Master of Rules
Master of Rules Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 45 number cards in 5 colors (Blue, Red, Yellow, Green, Purple), each numbered 1-9
- 60 rule cards in 5 types (ONLY ONE, LIMIT 23, SUPPORT RIGHT, TRIO, BEST of the BEST), 12 cards each
- 5 summary cards
- 1 first player card
- 2 round tracking cards (Car and Parking Lot)
- 2 automated player cards (used in 3-4 player games)
Overview
Objective of the game
Players in this game shares the number cards played by all players, but each have a rule that only applies to themselves. Players will try to score points by accomplishing as many rules as possible. After playing a specified number of rounds, the player with the highest score is the winner.
Course of the Game
This game is played over specified number of rounds. During each round, players take 2 turns in clockwise order starting with the first player. During your turn, choose and play 1 card face up from your hand. After each player took 2 rounds to play a number card and a rule card, players will check if any rules played are accomplished.
Setup (for 5 players)
This game needs exactly 5 players. To play with 3 or 4 players, use the automated player as shown at the back to this rule sheet.
- Separate the number cards and rule cards, and shuffle them facing down. After that, deal 4 number cards and 3 rule cards to each player as their hand.
- Place the remaining cards face down in 2 separated piles at the center of the table. These 2 decks form the number deck and the rule deck.
- From the number deck and rule deck, turn over a number of cards equal to the number of players (5 cards in a 5-player game) and place them face up in the center of the table. These cards form the display.
- Determine the first player randomly. The first player receives the first player card and the 2 round tracking cards and place these cards in front of them.
- Place the round tracking card with the red car on top of the parking lot card and slide the car card so that the number "1" parking lot is shown.
Using the round tracking card
To advance the round tracking card, slide the overlapping car card horizontally by the width of the red car to show that the red car is parking (overlaps) in the next parking lot (square) with the smallest number visible on the parking lot card.
Turn Structure
1. Playing cards
Each round consists of 2 turns, where players play 1 card in front of them during each turn. Players may play either a number card or a rule card in the first round, but must play the card that is not played previously during the second round. You may not play two cards of the same type. After playing a card, choose 1 card of the same type as the played card from the display and add it to your hand.
- If you played a number card, add a number card from the display to your hand. If you played a rule card, add a rule card from the display to your hand.
- You must always have 4 number cards and 3 rule cards in your hand.
Playing a number card
Choose any number card to play from your hand.
Playing a rule card
You may only play a rule card that are not played during this round. If all of the rule cards in your hand are played, you must reveal all of the rule cards in your hand and may play any rule card of your choice, ignoring the rule above.
2. Check for accomplished rules
After each player played 1 rule card and 1 number card, check and see if any rules are accomplished.
Each player determines whether the condition of the rule card they have played are accomplished or not. Check the back of this rule sheet for the requirements of each rule card.
If the requirement is completed, place the rule card aside as a score card. Make sure not to mix up your scoring card and cards that you are playing.
3. Preparing for the next round
Discard all number cards played during this turn and all rule cards that are not accomplished.
Then, refill the cards in the display from each deck with the card number equals to the number of players.
4. Passing on the first player
The first player for the current round passes the first player card to the player on the right, and they become the first player for the next round.
When the player with the round tracking card receives the first player card, move the round tracking card to keep track of the current round number.
Slide the car card so that the red car is parking on the parking lot (square) with the smallest number visible on the parking lot card.
End of the game
After completing the specified number of rounds, the game ends. When playing with 5 players, the game ends after 10 rounds are completed.
After checking the accomplished rules, all players discard their hand and calculate their score.
Scoring and Winner
Scoring for rules
Each player counts the number of rule cards they have scored. Each rule card counts as 1 point.
Bonus points
Players receive extra bonus points according to the combinations of rule cards they have scored.
Bonus for more than 3 of a kind
If you scored 3 or more of the rules of the same type, you get 2 bonus point. You score 2 additional bonus points for each additional type of rules that you have 3 or more in your scoring. However, each type of rules only counts once. You only score 2 points even if you scored 6 cards of the same rule.
Scoring example: 10 cards + 6 bonus points = 16 points.
Bonus for all 5 rules
If you scored all five types of rules, you get 2 bonus points. You only score this bonus once. Which means, even if you scored 2 rule cards of each types, you still only get 2 points.
Scoring example: 10 cards + 2 bonus points = 12 points.
Determining the winner
The player with the highest total of number of cards and bonus points is the winner. In case of a tie, the tied player with the most TRIO accomplished will be the winner. If it is still a tie, compare the number of rules accomplished beginning with ONLY ONE, BEST of the BEST, LIMIT 23, and SUPPORT RIGHT. If all of them are the same, those players share the victory.
Additional Rules for 3/4 Players: Automated Player
In the 3/4 player play, automated player cards are used for the shortfall until 5 players.
3 players
Automated player 1 (with the For 3 Players side face up) and automated player 2 will be used in a 3 player game.
- Place both automated player cards to the right of the first player.
- After all players have played their first card, reveal the top card from the number deck and the rule deck and play them face up on the automated player 1 card.
- After all players have played their second card, reveal the top card from the number deck and play it face up on the automated player 2 card.
- With 5 number cards and 4 rule cards played, check if any players accomplished their rules.
End of the game (3 players): After 12 rounds (finishing round 4 on the round tracking card), the game ends.
4 players
Only automated player 1 (with the For 4 Players side face up) will be used in a 4 player game.
- Place the automated player card 1 to the right of the first player.
- After all players have played their first card, reveal the top card from the number deck and play it face up on the automated player 1 card.
- After all players have played their second card, check if any players accomplished their rules with the 5 number cards and 4 rule cards played.
End of the game (4 players): After 12 rounds (finishing round 3 on the round tracking card), the game ends.
When preparing for the next round, discard all cards played on the automated player. Also, when passing on the first player card, remember to move the position of the automated player too.
When playing with any automated player, ignore them and check the non-automated player on your right. (Printed on the automated player card: in 3/4 player games, ignore the dummy players and judge against the human player to your right.)
The 5 Rules in Detail
TRIO
If there are 3 or more number cards that shares the "same color" or "same numbers", this rule is accomplished.
The number card you have played does not have to be a part of the combination.
Example: Since there are 3 number cards of the same color (red), player A has accomplished their rule.
ONLY ONE
If the number card you played does not share any "color" or "number" with all other 4 number cards, this rule is accomplished.
Example: Player A played a "yellow 3". The other 4 cards is neither "yellow" nor "3", so the rule is accomplished.
Player B also played the ONLY ONE rule card, but there is another red card played, so the rule is consider failed.
LIMIT 23
If the sum of all 5 number cards is 23 or less, this rule is accomplished.
Example: The sum of all 5 numbers is 23, so player A has accomplished their rule.
BEST of the BEST
Within all 5 number cards, if the card you played is included in the "most played color" and it is the "highest number" within that color, this rule is accomplished.
If more than 1 color shares the most card of a color, all of those color are considered the "most played color".
Example: Yellow is the most played color. Player A played the highest number card within yellow, which means their rule is accomplished. Player B also played BEST of the BEST and 9 is the highest number, but red is not the most played color, so player B fails to accomplish the rule.
Example: The most played colors are blue and red. Player A played the highest number within blue, so their rule is accomplished. Player B also played the highest number within red, so this rule is also accomplished.
SUPPORT RIGHT
If the player on your right accomplished their rule, this rule is also accomplished.
In a rare case where all players played SUPPORT RIGHT in a 3/4 player game, all players rules are considered accomplished.
When playing with any automated player, ignore them and check the non-automated player on your right.
Example: Player C accomplished TRIO. Player B accomplished SUPPORT RIGHT since the player on their right accomplished their SUPPORT RIGHT! TRIO. And in this case, Player A also accomplished their SUPPORT RIGHT!