Sweet Existence: A Strange Planet Card Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Object
• Preparation
• Play
  • On Your Turn
  • Critical
• End of the Game
• Victory
• Action Square Reference

Contents

• 104 action squares (pink)
• 24 existence squares (blue)
• 9 connection squares (green)
• 50 sweet disks (cookies)

Object

Obtain the most sweet disks by exposing your existence squares. But beware of the perish square! If it's in front of you and you expose it, you lose!

Preparation

1. Go through the existence squares and set aside the two perish squares.
2. The number of existence squares you'll play with depends on the number of beings playing, but you'll always use at least one perish square.

If there are...	Use...
4 beings	11 squares + 1 perish square
5 beings	14 squares + 1 perish square
6 beings	16 squares + 2 perish squares
7 beings	19 squares + 2 perish squares
8 beings	All 24 squares

Shuffle all the existence squares you're playing with. Put any squares you're not using back in the box.

3. Deal three existence squares facedown in a row in front of each being.
4. Deal six sweet disks to every being. Put any extra sweet disks back in their box.
5. Shuffle all of the action squares and place them in a deck facedown where everyone can reach it.
6. Shuffle all of the connection squares and deal one faceup to each being. Put any extras aside.
7. Now read aloud your connection squares. Beings with matching squares are connected and can obtain sweet disks together! (But they also perish together!) If your connection square doesn't match anyone else's, don't worry—some action squares will let you switch during the game.

Example of 4-being setup: the three existence squares of each being are laid out in a row facedown, the connection squares are dealt faceup to each being, and the action deck and discard pile sit in the centre. The rulebook's diagram shows Being 1 through Being 4 around the table, with two of the beings' connection squares matching and shown linked by an arc labelled "These beings are connected."

Play

To start, each being secretly observes their existence squares. If you have the perish square, you'll want to remember where it is! You can't look at them again unless an action square allows you to observe or expose one. The being who has existed the longest goes first.

On Your Turn

1. Draw an action square, read it aloud, and show it to everyone.
   • If you draw a pink action square, do what it says. Pink squares let you do things like obtain sweet disks, expose one of your existence squares, and exchange connection squares. (See ACTION SQUARE REFERENCE for more info.)
   • If you draw a purple action square, you have to give it to another being. It's a gift! Place the purple square faceup in front of any being who hasn't already exposed all of their existence squares.
   • If any being now has two purple squares in front of them, they immediately discard those squares and expose one of their existence squares!
2. Did you or another being expose an existence square? When a being's existence square is exposed (i.e., flipped over), that being and any beings they're connected with each take a sweet disk from any being they choose.
3. Discard the action square you just played. Your turn ends, and play passes clockwise.

Critical

• If at any point you or another being exposes a perish square, the game immediately ends! (See END OF THE GAME.)
• Once an existence square is exposed, it remains faceup for the rest of the game. It cannot be moved around or exchanged for another being's.

End of the Game

The game ends once a perish square is exposed. Whoever has that square perishes! If the perished being is connected to any other being, that being also perishes!

Victory

Once the game is over, beings who have not perished count up their sweet disks. Whoever has the most wins!

If there's a tie, whichever one of the tied beings has the most existence squares exposed wins. (And if that's a tie, then both beings win!)

Action Square Reference

• If the action square you draw has no impact on the game (ex: it says "Expose one of your existence squares" but you've already exposed them all), just discard it and draw a new one.
• If you draw a deception square but aren't connected to anyone, discard it and draw a new square. If you are connected, your connection square goes back in the box and you no longer reap its benefits. You cannot exchange connection squares with anyone—you're on your own for the rest of the game!
• You can only have three existence squares in front of you at all times—no more, no less.