DEADCERT: London
DEADCERT: London Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Raw Recruit Briefing (Detective Reasoning)
The rest of this guide details how to play the game - this section introduces how to think the game, the decision making processes required to be a Deadcert Detective.
How Deadcert Is Different
During a Murder Episode, detectives are advised to keep or discard suspect cards according to their 'value', but the numbers on the cards are for identification only. In Deadcert, it is up to the players to value the cards themselves. Each player may value the same card differently, and the value of a particular card is likely to vary as the game progresses and certainly from episode to episode. So where to start...
A Typical Rookie Error
In each Murder Episode players are presented with 16 Motive, 16 Means and 16 Opportunity suspects. The type of mistake is the same for each group but the following explanation focuses on the Motive Suspects.
A typical error is to value the cards by which motive appears to be the strongest, the most plausible compared to the others on offer - the motive the Rookie has most empathy with. But the truth is that all 16 suspects have motive. How a player personally values a motive has absolutely no bearing on the likely guilt or not of a suspect in a case - an objective approach hopefully shared with the real world.
Abductive Reasoning
When valuing a Motive Suspect, it is the likelihood that they would have had the Means and the Opportunity to carry out the murder that needs to be considered. Does the suspect sound as if they would have the ability to carry out the murder, knowledge of the crime scene, perhaps the time of death is significant, being in some way associated with their motive?
The questions to ask:
- Motive Suspects: "From what is known of the suspect, are they likely to have carried out the murder in that way and on that particular date?"
- Means Suspects: "From what is known of the suspect, are they likely to have known the victim and have a connection with the date of the murder?"
- Opportunity Suspects: "From what is known of the suspect, are they likely to have had an association to the victim and does the crime scene fit their character?"
Deductive Reasoning
Sometimes deductive reasoning can be employed to completely eliminate a suspect from the investigation. For example, if the motive is based on an event that took place after the murder then their motive can be disregarded as the victim was dead before they had a reason to kill them. These 'easy wins' are rare but a few do emerge occasionally so it is good to keep an eye out for them.
Initial Set Up
The Game Set includes 5 Evidence Packs (labelled A-E) which each contain 60 cards. Once unwrapped each pack needs to be divided into 3 sets of 20, according to their evidence type, which are distinguished by 3 distinct icons & colours:
- Victim & Motives (purple)
- Crime Scene & Means (green)
- Time of Death & Opportunities (orange)
Card Types
- Detail Cards - define the Murder Episodes and are available for review during a game
- Summary Cards - provide a summary of the 3 different play formats available
- Suspect Cards - list the possible incriminating evidence levelled at each suspect
- Snoop Cards - provide detectives with action options they can use during the game
Evidence Packets
Before placing the sets in their own resealable bag, creating 15 Evidence Packets, ensure that the face of the Detail card is at the front and the Summary card is at the very rear, with the other 18 coloured cards (16 Suspect cards and 2 Snoop cards) sandwiched between them in any order.
Placing the cards in this order makes it easier to select an evidence packet by its letter & type or by the actual name of the victim, crime scene or the time of death, whilst keeping the Suspect cards hidden from view.
Note: extra bags are provided for the expansion packs if purchased, with 1 bag as a spare if a replacement is required.
Play Formats
Deadcert can be played in 3 ways - each providing a different detective experience.
OPENplay (4a) is recommended for novices, and although actions and decisions are open for all to see, there is still a need to be discreet, or even devious, to come out on top.
COVERTplay (4b) & SOLOplay (4c) are suited for more experienced detectives, both requiring the need to keep accurate records of the evidence that comes to hand.
Comparison Table
| OPENplay | COVERTplay | SOLOplay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. Detectives | 2-6 | 2-5 | 1 |
| Typical Duration | 45 mins | 90 mins | 60 mins |
| Checklists/Notes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cards Held | 3 on Table | 7 in Hand | 7 on Table |
| Co-op Variant | Yes | No | No |
| Career/Group Modes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Creating a Murder Episode
At the start of every game the murder episode is created by selecting an Evidence Packet of each type, setting the victim, crime scene and time of death, of the murder to be investigated. The packets are opened, and the 3 Detail cards are laid face up on the table. The mix of coloured Suspect & Snoop cards are then well shuffled together to form the 54 Cards in Play. The Summary card relevant to the format being played can act as a quick reference guide.
The 37 Suspects
- 27 suspects will only appear on one card.
- 10 characters will be Prime Suspects as they will appear on more than one card.
- 9 Prime Suspects will appear on just two cards with just 1 making an appearance on 3 cards - being the only suspect to have had motive, means and opportunity, they are the murderer in the episode.
OPENplay (4a)
Introduction
OPENplay is ideal as an after dinner event to accompany either an easy or full bodied wine. Players read out the Suspect Cards and there is no Checklist or note taking involved - so no desperate need to clear the dining table. It has an easy going social form.
Players: 2-6
Cards Shared Centrally (diagram)
- Fresh Evidence Stack
- 3 Detail Cards
Cards with Each Detective (diagram)
- 3 Chief Suspect Cards*
- Filed Evidence Stack*
*created during the episode - not present at start
Object of Game
Each Detective selects 3 cards - open on the table - as their 3 Chief Suspects (1 for each evidence type). Cards that players deem to be of less value are filed face down in their own Filed Evidence Stack, which they can review at any time.
To win, a player must have 2 or 3 of the cards that identify the killer, laid out as their Chief Suspects when the 3rd card is presented. If the 3 cards are split across 3 players, there is no winner.
Start of Episode
The 3 Detail Cards are read out first to set the scene for the murder episode. Once read they are placed faced up on the table for all players to be able to reference at any time. The cards in play are placed faced down to form the Fresh Evidence Stack, and Detectives play in turn, starting left of the dealer and proceeding clockwise.
Play continues until all 3 incriminating cards are singled out as Chief Suspects - this will most often occur before the Fresh Evidence Stack has been fully depleted. If the Stack is depleted, the vital card(s) to win the game have been neglected and are in someone's Filed Evidence Stack waiting to be Exchanged.
Note that Detectives have no cards in their possession when play starts.
Each Turn
A Detective can either choose to Fetch a single card from the Fresh Evidence or Exchange a single Suspect card already filed by themselves or another Detective.
One thing Detectives cannot do is make any kind of notes - memory of previous cards that have been read out, and by whom, can play an important part in deciding who turns out to be the winner.
Fetch - Fresh Evidence
Either a Suspect or Snoop card is drawn from the Fresh Evidence Stack.
-
Suspect Cards - At first, the Detective reads out the card once clearly for all Detectives to hear, before deciding whether to treat it as a Chief Suspect, or put it face down in their own Filed Evidence Stack.
At the start it is good to treat it as a Chief Suspect if you currently do not have one for that particular evidence type. If the card is chosen to replace an existing Chief Suspect, its predecessor is demoted to your own Filed Evidence Stack.
-
Snoop Cards - These enable Detectives to Swap a Chief Suspect with another Detective's of the same type. They are played or abandoned immediately after being fetched. Used or otherwise, they are discarded within the filed evidence stack and can play no further part in the episode.
If another player has what you consider to be a superior Chief Suspect than you hold (or you do not hold one) for a specific evidence type, it is the perfect tool to upgrade your Chief Suspects and downgrade an opponent's.
- or -
Exchange - Filed Evidence
A Detective may promote any filed evidence card to be one of their own Chief Suspects. This feature can be used in two ways.
- It can be used to promote a card you already hold in your filed evidence stack in favour of a Chief Suspect you currently have. This is typically in response to another card appearing that identifies a Suspect you already have evidence for, as a Prime Suspect. Promoting it makes it safer from the clutches of like-minded detectives.
- If, however, you believe someone else is holding a Prime Suspect in their filed evidence stack you can request to examine their cards. If you find the card you want and you consider it more valuable than your own Chief Suspect of the same evidence type you may exchange the cards. If you have asked the wrong player or have simply changed you mind upon reading the card, you can abandon the exchange and effectively forfeit your turn.
COVERTplay (4b)
Cards Shared Centrally (diagram)
- Fresh Evidence Stack
- Declared Evidence Stack*
- 3 Detail Cards
Cards with Each Detective (diagram)
- 3 Filed Evidence Stacks*
- Gathered Evidence in Hand
- Lock Down Prime Suspect*
*created during the episode - not present at start
Stage 1 - Gather Evidence
Detectives - in turn - have 1 of 3 ways to gather evidence - which is left face down in front of each Detective until the stage is completed by all the Detectives.
- Fetch - Fetch 3 new cards from Fresh Evidence Stack, or if depleted, from Filed or Declared Evidence Stacks. With the Fresh Evidence exhausted, you can fetch a combination of cards from any of the alternative stacks available.
- Snoop - If you have a Snoop card (5) you can Snoop 2 cards from a fellow detectives' hand and Fetch a 3rd. To perform a Snoop, the fellow detective must fan out the 7 cards in their hand so that the Snooper can clearly identify the evidence types being held before making a selection. Once played, the card is immediately filed in it's relevant Evidence Stack. A Detective may only be Snooped once in a round.
- Declare - Declare an irrelevant card, placing it face up on the Declared Evidence Stack and Fetch 5 cards rather than the regular 3 (only available if the Fresh Evidence Stack is exhausted and there are at least 5 cards available in Filed Evidence Stacks).
Stage 2 - Analyse Evidence
All Detectives - simultaneously - collect their gathered evidence. The cards are then reviewed and Checklists (6) updated accordingly. A decision is then taken to choose which 7 cards are the most valuable ones to keep in hand. The ones to be filed away are then placed face down before each Detective. Once everyone can be seen to have made a decision play proceeds to the next stage.
Stage 3 - File Evidence
Each Detective - in turn - discards the cards they wish face down, adding them to the relevant Filed Evidence Stacks for each of the types. If the stack already exists, the cards are slid underneath. Each Detective is left with 7 cards at the end.
Stage 4 - Take Action
All Detectives - simultaneously - can take any of the following actions, multiple ones if they wish to, enabling players to unlock and lock pairs in one swift move.
- Lock Down - If 2 cards held identify the same (Prime) Suspect a Lock Down can be performed that will shield them from all but 1 Snoop card. The pair are placed face down & the hand reduced to 5 instead of 7 for as long as there is a pair in lock down. A Detective can only have one pair Locked Down.
- Unlock - Brings a Locked Down pair back into the hand.
- Call a Press Conference - Actioned by the winner who holds the cards that incriminate the killer - the only Suspect who had Motive, Means & Opportunity.
SOLOplay (4c)
Stage 1 - Gather Evidence
There are 2 possible ways to gather evidence, and these are clearly divided according to the state of play. For the majority of the game - at least until the killer is identified - fresh evidence is Fetched. At the closing stage of the game the incriminating evidence is then Snooped. Both of these methods are detailed below.
- Fetch - Fetch 3 new cards from the Fresh Evidence Stack. This is done until the murderer has been identified - i.e. the 3rd card to incriminate the murderer has been exposed - and all available Snoop cards have been acquired to reclaim any filed evidence, if required.
- Snoop - If you have any Snoop cards (5) to hand, vital evidence can be Reclaimed from the tops of the Filed Evidence Stacks. This is done once the killer is known and effectively forms part of the end game.
If you have made good judgement calls and the hand has been kind to you, you should be in a position to reach any incriminating cards that lay in the filed evidence stacks and win the game.
Stage 2 - Analyse Evidence
The gathered cards are reviewed and the Checklist (6) updated. A decision can then be made as to which 7 cards are to be kept in hand and which are to be filed - the choice being dependent on how far the episode has progressed...
Stage 3 - File Evidence
At the beginning of the episode, it is best to file away the stronger leads and keep the weakest in hand - as evidence filed earlier will be easier to Reclaim by using the Snoop cards. 3 Separate Filed Evidence Stacks need to be created for each evidence type, with cards filed subsequently, being slid underneath the appropriate stacks.
When filing evidence, it is crucial to note its position in its stack on the Checklist (6) so that the level a card sits within a stack is known - the top being level 1. Cards filed at levels 1&2 are the easiest to retrieve, while those at levels below 8 are impossible - see Snoop Reach diagram that illustrates how the ease to reclaim a specific card reduces if it's position in a stack is deeper.
Source note: the printed sentence "those at levels below 8 are impossible" is transcribed as printed. The Snoop Reach diagram below shows the intended meaning: levels above 8 (>8) are impossible to reclaim.
Snoop Reach is restricted by the Snoop cards kept to hand, and the effectiveness of the cards - as Level 2 Snoop Cards are more flexible than their Level 1 companions.
As the game progresses and the stacks build up, it becomes best to keep the stronger leads to hand and file the weakest. The judgement call as to when you make that switch can vary from stack to stack and is dependent on the Snoop Cards you have to hand and the prime suspects that you think are the most promising.
At the end of the filing there need to be just 7 cards laid out again.
Snoop Reach
The Snoop Reach diagram (printed on the OPENplay page, referenced from SOLOplay Stage 3) shows how easily a filed card can be reclaimed depending on its stack level:
| Stack Levels | Reach |
|---|---|
| Levels 1-2 | Easily |
| Levels 3-4 | Possible |
| Levels 5-6 | Risky |
| Levels 7-8 | Very risky |
| Levels >8 | Impossible |
Snoop Cards (5)
There are 6 Snoop cards in play in every episode. Level 1 Snoops are type specific and only enable Snoops of cards of a specified type - Motive, Means or Opportunity - whereas Level 2 Snoops are more powerful as they are not bound by types.
Level 1
- Snoop (Motive) - OPENplay: SWAP Chief Motive Card (optional). COVERTplay: SNOOP 2 Motive & FETCH 1 of ANY Card. SOLOplay: RECLAIM 2 Motive Cards.
- Snoop (Means) - OPENplay: SWAP Chief Means Card (optional). COVERTplay: SNOOP 2 Means & FETCH 1 of ANY Card. SOLOplay: RECLAIM 2 Means Cards.
- Snoop (Opportunity) - OPENplay: SWAP Chief Opportunity Card (optional). COVERTplay: SNOOP 2 Opportunity & FETCH 1 of ANY Card. SOLOplay: RECLAIM 2 Opportunity Cards.
Level 2
- Snoop (card 1) - OPENplay: SWAP ANY Chief Card (optional). COVERTplay: SNOOP 2 of ANY & FETCH 1 of ANY Card. SOLOplay: RECLAIM 2 of ANY Card.
- Snoop (card 2) - OPENplay: SWAP ANY Chief Card (optional). COVERTplay: SNOOP 2 of ANY & FETCH 1 of ANY Card. SOLOplay: RECLAIM 2 of ANY Card.
- Snoop (card 3) - OPENplay: SWAP ANY Chief Card (optional). COVERTplay: SNOOP Lock Down Pair & FETCH 1 of ANY Card. SOLOplay: RECLAIM 2 of ANY Card.
Each card contains separate actions depending on the format being played.
- OPENplay - Snoops must be played immediately when picked or the turn forfeited. If an opponent holds a more valuable Chief Suspect, they enable the player to perform a useful Swap. In the Co-op Variant (7) of the format they can enable the re-balancing of valued cards through the team.
- COVERTplay - Snoops enable players to Snoop 2 random cards from an opponent's hand and can help to gain valued cards and thwart another player's game in one swift move. 1 card even enables access to a locked down pair.
- SOLOplay - Snoops are usually instrumental in the closing stage of an episode in determining whether a game is won or lost. They are used to Reclaim any incriminating cards from the filed evidence stacks - if placed within reach.
Checklists (6)
Suspect Checklists are provided to help identify the killer during COVERT & SOLOplay.
Every Suspect card that is gathered is recorded by noting the forename of the Suspect by the appropriate ID number on the Suspect Checklist. If a name appears in a game more than once, it needs to be added to the Prime Suspects list on the right-hand side, along with the evidence types the name has appeared under.
Of the 10 prime suspects in an episode, 9 will appear under duel evidence types, while the 10th will be under all 3 - the suspect with motive, means & opportunity - the murderer.
Numbers have been written alongside the names to record the level cards have been placed within the filed evidence stacks.
Guide captions: the guide shows an example Checklist after a successful episode of COVERTplay, and a second example from a successful episode of SOLOplay. The principles are the same as for COVERTplay with a couple of additions.
The bottom of the sheet has also been used to record Snoop cards that have been drawn so far, useful to know if you need to choose whether to sacrifice a Snoop card or not.
Co-op Variant (7)
Introduction
If working with a team of detectives appeals, the competitive format of OPENplay (4a) has a co-operative variant. The play format is basically the same with just 3 key differences - the objective; how Snoop Cards are used and how filed evidence is exchanged - all detailed below. Please refer to OPENplay (4a) for all other instructions.
Although filed evidence can only be transferred between players by Snoops, players are at liberty to openly share the cards they have and discuss as a collective the best actions to take, including which cards each should hold as Chief Suspects in order to win as a team.
Object of Game
To win the co-op version the 2 previous incriminating cards must already be visible as Chief Suspects as the 3rd card is fetched. Success or failure is determined by the teams' joint actions. By the nature of the format, the chances of success increase with the number of players.
Fetch - Snoop Cards
These enable Detectives to Swap one of their Chief Suspects with a fellow Detective's Suspect Card of the same type, that is tucked away in their filed evidence stack. [Note: Players do not take a colleagues' Chief Suspect.] They are played or abandoned immediately after being fetched. Used or otherwise, they are discarded within the filed evidence stack and play no further part in the episode.
This can prove very helpful if a player holds more Prime Suspects than others and cannot treat them all as Chief Suspects. If the correct player fetches the right Snoop Card at the right time, valued cards can be rebalanced through the team.
Exchange - Filed Evidence
A detective may promote a card from their own filed evidence stack to be one of their own Chief Suspects. This is typically in response to another card appearing that identifies a Suspect you already have evidence for, as a Prime Suspect. [Note: Players do not have access to other detective's filed evidence stacks.]
Modes of Play (8)
Apart from enjoying individual murder episodes it is also possible employ two more expansive modes of play.
Career Mode
In this mode multiple episodes are created to play in turn from all the Evidence Packets to hand. This guarantees that all the cards are used and only used once. Accumulative scoring is managed in these ways:
- OPENplay: a point is scored for every incriminating card held by a Detective at the end of each episode
- OPENplay co-op: total the number of wins but also note the number of players
- COVERTplay: 3 points are awarded for each win and 1 point for every Detective who proves (by the notes on their Checklists) they had successfully identified the killer before the episode finished
- SOLOplay: simply total the number of wins
Group Mode
Similar to Career Mode, but instead of one set of Detectives running through the episodes in turn, multiple sets of detectives work on the episodes simultaneously! That's up to 48 people playing Deadcert from an expanded game set.
Hints & Tips (9)
- In COVERTplay, if another player knows you hold a vital suspect card (probably because you just Snooped it from them) you may consider fetching more cards of a similar evidence type to effectively camouflage your card, thereby improving your odds of keeping hold of the card if you are Snooped in return.
- Declaring will not only speed up your information gathering, it will also shorten the episode as a whole, as it will reduce the number of cards in circulation.
- Remember that all information you discover about a character will hold true for any murder episode and no facts you read will contradict others.
- The use of a poker face can be an important advantage in this game. If you over react to a card that is read it may give vital clues to your opponents, unless you practice the art of bluffing and want to mislead your fellow Detectives...?