Fidelitas Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object
• Setup
• Game Play
  • 1. Play a Virtus Card
  • 2. Score one or more Missio Cards
  • 3. Draw a replacement Virtus Card
• Ending the Game
• How to Win
• Guilds
• Virtus Cards
  • Commerce Guild
  • Artisan Guild
  • Academic Guild
  • Judiciary Guild
  • Military Guild
  • Church Guild
  • Entertainment Guild
  • Harbor Guild
  • Miscreant Guild
• Missio Cards
• Recommended Team Variant for 4 Players
• Solo Variant

Object

In Fidelitas players gain the trust of influential citizens within the city, seeking to prove their worth as potential leaders in the coming season of revolution. Each player is being guided by secret objectives. Players complete hidden objectives by wielding their influence and maneuvering citizens into key positions around the city. The first player to a certain amount of victory points or to have the most points when the game ends has earned enough influence to lead the charge against the powers that be. Oh, and they also win the game.

Setup

• Place the five location cards in a row on the table to form the City.
  • The location cards should be placed in the following order: Judiciary, Academic, Tavern, Artisan, and Commerce so that the Castle sign is on the left of the row and the Harbor sign is on the right. The location cards are numbered 1-5 to aid in set up. Aside from getting the cards in the correct order with the Castle sign and Harbor sign on the ends, the orientation of the other cards is not important. Cards will be played to locations on each side of the City during the game.
• Shuffle the Virtus Cards and randomly place one face up next to each of the ten locations.
• Deal two Virtus Cards to each player. These cards make up the player's hand.
• Shuffle the Missio Cards and deal two to each player. These cards are the secret goals players are trying to achieve and should be kept separate from the cards in hand.
• Set the remaining Virtus Cards and Missio Cards in separate piles near the City.
• Choose a starting player and give them a token to keep track of who starts the game.

Game Play

Generally, a turn will consist of:

1. Play a Virtus Card and carry out the action triggered by playing the card.
2. Score one or more Missio Cards, if possible.
3. Draw a replacement card (unless instructed otherwise).

1. Play a Virtus Card

On a turn, the active player must play one card to a location in the City so that the Guild symbols of previously played cards are still visible.

To a Regular Location:

After a Virtus card is played resolve the listed action.

Guilds featured in the City have two locations and two associated action cards. A Virtus Card with a location matching a Guild in the City may be played to either matching Guild location.

Example: The Shopkeeper is a member of the Commerce Guild and can be played on either the Market or the Warehouse, both Commerce locations as indicated by the matching Guild symbol.

Virtus Cards with Guilds that do not have a matching location may be played on any location unless otherwise specified on the card.

Example: The Swindler may be played to any location as long as there is already another Virtus Card present at that location. The Swindler is a member of the Miscreant Guild and does not have an associated location in the City.

To a Special Location (Tavern):

Instead of playing a Virtus Card to a regular location and resolving the action on the card, a player may choose to play any Virtus Card from their hand to the Tavern which activates the Tavern's ability. The card action is ignored.

When a Virtus Card is played to the Tavern, the active player should discard one of their Missio Cards and replace it by drawing a new Missio Card. Place the discarded Missio Card on the bottom of the deck.

Virtus Cards may be played to either side of the Tavern. When a Virtus Card is played to the Tavern, draw the top card of the Virtus Deck and place it face up to the opposite side of the Tavern from where the other card was just played.

Note: It's never a good idea to drink alone.

Cards at the Tavern should be placed in the same way as they are at a regular location in the City so that the Guild symbols of previously played cards are still visible. For the purpose of scoring Missio Cards, each side of the Tavern counts as a standard location.

Note: Cards moved to the Tavern by carrying out a Virtus Card action does not trigger the Tavern's ability.

2. Score one or more Missio Cards

A player may then score one or more Missio Cards.

A player may score a Missio Card at the end of their turn only if the condition on the hidden card is fully met after a Virtus Card has been played.

Place scored Missio Cards face up on the table in view of all players.

If you scored this turn draw replacements until you have 2 Missio Cards. If you already have 2 Missio Cards in front of you after scoring, do not draw any Missio Cards.

3. Draw a replacement Virtus Card

Once the action has been performed, the active player then draws a new Virtus Card.

A player may draw a new card from the top of the Virtus deck or they may choose a face up card from either side of the Tavern. On this turn, if a Virtus Card was played to the Tavern, or moved there, the player may only draw a card from the opposite side of the Tavern from where the Virtus Card was played.

Play then proceeds in a clockwise manner.

Note: Some cards contain a special icon giving instructions about drawing cards. Do not draw a card at the end of the turn if playing a Virtus Card with this icon.

Ending the Game

The game may end one of two ways:

1. When a player reaches a certain amount of points (depending on the number of players) the end of the game is triggered.

   • 2 players: 10 points
   • 3 players: 8 points
   • 4 players: 6 points

   Finish the current round so that each player has had an equal numbers of turns.

2. If the Virtus deck is exhausted, shuffle the discard pile to form a new deck. The second time the Virtus deck is exhausted the game ends immediately.

How to Win

At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins the game, proving their ability to manipulate and cajole the commoners.

If there is a tie, the player with the least amount of completed Missio Cards is the winner.

Note: Manipulating and cajoling is only recommended for purposes of this game, not in real life. Seriously, though.

Guilds

There are nine guilds in the game. Each Guild is represented by a color and symbol.

Note: The phrase "Guild pair" refers to any two cards with the same Guild symbol.

Virtus Cards

There are fourteen different action cards, eight of which correspond to locations on the board. Cards with Guilds featured on the board must be played on a location matching its Guild. Actions must be completed if possible, even if the active player would not benefit. Actions (such as moving a card) may be applied to the card you just played.

Commerce Guild

The Shopkeeper – This card requires you to swap any card in one location with any other card in a different location.

The Broker – This card requires you to move two cards from one of the Commerce locations to two different locations. You may instead move a card from two different locations to one of the Commerce locations.

Artisan Guild

The Butcher – This card requires you to remove any two cards from the board. Place these cards in the discard pile.

The Baker – This card requires you to move any two cards to two different locations. You may not move both cards to the same location.

Academic Guild

The Professor – This card requires you to discard a card from your hand to the discard pile (always face up). You must then draw three cards from the deck. Do not draw another card at the end of your turn.

The Student – This card requires you to draw four cards. Choose one of these to add to your hand. Place the other three in the discard pile. Do not draw an additional card at the end of your turn.

Judiciary Guild

The Clerk – This card requires you to choose a Guild pair (two cards from any one Guild) on the same location and remove them to the discard pile. If you choose this action, draw a card at the end of your turn. You may instead draw an additional card (2 instead of 1) at the end of your turn.

The Barrister – This card requires you to take one card from any location. Add this card to your hand. Do not draw an additional card at the end of your turn.

Military Guild

The Soldier – Since there is no Military location, this card may be played on any location. You must move one card from that location to any other location. In this case, you may not move the Soldier you just played. You may, however, move other Soldiers in that location. If you add the third Soldier to any location, do not move a card. Instead, remove all the cards from that location (including Soldiers) to the discard pile. This is known as clearing a location and it is not optional. Occasionally, other actions will cause three Soldiers to occupy the same location. This also clears that location, even though another card was used.

Church Guild

The Priest – Play this card on any location and draw a Missio Card. You will have an extra Mission Card until the next time you score. The next time you score a Missio Card you will not draw a replacement since you will still have at least 2 Missio Card in front of you. Instead, you may draw two Virtus Cards. Do not draw an additional card at the end of your turn.

Entertainment Guild

The Minstrel – Play this card on one of the locations adjacent to the Castle. Move up to two cards from this location to one of the four other locations on the same side of the board. Both cards must be moved to the same location.

Harbor Guild

The Thief – Play this card on any location. This card requires you to steal one card at random from each player that currently has more than two cards in hand. Then draw another card from the deck as normal at the end of your turn.

The Dockmaster – Play this card on one of the locations adjacent to the Harbor. Move one card from each of these locations to any other location. Both cards may be moved to the same location.

Miscreant Guild

The Swindler – This card may be played on any location that contains at least one card. Any cards underneath this card are considered locked. Neither these cards nor the Swindler card may be moved or removed except by clearing the location with three Soldiers. Cards played on top (after) the Swindler are treated as normal. If there are no cards under the Swindler, he is inactive and subject to normal card actions (e.g., he can be taken by the Barrister or moved by the Baker).

Missio Cards

There are 20 unique Missio Cards in Fidelitas. These cards direct the hidden agendas of each player and should be kept secret during the game. Each Missio Card lists a condition that must be met in order to score the card as well as a number of victory points awarded for achieving the goal. Missio Cards may only be scored by the active player at the end of his turn and may be scored even if another player's actions were responsible for meeting the requirements of the Missio Card.

Recommended Team Variant for 4 Players

In a 4-player game, it is recommended that players play with a partner. Use the standard rules with the following changes:

• Players should sit across the table from his partner.
• Players make talk freely about colors and locations to help guild her partner to assist in the completion of his Missio Cards as long as they do not state the specifics of the objectives.
• After playing a Virtus Card and carrying out its action, both the active player and her partner may both score any Missio Cards completed this turn.
• The end of the game is triggered when a team reaches 8 points or ends immediately when the Virtus Deck is depleted the second time.

Solo Variant

Nobody showed up for game night? Try this fancy solo variant all by yourself! Use the standard rules with the following changes:

• During Setup, remove the Tavern from the game. Setup the rest of the locations directed.
• Whenever the Thief Virtus Card enters your hand play it immediately. Instead of stealing from other players, if you have more than 2 Virtus Cards in hand discard one immediately.
• The game ends immediately when the Virtus Deck runs out.
• Try to see how many points you can earn before the end of the game. If you are super crafty you may even be able to score all of the Missio Cards!