Caspar's Gauntlet

Caspar’s Gauntlet

for 2 to 8 players

What is needed to play:

Deck (28 cards)

Dice (2 six-sided dice)

Game board (101 spaces, dungeon)

Player markers (one miniature figurine for each player)

How to play:

Every player rolls one die. Highest roll is castle master.

Each round of play goes as follows:

Castle master shuffles the deck and deals 7 cards to every player but himself, unless more than 5 players. Then evenly distribute the cards, with any remainder placed in the dungeon.

The 28 cards:

7 objects (items/elements/beings) — (Q) earth 🌎, (K) sword 🗡, (J) Knight🤴, (10) water 💧 , (8) fire 🔥, (9) dragon 🐉, (A) scroll 📜

4 houses (suits) — (♥️) light ☀️, (♠️) darkness 🌙, (♦️) winter ❄️, (♣️) wind 💨

Castle master throws two six-sided dice. There are 21 possible dice throws, so every three possible throws is assigned an object (called the “focus”).

Dice rolls and its assigned focus:

1,1; 1,2; 1,3 — dragon

2,2; 2,3; 2,4 — earth

3,3; 1,4; 3,4 — Knight

4,4; 1,5; 3,5 — scroll

2,5; 4,5; 1,6 — fire

5,5; 2,6; 3,6 — water

4,6; 5,6; 6,6 — sword

The focus faces off against every card in a players hand. Winners keep that card. Losers surrender that card to the castle master, who discards it to the dungeon. If the focus and card object are the same, then the face-off goes to the castle master.

There are 42 possible outcomes to a face-off. (See below.)

Knight:

Kills

Wields sword

Swims in water

Rules earth

Dies

Incinerated by fire

Prophesied doom by scroll

Eaten by dragon

Sword:

Kills

Cuts scroll

Forged by fire

Slays dragon

Dies

Sinks in water

Encased by earth

Wielded by Knight

Earth:

Kills

Absorbs water

Encases sword

Buries dragon

Dies

Scorched by fire

Ruled by Knight

Governed by scroll

Fire:

Kills

Incinerates Knight

Scorches earth

Torches scroll

Dies

Doused by water

Forges sword

Breathed by dragon

Water:

Kills

Drowns dragon

Douses fire

Sinks sword

Dies

Drank by Knight

Dried by scroll

Absorbed by earth

Scroll:

Kills

Prophesies doom for Knight

Governs earth

Dries water

Dies

Burned by dragon

Torched by fire

Cut by sword

Dragon:

Kills

Eats Knight

Breathes fire

Burns scroll

Dies

Buried by earth

Drowns in water

Slain by sword

**

Players advance one space for every face-off victory.

The round is over. All cards are returned to the deck.

The player to the left of the castle master is castle master in the next round.

Lords:

Once a player reaches space 36, he can declare himself the lord of an object. The lord of an object no longer has to give that card to the castle master, if the focus is the same as the object of which they are the lord. For example: lord of dragons would no longer have to surrender dragon cards, if the focus is a dragon. Rather, he would keep the card as a win.

How to win the game:

The first player to advance 101 spaces wins the game.

Casino version:

Castle master does not rotate between rounds, but dice throwing does. The dealer (castle master) takes bets on hands before the player sees his cards. 3 or fewer winning cards (victories) is a loss. 4 or more winning cards pays 2:1. No lords.

Notes:

Fire is the only focus that isn’t assigned a doubles dice roll, i.e. 1,1; 2,2; 3,3; etc. That means the odds of throwing fire are slightly higher, and the following objects are at a slight disadvantage: fire, Knight, earth, scroll. And the following objects are at a slight advantage: water, sword, dragon. Unless you are the Lord of Fire, in which case having a fire card would be an advantage.

November 20, 2021 Update

You cannot declare yourself the lord of an object until you have won 3 face-offs with that object.

Rock Paper Scissors Version:

1 finger = sword 🗡

2 fingers = scroll 📜

3 fingers = water 💧

4 fingers = fire 🔥

Open hand = Knight 🤴

All fingers pointed together = dragon 🐉

Fist = earth 🌎