Regicide Rules: The Cooperative Card Game

Regicide: The Cooperative Card Game

Regicide is a captivating cooperative card game designed by Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, and Andy Richdale. It can be played with 1 to 4 players and requires the official Regicide deck of cards, which can be purchased on Amazon.

Game Overview

Originally published in 2013, Regicide is a game that challenges players to work together to defeat 12 powerful enemies by using the special powers of their champions and animal companions. The objective is to overcome the corrupted monarchs, purge them of their darkness, and restore life to the land.

Objective

The aim of Regicide is to defeat all 12 enemies represented by the Kings, Queens, and Jacks in the Castle deck. Players win when they successfully defeat the last King, but they lose if a player is unable to satisfy the damage dealt by an enemy or if any player is unable to play a card or yield on their turn.

Setup

To set up the game, shuffle the 4 Kings, 4 Queens, and 4 Jacks (the Castle deck) and place them facedown in a pile on the table. Shuffle together all the cards numbered 2 to 10, along with the 4 Animal Companions and a number of Jesters based on the number of players (see table below). Place this deck, known as the Tavern deck, in the center of the table. Deal cards to each player up to their maximum hand size as indicated by the Jester Max Hand Size table above. The player who most recently committed regicide goes first.

How to Play

On their turn, a player will play cards from their hand to deal damage to the current enemy in order to defeat it. Each turn has four steps:

1. Play a card or yield: Players may play a card from their hand onto the table in front of them. The number on the card determines the attack value. Alternatively, players may choose to yield (see Yielding).
2. Activate the suit power: Playing a card grants a power associated with the suit of that card. Powers from red suits are resolved straight away, while powers from black suits take effect in later steps.
3. Deal damage to the enemy and check: Damage equal to the attack value of the played card is now dealt to the enemy. Check to see if the total damage dealt by all players so far is equal to or greater than the enemy's health. If the enemy is defeated, proceed to Step 4 (Defeated Enemy).
4. Suffer damage from the enemy: If not defeated, the enemy attacks the current player by dealing damage equal to that enemy's attack value. Players must discard cards from their hand with a total value at least equal to the enemy's attack value. Animal Companions have a value of 1 and the Jester a value of 0 when discarded to cover damage. If players cannot discard enough cards, they lose the game. After suffering damage, the next player in clockwise order begins their turn, starting at Step 1.

Yielding

During Step 1, it may be beneficial to yield instead of playing a card. To yield, simply say “Yield” and move directly to Step 4 (Suffer damage from the enemy), skipping Steps 2 and 3. A player may not yield if every other player has yielded on their last turn.

Scoring and End of Game

The game ends when the players win by defeating the last King or when the players lose because a player is unable to satisfy the damage dealt by an enemy. The players also lose if any player is unable to play a card or yield on their turn. When playing with only 1 player, there are rule changes for solo play as mentioned in the Solo Play section of the official rules.

Common Variants

While the standard version of Regicide is played as described above, some common variants include using different decks, altering the number of enemies, and adjusting the maximum hand size based on player preference or experience level.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Beginners should be mindful of communicating only allowed information during the game, avoiding revealing the contents of their hand. Also, they should make use of suit powers effectively, especially Spades for shielding against enemy attacks and Hearts for healing from the discard pile. Lastly, players should be strategic in yielding, as it can help conserve cards when necessary but may also leave players vulnerable to enemy attacks.

FAQ

1. Can I play Regicide with more than 4 players?
   • While the game is officially designed for 1-4 players, some players have experimented with increasing the number of players by adjusting the Jester and Animal Companion counts accordingly. However, the balance and difficulty may not remain the same.
2. Can I use my phone or a Regicide app during the game?
   • The official Regicide rules discourage using external devices, such as smartphones or apps, during the game to maintain fairness and focus on the cooperative experience. However, there is an unofficial Regicide Companion app available that can help players keep track of health and damage values.
3. Can I combine multiple Animal Companions in a single turn?
   • No, Animal Companions cannot be combined with each other or used as part of a combo. They can only be played on their own or paired with one card (except the Jester).
4. What happens if I run out of cards in the Tavern deck?
   • If the Tavern deck is empty, players should shuffle the discard pile to create a new Tavern deck and continue playing. However, some players may choose to reshuffle the Castle deck instead to add more challenge to the game.