Sainome Colosseum R Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Setup
• Objective
• Components
• Gameplay
  • Action Phase
  • Discard Phase
  • More Information
  • General Flow of the Game
• Supplementary Rules for 3-4 Players
• Card Icons Explanation
• Equipment Types
• Character Card Clarifications
• Sainome Card Clarifications
• Variants
  • Standard Rules Variant for 3-4 Player Games
  • Draft-style HP Stack Variant
  • Sugoroku-style HP Stack

Game Setup

1. Character Selection

In any order, each player selects one character and places the matching Character Card in the area directly in front of them (or on the corresponding space on the Play Sheet) with the Normal Form side up. If two or more players would like the same character, each rolls a die and the player with the highest roll takes the contested Character Card.

2. HP Stacks

Shuffle all Sainome Cards and deal ten cards face down to each player. These cards are placed into a stack near the player's Character Card. Each card represents 1 HP and a character is eliminated when they no longer have HP remaining. When a character takes damage and loses HP, cards equal to the amount of damage are drawn from their HP stack into their hand.

3. Starting Hands

Deal five Sainome Cards to each player to create a starting hand. You may choose to discard any number of these cards and redraw up to the amount discarded. You may only redraw once.

4. Common Deck

Shuffle all remaining Sainome Cards to create the common deck and place the deck face down in the middle of the play area.

5. Starting Player

The last player to have won a game of Sainome Colosseum is the starting player. If this is the players' first time playing, or if all players were victorious in their last games individually, then the starting player is determined by rolling a die, with the highest roll becoming the starting player.

Objective

To reduce your opponent's Health Points (HP) to 0 through luck (dice) and cunning tactics (cards), thus earning the right to be called the winner.

Components

Cards (114 total):

• 10 Character Cards
• 100 Sainome Cards: cards one can activate from the hand or equip their characters with to influence the game. Sainome Cards make up both the common deck and player HP.
• 4 Summary Cards

Other Components:

• 2 Dice
• 4 Play Sheets (foldable)
• 1 Sugoroku Sheet
• 4 Character Chips
• 1 Rulebook

Gameplay

Starting with the first player, each player will take a turn. The player's turn is divided into two distinct phases - the Action Phase and the Discard Phase.

1. Action Phase (obligatory)
2. Discard Phase (optional)

Action Phase

During the Action Phase, players may choose to perform up to two actions from the options listed below, in whatever order they wish:

Players may NOT perform the same action twice during a single turn.

On each player's first turn of the game, they may NOT Attack an Opponent or Use an Instant Play Card. Only options A, B, and E are available during both players' first turn.

A. Draw Cards

Refill your hand by drawing Sainome Cards from the common deck equal to the amount of cards that will make you meet your hand limit.

Note: While the hand limit is five cards, there are certain equipment cards that allow you to hold more than five in your hand, such as Large Sack.

B. Attach Equipment

Attach any number of Sainome Cards from your hand to your character that have attachment symbols matching those of your fighter's. Note: In this rulebook, Sainome Cards that may be attached to your character are sometimes referred to as "equipment cards" or simply "equipment."

On each side of your Character Card (top, bottom, left, and right) are die icons called attachment symbols that indicate where equipment may be attached. Sainome Cards that can be attached to your character MUST have matching attachment symbols.

In addition to attaching new equipment to your character, you may also replace equipment already attached. The previously-attached equipment card is returned to your hand.

C. Use an Instant Play Card

Play one card from your hand with the Instant Play icon and complete the effect written on the card. After being played, the card is placed on top of the discard pile.

D. Attack an Opponent

Declare which opponent you are attacking and then roll the die.

A Roll of 1-5: For the attack, you will use the equipment attached to your character in the slot corresponding to the die roll. In the case of multiple matching slots (example: a character with multiple die icons that have 3 pips), ALL cards are used as part of the attack. All equipment cards used during the attack are discarded after the attack is resolved.

If no card is attached in the rolled slot, your attack misses and the action is spent.

A Roll of 6: If a 6 is rolled, you may attack using an equipment card from your hand. After resolving the attack, the used equipment card is discarded.

If there are no equipment cards you wish to use for the attack, you may pass and the action is spent.

E. Use a Character Skill

Declare which character skill you would like to use and then complete the effect written on the Character Card.

Discard Phase

During the Discard Phase, if you have more cards in your hand than your hand limit allows (the hand limit is usually five), you must discard all extra cards to meet your hand limit. If you meet or have less than your hand limit, discarding is OPTIONAL, and you may discard any number of cards from your hand.

More Information

Losing HP

Any player that loses HP from an attack must take cards from their HP stack equal to the amount of damage done and add the cards to their hand. If a player's HP stack is reduced to 0 at any point, their character has been defeated and they have lost the game.

Resolving an Attack

The correct order for resolving damage that occurs during an attack is Sainome Card -> character skill effect -> counterattack card.

Character Awakening

Characters begin the game in their Normal Form, but may enter their Awakened Form once character-specific conditions have been satisfied. When these conditions are met, the Character Card is flipped to the Awakened Form side, granting new skills and different attachment symbols. Existing equipment cards attached to a character remain in place after the character enters their Awakened Form.

Victory Conditions

Players repeat the Action Phase and Discard Phase until one character's HP Stack reaches 0. Whichever player (or team) still has HP is declared the winner of the game.

Alternatively, there are five "Rare" Sainome Cards in the common deck that are considered Legendary items. If a player collects all five of these and uses them as written, they win the game that way instead of KO'ing their opponent.

General Flow of the Game

Your turn

Action phase - Choose and perform up to 2 actions from the following choices:

• Action Choice A - Draw Cards: Refill your hand by drawing Sainome Cards from the common deck equal to the amount of cards that will make you meet your hand limit.
• Action Choice B - Attach Equipment: Attach any number of Sainome Cards from your hand to your character that have attachment symbols matching those of your fighter's. On each side of your Character Card (top, bottom, left, and right) are die icons called attachment symbols that indicate where equipment may be attached. Sainome Cards that can be attached to your character MUST have equipment symbols that match those on the sides of your Character Card. In addition to attaching new equipment to your character, you may also replace equipment already attached. The previously-attached equipment card is returned to your hand.
• Action Choice C - Use an Instant Play Card: Play one card from your hand with the Instant Play icon and complete the effect written on the card. After being played, the card is placed on top of the discard pile.
• Action Choice D - Attack an Opponent (roll a die): Declare which opponent you are attacking and then roll the die. For the attack, you will use the equipment attached to your character in the slot corresponding to the die roll. If no card is attached in the rolled slot, your attack misses and the action is spent.
• Action Choice E - Use a Character Skill: Declare which character skill you would like to use and then complete the effect written on the Character Card.

Regarding action choices: Players may NOT perform the same action twice during a single turn. For example, a player that chooses to Attack an Opponent as their first action may not also Attack an Opponent during their second action.

Discard phase - Discard Sainome Cards from your hand on top of the discard pile. During the Discard Phase, if you have more cards in your hand than your hand limit allows (the hand limit is usually five), you must discard all extra cards to meet your hand limit. If you meet or have less than your hand limit, discarding is OPTIONAL, and you may discard any number of cards from your hand.

Supplementary Rules for 3-4 Players

In a game with three or more players (not teams), a defeated player must discard all cards in their hand and all equipment cards attached to their character. On each subsequent turn, instead of performing two actions, the defeated player must roll a die and perform a retired action as listed below:

Retired Actions (for games of 3-4 players)

1. A miss - do nothing.
2. Discard one card at random from a player's hand.
3. Put one equipment card attached to a character back into a player's hand.
4. Put one equipment card in the discard pile into a character's matching equipment slot.
5. Move one HP card from a player's stack to the discard pile.
6. Choose any retired action from 1-5.

An active player's HP cannot be reduced to 0 as a result of a retired player's action. In addition, if a retired action effect cannot be resolved, the retired action is skipped.

For a four-player game, you may divide the players into teams. When one character is defeated, the game is over and the team with both remaining characters is declared the winner.

Card Icons Explanation

Some Sainome Cards have icons displaying their effect in the top-right corner. The effects that each different icon represents are as follows.

Counterattack

Upon being targeted by an attack, you may use this card before resolving the damage. You may only use one counterattack card per attack. In addition, characters that have multiples of the same pips may achieve multiple attacks in a single action. Each attack is evaluated separately, so a counterattack card only applies to a single attack.

Exception: When using Charge on a valid Charge target, you may use one counterattack card. So in the case of Charge + Dagger, you may only use one counterattack card on the combination of them.

Instant Play

This card may be played directly from the hand when performing an Instant Play action. You may only activate one card per Instant Play action.

Exception: It is possible for the Blue Werewolf to activate two Instant Play cards in the same turn.

Catalyst

A catalyst card is a type of equipment card that requires you to discard a certain number of cards from your hand to be used during an attack. If you do not have the cards in your hand to discard or choose not to discard them, the catalyst card is moved to the discard pile.

Attachment

Some Sainome Cards have die icons on the top, bottom, left, and/or right sides of the card. These equipment cards may be attached to their corresponding icons on your Character Card.

Discard Choice

Normally, Sainome Cards must be discarded after being used. However, cards with this icon may remain attached as equipment (or stay in the player's hand if activated by rolling a 6 during an Attack action) even after their effect has been resolved. The Discard Choice effect is optional and you may choose to discard the card after resolving its effect.

Equipment Types

There are five types of equipment in Sainome Colosseum R. While equipment type does not typically play a role in attacking or defending, some Character Skills and other pieces of equipment utilize effects based on equipment type. Here are the five types of equipment: Weapons, Skills (these are different from Character Skills), Items, Magic, and Rare.

Character Card Clarifications

The Magus

Economics/Elixir of Magicks: Although you are not required to discard in order to use a catalyst, you may choose to discard cards anyway.

The Novice Ninja

Wooden Doll: This skill is applied before the effects of a counterattack card.

The Blue Werewolf

Secret Art - Shadow Clone: This skill does not spend an action. Declare its usage at the end of your turn and you may take another turn immediately afterward.

The Animated Armor

Iron Wall: This skill is applied before the effects of a counterattack card and only reduces the damage of Attack actions. Damage resulting from Reckless Assault, Aimless Barrage, Time Bomb, and the Maniac Gambler's Royal Straight Flush are not reduced. This effect is present regardless of whether the Animated Armor is attacking or defending.

The Masked Fighter

Recovery: Activates during an Attack action and therefore has its damage reduced by Iron Wall and other effects. The same reduction applies to all skills that deal damage and activate when attacking.

The Foreign Princess

Backup Plan: Activates during an Attack action and therefore has its damage reduced by Iron Wall and other effects. The same reduction applies to all skills that deal damage and activate when attacking.

The Puppeteer

Doppelganger: The skills you may use conform to the designated character's current Form (Awakened or Normal). If you copy Secret Art - Shadow Clone, you may only use it once. You may not copy skills that let you declare values for equipment slots. In addition, if you copy another character at the start of your turn but you return to Normal Form during that turn, you may not use the copied abilities after you've reverted.

Example: You copy the Gentle Priestess at the start of your turn, but she awakens into God Slayer before it's her turn. You would not be able to use the Gentle Priestess's skills; you would be able to use the God Slayer's skills instead.

The Maniac Gambler

Royal Straight Flush: This is a character skill and not played during an Attack action. Therefore, any other character skills or counterattack cards that reduce damage during an Attack action do not apply.

Cold Streak: Since the Royal Straight Flush is a character skill rather than an Attack action, do not revert to Normal Form if a 1 is rolled while using that skill. You also do not revert upon rolling a 1 when activating the Longbow weapon card. However, if your opponent uses Weighted Dice to turn your damage roll into a 1, you do revert.

The Legendary Hero

Haste: Activating Haste does not count toward the three actions the skill grants. Furthermore, you may not play another Use an Instant Play Card action as one of the three actions granted.

Quick Change: Because you may not use an action twice in a single turn, you may not use the Attach Equipment, Attack, or Use an Instant Play Card actions before or after using Quick Change. Using Quick Change does not count toward the three actions it grants.

Sainome Card Clarifications

Meteor Storm

When used by the Magus, you may choose how much damage (between 0-4 HP) to inflict on your opponent.

Cursed Doll

The Cursed Doll may NOT be discarded during the normal Discard Phase. However, it is possible to discard it when resolving a catalyst card.

Throwing Knives

Since the discarded card is random, do not look at your opponent's hand when selecting the card to be discarded.

Weighted Dice

Characters who have multiple equipment slots with the same number of pips, such as the Princess or Maniac Gambler, may achieve multiple attacks during the same Attack action. Since you may only use a single counterattack card in response to a single attack, the effect of Weighted Dice applies to only one of those attacks.

Example: The Maniac Gambler has 4 offensive cards equipped around her and thus sets her star equipment slots to 2. The order of resolving the attacking cards is decided by the attacker and all attacks are resolved one by one. Even if the defender activates Weighted Dice to alter the die result, the counterattack will still only apply to one of the attacks. To alter the die of the second attack and beyond, another copy of Weighted Dice would need to be used for each attack.

Using Weighted Dice on Reckless Assault: You may not use Weighted Dice on Reckless Assault. The effect of Weighted Dice only lets you change the value of die rolls during an Attack action. Because Reckless Assault is used during an Instant Play action, it is not a valid target for Weighted Dice.

Time Bomb

If you choose to remove a Time Bomb attached to your character as part of an Attach Equipment action, the card is taken into your hand and can be played again in a future action. In addition, because damage inflicted by this card is not due to an Attack action, it may not be reduced or negated by counterattack cards or character skills.

Guts

If both dice rolled match your declared value, only one may be used. Example: You declare 1. If either of the two dice rolled is a 1, you use the one matching die to take a stand and remain at 1 HP.

Variants

Coming up with variations on the rules is part of the fun of Sainome Colosseum. As long as all players agree, feel free to try both the variants below as well as your own house rules. If all players are not in agreement about which variants or house rules to implement, consider using a die roll to decide whether or not a specific change will be included.

Standard Rules Variant for 3-4 Player Games

Instead of using the Supplementary Rules as outlined for a three- or four-player non-team game, the play follows the same rules as with two players. When one character is defeated, that player is eliminated from the game and the remaining players continue the battle until there is only one character with remaining HP. That player is declared the winner.

Draft-style HP Stack Variant

Players may choose to draft the cards that comprise their starting HP stack. Deal each player ten cards and have them select one to place face down and start their character's HP stack. The remaining nine cards are then passed to the left and each player again selects one card and adds it to their HP stack. This continues until all cards have been distributed.

Sugoroku-style HP Stack

Instead of using cards as HP, you may use the enclosed Sugoroku Sheet and Character Chips to denote HP totals instead. When using the Sugoroku Sheet, your character's starting HP will be between 5 and 15 HP, depending on the order in which players finish the race or the tiles they land on. The player awarded the least amount of HP from this, will take the first turn in the colosseum match.

The starting HP by finish-order is as follows:

• 1st place: 15 HP
• 2nd place: 10 HP
• 3rd place: 7 HP
• 4th place: 5 HP

Full Sugoroku rules are listed on the enclosed Sugoroku Sheet.

Transcriber's note: the Sugoroku Sheet is a separate printed component and its full movement rules are not part of the rulebook PDF this transcription was made from. Only the summary printed in the rulebook is reproduced above.