Kitsu
Kitsu Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 rulebook
- 2 Kitsune pawns
- 1 Wisdom board
- 5 Power tokens
- 30 Kitsu cards
- 2 setup cards
- 12 Clan cards (6 blue, 6 orange)
- 1 Leader token
- 3 Round Victory cards
Overview
A round is divided into a succession of tricks. It ends when a clan has brought its Kitsune pawn to the space of absolute wisdom.
When a clan has won 2 rounds, the game ends.
People of the same clan (same colour) are partners. People of the other clan (different colour) are opponents.
- A 2-player game is played 1 against 1.
- A 4-player game is played in teams, 2 against 2.
- A 6-player game is played in teams, 3 against 3.
Game Setup
- Choose or draw lots for your clan (blue or orange) and take the corresponding card. Place it in front of you.
- In a 2- and 4-player game, remove the Kitsu cards with the symbol shown on them (the cards marked for 6 players only).
- Place the setup card for 2/4/6 people in the centre of the table. Sit around the table as shown on the card (and in the setup illustrations). Then each person places in front of them the reminder card of their colour.
- Assemble the Wisdom board and place it beside the play area.
Preparing a Round
- Place the 2 Kitsune pawns on the starting space and the Power tokens on their spaces in the lower part of the Wisdom board.
- Choose a person to start the game at random, or from the team that won the previous round. That person places the Leader token on their Clan card, then takes the Kitsu cards, shuffles them and deals them to everyone.
- In a 2-player game, each person receives 6 cards. The remaining cards form a draw pile, placed face down on its dedicated space, to the left of the board.
- In a 4-player game, each person receives 6 cards.
- In a 6-player game, each person receives 5 cards.
- Exchange 1 card with your partner: before starting the game, each person places one card face down in front of their partner. When everyone has done so, take the card in front of you and add it to your hand.
- In a 2-player game, there is no exchange.
- In a 6-player game, exchange with the partner seated to your left.
Turn Sequence
On Your Turn
Starting with the person who holds the Leader token, perform:
- A MANDATORY ACTION: play a card from your hand, face up, in front of you (this card may be of your clan, of the opposing clan, or a special card).
- AN OPTIONAL ACTION: you may play a Power token at the same time as your card, if you have one.
Then it is the next person's turn, clockwise, and so on until everyone has a card face up in front of them.
- In a 2-player game, each person plays 1 card in alternation until each has 2 cards in front of them.
End of the Trick
- In a 2- and 4-player game, a trick ends when 4 cards have been played.
- In a 6-player game, a trick ends as soon as 6 cards have been played.
Add up the values of the cards of the same colour; the clan with the highest value wins the trick. Calculate the difference between the 2 colours, then move the winning clan's Kitsune pawn that many spaces to the right on the board.
Example: Blue has a total of 6 and Orange a total of 8. Orange wins the trick and moves its pawn forward 2 spaces (8 - 6 = 2).
The cards of this trick are discarded on the dedicated space to the right of the board. WARNING: the discard pile may not be looked through.
- In a 2-player game, if cards remain in the draw pile, each person takes 2 cards and adds them to their hand.
Pass the Leader token to the next person clockwise. They will start the next trick.
You Have No Cards Left in Hand and the Round Is Not Over?
Shuffle the discard pile and redistribute all the cards. Carry out an exchange of cards between members of the same clan and continue the round.
- In a 2-player game, deal only 6 cards to each person, do not carry out an exchange, and continue the round.
End of the Round
The round stops as soon as a clan's Kitsune pawn has reached the last space of the wisdom track.
- Your remaining cards in hand are discarded.
- Keep any Power tokens you have.
- Carry out the preparation of a round (see Preparing a Round above).
- Begin a new round.
End of the Game
If your clan has won a second round, you win the game. Use the Victory cards to indicate which clan has won a round.
Special Cards
Katana cards (x2): The person who played this card immediately destroys one numeral card (1 to 6) placed face up in front of another person. The destroyed card is turned face down and does not count for the current trick.
Clarification: If this card is played and there is no numeral card in play, it has no effect.
White Kitsune cards (x2) invert the colours of the numeral cards for the current trick. Blue cards become orange and vice versa.
Clarification: If the 2 cards are played in the same trick, they cancel each other out.
Black Kitsune cards (x2) force the next person clockwise to play a Clan card of your colour. If that person has no more cards of your colour, they may play one of their clan's or a special card.
It is forbidden to lie or bluff.
Example: You are in the Blue clan; the person before you plays a Black Kitsune card. You must then play an Orange card if you have one.
Power Tokens
If the opposing clan moves its Kitsune pawn forward 4 spaces or more on the wisdom track: your clan receives a Power token.
- Choose it from those available under the Wisdom board and decide who receives it within the clan.
- That person places it on their Clan card.
- Once used, tokens are discarded (you may place them above the Wisdom board).
- They will be available again in the next round.
WARNING: a team may only have one Power token in its possession.
+3 token (two-sided): The person who played this token chooses its side to add +3 to the Orange clan or to the Blue clan.
Clarification: This token is also affected by the colour change of the White Kitsune card.
No-advance token: When this token is played, the clan that wins the trick does not move forward (regardless of which clan played it).
Hidden-card token: The person who played this Power token plays their card face down and places the token on it; it is immune to the Katana card. This card will be revealed at the end of the trick.
Clarification: Katana and Black Kitsune cards cannot be played under this token.
Recover-card token: The person who played this Power token may look at the cards discarded from the last trick and take one of their choice, which they add to their hand. (These are the X cards on the discard pile, X being 4 for a 2- or 4-player game, and 6 for a 6-player game.)
Clarification: This person will then have 1 more card than the others for this round. As soon as the other people have no more cards, the round ends and this person discards the card they have left.
Colour-inversion token: When this token is played, the colours of the numeral cards are inverted. Blue cards become orange and vice versa.
Clarification: If the token is played after a White Kitsune card, it cancels its effect and vice versa.
Card Distribution
| Card type | Number of cards per colour (2 and 4 players) | Number of cards per colour (6 players) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | 1 | 1 |
| White Kitsune | 2 | 2 |
| Black Kitsune | 2 | 2 |
| Katana | 2 |