SPY x FAMILY: Mission for Peanuts
SPY x FAMILY: Mission for Peanuts Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Card Breakdown
- Character Role - the character's role on the card.
- Character Name
- Notches - signifies how many copies of this card are in the deck.
- ASSIST action of the card.
- DEPLOY action of the card.
Setup
Remove the Spy card from the deck and shuffle. Deal each player 2 cards, then return the Spy card to the deck and shuffle it once again. Pass out a Reference Card to each player.
Each player chooses one of the cards in their hand to be their Role, and places it face down in front of them. They keep the other card in their hand without revealing it to any other players.
Once all players have selected a card to be their Role, all players flip their Role card face up at the same time.
The player who last ate a snack goes first.
NOTE: If playing with 4 or fewer players, remove 1 Assassin card from the deck.
Gameplay
A player begins their turn by drawing a card from the deck. Then they take only one of the following actions:
- Discard a card for its ASSIST action: The player discards a card from their hand face up in front of them, then takes the action in the ASSIST textbox on that card. Actions must be completed, unless there are no valid targets to choose from. Cards without an ASSIST textbox may still be discarded.
- DEPLOY a new Role: The player discards their current Role face up in front of them; this does not trigger any action. They replace it with a card from their hand, then take the action in the DEPLOY textbox of their new Role card.
Players all maintain their own separate discard piles.
Some Role cards (like the Telepath or Assassin) have a DEPLOY effect that protects the player as long as the player keeps that Role.
After completing their action, a player should have only 1 card in hand and a Role card in front of them. Their turn is now over, and play continues with the player to the left.
NOTE: Discard Pile. When a card is discarded, rotate the card 90 degrees so as not to confuse the player's discard pile with the player's Role card. All cards in a player's discard pile should be overlapped so every card in that pile is clearly visible.
Ending the Round
The round ends once one of the following conditions is met:
- If a player has the Spy, the Telepath, and the Assassin after they draw, that player instantly wins the round.
- If all but one player is Eliminated, the remaining player wins the round.
- If there are no cards remaining in the deck when the current player finishes their turn, all remaining players reveal their hand. The player whose hand and Role make the highest ranking combination wins the round! (See Scoring.)
The winner of the round is awarded 1 Peanut Point, and they get to go first next round.
Finding the Family
The goal of the game is to bring together the Forgers. After a player draws a card, if they have the Spy, the Telepath, and the Assassin cards in their hand and Role, that player wins the round instantly!
Which of the cards is the player's Role and which cards are in the player's hand does not matter, as long as they have all 3 cards at the same time.
NOTE: It is possible to get the entire family after an action that has a player draw, such as the DEPLOY action of the Seer. If that happens the player will win instantly!
Using the ASSIST ability of the Seer does not count, because the player is only looking at those cards, not drawing them!
Elimination
If a player is Eliminated during a round, they discard their hand face up in front of them (if they had the Spy, be sure to shuffle it back into the deck). They take no more turns until the next round.
If all players but one are Eliminated, then that round is over and the remaining player wins the round. That player scores 1 Peanut Point and a new round begins.
Scoring
If the round ends with multiple players, all players reveal their hand, and the player with the best combination is the winner. The combinations, from highest ranking to lowest, are:
- Spy × Telepath, or Spy × Assassin
- Telepath × Assassin
- Spy × Informant
- Telepath × Seer
- Handler × Agent
- Assassin × Secret Police
If no players have a match, then compare the total notches of a player's Role and hand. The player with the fewest notches on their cards is the winner.
If players are tied, compare the notches in all the cards in a player's discard pile (including face down cards). The player with the fewest combined notches on their discarded cards is the winner.
Completing the Mission
A player wins the game after a certain number of Peanut Points are collected, based on the number of players:
- 3 Players: 3 Peanut Points
- 4-5 Players: 2 Peanut Points
These totals are the recommended amounts. Players may set the total Peanut Points needed to win as high or low as they like; even playing just one round can be quite thrilling!
NOTE: Be sure to set the total before the game begins; the most important thing is that everyone is having fun!
Top Secret Tips
Here are some tips and strategies that can help new players learn the game:
- Keeping a high combo value card at the beginning can be difficult, so try using those cards for their powerful actions!
- Finding the Spy on the last turn with the Secret Police will guarantee that you end the round with the Spy!
- Pay close attention to which cards have been discarded; knowing what is the highest attainable combo is important!
Fair Play
Players are expected to adhere to the following etiquette at all times to create an elegant play experience.
- If a card is revealed to you, through the Secret Police or the Telepath, that information should not be shared with other players.
- Players should not try to hide their discard pile from others. Being able to quickly see which cards have been played is an essential part of deduction!
- There is the possibility for a player to receive the Assassin from a card action that only they have seen. If this would cause the player to be Eliminated, to not reveal this to the group would be cheating.
The Characters
The Spy - Loid Forger. The most important asset to the mission, the Spy is as valuable to hold as it is dangerous.
When discarded face up by any action, including being Eliminated, the Spy is immediately shuffled back into the deck.
If things get too hot, the Spy's DEPLOY action will immediately trade it for the top card of the deck. If there are no cards left in the deck, this action does nothing.
The Telepath - Anya Forger. The young Forger daughter has a secret: she can read minds!
Using the ASSIST action, all other players must show you (and only you) their hand, then you take an extra turn!
As long as this card is the Role of a player, that player cannot be Eliminated by the Assassin.
The Assassin - Yor Forger. The Forger family wife and mother by day; in reality she is a deadly assassin.
This card is unique: it has no ASSIST action if discarded. Instead, if this card is put into a player's hand by any action, they are Eliminated. Drawing this card will not trigger this action.
As long as this card is the Role of a player, they cannot be targeted by any action that would trade or discard their hand.
The Seer - Bond Forger. The Forger family dog, who just so happens to see the future.
The ASSIST action lets a player look at up to 3 cards from the top of the deck. They discard one face down into their discard pile (even the Spy), then return the remaining cards in the same order.
Looking at cards is not drawing or trading, so players taking this action cannot win by Finding the Family or be Eliminated by the Assassin.
The DEPLOY ability of this card has you draw up to 2 cards, and place that many on the bottom of the deck in any order. If after you draw you have the Spy, the Telepath, and the Assassin, you win the round!
The Informant - Franky Franklin. Loid's Informant and friend of the Forgers.
The ASSIST action of this card forces any 2 players (even yourself) to trade hands. Watch out: if a player receives the Assassin this way, they are Eliminated!
The DEPLOY action will let you draw the next card of the deck, then put a card back on top from your hand.
The Handler - Sylvia Sherwood. WISE's main contact between them and the agents. She's responsible for managing them and their missions.
The ASSIST action lets the player choose a direction, then all players pass their Role card to the player in that direction.
The DEPLOY action lets you pick any discarded card (even a face down one) and shuffle it back into the deck. A player is then picked to trade their hand with the top card. If the card they receive is the Assassin, they are Eliminated!
The Agent - Fiona Frost. A spy utterly obsessed with completing her missions... or perhaps it's something else.
The ASSIST action of this card forces a player to discard their hand, and pick a new card from your hand. If they pick the Assassin this way, they are Eliminated!
Finding the Family is possible with this action.
The DEPLOY action of this card lets you use the ASSIST action on the Role card of any other player.
The Secret Police - Yuri Briar. Yor's overprotective younger brother, who's actually a ruthless member of the Secret Police.
Using the ASSIST ability of this card reveals the hand of another player to you (and only you). If that player has the Spy card, they are Eliminated! The Spy is shuffled back into the deck and you take another turn.
As long as this card is the Role of a player, they cannot be targeted by the Secret Police ASSIST action.
FAQ Rules
Can the Spy be discarded face down? The Spy cannot be put into any player's discard pile face up, but with the ASSIST action of the Seer, it can be put into a discard pile face down.
What happens if you draw the Assassin? Drawing at the beginning of the turn, and any card action that says "Draw" is safe from the Assassin. This includes:
- The DEPLOY action of the Informant.
- The DEPLOY action of the Seer (the ASSIST action is also safe, looking at a card does not put it into your hand).
- The ASSIST action of the Agent. The player who plays the Agent is safe when drawing a card. The player who picks the card from their hand is NOT safe.
What if I try to pick a player for an action that they are immune to? You cannot pick a player for an action if they are immune to that action (ex: you cannot pick a player to trade if they cannot have their hand traded). You still must pick a player for that action, as long as there is at least 1 player who can be picked for that action (including yourself). If you cannot take part of an action for any reason, then the entire action is ignored.
Ex 1: Only player 1 and player 2 remain. Player 1 uses the Agent ASSIST action. They cannot target themself, as the Agent must target another player. Player 2 has the Assassin as their Role and their hand cannot be discarded, so they cannot be targeted. Neither player can be targeted, so the action cannot be completed, and nothing happens.
Ex 2: Player 1 draws the final card of the deck, then uses the Agent ASSIST action. There are no cards left to draw, so the action cannot be completed, and nothing happens.
Quick Guide
Beginning a Round: Remove the Spy and shuffle the deck. Deal out 2 cards to each player. Return the Spy to the deck and reshuffle.
Players pick a Role and place it face down in front of them, then all players reveal their Role at the same time.
Taking a Turn: Draw a card, then take only one of the following two actions:
- Discard a card from your hand, and take the ASSIST action of the discarded card.
- Discard your Role, then replace it with a card from your hand. Take the DEPLOY action of the new Role card.
Play then passes clockwise.
Ending a Round: Play continues until one of the following conditions is met:
- If a player has the Spy, the Telepath, and the Assassin on their turn, they instantly win the round.
- If all but one player is Eliminated, the remaining player wins the round.
- If there are no cards remaining in the deck when the current player finishes their turn, all remaining players reveal their hand. Whichever player has the highest combination according to the scorecard wins the round.
The winner receives 1 Peanut Point.
A player wins if they have: 3 Peanut Points (3 players) or 2 Peanut Points (4-5 players).