Onitama: Light and Shadow Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Way of the Shadow
  • Way of the Shadow Setup
  • Way of the Shadow: How to Play
    • Step 1: Move & Attack
    • Using a Ninja
    • Capturing a Ninja
    • Step 2: Exchange Cards
    • Step 3 (Optional): Use a Lantern
  • Way of the Shadow: How to Win
• Way of the Light
  • Way of the Light Setup
  • Way of the Light: How to Play
  • Way of the Light: Using Lanterns
  • Way of the Light: How to Win

Components

• 2 Ninja pawns
• 4 Lanterns
• 2 Ninja boards
• 2 Folding screens

Note: You will need your original Onitama game in order to play.

Important: It is not recommended that you combine Light & Shadow with any other Onitama expansions, though truly advanced players are welcome to explore such options as the various expansions are technically compatible.

Way of the Shadow

In this version, each player has 1 hidden Ninja that they can use to capture their opponent's pieces. However, they must be careful, or else their Ninja may be captured before they can strike.

Way of the Shadow Setup

Determine the first player in the usual manner and then set up the main board as shown (1).

Each player sets up a Ninja board at their end of the main board (2). They each then place one of the foldable screens between their Ninja board and the main board as shown, to keep their Ninja board hidden from the opposing player (3).

Shuffle the Move cards and give 2 random cards to each player as normal, and place a fifth one to the right of the first player (same as the standard Onitama setup).

Each player places their Master on the center square of the row of squares closest to them as normal.

Only 2 Students are used by each player, and are placed on the far corner spaces of their side of the main board.

Secretly, each player places 1 Ninja on their Ninja board. Ninjas must begin the game in one of the 2 empty spaces to the immediate left or right of a Master (4).

A Ninja is always considered to be on the main board along with all of the other pieces, in the space that matches the space they occupy on the Ninja board. They are kept on the Ninja board only to keep their true location (on the main board) secret from the other player.

Finally, give each player 2 Lanterns (5).

Way of the Shadow: How to Play

Play proceeds just like the normal game, except your turn now has three steps, which are as follows:

• Step 1: Move & Attack
• Step 2: Exchange Cards
• Step 3: Use a Lantern

Step 1: Move & Attack

Each turn, you must choose one of the two move cards in front of you and move a single Student or your Master according to the movement options shown on the card you chose.

In addition to moving a Student or your Master, you may also move your hidden Ninja using the movement options shown on the card you chose. This means you can move your Ninja differently than how you moved your Student or Master with the same movement card.

Moving your Ninja is optional. Moving a Student or the Master on the main board is mandatory.

• You do not have to tell the other player if you are moving your Ninja. Try and keep them guessing as to whether or not you moved your Ninja!
• You must move your Student or Master on the main board first; then you may choose to move your Ninja on your Ninja board.
• If your opponent has captured your hidden Ninja, you are only allowed one move per turn, on the main board.

The rules for moving pieces, including your Ninja, are the same as the original Onitama rules:

• You must move a pawn on the main board if you are able.
• If you cannot make any legal move with a Student or Master on the main board, but your Ninja still has an available move, you may choose to move your Ninja as normal or pass a Move card without moving any pawns.
• Your pawns cannot land on top of your own pawns. You must be careful not to move your hidden Ninja to the same space as one of your pawns on the main board.
• Your pawns cannot move off of the board.

Note: It is possible for both players' Ninjas to occupy the same space at the same time! That's okay (and you'll never know it happened anyway!).

Using a Ninja

Your Ninja can capture opposing Students and/or Masters, just like a normal pawn. After moving your Ninja, if you have landed on a space that corresponds with the location of an opposing pawn, perform the following steps:

1. Lower your screen to reveal the location of your Ninja.
2. Remove the captured pawn from the main board.
3. Place your Ninja on the corresponding space of the main board - their location is revealed until the start of your following turn.

If you begin your turn with your Ninja revealed on the main board, lift your screen and return your Ninja to the corresponding space on your Ninja board before selecting your Move card.

Capturing a Ninja

Each time your opponent moves a pawn on the main board, you must check to see if they have moved to the square your hidden Ninja is in. If they have, you must announce that they have captured your Ninja. You must then lower your screen and remove your Ninja from the game.

Using your Ninja to capture a Ninja: After you move your Ninja, if you think it is in the same square as your opponent's Ninja (even while hidden and off the main board), you may attempt to capture it.

1. Place your Ninja on the main board, in the empty space it moved to, and declare that you are attempting to capture your opponent's Ninja.
2. Your opponent must announce if their hidden Ninja is in that space. If it is, you have successfully captured it! Remove their Ninja from the game.
3. Whether or not your attempt is successful, you have revealed your Ninja's location and it remains on the main board until the beginning of your next turn, when it is returned to the corresponding space on your Ninja board.

Playing Hint: Attempting to capture your opponent's Ninja can be risky, but it may change the game for you!

Both players must trust each other to carefully check their Ninja's locations, moves, and captures - be honorable!

Step 2: Exchange Cards

This part of your turn is unchanged from the normal game. Take the movement card you used and put it to the left of the board, and then put the card from the right of the board in front of you.

Step 3 (Optional): Use a Lantern

At the end of your turn, after you have moved and exchanged cards, you may search for the opposing Ninja.

In order to search, you must use one of your Lanterns. You only have 2 Lanterns per game. After you have used them both you can no longer perform any searches. You may only use 1 Lantern to search each turn.

A Lantern can illuminate one row or column on the main board. Choose which row or column you wish to search, and place your Lantern so that it is adjacent to the row or column you have chosen. You can search any row or column - you do not need to have a Student or Master present to search.

Your opponent checks their Ninja board and must announce if their hidden Ninja is in that row or column.

Your opponent does not tell you which square in that row or column their Ninja is in - they simply answer "yes" (my hidden Ninja is somewhere in that row or column) or "no" (my hidden Ninja is not in that row or column).

Remember: Since you can only use a Lantern at the end of your turn, you cannot use the information you have learned until your next turn. So, your opponent will have a chance to move their hidden Ninja away on their turn. But at least you will have some idea of where they were and where they may have moved…

Important: The first player cannot use a Lantern on their very first turn! That way, the second player has a chance to move their Ninja at least once before it can be found.

Way of the Shadow: How to Win

Just like the normal game, you can win by capturing your opponent's Master or by moving your own Master into your opponent's Temple Arch.

Way of the Light

In this version; the two players have very different resources available: The Light Master has the usual Master pawn and 4 Student pawns, but the Shadow Master uses only 2 Ninjas, with no pawns on the main board at all!

All of the rules from Onitama and all of the rules from The Way of Shadow are used, except for the changes described below.

Way of the Light Setup

Set up the game board as you would for a normal game.

Choose one player to be the Light Master and one to be the Shadow Master.

1. The Light Master places their Master pawn and 4 Student pawns in the row closest to them, just like normal Onitama. The Light Master also takes 2 Lanterns.
2. The Shadow Master takes a Ninja board and sets up a folding screen in front of it so the Light Master cannot see it.
3. Set up the Move cards as normal.
4. Secretly, the Shadow Master places both of their Ninjas in any of the 5 spaces in the row closest to them on the Ninja board.

The Light Master will take the first turn.

Way of the Light: How to Play

In Way of the Light, both players move, capture, and exchange cards just like they do in Way of The Shadow, except that the Light player only moves their Students and Master on the main board, while the Shadow Player only moves their Ninjas on their Ninja board.

Each player may only move one piece per turn. The Shadow Master must move a Ninja every turn if possible.

Way of the Light: Using Lanterns

Only the Light Master has Lanterns to use during the third step of their turn, so only they can search for the Ninjas. Lanterns are used the same way as in The Way of Shadow. The Light Master cannot use a Lantern to search on their first turn.

The Shadow Master only needs to say if there are any Ninjas present in the search area, or not. They do not reveal how many Ninjas are in the area! Simply answer "No" or "Yes" (which could refer to one or both Ninjas).

Way of the Light: How to Win

The Shadow Master can win only by capturing the opposing player's Master.

The Light Master can win in two ways:

• By capturing both Ninjas; or
• By moving their Master into their opponent's Temple Arch.