Sheep in Disguise Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Basic Info
  • The Objective Is to Collect Flocks of Sheep
• Setup
  • Quick Setup
• Play
• Expose and Attack
• How to Win
• The Golden Sheep
• Extra Moves
• Action Cards
  • Take 2
  • Restock
  • Yank
  • Dig
  • Expose
  • Nice Try
  • Draw 2
  • Steal
  • Gimme
  • Yoink
• Clarifications
• Want More?

Basic Info

In the deck you will find 3 types of cards:

• 72 Sheep cards
• 64 Action cards
• 6 Instant cards

Sheep cards have the same corner icon, but are unique in color and name. There are 8 different Sheep to collect.

Throughout the game, you gather Sheep by drawing them, trading for them, and using Action cards that allow you to take them from other players.

The Objective Is to Collect Flocks of Sheep

3 Sheep of a kind = 1 Flock.

Once you've collected 3 of the same Sheep in your hand, you must place them face-up on the table in front of you IMMEDIATELY, even if it's not your turn. This set of 3 Sheep is called a Flock and you need them to win.

Each player can only have 1 Flock of each type. For example, if you already have a Flock of Vikings, you cannot place another Flock of Vikings on the table. Any additional Viking cards must remain in your hand.

Action cards will help you along the way to gather and protect your Sheep. Let's get started!

Setup

1. Remove all Instant cards from the deck. Shuffle well.
2. Deal 5 cards to each player.
3. Lay 3 cards from the top of the deck face-up in the middle of the table. This area is called the Field.
4. Randomly add the Instant cards back into the deck, lightly shuffle, then place the deck face-down on the table next to the Field. This will be your draw pile.
5. Pick a player to go first and continue clockwise!

Layout: the Field, the Draw pile and the Discard pile sit in the middle of the table. Flocks should be placed in front of the player who collected them.

Quick Setup

If you don't feel like searching through the deck to pull the Instant cards out before shuffling, then don't!

Shuffle all of the cards together, deal 5 cards to each player, then lay 3 cards face-up in the Field. If any Instant cards are dealt (including to the Field), place them randomly back into the deck and replace them with new cards. Once there are no more Instant cards within the players' hands or in the Field, shuffle the draw pile lightly and begin.

Play

On your turn, you may:

• Use Action cards by placing them face-up in the discard pile and following the instructions on the card. Use as many Action cards as you like!
• Trade 1 card from your hand with 1 card from the Field. This can only be done once per turn.
• Draw a card to end your turn.

Playing Action cards and trading with the Field don't need to occur in any specific order, but drawing will always signify the end of a player's turn.

If you don't want to (or are unable to) play any Actions and/or trade with the Field, just draw a card to end your turn. Keep in mind, there is no limit to the amount of cards you can hold in your hand, but the bigger your hand is, the bigger the target you become!

Expose and Attack

Unlike other Action cards, the Expose card is used by placing it on top of an opponent's Flock. This Action card exposes the Flock's disguise, leaving it vulnerable to an Attack!

YOU CANNOT WIN IF ANY OF YOUR FLOCKS ARE EXPOSED. REMOVE ALL EXPOSE CARDS BEFORE CLAIMING VICTORY!

Attack cards are the only Instant cards in the original deck. They must be shown IMMEDIATELY when drawn.

ATTACK CARDS CANNOT BE CANCELED, HELD IN YOUR HAND, OR PLACED INTO THE FIELD.

If any Flocks are Exposed at the time the Attack is drawn, move them to the discard pile (including the Expose card).

If no Expose cards are in play at the time the Attack is drawn, all players must perform the Attack card's Secondary Effect. If any Exposed Flocks are discarded, this effect can be ignored.

Attack cards PAUSE ALL PLAY and must be dealt with before anything else can continue. Whether it was drawn at the end of a turn or in the middle of an Action, deal with the Attack card before moving forward. Once the Attack has been dealt with, move it to the discard pile and continue playing.

Since Attack cards cannot be held in players' hands or placed into the Field, they should always be replaced with another card after the Attack has been dealt with. For example, if a player drew the Attack at the end of their turn, they should draw a new card to replace it afterward.

How to Win

The first player to collect the required number of Flocks wins the game!

• 2-3 players: collect 5 Flocks to win
• 4 players: collect 4 Flocks to win
• 5-6 players: collect 3 Flocks to win

Remember: All of your Flocks must be unique in order to win and you cannot win if any of your Flocks are Exposed. Remove all Expose cards before claiming victory!

If the draw pile runs out before the game is over, shuffle the discard, then place it face-down on the table as the new draw pile. Continue playing!

The Golden Sheep

Unlike other types of Sheep, there are only 3 Golden Sheep in the deck. Any player who can collect all 3 Golden Sheep is instantly the winner!

All Golden Sheep should be removed from the deck before dealing, similar to Instant cards.

Playing with the Golden Sheep is OPTIONAL.

Extra Moves

Buying: On your turn, pay 2 cards of a kind to the discard pile and take 1 card from the Field into your hand. Replenish the Field from the draw pile. So long as you can afford it, there is no limit to the amount of times you can buy from the Field. Buying does not count as an Action and cannot be canceled. Buying also does not count as a player's trade from the Field.

Wild Flocks: Wild Flocks consist of 5 unique Sheep types and count as 1 Flock. A Wild Flock can only be played on your turn and you may only have 1 Wild Flock in play at a time. Wild Flocks can be Yanked, Yoinked, and Exposed just like regular Flocks.

Action Cards

Take 2

Take 2 cards from the Field and add them to your hand. Replenish the Field from the draw pile. This Action does not count as a player's trade with the Field.

Restock

Place your entire hand into the discard pile and draw 5 new cards from the draw pile. This ends your turn.

-OR-

Discard all cards from the Field and replenish the Field with cards from the draw pile. This does not end your turn.

It's recommended to Restock cards 1 at a time just in case an Attack shows up.

Yank

Take 1 Flock from an opponent who has 1 or more Flocks than you. You cannot Yank a Flock if you already have a Flock of that type.

You may Yank an Exposed Flock, but the Expose card must remain with the Flock.

Double Yank: Play 2 Yank cards simultaneously to take 1 Flock from ANY player, even if they have less Flocks than you. If this Action is canceled, both Yank cards must remain in the discard pile.

Dig

Select 1 card from the discard pile and add it to your hand. You cannot Dig Instant cards.

Expose

Unlike other Actions, the Expose card is played by placing it on top of an opponent's Flock. This Action exposes the Flock's disguise, leaving it vulnerable to Attacks!

If an Attack card is drawn, all Exposed Flocks must be moved to the discard (including the Expose card).

Expose cards can be removed on the affected player's turn by paying any 2 cards from the player's hand to the discard pile. Payment cannot be canceled by other players. Once the Expose card is paid off, move it to the discard pile.

Nice Try

Cancel an Action card played by an opponent. You can Nice Try a Nice Try to reverse the effect, and so on.

This is the only Action card that can be played out of turn against other Actions, regardless of whether they are directed at you or another player. Canceled cards remain in the discard pile. If an Expose card is canceled, move it to the discard pile.

Instant cards cannot be canceled. The Nice Try also cannot cancel moves that do not involve an Action card being played. Trading with the Field, buying a card from the Field, and paying to remove an Expose card from your Flock are all examples of moves that do not involve the use of an Action card and therefore cannot be canceled by a Nice Try.

Draw 2

Draw 2 cards. This does not end your turn.

It's recommended to draw these 1 at a time just in case an Attack is drawn.

If an Attack is drawn, it does not count as one of your 2 cards. Replace it by drawing again after the Attack is dealt with.

Steal

Take 1 card from an opponent's hand at random.

Gimme

Ask an opponent for a specific card. If they have it in their hand, they must give it to you. If they don't have it, you get nothing and your Gimme card remains in the discard pile.

-OR-

Ask an opponent for a card of their choosing. Your opponent must choose 1 card from their hand to give to you.

Yoink

Take the top card from any completed Flock and add it to your hand. Any Flocks left incomplete must be added back into the owner's hand.

Expose cards can also be Yoinked from any Exposed Flocks, including your own.

Clarifications

What if I can't perform an Attack's Secondary Effect? If the Secondary Effect says pass 1 left, but you don't have any cards, you will simply not be passing any cards. However, you will still receive 1 card from another player if they have a card to pass.

If I have 3 Flocks, but one of them is Exposed, can I Yank a Flock from another player with 3 Flocks? No! Even though your Exposed Flock can't contribute to your total number of Flocks to win, you still have 3 Flocks and therefore cannot Yank a Flock from someone with the same number of Flocks as you.

What if an Attack card is dealt into the Field? An Attack dealt into the Field goes into effect immediately, as if it were drawn by a player. After the Attack is dealt with, discard it and replenish the Field from the draw pile.

Can I Expose an already Exposed Flock? Nope. Save the Expose card or play it on another Flock.

Why can't I use a Nice Try card to cancel moves like buying from the Field or paying off an Expose card? Nice Try cards are used to cancel Action cards played by other players. Since buying from the Field and paying to remove Expose cards do not involve the use of an Action card, they cannot be canceled.

Want More?

Expansions are available: the Goblin Expansion (adds 7 tricky traps, 3 new Actions, and 2 special Sheep) and the Wizard Expansion (adds 7 magic spells, 3 new Actions, and 2 special Sheep).