Prey
Prey Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
A. 48 Animal Cards (12 each of in 4 suits) B. 8 Dice (2 per player) C. 4 Score Cards
Credits
Design: TORU II Illustration: Sai Beppu Graphic Design: Anca Gavril Rules Editing: Jeff Fraser
Setup
- Each player takes a score card and 2 dice of the same color. Players place their score cards with the 0 side up.
- Each player rolls their dice and places them on their score card. Anyone who rolls doubles must roll again until they get 2 different numbers.
- Shuffle the animal cards and deal each player a hand of 12. Players should hold their cards with the darker predator numbers at the top. With 3 players, deal a 4th hand of 12 and set it aside.
- The player with the lowest total on their dice is the lead player for the first trick. In a tie, the player with the lowest single die leads. If still tied, choose randomly.
How to Win
Each game round, you'll play a total of 12 tricks. To score a point for the round, you need to win a number of tricks equal to one of the goal numbers on your dice. Score 2 points to win the game!
Goal Numbers
Start each round by rolling your dice to get 2 different goal numbers. You can win tricks equal to either number to score.
A goal number of 6 is special. If you have a 6, you can score by either winning 6 or 0 tricks (or your other goal number).
Round goal:
- Win 2 tricks (1pt)
- Win 6 tricks (1pt)
- Win 0 tricks (1pt)
Predators & Prey
The first 6 tricks of the round are predator tricks. In each predator trick, all cards must be played as predators (using their darker predator numbers).
At the end of the 6th trick, all players rotate the cards left in their hand to show they've become prey. During the remaining 6 prey tricks, all cards must be played as prey.
Playing a Trick
The current lead player starts the trick by playing any 1 of their cards. The suit they play is the lead suit.
Going clockwise, each other player must also play 1 card of the lead suit. If a player doesn't have the lead suit, they may instead play any card in their hand.
Example Predator Trick:
- Player 1 leads bears
- Player 2
- Player 3 has no bears
- Player 4
- Player 2 wins trick
Winning a Trick
At the end of a predator trick, whoever played the card of the lead suit with the highest predator number wins. In a prey trick, whoever played the card of the lead suit with the highest prey number wins.
The winner places all cards in the trick in a facedown pile in front of themselves. Players keep each of their trick piles separate, to show how many they've won.
Round End
After the 12th trick of the round, everyone counts the tricks they claimed. Each player with a number of tricks equal to one of their goal numbers scores a point.
When a player scores their 1st point, they flip their score card from 0 to 1. When a player scores their 2nd point, the game ends and they win! If multiple players win at the same time, they share the victory.
New Round
If no one has won at the end of a round, players reroll their goal numbers, then deal and play a new round. The player who won the last trick leads the first trick of the new round.