Careta
Careta Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
- Deck of 41 cards.
- 36 Numbered Cards (3 for each number 1 through 12).
- 4 Number 0 Cards (Red, Yellow, Blue, Green).
- 1 Trick Card.
- 8 Quick Reference Cards.
- 1 Niebla Games Promotional Card.
- 32 Silver Tokens worth 1 point.
- 8 Gold Tokens worth 5 points.
- 1 sealable plastic bag to store Tokens or Cards.
Careta's deck is divided into 4 suits: Glory (Red Axe), Wealth (Yellow Ring), Influence (Blue Mask), and Spirit (Green Candle). Unlike other card games, each card number has a determined suit:
- Glory: 1, 5, 9
- Wealth: 2, 6, 10
- Influence: 3, 7, 11
- Spirit: 4, 8, 12
Aside from their suit (main background color), each card also has a different secondary color for their Character and internal elements to make them unique. For example, there are three number 5 Glory cards: one with a Yellow Character and a Ring, one with a Blue Character and a Mask, and one with a Green Character and a Candle.
Each suit has a single value 0 card. These 0 cards don't have a secondary color. Finally, there is a single Trick Card that has a card back on both sides.
Set-Up
Before starting, one player shall take the role of Deck Master and will shuffle and deal the cards during the Match. If most players agree, this role can be shifted to the right between Sets. Each Set consists of 3 games. To begin, the Deck Master must deal 4 cards face down to each player. This marks the beginning of the Set.
The first game will be started by the player to the right of the Deck Master. Whoever starts the game must play a card and decide if the game shall be played UP or DOWN. This determines if the goal of the game: obtain the highest or the lowest score. Each player's score is either the number value of the card played, the sum of the card and the ALLY (if playing UP), or the lowest difference between the card and ALLY (if playing DOWN). Refer to the ALLIES section for more on allies. After each game, the player to the right of whoever started the last game will start the next game and decide on UP or DOWN again. At the end of the third game, the Set is finished. Any cards not played are discarded, and the Deck Master must deal new cards to begin the next Set. This repeats until a player reaches 10 points and wins the Match.
NOTE: The Deck Master must shuffle the entire discard pile back into the deck when there aren't enough cards left to deal to every player.
How to Play
Playing Cards
In each game, each player must play at least one card. The cards are played in turns, always to the right of each player. After going full circle, each player can decide to play their ALLY if it's still available. This is also done in turns, and continues to go in circle until no allies are played.
Every card should be played face down (though it's allowed, there is no benefit in playing cards face up). Whenever a card is played, the player must state out loud the score of the card played (or the total score of both cards if playing an ALLY). The score stated can be a lie.
When playing a card, a player may opt to say PASS instead of the score of the card played. In this case, they may not play an ALLY in this game.
Determine a Game's Winner
Once every player has played their cards and allies (optional), the game ends and the game's point is awarded to whoever stated the highest/lowest score. Whoever wins the point must be unmasked and reveal the cards played, so that everyone can see if the game's point was won with a lie. In the event of a draw (when various players state the same score), the game's point is not awarded to anyone. However, the tied players must still be unmasked and reveal the cards they played.
Allies
In every Set, players start with 4 cards. Since there are only 3 games per Set, each player may choose to play a second card in only one of the games of the Set. This is called playing an ALLY. If playing UP, the score is the value of the ally card added to the value of the played card. If playing DOWN, the value of both cards are subtracted, usually resulting in negative numbers. In this case, the score is the lowest possible difference between the cards, regardless of which was played first. In any case, whenever an ally is played, the resulting score must be stated out loud.
Cards are valid allies of each other if there's a match between the color of their suits or their characters. It's also valid if the suit's color matches the other card's secondary color.
A player may lie when playing an ally facedown, under risk of their deception being discovered. The play is considered a lie if the cards aren't valid allies, regardless of the resulting score being true.
A player can choose to play both cards at once, stating only the resulting score.
NOTE: Since the largest card number is 12, and the lowest is 0, the highest sum possible is 24 (12 + 12), and the lowest difference is -12 (0 - 12).
Allies are played in turn order. Players get only one chance per game to decide to play an ally or not. The exception to this is the player who is currently winning with their stated score. They are not forced to choose unless someone states a better score.
NOTE: If there is a tie for highest/lowest stated score, the tied players must choose. If one chooses not to play an ally, they can no longer do after another player states a better score.
Additional Points
Doubting
Whenever a card is played face down, any other player can Doubt the score stated. When a player is doubted, they must turn their card (or cards) face up. If the score stated was true, the doubted player wins a point for being doubted in vain. However, if the score stated was a lie, the liar loses a point (if they have one), and whoever doubted them first wins a point for unmasking a liar. In case a player was doubted by 2 or more players simultaneously, the point is awarded to whichever doubter is next to the liar in turn order. A player can only be doubted if they are the last person to play a card. Someone else can play a card without allowing time to doubt the previous play. In this case, the previous play can no longer be doubted. If a player is unmasked as a liar, they are eliminated from the current game: they can no longer play cards, and cannot win the game's point. However, they can still doubt other players.
NOTE: The only way to lose points is to be doubted and unmasked as a liar. There is no penalty for doubting in vain.
NOTE: A player may not have less than 0 points.
NOTE: When unmasking a player that has played their ally, if it's revealed that the resulting score is true, they win a point regardless of if the score stated for the first card was a lie or not.
Unmasking
Once the winner of a game is determined, they must be unmasked and reveal the cards they played. If a game was won with a lie, they are awarded an additional point for winning with deception.
Trick Card
If a player is dealt the Trick Card, they must lie when playing it. However, if a player wins a game with deception and reveals the Trick Card, they will be awarded an additional point. In this way, the maximum number of points that can be won for a game is 3: 1 for winning the game, 1 for winning with deception, and 1 for revealing the Trick Card in a winning play.
Cause!
Before playing their first card of the Set, if a player has one card of each suit or 4 cards of the same suit, they may exclaim CAUSE to win an additional point. If nobody doubts the claim, the player is awarded a point, and the game continues as normal. But if someone doubts the claim, the player must reveal their hand. If they really had CAUSE, they win 2 points: one for having CAUSE, and another for being doubted in vain. But if they didn't really have CAUSE, they lose a point, and the whoever doubted first wins a point for unmasking a liar. In either case, the doubted player must discard their hand and be dealt 4 new cards. They may once again exclaim CAUSE with this new hand.
NOTE: If multiple players exclaim CAUSE simultaneously, each one is resolved according to turn order.
NOTE: The secondary color doesn't matter in a CAUSE.
Teams (2vs2 / 3vs3 / 4vs4 / 2vs2vs2 / 2vs2vs2vs2)
Careta can also be played in teams. Teammates must be seated in an alternating fashion so that they cannot peek at each other's cards. The rules of the game are mostly the same as before, but with the following adjustments:
- The objective is to be the first team to reach 10 points. Every time a team member wins a point, it's granted to their team.
- You cannot doubt your teammates.
- Draws between teammates still award the game point to the team.
Cards are still played individually, so players can only play allies to their own cards.
When playing allies, only the player in the stated score lead gets a pass on deciding to play an Ally or not. Other teammates must make their choice normally.
NOTE: In the event that two or more teammates win a game with the same highest/lowest score, if any one of them was truthful, the team does not win the Unmasking nor the Trick point.