ShahmatHow to Play

Everyone gets a secret role. The King plays face up so everyone knows who they are. Everyone else keeps their role hidden until they die.

• King (Shah): survive, and defeat every Rebel and the Usurper.
• Loyalist (Pahlavan): win with the King. The King does not know who you are.
• Rebel (Yaghi): defeat the King.
• Usurper (Tajgir): be the last one standing, and defeat the King last.

If the King dies while anyone other than the Usurper is still alive, the Rebels win, even if they are all dead.

The King picks a character first. Everyone else then picks from a few random characters, knowing who the King is. Every character has their own abilities, shown on your side of the table during the game.

The King goes first, then play passes around the table. Each turn has six phases:

1. Start: start-of-turn abilities happen.
2. Fate: curses on you resolve.
3. Draw: draw 2 cards.
4. Action: play as many cards as you like, but only one Slash.
5. Discard: discard down to your current Hit Points.
6. End: end-of-turn abilities happen.

• Slash hits a player within your Reach for 1 damage unless they play a Parry.
• Pomegranate heals 1 on your turn, or saves a player who is Down But Not Out.
• Schemes are cards you play for an effect, like stealing or forcing a duel. Curses sit on a player until their Fate phase.
• Equipment: a weapon sets your Reach, armor protects you, and horses change your distance to other players.
• Fate: some effects flip the top card of the deck, and its suit or color decides what happens.
• Hover over any card in the game to read exactly what it does.

At 0 Hit Points you are Down But Not Out. Anyone may play a Pomegranate to save you. If no one does, you die and your role is revealed.

Defeating a Rebel draws you 3 cards. A King who defeats a Loyalist loses every card they hold, so choose your targets carefully.

In games of 5 or more, the King holds the Farr, the divine Glory of a rightful ruler, worth +1 Max Hit Point. Once per game, from round 2, the King may Anoint a player he trusts and pass it to them. The Farr rejects liars: it returns to the King if its holder ever turns on him.

The host can turn on No first-round knockouts in the lobby, so no one is knocked out before the King's second turn. Then deal the roles and find out who you can trust.