Saboteur: The Duel – Game Rules

Welcome to the exciting world of Saboteur: The Duel! In this game, you and your opponent will go head-to-head, mining for gold and sabotaging each other’s plans. Get ready for an exhilarating adventure!

Game Setup

Before we jump into the action, let’s set up the game. Each player will receive a set of cards, including path cards, action cards, and goal cards. These goal cards will determine whether you’re playing as a gold digger or a saboteur.

Gameplay

Now, let’s delve into how the game is played. The deck of path cards will be shuffled and placed facedown in the middle of the playing area. Each player will draw a hand of path cards and use them to build their own pathways. The aim is to connect your starting card to a goal card and collect as much gold as possible.

However, be on guard! Your opponent may be a sneaky saboteur, aiming to thwart your progress. They can play action cards to block your path or destroy your tools, making your journey more challenging.

On your turn, you have two options: play a path card or play an action card. By playing path cards, you can extend your pathway or switch the direction of your opponent’s pathway. Action cards, on the other hand, can be used to build obstacles or damage your opponent’s tools.

If you manage to reach a goal card, it’s time for points! Gold nuggets are added to your score, while the player with the most points at the end of the game emerges victorious.

Winning the Game

The game ends when all the path cards have been played, or when both players have reached a goal card. The player with the most gold nuggets in their score wins the game.

Now that you understand the rules, gather a friend and get ready to experience the thrill of Saboteur: The Duel. Will you strike gold or will the saboteur undermine your every move? The choice is yours!

To start the game, we need to remove two specific cards from the deck: the blue or green ladder card and the hat card. Once these are taken out, we shuffle the remaining path cards and action cards together.

Next, each player receives a role card or miniature, as well as six cards from the deck.

We then take the 18 gold cards, select six of them, and arrange them as shown in the picture on the right.

The green dwarf is the first player to take their turn.

Game Play

Now, you have four possible choices to make:

• Choice A: Play a path card from your hand and draw one card from the deck.
• Choice B: Play an action card from your hand and draw one card from the deck.
• Choice C: Discard two cards from your hand, remove an action card from in front of you, and then draw one card from the deck.
• Choice D: Discard one or two cards from your hand and draw the same number of cards as you discarded. After drawing new cards, it becomes your opponent’s turn. When there are no more cards left in the deck, the round ends.

Choice A: Play a Path Card

Let’s talk about path cards. They are like puzzle pieces that help us build a path to the gold cards. To play a card, just put it next to another path card that’s already on the table. Make sure all the sides match up with the existing tunnels. But remember, you can’t lay a card horizontally.

Now, here’s the exciting part. Both players are trying to reach the gold cards starting from their own starting card. Sometimes, the two routes merge into one! From that point on, both players can use each other’s route to get to the gold. How cool is that?

Whenever you come across a gold card on your route, and you have a path that leads to it, flip the gold card over. Your mission is to connect it with the cards around it and create a path all the way to the last path card that was played. If that’s not possible, don’t worry. You still need to place the gold card in a way that it connects with at least the latest path card.

Oh, and keep an eye out for the path cards with ladders. There are two of them! These special cards can give you a boost and help you move forward on your path. Pretty neat, right?

Hey there! Let’s dive into the exciting world of path cards! Follow me as I explain how they work and what you need to know.

The path on this card is super special because it’s directly connected to your start card. Think of it as your very own personal trail. How cool is that? Now, let’s see what makes this card so unique.

When you play this card, you have the freedom to place it beside any path card you want. The possibilities are endless! Well, almost. Just remember not to put it next to a card that’s made of gold, a start card, or a card that has a touch of gold on it. Keep those cards in their own special zones.

Path with a door (x6 + x8 gold cards)

Ah, behold the path with a door! It’s a bit different from the others. You see, this unique path requires you to have a combination of six ordinary path cards and eight shiny gold ones. It’s like a magical secret passage!

Now, you might be wondering why it’s called a path with a door. Well, the door is a symbol of adventure and mystery. It’s like an invitation to explore what lies beyond. Are you ready to uncover hidden treasures and embark on thrilling quests?

The path with a door is a fantastic addition to your path collection. It adds a touch of magic and excitement to your journey. Just remember to gather the right combination of ordinary and gold path cards to open this marvelous door.

So, there you have it! Path cards are a key part of your adventure. They connect you to new possibilities and open doors to exciting discoveries. Keep exploring, my friend, and let your path lead you to greatness!

If I want to take the path behind a door, I have to be the dwarf of the same color. My journey ends there if I’m not. It’s a bit like a game. Let’s imagine a situation where the path is guarded by a troll. There are three such paths. It’s a challenge for me to solve. I need to find a way to get past the troll and continue on my journey. It’s like a puzzle or a test. I have to use my wits to figure out the solution. It might seem difficult at first, but I can do it if I think creatively. Each obstacle is an opportunity for me to grow and learn. So, even if it seems daunting, I won’t give up. I know I can find a way to move forward. With determination and a positive mindset, I can overcome any obstacles in my path.

So, there’s this big, ugly troll standing in my way. It’s like a gatekeeper or something, blocking my path. And get this—I have to pay it, like, a toll to pass through! Can you believe that? I have to give it 1 gold coin just to continue on my journey.

A Path Full of Gold (x5)

You can find gold nuggets on these special cards along the path.

Getting the Gold

If you make an unbroken path starting from your own card to a gold card, you’ll place a dwarf marker (with your colored side facing up) on that card. At the end of the round, the dwarf collects the amount of gold displayed on the card, even if the path is no longer there.

If you build a path from your opponent’s starting card (without connecting to your own) to a card with gold, he’ll put a dwarf marker (with his colored side up) on that card.

B. Using an Action Card

Sabotage

Imagine this scenario: I’m playing a game with my friends, and I want to mess with someone’s plans. So, I take a sabotage card and place it in front of one of my friends. But here’s the thing: you can’t have two of the same sabotage cards in front of you at once. You can have different types, but not duplicates. Now, if someone gets sabotaged, they won’t be able to play any path cards.

But don’t worry, there’s a way to fix it. It’s called “repair”.

So here’s the deal: if you’ve got a repair card, you can fix up your pickaxe, lamp, or cart in no time. It’s pretty simple, really. All you gotta do is use the repair card to chuck out a sabotage card that matches the icon. Both cards end up in the discard pile. Just remember, if your repair card has two icons, you can only use it on one sabotage card, not two of ’em. Easy peasy!

Key

When you come across a key card, you can use it on a path card that has a door of the opposite color. All you have to do is discard the key card and then place a key marker on the path card. This marker lets you continue on the path, ignoring the door completely. It’s like the door isn’t even there! There might be instances where a player creates a path from their start card to a card with gold. If this happens, you have the opportunity to place a dwarf marker on that card right away.

The Power of Collapse

With a collapse card in your possession, you have the ability to remove a path card that is currently in play. Simply discard the collapse card and the path card, and they are out of the game. There are a few rules to keep in mind when using a collapse card: you cannot use it on a start card, a gold card, or a path card that contains gold or a troll. These restrictions ensure that the collapse card is used strategically and doesn’t disrupt the flow of the game.

Map

When you play a map card, you get to peek at one of the gold cards. After looking at the gold card of your choice, you need to put it back face-down in the same spot where it was before. Remember, you can’t show the card to the other player.

C. Discard 2 Cards

If you choose to discard 2 cards, you can remove a sabotage card from in front of you. But don’t forget, you only get to draw 1 card, not 2.

D. Pass

When you choose to pass, you have to discard 1 or 2 cards and then draw the same number of cards that you discarded. Make sure you discard at least 1 card.

End Of The Round

A round comes to an end under two conditions:

• All 6 gold cards are visible.
• All 8 dwarf markers have been placed in the tunnel.

I’m all out of cards, and you are too. So, let’s tidy up. Take the cards that have our colored dwarf markers on them and keep them in front of us. These special cards won’t go back into the deck next time.

Now, here’s the tricky part. We need to pay up for the trolls with our dwarf markers on them. For each troll, it costs 1 gold. No change, so if you only have a 2-gold card and need to pay 1 gold, you pay the whole 2 gold. If you don’t have enough gold, tough luck, you’ll have to give up everything you’ve got.

Put the other gold cards that we revealed back in the box. Mix up the remaining unrevealed gold cards with the rest of the gold cards.

Now, onto a fresh round. Follow the prep steps like before. All dwarf and key markers are back in play. Whoever has the least gold goes first. If there’s a tie, the blue dwarf takes the lead.

When it’s time to wrap up the game, here’s what you need to know.

When you play the game Saboteur: The Duel, the competition concludes after three rounds. At the end, the player who has collected the most gold emerges as the victor.

Playing Saboteur: The Duel Solo

Okay, let’s go over the setup first. You can pick your favorite color. As the player, you’ll have 6 dwarf markers and 2 keys. The start card and the goal card will be separated by 7 other cards. Shuffle the deck and discard 10 cards, which will be added back in the next round.

Action Cards

Now, let’s talk about the action cards. If you draw a sabotage card, you have to play it right away on yourself. After that, draw a new card. If you happen to draw a sabotage card that’s already in front of you, just discard it without any other consequence.

If you draw a collapse card, you’ll need to remove the last path card you played. But remember, the card shouldn’t have any gold or a troll on it.

End of the Game

At the end of the game, count up all your gold. Depending on how much you have, you’ll fall into one of these categories:

• 0-14 points: Well, you can’t win ’em all.
• 15-19 points: Not bad, but there’s room for improvement.

Your creative reinterpretation:

Think you have a good sense of what the hidden words mean? Let’s put it to the test! Below, you’ll find a list of synonyms with point values assigned. The higher the point value, the closer you are to being a vocabulary expert!

As you may have noticed, the vocabulary we use in our daily lives can be quite interesting and puzzling. Sometimes, we encounter words that seem a little mysterious, and we’re not quite sure what they mean. But fear not! I’m here to help you unlock the secrets of these hidden words!

Are you ready for a challenge? Good! Let’s dive right in. I’m going to give you a list of words, with hints to help you figure out their meanings. Each word has a synonym, and your goal is to match the word with its correct synonym. But wait, there’s a twist – each synonym has a point value assigned to it. The higher the point value, the closer you are to being a vocabulary expert!

Ready to show off your word wizardry? Here’s the list:

• Precious – 10 points
• Perplexing – 15 points
• Mysterious – 20 points
• Fascinating – 5 points
• Intriguing – 10 points

Remember, the focus here is on understanding the meaning of these words, so give it your best shot! When you’re done, I’ll reveal the answers and tell you how you did. Are you up for the challenge? Let’s find out!

How do you think you did? Here’s the score breakdown:

• 0-9 points: Keep digging, you’re on the right track!
• 10-19 points: You’re getting closer, keep going!
• 20-24 points: You have a nose for gold!
• 25+ points: Perfect! Master of the cave.