The Red Dragon Inn 2
The Red Dragon Inn 2 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Components
- Object of the Game
- Getting Started
- On Your Turn
- Sometimes and Anytime Cards
- Losing the Game
- Gambling
- More Drink Rules
- Other Rules
- Minimum and Maximum Fortitude, Alcohol Content, Gold
- Cards That Affect Your Fortitude, Alcohol Content, Gold
- Redirecting Damage
- Negate and Ignore Effects
- Timing
- "Oh, I guess the Wench thought that was her tip…"
- "The Wench thinks you should stop playing with the drinks."
- Splitting Drinks
- Mead
- Round on the House
- Drinking Contest
- The Bar Deck Variant
- Credits
Components
4 40-Card Character Decks (Dimli, Eve, Fleck and Gog), 4 Player Mats, 1 30-Card Drink Deck, 4 Fortitude Markers (red), 4 Alcohol Content Markers (clear), 50 Gold Pieces
Object of the Game
Keep your Gold and stay conscious. If you run out of Gold, or if your Alcohol Content is ever greater than or equal to your Fortitude, you are out of the game.
Getting Started
Shuffle the Drink Deck and place it where everyone can reach it. Leave space for a discard pile next to the Drink Deck.
Each player takes a player mat, a red marker, a clear marker, and one of the Character Decks.
Shuffle your Character Deck and place it on the space labeled Deck on your player mat. When you must discard Character Deck Cards, place them in the space labeled Discard on your player mat.
Take 10 Gold and place it near your player mat where everyone can see it. This is your "Stash." (For games with 2 players, take 8 Gold instead. For games with 7 or more players, take 12 Gold instead.) Put the extra Gold to the side. This is the "Inn."
Place the red marker on the 20 on your player mat. This is your Fortitude. Place the clear marker on the 0 on your player mat. This is your Alcohol Content.
Take a card from the Drink Deck and place it face down on the space labeled Drink Me! This is your Drink Me! Pile. Do not look at the cards in your Drink Me! Pile yet.
Draw the top seven cards from your Character Deck. This is your hand. You may look at these cards, but you must keep them hidden from the other players.
Choose someone to go first.
On Your Turn
Your turn consists of four Phases, which must be played in order: Discard and Draw, Action, Order a Drink, Drink.
1. Discard and Draw
You may discard any cards from your hand that you do not want and then draw from your Character Deck until you are holding seven cards. You may not play any cards or effects until you have finished drawing cards.
If you draw the last card from your Character Deck, shuffle your discarded Character Cards and put them back on the Deck space on your player mat.
If you are holding seven or more cards you may opt to keep all of them and draw no new cards.
2. Action
You may play one Action Card. To play an Action Card, read the title of the card out loud and pick the affected player(s). Give other players a chance to respond to the card, then follow any instructions on the card and discard it to the Discard space on your player mat.
Card example — "Why you laugh at Gog?" (Action)
If you play a "Gambling? I'm in!" card, you start a Round of Gambling (see "Gambling" on page 2 for more details).
If you cannot or do not want to play an Action Card, you don't have to.
3. Order a Drink
Take the top card from the Drink Deck and place it face down, without looking at it, on top of any other player's Drink Me! Pile.
Card example — "Wine" (Drink)
If the Drink Deck runs out of cards, each player must pay the tavern to serve up a new round of Drinks. (See "More Drink Rules" on page 3 for details.)
4. Drink
Reveal the top card of your Drink Me! Pile, follow the instructions on the card and place it in the Drink Deck discard pile. Some of the instructions on Drink Cards are represented by icons:
- Gain [X] Alcohol Content
- Gain [X] Fortitude
- Add a Chaser - see "Chasers" under "More Drink Rules"
- Lose [X] Fortitude
If you don't have any cards in your Drink Me! Pile when you have to drink, you start to sober up; reduce your Alcohol Content by one.
Ending Your Turn
After your Drink Phase, the player to your left goes next.
Sometimes and Anytime Cards
Card example — "Drink up, friend!" (Sometimes)
Sometimes Cards can only be played under certain conditions. Each Sometimes Card tells you when it can be played in its text.
Some Sometimes Cards allow you to Negate or Ignore another card. These cards are described in "Negate and Ignore Effects" on page 4.
You may play multiple Sometimes Cards in response to the same game event, even if they are multiple copies of the same card. However, you must play the cards one at a time and give your opponents an opportunity to respond to each one.
Anytime Cards may be played at any time, even if they interrupt another action.
Card example — "Tip the Wench." (Anytime)
Relevant Sometimes and Anytime Cards may be played in any Phase of a turn, either before or after the special action for that Phase. For example, you may play an Anytime Card during your Discard and Draw Phase before you discard and draw.
If two or more players would like to play Sometimes or Anytime Cards at the same time, see "Timing" on page 4.
Losing the Game
Running Out of Gold
If you run out of Gold, the Wench kicks you out of the Inn and you must spend the rest of the night out in the stables. You are out of the game.
Passing Out
If your Alcohol Content is ever greater than or equal to your Fortitude, you fall unconscious and the Wench drags you up to your room to sleep it off. Your Gold is divided between the Inn and any players still in the game. Split your Gold in half. One half, rounded up, goes to the Inn. What's left gets split evenly among the remaining players, with any remainder going to the Inn. You are out of the game.
If you run out of Gold or pass out, you don't lose immediately. First, finish resolving any cards that have been played but have not yet resolved. After these cards resolve, you have one last chance to play Sometimes or Anytime Cards to save yourself or attack others. If you can't save yourself, then you're out of the game.
If you have any cards in your Drink Me! Pile when you lose, put them in the Drink Deck discard pile.
It is possible for multiple players to lose at the same time. If this happens, first determine which players are passing out. Each of those players divides their Gold among the players who aren't passing out, as described above. After this, if any players have no Gold, they lose the game as well. This means that if one player passes out and another runs out of Gold simultaneously, the player who is running out of Gold could be saved by getting a share of the Gold from the other player!
If all remaining players would lose the game simultaneously, the game is a tie between those players.
Gambling
When a player plays "Gambling? I'm in!" as their Action, this starts a Round of Gambling.
When a Round of Gambling begins, normal play is suspended and each player must ante 1 Gold, putting it in the middle of the table (making sure not to get it confused with the Inn's Gold). This counts as "losing Gold" for the purpose of cards which affect that.
The player who started the Round of Gambling is currently winning ("in control" of the Round).
Play proceeds clockwise around the table from the player who started the Round. On your turn you may either play a Gambling or Cheating Card or pass.
Card examples — "Gambling? I'm in!" (Action - Gambling); "This time, let's use my cards." (Cheating)
Play a Gambling or Cheating Card: Playing either of these two types of card gives you control of the Round of Gambling. The card you play may have other effects, as well.
Pass: You may choose to pass instead of playing a card. You may pass even if you have a Gambling or Cheating Card that you could play (and it is often correct to do so!) If you pass, you are still in the Round of Gambling and may play Gambling or Cheating Cards later in the Round, as long as the Round does not end first.
Ending the Round
If you play a Gambling or Cheating Card and everyone else passes, the Round of Gambling ends, and you win. Take all of the anted Gold and add it to your Stash.
As soon as the last player passes, the Round of Gambling ends immediately. You may not play cards that would affect the Round after this point unless the card explicitly states that you can. In particular, "Oh, I guess the Wench thought that was her tip…" may not be played after the last player has passed.
If a card effect says that you win the Round, the Round ends immediately, and you take the anted Gold.
When the Round of Gambling is over, normal game play resumes. The player who started the Round moves on to their Order a Drink Phase.
Card example — "Winning Hand!" (Gambling) — Take control of a Round of Gambling. The next card to take control must be a Cheating Card.
Winning Hand!
"Winning Hand!" is a special Gambling Card, because only Cheating Cards can be used to take control after it has been played. If "Winning Hand!" is played and it is followed by a Cheating Card, then any Gambling or Cheating Card can be played next. Just remember:
- A Cheating Card can be played after anything.
- A Gambling Card can be played after anything except a "Winning Hand!"
Leaving a Round of Gambling
Some cards allow you to leave a Round of Gambling. If you leave a Round of Gambling, you cannot play Gambling or Cheating Cards for the rest of that Round, but you may still play Sometimes or Anytime Cards. You are no longer affected by cards that require you to ante, such as "I raise!" Any Gold that you previously anted stays in the pot.
If you play a card that requires players to ante, then immediately leave the Round (for example, with "Gambling? I'm in!" followed by "Leave me be! I'm trying to read lore here!"), then the Round proceeds normally, but currently has no winner. If the Round ends before any player takes control, all anted Gold goes to the Inn.
Forcing a Player to Leave a Round of Gambling
Some cards force a player to leave a Round of Gambling. When a player is forced out of the Round, each player, including the one being forced out, has a chance to respond (for example, with "Gog think you cheating! Gog no like cheaters!" or some other anti-cheat card).
If there is ever only one player left in the Round, the Round of Gambling ends and the remaining player wins.
Running out of Gold During Gambling
If you run out of Gold during a Round of Gambling, you will remain in the game at least until the Round of Gambling ends, even if you leave the Round of Gambling or are forced out. Ignore any effects that force you to pay or ante Gold. If you do not win the Round of Gambling, you are out of Gold and out of the game!
If you play a card that would require players to ante, but you cannot ante (because you are out of Gold and cannot use a card like "Illusionary coin"), then no player is required to ante.
Gambling Example
On his turn, Fleck plays "Gambling? I'm in!" to start a Round of Gambling.
Gog plays "This game stupid!" to leave the Round of Gambling. He does not have to ante, but he cannot play any Gambling or Cheating Cards for the rest of this Round.
Fleck, Eve, and Dimli each ante one Gold. Since Fleck started the Round, he's winning (in control).
Eve goes next. She passes.
Dimli plays "I raise," a Gambling Card that forces all players in the Round to ante an additional Gold. Fleck, Eve, and Dimli each ante one more Gold (bringing the pot to 6 Gold). The "I raise" card also puts Dimli in control of the Round of Gambling, so he is now winning.
Fleck plays "Winning Hand!" This is a special Gambling Card that can only be beaten by Cheating Cards. Fleck is now winning.
Eve plays "Oops...I dropped my cards," a Cheating Card. Eve is now winning.
Dimli passes.
Fleck plays "Gambling? I'm In!" In addition to starting a Round of Gambling, "Gambling? I'm in!" can be used during a Round to take control. Fleck is now winning.
Eve passes and so does Dimli.
Fleck wins the 6 Gold in the pot.
More Drink Rules
Running Out of Drinks
When you reach the end of the Drink Deck, each player must pay one Gold to the Inn to get the Wench to bring more Drinks.
After each player pays one Gold, shuffle the discarded Drink Cards into a new Drink Deck. This happens instantly, so the Drink Deck is never out of cards. Drink Cards that have been put on Drink Me! Piles remain where they are.
Card example — "Round on the House!" (Drink Event)
Drink Events
Some cards in the Drink Deck are Drink Event Cards. If you reveal a Drink Event Card, follow the instructions on the card. Cards that affect Drinks do not affect Drink Events unless they specifically say that they do so.
Chasers
If you reveal a Drink Card that has the phrase "with a Chaser" in the title and the "+" mug icon, reveal the next card from the deck from which you revealed the previous Drink. If it's a Drink Card, add its effects to the original Drink. If it's another Drink with a Chaser, add its effects to the original Drink and continue this process.
If no cards remain in your Drink Me! Pile when you would reveal a Chaser from it, or if you reveal a Drink Event Card as your Chaser, there is no additional effect. Do not continue revealing cards, and if you revealed a Drink Event, discard it without taking its effects. You do not sober up if your Drink Me! Pile runs out while revealing Chasers.
The Drink Deck is never out of cards, so if you run out of cards while revealing Chasers from the Drink Deck, follow the Running Out of Drinks rule and then continue revealing Chasers.
The original Drink and its Chasers all count as a single Drink. A card that allows you to Ignore a Drink will Ignore the original Drink and all of its Chasers.
No player may respond to a Drink until all of its Chasers have been revealed.
Card example — "Elven Wine with a Chaser" (Drink) — 3 Alcohol Content, Add a Chaser
Chaser Example 1: Eve drinks from her Drink Me! Pile and gets Wine with a Chaser. She reveals the next card on her Drink Me! Pile and gets Dragon Breath Ale. She adds the effects of both Drinks, for a total Alcohol Content of 6. Eve plays "I cloak myself in shadow" to Ignore the Drink, so she gains no Alcohol Content.
Chaser Example 2: During a Drinking Contest, Gog reveals Light Ale with a Chaser from the top of the Drink Deck. He reveals the next card from the Drink Deck and gets Round on the House. Since Round on the House is a Drink Event Card, it has no effect as a Chaser. Gog gains 1 Alcohol Content.
Ordering Additional Drinks
Some cards allow you to order additional Drinks during your Order a Drink Phase. When you do this, you may put the Drinks face down on any other players' Drink Me! Piles. They can all go to the same player, or they can be distributed however you like among multiple players.
Other Rules
Minimum and Maximum Fortitude, Alcohol Content, Gold
Your Fortitude and Alcohol Content can never go below 0 or above 20. Your Gold can never go below 0, but it has no maximum. If the Inn runs out of Gold Pieces, use some other markers as a substitute.
If a card effect cannot fully take effect due to these limits, the card still takes effect as completely as it is able.
Example: Gog is at 0 Alcohol Content. Fleck plays "And now I'm going to play something really sad" to make each player lose 1 Alcohol Content and pay him 1 Gold. Gog cannot lose 1 Alcohol Content, since he is already at 0, but he still must pay Fleck 1 Gold.
Cards That Affect Your Fortitude, Alcohol Content, Gold
Some cards specify that they can be played in response to a card that affects your Fortitude, Alcohol Content or Gold. A card affects one of these attributes only if it could directly change that attribute when it takes effect.
If a card could normally affect an attribute but can't because that attribute is already at its minimum or maximum value, the card is still considered to affect that attribute.
You may not Ignore a Round of Gambling with a card that allows you to Ignore a card that affects your Gold.
Example: Fleck plays "Tip the Wench" to make Gog pay 1 Gold to the Inn. In response, Gog plays "Shut up!", allowing him to Ignore the card, since it would directly change his Gold.
Example: Gog reveals Wine on his Drink Phase. Dimli plays "Spike it with Firewater" to add 2 Alcohol Content to the Wine. Gog may not play "Shut up!" here, because Dimli's card is not changing Gog's Alcohol Content directly—it is changing the effects of the Wine.
Example: Gog reveals Dragon Breath Ale on his Drink Phase. He plays "This taste yucky!" to Ignore the Drink. Eve plays "I don't think so!" to Negate "This taste yucky!" Gog may not play "Shut up!" here, because Eve's card is not changing Gog's Alcohol Content directly—it is Negating Gog's card that would allow him to Ignore the Drink.
Example: Gog wins a Round of Gambling. At the end of the Round, Gerki (from the original Red Dragon Inn game) plays "Um...I know you think you won, but..." to take the pot. Gog may not play "Shut up!" here, because Gerki's card is not directly changing Gog's Gold. It is affecting the outcome of the Round of Gambling.
Redirecting Damage
Some cards, such as "I'm not Eve. She's over there" allow damage to be redirected from one player to another. When this happens, the game treats the Fortitude loss as though it came from its original source. If a card says that it redirects Fortitude loss, it does not redirect any other effects on the affected card. If multiple redirection effects would apply to a damage effect, each redirection effect applies exactly once. The effects are applied in the order they were played.
Redirection Example: Gog plays "Dance with Gog!" to make Eve lose 4 Fortitude. Eve plays "I'm not Eve. She's over there" to redirect the damage to Dimli. When the damage resolves, Dimli plays "Hey! You almost damaged the beard!" to deal 2 damage the player who hit him. Dimli's card causes Gog to lose 2 Fortitude, not Eve.
Negate and Ignore Effects
Some Sometimes Cards allow you to Negate or Ignore another card.
When you Negate a card, you completely prevent it from resolving. The Negated card goes to the appropriate discard pile. None of its effects happen.
When you Ignore a card, the card resolves normally, but it has no effect on you. It still affects other players as usual.
Negate Example: Dimli plays "That's it! No more short jokes!" on Fleck. Fleck loses 2 Fortitude, then plays "Allow me to introduce you to my biggest fan" to try to make Dimli also lose 2 Fortitude. Dimli responds with "I don't think so!" Fleck's card is Negated, so it has no effect. Fleck does no damage to Dimli.
Ignore Example: Gog plays "Gog loves everyone!" to make each other player lose 1 Fortitude. In response, Eve plays "I attempt to disbelieve" to Ignore the Fortitude loss. She does not lose Fortitude, but the other players do, since Gog's card affects them normally when it resolves.
Card examples — "Gog not think so!" (Sometimes) — Negate a Sometimes Card. "Gog not think so!" can only be affected by cards that can affect I Don't Think So! "Gog not think so!" can affect any card that can be affected by I Don't Think So!
"Good thing I was wearing my great-grandfather's helmet!" (Sometimes) — Ignore an Action, Sometimes or Anytime Card that affects your Fortitude.
Cards do not Negate or Ignore other cards unless they specifically use the word "Negate" or the word "Ignore." So, for example, cards which reduce or redirect damage, reduce Alcohol Content, or pass Drinks to other players are not Negating or Ignoring anything.
Many cards allow you to Ignore a Drink. You may only play a card of this type on a Drink that you are about to drink. You may not Ignore someone else's Drink unless that player first passes it to you, splits it with you, or otherwise makes you take effects from it.
Timing
Whenever any card is played or a Drink or Drink Event is revealed, each player (in turn order, starting with the player who played or revealed the card) may play relevant Sometimes Cards in response.
If no player has any response to a card, that card resolves and its instructions are carried out.
If a player plays a response to a card and that response resolves, each player (in turn order, as above) has another opportunity to respond to the original card. If no player does, the original card resolves.
Timing Example 1: Eve reveals Light Ale during her Drink Phase. She is holding "Drink what? This is empty", which would allow her to Ignore the Drink. She chooses not to play it, since the Drink only has an Alcohol Content of 1. Dimli plays "Spike it with Firewater" to add 2 Alcohol Content to the Light Ale. After Dimli's card resolves, Eve will have another opportunity to play "Drink what? This is empty" to Ignore the spiked Light Ale, even though she previously chose not to respond.
If two or more players are instructed to reveal and drink Drinks at the same time (for example, with the Drink Event "Drinking Contest!"), they first reveal Drink Cards and Chasers, as appropriate. After that, in turn order (as above), players may play Sometimes Cards that modify Drinks. Anytime Cards may also be played here. When no player has any further responses, each player drinks their Drink simultaneously.
If two or more players wish to respond to the same game event with Sometimes or Anytime Cards, players should take back their plays, then play and resolve their Anytime Cards in turn order, beginning from the player whose turn it is. After that, they should play and resolve their Sometimes Cards in the same way.
If a situation arises in which two or more players are each waiting for the others to act before making a decision, the deadlock should be broken with a similar method. In turn order, beginning with the player whose turn it is, each player declares their choice, then the game continues normally.
Timing Example 2: Fleck is at 12 Fortitude and 10 Alcohol Content. On his Drink Phase he reveals Elven Wine. In order to keep from passing out, Fleck plays "Leave me be! I'm trying to read lore here!" to Ignore the Drink. Dimli (sitting to Fleck's left) and Eve (sitting to Dimli's left) each hold an "I don't think so!", and each suspects that the other is holding one. Both Dimli and Eve are interested in Negating Fleck's Ignore card, but neither wants to be the one to spend their critical "I don't think so!" To resolve the deadlock, first Dimli, then Eve must either play a response to Fleck's card or choose not to. If neither Dimli nor Eve decides to play "I don't think so!" on Fleck's card, Fleck Ignores his Drink and remains in the game.
If two or more players wish to respond to sequential game events that occur as the result of a card being played, then players should take back their plays, then play them sequentially.
Timing Example 3: Gog plays "Gog loves everyone!" to make each other player lose 1 Fortitude. At this point, Eve wants to play "I attempt to disbelieve" to Ignore the effect and Fleck wants to play "Allow me to introduce you to my biggest fan" to hit Gog back. Since the game event of responding to Gog's card happens before the game event of players losing Fortitude, Eve plays "I attempt to disbelieve" first. Once that card takes effect, Gog's card resolves, causing each of his opponents (other than Eve) to lose 1 Fortitude. At this point, Fleck may play "Allow me to introduce you to my biggest fan" to hit Gog back.
"Oh, I guess the Wench thought that was her tip…"
Card example — "Oh, I guess the Wench thought that was her tip…" (Sometimes) — You may play this card at any time during a Round of Gambling, even if you have left the Round. You may not play this card if the Round has already ended. You may not play it in response to a card that would make players ante or would end the Round when it resolves. The Round of Gambling ends immediately. All anted Gold goes to the Inn.
There are four important points to remember about "Oh, I guess the Wench thought that was her tip…":
It may not be played in response to "Gambling, I'm in!" or "I raise!" as a means to avoid having to ante.
It may not be played in response to a card that would end the Round.
It may not be played after the last player has passed in a Round of Gambling.
It may be played in response to an effect that forces a player to leave the Round of Gambling, even if that effect would result in only one player remaining in the Round.
"The Wench thinks you should stop playing with the drinks."
Card example — "The Wench thinks you should stop playing with the drinks." (Sometimes) — Negate a Sometimes Card that changes the effects of a Drink. (This includes cards that Negate, Ignore or split Drinks, pass Drinks to other players, or alter any of a Drink's effects.) This card can only be affected by I don't think so!
Negating or Ignoring a Drink, passing a Drink to another player, splitting a Drink, and increasing or decreasing a Drink's Alcohol Content are all considered changing the Drink's effects, so "The Wench thinks you should stop playing with the drinks" can be played in all of these cases.
"The Wench thinks you should stop playing with the drinks" cannot be used to Negate another copy of "The Wench thinks you should stop playing with the drinks."
"The Wench thinks you should stop playing with the drinks" cannot be used to Negate a card that orders you Drinks, forces you to drink, or directly increases your Alcohol Content.
"The Wench thinks you should stop playing with the drinks" cannot be used to Negate a card that affects a Drink Event Card.
Splitting Drinks
When a card is played that can split or duplicate a Drink, it creates separate, independent Drinks. A card that affects a Drink can only affect one of the split Drinks. If a Drink is altered before it is split, then the altered Drink is split.
Split Example 1: Fleck reveals an Elven Wine (3 Alcohol Content). He plays "I do so hate to drink alone...", which splits the Drink into two Drinks with 2 Alcohol Content each (3 Alcohol Content split in half, then rounded up). Dimli then plays "Spike it with Firewater" to add 2 Alcohol Content one of the two Drinks. The result is one Drink with 2 Alcohol Content and another with 4 Alcohol Content.
Split Example 2: Dimli plays "Spike it with Firewater" as soon as the Elven Wine is revealed, making the Elven Wine a Drink with 5 Alcohol Content. Fleck then plays "I do so hate to drink alone...", creating two Drinks with 3 Alcohol Content each.
To split a Drink with one or more Chasers, first combine all like numeric effects (Alcohol Content, Fortitude, drawing cards, etc.), then split each combined effect in half, rounding up.
Split Example 3: On Fleck's Drink Phase, he reveals Elven Wine with a Chaser of Gnomish Inspirational Ale (From RDI 3 - Gain 2 Alcohol Content, draw 2 cards). He then plays "I do so hate to drink alone..." to split the Drink with Dimli. Fleck and Dimli each gain 3 Alcohol Content and draw 1 card.
Mead
Mead is a Drink that has its own built-in split effect. When a player reveals Mead, players first get an opportunity to affect the Drink. When players are done affecting the Mead, the player who revealed it may choose a player with whom to split it. Players then have another opportunity to affect the split halves of the Mead. Because players have an opportunity to affect the Mead after it is split, the two players sharing the Mead could end up taking different effects from it!
Mead Example: Gog reveals Mead during his Drink Phase. No player alters the Drink, so he decides to split it with Eve. This creates two copies of Mead with 2 Alcohol Content each (half of 3 rounded up). After this, Dimli plays "Spike it with Firewater" on Eve's Mead, giving it a total Alcohol Content of 4. Each player then drinks their Mead, so Gog gains 2 Alcohol Content and Eve gains 4.
If Mead is the result of a Drink Event Card or if Mead is revealed as a Chaser to another Drink, it may not be split with another player. The player drinking the Mead takes its full effects.
Round on the House
The card Round on the House is similar to a split effect, but is not considered a split effect. When a Drink is revealed for Round on the House, each player immediately receives a separate, independent copy of that Drink. Players do not have an opportunity to affect the Drink before it is copied, but may affect the individual copies afterward.
Drinking Contest
Card example — "Drinking Contest!" (Drink Event) — Each player reveals a Drink from the Drink Deck and drinks it. The player who reveals the Drink with the highest Alcohol Content (even if they avoid the effects of the Drink) wins 1 Gold from each other player. If there is a tie, the players who tied reveal and drink again until there is a winner. The effects of Drink Event Cards are ignored and they count as 0 Alcohol Content.
When a player reveals a Drinking Contest card, each player, starting with the player whose turn it is, reveals the top card of the Drink Deck. If that card is a Drink Event, it has no effect and counts as a 0 Alcohol Content Drink. If it is a Drink with a Chaser, the player continues revealing Drink Cards as appropriate. Once all players have revealed one or more cards from the Drink Deck, players may, in turn order, play Sometimes Cards that modify Drinks. Anytime Cards may also be played here. When all players are done playing cards, each player drinks and discards their Drink, then the player who revealed the Drink with the highest total Alcohol Content receives one Gold from each other player.
If two or more players tie for the Drink with the highest total Alcohol Content, the tied players repeat the process of revealing, modifying, drinking and discarding Drinks until there is a clear winner. If all tied players but one pass out during this process, the remaining player wins the Drinking Contest and does not continue drinking. If all tied players pass out during this process, the Drinking Contest has no winner.
If a player would win the Drinking Contest and pass out at the same time, that player collects Gold for winning the contest, then passes out.
If a player passes out during a Drinking Contest, that player loses the game, but does not split their Gold among the other players until after the Drinking Contest is completed. Players who lose the game in this way still must pay one Gold to the winner of the Drinking Contest before splitting their Gold.
Cards that increase or decrease the Alcohol Content of a Drink will affect the outcome of a Drinking Contest. If a Drink is split, Ignored, or given to another player, this does not affect the outcome of the contest. If a player somehow takes extra Drinks during a Drinking Contest (with a card like Dimli's "Drink up, friend!"), these extra Drinks do not affect the outcome of the Drinking Contest.
If a Drink's total Alcohol Content is less than 0 (such as "We're cutting you off!"), it counts as a 0 Alcohol Content Drink in a Drinking Contest. The Drink will still affect your Alcohol Content as normal.
Drinking Contest Example 1: In a Drinking Contest, Deirdre (from the original Red Dragon Inn game) reveals Elven Wine (3 Alcohol Content), and Fleck reveals Light Ale (1 Alcohol Content). Deirdre plays "Wine into Water", reducing the Alcohol Content of her Drink to 1, so she ties with Fleck. They each gain 1 Alcohol Content, then the Drinking Contest continues.
Drinking Contest Example 2: In another Drinking Contest, Dimli reveals Dragon Breath Ale (4 Alcohol Content), and Gog reveals Dark Ale (1 Alcohol Content). Dimli plays "You have this. I'm waiting for the good stuff!" to give his Drink to Gog. Gog gains a total of 5 Alcohol Content, but Dimli still wins the Drinking Contest.
If you run out of Gold during a Drinking Contest, you will remain in the game at least until the Drinking Contest is finished. Ignore any effects that force you to pay Gold. If you do not win the Drinking Contest, you are out of Gold and out of the game!
Drinking Contest Example 3: Eve has 1 Gold, and reveals a Drinking Contest on her Drink Phase. As Drinks are revealed by each player, the Drink Deck runs out, so everyone pays 1 Gold to the Inn to get a new round of Drinks. Eve pays her last Gold, so she will be out of the game if she does not win. She reveals a Dragon Breath Ale and wins the Drinking Contest, receiving a Gold from each other player and staying in the game.
The Bar Deck Variant
The Red Dragon Inn is designed to be played with a 30-card Drink Deck, so that the deck will run out during the game and force everyone to pay Gold to the Inn. However, there are now many more than 30 unique Drink Cards available across all expansions. If you'd like to play with a Drink Deck of more than 30 cards, use this variant.
Setup: Shuffle together all of the Drink Cards you wish to use for the game. This is the Bar Deck. Count out 30 cards from the Bar Deck face down and use those cards as your Drink Deck at the start of the game.
When the Drink Deck runs out, each player pays 1 Gold to the Inn, as normal. Then, take the next 30 cards from the Bar Deck and use them as your replacement Drink Deck. If the Bar Deck runs out during this process, shuffle all of the discarded Drink Cards and use that as your new Bar Deck.
Credits
The Red Dragon Inn 2, Ninth Edition
Game Design: Geoff Bottone, Colleen Skadl and Cliff Bohm
Additional Development: Jeff Morrow
Art Direction and Layout: Cliff Bohm
with Art created by Kennon James, Rhonda Libbey, Doug Kovacs, Rose Besch, Drew Morrow, Cold FuZion Studios and Beth Trott
Published by SlugFest Games West, LLC. Made in China.
Package and Contents © SlugFest Games West, LLC. 2006-2022
The SlugFest Games logo and the Red Dragon Inn logo are trademarks of SlugFest Games West, LLC.