San Guo Sha: Kingdom Wars
San Guo Sha: Kingdom Wars Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Components
- Objective
- Setup
- How to Play
- Rules
- End of Game
- General Cards
- Concepts
- Resolving Effects
- Damage and Dying
- Turning Face Down and Stacking Generals
- Factions Reference
- Resolving Conflicts Between Rules
- Basic Cards
- Tool Cards (Bài công cụ)
- Equipment Cards (Lá trang bị)
- Appendix I: Glossary
- Appendix II: Perfect Pairs (Các cặp tướng hoàn hảo)
- Expansion I: Quân Lâm Thiên Hạ – Formations (Mở rộng I: Quân lâm thiên hạ – Trận)
- Expansion Concepts (Khái niệm mới)
- Expansion II: Quân Lâm Thiên Hạ – Momentum (Mở rộng II: Quân lâm thiên hạ – Thế)
- Expansion III: Bạch Y Quốc Chiến – Bị Thiên (Mở rộng III: Bạch y quốc chiến – Thế bị thiên)
Components
The basic "Tam quốc sát – nội chiến" set contains 184 cards in total:
- 4 Dã Tâm Gia cards
- 60 General cards (tướng)
- 12 health markers (thẻ máu)
- 108 Use cards (lá bài sử dụng)
Objective
You must eliminate all characters of other factions in order to win.
Special: a Dã Tâm Gia must kill everyone to win.
Setup
Choose generals
Deal 5 General cards and 1 health marker to each player. Choose two generals of the same colour (same faction) to form the pair you will play. Place one of them next to the health marker; this is the Lord general (chủ tướng). Place the other general further away from the health marker; this is the deputy general (phó tướng). Generals that are not chosen are returned to the box.
Generals at the start of the game are placed face down.
Determine health limit and gender
After everyone has chosen their generals, add the health values of your two generals together to form your health limit (round down), and turn the health marker to show the matching number. When you lose health, slide the health marker so that it covers the lost part. Each player's health limit is open information.
If you have not revealed a general, you have no gender. If you have revealed one general, that general's gender is yours. If you have revealed two generals, the Lord general's gender is yours.
Starting cards
Shuffle the Use cards and deal each player four starting cards. Shuffle the remaining cards to form the draw pile.
How to Play
Choose a random player to go first. Play proceeds counter-clockwise, with each player taking a turn in turn.
Each player's turn consists of six phases:
Start of turn → Judgement → Draw → Play cards → Discard → End of turn
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Start of turn: You may reveal your general in this phase. You may also use general abilities that are triggered in this phase.
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Judgement: You draw the top card of the draw pile (the judgement card) for any effect that requires a judgement, and resolve that card's result.
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Draw: You draw two cards in this phase.
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Play cards: You may play any card in your hand, following two rules:
- Each card has its own phase. After the card's effect is resolved, the card is placed face up in front of you to mark it as used.
- Determine the range (area) within which you may use that card.
For more about cards, see "Card details" (Chi tiết lá bài).
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Discard: In this phase you may keep only as many cards in your hand as your current health. Any remaining cards are put, together with the used cards, into the discard pile.
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End of turn: Some abilities may be activated in this phase.
Notes
- When drawing or making a judgement, you must take the top card of the draw pile.
- Used cards and discarded cards are gathered into the discard pile. Keep the discard pile arranged so that the cards always lie face up.
- As soon as the draw pile runs out, shuffle the cards of the discard pile to form a new draw pile.
- "Health limit" and "current health" are two different concepts.
Rules
Revealing generals and using abilities
A player who has not revealed any general has no ability, faction or gender.
A general may be revealed at the start of the turn, or at any time it is able to use an ability.
Examples: Sima Yi (Tư Mã Ý) or Xiahou Dun (Hạ Hầu Đôn) may reveal their general when they lose health in order to use an ability. Sun Quan (Tôn Quyền) or Gan Ning (Cam Ninh) may reveal their general during their own turn in order to use their ability.
Factions
Each pair of generals belongs to one faction, depending on the colour of the generals. The factions are:
- Wei (Ngụy) – blue
- Shu (Thục) – red
- Wu (Ngô) – green
- Warlords (Quần hùng) – grey
If you reveal your general and the number of players sharing your faction (including yourself) is not more than half the number of players, you belong to that faction. Your task is to eliminate all other factions.
If the number of players in the same faction as you is more than half the number of players, you become a Dã Tâm Gia (Ambitious One) and belong to a separate faction. Your task is then to eliminate everyone.
Note: two different Dã Tâm Gia are different factions and must eliminate each other to win.
Examples:
- In a 6–7 player game, if you reveal your general and share a faction with 3 players already on the table, you become a Dã Tâm Gia.
- In an 8–9 player game, if you reveal your general and share a faction with 4 players already on the table, you become a Dã Tâm Gia.
Rewards and penalties
- When you are the first player to reveal a general, you draw two cards.
- If you have revealed both of your generals and your total health is an odd number (for example, Xiahou Dun has 2 health and Sima Yi has 1.5 health, for a total of 3.5), you draw one more card.
- As soon as both of your generals have been revealed and they form a perfect pair (cặp đôi hoàn hảo), you may choose either to draw 2 cards or to restore 1 health immediately.
- When you kill a player (this applies only to a player whose general has been revealed):
- If that player is in a different faction, you draw from the draw pile a number of cards equal to the number of surviving players in that faction, plus 1 (not counting the player you just killed).
- If that player is in the same faction as you, you discard all cards in your hand and in your play area.
Notes:
- A dead player is still treated as belonging to the same faction as the players on the table who have the same colour as them.
- When you die, reveal both of your generals and your faction (if you have not already revealed them).
End of Game
The game ends when all players have revealed their factions and only players of one faction remain on the table. If that faction wins, all players who belong to it, including those who have died, win together.
General Cards
Some generals are a perfect match for certain other generals. If two such generals are paired together, they are called a perfect pair (cặp đôi hoàn hảo). Once both generals of a perfect pair have been revealed, you may choose to restore 1 health or draw 2 cards.
Example, in the illustration: Xiahou Dun (Hạ Hầu Đôn) as the Lord general is paired with Xiahou Yuan (Hạ Hầu Uyên) as the deputy general. The Xiahou Dun card shows the following features:
- A: Faction (Wei)
- B: Health of the general
- C: Name and title of the general
- D: Ability of the general
- E: Name of the general that forms a perfect pair with it
Concepts
The following concepts come up often in the game. If any of them is confusing, you may skip this section for now and come back to it when a question arises.
Range
You calculate range by counting distance. When counting, count along the shortest path, either clockwise or counter-clockwise; the range between two characters is the number of steps from one to the other.
Example from the illustration (six players seated around the table, A to F clockwise): D is two people away from A going through E and F, so the range from D to A is 3. There are two paths from D to B. The counter-clockwise path (D to C to B) is shorter, so the range from D to B is 2.
When a character dies, that character is no longer counted when calculating range. A player's range to themselves is always 0.
Attack range
At the start of the game your attack range is 1. You may use weapons and equipment to increase your attack range.
Note: the range of a weapon cannot be used for the card "Thuận thủ khiên dương".
Example: if you use the "Bát Trượng Xà Mâu" (Eight-Zhang Serpent Spear), which has a range of 3, you may use a Sát card on any player within range 3 of you.
Judgement
Some cards and general abilities require you to make a judgement. You reveal the top card of the draw pile and resolve the result stated on the card that requires the judgement. The card you reveal is called your judgement card (lá phán xét). You may neither keep it nor discard it voluntarily. After the card that requested the judgement has resolved, the judgement card is put into the discard pile.
Suit and number on a card
A card's suit and number are printed in its upper left corner. The colour of the card depends on its suit: ♥ and ♦ are red; ♠ and ♣ are black.
Play area
A player's area consists of the cards in hand, equipment and the judgement zone.
Equipment has four types: offensive horse (ngựa công), defensive horse (ngựa trù), weapon, and armour (phòng cụ). Equipment cards are treated as that player's cards, and that player may use the abilities of their equipment.
Cards lying in the judgement zone belong to no one.
Illustration key: A - cards in the player's hand; B - judgement zone; C - equipment cards.
Locked abilities and once-per-game abilities
Locked abilities (chức năng khóa) are abilities that require certain conditions to be triggered and last until the end of the game. Once you have revealed a general with a locked ability, that ability must be triggered whenever its conditions are met, even if you do not want it. Some locked abilities cannot be activated unless your general has been revealed.
Once-per-game abilities (chức năng 1 lần) are abilities that may be used only once during the game.
Using, resolving and the effects of cards
When you use a card, place it face up, designate one (or more) targets for it, and wait for its effect to be resolved. Then put the card into the discard pile. Some cards do not require a target and are resolved as soon as they are used.
Example 1: You use a Sát (Attack) card on an opponent, and they respond by playing a Ngự (Dodge) card. The Ngự is played after the Sát and cancels it.
Example 2: With a Quyết đấu (Duel), the two sides take turns playing Sát cards until one player cannot or does not play a Sát. That player loses 1 health. The Sát cards played during the Duel are not counted as used.
Resolving Effects
Discarding
When you discard a card into the discard pile, you do not need to announce which card you are discarding, but the cards placed into the discard pile are turned face up.
Note: you may place cards into the discard pile only during the Discard phase. Playing a card during your turn, or using one to respond to a card that affects you (for example, playing a Ngự to cancel a Sát against you), is use of the card, not discarding.
Order of resolution for cards affecting several players
When a card affects several players, each player responds to that card in turn, starting with the player whose turn it is. For example, "Vạn tiễn tề phát" (Arrows Volley) requires every player to discard a Ngự or lose 1 health.
When it is your turn to respond, choose one way to respond to the card, or pass. Once you have chosen your response, the next player's response begins, and you cannot change your decision.
To make sure everything proceeds correctly, be patient and carry out every step in the order of the process.
Interference
Some cards or abilities can be interfered with by other cards or abilities before they take effect. Anyone may interfere if they meet the conditions for doing so.
To avoid mistakes in play, you may ask in turn order, "Does anyone respond or not?", and then continue as normal.
Damage and Dying
Damage and its source
When a player receives Sát damage, that player loses health and moves the health marker to cover the health that was lost.
The source of damage is the player who used the card that caused the health loss. Normally (except in the special cases described later), whoever uses a card that causes a loss of health is the source of the damage. Specifically, the source of damage is a player, not a card.
Some abilities make you lose health yourself (tự mất máu). Losing health yourself has no source of damage, so the effects of cards or general abilities that depend on a damage source cannot be triggered. Self-inflicted health loss takes effect immediately.
The order of damage is:
- Before damage is dealt
- Causing damage
- While causing damage
- Receiving health loss
- After receiving health loss
If a player enters the dying state at the same time, resolve the dying state first (see below), before the effects after the damage.
Death and dying
When you reach zero health after receiving damage, you enter the dying state (hấp hối). Resolve the dying state first, and then resolve the effects that follow the damage.
Example: Tuân Úc loses his last health to a Sát. Then every player decides whether to discard a peach (đào) to save Tuân Úc. If a player discards a peach to save Tuân Úc, that player may use their "Tận trung" ability.
Turning Face Down and Stacking Generals
When you are turned face down, flip your general face down and treat it as if you have not revealed that general. When it is turned face up again, you do not gain the odd-health bonus or the perfect-pair bonus.
When you are stacked (đặt chồng), place your deputy general on top of your Lord general. This shows that you have lost your turn.
When you are in the stacked state and your turn comes up, remove the general from the stacked state and skip all six phases of your turn. If an ability causes you to lose a turn (stacking generals) while you are already losing a turn, remove the general from the stacked state and take your turn again as normal.
Factions Reference
On the upper left corner of a general card is a symbol showing which faction that general belongs to. The four basic factions are Wei (Ngụy, blue), Shu (Thục, red), Wu (Ngô, green) and Warlords (Quần hùng, grey). Players must choose two generals of the same faction. All generals of the same faction share the same winning goal.
Special: Dã Tâm (Ambitious Ones) form a separate faction, and different Dã Tâm are different factions. Some cards say "all players in the same faction" and affect everyone in that faction.
Note: revealing just one general is enough to determine your faction and winning goal.
Resolving Conflicts Between Rules
If the rules and a general's ability conflict, follow this order of priority:
General ability > Card effect > Basic game rules
Example: the "Cuồng chiến" ability of Zhang Fei (Trương Phi) allows that general to play many Sát cards in one turn. This goes against the basic rule that only one Sát may be played per turn, so the general's ability takes priority here.
Basic Cards
Basic cards are the most numerous cards. Their effects are simple and very useful.
Sát (Attack) (10♥ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one player within your range.
- Card effect: deals 1 point of damage to the target.
- Other: your attack range is 1 at the start of the match. You may play only one Sát per turn.
Sát (Attack) variants (4♥ Hỏa Sát and 6♣ Lôi Sát)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one player within your range.
- Card effect: Hỏa Sát (Fire Attack): the damage the target receives has a fire effect. Lôi Sát (Lightning Attack): the damage the target receives has a lightning effect.
Ngự (Dodge) (2♥ card)
- Time of use: when you are the target of a Sát.
- Scope: yourself.
- Card effect: cancels the effect of the Sát card.
- Other: you may play a Ngự only when the conditions printed on the card allow it.
Đào (Peach) (2♦ card)
- Time of use: your turn (Play cards phase), or when a player enters the dying state.
- Scope: you, or the player who is in the dying state.
- Card effect: restores 1 health to the recipient.
- Other:
- If a player has 2 health but receives 3 physical damage (for example from a Sấm Sét, Thunderbolt), the total number of Peaches needed to save that player is 2 (2 − 3 + 2 = 1), as printed.
- During the Play cards phase, if you did not lose health, you cannot use a Peach.
Rượu (Wine) (9♦ card)
- Time of use: your turn (Play cards phase), or when you are in the dying state.
- Scope: yourself.
- Card effect:
- If you use Wine during your turn, the next Sát you play during that turn deals 1 additional damage if it hits successfully. You may use Wine only once per turn for this purpose.
- When you are in the dying state, using Wine restores 1 health.
- Note: Wine cannot be used to restore health when you are not in the dying state.
Tool Cards (Bài công cụ)
Tool cards are marked by a yellow rectangle and labelled "CÔNG CỤ". There are two kinds of Tool card: timed and untimed. Timed Tool cards are marked with an hourglass symbol beside the card name.
- An untimed Tool card is used once, and then placed in the discard pile.
- A timed Tool card stays on the table until its effect is resolved, and then is discarded.
Card layout key: A - colour, suit and number of the card; B - the card's effect; C - the identifying mark of the Tool card; D - the name and background of the card; E - a quotation (no effect on play); hourglass symbol - shows whether the card is timed.
Quyết đấu (Duel) (A♣ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one player other than you.
- Card effect: starting with the player you chose as the target, you and that player take turns discarding a Sát. The player who does not discard a Sát takes 1 damage.
- Other: the player who uses a Duel may also lose health.
Quả hạ sách kiều (Dismantle) (3♠ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one player other than you.
- Card effect: remove one card from that player's play area.
Thuận thủ khiên dương (Steal) (3♦ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one other player within range 1 of you.
- Card effect: take one card from that player's play area.
- Other: the range of "Thuận thủ khiên dương" cannot be increased by weapons, but it can be increased by −1 horses (ngựa −1).
Vạn tiễn tề phát (Arrows Volley) (4♥ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: all other players.
- Card effect: each player uses one Ngự, or takes 1 damage.
Nam man nhập xâm (Barbarian Invasion) (7♣ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: all other players.
- Card effect: each player uses one Sát, or takes 1 damage.
Vô trung sinh hữu (Something from Nothing) (7♥ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: yourself.
- Card effect: draw 2 cards from the draw pile.
Đào viên kết nghĩa (Peach Garden Oath) (4♥ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: all players.
- Card effect: each player restores 1 health.
Ngũ cốc phong đăng (Bountiful Harvest) (3♥ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: all players.
- Action: reveal cards from the draw pile equal to the number of surviving players.
- Card effect: in turn order, starting with the player whose turn it is, each player draws 1 of the revealed cards in turn.
Tà đạo sát nhân (Q card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one other player who has a weapon equipped (A).
- Action: you choose one player within range (B) of A.
- Card effect: A may use a Sát on B. If A does not use a Sát on B, you take A's weapon into your hand.
- Other: B may respond to that Sát.
Vô giải khả kích (J card)
- Time of use: when a Tool card is activated.
- Scope: one player affected by that Tool card.
- Card effect: cancels the effect of that Tool card on one player.
- Other: when it cancels a "Sấm sét" (Lightning), the Lightning is not destroyed; instead it is passed on to the next player.
Vô giải khả kích – vương (K card)
- Time of use: when a Tool card is activated.
- Scope: one faction affected by that Tool card.
- Card effect: cancels the effect of that Tool card on one faction.
- Other: "Vô giải khả kích – vương" has the same effects and features as "Vô giải khả kích", and it can itself be cancelled by a "Vô giải khả kích" card.
Xích sát liên hoàn (chained attack card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one to two players.
- Card effect: each chosen player either passes, or falls into the "chained" (liên hoàn) state. A chained player turns their general sideways to mark this.
- While a player is in the chained state, if that player receives fire-type or lightning-type health loss, all other players in the chained state receive the same damage.
- Damage caused by the same source: the amount each chained player receives equals the amount the first player to receive the damage received; armour (if any) is then considered.
- After a player who is chained receives fire-type or lightning-type damage, that player leaves the chained state and turns their general upright again.
- Other: you may discard this card to draw 1 new card from the draw pile.
Hỏa công (2♥ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one other player who has cards in hand.
- Card effect: the chosen player reveals one card from their hand. If you discard a card of the same suit as the revealed card, that player receives 1 damage of the fire type.
Dĩ dật đãi lao (J♥ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: you and all players in your faction.
- Card effect: draw 2 cards from the draw pile, then discard 2 cards into the discard pile.
Trí bí trí kỳ (3♣ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one other player.
- Card effect: you choose to look at either one unrevealed general or the cards in hand of one player.
- Other: you may discard this card into the discard pile to draw 1 card from the draw pile.
Viễn giao cận công (9♥ card)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one other player of a different faction from you.
- Card effect: that player draws 1 card, then you draw 3 cards.
- Other:
- A player who has not revealed a general cannot use "Viễn giao cận công".
- You cannot use "Viễn giao cận công" on a player who has not revealed a general.
Lạc bất tư thục (judgement card, delay type)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one other player.
- Action: place this card in the judgement zone of the chosen player.
- Card effect: that player makes a judgement. If the judgement card is not a ♥, that player skips their Play cards phase.
- Other:
- If the judgement card is a ♥, that player takes their turn as normal.
- After the judgement, the card is put into the discard pile.
Sinh lương thổ đoạt (judgement card, delay type)
- Time of use: Play cards phase of your turn.
- Scope: one other player within range 1 of you.
- Action: place this card in the judgement zone of the chosen player.
- Card effect: that player makes a judgement. If the judgement card is not a ♣, that player skips their Play cards phase.
- Other:
- If the judgement card is a ♣, that player takes their turn as normal.
- After the judgement, the card is put into the discard pile.
Sấm sét (Lightning, ♠ card)
- Time of use: your turn (Play cards phase).
- Scope: yourself.
- Action: place this card in the judgement zone of yourself.
- Card effect: you make a judgement for this card. If the judgement card is a ♠ from 2 to 9, the player receives 3 lightning-type damage. If not, the Lightning passes to the next player in turn order.
- Other:
- The Lightning stays in play until it is removed, or until a player has received 3 lightning-type damage from it.
- Damage caused by Lightning has no source.
Equipment Cards (Lá trang bị)
Equipment cards are placed in your equipment area. They stay there after use, and are not put into the discard pile like other cards. Equipment has different effects, and some may be used several times in one turn. When you equip a new piece of equipment, the equipment of the same type that you already had is lost and put into the discard pile.
Weapons (Trang bị vũ khí)
Weapon cards have a name inside a rectangle or square and are marked with "TRANG BỊ/VŨ KHÍ". Weapons are used to increase your attack range. Different weapons have different ranges and effects. You may equip only one weapon at a time.
Card layout key: A - colour, suit and number of the card; B - name of the weapon; C - the weapon's attack range, shown in a square; D - identifying mark of a weapon card; E - the weapon's function; F - quotation (no effect on play).
- Gia Cát Liên Châu Nỗ (attack range 1): You may play multiple Sát cards in your Play cards phase.
- Thanh Công Kiếm (attack range 2): When you use a Sát on a player, nullify that player's armour.
- Thư hùng song cổ kiếm (attack range 2): When you use a Sát on a player of the opposite gender, that player must either discard 1 card from their hand, or let you draw 1 card from the draw pile.
- Hàn băng kiếm (attack range 2): When you cause damage to a player with a Sát, you may choose not to deal that damage to them, and instead remove 2 cards in turn from that player's play area.
- Phá thạch phủ (attack range 3): When a player uses a Ngự to nullify your Sát, you may discard 2 cards to force that player to receive the damage from the Sát.
- Trường bát xà mâu (attack range 3): You may use any 2 cards in your hand as one Sát.
- Tam tiên lưỡng nhận đao (attack range 3): When you cause damage to a player with a Sát, you may discard 1 card from your hand, and choose one player within range 1 of that player to receive 1 damage caused by you.
- Kỳ lân cung (attack range 5): When you cause damage to a player with a Sát, you may discard 1 equipped horse from that player's equipment area.
- Ngô lục kiếm (attack range 2): All players of the same faction as you gain +1 attack range.
- Chu tước vũ phiến (attack range 4): When you use a normal Sát on a player, you may change it into a Fire Sát (Hỏa Sát).
Horses (Trang bị ngựa)
Horses are cards marked with the equipment/mount symbol. There are two kinds of horse: +1 horses and −1 horses. Each player may equip one +1 horse and one −1 horse.
- +1 horses (for example, Tuyệt Ảnh): your distance to other players is always +1. Different +1 horses have different names but the same effect.
- −1 horses (for example, Xích Thố): other players' distance to you is always −1. Different −1 horses have different names but the same effect.
Example: D equips a +1 horse. The range from C and E to D is then 2, from B and F to D is 3, and from A to D is 4. Everyone's range relative to D remains unchanged (as printed).
You cannot equip two +1 horses, or two −1 horses, even if their names are different. When you equip a new +1 or −1 horse, the old one is lost and put into the discard pile.
Armour (Trang bị phòng cụ)
Cards marked "TRANG BỊ/PHÒNG CỤ" are armour. Armour increases your protection. You may have only 1 armour at a time. If you equip new armour, the old armour is lost and put into the discard pile.
- Bát quái đồ (Eight Trigrams, 2♠): When you need to use a Ngự, you may make a judgement. If the judgement card is red, it counts as you having used 1 Ngự. A Ngự used through the Eight Trigrams does not count as a card in hand. If the result is black, you may still use another way to play a Ngự.
- Khảm vương thuẫn (2♣): Locked ability: nullifies the effect of black Sát cards.
- Bạch ngân sư tử (4♣): Locked ability: the most damage you receive from each single instance is 1. When you lose "Bạch ngân sư tử", you restore 1 health.
- Đằng giáp (2♣): Locked ability: nullifies the effect of normal Sát, Nam man nhập xâm and Vạn tiễn tề phát. If the Sát damage is of the fire type, the damage you receive is increased by 1.
Appendix I: Glossary
Roles of zones (Vai trò của các khu vực): When you are asked to choose one of another player's zones, if you choose cards in that player's hand, you choose at random. If you choose their play area, you may choose any card you want.
Losing a card (Mất bài): When a card in your hand or in your equipment area is lost, treat it as if you have lost that card.
Using as (Dùng ... như ...): Some abilities or cards allow you to use a card as a different card. When a card is converted, it keeps its original colour and number printed on it. After the result of that card is resolved, it returns to normal. You may not convert one card twice.
Example: Zhao Yun (Triệu Vân) uses a Sát as a Ngự, but cannot convert two cards into a Ngự while equipped with the Bát Trượng Xà Mâu.
Revealing a card (Lật bài): You must turn the card over so that all players can see its features.
Exposing a card (Lộ bài): You must place the card so that all players can see it. After that, it is picked up again.
Not looking carefully (Không nhìn kĩ): If you do not look carefully while an event happens, you lose the information about that event, and you cannot ask others to repeat it.
One point of damage (Một sát thương): If an effect says that it causes damage without saying how much, it is treated by default as 1 point of damage.
One instance of damage (Một lần sát thương): One instance of damage is any occasion on which something causes damage to a player and affects that player's health. One instance may be 1 point of damage, or it may cause more damage. Example: Lightning (Sấm sét). Abilities that are triggered when a player receives damage can be used only once per instance.
Viewing a general (Xem tướng): When you use "Trí bí trí kỳ" to view a general, hold the general card so that only you can see it.
Transfer (Chuyển dời): Changes the player who receives a card's effect.
Chained (Liên hoàn): Being in the chained state (trạng thái bị xích).
Removing cards from the table (Dời bài khỏi bàn): Some general abilities allow cards to be removed from the table. When this happens, those cards are placed to the side. (Some abilities also allow cards to be brought back onto the table.)
Exchanging a card (Đổi bài): Discard a card that has an exchange effect in order to take a new card from the top of the draw pile.
Swapping cards (Hoán đổi bài): Two players swap all of their cards in hand with each other.
Next player (Người sau vòng): The player immediately to your right.
Comparison (Đấu điểm): Two players each choose one card from their hand and place them face down on the table, then turn them face up together. If the player who started the comparison has the larger number printed in the upper left corner of their card, that player wins. Otherwise, that player loses. Both cards used in the comparison are put into the discard pile.
Locked ability (Tỏa định kỹ): An ability that must be carried out whenever its conditions are met.
Stacking generals (Đặt chồng tướng): When you are stacked, you place your deputy general on top of your Lord general. This shows that you are in the state of losing a turn. When your turn comes, you move the deputy general off the Lord general, skip your turn, and then continue as normal. If you are in the stacked state and an ability would make you stack again, you move the general off, and then take your turn as normal. Your general in the stacked state keeps its gender and faction as normal. After you move the general off, your generals keep their initial state. (If you were chained before, you still suffer the effect of the chained state after moving the general off.)
Nullify (Vô hiệu hóa): When you are affected by a card that can be nullified, after you are targeted by that card, the card has no effect on you. Once a card is nullified, it does not affect you, and when its effect ends it is put into the discard pile.
Appendix II: Perfect Pairs (Các cặp tướng hoàn hảo)
Wei (Ngụy)
- Tào Phi – Chân Thị
- Tào Tháo – Hứa Chử
- Tào Tháo – Điển Vi
- Hạ Hầu Đôn – Hạ Hầu Uyên
Wu (Ngô)
- Chu Du – Hoàng Cái
- Chu Du – Tiểu Kiều
- Tiểu Kiều – Đại Kiều
- Tôn Quyền – Chu Thái
Shu (Thục)
- Gia Cát Lượng – Hoàng Nguyệt Anh
- Khổng Minh – Hoàng Nguyệt Anh
- Khổng Minh – Bàng Thống
- Lưu Bị – Quan Vũ
- Lưu Bị – Trương Phi
- Lưu Bị – Cam Phu Nhân
- Lưu Thiện – Triệu Vân
- Mạnh Hoạch – Chúc Dung
- Hoàng Trung – Ngụy Diên
Warlords (Quần hùng)
- Viên Thiệu – Nhan Lương, Văn Xú
- Điêu Thuyền – Lữ Bố
Expansion I: Quân Lâm Thiên Hạ – Formations (Mở rộng I: Quân lâm thiên hạ – Trận)
The following general cards are from the expansion section of the rulebook. Each entry lists the general's abilities as printed; ability names are given in the Vietnamese as printed.
Hà Thái Hậu (Empress He)
- Tửu Sắc: At the start of another player's action phase, you may discard 1 card from your hand. If you do, that player is treated as having drunk wine, and takes 1 damage from you.
- Thanh Loan: If you kill at least 1 player during your turn, draw 3 more cards at the end of that turn.
Vu Cát
- Thiên Huyễn: When a same-faction player receives damage, you may flip 1 card and place it on Vu Cát; this card is called a "Chặn" (block) card. If the new card has the same suit as the old card, discard the old card (as printed). When a same-faction player is the target of a single-target Sát or Tool card, you may use the Chặn card to nullify that card.
Tưởng Khâm
- Tửu Sắc: During your action phase, you may let 1 player see your entire hand. Then look at both of your generals, or at your hand, and cancel 1 black card of that player.
- Second ability (label as printed: Tửu Sắc): Locked ability, formation ability. When an encirclement (bao vây) relationship is formed, if you use a Sát on an encircled player, that player must use 1 more Ngự to nullify that Sát.
Từ Thịnh
- Nghi Thành: When you, or a same-faction player, is the target of a Sát, you may have that player draw 1 card and discard 1 card before using a Ngự.
Đặng Ngãi
- Truân Điển: When you lose cards outside your turn, flip a judgement card. If it is not a ♥, place it on your general; this card is called a "Địa hình" (terrain) card. For each "Địa hình" card, your distance to other players is −1 when you calculate it.
- Cấp Tập: Lord general ability. Health is halved when calculating health. During your action phase, you may use a "Địa hình" card as "Thuận thủ khiên dương".
- Thấu Lương: Deputy general ability. After a same-faction player receives damage, you may give that player 1 "Địa hình" card.
Note: if you lose cards during the judgement phase, the judgement for Truân Điển is resolved last. If Đặng Ngãi is the Lord general, health is halved when calculating health, as shown on the card.
Khương Duy
- Khích Tướng: Once during your action phase, you may require 1 player who has you within their attack range to use a Sát on you. If that player cannot do so, you remove 1 card from that player's play area.
- Thiên Phúc: Lord general ability, formation ability. During the turn of a player in the same faction as you, you have the "Khán Phá" ability.
- Di Chí: Deputy general ability. Health is halved when calculating health. If the Lord general has the "Chiêm tinh" ability, the number of "Chiêm tinh" cards is always 5. Otherwise, you yourself have the "Chiêm tinh" ability.
Note: if Khương Duy is the deputy general, health is halved when calculating health, as shown on the card. See the "Khán Phá" ability of Khổng Minh and the "Chiêm tinh" ability of Gia Cát Lượng.
Tào Hồng
- Hệ Văn: At the end of your turn, you may equip an equipment card on any 1 player. Then remove 1 card from one player within range 1 of that player.
- Hậu Duệ: Formation ability. Players who have a formation relationship with you have the "Phi Anh" ability.
- Phi Anh: When another player calculates the distance to you, it is always +1.
Tưởng Uyển and Phi Y
- Sinh Túc: If you cause no damage during your action phase, you draw 2 cards at the start of your discard phase.
- Thủ Thành: When a same-faction player loses their last card in hand outside their turn, you may have that player draw 1 card.
Rules for the Monarch (Quân chủ) in civil war
- When you use a Monarch (quân chủ) card, discard the corresponding general card before generals are dealt.
- The Monarch must be a Lord general.
- The first player of that faction to take their turn must reveal the Monarch card. Once it has been revealed, the Monarch cannot be turned face down again.
- The Monarch is treated as a perfect pair with all generals of the same colour.
- When the Monarch is revealed, take the command card (lệnh kì) and place it beside the Monarch.
- While the Monarch is on the table, all generals of the same colour are treated as the same faction (so that faction has no Dã Tâm).
- Once the Monarch dies, all players in that faction become Dã Tâm.
Perfect pairs in this expansion (as printed):
- Shu (Thục): Lord Lưu Bị – a Shu general
- Wei (Ngụy): Tào Hồng – Tào Nhân
- Wu (Ngô): Từ Thịnh – Đinh Phụng; Tưởng Khâm – Chu Thái
Ngũ Hổ Tướng Đại Kỳ (Five Tiger Generals banner)
While this card is in effect, generals' abilities change as follows:
- Võ Thánh: replace "red card" with "any card".
- Bảo Hao: expanded ability: "When you use a Sát, you ignore the armour of the target."
- Long Đàm: expanded ability: "When Long Đàm is activated, you immediately draw 1 card."
- Liệt Cung: expanded ability: "Your attack range is +1."
- Thiết Kỵ: replace "red card" with "card that is not a ♠".
Phi Long Đoạt Phượng (weapon, attack range 2)
When you use a Sát on another player, you may remove 1 card from that player. If you kill a player with a Sát, and the number of players of your faction on the table is "ít nhất bàn" (at least, as printed; the source text appears incomplete at this point), you may let the player you killed choose 1 unused general of your faction and return to the game.
The dead player takes 1 Shu general from outside the game as their Lord general (with no deputy general). Their health limit stays as it was before they died. They restore 2 health and draw 1 card.
If you use "Phi Long Đoạt Phượng", put "Thư Hùng Song Cổ Kiếm" outside the game.
Lưu Bị (expansion version)
- Chương Vũ: Locked ability. If the card "Phi Long Đoạt Phượng" is in the discard pile, or in another player's equipment area, you take it into your hand. When you lose "Phi Long Đoạt Phượng", you take it out, place it at the bottom of the draw pile, and draw 2 cards.
- Thụ Việt: Lord general ability. As soon as this general is revealed, you immediately have "Ngũ Hổ Tướng Đại Kỳ".
- Kích Chiếu: Limited ability (Hạn định kỹ). When you enter the dying state, you may draw cards until the number of cards in your hand equals your health limit, restore 2 health, lose the "Thụ Việt" ability, and gain the "Nhân Đức" ability.
See the "Nhân Đức" ability of Lưu Bị in the base set.
Expansion Concepts (Khái niệm mới)
- Deploying formation abilities (Triển khai trận pháp kỹ): if 4 or more players are still alive, formation abilities with formation effects can be activated. A formation may be activated at the start of a turn or during the Play cards phase. This is called "activating the formation ability" (kích hoạt trận pháp kỹ).
- How to activate a formation ability (Cách kích hoạt trận pháp kỹ): when you activate a formation ability, face-down players who meet the conditions may flip 1 general face up to trigger the formation effect. They flip in turn, counter-clockwise, starting from the player whose turn it is.
- Lord general ability (Chủ tướng kỹ): this ability is activated only if this general is your Lord general.
- Deputy general ability (Phó tướng kỹ): this ability is activated only if this general is your deputy general.
- Formation relationship (Quan hệ đội hình): generals of the same faction sitting next to each other in a row, with no player of another faction seated between them, are said to have a formation relationship.
- Encirclement relationship (Quan hệ bao vây): when a player of a different faction sits directly between two players of the same faction (that is, only that player sits between the two players of the other faction), this is called an encirclement relationship. The player sitting in the middle is called the "encircled player" (người bị bao vây), and the 2 players sitting beside them are called the "encirclers" (người bao vây).
- Row (Hàng): a line of 2 or more players of the same faction sitting next to each other is called one row (hàng).
Expansion II: Quân Lâm Thiên Hạ – Momentum (Mở rộng II: Quân lâm thiên hạ – Thế)
The following general cards are from the second expansion section of the rulebook, as printed.
Đổng Trác
- Hoành Chinh: At the start of the Draw phase, if you have 1 health left or no cards in hand, you may skip the Draw phase to steal 1 card from each player's play area.
- Bạo Chúa: Lord general ability. At the end of your action phase, if this general has been revealed, you must remove your deputy general, increase your health limit by 3, and restore 3 health. Then you gain the ability "Băng Phôi".
- Băng Phôi: If you are not the player with the least health on the table, you must lose 1 health or reduce your health limit by 1.
Trương Nhiệm
- Xuyên Tâm: During your action phase, if you cause damage with a Sát or a Duel to a player of another faction, and you have a deputy general, you may, instead of causing the damage, let that player choose to discard all of their equipment (at least 1) and lose 1 health themselves, or to remove the deputy general.
- Phong Tỏa: Formation ability. If you are in an encirclement relationship, the encircled player who receives damage from a Sát of an encirclers must discard 1 card from their equipment area.
Mi Phu Nhân
- Khuê Tú: When you flip this general face up, draw 2 cards. When this general is removed from the game, restore 1 health.
- Tôn Tự: During your action phase, you may remove this general from the game and choose 1 player. That player absorbs the ability "Dũng Quyết" (if a same-faction player uses the first card of their action phase and it is a Sát, that player may take that card into their hand instead of putting it into the discard pile). If the player who chose is not the one who receives this ability, the player who receives it draws 2 cards.
Place Mi Phu Nhân above the Lord general to mark that player as having the "Dũng Quyết" ability.
Tôn Sách
- Kích Ngang: When you use a red Sát, or a Duel, or are the target of one, draw 1 card.
- Ủng Dương: When comparing, you may add 3 to or subtract 3 from the number of your own card (the highest is K, the lowest is A).
- Hồn Thương: Deputy general ability. Locked ability. Health is halved when calculating health. At the start of your turn, if you have only 1 health, you may use the abilities "Mỹ Nam" and "Kiên Hùng" until the end of the turn.
Note (as printed in this panel): if Khương Duy is the deputy general, health is halved when calculating health, as shown on the card. See the "Mỹ Nam" ability of Chu Du and the "Kiên Hùng" ability of Tôn Kiên.
Trần Vũ and Đổng Tập
- Liên Hoàn: Once during your action phase, you may place yourself and one other player in the chained state.
- Thiên Thanh: At the end of your turn, if you are in the chained state, discard 1 card from each player who is in the chained state (including yourself).
Lý Điển
- Tuân Tuân: Instead of drawing cards, you may take the top 4 cards of the draw pile, place 2 of them on top of the draw pile, and 2 at the bottom of the draw pile.
- Vong Khích: After you receive damage from, or deal damage to, another player, you may let yourself and that player each draw 1 card for each instance of damage.
Mã Đại
- Mã Thuật: Locked ability. When you calculate your distance to other players, it is always −1.
- Tiềm Tập: At the start of your turn, make a judgement, then choose 1 player within range 1. That player may not use a card of the same colour as the judgement card until the end of your turn.
Tang Bá
- Hoành Giang: After you receive 1 damage, you may give a player whose turn it is a reduction of 1 in their card-holding limit until the end of the turn. If that player does not discard cards at the end of the turn, you draw 1 card.
Monarch rules and perfect pairs (Expansion II, as printed)
The civil-war Monarch rules printed in this section are the same rules as those given under "Rules for the Monarch (Quân chủ) in civil war" above.
Perfect pairs (as printed):
- Faction Quần Hùng: Monarch Trương Giác – a Warlord general
- Ngô (Wu): Tôn Sách – Đại Kiều, Chu Du, Thái Sử Từ
- Ngụy (Wei): Trương Liêu – Tang Bá; Nhạc Tiến – Lý Điển
- Thục (Shu): Mã Siêu – Mã Đại
Hoàng Cân Thiên Binh Phù (Yellow Turban Heavenly Soldier Talisman)
- When you count the number of players in your faction, each Thiên Binh card counts as 1 player in your faction.
- When you lose 1 health yourself, you may discard 1 Thiên Binh card into the discard pile instead of losing 1 health.
- You and same-faction players may use or play 1 Thiên Binh card as a Sát.
Thái Bình Yêu Thuật (Tome of Peace)
- Locked ability: not affected by elemental damage. The card-holding limit of you and of same-faction players is increased by X (X is the number of players in your faction).
- When this card is removed from your equipment area, you lose 1 health, and then draw 2 cards.
Trương Giác
- Ngộ Tâm: At the start of your draw phase, you may look at the top X cards of the draw pile (X is the number of players of your faction). Then you may arrange them, as you choose, back on the top of the draw pile.
- Hoành Phát: Monarch ability (Quân chủ kỹ). While this general is revealed, you receive the card "Hoàng Cân Thiên Binh Phù". At the start of your turn, if you have no Thiên Binh, take X cards from your hand and place them on the card "Hoàng Cân Thiên Binh Phù"; these are called Thiên Binh (X is the number of players of your faction).
- Văn Đạo: During the Play cards phase, you may, once, discard 1 card to take the card "Thái Bình Yêu Thuật" from the discard pile, or from the table, into your hand.
New concept: temporary generals
Some generals have an ability that removes a general from the game. When you must remove a general, take a soldier token (thẻ lính tướng) matching the gender of that general, and use it as your temporary general card. The soldier token only replaces the removed general, and does not affect your gender, faction or health limit.
Expansion III: Bạch Y Quốc Chiến – Bị Thiên (Mở rộng III: Bạch y quốc chiến – Thế bị thiên)
New concepts
Liên: During the Play cards phase, cards marked with the Liên symbol may be given to a player of a different faction, or to a player whose faction is not yet identified. If you give a Liên card to a player of a different faction, you draw 1 card.
- A player whose faction is not yet identified may not give a Liên card to a player who already has a faction.
- If you give a Liên card to a player whose faction is not revealed, you do not draw 1 card.
[Major nation] (Đại quốc): If one faction has more face-up players than the other factions (at least 2), that faction is called a major nation. If there is a tie, both factions are counted as major nations.
[Minor nation] (Tiểu quốc): Once a major nation has appeared, the remaining factions are called minor nations. This includes the smaller factions and the players whose faction has not been revealed.
- A game may have two or more major nations at the same time. Some minor nations may also exist, depending on how the game develops.
New Tool cards
-
Điệu hổ ly sơn (quantity 2): may be used on up to 2 other players. Those players are not counted for distance and position, cannot play cards, and cannot become the target of other cards. After playing this card, you draw 1 more card. This card does not affect the number of surviving players or dead factions.
-
Hiệp thiên tử dĩ lệnh chư hầu (quantity 3): If you are a major power (đại thế lực), you may end your action phase immediately. If you do, when the turn ends, you discard 1 card and take 1 more turn. If you are not a major power, you cannot use this card.
-
Lục lực đồng tâm (quantity 2): may be used on all players of a major power or of a minor power (tiểu thế lực). All targets fall into the chained state. For each target who is in the chained state, you draw 1 card. You may discard this card to draw 1 card from the draw pile.
-
Thủy yêm thất quân (quantity 2): Use this card on a player who has cards in their equipment area. That player chooses either to discard all cards in their equipment area, or to receive 1 lightning-type damage.
-
Hỏa thiêu liên doanh (quantity 3): Use this card on the player to your right, and on those in the same row (hàng) as that player. Each of them receives 1 fire-type damage. See the concept "row" (hàng) in the Expansion I section.
-
Sắc lệnh (quantity 1): Each player whose faction has not been revealed must choose one of the following:
- Reveal 1 general and draw 1 card;
- Discard 1 equipment card;
- Lose 1 health.
New weapons
- Phương thiên họa kích (weapon, attack range 4, quantity 1): When you use a Sát, you may designate 1 player from different factions, and players who have not revealed a general, to become targets of the Sát. If one of the targets successfully dodges with a Ngự, the attack is nullified against the other targets. When choosing targets, apart from players whose faction has not been revealed, the remaining targets must be of different factions.
- Thanh long yển nguyệt đạo (weapon, attack range 3, quantity 1): Locked ability: when you use a Sát on a target, that target cannot reveal a general until the effect of the card has finished. (The printed text reads "lá Đánh" here; this is most likely a misprint for "lá Sát".)
New armour
- Minh quang khải (armour, quantity 1): nullifies fire-type damage. If you belong to a minor power (tiểu thế lực), you cannot fall into the chained state.
- Hộ tâm kính (armour, quantity 1): When you receive damage greater than or equal to your current health, you may remove this card from your equipment area to prevent that damage.
New treasures (bảo vật)
- Ngọc tỷ (treasure, quantity 1): Locked ability. If you already have a faction, your faction becomes the only major power. During the draw phase you draw 1 more card. At the start of your action phase, it is considered as if you had used one "Tri bỉ tri kỷ" card. If the owner of Ngọc tỷ has not revealed a faction, the ability of Ngọc tỷ has no effect.
- Mộc ngưu lưu mã (treasure, quantity 1): Once during your action phase, take 1 card from your hand and place it face down on this card. Then you may move this card, together with the cards on it, to the equipment area of any player. The owner of this card may view and use the cards on it as if they were cards in hand. You cannot move this card to another player if that player's equipment area already has a treasure.