Clash of Minds: Holmes vs Moriarty Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Description
• Components
• Cards Description
  • Crime Plan Cards
  • Investigation Site Cards
  • Influence Cards
  • Agent Cards
• Game Setup
• Preparing the Crime
• Establishing the Course of Events
• Gameplay Overview
  • A. Start of the Investigation
  • B. Course of the Investigation
  • Action Cards
  • Final Turn
  • C. Summary of the Investigation
• End of the Game
• Additional Game Mode: Agent Cards Included

Game Description

Clash of Minds: Holmes vs Moriarty is a two-player card game in which players take roles of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his greatest rival, professor James Moriarty. Those two powerful minds will try to figure out the intentions of their adversary every step of the way. They only have 12 hours to either solve or commit the crime of the century.

The Crime Plan plotted by Moriarty is divided into 3 Threads: Object, Felony and Victim.

Using the Influence Cards and their Agents unique abilities, players try to reveal or keep those Threads secret.

Each round of the game takes place in a unique location across the map of London. Each of these places changes the rules of the round or introduces certain restrictions in gameplay.

When the clock tower strikes twelfth and at least one of the Threads has not been revealed, Holmes is defeated and Moriarty triumphs, committing the crime of the century. However, that does not have to happen...

Components

• 7 Investigation Site Cards
• 9 Crime Plan Cards
• 8 Agent Cards (4 for each player)
• 40 Influence Cards (20 for each player)
• 8 Action Cards (4 for each player)
• 2 Help Cards
• 6 Influence Tracks Tokens
• 3 Influence Tokens
• Clock Tower Card
• Time Marker Token
• 8 Distraction Tokens
• 3 Deduction Tokens

Cards Description

Crime Plan Cards

Each Crime Plan Card shows a card type icon, a card name and a card effect. There are three card types:

• Victim: when revealed, has some positive effect for Holmes.
• Object: when revealed, has some positive effect for Moriarty.
• Felony: when revealed, has some neutral effect.

Example: the card "The Prime Minister" (type Victim) reads: "From now on, while using the "Add one Support Card" Action, instead of placing a card on the table, Holmes may choose one of his Support Cards already in play and put it on his discard pile."

Investigation Site Cards

Each Investigation Site Card shows a card name, the number of hours added to the clock once the card is revealed, the limit of Influence Cards (the number of Influence Cards that can be played in a given round by one player) and a card effect.

Example: the card "Buckingham Palace" adds 1 hour to the clock and has a limit of 6 Influence Cards. Its effect reads: "All Support Cards have an Influence Value of 0."

Influence Cards

Each Influence Card shows:

• Influence Card's type: a constant effect icon shown at the top of the card, beside the card name.
• Influence Value of the played card: the number in the top right corner. This is the value the card has when it is put into play.
• Influence Value of the used card: the value the card has when it is used (turned into a horizontal position). This is shown on the card's left side.
• Constant effect: the card's effect, which applies while the card is in play.
• Card's effect: the text box of the card.
• Number of copies of the given card in the deck: shown in the bottom right corner.

Example: the card "Fingerprints" has a constant effect, a played Influence Value of 3, a used Influence Value of 2, one copy in the deck, and the effect: "All other Influence Cards in this Crime Thread have an Influence Value of 1."

Distraction Tokens: If an Influence Card's effect was cancelled after the card had been used (but it was not discarded), put a Distraction Token on it. Distraction means that the text on the card does not matter, yet the card still holds its assigned Influence Value. Such a card can be moved across the Crime Threads, and is removed during the Archiving step, but its effect does not get resolved.

Deduction Token: used to show Holmes's Advantage on a Crime Plan Card (explained later in Summary of the Investigation).

Agent Cards

Each Agent Card shows a card name, an Agent's Activation Cost (the number in the top right corner) and the Agent's ability.

Example: the Agent "Sebastian Moran" has an Activation Cost of 1 and the ability: "Crime Threads on your side where you have at least 1 [person icon] have +2 Influence Value."

Game Setup

(The draft rulebook's setup diagram is an illustration without printed text. The setup steps are given in the text under "Establishing the course of events" and "Preparing the crime" below.)

Preparing the Crime

A player who plays the role of Moriarty has to prepare the Crime Plan. Player draws one card from each thread:

1. Victim (Positive effect for Holmes)
2. Felony (Neutral effect)
3. Object (Positive effect for Moriarty)

Moriarty reads through the drawn cards and places them face-down in the middle of the table, forming a row between him and Holmes (as shown below). He can place them as he wishes but he does not reveal the cards to his opponent.

Each of these cards forms a separate Crime Thread, into which both players will be placing their Influence and Support Cards.

Establishing the Course of Events

While Moriarty is preparing the crime, the Holmes player shuffles the Investigation Site Deck and both Influence Decks (one for each player, green reverse for Holmes and red for Moriarty). He places them on the table as well as 4 Action Cards (with green reverse) next to him and 4 Action Cards (with red reverse) next to Moriarty. Then he places the Time Marker at 12 o'clock on the Clock Tower Card. Afterwards, he places the First Player Card in front of him.

Gameplay Overview

The game is divided into rounds called The Stages of Investigation. Each round consists of 3 phases: Start of the Investigation, Course of the Investigation and Summary of the Investigation.

A. Start of the Investigation

1. Investigation Site. Reveal the top card from the Investigation Site Deck. Its effect influences the gameplay during this round. Add as many hours to the clock as indicated on the card.

2. Initiating Contacts. Moriarty and Holmes draw cards from their Influence Decks, until they have 5 of them in hand.

   NOTE: Each time the player has to draw a card and there are no more cards in his Influence Deck, he shuffles his discard pile and forms a new Influence Deck out of it.

3. Initial Setup.

   a. Initial Setup preparation. Starting with the First Player, both players consecutively place their Influence Cards facing down in any chosen Crime Thread until each of them has 3 cards in play. (They have to place all 3 cards, but they can place them as they wish, e.g. 3 in first Crime Thread and none in others.)

   b. Initial Setup Reveal. Players reveal all the Influence Cards that were put into play by turning them face up.

4. Draw 3 Influence Cards. Players draw 3 cards from their Influence Decks to have 5 in their hand.

B. Course of the Investigation

During this phase players put their Influence and Support Cards into play, trying to gain an advantage in given Crime Threads.

The printed example (page 9) shows one Crime Thread: Holmes has a Support Card (value 1), a used Influence Card (value 2), and two Influence Cards (values 3 and 2), for a total Influence of 8 when added (1 + 2 + 3 + 2 = 8). Moriarty has only one Influence Card with a value of 3. Moriarty moves the Influence Token 3 spaces closer to him and then Holmes moves it 8 spaces toward him, which sets the Influence Token on value 5 on Holmes's side of the Influence Track.

The gameplay is divided into turns, and both players take turns consecutively. At the beginning of his turn, the player flips all previously used Action Cards to their active side (face-up).

After using the Action Card the player turns it face-down, marking it as used. Actions may be used in any order. Once all activities related to an action are resolved, the player may use another Action Card.

The game round is divided into turns, which both players take consecutively. At the beginning of his turn, the player flips all previously used Action Cards to their active side (face-up).

Then the player chooses one Action Card at a time and resolves its effect. After using the Action Card the player turns it face-down, marking it as used.

Actions may be used in any order. Once all activities related to an action are resolved, the player may use another Action Card.

NOTE: The draft prints the two paragraphs above on turn order in near-identical form; both are transcribed as printed.

NOTE: Player may end his turn after using only the mandatory action.

Action Cards

Mandatory Action: Put one Influence Card into play.

This Action forces the player to put one Influence Card into play (during his turn the player must place one Influence Card into any chosen Crime Thread). The card is placed on the table in a vertical position. The Influence Value of a card is indicated by the number in its top right corner. That way, the player assigns an Influence Card to a given Crime Thread.

NOTE: If the player has no Influence Cards in his hand, using the Obligatory Action ends (as printed).

NOTE: Player can place his Influence Cards only on his side of the table (there is no possibility to place the card on the opponent's side of the table).

NOTE: Cards moved to another Crime Thread can NEVER change the sides of the table – both players' cards remain on their sides of the Crime Plan.

Optional Actions: While using the optional action, the player has to choose one of the actions displayed on the card (he cannot use both actions).

Draw one Influence Card. This action allows the player to draw one Influence Card from his Influence Deck and put it in his hand.

Use one Influence Card. This Action allows the player to use one Influence Card on his side of the Crime Plan. In order to do so, the player turns the card 90° clockwise, placing it in a horizontal position. That way, the Influence Value of the card changes, and the effect of the card gets resolved. The Influence Value of such card is indicated by the number in its top right corner.

Add one Support Card. This action allows the player to change one Influence Card from his hand into a Support Card. In order to do so, the player places an Influence Card facing down in a given Crime Thread. Such a card has the Influence Value of 1 and is not removed from play during the Archiving phase.

NOTE: Beware which cards are changed to Support. Support Cards are not removed from the table at the end of the round and do not return to the Influence Deck. They usually stay on the table until the end of the game.

Final Turn

The Final Turn occurs in two cases:

1. At the end of a player's turn, when the number of Influence Cards in play on his side of the table is equal to the Influence Cards Limit indicated by the Investigation Site Card. Support Cards are not counted towards the Influence Card Limit. In such case, the opponent takes one last turn and the Final Turn begins.

2. When both players have no more Influence Cards in their hands and they use the Mandatory Action to finish their turns, the Final Turn begins.

Final Turn Overview. During the Final Turn both players plan their actions in secret. Starting with the First Player, they consecutively place one Action Card (facing down) in a chosen Crime Thread. Such action can be applied only to the Crime Thread it was put into.

Both players put all 4 Action Cards into play this way (they can even put all 4 in one Crime Thread). Afterwards, starting with the First Player, they consecutively reveal one Action Card they've put in play and use it or not (only one action per card).

During the Final Turn, players ARE NOT OBLIGED to use any action from the Action Card. They may skip the revealed action (this also applies to the Mandatory Action).

During the Final Turn Action Cards have a slightly different effect:

• Put one Influence Card into play. The player may put one Influence Card into play (applied to the Crime Thread where this Action Card was put).
• Draw one Influence Card. The player may draw one Influence Card from his Influence Deck.
• Use one Influence Card. The player may use one Influence Card in play (applied to the Crime Thread where this Action Card was put).
• Add one Support Card. The player may put one Support Card into play (applied to the Crime Thread where this Action Card was put).

After both players have used or skipped all their Actions, the Course of the Investigation phase ends, and the Summary of the Investigation phase begins.

C. Summary of the Investigation

1. Conclusion. Sum up the Influence Value in each Crime Thread. Take into account the Influence Values of all Influence Cards, all modifiers of used cards' effects, and all Support Cards. Each Crime Thread is counted separately. There are 3 possible outcomes:

A. Holmes's Advantage

a. If Holmes's Influence Value Advantage in a given Crime Thread equals 1 or 2 and the Crime Plan Card has not been revealed:

• Put a Deduction Token on the Crime Plan Card.
• If there already is a Deduction Token on this Crime Plan Card, reveal it and immediately resolve its effect.

b. If Holmes's Influence Value Advantage in a given Crime Thread equals 3 or more, reveal the Crime Plan Card and immediately resolve its effect.

B. Moriarty's Advantage

a. If Moriarty's Influence Value Advantage in a given Crime Thread equals 1 or 2, add one hour to the clock.

b. If Moriarty's Influence Value Advantage in a given Crime Thread equals 3 or more, add two hours to the clock.

NOTE: When the Crime Thread is revealed both players can still play actions there as normal. Even though Holmes has discovered the secret behind this Thread, Moriarty still can try to have more Influence in next rounds to add more hours to the clock.

C. Draw

If there's no Influence Value Advantage on any side, nothing happens (unless the Investigation Site Card or Crime Plan Cards state otherwise).

2. Archiving. After the Conclusion step, check the game's Winning Conditions. If none of them have been met, both players remove all their Influence Cards from the table and put them on their discard piles. In addition, players may discard any number of cards left in their hands. The First Player Card is then passed to the second player and another Investigation begins.

NOTE: Support Cards are not removed during the Archiving step. They remain on the table for the following rounds.

End of the Game

Both players have different Winning Conditions; they are checked during the Archiving step. Below are the possible outcomes of the game:

1. Moriarty's Victory. Professor Moriarty committed the crime of the century and managed to escape. If the Clock Tower Card shows 12 o'clock or past it, and at least one Crime Plan Card has not been revealed, Moriarty commits a crime that shall be remembered and talked about throughout the whole century.

2. Holmes's Victory. Sherlock Holmes prevented the crime while Moriarty was caught and sent to prison. If all Crime Plan Cards are revealed and the time on the Clock Tower Card has not reached 12 o'clock, Holmes catches Moriarty and prevents the crime of the century.

3. Unresolved Duel – Draw. Sherlock Holmes prevented the crime, but Moriarty managed to escape. If the last Crime Plan Card is revealed and the Clock Tower Card shows 12 o'clock

NOTE: The draft's draw condition ends mid-sentence at "shows 12 o'clock" with no full stop; it is transcribed as printed.

Additional Game Mode: Agent Cards Included

Agent Cards introduce the following modifications in the given phases:

1. Establishing the course of events – Holmes. Holmes shuffles both Agent Decks, places his (green reverse) next to him and gives Moriarty his deck (red reverse).

2. Start of the Investigation. Before Initial Setup Preparation, both players draw one Agent Card from their Agent Decks. It is placed facing down on the table, until the player chooses to reveal it.

3. Actions. Add one Support Card. This Action also allows the player to place the Support Card under his Agent Card.

4. Agent's ability activation. The player may activate an Agent's ability if the number of Support Cards underneath it reaches its Activation Cost. The player may activate the Agent's ability straight away or leave it for subsequent turns. He reveals the Agent Card and declares the activation of its ability. The ability can be activated only on the active player's turn, unless the Agent's ability states otherwise, and is in effect as long as the Agent Card remains in play.

5. Archiving. Agents activated this round are discarded onto a proper discard pile. Support Cards used to activate an Agent's ability are discarded onto a proper discard pile as well! Agents that haven't been activated this round remain on the table – they may be left in play or replaced by another Agent in subsequent rounds.