How to Play Regicide: A Cooperative Card Game Guide

Regicide is a challenging and rewarding cooperative card game where players work together to defeat the Royal Court. It’s a game of strategy, resource management, and a bit of luck. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to play and master Regicide.

What is Regicide?

Regicide is a cooperative card game for 1-4 players. The goal is to defeat all 12 face cards (the Royal Court) – Jacks, Queens, and Kings – before the players run out of cards in the deck. Players use number cards to attack the Royal Court, and the face cards attack the players in turn. The game is known for its high difficulty and requires careful planning and communication to succeed.

Components

* **Standard 52-Card Deck:** This is your entire game. Remove any jokers.

Objective

The players win if they defeat all 12 Royal cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings) before the deck runs out. Players lose if they cannot play a card to defend against the Royal Court’s attack.

Game Setup

1. **Shuffle the Deck:** Thoroughly shuffle the standard 52-card deck.
2. **Form the Royal Court:** Place the 12 face cards (Jacks, Queens, Kings) face up in the center of the table. Arrange them in a row or grid so everyone can easily see them.
3. **Create the Tavish Deck:** The remaining 40 number cards (2 through 10) form the draw pile, also known as the Tavish Deck.
4. **Starting Hand:** Each player draws a hand of 3 cards from the Tavish Deck.
5. **The Discard Pile:** Create an empty discard pile next to the Tavish Deck.

Gameplay

The game proceeds in turns. On each turn, players must:

1. **Play a Card (If Possible):** A player MUST play a card from their hand if they are able to. If they cannot play a card to defeat the current attacking Royal, the players lose the game. Cards are played either to attack a Royal or to activate a suit power.
2. **Resolve the Card’s Effect:** This could involve attacking a Royal, activating a suit power, or both.
3. **Royal Attack:** After playing a card, the current attacking Royal card attacks the players.
4. **Draw a Card:** The player draws a card from the Tavish Deck to replenish their hand, unless the Tavish Deck is empty.
5. **Choose the Next Player:** Play proceeds clockwise.

Let’s break down each of these steps in detail:

1. Play a Card

* **Attacking Royals:** You can play a numbered card to attack a Royal. The card’s numerical value is the amount of damage it deals. To attack, the card must be placed on the Royal card you are targeting.
* **Suit Powers:** Instead of attacking, you can play a card to activate its suit power. This is done by discarding the card and announcing the suit power you are activating. Suit powers are activated in addition to any attack made.
* **Playing Multiple Cards:** Players can play multiple cards in one turn if they wish to combine their attack and suit powers. All cards must be played simultaneously. You can attack a Royal and activate a suit power with different cards at the same time.
* **Illegal Plays:** You cannot play a card if it does not contribute to attacking a Royal or activating a suit power. You also cannot play a card if a royal attack would result in the players having less than 0 health. You also must play a card if you are able to. You cannot skip your turn or save cards.

2. Resolve the Card’s Effect

* **Damage Calculation:** When attacking a Royal, subtract the card’s value from the Royal’s remaining health. Royals start with health equal to their rank:
* Jack: 10 Health
* Queen: 15 Health
* King: 20 Health
* **Defeating a Royal:** If a Royal’s health is reduced to 0 or less, it is defeated and removed from the Royal Court. Place the defeated Royal in a discard pile (separate from the Tavish Deck discard pile).
* **Suit Power Activation:** After attacking (or instead of attacking), you can activate the suit power of the card(s) you played. See the “Suit Powers” section below for details.

3. Royal Attack

After a player plays a card (whether attacking or activating a suit power), the *current attacking* Royal card attacks the players.

* **Attack Value:** The Royal’s attack value is equal to its rank:
* Jack: 10 Damage
* Queen: 15 Damage
* King: 20 Damage
* **Applying Damage:** The attack value is subtracted from the players’ collective health pool. The players start with 50 health. This health pool is shared by all players. There is no individual player health.
* **Losing the Game:** If the players’ health is reduced to 0 or less at any point, the players lose the game.
* **Choosing the Attacking Royal:** If there are multiple Royals remaining in the Royal Court, the attacking Royal is always the leftmost Royal. After a Royal is defeated, the next Royal to the right becomes the attacking Royal.

4. Draw a Card

* **Replenish Hand:** After the Royal attack, the current player draws a card from the Tavish Deck to replenish their hand back to 3 cards. If the Tavish Deck is empty, the player does not draw a card.
* **Empty Tavish Deck:** The game continues even if the Tavish Deck is empty. Players simply don’t draw cards. However, the game is much harder when the deck runs out, as you have limited resources to defeat the remaining Royals.

5. Choose the Next Player

Play proceeds to the next player in a clockwise direction.

Suit Powers

Each suit has a special power that can be activated when a card of that suit is played. You must discard the card to activate the suit power, even if you also use the card to attack. Suit powers can be crucial for surviving and winning the game.

* **Hearts: Heal (Gain Health)**: Discarding a Heart card allows the players to gain health equal to the card’s value. This is essential for recovering from Royal attacks. For example, discarding a 7 of Hearts allows the players to gain 7 health.
* **Spades: Double Damage**: Discarding a Spade card doubles the value of the next attack made by any player *this turn*. The attack must be declared immediately after the Spade is played. Only one Spade card can be used to double an attack in a single turn. If no attack occurs after the spade is played, the ability is wasted. For example, a player discards a 9 of Spades and announces that the next attack will be doubled. The next player then plays a 5 to attack a Royal. That 5 counts as 10 damage.
* **Clubs: Force Discard**: Discarding a Club card forces the attacking Royal to discard one card from the Tavish deck. This can be useful for thinning the deck and increasing your chances of drawing useful cards later. If the Tavish Deck is empty, the Club card has no effect.
* **Diamonds: Shield (Negate Damage)**: Discarding a Diamond card allows the players to negate the next Royal attack by an amount equal to the card’s value. The shield is applied before the Royal attack occurs. Any excess damage from the Royal attack is still applied. For example, if you discard a 6 of Diamonds, the next Royal attack is reduced by 6. If a Jack (10 damage) attacks, the players only take 4 damage.

Winning and Losing

* **Winning:** Players win the game if they successfully defeat all 12 Royal cards before the Tavish Deck runs out and before the players’ collective health reaches zero or less.
* **Losing:** Players lose the game if:
* Their collective health reaches 0 or less at any point.
* They are unable to play a card on their turn to attack the current attacking Royal or to use a suit ability.
* The players run out of cards to draw and cannot survive the Royal attacks with their remaining health and cards in hand.

Strategies and Tips

* **Communication is Key:** Regicide is a cooperative game, so communication is crucial. Discuss your hand with your teammates, plan your attacks, and coordinate suit power usage.
* **Prioritize Targets:** Focus on defeating the Royals that pose the biggest threat (Kings and Queens) first. Leaving high-damage Royals on the board can quickly deplete your health.
* **Use Suit Powers Wisely:** Don’t waste suit powers. Use them strategically to maximize their impact. For example, use Hearts to heal after taking significant damage, use Spades to take down a Royal quickly, and use Diamonds to mitigate a particularly dangerous attack.
* **Manage Your Hand:** Try to maintain a balanced hand with a mix of attack cards and suit power cards. Don’t discard valuable cards unless necessary.
* **Think Ahead:** Plan your moves in advance. Consider the consequences of your actions and how they will affect the game in the long run.
* **Sacrifice When Necessary:** Sometimes, you may need to sacrifice health to defeat a Royal. Don’t be afraid to take some damage if it means eliminating a major threat.
* **Track Cards:** Try to keep track of the cards that have been played, especially high-value cards and suit power cards. This will help you make more informed decisions.
* **Optimize Card Combinations:** Look for opportunities to combine card values and suit powers for maximum effectiveness. For instance, using a Spade to double the damage of a high-value attack card can quickly eliminate a Royal.
* **Adapt to the Situation:** Regicide is a dynamic game, and the situation can change quickly. Be prepared to adapt your strategy as needed.
* **Learn from Your Mistakes:** Regicide is a challenging game, and you’re likely to lose many times before you win. Don’t get discouraged. Learn from your mistakes and keep practicing.
* **Know When to Use Clubs**: Using clubs to remove a card from the Tavish deck is often one of the most overlooked and underused mechanics of the game. Removing a card can have a subtle but significant effect on the game. Consider the card’s in your hand. Is there a suit you have plenty of and would have no problem discarding? If so, then consider removing the opposite suit from the Tavish Deck with a club. For example, if you have a lot of spades in your hand, then consider removing a heart from the Tavish Deck. Doing so increases the chances that you will draw a spade in the future.

## Advanced Strategies

Once you’re comfortable with the basic rules, try incorporating these advanced strategies to improve your win rate:

* **Counting Cards (Sort Of):** While you can’t perfectly count cards in Regicide, you *can* keep a mental note of which high-value cards (9s and 10s) have been discarded. Knowing this can help you anticipate when you might need to rely more heavily on suit powers for attack.
* **Recognizing Tavish Deck Cycles:** Because of the relatively small deck size, and given the fact that Royals are discarded into their own discard pile, the Tavish deck will cycle through multiple times if you survive long enough. Recognizing that a card you discarded early will soon return in the Tavish deck can inform your decisions in the present.
* **Optimizing for Specific Player Counts:** The ideal strategy can vary depending on the number of players. With fewer players, each person has more control but also bears more responsibility. With more players, communication and coordination become even more vital.

Variations and House Rules

* **Easier Mode:** Start with more health (e.g., 60 or 70) or allow players to draw more cards at the start.
* **Harder Mode:** Reduce the starting health (e.g., 40) or increase the health of the Royals.
* **Random Royal Order:** Shuffle the Royal cards before placing them in the Royal Court for a more unpredictable game.
* **Individual Hands:** Instead of a shared hand of 3 cards, each player draws their own individual hand of three cards.

Conclusion

Regicide is a challenging but ultimately rewarding cooperative card game. By understanding the rules, mastering the suit powers, and working together with your teammates, you can overcome the Royal Court and claim victory. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!