How to Play and Win the Regicide Card Game

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Learn this strategic team game in minutes with our handy rules guide
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If you want an exciting cooperative game to play with your friends, Regicide is a great new game that only requires a deck of cards. Together, you have to defeat the Jacks, Queens, and Kings in the deck by playing cards, but they’ll attack you back if you aren’t careful. This team card game is perfect for killing 15-20 minutes, and the rules are simple. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through setting up the cards, taking a turn, and planning out your plays to help you win!

Regicide Game Overview & Objective

Players work together to defeat 12 enemies. Play a card to deal damage equal to its value and apply the suit’s effect, like blocking attacks. If you deal more damage than the enemy’s health, it’s defeated. Otherwise, the enemy will attack you back. If players defeat all Jacks, Queens, and Kings, they win!

Section 1 of 5:

Regicide Card Setup

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    You can play Regicide with a standard deck of playing cards, or buy a copy of the game with official art and rules. First, shuffle the 4 Kings and set them in a face-down pile. Then, shuffle the Queens and set them on top of the Kings. Finally, mix up the 4 Jacks and place them on top of the stack. Place the Castle deck in the middle of the table for everyone to see. [1]
    • There are Red and Teal versions of Regicide, but the only differences are the colors of the card backs.
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    The number of Jesters (jokers) you shuffle into the deck depends on how many players you have. Add the number of Jesters listed below to the remaining cards, and shuffle them thoroughly. Place the Tavern deck face-down near the Castle deck. [2]
    • 1 player: 0 Jesters
    • 2 players: 0 Jesters
    • 3 players: 1 Jester
    • 4 players: 2 Jesters
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    You can play the Regicide card game by yourself or with up to 4 players. The number of cards players get depends on how many people are playing. Once everyone is dealt in, you are not allowed to talk about what cards are in your hand. [3]
    • 1 player: 8 cards
    • 2 players: 7 cards
    • 3 players: 6 cards
    • 4 players: 5 cards
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    During a game of Regicide, you’ll work together with the other players to defeat all of the Jacks first, then the Queens, and finally the Kings. Once you flip the first Jack over, choose a player randomly to take the first turn of the game. [4]
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Play Regicide Card Game

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    When you play a card from your hand, the value of the card determines the strength of your attack later in the turn. Alternatively, you can yield to save the cards in your hand, but you will take damage from the active enemy.Place the card you wish to play on the table in front of you. [5]
    • Yielding can be beneficial if you want to keep cards in your hand for a stronger enemy.
    • Animal Companions (Aces): You may play an Animal Companion alone or pair it with any other card in your hand. An Animal Companion adds 1 to the strength of your attack and allows you to use multiple suit effects (explained in the next step).
    • Combos: You may play multiple cards of the same value if the combined total is 10 or below. The total value of the cards becomes your attack strength, and you may use the effects for the suits that were played.
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    Each suit has a unique ability that can help you defeat enemies. However, enemies are immune to cards that share their suit, so the played cards have no effect against them. The suit effects are: [6]
    • Hearts: Shuffle the discard pile and add a number of cards equal to your attack value to the bottom of the deck.
    • Diamonds: Starting with the current player, everyone draws 1 card at a time until a number of cards equal to the attack value have been drawn. You may only have as many cards in your hand as you did when you started the game.
    • Clubs: Double the attack value, so an 8 of clubs has an attack value of 16.
    • Spades: Reduce incoming damage from the current enemy by the value of all Spades that have been played.
    • If you play a Jester on your turn, it doesn’t add to the attack value but it negates the enemy immunity until that enemy is defeated. You also get to choose the next player to take a turn, and players can communicate vaguely if they have a good play or not without revealing the cards in their hand.
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    Once you play your cards, calculate the total attack value and subtract it from the active enemy’s health. The damage is cumulative between all the players, so leave the cards face-up in front of you so the other players can see them. Each enemy has a different amount of health. [7]
    • Jacks: 20 health
    • Queens: 30 health
    • Kings: 40 health
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    Check the total of all the cards played against the current enemy and compare it to their health. If the card values are equal to or greater than the enemy’s health, then you’ve successfully defeated them. [8]
    • Place the defeated enemy in the discard pile. If you dealt damage exactly equal to the enemy’s health, place the card face-down on top of the Tavern deck instead.
    • Discard all the cards that were played against the enemy and place them in the discard pile.
    • Flip over the top card of the Castle deck to reveal the next enemy.
    • The player who defeated the last enemy takes their turn against the new enemy.
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    If the enemy survives after you play a card or if you yield your turn, they will attack back. Each enemy deals a different amount of damage. Put cards from your hand into the discard pile that have a total value equal to or greater than the damage value. [9]
    • Jacks: 10 damage
    • Queens: 15 damage
    • Kings: 20 damage
    • It’s okay to have no cards in your hand, but if you’re unable to play a card or cannot discard enough cards to counter damage, then you’re out and everyone loses the game .
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    After you finish your turn, the player to your left starts their turn by playing a card. Keep playing and working together to beat the enemies in the Castle deck. Once you defeat the Jacks, you’ll face the Queens followed by the 4 Kings. [10]
    • Later in the game, you may have Jacks, Queens, or Kings in your hand if you defeat them. Jacks have a value of 10, Queens have a value of 15, and Kings have a value of 20 when you use them to attack or discard them for damage.
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Section 3 of 5:

Winning a Game of Regicide

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    If you’re able to defeat all of the cards in the Castle deck without any of players going out, then you’ve beaten the game! [11]
Section 4 of 5:

Solo Regicide Rule Changes

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    Instead of shuffling the Jesters into the deck, set them aside at the start of the game. Play through the round as normal playing cards from your hand. At the start of your turn or before you take damage, you may flip over a Jester to discard all of your cards and draw back up to 8 cards again. Because you only have 2 Jesters, you can only do it twice per game, so be strategic for when you use it! [12]
    • If you beat the game without using any Jesters, you earn a Gold Victory. When you use 1 Jester, then you get a Silver Victory. If you use both Jesters and win, then you won a Bronze Victory.
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Section 5 of 5:

Regicide Card Game Strategies

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    When you play Diamonds, players get to add more cards to their hand, which can give them an opportunity to deal more damage or survive an attack. If you see someone getting low on cards, then prioritize a Diamond from your hand.
    • Remember that if the active enemy is also a Diamond, then the effect won’t activate.
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    Combos of cards with the same value can end up being really powerful because you can stack damage and effects. If an enemy has high health and you have a combo, lay it down to deal massive damage.
    • Example: If you play a 4 of Spades and 4 of Clubs, you will reduce the enemy’s attack value by 8 and deal 16 damage.
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    When the damage total equals an enemy’s health, you add the card to the Tavern deck for a player to draw. The Jacks, Queens, and Kings have higher attack values and are valuable later in the game for defeating powerful enemies and blocking strong attacks.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/7XoRlKzLobk?t=18
      2. ↑ https://www.regicidegame.com/site_files/33132/upload_files/RegicideRulesA4.pdf
      3. ↑ https://gamerules.com/rules/regicide/
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/7XoRlKzLobk?t=34
      5. ↑ https://www.regicidegame.com/site_files/33132/upload_files/RegicideRulesA4.pdf
      6. ↑ https://gamerules.com/rules/regicide/
      7. ↑ https://www.regicidegame.com/site_files/33132/upload_files/RegicideRulesA4.pdf
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/7XoRlKzLobk?t=222
      9. ↑ https://www.regicidegame.com/site_files/33132/upload_files/RegicideRulesA4.pdf
      1. ↑ https://gamerules.com/rules/regicide/
      2. ↑ https://www.regicidegame.com/site_files/33132/upload_files/RegicideRulesA4.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.regicidegame.com/site_files/33132/upload_files/RegicideRulesA4.pdf

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