Dying Message (2023) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
  • Character Cards
  • Character List
• Game Goal
  • Faction Victory Conditions
• Setup
• Game Flow
• Killing Phase
• Interrogation Phase
  • Voting
  • After the Vote
  • Preparing for the Next Round
• Character Cards
  • Innocent Faction
  • Guilty Faction
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recommended Character Swaps

Contents

• Character cards: 36
• Evidence cards: 104
• Summary cards: 3
• Rulebooks: 3 (Japanese / English / Chinese)

Character Cards

Each character card shows three things: (1) the faction, (2) whether the character opens their eyes during the Killing Phase, and (3) the character's name.

Character List

Innocent Faction	Guilty Faction
Citizen x10	Killer x3
Private Detective x1	Professional Killer x2
Muay Thai x2	Mass Murderer x2
Celebrity x2	Mastermind x1
Aristocrat x2	Accomplice x2
Refuse Collector x2
Forensic Scientist x2
Hostage x2
Famous Dog x2
Soulmate x1

Game Goal

The players split into two factions, the Guilty Faction and the Innocent Faction, and compete against each other. When a faction's victory condition is met, every member of that faction wins the game.

Faction Victory Conditions

Guilty Faction: When the number of living killers (Killer, Professional Killer and Mass Murderer) is equal to or greater than the number of living Innocent Faction members, the Guilty Faction wins.

Innocent Faction: When all killers (Killer, Professional Killer and Mass Murderer) are dead, the Innocent Faction wins.

Setup

1. Shuffle the evidence cards well and place them face down as a draw pile. Randomly draw 9 cards and lay them face up within reach of all players. This is the Evidence Pool.
2. Refer to the summary card and prepare the character cards for the number of players, following the player-count distribution. Shuffle them face down and deal one to each player face down. Each player secretly looks at the front of the card they were dealt (this determines their faction and ability). Be careful that other players cannot see it. Note: Once you are used to the game, feel free to change the types and number of character cards to find a play style that suits your group.
3. The game is now ready to begin.

Note: The rulebook does not print the player-count distribution table; it is on the summary card that comes with the game.

Game Flow

The game proceeds in rounds. Each round consists of a Killing Phase, followed by an Interrogation Phase.

• In the Killing Phase, everyone closes their eyes while only specific characters open their eyes to take actions.
• In the Interrogation Phase, everyone opens their eyes, discusses, and votes on who will be eliminated from the game.

Killing Phase

In the Killing Phase, one player reads steps 1 to 3 aloud, and everyone, including the reader, follows the instructions.

1. "Everyone close your eyes. Extend one hand to the centre of the table, within reach of everyone."

• 1.1 If this is the first round and the Soulmate is in the game: "Soulmate, open your eyes. Take hold of the hand of any one player. That player will be your destined person. If one of you dies, the other will also die. Let go of their hand and close your eyes."
• 1.2 If the Famous Dog is alive: "Famous Dog, open your eyes. Choose one person you want to protect and place your hand on top of theirs. Then close your eyes."

2. "Killers (Killer, Professional Killer and Mass Murderer), open your eyes. Together, choose one person to kill (plus one additional person for each living Mass Murderer), and gently tap their hand. The tapped person is considered killed by the killers."

• 2.1 If the Famous Dog acted in step 1.2: "Famous Dog, close your eyes and withdraw your hand."

3. "Those killed by the killers, open your eyes. You are dead. First, confirm who the killers are. Next, reveal your character card, and immediately apply any ability that triggers when you are killed or when you die. Finally, select one card from the Evidence Pool as your genuine Dying Message, and move it to the message area in the centre of the table."

Note: If two or more players are killed at the same time, those players together select only one card as the genuine Dying Message.

From this point on, players who have been killed are the dead. Steps 3.1 to 5 below are best read by the dead. However, they may not speak freely or give hints by any means.

• 3.1 If the Private Detective is alive: "Killers, close your eyes. Private Detective, open your eyes and look at the genuine Dying Message for 5 seconds. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Private Detective, close your eyes."
• 3.2 If the Mastermind is alive: "Killers, if your eyes are open, close them. Mastermind, open your eyes and look at the genuine Dying Message for 5 seconds. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Mastermind, close your eyes."

4. "Killers, if your eyes are closed, open them. Together, choose only 2 cards from the Evidence Pool as fake messages (plus 1 additional card for each Professional Killer). Mix them well with the genuine Dying Message, and arrange them in the message area. Count to 5. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Killers, close your eyes."

The dead should help with the killers' handling so that the other players cannot tell what the killers are doing.

5. "Everyone open your eyes. We proceed to the Interrogation Phase."

At this point, there should be 3 evidence cards in the message area (plus 1 for each living Professional Killer). Unless affected by a character ability, one of them is the genuine Dying Message selected by the dead, and the rest are the fake messages selected by the killers.

Interrogation Phase

When the Interrogation Phase begins, everyone decides together on a time limit for discussion (for example, 5 minutes).

During this time, all living players discuss the displayed evidence, and finally vote for one player they want to eliminate from the game.

Note: If everyone agrees, the vote itself may be skipped (so no one is eliminated), and the game may proceed directly to the next round's Killing Phase.

Voting

• One player says "Voting begins, 3, 2, 1, vote!"
• At the moment of "vote!", each living player simultaneously points to one player they want to eliminate this time.
• If a player receives a majority of votes, that player is given one chance to defend themselves. Then everyone votes again. If the same player again receives a majority of votes in a row, that player is killed and eliminated from the game.
• If no player receives a majority of votes in the first vote, no one is eliminated in this Interrogation Phase.
• If the same player receives a majority in the first vote but avoids it in the second vote, or if a different player receives a majority in the second vote, no one is eliminated in this Interrogation Phase.

In other words, a player is eliminated only when a majority is received in two consecutive votes within the same phase.

Note: "Majority of votes" means more votes than half of the living players. For example, with 5 living players, 3 or more votes are needed; with 6 living players, 4 or more votes are needed.

After the Vote

• When the last of the killers (Killer, Mass Murderer and Professional Killer) dies, the Innocent Faction wins the game.
• When the number of living killers (including Killer, Mass Murderer and Professional Killer) is equal to or greater than the number of living Innocent Faction members, the Guilty Faction wins the game.
• If neither condition is met (no faction has won), prepare for the next round.

Preparing for the Next Round

Before proceeding to the next round, place the Dying Messages (genuine and fake) from the message area in front of the dead players who were killed in this round's Killing Phase. Move the evidence cards left in the Evidence Pool to the discard pile. Then draw 9 new evidence cards from the draw pile and lay them out as the Evidence Pool for the next round.

Note: When the draw pile runs out, shuffle the discard pile well to form a new draw pile.

Character Cards

Innocent Faction

Goal: Eliminate all killers through voting and other means.

• Citizen: No special ability. The goal is to identify all the killers.
• Private Detective: While alive, may look at the genuine Dying Message during the Killing Phase, before the killers place the fake messages.
• Muay Thai: If killed by the killers, the next round's Killing Phase is skipped.
• Celebrity: If killed by the killers, the killers select one fewer fake message this round.
• Aristocrat: If killed by the killers, the dead select one additional genuine Dying Message this round.
• Refuse Collector (printed as "Janitor" on the card): If killed by the killers, may select the Dying Message from the discard pile instead of from the Evidence Pool.
• Forensic Scientist: When killed, may select one Dying Message from the dead of the previous round who were killed by the killers. That dead player then tells everyone whether it is genuine or fake. Note: If the Forensic Scientist is killed during the Killing Phase, this ability triggers at the start of the Interrogation Phase that immediately follows.
• Famous Dog (printed as "Wonder Dog" on the card): While alive, during the Killing Phase, may protect one other player by placing its hand on that player's hand. This round, the killers cannot kill the protected player. Note: The Famous Dog cannot protect another Famous Dog or itself. The killers can kill the Famous Dog.
• Hostage: When killed, the nearest living player to its right and the nearest living player to its left die at the same time. Note: If this leaves no living players, the Guilty Faction wins. Note: If the Hostage dies during the Killing Phase, this ability is resolved immediately. The abilities of players who die because of this ability also trigger, but some abilities only trigger when a player is killed directly by the killers. The players who die this way together select one genuine Dying Message.

Guilty Faction

Goal: Make the number of living killers (Killer, Professional Killer and Mass Murderer) equal to or greater than the number of living Innocent Faction members.

• Killer: Included in the "killers". Each Killing Phase, the killers choose one player to kill.
• Professional Killer: Included in the "killers". Each Killing Phase, the killers choose one player to kill. While a Professional Killer is alive, the killers may place one additional fake message each Killing Phase.
• Mass Murderer: Included in the "killers". Each Killing Phase, the killers choose one player to kill. While a Mass Murderer is alive, the killers may kill one additional player each Killing Phase. Note: The card's English label reads "Serial Killer".
• Mastermind: Not included in the "killers". While alive, may look at the genuine Dying Message during the Killing Phase, before the killers place the fake messages.
• Accomplice: Not included in the "killers" and has no special ability. Helps the Guilty Faction win.

Note: If two or more players are killed during one Killing Phase, the players who were killed together select only one card as the genuine Dying Message (unless an Aristocrat is among the killed, in which case an additional genuine Dying Message may be selected).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happens if the killers kill the Accomplice? A: The Accomplice dies and selects one card as the genuine Dying Message, but may also choose an evidence card that favours the Guilty Faction.

Q: What happens if one Professional Killer and one Mass Murderer are both alive? A: The killers kill two players (the original rule plus the Mass Murderer's ability). Furthermore, one additional evidence card is added as a fake message (the Professional Killer's ability).

Q: What if the number of players is large and the killers cannot reach the player they want to kill? A: The dead take over and tap the player indicated by the killers' instructions.

Q: What happens when the evidence card draw pile runs out? A: Shuffle the discard pile well and form a new draw pile.

Q: What happens when several abilities trigger at the same time? A: Abilities accumulate. For example, if two Aristocrats are killed during the Killing Phase, the dead select three genuine Dying Messages in total.

Q: What happens if two Muay Thai are killed at the same time? A: Their abilities accumulate, so two Killing Phases are skipped. This means that three Interrogation Phases occur in a row before the next Killing Phase takes place.

Recommended Character Swaps

Q: Why are the Soulmate, Famous Dog, Hostage and Mass Murderer not on the recommended character card in the summary? A: These four characters change the experience and strategy of the game substantially. They are recommended for experienced players, and not for players who are playing this game for the first time. The following are suggested ways to use them.

• Soulmate and Famous Dog: When playing with 7 or more players, these may be swapped in for an Innocent Faction character.
• Hostage: When playing with 9 or more players, this may be swapped in for an Innocent Faction character.
• Mass Murderer: When playing with 7 or more players, this may be swapped in for a character among the killers (Killer or Professional Killer).

Note: The rulebook does not print the player-count distribution table; it is on the summary card that comes with the game.