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Gamehelpthekingofthewoods
Game Overview
Every year, the animals of the forest compete to determine who is the most influential among them[cite: 175]. Thematically, you take on the role of a contender for the throne, enhancing your court with loyal vassals[cite: 177]. Mechanically, you play cards each round to either increase your own influence or use clever intrigues at rival courts to weaken your competitors[cite: 177, 187].
Goal of the Game
The goal is to gather the highest influence at your court by playing vassal cards[cite: 177, 201]. The game ends as soon as a player reaches a total of 42 influence points or more[cite: 200].
Gameplay
Preparation
- Use the preparation card corresponding to the number of players to remove specific cards[cite: 179, 180].
- All remaining cards are dealt equally; there is no draw pile[cite: 184].
- The player who last saw a deer begins the round[cite: 186].
A Turn
On your turn, you must play exactly 1 card to any court (your own or an opponent's)[cite: 187, 188]:
- Own Court: You gain the card's influence value (0 to 7) for your scoring[cite: 188, 194].
- Opponent's Court: The other player gains the influence, but you trigger the card's unique scheming ability (intrigue)[cite: 190, 191].
End of Round
The round ends when no player has any hand cards left[cite: 192]. Influence points at your court are summed up and recorded[cite: 198].
The Vassals (Excerpt)
| Card | Ability (Intrige at opponent's court) |
|---|---|
| Assassin | Covers a card; its influence becomes 0 and its ability is lost[cite: 211, 212]. |
| General | You exchange your entire hand with the affected player[cite: 246]. |
| Trader | You give the player a card and receive one with higher influence in return[cite: 217, 218]. |
| Jester | If a court has exactly 3 Jesters at the end of a round, it loses all influence[cite: 242]. |
Game End & Scoring
- The player with the most points after someone reaches 42 points is crowned King or Queen of the Woods[cite: 200, 201].
- Alternatively, play the Winning rounds Variant until someone achieves 3 wins (or 2 wins in a 2-player game)[cite: 202, 203].