Veto! Szlachecka Gra Karciana 2 edycja (2ed) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• 1.0 Card Types
  • 1.1 Faction Card
  • 1.2 Character Card (red background)
    • Character keywords
  • 1.3 Equipment (Moderunek) (gold background)
    • Equipment keywords
  • 1.4 Property (Posesja) (blue background)
    • Property keywords
  • 1.5 Effect (Efekt) (purple background)
    • Effect keywords
    • Key concepts related to effects
  • 1.6 Stings (Sztychy) (brown background)
  • 1.7 Strategy (Strategia) (green background)
  • 1.8 Types of Card Abilities
• 2.0 Preparing for the Game
  • 2.1 Building the Deck (Kredens)
  • 2.2 Card Uniqueness
  • 2.3 Different Versions of Characters
  • 2.4 Opponent
  • 2.5 Setting Up the Game
• 3.0 Gameplay
  • 3.1 Table Layout
  • 3.2 Card Status
  • 3.3 Sequence of Play
  • 3.3.1 Unmarking Phase
  • 3.3.2 Settlement Phase
  • 3.3.3 Game Phase
    • Putting Out a Character
    • Agitation
    • Challenging to a Duel
    • Moving a Character
    • Putting Out a Property
    • Putting Out Equipment
• 4.0 Other Important Rules
  • 4.1 Rule of the Special Provision
  • 4.2 Rule of Control and Ownership
  • 4.3 Rule of Cards' Lack of Memory
  • 4.4 Rule of Response
• 5. Game Variants
  • Variant 1: Multiplayer Game
  • Variant 2: Feast Rules (Zasady biesiadne)
• 6. Veto - Learning to Play
  • Step One - Preparing for the Game
  • Step Two - Preparing the Deck
  • Step Three - Putting Out Cards
  • Step Four - Playing Effects
  • Step Five - Agitations and Duels
  • Step Six - Ending and Starting a Round
  • Step Seven - Summary
• 7. Tips for Collectors
• 8. Important Terms and Abbreviations
• ERRATA

Introduction

You have just bought the second edition of the noble card game Veto! If you do not know what collectible card games are, read the text below carefully; if you feel like an experienced card player, go to section 1.

What are card games? Most of us, hearing the word "cards", think of rummy, a thousand, or perhaps bridge. Nothing could be more mistaken. First of all, each player has a separate, own deck. Second, in the starter you bought you will not find all the cards available in the game - there are over 300 designs and in this box you will find only several dozen. Third, just as in ordinary card games an ace is stronger than a low card, so here there are strong and weaker cards. Fourth, the strength of cards is reflected in the frequency of their occurrence in starters and boosters, that is basic and additional sets. The strongest appear rarely - one such card per 10 others - uncommon and common, that is the weakest. Fifth, you may have three copies of each card in your deck, not just one. Sixth, they are divided according to the function they fulfil in the game, as described below. Characters perform certain activities - they duel each other and agitate, gaining Strokes (Kreski). Equipment (moderunki) can be attached to them, affecting their traits; you can also put out properties (posesje) bringing income, and play effects that influence the game in hundreds of different ways. You will learn all these types in a moment. Be patient - even if it sounds incomprehensible to you now, believe us, you will quickly learn what it is about. But if you want to know what Veto is about right now: you must gain more Strokes than your opponent, in order to bring your candidate to the throne of the Commonwealth.

1.0 Card Types

1.1 Faction Card

(instead of artwork it has the faction's coat of arms, grey background):

The faction card determines the party you represent during the game. When starting the game you put it in front of you. A faction card cannot be discarded or removed from the game in any way, nor can it be unmarked or marked other than as a result of its own effect.

1. Coat of arms and faction name - determines the party this card represents; no faction card is unique (2.2)
2. Treasury (Skarb) - states how many ducats you start the game with
3. Income (Dochód) - the number of ducats you receive thanks to the faction card every round
4. Game rule (Zasada gry) - states what benefits this faction gives you. If you fulfil the condition, the game rule works all the time.
5. Political influence (Wpływ polityczny) - part of the game rule. Allows an additional action if you have the initiative (3.3.1).

1.2 Character Card (red background)

Characters are nobles taking part in the election. Among them you will find great magnates (karmazyni) and ordinary small fry, persons known from history and literature, as well as ones invented by the game's authors.

1. Name - everybody is called something, aren't they? All characters are unique (2.2). There may never be more than one character with the same name in the game (even if it has a different subtitle).
2. Nickname (Przydomek) - as they see you, so they write you. The most popular way the character is referred to by companions. It distinguishes different versions of a character.
3. Faction affiliation - informs which faction the character belongs to (the coat of arms matching the one on the faction card).

Traits:

4. Sabre (Szabla) - the character's strength and fencing skill. Used mainly in duels. (3.3.3)
5. Strokes (Kreski) - the number of supporters who will cast their votes as the character wishes. (3.3.3)
6. Play lafa (Lafa wystawienia) - the cost, counted in ducats, that must be paid to bring the character into the game. (3.3.3)
7. Upkeep lafa (Lafa utrzymania) - the cost, counted in ducats, that must be paid in each settlement phase for as long as the character is in the game. If a "+" symbol appears before the upkeep lafa number, it means you receive that many ducats in the settlement phase. (3.3.2)

Note! Traits can never fall below 0.

8. Quote - any text loosely related to the game world.
9. Game rule - the ability this character has. (3.3.3)

Character keywords

Famous (Sławny) - at the beginning of the end phase you draw a Stroke from the common pool. If more than one player has Famous characters, only the player who has more of them draws Strokes, and only as many as the difference. For defeating a Famous character in a duel the winner receives an additional Stroke. Famous characters may have one additional Sting (sztych) card attached, which must be face up.

Honourable (Honorowy) - cannot refuse duels.

Woman (Niewiasta) - cannot take part in duels, cannot agitate. R: Z, +1 Sabre for a dueling companion.

Pludrak - a foreigner, so called because of the characteristic trousers called pludry. A character with this keyword does not lose Strokes by refusing a duel and cannot agitate.

Karmazyn (Magnate) - a character particularly important in 17th-century realities - a senator, magnate, or even a prince. A character with this keyword may stay in the magnates' field and may be put out there (3.1). If it is not marked at the beginning of the unmarking phase, its Strokes count towards determining the initiative.

Influential (Wpływowy) - may stay in the magnates' field, but must be put out in the election field.

Elect (Elekt) - candidate to the throne; you may have only one Elect in the game. When you have an Elect on the table, you may announce the election. When your Elect is killed and you have no second one on the table, you lose the game (3.4).

Loyal (Lojalny) - you may put it out only if it is from your faction.

Jew (Żyd) - cannot challenge to duels, though may be challenged. Cannot agitate.

Absent (Nieobecny) - the character cannot use its special abilities, cannot take part in duels or agitate; it also does not add its Strokes to influence. No effects can be played on it, nor can it be the target of card effects.

Cossack (Kozak) - R: when its companion dies, it may immediately challenge the character that killed him, and does not need to mark itself for this. Cannot agitate.

1.3 Equipment (Moderunek) (gold background)

Equipment is gear that characters may own and use. These are various weapons, armours and other items useful during the election.

1. Card name - name of the equipment. Common or (in some cases) proper.
2. Type - designation of the type of equipment.
3. Trait modifier - informs how the equipment affects the character's traits.
4. Play lafa - the cost, counted in ducats, that must be paid to bring the equipment into the game.
5. Upkeep lafa - the cost, counted in ducats, that must be paid in each settlement phase. If a "+" symbol appears before the upkeep lafa number, it means you receive that many ducats in the settlement phase instead of paying.
6. Quote - a bit of information about the game world.
7. Game rule - an additional action of the item.

Equipment keywords

Weapon (Broń) - an item used in a duel. Although a character may own any number of weapons, in a duel it may use only one weapon or firearm, unless the card says otherwise. The choice of weapon is made before the duel begins. (3.3.3)

Firearm (Broń palna) - an item used in a duel. Although a character may have any number of firearms, in a duel it may use only one weapon or firearm, unless the card says otherwise (this is decided before it begins). (3.3.3)

Armour (Pancerz) - an item used mainly in a duel. Although a character may have any number of armours, in a duel it may use only one (this is decided before it begins). (3.3.3)

1.4 Property (Posesja) (blue background)

Various places under the control of your party. Their main task is to increase income. Some also have an additional use.

1. Card name - common or proper. Properties are the most varied as regards uniqueness. Some of them have proper names (e.g. Złota kobyłka, Browar w Warce, Łubnie) - these are unique (2.2). Of the others there may be any number in the game.
2. Play lafa - the cost, counted in ducats, that must be paid to bring the property into the game.
3. Upkeep lafa - the cost, counted in ducats, that must be paid in each settlement phase. If a "+" symbol appears before the upkeep lafa number, it means you receive that many ducats in the settlement phase instead of paying.
4. Game rule - an additional action of this place.

Property keywords

Inn (Karczma) - some cards refer to this type of property.

1.5 Effect (Efekt) (purple background)

Effect cards let you influence the game if you play them skilfully at the right moment. Effects are divided into attached and played. The second division is faction effects and ordinary effects.

1. Card name - no effect is unique (2.2), but of some you may have only one copy in the game at a time.
2. Faction affiliation (for faction effects) - a small coat of arms of a faction in this place means it is a faction effect.
3. Quote - any text loosely related to the game world.
4. Game rule - the benefits playing this card gives you.

Effect keywords

Permanent (Trwały) - cannot be discarded or removed from the game as a result of other cards or replies.

Removable (Usuwany) - after successful use this effect is removed from the game rather than discarded.

Unique effect (Unikat) - while an effect with this keyword is in the game, no player may play its copies.

Key concepts related to effects

Attached effect - after entering the game it stays in it until discarded by another card or after a time specified in the game text.

Played effect - after entering the game its game rule works. Then it is discarded.

Faction effect - you may play it only if you play the same faction as the symbol on the effect card.

Note: despite the above division, all effects are played, but some of them remain in the game. They are distinguished by the phrase "Attach to x". If some card's ability says that no effects can be played on it, then playing any effects is forbidden (including attaching effects). If however it speaks of the inability to attach effects, you may still play effects that are not attached. An attached effect may be attached to: 1. A character, 2. Equipment, 3. A property, 4. An attached effect, 5. A faction card. Depending on the game rule, they are attached to your own card or that of a chosen opponent.

1.6 Stings (Sztychy) (brown background)

These are cards influencing a duel; they work on a similar principle to effects, but may be played only during a duel. From the court, that is from your hand, you may attach a sting to a character card, placing it under the character face down. A character that is not a Karmazyn may have two such cards at once, the others one. The exception is characters with the keyword Famous, who may have up to three stings. During a duel you may use an attached sting under normal rules, i.e. just as if you were playing it from the court. Note: you cannot discard a Sting attached to a character other than the one fighting.

1.7 Strategy (Strategia) (green background)

Strategies are an additional reinforcement of your deck and tactics, although they usually also limit it in some way. They cannot be part of the deck (kredens) and are attached to the faction card before the game begins. A strategy card cannot be discarded or removed from the game in any way, nor can it be unmarked or marked other than as a result of its own effect. Only one strategy can be attached to a faction card. You may also use none.

1. Card name - no strategy is unique (2.2).
2. Quote - any text loosely related to the game world.
3. Game rule - what benefits putting out this strategy before the game gives you.

1.8 Types of Card Abilities

Passive (Pasywna) - only on cards remaining in the game. Such an ability applies all the time.

Deed (Czyn) (C) - Deeds may be performed only in your own turn, and only one per turn. It may be either performing an action with a character, or using certain kinds of effects or abilities of equipment or properties.

Trifle (Drobiazg) (D) - Trifles may be performed only in your own turn; the number of Trifles performed is unlimited. Trifles cannot be played while performing some deed, for example a duel or agitation. A Trifle is: putting out a property, equipment, playing an effect card, using the game rule of a card in play - unless the card says it is a deed.

Reply (Replika) (R) - Replies are abilities that allow reacting to things happening during the game, both to other abilities being used, played effects, and to standing events, e.g. the start of the settlement phase. They are the only ones that may be performed outside the game phase, but only if this is explicitly marked on the card.

Mark (Zaznacz) (Z) - means the necessity of marking the card in order to obtain the described effect. Z always refers to the card on which it is located, unless the card explicitly says otherwise (e.g. on an effect card: "Z a Companion from your Faction in order to...").

2.0 Preparing for the Game

2.1 Building the Deck (Kredens)

Assembling a suitable deck (called the kredens) that will throw your opponents into panic and give you victory will require some effort from you. The most important thing is that you may have at most three copies of a given card in your deck (three Latyfundia, three Batorówki, three Janusz Niesiecki, etc.). Remember also that the minimum number of cards in the deck is 60. Cards put out before the game (faction card, strategy) are not counted towards this. The maximum number of cards in the deck is not specified, limited only by common sense.

Note: if a card's game ability is described thus: "search the deck to find a card" (it may be a given type, e.g. equipment, or a specific card, e.g. Szablisko Pełki), the procedure is always as follows: we look through the deck, find the appropriate card, show it to the opponent, then take it into the hand (dwór) or attach it to a character/property/effect (depending on the game ability of the card we used for the search). Then we shuffle the deck.

2.2 Card Uniqueness

Some cards are unique. This means that in a game there cannot appear more than one copy of this card at once. Unique are all character cards, most properties and some equipment (those properties and equipment that have a proper name and are marked with the * symbol). If a unique card is discarded, another copy of it may be played normally. If a unique character card is removed from the game because the character was killed, no copy of it may appear again in that game.

2.3 Different Versions of Characters

Some characters change along with the course of events. Individual versions may differ in nickname, faction affiliation, traits and game rules, but will always have the same name. Distinguishing between versions is done by nicknames. Characters with the same name still fall under the uniqueness rule (2.2).

2.4 Opponent

Veto! SGK is played by at least two people. To start we recommend a one-on-one game. Of course each player must have his own cards.

2.5 Setting Up the Game

First prepare and place in front of you oblong markers (matches, paper clips or whatever you have at hand) representing Strokes (Kreski), i.e. the gentry's support for your faction (21 if you play two, 24 if three and 27 with four players). This is the common pool of Strokes. Place your faction card (1.1) next to you and optionally the chosen strategy, if you use one (1.6). These are cards that are not part of your deck. Prepare a suitable number (many) of markers serving as ducats (other than the markers used as Strokes) and take as many as the Treasury on the faction card specifies. Shuffle and place in front of you the deck (kredens) - the cards you will play with. Draw seven cards into your hand. This is your court (dwór). Only cards from the court may be played into the game. Once per game, at the beginning of play, you may shuffle the court into the deck and draw seven cards again. You must be content with the second result.

You may begin the game.

3.0 Gameplay

3.1 Table Layout

1. Election field (Pole elekcyjne) - the central place on the table occupied by most characters with cards attached to them.
2. Magnates' field (Pole karmazynów) - a separate part of the play area intended for Karmazyns and Influential characters. A character in the magnates' field cannot agitate, challenge or be challenged to duels, unless some card's game rules say otherwise.
3. Deck (Kredens) (2.1) - your deck. You draw cards from here. If at some moment of the game you run out of cards in the deck, shuffle the discard pile and form a new deck from it.
4. Discard pile - used and discarded cards and wounded characters go here. Cards on this pile lie face down, but cannot be browsed. Both you and your opponent may see only the top card.
5. Pile of cards removed from the game - if a card appears here it can no longer return to the game until the end of the game. (3.2)
6. Common pool of Strokes - the Strokes that are still to be won.
7. Common pool of ducats - from here you draw ducats to your treasuries according to income from properties and other cards.
8. Your pool of Strokes - Strokes you have won so far.
9. Your treasury - the number of ducats you have at your disposal for putting out and playing cards.

3.2 Card Status

Played card - when you "have the floor" (przy głosie), you may decide to play a card from your court. You declare your wish to play and lay the card into the game. If the opponent does not counteract in any way, pay its cost. Now the card is considered a card in play.

Card in play - as long as a card is in play, its game rule applies. Cards in play remain until they are discarded or removed by other cards or as a result of their game rules.

Discarded card - when a card is discarded, put it on the discard pile. These cards have no effect on the game, their uniqueness does not count. If other cards are attached to a discarded card, they too are discarded. The order of cards on the pile is decided by their owner.

Card removed from the game - when a card has been removed from the game, put it on the pile of removed cards. If it is a character, no copy of it can appear in the game. If other cards were attached to a card removed from the game, they are discarded. The order of cards on the pile is decided by their owner.

Note! A character wounded (in a duel or as a result of an effect) is always discarded, whereas a discarded character is not always wounded. Analogously for characters killed (removed from the game) and removed from the game (not necessarily killed).

Marked (Zaznaczona) - sometimes rules require marking a card to achieve some goal. Turn the card 90 degrees to the right. This means the card is marked. A marked card can be unmarked only in the unmarking phase and as a result of other cards. An already marked card cannot be marked again.

3.3 Sequence of Play

Each round consists of phases:

1. Unmarking phase.
2. Settlement phase
3. Game phase
4. End phase

3.3.1 Unmarking Phase

"Calculate who has the initiative. Then unmark all your marked cards."

1. Beginning of the Unmarking phase - possible Replies
2. Calculating and determining the initiative - possible Replies
3. Unmarking marked cards - possible Replies
4. End of the Unmarking phase

Re 2: "Calculate who has the initiative." Add up the Strokes of all unmarked Karmazyns located in the magnates' field. The player with the higher sum has the initiative until the end of the round. What does this mean? The player with the initiative is the first to "have the floor"; moreover, only the player with the initiative may use the political influence from the faction card and announce the election. To gain the initiative you may also use ducats, bribing the gentry. For this, players in turn declare amounts and pay them into the bank. For every 3 ducats spent, the player adds 1 to the sum of the Strokes trait. In case of a tie the initiative stays with the player who had it in the previous round. The exception is the first round - in it the initiative is held by the player with the smaller Treasury. In the first round political influence cannot be used.

Re 3: "Unmark all your marked cards." Return all cards that are turned 90 degrees to the right to their starting position (this also applies to cards just marked in the initiative-determining phase). In the first round the unmarking phase is skipped.

3.3.2 Settlement Phase

"Draw into your court as many cards as you lack to the maximum number. If you have more cards than you may have, discard the excess. If you run out of cards in the deck, shuffle the discard pile and form a new deck from it. Calculate the number of ducats received/spent and take/put back the appropriate amount. You may also announce the election now."

In the first round the settlement phase is skipped.

1. Beginning of the Settlement phase - possible Replies
2. Drawing/discarding cards - possible Replies
3. Calculating the number of ducats received and spent - possible Replies
4. Taking or putting back the calculated ducats - possible Replies
5. End of the Settlement phase

3.3.3 Game Phase

"Players in turn (the player with the initiative starts) 'have the floor' - they perform a deed or say 'bene' as a sign that they cannot or do not want to perform any. If all players in turn say 'bene', the phase ends."

The player currently "having the floor" may perform one deed and any number of trifles. Note: the sequence from the moment of having the floor until saying "bene" is also called "that player's turn".

Deed/Trifle - order:

1. Declaration of the Deed/Trifle (playing a card or using an ability) and possible Replies, Replies to Replies, etc.
2. Possible putting into effect of the Deed/Trifle's effects and paying the cost.

A Deed is: putting out a character, agitation, challenging to a duel, moving a character, using some card abilities (1.8).

Putting Out a Character

To put out a character you must first declare the wish to do so and show the character card from your court to the opponent. If the opponent does not counteract this, you lay the character into the game and pay as many ducats as its Lafa. If you do not have enough ducats, the character returns to your court and the action is considered not to have happened - you may perform another deed. A character belonging to a faction other than yours you put out for double the Lafa. After putting out a character you take from the pool a number of Strokes corresponding to the Strokes value of the character put out. If there are not enough Strokes in the pool, you take as many as there are, and the difference is lost.

Characters you have put out are called your company (kompania). If at any moment of the game the rules speak of a "character from your company", they mean a character currently under your control.

Characters from your company are companions (towarzysze) to one another. If at any moment of the game the rules on a character card speak of a "companion", they mean another character from your company.

Example: Marcin "has the floor" and has in his court the cards of Jan Skrzetuski (Lafa 8, 2 Strokes) and Samuel Łaszcz (Lafa 6, 2 Strokes). He plays the Wiśniowiecki faction and has 24 ducats in his treasury. He decides to put out Łaszcz - he shows his card to the opponent, who is Michał. Now Michał may play any replies that could hinder or prevent such putting out. There is no such card, however - Łaszcz enters the game. Marcin pays 12 ducats for him (Łaszcz is from another faction) and takes 2 Strokes into his pool. Since Marcin has no trifles he can perform, and cannot do a second deed in one turn, Michał "has the floor". But he says "bene" - he has no more cards he can play. In his next turn Marcin will be able to put out Skrzetuski or decide on another deed.

Agitation

Putting out characters is not the only way to bring Strokes. You can also gain them by agitating with characters in the election field. To do this, mark a character from your company and take a Stroke from the common pool to your own.

If there are no more Strokes in the common pool, you may still agitate, but it is considered agitation "against a player". This means that by agitating you take a Stroke from his pool and place it in the common one. If agitation allows you to take more than one Stroke, you cannot combine these two kinds of agitation.

Example: Michał has Roch Kowalski in the election field. He is not marked, Michał has the floor and has not yet performed any deed this turn. There are 2 Strokes left in the common pool. He marks Roch and agitates. He waits for Marcin to perform a possible reply concerning this action. He does not. The agitation will succeed, but Michał additionally decides to mark the character Aramis (R: Z when your character agitates, to gain 2 additional strokes), whom he has on the table. Marcin does not negate this action either, so Michał marks Aramis to use his trait. The result of the agitation is now resolved. Roch may, thanks to Aramis's support, agitate three strokes instead of one, but there are only two in the common pool. According to the rules he cannot combine normal agitation with agitation against a rival, so he takes only two strokes into his pool. If there had been no strokes at all, he would have taken 3 from Marcin's pool.

Challenging to a Duel

As part of a deed your character may challenge one of the opponent's characters to a duel.

A duel proceeds in the following sequence:

1. Choosing the challenger and the challenged. You choose a character from your company and declare the wish to fight a duel. To do this you must mark your character and then point to the opponent's character. Both characters must be in the election field (a character from the magnates' field cannot challenge or be challenged). From now on your character is called the challenger and the opponent's character the challenged. The challenged character may accept the duel (then your characters fight each other) or refuse. To refuse a duel the character must mark itself and the player controlling it must discard a Stroke to the common pool.
2. Choosing equipment to be used. The challenger and the challenged choose, from the equipment they own, that which they will use during the duel. Remember that a character may use one equipment of a given type (one Armour and one Weapon or Firearm). (1.3)
3. The duel. Players in turn, starting with the challenger, may play replies and stings according to the rule of response (4.4) until both say "bene".
4. End of the duel. Now we compare the Sabre traits of both fighters. The character with the higher Sabre wins. If the difference of traits is less than 3, the loser is wounded - his card is discarded, and the player controlling this character loses to the winner as many Strokes as the defeated character had in its Strokes trait. If the difference is 3 or more, the loser is killed and his card removed from the game. Strokes are lost and gained in the same way. When there is a tie, the duel is undecided - nobody gains or loses Strokes, no character is put aside.

Order in a duel:

1. Challenge (the challenger marks and points to who is challenged) - possible Replies.
2. Acceptance or refusal (the challenged marks and gives up a Stroke) of the duel and starting it - possible Replies; Sting/duel Reply of the challenging player - possible Replies; Sting/duel Reply of the challenged player - possible Replies; Sting/duel Reply of the challenging player - possible Replies; etc.; both fighters "bene".
3. Calculating the total Sabres of the dueling characters and determining the result of the duel - possible Replies.
4. Applying the result of the duel - possible Replies.
5. End of the duel - possible Replies.

Example: Marcin "has the floor" and has not performed any deed this turn. He marks the character Michał Wołodyjowski in order to challenge Roch Kowalski, whom Robert controls, to a duel. Wołodyjowski has Sabre 9 and no attached equipment, but Marcin placed one sting by him in the previous round. Roch (Sabre trait 6) has his sabre - Pani Kowalska, which adds 3 points to his Sabre, and has a sting attached. So the situation is even. Michał decides to risk it and accepts the challenge with Roch - he does not mark him. Both have Sabres 9. Marcin, as challenger, may play a card first. He uses the attached sting - it is Finta, which adds 3 to Wołodyjowski's Sabre. Michał does not negate this sting. Now he may play a card. He uses an attached sting - it is Młynek, which doubles the bonus from the weapon used in the given duel. Marcin responds by using Wołodyjowski's trait to negate this sting's effect. Again Marcin may play a card, but because he is winning he says "bene". Michał plays from his court Przeciwtempo, which adds 3 pts to Roch. Marcin in response plays from his court Riposta ("Sabre +1. Cut. Play after the opponent plays a sting. The modifier applies also to your character"). In this way Wołodyjowski receives the same modifier as Roch (another +3) and an additional 1 pt from the card Riposta. Michał does not negate this card. Both players say "bene" and we proceed to resolving the duel. Roch has 6 (base) +3 for Pani Kowalska +3 for Przeciwtempo = 12. Wołodyjowski has 9 (base) + 3 for Finta +3 for Roch's Przeciwtempo and +1 from Riposta = 16. The difference is thus 4 pts. Roch has been killed. Michał may now use a card whose game rule refers to the moment "after the end of the duel", so he plays Pchnięcie w plecy (a card only for Radziwiłłs: "R: After the end of the duel your character's opponent is wounded regardless of the result. You gain no strokes for this"). Marcin has no way to negate this card, so it enters the game. Thus Roch is killed - his card goes to the pile of removed cards - no copy of him will appear in the game again, Marcin takes 1 Stroke from Michał's pool (Roch's Strokes trait value). However, as a result of Pchnięcie w plecy Wołodyjowski is wounded - his card goes to the discard pile, and his copy may appear in the game. Marcin however loses no strokes.

Moving a Character

In his turn a player may move a character with the keyword Karmazyn or Influential from the election field to the magnates' field or vice versa. This requires marking (3.1). It is a deed.

Putting Out a Property

To put out a property you must first declare the wish to do so and show the card from your court to the opponent. If the opponent does not counteract this, you lay the property into the game and pay as many ducats as its Lafa. If you do not have enough ducats, the property returns to your court.

Putting Out Equipment

To put out equipment you must first declare the wish to do so and show the card from your court to the opponent. If the opponent does not counteract this, you lay the equipment into the game and pay as many ducats as its Lafa. If you do not have enough ducats, the equipment returns to your court. Remember that equipment must be attached to a character card.

Playing an Effect

In your turn, as a trifle, you may play an effect that has no specified moment of play in its game text (e.g. "Play when..." or "Play at any moment").

Using the Game Rule of a Card in Play

In your turn, as a trifle, you may use the game rule of a card in play that has no specified moment of use. Game rules that have no required play cost or necessary conditions work all the time.

Example: In his round Michał wants to use the game rule of the card Szerokie koneksje ("D: Attach to your faction card. If the player with the initiative uses political influence, you may also do so"), because Marcin, who has the initiative, used the political influence rule. Marcin does not negate the action of Szerokie koneksje, so Michał may at this moment also use his political influence.

Order:

1. Beginning of the game phase - possible Replies.
2. Player's turn - action of the active player (Deed or Trifle) - possible Replies; action of the active player (Trifle or Deed, if there was not one earlier) - possible Replies; etc. until "bene".
3. Turn of the next player.
4. Etc. - alternately.
5. All players "bene".
6. End of the game phase.

3.3.4 End Phase

"Effects lasting until the end of the round stop working. If some player fulfils the victory conditions, the game ends. You may discard one card from your court in this phase." Order:

1. Beginning of the End phase - possible Replies.
2. Checking victory conditions - possible Replies.
3. Possible discarding of cards from the court - possible Replies.
4. End of the End phase.

3.4 Victory

Victory conditions:

1. In this round an election was announced, and some player in the end phase has 2/3 of the Strokes and an Elect in the game.
2. He gains all the Strokes from the pool.
3. The opponent's Elect is killed, and he has no second one in the game.

In the last two cases one need not wait for the end phase - the game ends immediately when one of these conditions is fulfilled.

Some strategies specify additional victory conditions. If a player fulfils the conditions specified in the game text of his strategy, he also wins.

If at the end of the round both players fulfil victory conditions, the one with more Strokes wins. If there is still a tie, the player with the initiative wins.

Election

If in the settlement phase a player has 2/3 of the Strokes and an Elect in the game, he may announce the election. Then the winner is the player (not necessarily the same one who announced the election) who in the end phase has 2/3 of the Strokes and an Elect. If neither fulfils this condition, the game continues. Only the player with the initiative may announce the election in a given round.

Death of the Elect

A player whose Elect dies (is killed, not wounded) loses. The game ends immediately, regardless of the state of Strokes or the phase. It is possible that a player has 2 Elects (e.g. Radziwiłłs). Then he does not lose if, at the moment of death of one Elect, he has the other in the game.

4.0 Other Important Rules

4.1 Rule of the Special Provision

If the text on a card contradicts the instructions, apply the rules of the card text.

Example: Michał has in play the cards Abi Blumsztajn and Sakowicz. Abi, as a Jew, cannot agitate; this follows from the game rules of his keyword. However, Sakowicz's game rule enables agitation by Jews, Women and Pludraks. Sakowicz's rule, being specific, negates the general rule; Abi may agitate as long as Sakowicz is in play.

4.2 Rule of Control and Ownership

If during the game you take control of an opponent's card, consider it yours - you may use its game rule; if it is a character, you may perform actions with it - treat it as from your company. When this card is discarded, removed from the game, or after the game has ended, return it to its owner, that is the player who had it in his deck at the start of the game.

4.3 Rule of Cards' Lack of Memory

When a card is discarded, all played and attached effects and game rules concerning it stop affecting it - even if the card is played again.

Example: Uhlik has the cards Pludry and Karmazynowy kontusz attached. Thanks to the first he is a Pludrak, thanks to the second a Karmazyn. He is wounded in a duel - his card together with both attached cards is discarded. If his copy is put out, he will be neither a Pludrak nor a Karmazyn.

4.4 Rule of Response

After every played or used card the opponent always has the right to respond, that is he may try to nullify the playing of our card with his own. Effect cards (e.g. Bujdy i Bajania, Liberum Veto) and some character game rules (e.g. Jan Zagłoba) serve this. We cannot negate a card with a combination of cards or game rules. The response is only the first card or trait.

Players in turn play their cards, creating a stack. When both players say "bene", the stack is resolved by the LIFO rule (Last In First Out - "the last in, the first to act"), that is we first resolve the last played card, then the second to last, and so on. Cards from the stack are put aside in the order of resolution.

Example: Michał plays the card Na świeczniku, thanks to which he can see the three top cards of his deck and take each of them, paying 3D for one. Marcin wants to use in response the card Bujdy i bajania, which negates the game ability of a played effect and discards it. A stack is created. In response Michał plays the card Liberum Veto, which negates the action of any card and also discards it. Marcin in response marks Jan Zagłoba to negate the action of Michał's Veto. Michał says "bene", Marcin too. We resolve the stack by the LIFO rule. Zagłoba's trait negates Michał's Veto card, so Marcin's Bujdy enter the game and negate Michał's Na świeczniku. Na świeczniku does not work and is discarded, as are Liberum Veto and Bujdy i bajania. Zagłoba is marked; the stack ends.

While a stack is in progress you cannot play effects or use the game rules of cards that are trifles or deeds, nor those whose play condition is not fulfilled.

Returning to the example above: to Zagłoba's game ability Michał would like to respond with Wierzbicki's ability (D: Remove from the game a card attached to him, to nullify the game rule of another character until the end of the round). He cannot do this, because Wierzbicki's trait is not a reply but a trifle. If Wierzbicki had "R: when the opponent's character uses its game rule. Remove a card attached to him to nullify this rule", then such action would be possible.

Another example: a player playing Dworscy has Tyzenhauz on the table, whom his opponent challenges with Skrzetuski. In response he cannot use the card Kęsim, Kęsim! to kill Skrzetuski, because using the card Kęsim, Kęsim! is a deed and not a reply.

5. Game Variants

To make play more attractive we present below several variants of the SGK Veto! game:

Variant 1: Multiplayer Game

Veto! may be played not only by two people but by more; we suggest, however, not exceeding 4 people, and applying in such a game the rule that each player controls a different faction. The game does not differ basically from the standard one - players may freely play cards on each other and take linked actions, that is player A may play a card on player B even if the whole situation was initiated by player C.

The order of actions is set by the clockwise direction, thus: the one with the initiative starts first, the next to his left, etc. The round ends when everyone says "bene". If the Elect of one of the players dies, he drops out of the game, and his Strokes return to the common pool. The game continues among the remaining players.

Variant 2: Feast Rules (Zasady biesiadne)

Not everyone plays to win. Some just want to have a good time. For them we have rules making play more pleasant. First, forget about the political influence trait - it does not exist.

Second, the initiative passes alternately from one player to the other, ergo once one starts, once the other. Third, you cannot have in the deck more than two identical copies of cards (e.g. three Skrzetuskis). In this way the game should become decidedly more interesting.

6. Veto - Learning to Play

Step One - Preparing for the Game

First look among your cards for the faction card. On the card found note the treasury trait (e.g. for Radziwiłłs 20/+3), then count out as many markers (coins are best, though you can also write the treasury on paper) as it states and place them next to the faction card - this is your treasury. Now in the middle of the table place 21 Strokes, best imitated by matches. This is the common pool of Strokes.

Step Two - Preparing the Deck

Shuffle the cards and place them next to you. This is your deck, called in Old Polish the kredens. Now compare your treasury with your opponent's treasury. The one of you who has the lower one begins the game. If you both play the same faction, let a coin toss decide.

Step Three - Putting Out Cards

Both take seven cards from your decks - these are your courts. If you do not like your court, you may shuffle it into the deck and draw seven cards once again. You must be content with the second result. The starter is the first to "have the floor", that is may perform deeds (one) and trifles (any number). When you "have the floor", put out a character (red background). To do this pay its cost counted in ducats (the Lafa trait on the character card - the first from the bottom), subtracting the appropriate number of coins from your treasury. Then take from the Strokes pool as many markers as the Strokes trait (the middle trait) on the character card and place them next to your deck.

This is your pool of Strokes. From now on the character is in the game; place its card in front of you. For the first game let us assume that in the first round effects cannot be played on the opponent when he "has the floor". Now your opponent "has the floor". Let him also put out a character, repeating the same actions. Again you "have the floor". If you have an equipment card in your court (gold background - 1.3), attach it to your character, paying its Lafa and placing its card under the character card, so that it is still visible. The opponent may do the same. If you have no more equipment cards, you may put out a property card (blue background - 1.4), paying its Lafa.

When you have both put out all the character, equipment and property cards that you have in your court, you may proceed to the next point (note: if you cannot afford to pay the Lafa, you cannot put out the given card).

Step Four - Playing Effects

Now pay attention to all cards on a purple background (1.5); these are effect cards. Effects of the deed and trifle type C and D you may play only when you "have the floor"; effects of type R always when the restriction described on the given card makes it possible. Choose an effect that fits the game situation and carry out the instruction on its card.

Example: Michał plays the Radziwiłł faction, his friend Marcin the Wiśniowiecki faction. Michał takes 20 ducats, Marcin 18. Marcin starts the game. From now on he "has the floor". Marcin has in his court the character Longinus Podbipięta (traits Sz 7, K 2, L 7), which he decides to put out. He pays 7 ducats - he has 11 left. From the Strokes pool he takes two and lays the card of Longinus in front of him. From now on Podbipięta is in the game. Next Michał "has the floor"; he has in his court the card of Roch Kowalski (6, 1, 5). He puts him out according to the same rules. Marcin decides to attach to Longinus Zbroja husarska (Lafa 2), and Michał adds to Roch Karmazynowy kontusz (Lafa 2/1). Marcin, again "having the floor", puts out Latyfundium (Lafa 3/+3), Michał Szynk (Lafa 3/+2). As is easy to count, Marcin spent 12 ducats and has 6 left, and Michał 10 and still has 9 ducats. Marcin puts out nothing for now; Michał still has the card Arwid Wittenberg (6, 2, 5). He pays 5 for him and only four ducats remain. Marcin has three more cards in his court, Michał two. Both have only effects; Marcin has the cards Vae victis, Cięcie referendarskie and Rdzą przeżarty, Michał Chleb z pajęczyną and Precz!. Marcin "has the floor" and decides to play the card Vae victis ("D Attach to your faction card. The opponent loses 2 Strokes for refusing a duel with your character"). Michał cannot negate its playing, so the card enters the game. Marcin still has the floor, because he performed only a trifle. He therefore plays Rdzą przeżarty on Roch's Karmazynowy kontusz. Michał still cannot do anything about it, so he discards the equipment - in this way he creates his discard pile.

Step Five - Agitations and Duels

When you have both played the appropriate effects, try to perform other deeds. A deed is performed only by the player who "has the floor". It may be agitation or challenging to a duel. In both cases a character must be marked - we turn it 90 degrees (a once-marked character cannot be marked again). Agitation brings one stroke from the common pool (move it to your own). Challenging to a duel is more complicated. For this we choose an opponent's character and mark our own. From now on we call our character the challenger, and the opponent's character the challenged. The player controlling the challenged decides whether to accept or refuse the duel. By refusing he loses a stroke and marks his character. If he has no Strokes, he loses nothing, only marks the character.

When a duel takes place, both sides may play effect cards with the annotation "Play before the start of the duel". Then the fight begins. Both sides compare the value of their Sabre trait. To influence its height you may play stings. They raise the Sabre by a specified value. The challenger may play a card first, then the challenged - and so on, one by one, until both do not want to or cannot play any more cards. In the finale we compare the Sabre traits. The side that has the higher one wins the duel. It then takes from the opponent's pool as many Strokes as the Strokes trait of the defeated character. If the defeated character is wounded (lost by 1 or 2 points of Sabre), it must be put on the discard pile. If killed (lost by 3 or more points), it must be put on the pile of cards removed from the game.

Continuation of our example: Marcin decides to perform one more Deed - he challenges Roch to a duel, marking Longinus for this. Roch may refuse the duel, but Michał would then lose two Strokes (because of the card Vae victis), so he decides it is better to lose the duel and lose one. He counts on not losing Roch - he has in his court the card Chleb z pajęczyną ("R: If a character is wounded, you do not discard it"). He accepts the challenge. Marcin has one card in hand, a sting - Cięcie referendarskie ("Cut. +5 Sabre. After playing this card, until the end of the duel you cannot play other Cut cards. Cięcie referendarskie cannot be discarded"), which he plays (the challenger plays a card in a duel first). Michał is unlucky - Longinus's advantage of 1 (7:6) rises to 6 pts - Roch is killed, and Michał cannot negate that with the card Chleb z pajęczyną. He therefore removes Roch from the game, thus creating a pile of cards removed from the game. Roch Kowalski will not appear in the game until the end of play (no copy of his in either court). Marcin takes one stroke for the defeated opponent (Roch's Strokes trait). The duel ends. Marcin has no more cards in his court, so he says "bene". Michał decides to play one more card, Precz!, with which he can discard any effect remaining in play. He chooses Vae victis as the target, which Marcin discards. Michał says "bene", Marcin too. The round ends. Michał decides in the end phase to discard Chleb z pajęczyną.

Step Six - Ending and Starting a Round

If a player no longer wants to perform deeds (put out a card, challenge the opponent to a duel or agitate) and plays no effect, he says "bene". When both players say "bene", the round ends. Both sides may discard one card each, and all effects with the annotation "until the end of the round" also stop working. A new round begins. First unmark all characters - turn them back "upright". Now we proceed to the settlement phase. Draw as many cards as you lack to six, then calculate the income from your cards. To do this, look at all the cards you have put out that have a divided Lafa trait - the right side is the so-called upkeep Lafa, which you ignored when putting out that card. If there is no dividing sign by the Lafa trait on the card, then the card has an upkeep Lafa equal to 0. Now sum all cards with upkeep Lafa +X and from the total subtract all those that have on the right side simply X.

Example: Michał has in play Arwid Wittenberg and Szynk. He therefore receives 3 ducats from the Radziwiłł faction card and 2 for Szynk. In total he receives 5 ducats. Marcin, besides Longinus with attached Zbroja husarska, has Latyfundium. Neither Longinus nor the Zbroja have an upkeep Lafa; from the faction card he receives 3 ducats and the same from Latyfundium. Since there are no minuses, he receives 6 ducats. Both add to their treasury as many ducats as they calculated.

Step Seven - Summary

Now you know how to put out characters, properties and equipment, you know how to play effects and calculate income, you have fought your first duel and agitated successfully (if not, play one more round). It is time to return to the instructions and read the full description of the rules. When you finish, we suggest playing another game under the feast rules (section 5).

7. Tips for Collectors

In the lower right corner of each card there are two markings - a letter and a number. The first denotes the frequency of occurrence of such a card, the second its ordinal number in the given expansion. Additionally, cards from expansions have markings symbolizing that expansion - a small icon.

• R - rarytas, the rarest card.
• N - uncommon (niepospolita) card.
• P - common (pospolita) card.
• O - occasional (okazyjna) card.

8. Important Terms and Abbreviations

Court (Dwór) - the cards you hold in your hand. Only cards from the court may be played and brought into the game.

Deck (Kredens) - your deck, from which you draw cards into your court in the settlement phase.

Strokes (Kreski) - symbolize votes in the election, express the popularity of a given character.

Lafa - the cost of a card paid in ducats when playing it. If a card has no Lafa, it means we pay nothing for it. Lafa often has a second number with "+" or without a plus after "/" - this means income or expense every round. E.g. Lafa 6/+2 means 6 ducats when playing and plus 2 ducats every round while the card is in the game. Whereas 6/2 means the necessity of paying 2 ducats every round. The first number we call the play Lafa (Lafa wystawienia), the second the upkeep Lafa (Lafa utrzymania).

Treasury (Skarb) - the ducats at your disposal.

Game rule (Zasada gry) - is on the card and may be used by the player controlling that card.

Initiative (Inicjatywa) - determines the order in a round. It is held by the one who in the unmarking phase has the larger sum of Strokes of unmarked Karmazyns (the result may be modified by ducats). In the round he may use his faction trait political influence.

ERRATA

1. In points 1.6 and 3.3.3: Stings attached to a character may be discarded during agitation, thanks to which one receives an additional stroke. Only one sting at a time may be discarded in this way.
2. In points 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 information was missing about the faction affiliation of equipment, properties and stings. Properties and stings marked with a faction symbol, like effects, you may use only when playing the faction whose symbol is in the upper left corner of these cards. Equipment marked with a faction symbol you may attach only to a character of the faction whose symbol is in the upper left corner of that card.