Undo: Long Live the King
Undo: Long Live the King Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Spielmaterial
- Approx. 5 instruction cards (numbered at the bottom A1, A2, etc.): They explain the game while you play it, without needing to read instructions beforehand. If you prefer this, you do not need to read further in this booklet. If you would rather read the full explanation of the game before playing, read on here and ignore the instruction cards.
- Approx. 13 Story cards (numbered at the top left): These cards show the story you are to change.
- Approx. 4 Solution cards (numbered at the bottom L1, L2, etc.): Here you learn, after the game has ended, the solution to the story and whether you were able to change the person's fate for the better.
- Approx. 33 Fate cards (numbered e.g. 1A, 1B, 1C, etc.): These reveal whether you changed the story positively, not at all, or negatively. Sometimes they also contain further information or special rules.
- Approx. 9 Time cards: For each time journey you must give up 1 Time card.
- Approx. 4 Magnifier cards: For each clue you uncover, you must give up 1 Magnifier card.
- Approx. 13 Clue cards (numbered at the top left): Each clue is assigned to a Story card and can provide you with additional information.
Spielvorbereitung (Setup)
- Set aside the instruction cards and the solution cards. You do not need the instruction cards, because you have this rulebook in front of you. You will need the solution cards only at the end of the game.
- Place all Time cards (usually 9) and all Magnifier cards (usually 4) as two separate stacks directly in front of you.
- Lay out all Story cards in ascending numerical order, without looking at the backs. If there is room, lay the cards out in one long row. If you do not have enough room, you may lay them out in two rows. Important: leave enough space above and below each card so that you can place 1 small card horizontally there.
- Place all Clue cards directly below the Story card with the same number, again without looking at the backs.
- Now turn over the Story card that differs in one spot in colour from the others. Usually this is card 12, and it reads "Todesumstände" (Circumstances of death). Also turn over the associated Clue.
- Place the stack of all Fate cards above the revealed Story card. Do not look at their backs either!
- Now read the revealed card and the revealed Clue to step into the story and learn more about the circumstances of the death. Can you undo the fate and prevent the person's death?
Spielablauf (Course of the game)
You play together, but take turns in clockwise order. You discuss everything together, but the final decision lies with whoever is on turn. This concerns where the next time journey should go, how you want to change the events, and whether you want to use Magnifier cards.
Agree on who starts, and discuss which time you want to travel to first, i.e. which Story card you want to reveal. The game lives on the invention of theories about what might have happened, and on discussions about what must therefore be done.
Erste Zeitreise (First time journey)
As soon as you have decided where your first time journey should go, first return 1 Time card to the box. For each time journey, i.e. for revealing each Story card, you must give up 1 Time card.
Then reveal the chosen Story card and read it.
At the end of most cards you are faced with a decision about how you want to influence the events. Usually you have the choice between 3 different options. Discuss together which of the options you decide on. Take your time to develop various theories.
Das Schicksal (The fate)
Once you have decided on one of the options, look for the corresponding Fate card in the stack of small Fate cards (above the Story card with the circumstances of death). Turn this Fate card over and place it above the current Story card.
Return the other two Fate cards of this Story card to the box, unseen; you no longer need them.
Example: You have chosen Option B on Story card 4. So you look for Fate card 4B in the stack, turn it over and place it above Story card 4. Cards 4A and 4C you return to the box without reading their backs.
You receive plus points if you changed the story positively. You receive minus points if you made the situation worse. You receive 0 points if you did not change the course of the story. What sealed the deceased person's fate has thus happened – or the scene had no influence on the death.
Weitere Zeitreisen (Further time journeys)
The next person clockwise is then on turn.
Again discuss together which Story card you now want to reveal. If you cannot agree, the final decision again lies with the person who is on turn. Remember: for each new time journey, always give up 1 Time card.
Note that you have fewer Time cards available than there are Story cards. So you cannot travel to every possible time; some Story cards you will not be able to reveal!
Hinweiskarten (Clue cards)
To receive additional clues, you have the Magnifier cards available. Per turn you may return at most 1 Magnifier card to the box. If you do so, you may reveal and read aloud 1 Clue card of your choice – but this may only be a clue under an already revealed Story card.
In many cases you will be most interested in the clue for the Story card on which you are currently making a decision. But you may also decide to reveal a clue for a Story card that you revealed earlier.
It is not allowed to reveal a clue for a Story card that is still face down.
Kein direkter Einfluss (No direct influence)
Be aware that your decisions naturally have no direct influence on the other cards. Even if you carry out your time journeys one after another, all of your changes take effect only at the end of the case, at the same time.
Spielende (End of the game)
As soon as you have handed in your last Time card, you finish the current turn. So you also make a decision for one of the possible options on your currently revealed Story card, and then reveal the corresponding Fate card.
Now take the Solution cards that were set aside at the start of the game. Read the card "Ende der Geschichte" (End of the story) aloud:
Nach eurem letzten Zeitsprung werden eure Veränderungen gleichzeitig wirksam in der Vergangenheit und ihr hofft, dass ihr dadurch den Tod des Verstorbenen ungeschehen machen konntet.
Sobald ihr alle Zeitkarten genutzt habt, rechnet die Punkte eurer aufgedeckten Schicksalskarten zusammen und schaut auf der Rückseite dieser Karte nach, wie erfolgreich ihr die Schicksalsfäden neu verknüpfen konntet.
Translation of the front: "After your last time journey, your changes take effect simultaneously in the past, and you hope that by doing so you undid the death of the deceased. Once you have used all your Time cards, add up the points of your revealed Fate cards and check the back of this card to see how successfully you re-wove the threads of fate."
The back of the Solution card gives the result by total points:
- Under 0 points: Oh no, you have made the fate even worse and made the death even more likely.
- 0–2 points: You followed the right trail, but unfortunately could not prevent the death.
- 3–4 points: You were close, but fate nevertheless struck mercilessly.
- 5–6 points: Congratulations! You actually managed to prevent the death!
- 7–8 points: You decoded the story brilliantly and averted the death with ease.
- 9 or more points: Incredible! You are masters of the threads of fate, and you not only prevented the death, but positively influenced the life of the person you saved far into the future.
Tipps für ein bestmögliches Spielerlebnis (Tips for the best possible experience)
Take your time and immerse yourself in an unusual story. Do not make hasty decisions; instead, develop various theories about what could have happened. Look for clues on the cards already revealed.
But stay flexible too, and be ready to discard your theories. Newly revealed cards may sometimes reveal contradictory facts.
The revealed Fate cards can also be very helpful. Knowing whether a decision gives you plus points, minus points or 0 points is at the same time an important hint about the possible events!
Discuss with one another and decide together at the end. Then you should be able to change the fate successfully.