Inception: Solo card game
Inception: Solo card game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Material
This rulebook.
106 cards:
- Level 4 deck: 12 cards + 1 goal card (The text on 3 cards was changed for V 1.5)
- Level 3 deck: 10 cards + 1 goal card
- Level 2 deck: 10 cards + 1 goal card
- Level 1 deck: 13 cards + 1 goal card
- Level 0 deck: 9 cards + 1 goal card
- Team deck: 37 cards + 1 additional card for easier game.
- Character cards: 6 + 1 Stewardess / Victory card
- 1 Status card
- 1 Help Card (Turn order / Calculations)
Card Anatomy
Character card:
- Card name
- Strength
- Sign: Discard after use
- Convince value when attached
- Character's C-value
- Reaction: Card may be played in event step.
- Character's ability
- Convince value when used from C-display
Team deck card:
- Title
- Strength
- Sign: Discard after use
- Convince value when attached
- Reaction: Card may be played in event step.
- Card effect
- Convince value when used from C-display
Icons
- Strength: Shows your physical strength.
- Convince (C-)value: Shows your ability to convince people.
- Reaction: Card may be played during the event step.
- Discard after use: Card must be discarded after a successful fight.
- Success: An evaded attack or convinced successfully. Sign reads: "On success do the following:"
- Failure: Failed to evade attack. Failed to convince. Sign reads: "On failure do the following:"
- Place the card face-down under the deck it was drawn from.
- Turn character card to next higher health state.
- Turn character card to next lower health state.
Important: If no sign tells you what to do with a card after an event: discard the card.
Example: how to read and resolve an event card
The example card is "Resist Mal (convince): C 11". Read the card from the top to the bottom. Try to convince Mal with a C-value of 11 or higher. If you fail, discard 2 cards from your hand and place the event card under the pile it was drawn from. If you succeed, she attacks all characters in the current level with strength 8. If you fail to evade the attack, the next character card in the priority list is rotated to the next lower health state and the event card is put back under the pile it was drawn from. If you evade the attack, Mal is dead. Discard the event card.
Setup
- Separate the cards: Level decks 0 to 4, the Team deck and the character cards.
- Place the level 4 goal card in the upper left corner of your playing area. Note: The goal cards are just informative cards. They are no active play cards. Experienced players may leave them away.
- Shuffle the remaining level 4 cards and place them as a face-down draw deck beside the goal card. Leave place for a level 4 discard pile.
- Repeat these steps with levels 3 to 0 placing level 3 under level 4, level 2 under level 3 and so on.
- Find the card "Rest" in the Team deck. For a starter game (easier) leave it in there. See "Difficulty levels".
- The Status card (Spinning top) is used as a reminder for stat increases during the game.
- The Help card shows the turn order and calculation procedures.
- Shuffle the team cards and form a face-down team draw deck. Leave place for a team discard pile.
- Leave place for the Convince display (C-display, max. 5 cards).
- Place the Stewardess and the characters Cobb, Saito and Arthur in the playing area of Level 4 showing their "healthy" sides (Starting characters are marked with an "S").
- Place the remaining characters Ariadne, Eames and Yusuf in reach but outside of the playing area.
- Draw 3 cards from the team deck to your hand.
How to Play
Inception is played in turns. Each turn is divided in 6 easy steps. Turns are repeated until the player either wins or loses the game.
Turn steps:
- Draw two cards
- Play cards
- Discard hand down to 5 cards
- Check for level goals
- Draw and resolve event card
- Check for level goals
The steps in detail
1, Draw two cards
Draw two cards from the team deck and add them to your hand. If the team deck runs out of cards shuffle the discard pile and place it face-down as a new draw pile.
2, Play cards
You may play as many cards from your hand as you wish. Play and resolve them one after another. These are the different possibilities to play cards:
a) Flashback cards (red border) must be played first and immediately when drawn! They must be attached to Cobb. If Cobb is inactive add it to your hand, otherwise tuck them under the Cobb character card so that you can see the values on the left side. It stays there unless removed by another card's effect or if Cobb becomes inactive.
Flashback cards must always be attached to Cobb (if active) immediately when they're drawn, even if drawn through a character's ability or a card's effect.
b) Weapon cards may be attached to any active character on any level. Weapon cards show a strength value in the upper left corner. Only 1 weapon may be attached to a single character. Tuck it under the character card so that you can see its strength value. Attached weapons may be discarded any time during the "Play cards" step.
c) Discard a card from your hand to use its effect. Simply resolve its effect and place the card on the team discard pile.
d) Place cards from your hand into the Convince display. As long as there are less than 3 cards in the Convince display you may add cards from your hand. If there are already 3 or more cards you must not add any more in this step. Note: This doesn't limit the number of cards in the C-display to 3. There are other ways to add more cards through card effects. Place the cards in the C-display in such a way that you can see the C-values on the bottom of the cards. The card's effects are not resolved and lost for the moment.
Cards from the C-display may only be removed through other card's effects or when convincing (see: "Convince" section).
3, Discard hand down to 5 cards
If you now have more than 5 cards in your hand discard cards to the team discard pile until there are only 5 cards left in your hand.
4, Check for level goals
Consult the level's goal card to see if you achieved the level's goals. If you did, follow the instructions on the card. Characters moved from one level to the next keep all their attached cards. You don't have to achieve level goals in the order they're listed on the goal card.
5, Draw and resolve event card
Draw the top event card of the lowest level you currently have active characters in. Characters on their lowest health state (usually in Limbo) are inactive and therefore ignored. If you have active characters in more than one level you always draw a card from the lowest level. Once a level's goal is achieved and characters are moved to the next level you will never draw cards from a previous level.
Resolve the event card's text. Unless otherwise stated event cards always affect the characters on the level they were drawn from. Event cards starting with "-> on Level X" affect the indicated level.
Possible events are:
- Attack. This is a physical attack on one of your characters. See "Resolving attacks".
- Convince: Your characters use their persuasive skills to convince an opponent. See "Convince".
- Other events: Follow the description on the event card.
Important: If no sign tells you what to do with a card after an event: discard the card.
6, Check for level goals
Consult the level's goal card to see if you achieved the level's goals. If you did, follow the instructions on the card. Characters moved from one level to the next keep all their attached cards. You don't have to achieve level goals in the order they're listed on the goal card.
If the game hasn't ended yet start a new turn beginning with step 1.
Resolving Attacks
When an event card reads "Attack" one of your characters face a physical attack. First check the priority list on the card to see who is being attacked. A priority list may look like this (AT,E,Y,AI,C,S), meaning that the first possible target is Arthur (AT) followed by Eames (E), Yusuf (Y), Ariadne (AI), Cobb (C) and Saito (S).
Targets not present on the affected level are skipped and not attacked.
Check the target character's strength shown in the upper left corner of the character card. Add the strength of cards attached to it (Weapons, Flashbacks). You may boost your strength by playing reaction cards (R) that influence attacks from your hand to the team discard pile, or use character's abilities that allow you to modify the outcome. In addition you may discard any number of cards from your hand without using their effects. For each card discarded that way add 1 to the character's strength.
If the total strength is equal or higher than the strength value of the attacker (shown as "ST" on the event card) you successfully evade the attack. Follow the card's instructions to see what happens.
Otherwise you failed to evade the attack. Usually your character will be turned to the next lower Health state and additional effects may apply as described on the event card. If no sign tells you what to do with a card after an event: discard the card.
You may decide not to fight against an attack and lose automatically. The outcome is mostly the same but you wouldn't have to use the weapon attached to the character. In case of a Grenade this means that the card will not be discarded.
Convince
If an event cards tell you to convince someone your characters have to use their collective persuasive power to talk into someone's mind (e.g. for an Inception). All characters of the affected level may join in to convince. Add their C-values (blue sign in upper left corner) and any modifiers of attached Flashback cards.
Important: C-values on the bottom of attached cards are not added!
You may discard any number of cards from your C-display. Add their C-value (bottom) to your total C-value. You might boost the C-value by playing reaction cards (R) from your hand or using character's abilities.
If the total C-value is equal or higher than the C-value of the event card (shown as "C") you successfully convince your opponent. Follow the card's instructions to see what happens. Otherwise you failed to convince. Check the card's description to see what happens. If no sign tells you what to do with a card after an event: discard the card.
Event Cards with Changing Values
Some Event cards will tell you that their value (C or St) will increase by 1 if you fail to successfully resolve the event. Use the Status card to keep track of these changes.
Recruiting on Level 4
There are 3 characters you have to recruit (convince) on level 4. For each character you have two attempts. If you fail a first attempt turn the corresponding character card sideways (90°) to remember you failed the first attempt. If you fail the second attempt turn the character card to its "weak" side. When the recruit card shows up a third time the character joins the team automatically, but it will join "weak".
Difficulty Levels
- Easy game: Don't use the stat increases and include the card "Rest".
- Medium game: Use stat increases and the card "Rest".
- Hard game: Use stat increases and don't include the card "Rest".
- Challenge: Play a hard game but try to stick to the movie. This means that for the final Kick Yusuf must be on level 3, Arthur on level 2 and Eames on level 1.
Victory
You win the game if:
- Fischer's Final Inception on Level 1 was successful, and
- Cobb and Saito are still active at the end of the game (Note: Some inactive characters can be reactivated in the "Limbo"), and
- Mal is dead, and
- a successful synchronized Kick was performed at the end to bring back the remaining characters to reality.
Defeat
You lose the game if one of the following happens:
- Your 4th character becomes inactive, or
- Cobb or Saito is inactive at the end of the game, or
- The second attempt to incept Fischer on Level 1 failed.
Things to Remember / Good to Know
- Your total strength against attacks calculates like this:
- Attacked characters strength +
- strength value of all cards attached to this character +
- strength gained by playing reaction cards +
- 1 point of strength for each additional card you discard from your hand.
- Your total Convince value calculates like this:
- Sum of the C-values of all characters in affected level +
- C-value (upper left) of Flashback cards attached to these characters +
- C-points gained by playing reaction cards +
- C-points gained by using characters abilities +
- Sum of the C-values (bottom center) of cards discarded from the C-display.
- Always thoroughly check what happens to an event card after it's been resolved. While some may be discarded others are returned to the bottom of the draw deck.
- Attached weapon cards me be discarded anytime in the "Play cards" phase.
- Characters moved from one level to the next keep their attached cards.
- Cards in the C-display may only be discarded through a card effect or when convincing.
- While you can only play a card into the C-display when it has less than 3 cards, it can be expanded to up to 5 cards through other card's effects.
- Cards with this symbol (yellow discard-after-use arrow) must only be discarded when you actually use them in a fight. If you decide not to fight because you already know you'll lose, the card may stay attached to the character.
- Flashback cards must be attached to Cobb immediately when they're drawn, even if drawn through a character's ability or a card's effect.
The Level's Goals
Your mission is to put together your team and lead it through Fischer's dream levels, planting Inceptions into his mind and prepare the final Kick to return back into reality. You'll also have to fight Mal in the Limbo and hopefully find and convince Saito to return with you.
Level 4 - Reality: Here you have to recruit Ariadne, Yusuf and Eames to join your team. You also have to succeed in a collective attempt to sedate Fischer. The Stewardess will stay on this Level. She'll wake up the Team when you successfully achieved the goals of Level 0.
Level 3 - Van Chase: Find Fischer and convince him for a successful Inception. You'll also need a Kick card and someone who stays in this level's area to perform the final Kick at the end of the game. Saito might get seriously wounded on this level.
Level 2 - The Hotel: Find Fischer and convince him for a successful second Inception. You'll also need a Kick card and someone who stays in this level's area to perform the final Kick at the end of the game. Be careful, there might also be attacks on previous levels while you focus on this one.
Level 1 - Snow Fortress: Find Fischer and convince him for the final Inception. Watch out! If you fail this Inception you will get a second chance. But if you fail the second one, too, you'll lose the game. There is a high risk of Saito dying because of his wounds. Well, you have to dive into Limbo anyway to face Mal. Maybe you can find and convince Saito to return back to reality with you. You'll also need a Kick card and someone who stays in this level's area to perform the final Kick at the end of the game.
Level 0 - Limbo: There won't be much physical violence here but watch the other levels! If Saito is lost here try to find and convince him to return to the team and keep his promise. You'll also have to resist Mal. She wants to make you believe that the Limbo is the real world. The only way out seems to be to kill Mal. You'll also get the chance to send back one (and only one!) of your characters to one of the other levels. You might need it there to activate the final Kick.
Addendum
Character's health states
Characters have 4 different health states: strong, healthy, weak and inactive. Always use the stats and abilities of the character's current state. If you are asked to turn a character his card to the next lower state (from strong to healthy, from healthy to weak or from weak to inactive), this is the "Turn character card to next lower health state" sign. If you are asked to turn a character his card to the next higher state (from weak to healthy, from healthy to strong), this is the "Turn character card to next higher health state" sign. Inactive characters may never be turned to weak through the "next higher health state" sign.
A character turned to its inactive side immediately loses all attached cards and is placed in level 0, the Limbo.
Note: Saito will be "Lost in Limbo".
Character's abilities
Most characters have a special ability on their "strong" or "weak" side. Abilities may only be used when the character is in the corresponding state. Unless otherwise stated character's abilities may be used anytime, even in the middle of the process of adding Strength or C-Values.
A short description of the character's abilities:
- Cobb (when "strong"): Turn Cobbs character card to "healthy". Draw two cards from the Team deck.
- Arthur (when "strong"): Turn Arthur's character card to "healthy" to ignore the priority of the current attack. Choose any other character on the attacked level as target.
- Yusuf (when "strong"): Turn Yusuf's character card to "healthy". Turn 1 other character one Health state up.
- Ariadne (when "strong"): Turn Ariadne's character card to "weak". Add 2 to the total C-Value when convincing.
- Eames (when "weak"): Discard an attached weapon with strength 2 or higher to turn Eames character to "healthy". This ability may only be used in the "Play cards" step and only if Eames has a weapon attached.