Scrimish
Scrimish Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Objective
The object of the game is to uncover and attack your opponent's Crown Card with one of your own cards.
Setup
Each player places 5 Piles of 5 Cards each face down in front of them. The Crown Card should be hidden on the bottom of one of the 5 Piles. The rest of the Cards may be arranged however you like, but choose carefully. A bad setup can quickly give your opponent the upper hand.
Package Contents
2 Scrimish Decks, each containing:
- #1 Dagger Cards (x5)
- #2 Sword Cards (x5)
- #3 Morning Star Cards (x3)
- #4 War Axe Cards (x3)
- #5 Halberd Cards (x2)
- #6 Longsword Cards (x2)
- 'A' Archer Cards (x2)
- 'S' Shield Cards (x2)
- Crown Card (x1)
Game Play
Players take turns attacking by selecting the top Card from one of the Piles and laying that Card face up in front of one of their opponent's Piles. The defending player must then reveal the top Card of the Pile that was attacked. The Card with the lowest number value loses and is discarded. The winning Card must be returned face down to the top of the original Pile it was drawn from. If the two Cards have the same number value, both Cards are discarded. Play continues until one of the players attacks their opponent's Crown Card, winning the game.
Special Cards
Archer Card
- If you attack with an Archer Card, it always wins.
- If your Archer Card is attacked, it always loses.
Shield Card
- Shield Cards cannot be used to attack.
- If your Shield Card is attacked, both your Shield Card and your opponent's attacking card are discarded (except for Archer Cards - see Additional Rules).
Crown Card
- You can attack with your Crown Card. If you attack your opponent's Crown Card, you win. Otherwise, you lose the game.
Additional Rules
- The first Player to finish setting up their Piles goes first.
- Discarded Cards must be kept face down and cannot be looked at during the game.
- Players cannot move Cards to different Piles once the game has begun, even if all 5 Cards in a single Pile are discarded.
- Players do not have to reveal how many Cards remain in their Piles.
- Instead of attacking, you may intentionally discard one Card on your turn. If you only have Shield Cards left, you must discard a Shield Card on your turn. You do not have to reveal your discarded Card to you opponent. You cannot intentionally discard your Crown Card.
- If a Shield Card is attacked by an Archer Card, neither card is discarded, and both are returned face down to their original Piles.
Variations
Beginner Game
- Players may look at all the Cards in each on their 5 piles before every turn.
Advanced Game
- Players may only look at the top Cards in each of their 5 piles before every turn.
Additional Decks can be used to play Team Games (2v2, 3v3, 2v2v2, etc.) or Free-For-All Games using the following rules:
Team Games
Teams alternate turns. Players on a Team alternate attacking on that Team's turn. Once a Player's Crown Card has been attacked, that Player is out and their Team cannot attack with any Cards remaining in that Player's original 5 Piles. The game ends when one Team attacks every Player's Crown Card on the opposing Team.
Free-For-All Games
Players take turns by going counter-clockwise in a circle. A Player may attack any other Player on their turn. The winner is the last Player whose Crown Card has not been attacked.