Objective card corresponding to any Characters that fell, as follows:

• 3 Gold coins for the player that made his/her Objective character fall with an Attack card s/he played.
• 2 Gold coins for the player whose Objective fell, but not by an Attack played by him/her.

These rewards do not combine in any case. A player entitled to both awards (2 Attacks on a Character) will receive only the highest of them.

Remember! If instead of a character you attacked a Samurai, nothing happens. Turn the samurai face down and keep playing.

Round 2 to 4

Repeat the Setup of the game, dealing new secret objectives to players, and a new Parade with hidden characters.

All players draw a Special Action card from the Special Action cards deck in the middle of the table. There is no limit to how many cards you can have in hand.

End of the Game

After the 4th Round is completed, proceed to sum up the Gold coins every player has.

The player with the most Gold coins is the winner!