Zen Squire: REbirth (10th Anniversary edition)

Recommended for 2 to 4 players ages 13+

 

Your quest:

Be the first player to reach 1,000 Points in your Castle.


Set Up:

  • Shuffle the deck.

  • Deal 5 cards to each player. 

  • Place the remainder of the deck face down to create a Draw Pile. 

  • Leave space for a face-up Discard Pile. 

  • The area in front of each player is their Castle. The sum of a player’s Castle is their score.

 

Taking Your Turn:

  • Draw one card from the Draw Pile.

  • Play one card from your hand. Point Cards and Modifier Cards are played to any player’s Castle. Action Cards and Alchemy Cards are resolved immediately when played, then placed in the Discard Pile.

 

Point Cards:

  • Point cards may be played to any player’s Castle.

  • Positive (+) cards increase that Castle’s score. Negative (-) cards decrease that Castle’s score.

  • A Castle’s score may be positive or negative and Castles can be empty. 

 

Action Cards:

  • When you play an Action Card, resolve its effect by following the instructions on the card, then place it in the Discard Pile.

 

Modifier Cards:

  • Modifier Cards are played by attaching them to a Point Card already in any player’s Castle.

  • Choose which Point Card the Modifier Card is attached to when you play it.

  • Multiple Modifier Cards may be attached to the same Point Card.

  • If an attached Point Card leaves the Castle for any reason, discard all Modifier Cards attached to it. 

Alchemy Cards:

  • Alchemy Cards cancel a card of any type played by another player, causing that card to be immediately placed in the Discard Pile. The canceled card has no effect. You may play an Alchemy Card at any time and during any player’s turn.

  • Alchemy Cards may cancel other Alchemy Cards. Resolve Alchemy Cards in reverse order played. If the original card played is not canceled, it resolves normally. 

Example: 

Card → Alchemy → original card is canceled.

Card → Alchemy → Alchemy → original card resolves.

Card → Alchemy → Alchemy → Alchemy → original card is canceled.

Card → Alchemy → Alchemy → Alchemy → Alchemy → original card resolves.

Winning the Game:

Tournament: If your Castle reaches 1,000 points or more, you immediately win.

Fight to the Death: Play until the Draw Pile is empty. Once the last card has been drawn, each player, in turn order, plays one final card without drawing. The player with the highest Castle score after the final card is played wins.