Fleecing Olympus

Fleecing Olympus Rulebook

Table of Contents

Objective

In Fleecing Olympus, 3-6 players take turns using their deity's powers, rolling dice, and using powerful card abilities in an effort to steal golden gems from other players. When the game ends, the player holding the most gems will become the new ruler of Mount Olympus and win the game!

Components

8 x Deity Cards (double sided)
66 x Main Deck Cards
120 x Gems
6 x Player Screens
2 x Dice
1 x Even/Odd Token
1 x Judgment Token

Set Up

Randomly deal each player 1 Deity card, a player screen, and 20 gems to hide behind their screen. Return any leftover gems to the box; they will not be used this game. (Players may also agree to select or draft their Deity card.)
Shuffle the Main Deck of 66 cards and deal a hand of 5 cards to each player.
Make a space in the center of the table for the Bank (which will begin the game empty, but will be populated as the game progresses).
Have each player roll both dice. The player with the highest roll will take the Even/Odd token and be the first "Active Player". The player with the second highest roll takes the Judgment token.

Playing the Game

Turn Sequence:

Select and Use Deity Power
Select Target & Roll Dice
Determine Favor and Initial Wager
All Players Play Cards
Resolve the Wager
End of Turn

1. Select and Use Deity Power

The Active Player chooses either their Even or Odd Deity power and resolves it. They then place their Deity card on the table in front of them with the side that they used face up for all players to see. They then place the Even/Odd token next to their Deity card, with the side matching the chosen power (Even or Odd) facing up.

2. Select Target & Roll Dice

The Active Player chooses another player to be the Target of their wager and rolls the two dice. The targeted player is who the Active Player is attempting to steal gems from, so choose wisely!

3. Determine Favor and Initial Wager

After the dice are rolled, and every time the dice are re-rolled during the turn, check to see who the dice favor:

If the sum of the dice matches the side showing on the Even/Odd token, the dice are in the Active Player's favor.
If the sum of the dice does not match the side showing on the Even/Odd token, the dice are in the Target Player's favor. If the turn ends in the Target Player's favor, the Active Player will have to pay the Wager to their Target!

Next, determine the initial Wager value:

If the roll is in the Active Player's favor, the wager will begin with the Target Player owing the Active Player a number of gems equal to the higher individual die rolled.
If the roll is in the Target Player's favor, the wager will begin with the Active Player owing the Target Player a number of gems equal to the lower individual die rolled.
If both dice are the same number, the Wager equals one of them. Example: If two 3s are rolled, the Wager's value is 3.

Note: No gems change hands at this point! Players will still be able to manipulate the Favor of the dice and Wager value before the turn ends.

Example: Zeus, the Active Player, chose to use his Even god power this turn. After resolving his Even power, Zeus places the Even/Odd token Even side up on the table. Zeus then selects Athena as his Target for the turn and rolls the dice. The result is a 4 and a 3, for a total of 7. Since the total is odd, and Zeus used his Even power, he has rolled in favor of Athena, his chosen target. Since Zeus rolled in the Target Player's favor, he begins the wager owing Athena 3 gems (the lower value of the two dice).

4. All Players Play Cards

Once the initial favor & wager value have been declared by the Active Player, cards may then be played by any player, in any order, following the rules below.

The first card to hit the table resolves first. Each card is played face-up and is resolved immediately after being played, and remains in front of that player until the end of the turn.

After a card is played, that player must announce any change in the value of the wager, and pay any card costs before any player may play another card.

The first card a player plays each turn costs them no gems. The second, and all subsequent cards they play that turn, require that they first pay 1 gem to the Bank. If a player can't pay the cost to play a card, they cannot play that card.

Example: Zeus, the Active Player, has rolled and owes Athena, the Target Player, 3 gems. Ares plays a card from his hand, "Clotho's Threads", which adds +1 to the total that Zeus owes Athena, making the total now 4 Gems. Since this was the first card he played this turn, it costs 0 gems to play. Hermes, another player, wants to play a card as well, but Ares must first announce the change caused by the card he played before another card can be played. Ares announces the wager is now 4 gems. Any player, including Ares, may now play.

Players continue to play cards from their hand until all players pass by declining to play cards. During this time, negotiations are not only legal, but fully encouraged. Do you have a card that can help the Target Player? Perhaps you should offer to assist them... in exchange for a few of their gems, of course. Or, perhaps you can negotiate a payment to prevent you from making their situation more difficult!

Negotiations can begin after the dice have been rolled and the initial wager is set. From there, it's up to you how controlled or chaotic the battle for Mount Olympus gets. Any agreements made are binding for the current turn only. If a player offers you something in exchange for them not targeting you on a future turn, that is something you will have to trust they will honor when the time comes.

The owner of the Judgment Token may also declare the immediate end of the turn by saying "STOP!" any time after at least one card has been played. This prohibits any additional cards from being played that turn. This can be by their choice, or through negotiation with any other players. This is a powerful ability which can be used as a strong bargaining chip when negotiations begin. The Active and Target players would be wise to win the Judgment player's favor!

5. Resolve the Wager

Once all players have declined to play additional cards, or the Judgment player has declared a stop to the action, the turn ends. The wager is then resolved by the Target player paying the Active player (or vice versa depending on who the dice favor at that time) a sum of gems from behind their player screen equal to the final declared value of the wager.

Because players' gems are hidden, it is possible that a player may not have enough gems to pay the full value of the wager. If so, they simply pay as much as they can.

6. End of Round

After the wager has been paid, the dice & the Even/Odd token are passed from the current Active Player to the player on their left, and that player becomes the new Active Player for the next turn. The Judgment Token is given to the player who just paid gems to another player in the current wager. If the Judgment Token would be given to the new Active Player, then it is instead given to the player to the right of the Active Player. The Active Player may not start the turn with the Judgment token (though they may acquire it through card play later in the turn).

Players discard all the cards played in front of them to the discard pile face-up, and finally any player with fewer than 5 cards in their hand draws until they have 5 cards. There is no maximum hand size. Any gems remaining in the Bank at the end of the turn will remain there, carrying over to the next player's turn.

Types of Cards

Legend Cards add to the value of The Wager. Legend Cards may only be played if no Fate Cards are currently in play.
Fate Cards add to the value of The Wager. Fate Cards may only be played if no Legend Cards are currently in play.
Destiny Cards affect the dice, the Target Player, the Judgment Token, and can even resist Fate and Legend cards that have been played this turn. If a Destiny Card requires a die to be re-rolled, the player of the card chooses the die to be re-rolled and the Active Player re-rolls the die. In the case of both dice being re-rolled, the Active Player re-rolls both as no choice is needed by the player playing the card.
Greed Cards manipulate the gems in the bank. When playing a Greed card that lets you take gems from the bank, take as many as you can, up to the amount the card allows. Example: If you play the Golden Fleece, which allows a player to take 5 gems from the bank, but there are only 3 gems in the bank, take all 3. You do not gain additional gems from outside the game.

Anatomy of a Card

Fleecing Olympus is full of cards. That's because card-play is how the ancient gods got things done; demonstrating Fleecing Olympus' historical accuracy.

The item cards contain several key features, which are listed below for your reference.

Art: The artwork provides a pictorial representation of the item.
Dots: These dots denote how many copies of the card are present in the deck.
Type: There are four types of cards. Some cards will prevent certain types from being played for the rest of that turn.
Text: If the card's instructions ever contradict the game's rules, the card text takes priority.

Notes About Specific Cards

There are several different types of cards, each of which have special rules as to when they can be played.

Each player may play their first card without paying any gems to the bank. Each additional card played on a turn costs them 1 gem, paid to the bank.

Shirt of Nessus and Atropos' Shears: These two cards are special Legend and Fate cards that allow a player to "resist" either Legend or Fate cards that have been played this turn. When either of these cards are played, the type (Legend or Fate) is considered "resisted" and all cards of that type that have been played this turn are turned face-down, and no longer add to the value of the Wager. The player who played the "resist" card should recalculate and declare the new Wager value. After cards of a type have been resisted and turned face-down, either Legend or Fate cards may be played again. Once a Legend or Fate card has been played, follow the standard rules for playing those cards. At the end of the turn, all face-down cards are discarded along with all other cards played.

The Seed of Deceit: This special card cancels the effect of a Shirt of Nessus or Atropos' Shears card that has just been played. It may only be played immediately after a Shirt of Nessus or Atropos' Shears card has been played, as the next card, and before the "resist" effect is applied. The cost (if any) of the Shirt of Nessus or Atropos' Shears card is still paid, but its effect is ignored. The Seed of Deceit is the only card that may be played before the previous card has been fully resolved.

(Note: there is only one Seed of Deceit card in the deck, so use it wisely!)

The End of the Game

For 3-4 Players: the game ends when the deck runs out once.

For 5-6 Players: the game ends when the deck runs out twice (Shuffle the discard pile to form a new deck after the deck runs out the first time.)

Between turns, check to see if the game ends. The game ends immediately if only one player has gems, or if the deck has run out the appropriate number of times based on the number of players and there are not enough cards remaining for all players to refill their hand to five cards. If a player needs to draw cards in the middle of a turn but cannot, finish that turn before determining if the game is over.

Players then remove their screens and reveal their gems to one another. The player with the most gems wins the game and is the new ruler of Mount Olympus!

In the event of a tie, the Discard Pile is shuffled back into the deck, and the players play one more turn. If there is still a tie after that turn, continue playing turns until one player has the most gems at the end of a turn. That player is the winner.

God Powers and Lore

Aphrodite

Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty and stolen hearts. She is here to steal your heart and your gems.

Even Power: Draw cards equal to the number of players and add them to your hand. Then, give each player a card, of your choice, from your hand.
Odd Power: Give two cards to one other player. Then, draw three cards.

FAQ: When using the Even power, can I take all the cards into my hand, and then give players cards that I already had in my hand prior to drawing? Answer: Yes.

Ares

Ares is the god of war. He'll gladly take your gems by force or your willing tribute.

Even Power: Give the Judgment token to any player other than Ares.
Odd Power: All other players choose to either pay you one gem or put a card of their choice from their hand on the bottom of the deck.

FAQ: What order do the cards go on the bottom of the deck? Answer: The Active Player looks at those cards and chooses the order that the cards are placed on the bottom of the deck.

The targeted players may choose to either pay 1 gem or put a card from their hand on the bottom of the deck. Can I select this option if I have no gems? Answer: No, a player must be able to pay an ability's cost in order to select it. Targeted players can't choose to pay the gem if they have zero gems.

Athena

Athena is the goddess of wisdom. She is one of Zeus' favorite children because she often found clever ways to deal with problems and even help heroes like Heracles and Perseus. Even with her own part in causing the Trojan war she saw to end it quickly by inspiring Odysseus. She will out think you if you give her the time. So be quick, or you'll find your gems in her possession!

Even Power: Look at target player's hand, then take one card from it and add it to your hand.
Odd Power: Exchange your hand of cards with another player's.

Hades

Hades is the god of the Underworld. Even though he has a home on Olympus he chooses to live in the Underworld where he can be with his favorite companion, Cerberus. There are actually some very fun places to be in Hades' domain, where even he likes to go joy riding in his golden chariot. Ruling the Underworld doesn't make him underhanded... or does it?

Even Power: Draw two cards from the bottom of the deck.
Odd Power: Select two other players. Randomly take a card from each of their hands. Add one of those cards to your hand and put the other on the bottom of the deck.

FAQ: When using Hades' ODD power, the cards taken do not enter the Active Player's hand. Only the cards taken from the target players are involved in the process.

Hera

Hera is the wife of Zeus and goddess of marriage. Zeus and Hera had many children and Hera made it her mission to "challenge" all of them, some more than others, like Heracles. She loved Zeus with all her heart and her fiery temper could show through if he wasn't spending his time with her. She isn't content with less than all of Zeus's love, nor will she be content with any less of your gems.

Even Power: Pick another player. This turn, that player's card costs are paid to you instead of to the bank.
Odd Power: Take the Judgment Token at the end of this turn. If this is the last turn of the game, the Judgment Token is worth two gems towards your score.

FAQ: Hera's Even power cannot target herself.

Hermes

Hermes is the messenger of Olympus and god of commerce. He earned himself the nickname of "divine trickster" as he outwitted everyone with ease, yet he was one of the most trusted Olympians. Be careful making deals with Hermes, his warm smile could just be lowering your guard, so he can fly off laughing with all of your hard earned gems.

Even Power: Pay up to two gems to the bank. Draw cards equal to the number of gems paid in this way.
Odd Power: Discard one card. If you do, you may play cards for free this turn.

FAQ: When using Hermes' Even power, the gems are paid and cards are drawn at the time the power is selected. Hermes' Odd power is also paid at the time it is selected at the beginning of the turn.

Poseidon

Poseidon is the god of the seas. He is very content with his command of the sea and everyone that lives near the shore showers his temples with gifts and praise. Like Hades, he preferred to only visit Olympus spending most of his time in his submerged palace and the beautiful world underwater. With the wave of his hand the water could be calm or instantly become a tidal wave and take everything you own.

Even Power: Draw three cards and add them to your hand. Then, put two cards from your hand on the bottom of the deck.
Odd Power: Keep one of your cards, then decide whether all players pass their hand to the left or right.

Zeus

Zeus has ruled a long time and some say he might be a bit obnoxious. Yet, the rest of the Olympians could never reach a consensus to replace him as Ruler of Olympus... can you take his throne?

Even Power: Take up to three gems from the bank. If the bank has fewer than three gems, take all that are available and draw a card.
Odd Power: Select the god on either your left or right. Then, pay them one gem and use either that god's Even or Odd power.

FAQ: When using Zeus' ODD power, in the case that an even god power is selected, the Active Player is still considered to have used Zeus' ODD god power.

Frequently Asked Questions

When you play a card that requires a die to be rerolled, who chooses the die, and who rerolls it? The person who played the card selects the die to be re-rolled. The Active Player always rerolls the die or dice.

What happens in a tie between multiple cards hitting the table at the same time? In the case of a tie, the player with the Judgment token decides the resolution order of cards.

What happens if a card is played at the same time the holder of the Judgment Token says "stop"? In the case of a tie, the round has been stopped, and all cards played when, or after, the player with the Judgment token says "stop" are not resolved and go back to the players' hands.

Can the player with the Judgment Token restart the turn after they have said "stop" to end it? No.

Are the Target Player and the Active Player able to play cards? Yes.

Can someone choose themselves to be the target at the start of a round? No. The Active Player cannot select themselves as their own Target and must select another player.

Can the Active Player choose themselves to be the target through card play? No. The Active Player cannot switch the Target to become themselves.

Can the Active Player change the Even/Odd token with the appropriate card? Yes.

When distributing cards, do they have to be face up or face down? Cards are dealt to each player face down. When cards are played during a turn, those cards are played face up.

When instructed to distribute gems from the bank evenly to the players, what if there are not enough gems in the bank to do so? The player of the card distributes the available gems as they evenly as they can, to the players of their choice.

Example: The bank has 5 gems in it. Athena plays Aeolus's Bag of Wind, which says "Take 3 Gems from the Bank. Then, evenly distribute all Gems remaining in the Bank to the other players as you choose." There are 6 players in the game, so Athena takes 3 gems, leaving 2 in the bank. She then gives 1 of each of those remaining 2 gems to other players of her choice. As a result, three players will not receive any gems.

Can you play a card to take 5 gems from the Bank when there are less than 5 in it? Yes. In that case, the player takes all the gems that are available in the Bank.

Is a player out of the game if they run out of gems? No, they continue playing. However, they may not take any action that would require them to pay gems (such as playing more than one card during a round) unless they can convince another player to pay the gems on their behalf. A player's supply of gems may not go below zero (negative). Note that in this situation, negotiating for other players to pay your card play costs is both allowed and suggested.

What happens if a player is required to pay gems to another player, but doesn't have enough? If a player does not have enough gems to pay another player, they pay as many as they have available (even if that amount is zero). A player's supply of gems may not go below zero (negative).

If I pay a gem to play an additional card and the card I play is to take gems, do I take the one I played? When a gem is spent to play an additional card during a round, the gem is immediately paid to the bank. Thus, cards that allow the player to take gems from the bank may result in them getting back a gem they just paid to play the card.

Can I show my gems from behind my screen? Yes, a player may reveal how many gems they have behind their screen at any time.

Quick Reference