Road To Lord

Road To Lord Rulebook

Table of Contents

Overview
Components
Setup
Trick-taking
Offering to the King Example
Rules for 2 Players
Penalties

Overview

Players play the mini-game "Offering to the King" 8 times, and the person with the highest total score wins.

Components

Cards: 68 cards. Rule sheet: 1.

Card breakdown: number cards 1 (x3), 2 (x3), 3 (x2) through 9 (x2), in each of 3 types (Sword (LOYALTY), Wheat (TRIBUTE), Wine (LUXURY)); plus "0" (x4) and "00" (x4).

Age 8+. Players 2-4. Time 10-15 min.

Setup

For 3 players, remove the cards with the "4+" icon. For 2 players, remove the cards with the "4+" / "3+" icons.

Card composition for 3 players: number cards 1 (x2), 2 (x2), 7 (x1), 9 (x1), each in 3 types (Sword (LOYALTY), Wheat (TRIBUTE), Wine (LUXURY)); plus "0" (x4) and "00" (x4).

Card composition for 2 players: number cards 1 (x2), 4 (x2), 5 (x1), 9 (x1), each in 3 types (Sword (LOYALTY), Wheat (TRIBUTE), Wine (LUXURY)); plus "0" (x2).
Shuffle the cards to form a deck. For 2 players, remove 5 cards from the top of the deck.
Draw 8 cards from the top of the deck and place them face up as the "King's Craving". The top card of the "King's Craving" is the trump (King's Craving = trump). Place the cards on top of each other with the bottom cards partly showing. The topmost card indicates the "King's Craving" icon in the next "Offering to the King" (Next trump).
- For 2 players, draw 6 cards from the deck and shuffle them with 2 "00" cards put aside to form "King's Craving" of 8 cards.
Deal the remaining cards equally to everyone.
Determine the first leader in whatever way you like.

Initial layout for 3 to 4 players: each player holds a hand of 15 cards. The "King's Craving" is indicated by 8 cards placed face up in the middle.

Initial layout for 2 players: each player holds a concealed hand of 5 cards and a revealed hand of 10 cards. The "King's Craving" is indicated by 8 cards (including 2 "00" cards). 5 cards are discarded face down.

Trick-taking

About "Offering to the King"

Everyone takes turns clockwise to play cards that form a "Number" and compare them.

How to Form a "Number"

Line up any number of same-icon cards to form a "Number".
Line up the cards in ascending order.
Add each number card as a number in an additional digit. For example, 1, 4, 9 of the same icon form the number 149.
You can use any number of "0" and "00" cards with a card(s) with "Sword (LOYALTY)", "Wheat (TRIBUTE)" or "Wine (LUXURY)" icons.
Place "0" / "00" cards to the right of other cards. For example, 1, 4, 9, 0, 00 form the number 149000.
Only the leader can use "00".
All players except the last player can use "0".

Icons on the Cards

Sword (LOYALTY): Promote your loyalty by offering swords.
Wheat (TRIBUTE): Promote your ability to manage lands by offering wheat.
Wine (LUXURY): Promote your technical skills by offering tasty wine.
Gem (GEM): Adding gems to your offerings have a huge effect, because the king also loves gems. However never use gems if you are the last lord to send offerings, because the king sees it as blatant bribery.
Gold Coins (GOLD): Adding gold to your offerings is a customary way to promote yourself to the king. However, never use gold unless you are the first lord to send offerings, because the king recognizes it as a lowly way to curry favor.

Game Flow

The leader plays card(s) to form a "Number" for "Offering to the King". (Leader)
The second and subsequent players play card(s) to form a "Number" for "Offering to the King". (Must follow suit)
Determine the winner in the "Offering to the King". (May be without trump)
Calculate the score in the "Offering to the King".
- If this was the 8th "Offering to the King", determine the winner of the game (step 6).
- Otherwise, set up for the next "Offering to the King" (step 5).
Setup for the next "Offering to the King".
Determine the winner of the game.

Step 1: The Leader Plays

The leader can play to form any "number" of any one icon. (Not required to match the "King's Craving" icon)
You must play card(s) if you have any playable ones.
If the first leader does not have any card to play, the next clockwise player plays the first card(s).
The winner of the current "Offering to the King" becomes the leader of the next "Offering to the King".

Step 2: The Second and Subsequent Players Play

Do you have any card with the icon matching that of the first "Number"?
- Yes: Play a card(s) with the same icon. You must follow suit (type of offering) of the first "Number".
- No: You can play a card(s) with any icon. If you have a card with the "King's Craving" icon, you might win even with 1 card!
You must play card(s) if you have any playable card(s).

Step 3: Determine the Winner

Has someone played a card(s) with the "King's Craving" icon?
- Yes: The player who played the highest "Number" with the "King's Craving" icon wins.
- No: The player who played the highest "Number" with the icon matching that on the first played card(s) wins.
In case of a tie, the tied player earlier in turn order wins.
If the "King's Craving" card is "0" or "00", there is not any "King's Craving", so go to "No".

The rulebook's Step 3 diagrams illustrate: with no "King's Craving" played, the highest "Number" matching the first icon wins. When a "King's Craving" icon is played, a "Number" of a non-"King's Craving" icon cannot win regardless of its size, and a "King's Craving" card wins regardless of the "Number", because "King's Craving" is more powerful. Order of power when lined up: Last > 3rd > 2nd > Leader.

Tips:

You may have a chance to play the "King's Craving" if you use up the cards of any icon.
On the other hand, you have no chance to play the "King's Craving" if you have all icons in your hand.

Step 4: Calculate the Score

The points to score vary depending on the number of cards the winner has played.
- 1 or 2 cards = 3 pt
- 3 or 4 cards = 4 pt
- 5 cards or more = 5 pt
Take a number of cards matching the scored points from the discarded cards and place them face down in front of you to indicate your score.
Place the cards won in each "Offering to the King" separately to indicate how many times you have won.

The rulebook's scoring diagrams show each case: 1 card = 3 pt, 2 cards = 3 pt, 3 cards = 4 pt, 4 cards = 4 pt, and 5 or more cards = 5 pt. For playing 5 or more cards, the winner gets 5 pt regardless of the number of cards.

Step 5: Setup for the Next "Offering to the King"

Discard used cards.
Discard the topmost "King's Craving" card. (Update "King's Craving".)
All discarded cards are face down.

Step 6: Determine the Winner of the Game

The player with the highest total score wins!
In case of a tie, the tied player who has won more "Offering to the King" wins.
If that is also a tie, the tied players share the victory. (Or play the game again to determine the winner!)
It is also recommended to play the game a number of times matching the number of players and compete with the total score!

Offering to the King Example

Leader: "I can play any card, so I shall play 'TRIBUTE 8'!"
Last player: "I do not have any 'TRIBUTE', so I can play 'LOYALTY', which is 'King's Craving'!"
2nd player: "I want to play 'LOYALTY', which is 'King's Craving', but I must play 'TRIBUTE' played by the leader!" Then: "I shall play 'TRIBUTE 56', which is stronger!"
3rd player: "I cannot win by 'TRIBUTE 9', so I shall form 'TRIBUTE 90' with a 'GEM'!"

In this "Offering to the King", the offering is "TRIBUTE". The order of power is: Last > 3rd > 2nd > Leader.

Rules for 2 Players

Randomly reveal and place in front of you 10 of the 15 cards dealt to you and hold the remaining 5 cards concealed in your hand.
- The revealed 10 cards will also be used as your hand.
- You can use both the revealed and concealed cards in your hand at the same time.
Each player may form their "Number" twice in each "Offering to the King".
Each player must form at least one "Number" if they can.
If the leader is behind the non-leader, the leader may form their "Number" the second time. (This is optional.)
- The leader adds card(s) to their initially formed "Number" to form a new "Number".
If the non-leader is behind the leader, the non-leader may form their "Number" the second time. (This is optional.)
- The non-leader adds card(s) to their initially formed "Number" to form a new "Number".
The non-leader cannot use "0" at their second time.
There is no penalty for not participating in the "Offering to the King".
The penalty for the cards remaining in one's hand is effective.

Example: Leader's hand 5, 6, 8 (concealed/revealed); Non-leader's hand 1, 2, 3, 7. 1st time: leader plays 5. 2nd time: leader can add cards if they are behind at the first time, e.g. 5 and 6. Non-leader forms a new "Number" using the initially-played "1" and "7" and added "3" (1, 3, 7).

Penalties

If you fail to form any "Number" and cannot participate in the "Offering to the King", you lose 2 pt per such "Offering to the King". You can indicate this by discarding 2 cards you have acquired.
After playing all 8 "Offering to the King", you lose 1 pt per card remaining in your hand. You can indicate this by discarding 1 card you have acquired.