Excalibur Rulebook

Table of Contents

Game Setup
Rules of Play
Glossary
- Chips

Game Setup

Pick a start player at random. Give them the crown.
Find the 2 key chips: Excalibur & Cursed Blade. Set them in front of the crown holder. (Note: There is an Excalibur chip and an Excalibur blade replica. Text that mentions a "Sword" is always referring to a chip.)
Spread all other chips facedown on the table and mix them up to form a pool of chips called Avalon.
The crown holder turns their 2 chips (Excalibur and Cursed Blade) facedown, then adds facedown chips from Avalon (if necessary) until they have a total of 1 chip per player. (At 2 players, add no chips since you already have 2.)

Mix up these facedown chips and deal 1 to each player as their starting chip. (Soon round one will begin, and players will draw until they have 4 chips in hand.)
Place the blade replicas (Arondight, Galatine, and Excalibur) in Avalon, dividing Avalon's chips into 3 roughly equal regions.

See reverse-side for Rules of Play.

For more info on Excalibur, visit: Roxley.com/Excalibur

Rules of Play

Excalibur is a lighthearted game of trickery and cunning. Players must conceal their hands and use deception as their ally to sow the seeds of distrust around the table.

The Goal

When the game ends, whoever has the Excalibur chip is the winner, taking the crown and becoming ruler! All others must grovel before their new monarch.

If no one has Excalibur, the kingdom is in chaos. Everybody loses!
If a player has the Cursed Blade, they are the ultimate loser.
If a player holds Excalibur AND the Cursed Blade, then every other player shares a tainted win (a shadow of a true victory).
Some chip abilities can also alter the win conditions.

Gameplay

Each game is played over several rounds, until the chips in Avalon are nearly gone. Each round has 5 steps:

Draw: Each player with fewer than 4 chips must simultaneously draw chips from Avalon until they have 4 in hand. (If two players want the same chip, the player closest to the crown in a clockwise direction gets it.)
Play: Players simultaneously pick 1 chip from their hand to play, concealing it in an extended fist.
Reveal: Players simultaneously open their fists to reveal their played chips. (Some chips have "On Reveal" abilities.)
Resolve: Beginning with the crown holder and going clockwise, each player resolves their played chip's effect. Immediately trash a resolved chip faceup to the box, so the table knows which chips are still in play. (Use the box lid and box base as two areas for trashed chips.)
Pass: The crown holder passes it to the player on their left for next round.

At All Times

If any 1 region of Avalon is empty (or 2 regions for 6-8 players), then the current round becomes the final game round (even if chips are later added back into Avalon). After this round finishes, the game is over and a winner is determined (as above).

Tips For Your First Game

Table-talk is part of the game. Excalibur is best when people laugh and accuse each other of having the sword.
Ditch that Cursed Blade. Use "Steal / Return" effects to take a chip and give back the Cursed Blade from your hand!
The final round is key! Watch for depleting regions. If the last round is near, choose chips that can get you Excalibur!
You can control the game's end. If you have Excalibur, consider emptying a region to force the game to end!
Timing conflicts are always resolved in turn order.

Glossary

Text on chips is abbreviated. It is overruled by the text here.

Avalon: The pool of facedown chips in the center of the table. Avalon is split by the 3 blade replicas into areas called regions. Avalon's chips are only mixed up when instructed.
Sword: Refers to 3 chips: Excalibur, Cursed Blade, & Squire Sword.
Draw: Take this number of chips from Avalon. The chips may come from different regions. There is no maximum hand size.
Steal: Take this number of random chips from one player's hand to yours. You can mix up your chips anytime, but cannot show them.
Return: After a draw or steal, return the indicated number of chips from your hand to where they were taken. The chips can be ones you just took, or any others. Chips returning to Avalon can go to any regions. (Use this to stash Excalibur in Avalon or pass on the Cursed Blade.)
Trash: Move trashed chips to the box faceup. They are out of play.
On Reveal: Resolves immediately when revealed (before other chips). Multiple "On Reveal" (or "Permanent") effects resolve in turn order.
Permanent: On reveal, this chip stays by you as a faceup played chip. (It is not trashed nor part of your hand.) While in play, you have its ability.
Flip: The indicated chip is flipped like a coin-toss. It lands as a faceup win or a facedown fail, then resolves accordingly.

Chips

Arthur (×1): Anyone with swords holds them out facedown. Without peeking, steal 1 and give back the rest.
Artisan (×5): Draw 2 chips or steal 2 chips, then place 2 from your hand into any regions in Avalon (facedown).
Baroness (×4): Draw 2 chips, then trash 1 chip from your hand to the box (faceup). You cannot trash a sword.
Black Knight (×1): On reveal, flip this chip twice (like a coin toss). If either flip lands faceup, take 1 played chip from any player to your hand. They lose its ability. (Can take a Permanent.)
Caelia (×1): Point to up to two players. They must trash any chips in their hands featuring male artwork (denoted with blue borders in this glossary).
Cursed Blade (×1): This sword can't be played or trashed (but it can change hands). If you have this chip at game's end you can't win, and you are instead the ultimate loser.
Excalibur (×1): This sword can't be played or trashed (but it can change hands). If you have this chip at game's end, you win!
Fisher King (×1): Permanent: You may flip Fisher King anytime. On faceup, effects saying "steal" take 0 chips from you this round. On facedown, trash Fisher King (no effect).
Galahad (×1): On Reveal, close your fist on 1 chip from your hand. This chip is protected from all effects this round.
Gawain (×1): Pick a player. If they have a sword, they must give one of their swords to you (their choice).
Green Knight (×1): Anyone with swords must give them to you.
Guinevere (×1): Anyone with swords holds them out facedown. Without peeking, place up to 2 in 1 region & mix it.
Lady of the Lake (×1): Point left or right. All players simultaneously pass their hand in that direction.
Lancelot (×1): On reveal, all players must flip their played chips (like a coin toss). If the flip lands facedown, they trash their chip and lose its ability. (Also flip any Permanents in play.)
Merchant (×7): Draw 2 chips or steal 2 chips, then return 1 chip.
Merlin (×1): Anyone with swords must give them to you. Then in turn order, those who gave up one or more swords must steal 1 chip from your hand.
Mordred (×1): Peek at a player's hand. You may choose to swap hands with that player.
Morgana (×1): Draw 2 chips, then you may immediately reveal & resolve 1 of those two chips (trashing it as normal).
Peasant (×8): Draw 1 chip or steal 1 chip, then return 1 chip.
Percival (×1): Turn over 4 chips in Avalon faceup for all to see. Take 1 of them, then turn the other 3 facedown.
Priest (×5): Draw 2 chips. If you drew a sword, you must shout: "Huzzah!" (Otherwise, do not shout: "Huzzah!")
Robyn of Roxley (×1): Steal 1 chip. You must repeat this (if able) until you have 7 chips in hand. You may choose a new target for each steal.
Spirit (×5): Point left or right. All players lay down their hands (facedown), then simultaneously steal 1 chip from the hand of the player in the chosen direction (if able).
Spy (×3): Peek at a player's hand. Show 1 chip from their hand to all players, then give their hand back.
Squire Sword (×1): This sword can't be played or trashed (but it can change hands). You also win if you hold the Squire Sword and the player on your left wins, except in 2 and 3 player games.
Thief (×6): Steal 1 chip. Then steal 1 chip from a different player (if able).
Uther (×1): Point left or right. Anyone with swords must pass them in that direction.