Card Goblins
Card Goblins Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Setup and Objective
Setup. Separate the trinket cards (Tralhas) from the rest of the deck. Choose 8 trinkets; the 6 cards marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory. The rulebook recommends including the Crown (Coroa) and the Shuttlecock (Peteca) in addition to the 6 mandatory trinkets. You may add more trinkets or use fewer depending on the number of players. Shuffle them and place them face down on the table.
Shuffle the rest of the cards and deal 5 cards to each player. Place the deck face down beside the trinket pile. The first player is the one who shouts "EU COMEÇO!" ("I START!") before everyone else, imitating a goblin. Play then proceeds clockwise.
Objective. The goal of the game is to earn 3 victory points through trinkets. Some trinkets have conditions for earning points; the most common is gaining one victory point by making a combination of trinkets. Each trinket can only be revealed once per turn.
The first player to reach 3 victory points must shout "SOU O REI GOBLIN!" ("I AM THE GOBLIN KING!") to win!
Trinket card example (Peteca). A trinket card shows a NAME, an ILLUSTRATION, a CONDITION, and its effect text. Example text: "At the end of your turn, reveal this card, gain one victory point and put it back on the trinket pile."
The Table (A MESA)
All players share the same deck, discard pile and trinket pile. Each player may have up to 6 creatures on the table and 6 cards in hand. When a trinket is won, it is placed on your table face down (unless the player wishes to show it). There is no limit to the number of trinkets a player may have on the table.
The Cards (AS CARTAS)
There are three types of cards in the goblin deck: Goblins, Summoning cards (Invocações) and Action cards.
Goblin cards. Goblin cards are the most common and the most important. Most have a SPECIAL (as shown on the example card "Shot, O Arqueiro"), while others have conditions or instructions. The SPECIAL can be used during your turn (see below). Goblins are also considered creatures. The example card "Shot, O Arqueiro" (a Goblin, power 1) has a MEGA SPECIAL: "Add +1 to the attack or defense of any combat."
Summoning cards (Cartas de Invocação). Summoning cards are similar to Goblin cards and may have the same variations. The major difference is the Summoning Level (Nível de Invocação), which is the number of creatures that must be tapped in order to summon that card. In the example "Aracnogoblin" (Summoning Level 2), the rulebook's caption reads: "in the example above, if you can tap at least one creature, you will be able to play this card." (Note: the caption contradicts the card's Level 2; the Summoning Level rule above, "tap one creature for each Summoning Level," is transcribed as printed in the Game Turn section, so a Level 2 card requires two creatures to be tapped.) Summoning cards are also considered creatures. The example card's MEGA SPECIAL is: "Tap any creature in play."
Action cards (Cartas de Ação). Action cards have an instant effect and may be used at ANY moment of the game. They are never put on the table and are always discarded after use. Example: "Grito de Guerra" (War Cry) — "Shout 'Goblins Detona' when attacking or defending and gain +2 bonus."
Card example captions (Hog, O Ladrão). The rulebook shows the Goblin "Hog, O Ladrão" (Hog the Thief) once as an untapped card and once as a tapped card. Its SPECIAL reads: "Choose an opponent and take a random card from their hand."
Glossary (GLOSSARIO)
- Attacker: When a player declares an attack, that player becomes the attacking player.
- Play (Baixar): The act of bringing creature cards onto your table.
- Action card (Carta de Ação): A card with an instant effect.
- Creature (Criatura): All Goblin and Summoning cards.
- Destroy (Destruir): The act of discarding a card in play.
- Untap (Desvirar carta): You may only untap a card that is tapped.
- Special (Especial): A creature effect that, to be used, requires that it is your turn and the card is not tapped. After use, the card is tapped.
- Goblin: All Goblin cards (as seen above).
- Summoning card (Invocação): All Summoning cards (as seen above).
- Hand (Mão): The cards in your hand.
- Mega Special: Considered a "Special" with the same function, except that it can be used at any moment of the game.
- Table (Mesa): A player's play area. Each player has their own "table", which consists of all creatures they have played.
- Victory Points (Pontos de Vitória): You need 3 victory points to win the game. You earn victory points through trinket cards.
Game Turn (ETAPAS DO JOGO)
Card Goblins is played in rounds. In a round, each player takes one turn. After the first player is determined (the one who shouts "EU COMEÇO!" first, in goblin voice), the order proceeds clockwise around the table.
On your turn, you must first untap all of your cards, and then perform any of the following actions in any order:
- DRAW A CARD FROM THE DECK.
- PLAY ANY GOBLIN FROM YOUR HAND.
- PLAY A SUMMONING CARD IF POSSIBLE.
- USE THE SPECIAL OF A GOBLIN (YOU MAY USE IT FOR EACH GOBLIN).
- ATTACK ANOTHER PLAYER OR GO LOOKING FOR TRINKETS.
If you have more than 6 cards in your hand at the end of your turn, discard until you have 6. Each of these actions is explained below.
Play a Goblin. If you have fewer than 6 creatures on the table, you may play any Goblin card from your hand. You may play only one Goblin per turn, unless a card you have says otherwise.
Play a Summoning card. Tap one creature for each Summoning Level of the card you want to play. If you cannot tap the required number, you cannot play the Summoning card. You may play as many Summoning cards as you can.
Use a SPECIAL. You may choose any card on the table that has a SPECIAL (or MEGA SPECIAL, see below) written on it and that is not tapped. Each special is different, and its rules are described on the card itself. You may use the special of each Goblin on your table that you want, in any order. After use, tap the card. Some cards have no special; their text describes a permanent effect, and they do not need to be tapped to apply such effects.
Attack an opponent. Choose all the goblins you want to use to attack an opponent, and continue the invasion as explained below in Combat. All cards that attack must not be tapped, but they will be tapped after combat (if they survive). You may not perform this action if you have already gone looking for trinkets.
Looking for trinkets (À procura de tralhas). If you have no trinkets on your table, you may tap any one creature of yours (that is in play) and draw a trinket card. If you already have one trinket, you must tap 2 creatures. If you have 2 trinkets, it is 3 creatures, and so on. You may not perform this action if you have already attacked an opponent this turn.
Tapped Cards (CARTAS VIRADAS)
When a card is used (special, attack, summoning, etc.), it must be tapped. This means tilting it sideways so that everyone knows it cannot be used until the next turn. A tapped card cannot be used for anything else (not attacking, defending, sacrificing, or using any special). Note that some cards allow you to tap and untap cards.
Every card is either tapped or untapped. You may not tap a card that is already tapped, or untap a card that is already untapped.
Example captions: "Carta desvirada" (untapped card) and "Carta virada" (tapped card), both showing "Hog, O Ladrão".
Instant Actions (AÇÕES INSTANTÂNEAS)
At any moment of the game (truly ANY moment), you may use an action card or a MEGA SPECIAL! Interrupt the other player (shouting if necessary) and use your card or effect.
If more than one action card or mega special is used in the same sequence, the cards played later resolve first.
Example from the rulebook: During Aline's turn, Tiago decides to use the card "Galinha Explosiva" on one of Bruno's goblins, but Bruno decides to use the card "Goblin é tudo igual" and direct Tiago's card's effect at one of Aline's goblins. Aline then decides to use the MEGA SPECIAL of her "Rod, O Profissa" to cancel Tiago's action card (she could have cancelled Bruno's action card, but preferred to do it this way so that Tiago would look foolish).
Combat (COMBATE)
Every combat involves an attacker and a defender. The attacker is the owner of the turn, the player who declares the attack. The attacker must choose all the creatures that will attack (any that are not tapped). The defender then chooses which of their creatures will defend (any that are not tapped).
At this point, both sides may use action cards and specials, which are resolved in order, from the most recent to the oldest. Once both sides agree, the effects of the cards are resolved, and after all of this, the power of each side is totalled. Add the power of all attackers (plus bonuses) and compare it with the total power of all defenders (plus bonuses). If the attack is greater than the defense, the attack succeeds.
A creature that has been tapped during this stage can no longer be counted toward the total power.
Reinforcements may be called: you may place more creatures that are not tapped on your table into the attack or defense, even after action cards and specials have been used.
If the attacker wins, the attacker must tap all of the attacking creatures. The defender's creatures do not need to be tapped. The attacker then takes one random trinket card that the defender has.
If the defender wins, all the creatures that attacked are destroyed. Again, the creatures used in defense do not need to be tapped.
You may not attack a player who has no trinkets.
Trinkets (TRALHAS)
There are only two ways to obtain trinkets: by looking for trinkets (tapping creatures while searching for trinkets) or by stealing from an opponent (by attacking an opponent and winning the combat). However, trading with another player is possible. Anything may be negotiated, but each trinket in play must remain in play until the end. Trinkets cannot be discarded, even if a trinket is useless and nobody wants to trade for it.
Reminder box: "Mestre Yaggos lembra o que fazer você pode" (Master Yaggos reminds you what you can do):
- Draw a card from the deck.
- Play any Goblin from your hand.
- Play a Summoning card if possible.
- Use the SPECIAL of a Goblin (you may use it for each Goblin).
- Attack another player or go looking for trinkets.