The Message Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Components
• Game Setup
• A Game Turn
• Victory Conditions
• Elimination
• Key Concepts
• Terminology
• Card Effects
• Variant – MOF Alliance
• Characters

Game Components

1. Identity cards (9) determine which faction you belong to: FRS, KDR or MOF.
2. Game cards (81) can be used either as messages or for their effects.
3. Character cards (27). Special characters have an S icon.

Game Setup

1. Deal 2 character cards to each player to pick one from.
2. Once characters are selected, turn normal characters face-up. Special characters (with an S icon) are placed face-down in front of the player(s).
3. Shuffle identity cards according to the table below, and randomly deal one identity card to each player. These are kept face-down.

Number of players	Standard game: KDR	Standard game: FRS	Standard game: MOF	Recommended for first game: KDR	Recommended for first game: FRS	Recommended for first game: MOF
3	1	1	1
4	1	1	2	2	2	0
5	2	2	1
6	2	2	2	3	3	0
7	3	3	1	2	2	3
8	3	3	2
9	3	3	3

4. Deal 3 game cards to each player as the starting hand.

A Game Turn

1. Beginning of turn. This is usually skipped unless character special abilities are used.

2. Draw 2 cards. Reshuffle the discard pile if the draw deck runs out. If both draw deck and discard pile are empty, do not draw cards.

3. Play cards. Any number of cards can be played. Cards used as effects are discarded to the discard pile, except for Prove cards, which are removed from the game.

4. Message transmission. Exactly one message must be transmitted. You are eliminated if you are unable to do so. There are three transmission types, as specified on the top right corner of the cards:

   • CM (Confidential Message) – Pass face-down to the player on your right. He decides whether to accept or to pass further right. If the message comes back to you, you gain Lock On status and thus must accept it.
   • EM (Exposed Message) – Pass face-up to the player on your right. He decides whether to accept or to pass further right. If the message comes back to you, you gain Lock On status and thus must accept it.
   • OM (Oriented Message) – Pass face-down to any player, who can decide whether to accept or reject. If rejected, it comes back to you, you gain Lock On status and thus must accept the message.

   Once a message is accepted, it is turned face-up in front of the recipient. Special abilities and cards can be used during message transmission, except when a recipient is deciding whether to accept a card.

5. End of turn. The statuses of all players are cleared.

Victory Conditions

1. KDR – All KDR members win if one of them gains 3 red messages.
2. FRS – All FRS members win if one of them gains 3 blue messages.
3. MOF – An MOF player wins as an individual when he fulfills the mission on his character card.
4. If only one player survives, he (or his team) wins.
5. If a player is eliminated and achieves his (or his team's) victory condition at the same time, he (or his team) wins.
6. Players previously eliminated do not share the victory of their team.

Elimination

1. A player is eliminated when he has 3 black (false) messages.
   • If there are multiple abilities triggered by the elimination, resolve in anti-clockwise order starting with the active player (not necessarily the eliminated player).
   • The eliminated player reveals his character and identity and discards all his game cards and messages.
2. A player is eliminated when he is unable to transmit a message on his turn. In this case abilities triggered by elimination are not resolved.

Key Concepts

1. Golden rule – when there are conflicts in rules, the priority is: character card, then game card, then rule book.
2. When using a character ability or card effect, it is important to make sure:
   • Required conditions are met.
   • There is a valid target for the effects of the card.
3. When a card is transmitted as a message, its effect is ignored. Similarly when a card is played for its effect, it is no longer considered a message.
4. When resolving card effects or character abilities, the active player generally has priority, after which resolution is done in an anti-clockwise order from the active player.
5. Cards in a player's hand are not considered messages.
6. Player Status:
   • Lock On – You must accept any message transmitted to you.
   • Trap – You may not accept messages. Note that messages may be transmitted to you, just that you must decline them.
   • Lock On status has priority over Trap status.
7. Gender becomes Unknown when a character card is face-down.
8. Characters:
   • Blue character abilities can be used only when character is face-down. When using such abilities, turn character card face-up.
   • Red character abilities can be used only when character is face-up.
   • Abilities are mandatory unless the keyword "can" is used.

Terminology

• Add message: Use a card from your hand as a message and give it to another player.
• Close: Turn a face-up card face-down.
• Delete message: Discard message to discard pile. Typically only black (false) messages can be deleted.
• Obtain message: Accept message and place in front of you face-up.
• True message: Red or blue messages.

Card Effects

Alphabetical order.

Counteract – Neutralize a card effect. Cards transmitted as messages cannot be targeted. Character abilities cannot be targeted. Prove cards neutralized this way go to the discard pile and are not removed from the game. A Counteract card may neutralize another Counteract card.

Decode – Play when a message reaches you. You may view the message. You may not show it to others. Decode may be used on Exposed Messages.

Delete – Play during Play Cards phase or Message Transmission phase, including on other players' turns. Discard one black (false) message. May not be played upon receiving the 3rd black message because you are immediately eliminated upon so.

Distribute – Play during Play Cards phase of your turn. Draw the same number of cards as players, shuffle, then deal as messages to each player starting with yourself, in anti-clockwise order. The cards dealt must be random. If the draw deck has been manipulated such that some cards are known, reshuffle discard pile into draw deck before executing. If a victory condition is achieved by a player, it is declared immediately. A Counteract card played against a Distribute card cancels the whole Distribute card effect and not just a specific message dealt to a specific player. If a player is eliminated due to a Distribute card, he is considered to be eliminated by the active player.

Intercept – Play during Message Transmission phase of another player's turn. The message comes to you and you gain Lock On status. An Intercepted message may be Intercepted by another player. A player with Trap status may Intercept.

Lock On – Lock On may only be played on your own turn. Recipient must accept any messages reaching him. He may not play Transfer.

Prove – Prove card is passed face-down to the recipient, so that only sender and recipient know the content of the card. Recipient takes action depending on own identity. Prove card is then removed from game face-down.

Transfer – When you receive a message, use Transfer to force any other player to accept that message. The targeted player also gains Lock On status. Transfer can target a player with Trap status. A player in Trap status may play Transfer.

Trap – Play during message transmission, even on another player's turn. Players with Lock On status are not affected.

Variant – MOF Alliance

In a 6-player game, play with 2 FRS, 2 KDR and 2 MOF players. If one of the MOF players wins, the other wins together.

Characters

Alphabetical order. Characters marked (S) are Special characters (see Game Setup).

Alias – Moody: When another player obtains a true message (red or blue) originating from you, you must draw 1 card, and you may give him a black message from your hand. Funeral: When another player is eliminated, before he reveals his identity, you may discard your identity card without revealing it and take his identity card instead. If you do so, draw 2 cards. This ability does not stop Lark or Nightmare from achieving their missions (and winning) if their identities are MOF. Mission: None. If your identity is MOF, you can only win by having all other players eliminated. You can try to change your identity so that you can win as FRS or KDR.

Angel – Collection: Claim all Deleted messages into your hand. This includes messages deleted by character abilities. Cure: Your red and blue Lock On cards can be played as Delete. Mission: Get 6 black cards in your hand.

Brumaire Baron (S) – Substitute: When an Oriented Message (OM) is being transmitted, you may turn your character face-up to exchange it with a card from your hand. The replaced message is still transmitted as an OM. Escape: You must turn your character face-down when Intercept is played by any player. Mission: Get 3 red messages.

Dark Flow – Choice: When you play Prove on another player, you may draw 2 cards from the draw deck and then return 1 card. Choice is resolved before Prove. Choice cannot be executed if Prove is Counteracted. Change: When a message reaches you, you may discard a card from your hand to exchange the message with the top card of the draw deck. The message continues to transmit in the same method. Mission: Get 3 red messages.

Detective – Track: Whenever anyone plays Prove, you may look at the card. This ability cannot be executed if the Prove card is Counteracted. Search: When you gain a black message, you may take 1 message from another player into your hand. This is triggered by Distribute and by character abilities. Mission: Get 3 red and 3 blue cards in your hand.

Diamond Man – Plan A: Whenever a player obtains a black message originating from you, you may randomly draw a card from another player's hand. This ability is not triggered by Distribute or by character abilities. Plan B: Whenever you obtain a black message originating from another player, you may randomly draw a card from another player's hand. This ability is not triggered by Distribute or by character abilities. This ability can be triggered even upon receiving the third black message. Mission: Get 10 cards in your hand.

Double Knight – Bet: Once per round, you may force two players to each draw a card from the draw deck and take them as messages. Mission: Get 3 blue messages.

Fire – Cruel: Once per round, you may pick another player to have Lock On status. Callous: When another player is eliminated, you may take one of his true messages (red or blue). Mission: Get 2 red and 2 blue messages.

Hunter (S) – Ambush: During message transmission, you may turn your character face-up to claim one obtained message from another player. Hunt: You may expose your identity when another player is eliminated to give up to 2 black messages from your hand to another player. Mission: 1 FRS player and 1 KDR player are eliminated.

J – Recycle: When another player plays Delete, claim the Delete card into your hand. This ability cannot be activated if the Delete card is Counteracted. The character Angel can play Lock On cards as Delete cards, and Recycle can be used to claim such Lock On cards. Erase: Your Delete cards may delete true messages (red or blue). Mission: 1 female character declares victory. If there are no female characters, you win by having all other players eliminated.

Kwon Ki Ku – Revenge: Your Trap cards may be played as Lock On. Interfere: If a black message originating from you is obtained by another player, you may claim one true message (red or blue) from him. Interfere is not triggered by Distribute. Mission: Get 2 red and 2 blue messages.

Lark (S) – Best Show: You may turn your character face-up to randomly take a card from another player's hand, and then give it to anyone as a message. Time Trace: You must turn your character card face-down when a player is eliminated. Mission: Get eliminated after another player has been eliminated.

Manipulator (S) – Plunder: On another player's turn, you may turn your character face-up to Intercept a message. This is a character ability and thus cannot be Counteracted by a Counteract card. Deal: You must turn your character card face-down when Decode is played by any player. Mission: Gain 3 blue messages.

Mark Jr. – Heroism: When you obtain a black message, you must draw 1 card, and you may give a black message from your hand to another player. If Heroism is triggered by Distribute, Heroism should be fully resolved first. Heroism is also triggered when the 3rd black message is received. Break Through: When you declare victory, you must choose one female character to win together. Eliminated female characters cannot be chosen. Mission: 1 FRS player and 1 KDR player are eliminated.

Nightmare (S) – Echo: You may turn your character face-up to draw 2 cards if Prove or Lock On is played on you. Echo is resolved before Prove or Lock On. If the Prove or Lock On card is cancelled by a Counteract card, Echo may not be activated. Modulation: You may lie when Prove is played on you. When Prove is played on you and your character is face-down, you may execute Echo and then Modulation. Elegy: If you are eliminated, you must give your hand cards to another player and he must randomly pick three and take them as messages. This is done after effects triggered by elimination are resolved. Mission: Have 3 red cards in hand when eliminated. Reveal hand cards and declare victory.

Oblique Shadow (S) – Exchange: You may turn your character face-up to exchange all your messages with another player. In case both KDR and FRS victory conditions can be achieved, resolve in anti-clockwise order starting with the active player. Mission: Gain 3 red messages.

Perfume – Spread: All your messages may be transmitted as Oriented Messages (OM). Illusion: After Trap cards are played and executed (i.e. not Counteracted), you must claim them into your hand. Mission: Another player declares victory on your turn.

Savage Assassin – Second Strike: If another player obtains a black message originating from you, you must draw 2 cards from the draw deck, and you may give him another black message from your hand. This cannot be triggered by Distribute. Fatal Strike: You may play Decode cards as Lock On. Mission: After at least one player has been eliminated, eliminate another player.

Scarlet Blade – Show Blade: When a Confidential Message (CM) originating from you comes back to you, you may force another player to accept it and give one more message to him from your hand. Blood Weep: You must draw 4 cards when a player is eliminated. Mission: 1 FRS player and 1 KDR player are eliminated.

Speaker (S) – Impute: You may turn your character face-up to Transfer a message you receive. This is a character ability and thus cannot be Counteracted. Wipe: You may Delete one of your true messages (i.e. blue or red) to turn this character card face-down. Mission: A player is eliminated in the same turn that Impute is used.

Static Electricity – Invasion: When you play Prove on another player, you may draw a card from his hand. Invasion is executed before Prove. Invasion cannot be executed if Prove is Counteracted. Decipher: You may play Lock On cards as Decode. Mission: Get 2 blue and 2 red messages.

Swan (S) – Snipe: During Message Transmission on another player's turn, you may turn your character face-up to delete one message. If it is not black, draw 2 cards. Aim: You must turn your character card face-down when anyone plays Trap, unless Trap is neutralized by Counteract. Mission: A player is eliminated before any victory declaration.

Tank (S) – Awe: You may turn your character face-up to request 1 obtained message from another player. If refused, you may give him up to 2 black messages from your hand. Mission: Gain 3 blue messages.

Titanium (S) – Force: You may turn your character face-up to Counteract a card effect. This is a character ability and thus cannot be Counteracted by another Counteract card. Cover: You may claim 1 black message from another player to turn your character card face-down. Mission: Gain 4 Lock On cards in your hand.

Tough Gun – Resist: You must draw 2 cards when you obtain a black message. This ability is triggered by Distribute and by character abilities. Strategy: When you play Decode or Trap, you may turn an exposed special character face-down. Mission: A special character declares victory.

Trinity – Philanthropy: On your turn, draw 3 cards instead of 2. Redemption: You may expose your identity to delete one of your messages and one of another player's messages. You pick which messages to delete. Mission: No more than 1 black message when a male character declares victory. If all characters are female, the only way to win is to have all other players eliminated.

Viper – Diversified: You may play Lock On cards as Trap. Reload: At any time that you have no cards in your hand, draw 1 card. Mission: Get 4 true messages (red or blue).