Welcome to the Exciting Universe of Star Realms!

Hey there! In Star Realms, you get to be the boss of your very own space empire. Trust me, it’s awesome! Your mission? Expand your empire, flex your muscles, and don’t let those other empires rain on your parade. How? Easy! Just build a killer fleet, set up advanced bases, and show those rivals who’s boss. That way, you’ll be the one calling the shots in the galaxy!

Ready, Set, Go!

Before we get started, we need to set up the game. First things first, let’s put together your deck. Grab 8 Scout cards and 2 Viper cards. That’s your starting deck. Now, let’s shuffle up those 80 Trade cards and lay them on the table. This forms the main deck. Right next to it, put the 10 Prospector cards. Now you’re all set up!

Oh, don’t forget! Each player starts with 50 influence points, which are basically the health points of your empire. Keep ’em safe!

GAMEPLAY

When it’s my turn to play, I start by drawing 3 cards from my starting deck. You, on the other hand, begin with 5 cards. As we take turns, we can play as many cards from our hands as we want. We can do different things with these cards:

• I can attack you using the Combat points (the red target symbol)
• I can lay down one or more bases to protect myself
• I can buy one or more cards using the Trade points (the yellow coin symbol)
• I can also regain influence with the green shield symbol

It’s important to note that we don’t have to keep any cards in our hands. At the end of my turn, I have to discard any cards I have left and draw 5 new ones. The cards I buy during my turn go straight to my discard pile. The cards I play stay in front of me until the end of my turn, and then I discard them.

The Ships

When you play a ship card in this game, it usually has two or three effects. The first effect, called the base effect, happens automatically when the card is put into play. But wait, there’s more! If you play two cards from the same faction, you activate the “Ally” effect of those cards. Just look for the faction symbol to see what kind of points you can earn – trade, influence, or combat points, depending on the faction. And here’s the icing on the cake – some cards have a Remove effect, indicated by a bin symbol. This effect can only be activated when the card is permanently removed from the game, so it won’t go back to the discard pile. With all these effects from the ships, you need to be smart about managing your influence points. If you don’t, you could end up getting demolished!

Let’s Talk About Bases

Bases are like your trusty sidekicks in a card game. They’re permanent cards that stick around to protect you and give you a helping hand during your epic battles against your opponent. Think of them as your own personal fortress.

The Outpost bases are a bit special. They have the power to prevent your opponent from launching any attacks on you until those bases are gone. It’s like having a magical shield that keeps you safe from harm. But here’s the thing: if your opponent fails to defeat those Outpost bases during their turn, those bases will recover and come back with full power. It’s like they regenerate their strength overnight.

The other bases don’t have the superpower of blocking attacks, but they do have their own advantages. They often grant you extra influence or combat points every turn. It’s like they’re giving you a boost when you need it most. Plus, they can also help you trigger special abilities from cards in the same faction. It’s like they’re working together as a team.

Now, here’s a clever strategy: destroy your opponent’s bases. By doing so, you slow down their progress and make their life a whole lot harder. It’s like knocking down their walls and messing up their plans. So, don’t underestimate the power of bases. They may just be the key to victory.

The Different Factions

In Star Realms, there are four factions, each with its own unique characteristics. The more you combine these factions, the more damage you can inflict or the more powerful bonuses you can gain:

• The Blob Fleet: They specialize in devastating firepower.
• The Trade Federation: They excel in trade and influence.
• The Techno Cult Machine: They focus on cleaning your deck and dealing damage.
• The Galactic Empire: They allow you to draw more cards and force your opponent to discard cards.

Reaching the End

The battles in Star Realms continue until one of the two players runs out of influence points. At that point, the player with remaining influence points emerges as the victor.

Explore Different Ways to Play Star Realms

Star Realms is an exciting game with numerous expansions that can be enjoyed by more than just 2 players. If you have multiple base boxes or expansions, you can easily customize your gaming experience for a larger group.

Fight to the Death

Ready to go all out? It’s a free-for-all! The rules remain the same as in the two-player game, but with 3 or more players, you have the freedom to choose your targets during your turn. You can split your actions between different players if you’d like. Keep in mind that the first player starts with 3 cards, the second with 4, and the rest with 5.

Manhunt

If you’re up for a thrilling challenge, try the Manhunt variant. This version follows the same rules as Fight to the Death, but with a twist. Each player can only attack the player on their left and target the bases of their left and right neighbors. It adds an extra layer of strategy and keeps players on their toes.

Hydra

Prepare for a unique gaming experience with the Hydra variant. In this mode, the rules are like Fight to the Death, but with an added twist. Each player can only attack the player on their left and target the bases of their left and right neighbors. It’s a dynamic gameplay mechanic that takes the excitement to a whole new level.

Hey there! Let’s dive into the exciting world of Star Realms, a game that will keep you on the edge of your seat. When you play Star Realms, you can form teams of two or three people. The team works together to achieve victory, sharing the influence among all team members.

Here’s how it works: each player has their own deck, discards, and cards in hand. The starting team draws three cards per player, while the other team gets five cards for each player. Then, each team takes turns playing together—each player on a team plays at the same time. It’s a synchronized effort, with one team going all-in before the other team takes their turn.

During the game, players can accumulate Combat, Influence, and Trade points. These points are pooled together for the entire team. However, there’s a catch—you can’t combine the ally effects of a card with another player’s card. So, choose your cards wisely to maximize your team’s potential!

Lastly, let’s talk about Outposts. Outposts are crucial defense structures for your team. They protect you from enemy attacks. In Star Realms, the Outposts are also pooled together. This means that as long as one player on your team has an Outpost in play, your entire team remains shielded from attacks.

Are you ready for some advanced strategies? Star Realms offers different variants that add even more excitement and replayability to the game. It’s a game that will keep you coming back for more, time and time again.