Trickster: Champions of Time
Trickster: Champions of Time Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
112 Hero cards (14 Heroes each in 8 different suits of color): These are mortals from across time and space, each with their own effect.
1 Trickster token: This is used to track who is the Trickster in a 2- or 3-player game.
Additionally, you will need a way to keep track of the score. A pen and paper or some spare change will work great!
Setting Up the Game
Step 1: Setting the Table
- The center of the play area is called the pot. Keep it clear.
- Clear off another space for discarded cards. This area is called the trash.
- Each player clears a space in front of themselves. This area is called the player's tableau.
Step 2: Building the Deck
Each game will use a customized deck of 56 cards, made by selecting seven different Heroes and adding the eight suited cards for each Hero. Various combinations of Heroes make each game feel different. We recommend these decks as well-tested examples:
Beginner Deck: Brigand, Guard, Magician, Nomad, Peddler, Soldier, and Revolutionary. This deck offers a nice overview of some basic effects that move cards around the table with just a touch of randomness.
Strategist Deck: Archivist, Doctor, Explorer, Inventor, Scavenger, Scion, and Witness. This deck makes a thoughtful game with more opportunity for careful long-term play. Gameplay here is all about hand management and risk avoidance.
For more experienced players: See the section titled Creating New Decks on page 7 for other methods of building the deck.
Setting up Each Round
- Shuffle the Hero cards to form the deck. Set it beside the trash.
- Deal six Hero cards from the deck faceup to the trash.
- Deal a number of Hero cards from the deck to each player's hand, based on the player count: 2-3 players: 11 cards; 4 players: 10 cards; 5 players: 9 cards; 6 players: 8 cards.
- Once cards are dealt, each player simultaneously chooses one card from their hand and places it faceup in their tableau to be used for end-of-round scoring.
Card Anatomy
Each Hero card shows the Hero Name, an Effect that must be done after the card is played (if able), and an Effect Icon representing the effect.
Realm/Suit: There are eight suits:
- Post Apocalyptic/Red
- Superhero/Orange
- Steampunk/Yellow
- Fantasy/Green
- Cyberpunk/Blue
- Gothic/Violet
- Space Opera/Black
- Void/White
When storing the game, organize the cards by Hero.
Gameplay
In the first trick of the first round, the oldest player takes the role of the Leader. The player to their left takes the role of the Trickster. These roles will pass to other players as the game progresses. Each trick starts with the Leader and proceeds clockwise. Each time a card is played, you must use your Hero's effect if able. If it is impossible to use your Hero's effect, you ignore it.
The Leader takes the first turn of a trick. The Leader must play any one card from their hand to the pot. The Trickster takes the second turn, playing any one card from their hand to the pot. The card played by the Trickster sets a pattern that must be followed for the remainder of the trick.
On each subsequent player's turn, the player must play a card from their hand to the pot, if able. Their card must follow the pattern set by the Trickster, as described below:
Same Suit: The Trickster played the same suit as the Leader. Each player must play a card of the same suit.
Example: The Leader plays a Yellow Explorer. The Trickster plays Yellow Scion. Each subsequent player must in turn play a Yellow card.
Same Hero: The Trickster played the same Hero as the Leader. Each player must play a card of the same Hero.
Example: The Leader plays a Yellow Explorer. The Trickster plays Black Explorer. Each subsequent player must in turn play an Explorer.
No Match: The Trickster played a different Hero of a different suit than the Leader. Each player must play a card that does not match any of the Heroes or suits in the pot.
Example: The Leader plays a Yellow Explorer. The Trickster plays an Orange Scion. Each subsequent player must in turn play a card without repeating a Hero or suit.
If you can legally play a card, then you must play a card. You are not allowed to pass your turn.
You must use your Hero's effect if able.
Additional rules for playing with 2 or 3 players below.
The trick ends in one of the two following ways:
A player cannot legally play a card: That player busts. That player must collect the cards from the pot and add them faceup to their tableau, grouped according to suit. If a player has no cards in hand when it is their turn, that player busts because they cannot legally play a card.
Example: The sixth player wasn't able to play a card, so they collect all of the cards from the pot and add them to their tableau.
Each player legally plays one card: The Trickster busts. The Trickster must collect the cards from the pot and add them faceup to their tableau, grouped according to suit.
Example: All players were able to play a card, so the Trickster busts. They collect all of the cards from the pot and add them to their tableau.
The player who busted will be the Leader for the next trick. The player to their left is the new Trickster. Tricks continue as described above.
End of the Round
The round ends after the trick that leaves any players with no cards in their hand. Any players with cards remaining in their hand must add them faceup to their tableau, along with any other cards already in their tableau.
Next, players score Trouble Points. Players score 1 Trouble Point for each card in their tableau. If you have more cards of a suit than any other player (ties do not count), you do not score Trouble Points for those cards.
Sample end-of-round scoring examples: Most Black cards — Score 6. Most Orange and Violet — Score 5. Most Red cards — Score 8. No majority, so score all cards — Score 2. Most Green cards — Score 5. No cards, so Score 0.
The last player to bust in the previous round will be the Leader for the first trick of the next round. The player to their left will be the Trickster. The Leader should shuffle all the cards in play and repeat the Setting Up Each Round process before playing the first card of the next round.
End of the Game
After three rounds have been completed, the game ends. Players add together their Trouble Points from each round to determine their final scores. The player with the lowest score is the winner!
If there is a tie, the player with the fewest Red cards in the final round wins. If it is still tied, fewest Orange wins. Still tied? Then fewest Yellow, then fewest Green, then fewest Blue, then fewest Violet, then fewest Black, then fewest White.
Creating New Decks
Once you're familiar with the pre-built decks listed above, you can try new decks by combining the Heroes in any number of ways. Here are a couple of suggested ways, using the White suit versions of the Hero cards:
Random: Shuffle the White suit of each Hero. Draw seven of these cards. Then, construct a deck by adding the other suits of those Heroes.
Draft: Place all of the White cards faceup so they're visible and accessible to all players. Starting with the trickiest player and moving clockwise, each player chooses a Hero. Continue until seven have been chosen. Discard the unchosen White cards. Construct a deck by adding the other suits of those Heroes.
2 and 3 Players
All rules for the game are the same, with the following exceptions:
Setting Up Each Round
After setting up the round, set up an additional section of the play area: Deal a line of twelve faceup cards starting next to the deck. This is the Timeline. The end of the line furthest from the deck is considered the front of the Timeline.
How to Play a Trick
In a 2- or 3-player game, no player takes on the role of the Leader. Instead, at the start of each trick, the card at the front of the Timeline is added to the pot as the first card of the trick. Do not resolve its effect.
Players will alternate turns as the Trickster, regardless of who busted in the prior trick. The oldest player will be the Trickster first. At the end of each trick, pass the Trickster token to the left. That player will be the Trickster for the next trick. It is important to remember that players alternate turns as the Trickster regardless of who busts, as Tricksters will most likely bust in the first few tricks of the game.
Example (3 players): The lead card is a Red Brigand. Abby is the Trickster. Abby plays a Blue Brigand. Beth plays a Green Brigand. Candi plays a Yellow Brigand. Because each player was able to legally play a card, that means Abby, the Trickster, busts. Abby collects all cards from the pot. In the next trick, Beth will be the Trickster.
Additional Rule for 2 Players
Each player takes a total of two turns instead of just one. The players take turns back and forth, starting with the current Trickster. As usual, when a player cannot play a card to the pot, that player busts. If everyone is able to play a card, the Trickster busts.
Example (2 players): The lead card is a Blue Brigand. Abby is the Trickster. Abby plays a Blue Explorer. Beth plays a Blue Magician. Then Abby takes a second turn and plays a Blue Brigand. Then Beth takes her second turn and plays a Blue Scion. Because each player was able to legally play two cards, the Trickster, Abby, busts. Abby collects all of the cards from the pot. In the next trick, Beth will be the Trickster.
End of the Round
The round ends as it does normally. In addition, the round ends after the trick that leaves no cards remaining in the Timeline.
Effect Icons
Effect icons on the cards represent: your hand, your tableau, the trash, a random card, the pot, moving a card from one area to another, opponent's hand, opponent's tableau, using the effect of another card, any player's hand, the deck, a facedown or secret card, and a faceup card or revealed card.
Effect List
The following heroes are found in Champions of Time.
Archivist — Ponder: Use the effect of any faceup card in your tableau or the trash.
Brigand — Escape: Move a card from your tableau to an opponent's tableau.
Doctor — Quarantine: Move a card from any opponent's tableau to any opponent's hand.
Explorer — Traverse: Reveal the top two cards of the deck. Move one to your hand. Put the other back on top of the deck facedown.
Guard — Rescue: Move a card from any opponent's tableau to your hand.
Inventor — Tinker: Reveal the top card of the deck and add it to the pot, if legal. If not, move it to the trash.
Nomad — Wander: Move a card from an opponent's tableau to your tableau.
Peddler — Barter: Swap a secret card from your hand for a secret card from an opponent's hand, of their choice.
Revolutionary — Liberate: Move a card from the trash to your hand.
Scavenger — Scrounge: Swap a card from your tableau for a card in the trash.
Scion — Channel: Move the top card of the deck to your hand. Then move any card from your hand facedown to the bottom of the deck.
Soldier — Charge: Move a card from your hand to any opponent's tableau.
Witness — Recall: Move a card from your Tableau to an opponent's Tableau.
The following heroes are found in the Grand Gambit.
General — Command: Use the effect of any card in the trash OR reveal a card in your hand and use the effect of that card.
Hunter — Lure: Move a card from the trash to any opponent's tableau.
Magician — Vanish: Move a card from your tableau to the trash.
Noble — Reign: Move a card from your tableau to the pot, if legal. Do not resolve that card's effect.
Shaman — Plant: Move a card from your hand to your tableau.
Saint — Bless: Move a random secret card from an opponent's hand to any player's hand. If you give this card to another opponent, you do not look at it before giving it away. You may only look at the card if you decide to add it to your own hand.
Smuggler — Transport: Reveal two random cards from an opponent's hand. Move one to your hand. Move the other card to any opponent's hand.
Vigilante — Avenge: Swap a card from the trash for a card in an opponent's tableau.
Clarifications
If you can resolve the effect, you must: You must resolve the hero's effect in its entirety, if able. So, if you play a Doctor and only one opponent has cards in their tableau, you must target that opponent. If no opponent has a card in their tableau, you may still play a Doctor, but you would be allowed to ignore the effect.
Choosing an opponent: When your Hero's effect targets an opponent, you choose the opponent.
Random: You can randomly select a card from an opponent by having your opponent fan their hand facedown.
Secret cards: Unless otherwise stated, a card that is in hand is only visible to that player. If an effect calls for a "secret" card, it's just emphasizing this rule.
Revealed cards: When you reveal a card, make sure everyone can see it before resolving the rest of the effect. If you reveal a card from your hand, as in the General's effect, return it to your hand after resolving the effect.
Adding cards to the pot: When an effect adds cards to the pot, the new card must follow the ongoing pattern. Do not resolve the effect of any new card added to the pot as a result of another hero's effect. The newly added card is also considered part of the ongoing pattern, if legal. If you are the Leader and add a second card to the pot due to a card's effect, you become the Trickster. The second card in the pot sets the pattern for the trick.
Overview of Play
A full game is composed of three rounds. Each round is composed of several tricks. During a trick, players take turns playing one legal card and resolving the effect noted by that Hero. The Leader plays the first card of the trick. The Trickster plays the second card, setting a pattern each subsequent player must follow on their turn.
Same Suit: The Trickster played a different Hero of the same suit. Each player must play a card of the same suit.
Same Hero: The Trickster played the same Hero of a different suit. Each player must play a card of the same Hero.
No Match: The Trickster played a different Hero of a different suit. Each player must play a card that does not match any of the Heroes or suits in the pot.
If a player cannot play a card, they must take all of the cards from the pot into their tableau. If everyone is able to play a card, the Trickster takes all of the cards from the pot into their tableau.
A round ends after a trick in which one or more players have no more cards left in their hand.
At the end of each round, players score Trouble Points. Score 1 Trouble Point for each card in your tableau. If you have more cards of a suit than any other player, then you do not score any Trouble Points for those cards.
The player with the fewest Trouble Points at the end of the game wins!