Treasures & Traps
Treasures and Traps Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Playing Time
The approximate playing time is 10–30 minutes for two players. Add 10 minutes for each additional player.
Goal
Be the first player to get a Gold, Silver, and Bronze TREASURE card into your realm. Your other cards give you the powers you will need to keep others from winning.
You Need
A full set of 100 Treasures and Traps Cards, 2-6 players, and a standard 6-sided die.
Setup
Determine who goes first. Shuffle the deck, and distribute five cards face down to each player. The remaining cards are stacked face down. A face up discard pile will form as cards exit the game. The area in front of you is your realm. This is where you will place any cards in play that belong to you. The area between realms is the wild lands where certain other cards are played. Silently read each card in your hand to see how it can be used and where it will enter play.
Turns
Each player will take a turn in clockwise order. On their turn, players decide which action(s) to do based on the cards in their hand and the cards in play.
Actions
An action can be an Entry Roll, an Exit Roll, or a Replacement. On your first turn only, do one action. For the rest of the game, complete two actions per turn.
Entry Roll: Bringing a card into play
Show the card from your hand that you intend to enter into the game. Declare how you want to use it. Before playing, pause to see if anyone is going to use a card to alter or thwart your action. When you know you can follow through with your action, roll the die. Your roll will be successful if it is equal to, or greater than, the Enter Number—the number in the upper left corner of the card. If successful, the card enters play face up. Now follow the directions on that card. If, however, the roll of the die is less than the Enter Number, your attempt has failed, and you must discard it.
Exit Roll: Moving a card in play to the discard pile
Any card in play can be defeated with an Exit Roll. Declare which card you intend to defeat. Pause to see if anyone is going to use a card to alter or thwart your action. If you can follow through with your action, roll the die. Your roll will be successful if it is equal to or greater than the Exit Number—the number in the upper right corner of the card. If successful, put the targeted card in the discard pile. If, however, the die roll is less than the Exit Number, your attempt has failed, and the card remains in play. Experience Bonus: Like any hero, you become more skilled with experience. Add a bonus of one to your die roll for each consecutive time you attempt to make an Exit Roll on a particular card. For example, on Sondra's turn, she uses her second action to try to defeat the Dragon, which has an Exit Number of 6. She rolls the die and gets 5 — a failed roll. From now on, each time she attempts to defeat the Dragon, she can add another 1 to her die roll. So if she rolls a 5 on her next turn, she will have succeeded. But beware: if she is not successful and decides to use her next action towards a different goal, she will lose her experience bonus.
Replacement: Replacing an unwanted card from your hand with a new one
If you can't use, or don't want to use, a card in your hand, you can use up one of your actions by discarding one card. Immediately draw one from the top of the deck.
Exceptions to the Rules
When playing a card, carefully read and follow its directions. A card can grant a player an exception to a basic game rule. For example, once the Magic Book card is in play, it allows a player to hold 6 cards instead of 5.
End of Your Turn
At the end of each player's turn, look at the Exit Number on any card that has entered play. If it is greater than zero, the card will remain in the game until removed. If the number is zero, discard it after your turn. Also, all players count the cards in their hand. Players who have more or less than 5 cards must draw or discard until they have 5. The only exception is when players have cards in play that allow them to hold extra cards.
The Cards
Treasures and Traps has 100 cards in the following classes:
ITEMS come in four types. Three types of ITEMS—Potion, Scroll or Magic—can protect your TREASURES by making an opponent's quest harder or yours easier. The fourth type of ITEM is TREASURE. TREASURE cards are the most valuable in the game: when you hold one Gold, one Silver, and one Bronze TREASURE in your realm, you win! It is wise to have more than one of any TREASURE type in your realm.
DOORS AND TRAPS can delay progress by forcing a player to lose actions or turns.
PLACES are locations that help you in a variety of ways. For example, the Castle can protect your ITEMS from CREATURES, while the Jail causes a player to lose actions.
SURPRISE cards provide unexpected twists and turns. They are the only cards that can be played during another player's turn. SURPRISE cards do not require an action, but you will still need to make a successful Entry Roll.
CREATURES take ITEMS from another player's realm. Once a CREATURE enters play, it will set up a lair in the wild lands. Place the ITEM(s) that the CREATURE has taken beneath the CREATURE card. Whoever defeats the CREATURE gets the ITEM(s).
EVENTS affect every player. They are powerful cards that can change the dynamics of the game.
COMPANIONS are close allies that stay in your realm. Each one provides you with a different bonus. For example, some add to your Exit Rolls while others add to your Entry Rolls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit www.treasuresandtraps.com to see more questions.
How long does the effect of a card in my realm last? A card will provide it's effect(s) for as long as it remains in your realm. Once discarded it has no power to affect the game.
Can I use an ITEM if a CREATURE has it? No, it belongs to no one. The CREATURE must be defeated for the ITEM to be used.
Do I add bonuses and penalties to the die before or after it is rolled? The answer depends on where the bonus or number comes from. If it is from a SURPRISE card in your hand, you must apply it before your opponent rolls the die. If the bonus or penalty comes from a card you already have in play, (like a Potion or Robe) you may apply it after the roll.
What if the Royal Edict is played and there are suddenly two winners? You and the other players can decide to have two winners, or choose to have a rematch.
What happens to a card when another card connected to it is discarded, moved, or returned to someone's hand? Most cards specify what to do. However, in uncertain situations, discard the remaining card—if it is a CREATURE or PLACE. For all other card classes, leave the card where it is. A good rule of thumb is to discard cards which remain in play, yet no longer serve a purpose.
What is a card "in play"? Any card that has succeeded with its Entry Roll and has not been defeated is in play.
What happens if a card in my realm gets transferred to another person's realm? The powers or benefits of that card no longer affect you. The new owner treats the card as if it has just entered play. For example, if the card is a Chest, the new owner can place it over a different ITEM.
What happens if we run out of cards to draw? Shuffle the discard pile to form the deck and resume play.
Game Variations
Try these out for added adventure.
Team Play: With groups larger than four players, you can shorten the game by playing in teams. Determine the number of players per team. Each team will try to collect all 3 TREASURES. For example, the winning team could have one member with a Bronze TREASURE and another with a Silver and Gold.
Warlock, Warlord, or Rogue: Before starting play, decide to be a Warlock, Warlord, or Rogue. During the game, you get these bonuses/penalties: Warlock = +1 to Entry Rolls and -1 to Exit Rolls. Warlord = +2 to Exit Rolls. Rogue = +1 to Exit Rolls. And if your Exit Roll on an ITEM is 3 more than the Exit Number, you may choose to place it in your realm instead of placing it in the discard pile.
Missing Die: If you do not have a die available, you can use a coin to play. You will have only two numbers to work with, a 5 and a 2, but the game will move along well. Treat the coin toss as a die roll. Heads equals a die roll of 5 and tails is a die roll of 2.
The realm of Treasures and Traps is growing. Expansion packs are coming soon! Visit www.treasuresandtraps.com to get updates and other information.