Los Tesoros del Rey Pirata Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Objective
• Setup
• Use of the Dice (Assign Die Value)
• Starting the Game
• Player Turn
  • Draw a Card
• Fire Cannons and Challenge to Duel
• Treason and Protection Cards (Mutiny, Sabotage and Walk the Plank)
• Equipment Cards
• Claim Treasure
• Movement
• Anchor Card
• Event Cards
• Cards with Dice
• Victory and End of Game
• Variants
• Example of Play

Contents

• 4 Pirate cards (with characters and a ship color)
• 12 Treason cards (Mutiny and Sabotage)
• 8 Protection cards
• 16 Equipment cards
• 6 Die cards (Siren's Song, Smooth Sailing, Pirate King's favor)
• 12 Map cards (which are the Treasure cards on their backs)
• 5 Event cards
• 2 Blank Event cards
• 1 Anchor card
• 1 Wheel card
• 4 Player Aid Cards
• 3 Treasure tokens (plus 2 spare)
• 4 Ships
• 1 Game board
• 1 Rulebook

Objective

Have the most Victory Points by the end of the game.

(The heading is printed as "Objetive" in the source.)

Setup

1. Each Player choses a Ship color and receives the Character Card of the corresponding color as well as a Player Aid Card.

2. Shuffle the Event Cards and place the Anchor Card on top of them.

3. Shuffle the Play Deck (Treason, Protection, Equipment, and Die cards). Then deal 5 cards to each player and place the rest of the Deck on top of the Anchor Card.

4. Shuffle the Map Deck and place the Wheel Card on top of it to ensure no one knows the last Map Card to be revealed.

5. Unfold the Game Board. Place the Play Deck so it is easily accessible to every player, allowing space for a discard pile. Reveal 3 Map Cards from the bottom of the Map Deck and place them next to the Board. Place a Treasure token on each Island on the board indicated on the 3 Map Cards just revealed. Place the Ships in the center of the Board, on the space with the Compass Rose.

Use of the Dice (Assign Die Value)

Ahoy matey! In Treasures of the Pirate King some of the cards have a die printed on them. You need to master this fundamental rule of the game.

During the game there are actions and cards that require a value to be assigned to them. This is done by using the dice printed on the Play Deck Cards. These range in number from 1 to 7. In order to assign a die value you must show a card and then place it in the discard pile. The trick is in that you may choose either a card from your hand, with a known value, or the top card from the Play Deck, and therefore with a 'random' die value. A Card used to assign a die value does not have any additional effect.

Starting the Game

The player that has most recently been in a watercraft goes first. If it's not possible to decide in this way, then each player draws a card from the Play Deck. Whoever gets the highest die value starts the game. Successive turns follow in clockwise order.

In Treasures of the Pirate King you are the captain of a pirate crew, trying to be crowned as the new Pirate King or Queen. From now on, we will refer to players as Pirates.

Player Turn

On your turn you must carry out these four phases in order:

1. Draw a Card.
2. Choose one of the following actions:
   • Draw a Card.
   • Fire Cannons.
   • Challenge a Duel.
   • Play a Treason Card.
   • Equip an Equipment Card.
   • Claim a Treasure.
3. Move the Ship.
4. Choose one of the following actions:
   • Draw a Card.
   • Fire Cannons.
   • Challenge a Duel.
   • Play a Treason Card.
   • Equip an Equipment Card.
   • Claim a Treasure.

The 4 phases are mandatory and cannot be skipped. The actions chosen in steps 2 and 4 may be the same or different.

The hand limit is 8 cards. If you have more than 8 Cards at the end of your turn, you must discard until you have exactly 8 cards in hand.

Draw a Card

Draw the top card from the Play Deck and take it into your hand.

Fire Cannons and Challenge to Duel

In The Treasures of the Pirate King there's more to success than digging up treasures. You will gain most of your wealth through the use your cutlass's rusty blade, and defend it with the heavy shot of your cannons.

Fire Cannons: This action is a ranged attack that steals 2 random cards from the hand of another Pirate when successful. You must choose, as the target of the attack, a Ship located in the same square as yours, or one in any of the 8 adjacent squares. First you must assign a die value to the attack, with a card from your hand or from the top of the Deck. Then, the defending Pirate assigns a die value to their defense, either from their hand or from the Deck. Both values are compared. If the value of your attack card is equal to or greater than the defense value, the attack has succeeded and you take 2 cards at random from the defender's hand and add them to your hand. If the die value from the defense is greater, the attack misses.

Challenge to Duel: This action is a close combat attack that steals a Treasure card from another Pirate when successful. You must choose, as the target of the attack, a Ship located in the same square as yours. First you must assign a die value to the attack, with a card from your hand, or from the top of Deck. Then, the defending Pirate assigns a die value to their defense, either from their hand or from the Deck. Both values are compared. If the die value of the attack is equal to or greater than the defense value, the attack succeeds and you choose 1 Treasure Card from the defending Pirate and add it to your own. If the die value of the defense is greater, the attack fails.

Example:

1. Fire Cannons: The brown Ship can Fire Cannons at the square it is in, or in any of the directions indicated by the arrows. The brown Pirate must choose if they will attack the white, grey or black Ship. They decide to attack the white Ship, and for this purpose they use a card from their hand with a 5 on the die. White responds with the top card from the Deck. It's only a 3 and therefore the attack succeeds. So, brown takes 2 cards at random from white's hand.
2. Challenge to Duel: The grey Ship shares a square with the black one, and on their turn the grey Pirate chooses Challenge to Duel the black. They use the top card of the deck for their attack. It's a 2. Black also reveals a card from the top of the deck. It's a 4, so the attack fails, and no Treasure is taken.

Treason and Protection Cards (Mutiny, Sabotage and Walk the Plank)

Being a pirate isn't all about fighting either. There's plenty of crafty tricks you can use to generate chaos in the enemy's crews and prevent them reaching victory. But be careful! If your henchperson is caught, they'll walk the plank and become shark food.

In order to use a Treason card (Mutiny and Sabotage) you must choose another Pirate as a target, showing and discarding the Treason Card. The Treason card must have a die value assigned. The die value printed on the card may be used for this, or it can be changed to another value. To change the die value, you must discard another card, which may come from your hand or from the Deck. The die value on that second card becomes the value of your Treason card.

The Pirate targeted may try to cancel the effect of the Treason Card, by showing and discarding a Protection Card (Walk the Plank). The Protection card must have a die value assigned. The die value printed on the Card may be used for this or it can be changed to another value. To change the die value, you must discard another card, which may come from your hand or from the Deck. The die value on that second card becomes the value of your Protection card.

Both values are then compared. If the die value you assigned to the Treason is equal to or greater than the value assigned to the Protection, then the Treason is successful and its effect is executed. If the value assigned to the Protection is higher, the Treason is canceled and the Protection effect is executed.

It is important to remember that if the die value on a card is changed, then the second value is the one that counts, even if it's a lower value.

In this edition the Treason cards are:

• Mutiny: Look at the hand of the targeted Pirate, choose a card and put it in your hand.
• Sabotage: The targeted Pirate discards the equipped card, and then you draw a card. (See below for rules on Equipment cards).

In this edition the Protection card is:

• Walk the Plank: The Treason effect is canceled. Then the Pirate that played the Protection draws a card.

Example:

1. Grey Pirate plays a Sabotage card on white Pirate. Grey shows the Sabotage card with a printed die value of 3. They also decides to show a second card from their hand to replace the 3 value with a 5. White shows a Walk the Plank card with a printed die value of 1 and decides to replace it with the top card of the deck, which is a 6! So, grey Pirate's Sabotage fails, white keeps their equipment and also draws a card.
2. Brown Pirate decides to play a Mutiny against black Pirate. The card they uses has a printed value of 6 so they decides to keep that value. Black has no Walk the Plank card, and therefore cannot stop brown from seeing his hand and choosing a card to take from it.

Equipment Cards

You'll need to have the proper equipment if you want to find the loot. You can also use this equipment to help you out in your travels and confrontations.

There are four types of Equipment cards: Machetes & Swords, Cannons & Pistols, Compass & Sextant, and Lamps & Shovels. These Equipment cards are associated with a type of Treasure and Pirates must discard the appropriate card in order to claim the Treasure (look at Claim Treasure section). These card may also be equipped to gain benefits.

Equip a card: Equipment cards grant special benefits. In order to Equip a card you must show and place it next to the Pirate card in your tableau. Only one card may be equipped at the same time. If you Equip a new card, the previously equipped card is replaced and goes back to your hand.

The benefits from the Equipment cards are as follows:

• Lamps & Shovels: Before Drawing a card (look at the Draw a card section), you may look at the top card of the Play Deck, then choose between that card and the top card of the discard pile to Draw. Once you draw one of the cards, it is not possible to change it. This benefit applies to drawing cards either as an action or by the effect of a card played. Assigning die value does not count as a Draw and this benefit does not apply when doing so.
• Compass & Sextant: In the movement phase (see the Movement section), you may assign a die value equal to 5, without using a card. It is still possible to assign another die value to the movement, either from your hand or from the deck. Any assigned die value is final, and cannot be changed back to 5 (though it's always possible to move fewer squares than the assigned value).
• Cannons & Pistols: You may Fire Cannons (see the Fire Cannons section) assigning a die value of 5 without using a card. It is still possible to assign another die value, either from your hand or from the deck. Any assigned die value is final, and cannot be changed back to 5. This effect does not apply when defending.
• Machetes & Swords: Adds 1 to the die value assigned when you Challenge to Duel (see the Challenge to Duel section). This effect does not apply when defending.

It is important to remark that the benefit from both Cannons & Pistols and Machetes & Swords only applies to attacks and not when defending.

The benefits granted by Equipment are immediate and take effect for the rest of the turn if applicable. By using the benefit of the Equipment, this benefit is not lost and the card remains equipped.

An equipped card may be discarded to use its die value or be used to Claim a Treasure (look at Claim Treasure section).

Claim Treasure

The treasures grant power and reputation to whoever possess them and are the only way to win the crown of the missing Pirate King.

There are four types of Treasure: Jewels, Magic, Merchandise and Gold. The Treasures grant Victory Points at the end of the game. The more Treasures of the same type you collect, the more Victory Points you will gain. The Victory Point values are detailed on each of the Treasure cards.

To claim a Treasure your Ship must be at one of the islands indicated in any of the revealed Map cards. You must also discard the Equipment card specified on the Map card. The discarded Equipment card may be one that was equipped, or may come from your hand. By claiming a Treasure, you take the Map Card and place it next to your Pirate Card, with the Treasure side faceup.

The game begins with 3 Map cards revealed. A Treasure Token will be placed on each Island of the board indicated by the Maps. As you claim the Treasures, you must immediately refresh the selection, revealing a new Map card from the bottom of the Map deck and moving the Treasure Token on the board to island that matches the new Map card.

Movement

Ships are moved by assigning a die value (from your hand or the deck). Your Ship must move at least one square and may move up to the die value assigned. It is possible to move fewer squares than the assigned die value.

Ships move orthogonally, therefore moving diagonally is forbidden. A ship cannot end its movement in the square where it began the turn; it must end up in a different square.

Your Ship may only enter or leave Island squares via the sea squares joined by the purple arrows. Ship cannot move across islands during their movement.

Different Ships may share the same square.

Example:

1. The white Ship shows a card from the hand with a die value of 3 and discards it. As it wishes to move to "Isla del Volcán" (Volcano Island) it uses the whole value (3) of its movement because it must enter the island thru the purple arrow.
2. The brown Ship uses the top card of the deck to assign die value to its movement, and reveals a 1. It may only move to one of the four orthogonally adjacent squares.

Anchor Card

The Anchor card is placed at the bottom of the Play Deck. When you reveal the Anchor card, execute the following two steps.

1. You reveal the first Event Card under the Anchor. The effect of the card is immediately carried out and then it is placed it next to the deck (look at Event cards section).
2. You shuffle the Play deck discard pile and place them on top of the Anchor card as a new Play Deck.

Event Cards

In the race for the treasures you'll not only face the other crews. You must overcome the fury of nature, cruel diseases and mysterious phenomena.

Event cards are revealed when the Anchor card is shown and affect every Pirate equally. Once resolved, Event cards are put next to the game deck in an independent discard pile.

After resolving the effect on the Event card, the game continues with the action that was occurring before the Anchor card was revealed.

In this edition there are five Event cards:

• Damned Lighthouse: Each Pirate returns their Ship to the starting point (the square with the compass Rose).
• Storm: Simultaneously every Pirate passes their hand to the Pirate on their right. If a Pirate has no cards in their hand, then the Pirate on their right will end up with no cards in their hand.
• Scurvy: Every Pirate reduce their hand to a maximum of 2 cards, discarding the rest.
• Outrage: Every Pirate must discard the equipped card they may have.
• Rumors: Every Pirate shows their hand so everyone else knows which type of cards and dice values they have.
• Blank event cards: These cards are meant for you to invent your own Event cards with the effects you think are the most interesting and fun. Add them to the other event cards before the game starts.

Cards with Dice

These cards have just a die printed on them and are used only for assigning die value to actions. The Die cards in this edition are:

• Siren's Song: Die with a 1.
• Smooth Sailing: Die with a 6.
• Pirate King's Favor: Die with a 7.

Victory and End of Game

When the last chest is opened, the crew with the most power will claim sovereignty over the Pirate Nation.

The game ends as soon as one of the following conditions is met:

• The last Treasure is claimed.
• The last Event card is executed.

Victory Points are added for each Pirate. The Pirate with the highest Victory Point total wins the game and receives the title of new Pirate King or Pirate Queen.

If there's a tie in Victory Points, the game will continue in a sudden death finish. This means the game continues until one Pirate has at least one more Victory Point than any of the rest. This may be accomplished by any Pirate, even if they were not in the tie.

Variants

• The pact of the waves: The players may decide how many event cards will be present in the match. This variant is recommended to avoid longer games. This variant may be combined with the next two.
• Scanning the horizon: Event cards are placed face down next to the Play deck, and the top one is revealed. When the first step of the Anchor is executed, the revealed Event card will be triggered and its effect resolved. Then the next Event card is revealed, this will trigger with the next Anchor card and so on. This variant is meant to create a more tactical game.
• Chaos on the high seas: After dealing the initial hand of cards, the Event cards are shuffled into the game deck. Every time an Event card is drawn, it resolves immediately and then the game continues with the action or die value assignment that was happening before. It is necessary to be precise in the order at all times, especially with the discard pile. It's important to remark that this variant does not account for ending the game after the last Event card is revealed, so in some circumstances the match could last longer than expected. This variant allows having more random and chaotic games.

Example of Play

(Translated from the Spanish-language example of play in the source rulebook.)

In this game Juan (black Ship), Diego (brown Ship) and Ana (grey Ship) are playing.

Diego shuffles the Event cards, places the Anchor card on top of them, then shuffles the Play deck and deals 5 cards to Ana, 5 to Juan and 5 to himself. He places the rest on top of the Anchor card. Then he shuffles the Map cards, reveals the first 3 and places the Treasure tokens on the board.

As Ana practices rowing, she is the one who starts the game. In the first phase of her turn she must Draw the first card of the deck, so she does. In her second phase she chooses to Draw again. In her third phase she must Move her Ship; to do this she must assign a die value. She decides to do it from the deck, so she reveals the first card of the deck and places it in the discard pile. The die on that card is a 6, but she decides to move 5 squares until she enters Tortuga Island, ending her Movement. In her fourth phase she chooses to Claim the Treasure of that island, since she has the right Equipment in hand (Swords and Machetes). To do this she discards the Equipment, takes the Map card, flips it and places it next to her character card. Afterwards she reveals another Map card, it is Ghost Island; she moves the treasure token to that location on the board and ends her turn.

It is Diego's turn. In his first phase, he Draws the first card of the deck. In his second phase he decides to Fire Cannons to attack Ana. He decides to assign the die value to the attack by discarding a card from his hand that has a 5 on the die. Ana has the right to defend against the attack; she assigns a die value by discarding the first card of the deck, which has a 3 on the die, which is not enough to evade the attack. She shuffles the cards in her hand and spreads them toward Diego, who takes 2 cards at random. In the third phase of his turn, Diego moves his Ship using a card from his hand. This card has a die value of 4, exactly one less than needed to reach Puerto Viejo, which is where he wants to go, but he still advances in that direction. In his fourth phase he decides to Draw a card and ends his turn.

Now it is Juan's turn. In his first phase, he Draws the first card of the deck. In his second phase he decides to Equip a card; this is Compass & Sextant. To do this he shows that card and places it next to his character card. In his third phase he moves his Ship without needing to discard a card from his hand or from the deck, because the ability of Compass & Sextant is "You may move by assigning a die value equal to 5 without showing a card." He therefore moves his Ship 5 squares and gets ahead of Diego, arriving first at Puerto Viejo. In his fourth phase he discards the Equipment card needed to claim the Treasure (Cannons & Pistols). He reveals another Map card, it is Mysterious Island; he moves the treasure token to that position and ends his turn.

It is Ana's second turn. In her first phase she Draws the first card of the deck. In her second phase she decides to play a Mutiny against Juan. To do this she discards a Mutiny card, but this one has a 2 on the die. Since she considers that a low value, she decides to use another card to replace that 2, so she reveals the first card of the deck, which turns out to have a 7 on the die. The Pirate King's Favor! She then places it in the discard pile. Juan has no Walk the Plank card, which is needed to have a chance to protect himself from the Mutiny, so he reveals his hand to Ana, who chooses a card from it and keeps it. In the third phase, Ana moves her Ship by showing a card from the deck; the die on the card is a 1. Siren's Song! Because of this she cannot get very far. In her fourth phase she Draws a card.

It is Diego's second turn. In his first phase he Draws a card. In his second phase he chooses to Draw again. In his third phase he moves his Ship with a card from the deck; it is a 4, but he only needs to move one space to reach Juan, so he does. In his fourth phase he decides to Challenge Juan to a Duel. To do so he discards a card from his hand that has a 5 on the die. Juan has no cards with higher dice than that, so he decides to show the first card of the deck. In doing so he shows a card with a die value of 5. Although they have tied, the advantage is Diego's, since in a tie the attacker wins. Diego takes from Juan the Treasure he had claimed in the previous turn and places it next to his character card.

Now it is Juan's second turn. In his first phase he Draws. In his second phase he Challenges Diego to a Duel, discarding a 4 from his hand. Diego defends by showing a 3 from the deck. Juan has won and recovers his Treasure. In his Movement phase he uses the ability of his equipped card (Compass & Sextant), and moves away from Diego. In his fourth phase he decides to Draw a card.

And so the game continues...