How to Play

Regicide

1-4 players 10-30 min 7.4 Board Game Geek Rating

In this cooperative fantasy card game using a standard deck, 1-4 players must eliminate twelve formidable foes through tactical card play. Players attack enemies by playing cards, dealing damage until opponents fall. Victory comes from slaying the final King. However, enemies retaliate each round, forcing players to discard cards as damage. Insufficient cards mean defeat for all.

Published 2020

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Build the Castle deck

Shuffle the 4 Kings and place face-down, then shuffle the 4 Queens and place on top, then shuffle the 4 Jacks and place on top

Reveal the first enemy

Place the Castle deck in the center and turn the top card face-up as the current enemy

Prepare the Tavern deck

Shuffle all cards numbered 2-10 with the 4 Animal Companions (Aces) and add Jesters based on player count

Create discard area

Make space for a shared discard pile beside the Tavern deck

Deal starting hands

Deal cards from the Tavern deck to each player up to their maximum hand size

Check for Diamonds

If no player has a Diamond, shuffle all hands back into the deck and deal again

Determine first player

The player who most recently committed regicide goes first

Solo play modification

Place 2 Jesters face-down to the side instead of in the deck

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Step 1: Play a Card or Yield

Play a card from hand to attack, or say "Yield" to skip directly to Step 4

Play combos

Combine 2, 3, or 4 cards of the same number if their combined total equals 10 or less (pairs of 2-5, triple 2s/3s, quadruple 2s)

Use Animal Companions

Pair an Animal Companion with one other card (except Jester) adding 1 to attack value and applying both suit powers

Play the Jester

Must be played alone with 0 attack value; negates enemy immunity, skip steps 3-4, choose any player to go next

Step 2: Activate Suit Powers

Apply mandatory suit powers based on cards played

Resolve combined powers

When Hearts and Diamonds trigger together, resolve Hearts healing before Diamonds drawing

Apply same-suit rule

If Animal Companion matches the other card's suit, apply suit power only once

Note enemy immunity

Enemies ignore suit powers matching their own suit unless Jester has been played

Step 3: Deal Damage and Check

Deal damage equal to attack value against enemy health

Defeat an enemy

When total damage equals or exceeds enemy health, place enemy in discard (or face-down on Tavern deck if exact damage), discard all played cards, reveal next Castle card, skip Step 4

Step 4: Suffer Damage

Discard cards from hand totaling at least the enemy's attack value (reduced by Spades played)

Communication restrictions

Never reveal or suggest hand contents; only share public information

Post-Jester communication

After Jester is played, players may express general desire to go next without revealing hand contents

Solo Jester power

Flip a face-down Jester to discard hand and refill to 8 cards; usable at start of Step 1 or Step 4