Introducing CLAIM: A Card Game for Two Players
Welcome to the fascinating world of CLAIM, a clever card game designed for two players. Inspired by the popular German Whist, CLAIM is packed with strategy and excitement. Let’s dive into the game and see what it’s all about!
Gameplay Overview
In CLAIM, the deck is made up of five unique factions, each with their own special powers. The game is divided into two phases, each with its own objectives and strategies.
Phase One: Recruitment
In the first phase, I have the opportunity to recruit cards that will be crucial in the second phase. These cards will determine my chances of success, so I must choose wisely.
Phase Two: Scoring
Once the recruitment phase is over, it’s time to bring out the big guns! During this phase, I will use the cards I collected to score points. The key to winning lies in having the most cards from at least three factions.
Factions and Special Powers
CLAIM features an intriguing mix of factions, each with its own unique abilities:
- Goblins: These mischievous creatures excel at manipulating the game by swapping cards and causing chaos.
- Knights: With their unrivaled strength and honor, Knights can influence the outcome of battles.
- Undead: The Undead possess the ability to revive fallen cards, creating unexpected twists and turning the tide in their favor.
- Dwarves: These master craftsmen have the power to forge alliances, allowing players to steal cards from their opponents.
- Doppelgangers: The enigmatic Doppelgangers can mimic the abilities of other factions, adding an element of surprise and strategy.
What’s Inside CLAIM?
When you open the box, you’ll find a meticulously crafted 52-card deck, featuring stunning artwork depicting the different factions. The deck includes the Goblins, Knights, Undead, Dwarves, and Doppelgangers.
Alongside the cards, you’ll discover two handy player reference cards that will serve as your strategic guides throughout the game. And don’t worry, we’ve also included an easy-to-follow instruction sheet to get you started right away!
So gather your opponent, shuffle the deck, and get ready to immerse yourself in the captivating world of CLAIM. Will you be able to assemble the most powerful factions and claim victory? It’s time to find out!
Hey there! Did you know that there are 14 different Goblins? They’re numbered from 0 to 9, and the Goblin faction has five of them. Pretty cool, right?
But that’s not all! The Dwarves, Undead, and Doppelganger factions also have their own set of numbered cards. Each of them has cards from 0 to 9, so that’s a total of 10 cards for each faction. There’s a lot of variety to choose from!
Oh, and let’s not forget about the Knights. We have 8 of them, all numbered from 2 to 9. They’re quite the force to reckon with!
With all these unique cards to pick from, you’ll have plenty of fun strategizing and coming up with the perfect plan. So go ahead and explore the possibilities!
Game Setup
Hey there! Let’s get this card game started. First, we need to set things up. Here’s what you need to do:
- Shuffle all of the cards.
- Deal 13 cards to each player.
- Keep the rest of the deck face down.
- Flip over the top card so both players can see it.
The player who wins the first trick will get to keep this card. Exciting, right? Now, let’s dive into the game!
Playing “Claim” – A Two-Phase Game
I’m here to tell you all about a super exciting game called Claim. It’s played in two phases: recruit and gather. Let’s dive right in!
The Recruit Phase
During the recruit phase, you’re going to be collecting some cards that you’ll need later on. Here’s how it works: for each round, we’re going to flip over one card from the deck.
Now, for the very first round, it’s the younger player’s turn to take the lead. They can play any card from their hand. Then, the next player has to play a card that matches the suit of the card led. But, if they don’t have a matching card, no worries! They can play any card they want.
Alright, let’s talk about winning tricks. The highest card in the suit that got led takes the trick and adds that card to their Follower pile, placed face down in front of them. The player who lost the trick needs to draw the top card from the deck and put it in their Follower pile. And guess what? The cards used in the trick are out of the game now. They won’t make another appearance.
So, here’s how the game goes: The next card from the deck is turned face up. The person who won the previous round gets to go first. We keep playing like this until both players run out of cards.
Get Ready to Go Again
Now it’s time to gather up our cards and get ready for the second phase. Each player picks up the cards they won in the first phase – we call these the “Followers.” The person who won the last trick in phase one goes first again. They can play any card from their hand. The other player has to follow the suit if they can, but if not, they can play any card they want. The highest card of the suit played wins the trick. The winner gets to collect both cards and put them in their “Score” pile, which they keep face up.
The person who won the trick leads the next one, and we keep playing until both players are out of cards. That’s how we know the game is over.
CARD AND FACTION POWERS
Hey there! Let’s talk about the cool stuff that some factions can do in the game.
First up, we have the Goblins. These furry little creatures don’t have any special powers, but don’t underestimate them! They may not have any fancy abilities, but they make up for it with their quick thinking and sly maneuvers.
Knights – If a Goblin is played, a Knight will always win. However, you still have to play a card of the same suit if you have one before playing the Knight.
Undead – In the beginning, when one of us wins the round, we can gather all the Undead cards played and keep them in our Score pile instead of throwing them away. These cards will help us earn more points.
Dwarves are special cards in the game. When the second phase begins, I collect any Dwarves that are played and put them in my Score pile. It’s important to keep track of these cards because they can make a big difference in the game.
Doppelgangers are a unique type of card in this game. They have a special ability that sets them apart from other cards: they can be played at any time, regardless of what card was played before. This means that you can play a Doppelganger even if you don’t have a card of the same suit.
Here’s how it works: if you play a Doppelganger as the second card in a trick, it becomes the lead faction. However, it doesn’t adopt any of the special powers that the lead faction has. It’s like a wildcard that can be used to shake things up and catch your opponents off guard.
But there’s a catch: if a Doppelganger leads the trick, the next player must follow suit and play a Doppelganger if they have one. This adds an extra layer of strategy to the game, as you have to think carefully about when to use your Doppelgangers and when to hold onto them.
SCORING
Okay, here’s the deal. When we reach the end of the second phase, we gotta take a good hard look at our Score pile. That’s where all the cards we’ve collected for each faction hang out. Now, pay attention, because this is important. The player who has nabbed the most cards from a faction, well, they’re gonna snatch themselves a point. But wait, what if there’s a tie? Ah, good question. In that case, the player who’s got the highest-ranking card in that faction is the big cheese who gets the point.
WINNING
Alright, listen up. The name of the game is to score three points or more. And guess what? The player who manages to do that is the ultimate winner. So, give it your all and aim for that victory!