Introduction

Welcome to The Prince

Your Deck

A Prince deck consists of your Retinue, which contains 25 Puppet cards common to all decks, and your Kingdom, which contains 50 Kingdom cards or your choice. You may not have more than 3 of any one Kingdom card in your deck, unless a rule on a card says otherwise. For more details see the rules on deck construction.

Overview of Play

The Prince is a game for two or more players, each of which has their own deck.

All players take their turns simultaneously, moving through four phases : Start, Build, Conflict, End. During the Start phase players draw cards. During the Build phase players put cards into play. During the Conflict phase they engage in conflicts, gaining or losing Standing, or taking damage. During the End phase cards are put into play, and special actions used.

In each phase players take it in turns to take actions, using cards from their hand, or from cards which they have in play. Costs for these cards are payed by discarding cards, or by paying Standing. This Rulebook also provides Rulebook Actions which are always available.

Winning and Losing

A player loses the game immediately if at any time their Kingdom deck is empty (revolt), or their Retinue deck is empty (coup). If any player reaches 50 Standing at the end of a turn, then they win. Otherwise a new turn begins.

Game Layout

Below is an example of a game in play.

Your two decks, Retinue and Kingdom, are placed to your left and right respectively. The cards in these decks are face down. The discard piles for each deck (Graveyard for Retinue, and History for Kingdom), are placed beside them. The cards in these decks are face up. Between the two is your Court, where Puppets who have been in conflicts are placed until they are ready to return to your hand.

Above the Court you can see some cards which are in play: Locations, which represent physical parts of your Kingdom; and Edicts, which represent political gambits. A Puppet is Stationed at one of the Locations. Puppets are the minions that serve you.

Retinue

Your Retinue deck contains Puppets. Every deck has the same set of Puppets (Soldiers, Sergeants, Lords, Generals, Count, Bishop, Princes, Duchess, Emperor). If you are in need of a Puppet, you can draw from this deck.

When a Retinue card is destroyed or discarded it goes to your Graveyard, the discard pile for the Retinue.

Kingdom

Your Kingdom deck contains all sorts of cards (Puppets, Actions, Combinations, Enhancements, Locations, Objects, Edicts). Each player's Kingdom is different — you construct your Kingdom deck yourself. You can draw from this deck instead of from your Retinue.

When a Kingdom card is destroyed or discarded it goes to your History, the discard pile for the Kingdom.

Court

Your Court is the area where Puppets go to recover after being involved in conflicts. Your Court has four sections, numbered (left to right) from 1-4. When we refer to "Court (4)" we mean the 4th section. At the start of each turn Puppets in the Court are moved one space left; puppets that move off the left end are returned to your hand. Puppets can also be moved right by various cards, but you can't move more right than the 4th space.

Puppets in your Court are in play, but they can't use their abilities, because they are resting (or occupied with court duties), unless the ability specifically says so.

Standing

You also have a Standing score, which measures how close you are to winning. Your standing is not an area of the game, but you may wish to use dice, counters, or some other method to record your standing.

Anatomy of a Card

Starting the Game

At the start of the game each player first uses any Setup Actions that may put cards into play.

They they then shuffle each of their decks, draw 5 cards from their Retinue and 7 from their Kingdom to form a hand (which you keep face down from other players) and set their Standing to 10.

If they wish each player may mulligan. To mulligan: set aside any number of the cards you drew from your retinue, shuffle the remaining cards back into the Retinue, and then draw back to 5 (including the set aside cards). Then, do the same with your Kingdom cards.

Finally they pay for any Setup Actions that they used.

Note that after the start of the game you may not shuffle your Retinue, Kingdom, History or Graveyard, unless a rule or card effect tells you to.

You are now ready to begin the game! Read the Anatomy of a Turn section below.

Anatomy of a Turn

Turns of The Prince are taken simultaneously (i.e. all players take their turns at one), and are made up of a series of phases. In each phase players take turns to act or pass until everyone has passed consecutively, at which point you move on to the next phase. A detailed summary of every phase and action appears at the end of this Rulebook in the summary section.

The main phases of a turn, and their functions, are as follows:

• Start - draw cards, recover puppets from your Court
• Build - put Placed cards in play
• Conflict - declare conflicts with each other (including the Rulebook Conflicts), to do each other damage or gain standing
• End - take other end actions
• Victory - check to see if anyone has won

The rest of this section outlines these phases in a little more detail.

Start Phase

In each Start Phase players do the following steps in order:

• Draw 1 Retinue card or 2 Kingdom cards
• Determine the first player for the turn (player with lowest Standing)
• Starting with the first player, each player may use a Start action, or pass
• If all players have passed consecutively, end the Start Phase.
• Move each card in your Court one space left. Cards moving off the left end are returned to your hand.

The Court is the area between your two decks where Puppets are placed after conflicts. Puppets with higher Strengths are placed more to the right, and so take longer to return to your hand. Here's an example of using your Court in the Start Phase.

Build Phase

During the Build Phase, players enlarge their Kingdom by putting into play Locations, Objects and Edicts (collectively Placed cards). Placed cards stay in play for multiple turns, and can give you powerful effects. See rules on placed cards for more information.

In the Build Phase players do the following steps in order:

• Starting with the first player, each player may use a Build action, or pass. The Rulebook build actions allow you to put a Placed card into play, Station a Puppet at a Location or Edict. See Rulebook Build Actions.
• If all players have passed consecutively, end the Build Phase.

Conflict Phase

During the Conflict Phase players use Declaration actions to start conflicts with each other. They invade Locations, vote down Edicts, steal Objects and engage in open war. This is where you directly try to knock your opponents out of the game.

Every turn may have many conflicts - the Rulebook Main Conflicts are always available. Conflicts cause players to take damage, gain and lose standing, and more.

In the Conflict Phase players do the following steps in order:

• Starting with the first player, each player may use a Declaration action (including the Rulebook declaration actions) to declare a conflict, or pass.
• If a conflict was declared, resolve it.
• If all players have passed consecutively, end the Conflict Phase.

End Phase

During the End Phase players use End actions, which often represent natural disasters or desperate ploys.

At the start of the End Phase you check for Peace. If no conflicts were declared in the Conflict Phase, then your Kingdoms are temporarily at Peace. Peace is a good time for a cunning Prince to lay their future plans - all Players may Draw a Kingdom card.

In the End Phase players do the following steps in order:

• Check for Peace. If at Peace, all players may draw a Kingdom Card.
• Starting with the first player, each player may use an End action, or pass.
• If all players have passed consecutively, end the End Phase.

Victory Phase

After the End Phase is over, you check to see if anyone has won. If any player has 50 or more Total Standing, and has the highest Total Standing, that player wins. If two or more players are all tied for the highest Total Standing, and all have more than 50, then the game is a draw.

Some placed cards are worth standing, (i.e. marked "this card is worth 5s"). You add this to your Standing score to arrive at your Total Standing, but you cannot spend this Standing.

Costs and Damage

When you pay for a card or an action, or when you take damage, you must lose Standing, or discard cards. Costs and Damage come in the following types:

• Standing (s) - You must lose the specified amount of Standing
• Hand (h) - You must discard the specified number of cards from your hand
• Puppet (p) - You must discard the specified number of puppets from your hand, from your court, from the top of your Retinue, or which you have in play
• Card (c) - You must discard the specified number of cards from your hand, from your court, from the top of either of your decks, or puppets which you have in play

For example if you must take 5c damage you must discard a total of five cards from your hand, from your court, from the top of either of your decks or from play.

If you are asked to pay a cost of a particular kind, but cannot, you cannot pay the cost. If you take damage, on the other hand, and cannot take the specific type of damage required, you take card damage instead.

Bob has 2 cards in his hand. He tries to take an action with a cost of 3h, but he can't, because he does not have 3 cards in his hand to pay the cost. Later another action makes him take 3h damage. In this case he discards two cards from his hand (2h), and because he does not have any cards left in his hand, takes the last point of damage as 1c, discarding a card from either of his decks.

Discarding cards in play

When playing a (p) or (c) cost you may choose to discard puppet cards which you have in play. In this case in play means a puppet you own stationed at any placed card you control, or any puppet in your court.

Some cards are Worth Standing. They increase your Total Standing for purposes of determining if you win, but you cannot spend that Standing.

You have 4 Standing and a card in play that is 'worth 4s'. Your Total Standing is 8, however you only have 4s to spend. If you need to pay a 5s cost you cannot. If you take 5s damage you are reduced to 0 Standing, and take 1c damage.

Remember, running out of cards in either deck means you lose the game, so be careful when paying costs!

Rules for Actions

During each of the game's phases (Setup, Start, Build, Conflict, Tactic, End) players take turns to play actions. Actions come from action cards in your hand (which you play, and then discard), or are printed on cards you have in play (Locations; Edicts; Objects; Puppets stationed at Locations or Edicts; Puppets in your Court; Puppets, Combinations and Enhancements in a conflict hand).

Actions printed on Puppets and Placed cards cannot be used when they are in your hand, unless they have the hand or absent keywords.

Each time you have the option of taking an action, you can use an action of the appropriate type, or pass. When everyone has passed consecutively the phase ends.

Actions have the following types:

• Setup - Use during the setup phase at the start of the game
• Start - Use during the start phase of the turn
• Build - Use during the build phase of the turn
• Declaration - Use during the declaration phase to declare a conflict
• Combination - Use while constructing a conflict hand
• Tactic - Use during a conflict
• End - Use during the end phase of a turn
• Reaction - Use in response to another action

Any action may be Forced. If you have a forced action you must take it before you can pass. e.g. if you have a Forced Start ability you must use if before you can pass in the Start phase.

An action has the following format

For example, consider the following action:

This action is taken in the End phase. When you use it you must target an Edict you do not control, and pay 3 Standing, if you cannot target such an Edict, or pay the 3s, you cannot take the action. When the action resolves you destroy the Edict, and lose 3 Standing. The second loss is part of the effect, so you can take the action even if you don't have 3 Standing left after paying the cost.

When using an action, always follow these rules:

Number of uses

Actions can only be performed once a turn

Abilities on Placed cards can only be used once per turn. Start, Declaration, Any and End actions printed on Puppets can only be used once per turn.

Any action may be marked Repeatable. A repeatable action can be used more than once per turn. e.g. a Repeatable End action can be used each time you have the chance to take an End action.

Puppet tactics can be used once per conflict

Tactics (or conflict reactions) printed on Puppets can be used once per Conflict. i.e. if a Puppet somehow participates in two conflicts in one turn it may use its conflict abilities again. This is an exception to the once per turn rule above, you can use a Puppet's tactic in a second conflict even if it is not marked Repeatable.

Reactions can only be performed once per trigger

Each printed copy of an action can only be used once per trigger. If a card has a reaction to an event, you can only use that reaction once when that event occurs, even if the card it is on remains in play.

If a new trigger happens, you can use a repeatable reaction again, if appropriate. For example a repeatable reaction that says "When paying a cost, discard a card" could be used each time you pay a cost.

Source of Action

Actions can only be played from an action card in your hand, or a card in play:

You can use an action printed on an action card in your hand, by playing it, and paying the card's cost. If the card has more than one action, you can only use one. Once you have played it, the card is discarded.

You can use an action printed on a card in play (e.g. a Placed card, a Puppet at a Location, a Puppet at an Edict, a card in a conflict hand). You do not need to pay the card's cost when you do this.

You can only use an action printed on a Puppet if it is in play, unless it has the hand keyword (or is a tactic with the absent keyword)

Tactics must come from the conflict hand

In addition to the restrictions above, when you use a Tactic action it must come from an action card in your hand, or a card in your conflict hand. A tactic with the absent tactic can be used from a card in play not at the conflict. A tactic with the hand keyword can be used from your hand.

You cannot use actions printed on cards in your court, or in a deck or discard pile

If an action says that you may use it in one of these locations, then you can ignore this rule.

Costs

You must pay an action's cost to use it

If an action is printed on an action card, you must pay the action card's cost to play it.

If an action has an additional cost you must pay the cost to use it.

If you cannot (or will not) pay the cost of an action, you cannot use it.

You pay an action's cost, even if a reaction later Negates it

Types of Actions

Setup Actions

Setup actions allow you to put cards into play, or into your hand, as the game begins. If you have a card with a Setup ability in your deck, you can use it in the Setup phase, but you do not have to. You will commonly keep Setup cards separate from the rest of your deck (e.g. face up in the card box) to make this easy.

If a card has a forced setup action then you must take that action, and start with the card in play, if it is in your deck. Faction cards, for example, must start in play, or your deck is illegal.

Start Actions

Start actions are used during the start phase of each turn. They usually (but not always) draw cards.

Build Actions

Build actions are used during the build phase of each turn, where you establish your Kingdom's resources by claiming Locations, issuing political Edicts, and putting Objects into play.

The following Rulebook Build Actions are always available:

Declaration Actions

Declaration actions declare conflicts. They have the following general form:

For more detail on Declarations, see the next section.

Combination Actions

Combination actions let you put extra Puppets into a conflict hand at reduced (or no) cost. Each Combination specifies the cards that must already be in your conflict hand to use it, and the cards that you can then add for free. For example:

This combination is active if you have a Castellan in your conflict hand. If you do you may include up to 3 Soldiers in the hand without paying the standard 1c cost.

Combination action cards are included in your conflict hand. You pay their cost (if any) when the conflict hand is revealed. If a card in your hand has a Combination action, you include it in your conflict hand, then use the action when the hand is revealed.

Many combination actions will say 'Combines for free with something'. For example:

If you already have a 'Hierarchs of Somecar' Puppet in your conflict hand, you can use this action to add the card it is printed on to your conflict hand without paying the standard 1c cost.

Tactic Actions

Tactic actions are used after conflict hands have been revealed in a conflict, and before the conflict resolves. They generally modify the conflict hands, or add / subtract strength.

Tactics have an additional restriction. During a given conflict, you may only use a tactics printed on an action card in your hand, or printed on a card present at the conflict. For example consider the following card:

If you are resolving a conflict, and Cornered Sentry is in your conflict hand, you can use its action to give it +3 Military Strength. If Cornered Sentry is in your hand, you cannot use its ability, because it is not an Action card. If Cornered Sentry is stationed at a Location you cannot use its ability, because it is not at the current conflict.

An Absent Tactic action printed on a card that is not located at the current conflict (e.g. Stationed, in Court, or in your hand) is an exception to this rule, as is a Hand Tactic action printed on a card in your hand, however an Absent Tactic on a card in your Court can only be used if the action specifically allows its use while in Court

If a tactic gives "+X Strength" then add the bonus to whichever stat (Military or Political) is being used in the current conflict.

Strength bonuses from tactics go away after the end of the conflict, unless they say otherwise.

End Actions

End actions are used during the end phase. They may come from action cards in your hand, or any card in play (A Location, Object, Edict, stationed Puppet or Puppet in your Court), although End abilities on cards in your Court can only be used if they say "when this card is in your court". End actions on Puppets in your hand can only be used if they have the hand tag.

Reactions

Reactions are used in response to a triggering event. Cards with reactions are marked with the eye of Ishok This event can be one of the following:

• A phase starting or ending
• A conflict starting or ending
• A player paying a cost, or taking damage
• A card being drawn, destroyed, or discarded
• A conflict hand being revealed
• Standing being gained or lost
• An action being taken

After any triggering event each player has the opportunity to play a reaction, or pass, starting with the player who took the action, or triggered the event, and continuing clockwise. Players can continue taking reactions, or passing, until all players have passed. The Reactions played then resolve in reverse order. Finally, the triggering event happens, if it has not been cancelled by one of those reactions.

Rules for Conflicts

Conflicts are direct fights with other players, with consequences for winning or losing. Invasions, raids, thefts, motions in court — any of these can bring you victory. Conflicts are played out using conflict hands containing one or more Puppets, Combinations, and Enhancements, and finessed with Tactics. You can play multiple conflicts per turn, if you have the resources, but beware, other players can declare conflicts with you as well, keep nothing back and you are guaranteed to lose.

The following are rules that apply to the use of Conflicts.

Declaring Conflicts

Conflicts are declared during the Declaration phase, using Declaration Actions. When an conflict is declared the player designates all the targets, each target may refuse (if possible), and then each other player involved (in an open action) may pass or ally with one of the involved players. Once this has happened, if there is still at least one player invovled, each player constructs a Conflict Hand face down. The hands are turned face up simultaneously, and there is a Tactics phase. When the Tactics phase ends the conflict is resolved.

The process is summarised as follows:

1. The conflict is declared (a player uses a Declaration action)
2. The targets are chosen
3. The target(s) may refuse (if the conflict is Refusable)
4. If at least one target does not Refuse, other players may pass or ally (if the conflict is Open)
5. Each player involved constructs a conflict hand in secret, then places it face down
6. All conflict hands are revealed simultaneously
7. There is a Tactics phase
8. The conflict is resolved

Declaring a Conflict

You Declare a conflict by using a Declaration action. If it is printed on an Action card then you pay the action's cost when you make the Declaration.

The following Rulebook Declaration actions are always available:

Choosing Targets

When you declare a conflict, you must choose at least one other player to be the target. A conflict may either target another player directly, or one of their cards, in which case both the card and the card's owner are targets. For example consider the following Declaration:

In this case the targets are the Location, and the player who controls the Location.

Many conflicts will target "all other players". In this case every other player is a target.

Refusing a Conflict

If you are the target of a conflict marked Refusable you may choose to refuse the conflict. Normally there is a cost associated with doing so, you must pay that cost to refuse. If all targets of a conflict refuse, then the conflict does not happen, and the opportunity to declare a conflict passes to the next player.

Passing or Allying

If a conflict is marked Open then players who are neither the initiator or the target may get involved. Starting with the player to the left of the initiator, each other player has an option to Pass or Ally. Either of these actions may have a cost associated, in which case the player must pay the cost to Pass or Ally.

If you pass, you are not involved in the conflict. If you Ally you choose one of the participants (either the initiator or a target) and ally with them. Your conflict hand's Strength will be added to theirs when the conflict resolves.

For example consider the following Declaration:

Because this is an Open conflict, players other than the target can participate. Each other player can choose to Pass (and gain 1s), or Ally with either player involved.

Constructing your Conflict Hand

Each player participating in the action now constructs a conflict hand in secret. The cards from the conflict hand must come from the player's hand, unless some other effect allows them to come from elsewhere. The conflict hand must contain either no cards at all (a null hand) or at least one puppet and other cards. Cards can be included in conflict hands as follows.

Puppets

Your conflict hand may include zero or more Puppets from your hand. Their cost must be paid when the hand is revealed. You must pay an additional cost of 1c for each Puppet after the first unless this cost is altered by a Combination action.

A conflict hand with no Puppets is a Null Hand and cannot win a conflict.

Enhancements

One or more enhancement cards can be included. Their cost must be paid when the hand is revealed. There must be at least one puppet before you can use an enhancement.

Combination

One or more combination cards can be included in the hand. Their cost must be paid when the hand is revealed. Combination cards reduce or alter the cost of Puppets included in your conflict hand. For more details see the Combination Action section.

Revealing Conflict Hands

When each player has constructed their conflict hands they are all revealed at the same time.

At this point all costs for the cards in the hand are paid, plus the cost required for each additional Puppet which has not had its cost reduced or altered by a Combination action.

If you do not pay the cost for any card, or any card is illegal (i.e. a cost cannot be paid, or a combination does not allow the card) then the whole hand is discarded and the player counts as playing a null hand.

The Tactics Phase

The players now enter the tactics phase. Each player may play a tactic in turn, or pass. Players with a null hand must pass. In an action with one target the target gets the first option to play or pass, followed by the player to his left. In an action with multiple targets the first target to the right of the initiator has the first option.

When playing a tactic a player may use a Tactic action on an Action card in their hand, or a Tactic action written on a card in their conflict hand, or an Absent Tactic on any other card they own (or a Hand Tactic on a card in your hand). For more information see the rules on tactic actions.

When all players in the action have passed consecutively the tactics phase ends.

Resolution

When the tactics phase ends each player counts the total strength of their conflict hand. In a Military conflict this is the total of all Military strengths and bonues, plus all general bonuses. The same is true of a Political conflict with Political strengths. Players with a null hand have no strength.

If a player has one or more allies (see open conflicts) then they add their allies' strength to their own. An ally's strength must be added to the player they allied with at the start of the conflict.

If one player has at least 0 strength (i.e. not a null hand), and the highest total strength, they are the winner. Players who allied with him are the winner's allies. All other players who were targets are losers, and their allies are the looser's allies. If a card does not specify a benefit, or penalty, for allies, then there are none.

If more than one player has the highest total then all players are losers, and all allies are looser's allies.

If one player is the only player in the conflict then they are automatically the winner (though there are no losers) as long as they have at least one puppet in the conflict and at least 0 strength.

Cleanup

After the resolution, all Enhancement cards in your conflict hand are discarded (placed in your History). All combinations are set to one side, and return to their owner's hand when the action phase ends. In a non-fatal conflict (see below) all puppets go to their owner's Court in a slot equal to their printed strength divided by two (rounding up). Values higher than 4 go in slot 4.

In a fatal conflict all Puppets are killed (placed in your Graveyard) unless the player decides to retreat them. Retreating is done by paying 1c and placing the card in the player's court as above. You may retreat some Puppets and allow others to be destroyed as you wish.

Types of Conflict

The following Declaration Keywords govern how a particular conflict works.

Closed

A closed conflict involves only the player who declares it (the initiator) and the targets. A closed conflict cannot be passed, but may be refused (if it is also marked Refusable).

Open

The opposite of closed. An open conflict has an initiator and one or more targets, but all players who are not targets can also participate. When a player participates in this way they nominate the initiator or a target to ally with.

If a player who is not a target declines to take part then they have passed (they are a Passer). Targets may not pass, only refuse.

Refusable

The targets of a Refusable conflict may refuse, by paying the Refuse cost (if any). If all targets refuse, the conflict does not happen.

Fatal

In a fatal conflict, all puppets on the losing side (Losers and Losers Allies) are destroyed (placed in the Graveyard or History) unless retreated.

Military

A Military conflict counts the Military strength of the cards involved. A Military conflict is Fatal by default.

Political

A Political conflict counts the Political strength of the cards involved. A Political conflict is non-fatal by default.

Example Declarations

The following are some example declarations which help elucidate who is a target and who is not, and who can refuse or pass.

Placed Cards

Placed cards are the 4th type of card in The Prince (along with Puppets, Combinations, and Actions). Unlike Puppets — which go to your Court after use, Combinations — which are placed aside when used, before returning to your hand, or Actions — which are discarded after use, Placed cards stay in play after they have been played and have continuing effects.

The major types of placed cards are:

• Locations - which represent physical parts of your kingdom
• Edicts - which represent political gambits, laws and alliances
• Objects - which represent artefacts of great power
• Attachments - which represent enhancements to other placed cards

Like Puppets, Placed cards have a Military and Political Strength, which are used in conflicts that target the card. Here is an example Placed Card:

To put a Placed card into play you use the Rulebook Place Build Action. When you do this, you pay the card's cost.

Types of Placed Cards

Locations

Locations represent key physical parts of your Kingdom: Castles, Palaces, inaccessible caves, farmlands and roads. They are placed in a row in front of your court and decks (the order doesn't matter, feel free to reorder them when you like).

Locations can be attacked with the Rulebook Invasion Declaration Action.

Locations can have Puppets stationed at them, using the Rulebook Station Build Action. These Puppets will get to automatically oppose any conflict at the Location.

Edicts

Edicts represent key political strategies: Laws, Pronouncements, Alliances, Plots and Plans. They are placed in a row to the right of your Locations (the order doesn't matter, feel free to reorder them when you like).

Edicts can be attacked with the Rulebook Vote Declaration Action.

Edicts can have Puppets stationed at them, using the Rulebook Station Build Action. These Puppets will get to automatically oppose any conflict at the Edicts.

Objects

Objects represent priceless artefacts and magical objects with powers that you can use. Objects must be placed in a Location that you control using the Rulebook Place Build Action. If the Location is destroyed the Object is destroyed too, unless some card effect protects it. Objects may be the target of Theft conflicts, which allow your opponents to destroy them and gain Standing, but the Location and any Puppets stationed there will automatically defend against this.

Attachments

Attachments are enhancements that are connected to an existing placed card, making it stronger in some way, such as a fortification, or a legal protection. Attachments are played using the Rulebook Place Build Action. You will only want to use Attachments in a deck with a lot of Placed cards, since they are otherwise useless. If the card an attachment is attached to is destroyed, so is the attachment.

Deck Construction

A playable deck of The Prince consists of two parts, the Retinue and the Kingdom. Rules for both are below.

Retinue

The Retinue deck consists of a standard set of 25 Puppets, the same for every deck, as follows:

• Soldier x6
• Sergeant x4
• Lord x4
• General x2
• Castellan x1
• Count x1
• Duke x2
• Bishop x1
• Prince x2
• Duchess x1
• Emperor x1

You can play with a plain Retinue, or you can customise it by swapping some of the Puppets with others. You can do this as long as the replacement Puppet has the Retinue Icon. Each Puppet with a Retinue icon will have keyword matching one of the standard Retinue Puppets, which it replaces. These replacements generally have interesting abilities, but will have a cost or different stats from the free ones.

If a Retinue Puppet is Unique then it may only replace one card in the Retinue, otherwise you may replace as many Puppets as there are matching ones in the Retinue. e.g. a Puppet with the Lord keyword could be placed up to four times in your Retinue.

Kingdom

Your Kingdom deck consists of 50 cards. Unlike your Retinue, there are no standard cards in your Kingdom, you can add what you like. The only restrictions are as follows:

Only one of each Unique card

You may only include one copy of each Unique card

Only three of each non-unique card

You may only include three copies of each non-unique card, unless a rule on the card says otherwise

Only one Faction

You may only have one Faction card (though you can have no faction if you wish)

Only matching Faction cards

If a card has a Faction trait, it must match your Faction card (If you have no Faction card, you cannot include cards with Faction traits)

Factions

Factions represent the major powers of the Empire, such as the Kingdoms of Thalor, Lycastria, Elphas and Somecar. If you include a Faction card in your deck, then you can also include cards with the matching Faction trait. You are free to play a Prince deck with no Faction, of course, one of the many minor nations or Princedoms, but in this case you cannot include any Faction cards in your decks.

Alternatively you can include a Faction card, which starts in play. In this case you can include cards in your Kingdom and Retinue that have the matching Faction trait.

Faction cards look like this:

Keyword Reference

absent

An absent tactic action can be taken in a conflict even if the card it is on is not present

action

An ability printed on the card, or in the rulebook, that you can take when is your turn to act. Each given printed action can only be used once per turn unless they are marked repeatable

ally

In an open conflict players who are not the initiator or target can choose to be involved by allying with one of the targets (or the initiator). There may be a cost (or reward) for allying. The opposite of pass

attachment

A type of placed card that is attached to another placed card

closed

A type of conflict. In a Closed conflict players who are not the initiator or target cannot participate

combination

A type of card, used to put multiple puppets in a conflict hand. A Combination has a required puppet or puppets marked in bold — these puppets must be in the conflict hand or the combination is invalid. It then lists one or more combined puppets which, if included, do not incur the normal 1c cost.

conflict

A core action of the game, where players directly face off. Conflicts are created by declarations. Conflicts can be political or military

conflict hand

The hand of cards that you play when participating in a conflict. A conflict hand is at least one puppet, plus any enhancements or combinations. A conflict hand is face down until revealed at the start of the conflict

copy

A 'copy of an action', is the same printed action on a different card. By default only identically worded actions on cards with the same names are copies. If an action says 'use only one copy of this action per turn', it means that even if you have two cards of the same name in play, only one of those actions can be used. A card can also be a copy of another card. In this case the second card is treated as if it had the same printed name, keywords, actions, and stats as the card it copies.

cost

Something you have to pay to take an action or play a card. e.g. 1c (card), 1p (puppet), 1h (hand), 1s (standing). If you don't pay the cost you can't play the card or take the action. Compare damage

counter

A counter is a token placed on a card. Counters may have names, but are interchangeable. If you move a counter from one card to another (with an effect) then it counts as whatever type of counter that card might have. If a counter is moved to a card that does not have a counter-related action, trait, or effect, then it becomes a blank counter, with no effect.

court

The place where puppets go after the end of a conflict. Puppets in your court eventually return to your hand

damage

Damage is inflicted on you as the result of losing a conflict or from an action. Damage has the same types as a cost, but you can't choose not to take it. If you can't take the damage (e.g. you are out of cards), you lose. When you are at 0 Standing, standing damage becomes card damage

declaration

A kind of action. Declarations are used to start conflicts

destroyed

A destroyed card is placed in the appropriate discard pile (graveyard or history) face up

dies

See destroyed

draw

Draw a card from your kingdom or retinue deck. If the effect doesn't say which, you may draw from either

edict

A type of placed card that represents a political decision

end

A kind of action. End actions are taken during the end phase

enhancement

A type of card, played in a conflict hand. There must be at least one puppet in the hand to play an enhancement

epithet

A name that distinguishes one version of a unique card from another one with the same name. Appears following the card's keywords

face down

A face down card is one that cannot be seen by all players. The following cards are face down: cards in a player's hand, the top card of any deck, cards in a conflict hand that has not yet been revealed, any card that instructs you to play it face down. If such a card is physically turned face up by some ability, it is no longer face down.

faction

A faction represents one of the Imperial nations. You can only have cards from one faction in your deck, and only if you have a faction card in play at the start of the game. Your deck does not have to have a faction card

fatal

A type of conflict. In a fatal conflict all puppets involved are destroyed during resolution unless retreated

forced

If an action is forced, you must take it. If it is on a card you own, you cannot pass that action's phase until you have taken the action. If the action's phase is ended by a card effect before the forced action is taken, you do not need to take it that phase

graveyard

The discard pile for your retinue deck

history

The discard pile for your kingdom deck

initiator

The player who starts a conflict by playing the declaration action

killed

See destroyed

kingdom

One of your two decks, containing kingdom cards that you have picked. The other is the retinue deck. Cards discarded from the kingdom go into the history

location

A type of placed card that represents a physical location

military

One of the two primary strengths on a card, representing combat ability and defence. Also a type of conflict in which military strengths determine victory. Military conflicts are fatal by default. Compare political

negate

A negated card is destroyed, and any pending effects it has are cancelled. If an action is negated by a reaction then it does not resolve. If a card in a conflict hand is negated, it does not contribute strength to the conflict. If a placed card is negated then it, and anything attached to it, or placed in it, is also destroyed (stationed puppets are not destroyed).

non-fatal

A non-fatal conflict is one that would be fatal by default (such as a military conflict) but in which losing puppets are sent to your court instead of being destroyed. Compare fatal.

object

A type of placed card that represents an item. Objects must be placed in locations

open

A type of conflict. In an Open conflict all players who are not the initiator or target can participate by allying. If they do not do so they have passed

pass

In an open conflict players who are not the initiator or target can choose not to be involved. If they do not they have Passed. There may be a cost (or reward) for passing. The opposite of ally. Can also mean to not take an action when it is your turn to do so

placed

A type of card. Placed cards are played, and then stay in play. Types include location, edict, object, attachment

political

One of the two primary strengths on a card, representing political acumen and influence. Also a type of conflict in which political strengths determine victory. Compare military

printed number

Some cards 'increase a printed number' on a card. A printed number is anything marked using a numeral, including the political and military strength, the cost, and any numbers in any traits or actions

puppet

A type of card. Puppets represent minions and allies that you command in your bid for the throne

reaction

A kind of action. Reactions are played in response to other actions

refusable

A type of conflict. In a Refusable conflict the targeted players may decline to participate (refuse), usually by paying some cost

refuse

A player refuses when they decline a refusable conflict

repeatable

A repeatable action can be used more than once per turn

resolution

The final step in a conflict, when you decide who has won, and resolve any effects

retinue

One of your two decks, containing a standard set of puppets. The other is the kingdom deck. Cards discarded from the retinue go into the graveyard. Puppets with the retinue symbol go in your Retinue

retreat

When a puppet is dying because it is on the losing side of a fatal conflict you may pay 1c to put it in your court instead

setup

A kind of action. Setup actions are taken before the game starts and put cards into play from your deck

standing

Your standing score measures how close you are to winning by acclaim. You may spend standing when playing an Xs cost

start

A kind of action. Start actions are taken during the start phase

station

To place a puppet at a location, using the station Rulebook action. The puppet is stationed there. If the location is destroyed the puppet goes to the court

strength

Cards have a military and a political strength, which measures their abilities in combat and politics. When a card refers just to Strength, it means to add to both

tactic

A kind of action. Tactics are taken during conflicts

target

The player or placed card that is the target of a conflict

trait

A named rule, such as Scout or Vengeful, with a rule reminder in parenthesis

unique

You can only have one copy of a Unique card in play

worth

If a card is 'worth 1s' it means your total standing, for the purposes of winning the game, is counted as 1 higher. You cannot spend this standing. If the card leaves play you no longer have this increase