<<Table of Contents>>
<<01. Game Components>>
There are 6 sets in total, each in the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
**02. Game Objective**
Succeed in two challenges before anyone else. Your four cards represent four lives. You must have at least one card remaining to have a chance to win the game. To succeed in a challenge, you must flip a predetermined number of cards without revealing any skull cards.**03. Game Setup**
Each player receives a card holder and four cards in one color. Place the card holder in front of you with the skull side facing up.Example:
**04. How to Play**
**STEP 1. Preparation**
Each player selects one of their cards and places it on the card holder so that its content is not visible. (Neither the flower nor the skull should be visible.) Once all players have placed a card down, move on to step 2.
**STEP 2. Add Cards or Start Challenge**
Players take turns in a clockwise direction to either 'add a card' or 'start a challenge'.**Add Cards** If a player wishes to add a card, they can place an additional card on top of the one they placed in step 1. You can only place one card at a time during your turn. Overlap the cards slightly so others can see how many cards you have placed. Players continue to take turns adding cards until someone decides to start a challenge.
**Start Challenge** If you cannot or do not want to add a card, you can start a challenge. The first player to declare a challenge states how many cards they believe can be revealed from everyone's card holders without revealing a skull. Then, in clockwise order, the remaining players must either 'raise the number' or 'pass', choosing one of the two options when it's their turn. (1) Raise the Number: Call out a higher number than the previous challenger. (2) Pass: Say "pass" and push your card holder towards the center of the table. This process continues until everyone but one player has passed. The person who called the highest number becomes the challenger. All cards on the card holders, including those of the players who have passed, are eligible for the challenge.
**STEP 3. Reveal**
The challenger (the person who called the highest number) must follow these rules to reveal the number of cards they declared.
- The challenger first reveals all the cards on their card holder.
- Then, they reveal one card at a time from other players' card holders in any order they choose.
**Remember**
1. Flip the cards one at a time.
2. If there are multiple cards on a card holder, flip the top card first.
3. You do not need to flip all the cards from another player's card holder.
Flip the cards one by one until the number of cards the challenger declared is reached, or a skull card is revealed.
If a skull card is revealed, the challenge fails.
If no skull card is revealed, the challenge succeeds.
👉 The key is to carefully choose which cards to flip to avoid revealing a skull.
If the challenger has placed more cards than the number they declared, only reveal cards up to the number they called.
**If the Challenge Fails**
Follow these steps if the challenge fails:
1. All players take their cards back into their hands.
2. The challenger loses one card.
2-1. The challenger shuffles their cards and places them on the table.
2-2. The person who revealed a skull card chooses one of the challenger's cards to remove.
If the challenger loses their last card, they are eliminated from the game, and their card holder is removed.
If the challenger is eliminated, the person who revealed a skull becomes the starting player for the next round.
If the challenger revealed their own skull and was eliminated, the challenger chooses the next starting player.
Once a skull card is flipped, the challenger must not flip any more cards from others, as it could reveal their strategies.
However, other players may choose to show their cards if they wish, to psych out the challenger and gauge their reaction.
<**If the Challenge Succeeds**>
If the challenger successfully reveals only flower cards up to the number they declared, the challenge is a success.
Upon a successful challenge, flip your card holder to show the side with the flowers.
If you achieve a second success with the flower side up, you win the game.
A picture of the skull side of the card holder is shown below:
The picture of the flower on the card holder is as follows:
If you lose 3 of your 4 cards, you're left with only one card.
At the preparation phase, you must place your only card.
In your turn, you can:
- **Add Cards:** You must start a challenge.
- **Raise the Number:** You can pass or raise the number.
- **Challenge:** If your card is revealed to be a skull, you're out of the game.
**STEP 4. New Round**
Everyone takes their cards back into their hands.
Regardless of whether the challenge was successful or not, the challenger becomes the starting player for the next round.
The game continues from step 1.
You win the game immediately after succeeding in your second challenge.
Or
You win the game if all other players are eliminated.
The starting player for each round is always the challenger from the previous round.
If the challenger is eliminated, they choose the next starting player.
**05. Example of a 4-Player Game**
**STEP 1. Preparation**
Each player places one of their cards secretly on their card holder.
**STEP 2. Add Cards or Start Challenge**
- **Add Cards**
The starting player places a second card.
Players 2 and 3 also place their second card.
- **Start Challenge**
Player 4, instead of adding a card, starts a challenge with the number "3".
If player 4 becomes the challenger, they must reveal 3 cards.
(1) **Raise the Number**
The challenge starts at "3". Player 1 raises the number to "5".
(2) **Pass**
Players 2 and 3 pass. Player 4, who initially called "3", also passes.
Player 1, who called "5", becomes the final challenger.
**STEP 3. Reveal**
- **Cards 1, 2:**
The challenger first flips their two cards, revealing flowers.
They continue revealing cards.
- **Card 3:**
The challenger flips one card from player 2's holder, revealing a flower on top.
- **Card 4:**
Next, they flip one card from player 4's holder, also a flower. Perfect!
- **Card 5:**
Finally, they flip one card from player 3's holder, revealing another flower. Great!
The challenger succeeds in the challenge without revealing any skulls.
**STEP 4. Proceed to New Round**
Everyone takes their cards back into their hands.
The challenger flips their card holder to the flower side and becomes the starting player for the next round.
The first to succeed in their second challenge wins the game.
**06. Tips**
Being the starting player is advantageous.
It's worth the risk of losing a card to become the starting player.
Don't hesitate to bluff by placing a skull card and starting a challenge or raising the number.
Make the following challengers fall into the trap by making them feel safe with false hints and revealing a skull.
As the game nears the end and players have fewer cards, pay attention to devise a winning strategy.
Tracking players with fewer cards can give you a significant advantage in the game.
Use acting and speech to unsettle your opponents, especially the challenger.
For example, say things like, "This is a skull. Go ahead and flip it," or "No way! That card is definitely a skull!!!!"
To win the game, you need to exploit other players' mental weaknesses.
It's not recommended to play a 3-person game with someone new to the game.
In a 3-person game, everyone needs to be familiar with the game and strategize well, making no mistakes.
**For Experienced Players - Variant Rules:**
Mixing two sets of Skull allows for games with more than 7 players.
However, for the sake of enjoyment, it's recommended to play with fewer than 10 people.
**Two-Tribe Variant Rule:**
At the start of the game, each player chooses two tribes.
Just like in the basic game, the first to succeed in their second challenge with one of their controlled tribes wins the game.
When preparing the game, the positions of the two tribes controlled by a player are set on opposite sides of the table.
**Skull Official Website:** www.the-skull.com
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