Tartapies
Tartapies Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Welcome to Tartapies
What is Tartapies? It is a game in which each player takes the role of a noble adventurer who answers the Queen's call and uses all their abilities and ingenuity to recover the Tartapies lost by Panzalegre and earn the Queen's favour. It will not be an easy road.
How do I win? The goal of the game is to gather the greatest number of Tartapies before the deck runs out, while preventing the other players from gathering theirs. To do so you must use your adventurer's abilities, powerful legendary items and, above all, your ingenuity.
How is the game played? The game is played in rounds. In each round every player takes a turn to play their cards and abilities.
Rounds and turns, what is that? A round is complete when all players have had their turn. A turn is your individual play phase.
What types of cards are there? There are several types of card, each with different abilities: Adventurers, Items (Attack, Defense, Relic), Super Item, Factions, Potions, and Tartapies.
1 - Adventurer
The adventurer is your most important card, since your whole strategy revolves around it. Each adventurer is unique and has completely different abilities and ways of playing. Every adventurer has 2 abilities:
- The Talent: you may use it from the start of the game whenever its condition of use is met.
- The Mastery (3+): much more powerful than the Talent, because it does not depend on a die. However, you may only use it when you have 3 or more Tartapies in play.
Both abilities have as their condition of use turning your adventurer to use them. Once your adventurer is turned, you can no longer use that ability during the round, but you may still use the other ability.
How do I play my abilities? You must announce which ability you will use (Talent or Mastery). If you use your Talent, make sure you meet its condition of use and cost. If you use your Mastery, make sure you have the correct number of Tartapies and can pay any other cost (turning or discarding a card from your hand), then do what the ability says.
Can I use both of my abilities? Of course, as long as you have 3 or more Tartapies. Otherwise you may only use your Talent.
2 - Deck Cards
You may only use one item of each type during the round.
- Attack Item: used during your turn. It helps you attack other players or carry out other actions. Do what it says, then place it in your Maneuver Pile.
- Defense Item: used in reaction to the actions of another player, that is, when another player uses an Attack Item, a Character ability, or even another Defense Item. Do what it says, then place it in your Maneuver Pile.
- Relics: very powerful items that may be used at any moment, whether it is your turn or not. Do what it says, then place it in your Maneuver Pile. At the end of the round, these items are EXILED, that is, sent out of the game.
- Dominio Item: listed among the actions of a turn (see 8 - Your Turn), but the printed guide gives no rules text for this item type and does not list it among the card types above. Its rules are not stated in this guide.
Maneuver Pile: whenever you play an item card (Attack, Defense, or Relic), place it in the Maneuver Pile, an area to the right of your Tartapies (see Play Area). Cards placed in this area stay there. At the end of the round, all cards in each player's Maneuver Pile are discarded or exiled as appropriate, and all turned cards are straightened. This marks the start of a new round.
3 - Factions
Factions are groups of Heroes or Villains who will help us on our adventure.
How is a Faction played? To play a Faction you must have at least one Tartapie in play; otherwise you cannot play it. Play your Faction card in the Tartapies area (as if it were a Tartapie), then resolve its effect as if it were an item. A Faction's ability is only used at the moment it is played (unless the card says otherwise).
While you have at least one Tartapie in play, your Faction counts as 1 additional Tartapie towards your total for all game effects, giving you a small advantage. If you have no Tartapies left in play, your Faction no longer adds its bonus.
How many Factions can I play at once? Only one per round. If you want to play a new Faction, you must wait for your next turn, discard the Faction you already have, and then play the new one.
Important: Factions are NOT affected by effects that interact with Tartapies. A Faction provides one Tartapie, but it IS NOT a Tartapie.
4 - Tartapies
How can I play my Tartapies? In 3 different ways:
- From your hand.
- With the abilities of your Adventurer.
- With the abilities of cards.
Can I use these 3 ways during the round? Yes.
When is a Tartapie considered played? A Tartapie is considered played whenever any of the 3 ways above is carried out, including if you lose the Tartapie just after playing it.
What does it mean to "lose" a Tartapie? It means it is:
- Sent to the deck.
- Returned to your hand.
- Taken away from you.
All of this can happen through Talents, Masteries, items, Super Items, and Relics.
5 - Special Cards
Super Items: your secret weapon. Except in the first round, you may at any time discard 2 cards from your hand to activate it (turn it face up). A Super Item grants you a new ability, which you may use in the same way as your adventurer's Talent. Do not hesitate, use it!
Potions: this mysterious elixir gives you an effect that you may use at any moment of the game, whether it is your turn or not, but only once. After using it, turn the card face down.
Once during your turn, you may perform "Alchemy" (read the card) to turn the card face up again. You may use Alchemy in the same round in which you used your Potion, but you may not use it again during the round.
6 - Play Area
The play area is laid out as follows (numbers refer to the diagram in the guide):
- Adventurer.
- Potion.
- Super Item.
- Tartapies.
- Faction.
- Maneuver Pile.
- Deck.
- Discard.
- Void (exile).
The play area has three kinds of zone:
- Player zone: each player has their own player zone, containing their Adventurer, Potion, Super Item, Tartapies, Faction, and Maneuver Pile.
- Common zone: shared by all players, containing the Deck and the Discard pile.
- Exile zone: where exiled cards are placed.
7 - Starting the Adventure
Choose an adventurer (at random or the one you prefer). Then choose a Super Item and a Potion at random (players may not look at them) and place them face down next to your Adventurer (see Play Area).
Then each player draws 5 cards from the deck; this is the starting hand. Once everyone has drawn, each player is given the chance to take one free mulligan (shuffle their hand back into the deck and draw again). However, if you take a second mulligan, you draw 1 card fewer this time.
Your starting hand is 5 cards, but you may hold a maximum of 6 cards. If during any turn you have more than 6 cards, at the end of that turn you must discard as many cards as needed to have 6 again.
After seeing who starts the game, each player turns their Potion face up (and may now use it). The first player receives the Token (coin).
8 - Your Turn
- Draw a card. You must begin your turn by drawing a card from the deck.
- Carry out any of the following actions in any order, but only once each:
- Play a Tartapie.
- Play your character's Talent.
- Activate your Super Item.
- Play your character's Mastery.
- Play an Attack Item.
- Play a Defense Item.
- Play a Dominio Item.
- Play a Faction.
- Use your Potion and/or perform Alchemy.
- Use your Super Item.
- Your turn ends.
Remember that: you do not have to follow any particular order in the actions of your turn (except drawing a card at the start of the turn), nor do you have to do everything listed. On some occasions you will only be able to do certain things.
Congratulations, you now know everything you need to play!
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens in case of a tie? The game continues until, at the end of a turn, one player has more Tartapies than the others. Any draw conditions do not apply.
Does the game end as soon as the deck runs out? No. The game ends when, at the end of a turn, there are no cards left in the deck and one player has more Tartapies than the rest.
What happens when another player's ability is activated at the same time as mine? The ability of the active player resolves first, and then the other abilities resolve in clockwise order.
If one of my abilities is triggered by playing a Tartapie, can I activate it even if I lose that Tartapie right after playing it? Yes. You resolve your ability first, and the loss of the Tartapie remains "pending". Once your ability is resolved, you lose the Tartapie.
What if 2 of my abilities are activated at the same time? Resolve them in whatever order you like.
If I have 6 cards in hand and draw more, when do I discard the extra cards? On the turn in which you drew them, whether it is your turn or another player's.
Can I play my Talent and Mastery in the same round? Yes, as long as you have 3 or more Tartapies in play.
If my adventurer is turned and I want to use its other ability, what do I do? Turn it fully to the other side, as the ability indicates.
I don't have time to play! What can I do? Try "Jester Mode": remove from the deck one copy of each item. Ideal for short games.
Can you give me one final piece of advice? Yes. Remember that in this game the important thing is not to win, but to make sure everyone else loses.
Icon Key
The guide uses three wax-seal symbols to mark item types:
- Sword: Attack (ATAQUE)
- Shield: Defense (DEFENSA)
- Lightning bolt: Relic (RELIQUIA)