# Call of the Cards: Quest for the Crown - Rules v1.3 (108 cards)

**108 cards:** 2×46 decks (24 companions×3 +12 artifacts×2 +10 Gold) +16 quests. 2 players, 20-40 min, race to 5 VP.

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### Page 1 - Setup (30 seconds)

**Each player:** Shuffle your 46-card deck, draw 5. Keep Gold in hand (your bank).
**Centre:** Shuffle 16 quests, reveal 3 face-up. Put deck nearby. Leave space for discard piles.
**Start:** Player who last read a book goes first. First player draws 1 at start of turn already done (you start with 6).

**Card types:**
- **Gold 💰** - Currency. Discard Gold cards from hand to pay.
- **Companion 🤝** - Power to complete quests. Cost & Power top corners.
- **Artifact 💎** - Permanent bonus, stays in front of you.
- **Quest 📜** - Centre board, requires Power, gives VP.

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### Page 2 - Your Turn (in order)

**1. Draw:** Draw 1 (2 if you have Amulet of Renewal). **Underdog's Resolve (v1.3):** If you're 2+ VP behind at start of turn, draw +1 extra. Stacks with Amulet (so 2-3 cards).

**2. Main actions (any order, once each is optional):**
- **Recruit Companion:** Pay its Gold cost by discarding that many Gold cards from hand, put companion in your Party (field).
- **Acquire Artifact:** Same Gold cost, put artifact in front of you (permanent).
- **Complete Quest:** If your total Power ≥ quest requirement, claim it, gain its VP, replace centre quest immediately. **You may complete 1 quest per turn max?** No - you may complete multiple if you have Power, but engine allows 1 at a time.

You may also **Discard 1 card** to cycle hand.

**3. End Turn:** Pass. Next player draws and goes. In 2P physical, hand your hand face-down; next player reveals 3 quests.

**Power math:** Sum companion Power + bonuses. **Ring of Courage (4g)** = +1 to every companion. **Healer (2g/2p)** = +1 to every ally, stacks with Ring (so 2 Healers + Ring = +3 each). **Shield of Ages (4g)** = quests cost -1 Power.

**Gold:** You discard Gold to pay. Draw is your only income. Don't burn 3 Gold turn 1 if you can't quest next turn.

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### Page 3 - Cards Reference (v1.3 costs)

**Companions:** Rogue 1g/1p, Shadow Thief 1g/1p (on recruit opponent discards 1 random - the only interaction), Forest Scout 2g/2p, Dwarven Smith 2g/2p (draw 1 on recruit), Captain 2g/3p, Siege Engineer 3g/4p, Elf Archer 3g/4p, Healer 2g/2p (+1 all).

**Artifacts:** Ring 4g, Shield 4g, Crown 4g (peek), Amulet 3g (draw+1), Boots 2g (recruit +1/turn), Sword 6g (+1 VP per quest).

**Quests (16):** 1VP req3-4: Patrol, Village, Scout Ruins, Troll Hunt, Library, Goblin Market; 1VP req5: Courier; 2VP req5-6: Assassin (2/5), Bandit Raid (2/5), Storm Fortress (2/6), Enchanted Forest (2/6), Haunted Keep (2/6); 2VP req7-8: Dragon 7, Throne 8; 3VP req9-10: Starfall 9, Coronation 10.

**Win:** First to 5 VP. Ties: player who completed final quest wins. Underdog draws help 4-1 comebacks.

**Example Turn 1:** You have Rogue (1g), Captain (2g), 2 Gold, Shield, Archer. You have 2 Gold - you can play Rogue (discard 1 Gold) leaving 1 Gold, field 1 Power, can't take req3 quest yet. Better to wait, discard Archer (too expensive), end turn, draw. Next turn you draw Gold, now 2 Gold again, play Captain (2 Gold) for 3 Power, take Patrol (req3) for 1 VP.

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### Page 4 - Physical Tips & Feedback

**Components for 108:** Punch 46+46+16. Add 1 VP track card (0-5) per player or 10 VP tokens. Use sleeves for Gold (shuffled a lot).

**Strategy:** Early: Rogue/Scout → mid: Captain/Healer+Ring → late: Siege/Archer + Sword. Don't buy Sword before 3 VP. Shadow Thief is best when opponent has 6-7 cards - time it.

**Tournament option:** If first-player feels strong (56-61% in sims), second player may mulligan 2 cards before start.

**Feedback (drives v1.4 art):** After 3 games, scan QR or visit jvdesignstudio.co.uk/games/call_of_the_cards.html#playtest - rate Fun 1-5, Balanced?, Would replay?, what felt broken (Gold/Quests/Thief/Healer). Or use slip: Date / Game length / Winner VP / Final Power / What would you change?

**Credits:** JVDesignStudio v1.3 2026-09-11 - Engine `call-of-cards-engine.js` playable at `call_of_the_cards.html` (AI + Local 2P) and `call-of-the-cards-playtest.html`. Report bugs via Instagram.

*Print at A5, 4pp, 9pt. Cut lines on cover. For PNP, print companions on white, artifacts on gold tint, quests on parchment.*