Sixteen Samurai
Sixteen Samurai Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Setup
Each player chooses a color for their CLAN (blue, green, orange, or purple) and collects the 4 dice and 5 Battle Cards that match their color. If playing with less than 4 players, place the extra Battle Cards and dice back into the box.
Shuffle the deck of Samurai Cards. Randomly select 16 Samurai Cards per number of players (32 cards for 2 players, 48 cards for 3 players, and 64 cards for 4 players). Spread these cards face-up on the table so that each samurai's abilities are visible. Place the remaining Samurai Cards back into the box.
Beginning with the youngest player and moving clockwise around the table, take turns selecting samurai to add to your CLAN (players select one samurai at a time). Once all samurai have been selected, each player should have 16 Samurai Cards.
Each player shuffles their 16 Samurai Cards with their 5 Battle Cards, and places them face-down in a DRAW pile. To start, players draw the top 5 cards from their DRAW pile, keeping them secret from the other players.
How to Play
The game is divided in two phases. The first phase is called the CLAN CONFLICT where individual samurai battle each other in a series of 17 rounds. The second phase is called the FINAL BATTLE where all surviving samurai battle until one CLAN remains.
Phase One
Clan Conflict
The last player to select a Samurai Card for their CLAN (i.e. the player to the right of the youngest player) begins the game by declaring an Ability to be used this round (POWER, SPEED, ARMOR, or KARMA). Each player must then select 1 Samurai Card to do battle (from their hand of 5 cards) by placing it face-down on the table.
Once everyone has selected a samurai, flip the cards over. All players now roll the number of dice as indicated by their samurai's Ability.
Illustration, "Example where POWER is declared": Kalia Cindertrap (POWER 4, SPEED 2, ARMOR 1, KARMA 3) rolls 4 dice, showing 8, 8, 5 and 3. Fobus Dustwalker (POWER 2, SPEED 1, ARMOR 1, KARMA 2) rolls 2 dice, showing 8 and 7. The caption reads "BLUE CLAN WINS."
The player with the highest die rolled (not highest total) is victorious.
If two or more players tie, the tied players compare a second die. If still tied after comparing a second die, proceed to a tiebreaker roll. NOTE: If one of the players who tied only rolled 1 die, proceed to a tiebreaker roll immediately.
TIEBREAKER: Only the players that tied compete in the tiebreaker. Each player rolls only 1 die, with the highest roll winning the round. Keep rolling until the tie is broken.
See page 5 for sample dice rolls.
The winning player places their victorious samurai in a "Hall of Honor" pile (face-up to avoid confusion with the DRAW pile). Each player builds their own "Hall of Honor" pile (as only the victorious samurai will do battle in the FINAL BATTLE). All the defeated samurai are placed in a shared discard pile.
With the exception of the first battle of the CLAN CONFLICT, players may choose to play Battle Cards. Battle Cards are special cards that can change the tide of a battle. There are two types of Battle Cards: ones that are played BEFORE rolling and others that are played AFTER rolling.
NOTE: Battle Cards cannot be saved for the FINAL BATTLE phase.
See pages 6 and 7 for details on each of the 5 Battle Cards.
When the battle has been resolved, all players draw the number of cards necessary to bring their hand back up to 5 cards (if able). The winner declares the Ability for the next round.
NOTE: In the unlikely event you have all 5 Battle Cards in your hand, simply reshuffle all your Battle Cards with the remaining cards in your DRAW pile, and draw 5 new cards.
Play continues in this manner until all Samurai Cards have been played. The FINAL BATTLE now begins!
Phase Two
Final Battle
To begin the FINAL BATTLE, each player places all their victorious Samurai Cards from their "Hall of Honor" into their hand (unlike the CLAN CONFLICT phase, there is no hand size limit).
Continue battling as in the first phase, but with the following rules:
- The winner of the last round of the CLAN CONFLICT phase declares the Ability for the first round of the FINAL BATTLE phase.
- The winning player may not use the same victorious Samurai Card in two consecutive battles (unless that player only has 1 Samurai Card left).
- The victorious samurai is placed back into the player's hand, and all defeated samurai are discarded.
- Players should not have any Battle Cards left after the first phase. If they do, they cannot be used in the FINAL BATTLE.
Winning the Game
When a player no longer has any Samurai Cards in their hand, they are eliminated from the game. The last player with samurai is the winner.
Sample Dice Rolls
The printed page shows four sample rolls, each with the blue CLAN on the left and the green CLAN on the right.
- Blue: 8, 3. Green: 7, 7, 6, 4. Caption: "BLUE CLAN WINS."
- Blue: 8, 8, 5, 3. Green: 8, 7, 7. Caption: "BLUE CLAN WINS."
- Blue: 7, 7, 6. Green: 7, 7, 1. Caption: "TIE."
- Blue: 5, 5, 2, 1. Green: 5. Caption: "TIE."
Battle Cards
- Each player is limited to a maximum of one "play before rolling" Battle Card per round, but there is no limit to how many "play after rolling" Battle Cards a player can use in one round.
- There is also no limit to the number of players that can use Battle Cards in the same round, with the exception of the Ronin card (which can only be used by one player per round).
- When playing a "play before rolling" Battle Card, the card must be placed face-down with your chosen Samurai Card at the beginning of the round. To keep the element of surprise, conceal your Battle Card if you can.
- Each Battle Card can only be used once. Place them in the shared discard pile after being used.
- Battle Cards must be used in the CLAN CONFLICT phase, and cannot be saved for the FINAL BATTLE.
Play Before Rolling
Ninjutsu
All other players roll 1 die this round, regardless of their samurai's Ability ratings. If two (or more) Ninjutsu cards are played, all players roll 1 die this round.
Uma
Do not roll any dice. You have "rolled" two 7's this round (even if you were only meant to roll 1 die, or another player has used a Ninjutsu card). Ties are still resolved in a tiebreaker by rolling dice.
Play After Rolling
Ronin
The first player to play the Ronin card places the victorious Samurai Card into their own "Hall of Honor" (i.e. steals the victorious samurai from the winner). However, you do not get to declare the Ability for the next battle (it is still chosen by the actual winner).
Bushido
If you are not happy with your roll, reroll your dice. Alternatively, you can choose another player to reroll their dice. Dice may be rerolled more than once if other Bushido cards are played.
Medicine
Move your defeated Samurai Card back into your hand instead of discarding it (so it may be used again). You may only save your own Samurai Cards.
Samurai Roster
Printed under the heading "Samurai Abilities Total." The sheet shows total markers 6, 7, 9 and 10 only. The roster does not print each card's ratings.
Group with marker 6: Fobus Dustwalker, Irie the Spectator, Vander the Unlucky, Oku the Plain, Whit the Fool, Andon Sacredeye.
Group with marker 7 (first row): Rokujou the Sixth, Ando Fireshadow, Sakura Petalwalker, Milon Riverdown, Kaze Sundirge, Kujo Fourstriker, Suda Firesplitter, Matsui Warchaser.
Group with marker 7 (second row): Ulrick Graves, Yashiro Featherbloom, Goju Rubywood, Oda Sagewater, Harada Bannerbringer, Jakob Four Fingers, Atai Cloudcrest, Shinjou Trueshade.
Unmarked group (salmon band, first block): Doi Flintfury, Ka'ron Wildwillow, Kalia Cindertrap, Jumana Jadehunter, Myrrah Proudheart, Princess Hawkfire, Aoi Runemoon, Prince Doragon, Konishi Stagfeather, Nimue Amberclaw, Chlora Fernweb, Garen Runeflare.
Group with marker 9: Hirata Grayward, Ikoma Nightbreaker, Itami Nightbreaker, Eve Dewpike, Kojan Summerlance, Chikara Prideshine, Thorne Magnus, Vera Terrasky, Grinning Mask, Kyogoku the Gambler, Tozawa Lightbrush, Yamana Skykeeper, Kodama Longbrim, Natsu Swiftpin, Ikari Glorypeak, Tsuki Lunablade, Bull Irongut, Ina Morningthorn, Fiola Strongsworn, Enomoto Sharpgaze, Rizumu Windsong, Theid the Bear, Tidus Emeraldmoon, Iefyr Dreamleaf.
Group with marker 10: Sensei Darkwalker, Edmund Greybeard, Baxter Blackeye, Oceana Fadedancer, Nina Silentglade, Akai Titanfury, Tyrus and Taji, Opax Nightstalker, Rosa Crowley, Kitsune Snowsinger, Thancred Ironskull, Nicholai Darkmore.
Transcriber's note: the unmarked block is grouped by printed position only, not by total. Kalia Cindertrap's card (POWER 4, SPEED 2, ARMOR 1, KARMA 3) is printed in that block, and her total is 10, so the block cannot be assigned to a single total from the sheet.