OFFICIAL RULE BOOK

QUICK START GUIDE

Welcome to The Spoils Card Game! In the world of The Spoils, players be-
come powerful factions that hire different characters from five unique trades
to do their bidding. As a leader of a faction, your allies include devious
Rogues, murderous Warlords, exploitative Bankers, elitist Gearsmiths, and
mad scientist wizards called Arcanists. These quick-start rules are intended
to provide a brief overview of the game. For a more in-depth version of
the rules, visit www.thespoilscardgame.com/players and navigate to the
Comprehensive Rules section.

OBJECT OF THE GAME

Players win the game by reducing the influence of their opponent’s faction
card to 0 through the judicious use of different trade’s (Arcanists, Bankers,
Gearsmiths, Rogues and Warlords) resource, character, item, tactic, and
location cards. The last faction remaining is the victor and holds total
dominance over the game world of Luridia.

Players outsmart and out-maneuver each other by deploying these cards

from their hands; characters can be used to attack the opponent’s faction,
locations and items bring continuous advantages to the table, and tactics are
one-time use cards that can be used to surprise the opponent and turn the
tide of battle.

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THE BASICS
The Primary Rule
If a card contradicts the rules, the card is always right.

Areas of Game Play

During a game, every card is within one of these areas:

Deck – This is the stack of cards you brought to the game. No one is
allowed to look through your deck or change its order unless a rule instructs
them to do so.
Hand – This is where a card goes when you draw it from your deck. You can
have any number of cards in your hand. Keep your hand hidden from your
opponent.

Being Deployed – This is where a card goes when you play it. It’s not a
physical place; use any place on the playing surface. Once your opponent
has finished responding to that card, that card has finished being played.
In Play – This is where character, item, or locatio wn cards go when they
are finished being played.

Discard Pile – This is where a card goes when it is discarded or destroyed.

Also, this is where tactic cards go once you have completed their
instructions.

Void – This is where cards go when they are removed from the game.

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 YOUR FACTION CARD
You start each game with your faction card in play. You are only allowed to
use one faction card in a deck. It provides essential abilities and affects how
the game flows.

If damage is inflicted to your faction, it loses an equal amount of influence.

Once your faction has 0 influence, you lose the game. If a card references
influence gain or loss, it is always subtracted or added to a faction. Each
faction possesses certain special abilities that you can use during your turn
or even on your opponent’s turn.

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CHARACTER CARD
Your characters can attack and block while they are in play. However,
characters cannot attack unless they started the turn in play under your
control. A character’s strength represents how much damage it can inflict in
battle, while its speed defines when that damage is inflicted, and its life
represents how much damage it can take before it is destroyed. If a
character receives damage equal to or greater than its life in a single turn,
destroy it immediately.

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 ITEM CARD
Items stay in play and have an ongoing impact on the game. Some items can
be attached to other cards in play. For example, an item with the keyword
“Attach to Character” in its rules text means that you pick a character in play
and attach the item to it.

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TACTIC CARD
Tactics have a one-time impact on the game. When a tactic resolves, follow
its instructions and put it into your discard pile. Tactics are special because
they can be deployed in response to your opponent’s actions, even if it isn’t
your turn. There are also special times during battles when you can deploy
tactics.

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 LOCATION CARD
Locations stay in play and have an ongoing impact on the game. However,
they are vulnerable since your opponent’s characters can attack them. If
a location receives damage, it gains damage markers. Unlike characters,
the damage a location receives is not healed at the end of each turn. If the
number of damage markers on a location is ever equal to or greater than its
structure, destroy it immediately.

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RESOURCES CARD
You use resources to pay for your cards and abilities. The more resources
you accumulate, the more cards you can deploy and abilities you can use.
You can also use faction abilities to, for example, draw more cards. Paying to
draw more cards gives you more options to win

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 STAPLE RESOURCES
Staple resources are the simplest kind of resource and you will need many
of these in your deck. Each trade has its own staple resource type. Arcanist
uses Obsession, Banker uses Greed, Gearsmith uses Elitism, Rogue uses
Deception, and Warlord uses Rage.

VOLITION ICON

OBESSION GREED

ELITISM DECEPTION RAGE

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RESOURCE ICONS & THRESHOLD REQUIREMENTS
Every staple resource card provides you with a distinct resource icon. These
icons are called threshold icons. They appear on resource cards and in the
upper left corner of other cards. Some cards have threshold icons with rules
next to them in the card text body; if you see this, the rules text isn’t active
until you control the listed number of icons.

You cannot deploy a card until you meet its threshold requirement. For
example, if a card has a threshold requirement of 2 Rage icons, you cannot
deploy it until you control at least 2 Rage resource cards. Once you control
those resources, you can deploy any number of cards with a threshold of 2
Rage icons or less as long as you can attach the number of resources needed
by the card’s numeric cost. Threshold never lessens as long as you control
those icons and you never have to “pay” using specific icons.

FACE-DOWN RESOURCES
When you are playing a resource, you can put any card in your hand into
play face-down as a resource. You do not need an actual resource card to
play a resource. Face-down resources provide the Volition icon.

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 IMPORTANT TERMS
Attaching and Detaching Resources
Whenever you have to pay a numeric cost, you take the appropriate number
of resources (the numeric cost) and move them so that they touch your fac-
tion. It is important that this is clearly indicated, and that the threshold icons
are always visible to your opponent. This is called Attaching Resources.

You Detach Resources at the beginning of your next turn based on your
faction’s Restore Rule. They can be used again.

Depleting and Restoring

Depleting indicates a card is used (many players indicate this by turning it
sideways).
Restoring indicates a card is ready to use again. To restore a card, undo
whatever you did to deplete it.

PLAYING THE GAME

How to Start
1. Your faction card starts the game in play.
2. Flip a coin or roll dice to decide who goes first.
3. Find the starting resources line on your faction. Search your deck for the
appropriate resources and put them into play. Shuffle your deck.
4. Find the starting draw line on your faction. Draw the appropriate number
of cards.
5. You may choose any number of cards in your hand and put them on the
bottom of your deck in any order. Then, draw the same number of cards
to replace the old ones. This is called a mulligan and it can be done before
the game starts and only once.
6. The game starts.

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WHAT HAPPENS EACH TURN
Start of turn:
All damage inflicted to characters on the previous turn is reset to zero .
Note that damage on locations remain as damage markers.
Restore Rule: On each of your turns, all of your cards become restored.
Detach all resources from your faction and restore your non-resource cards.
Develop Rule: On each of your turns you must decide whether to draw a
card from your deck or to play a resource (you cannot do both).

The turn:
During your turn you may do the following actions in any order and as many
times as you want, so long as you can satisfy all costs:
1. Use faction abilites, such as drawing extra cards or putting extra resources
into play with the draw or resource faction ability
2. Form an Attacking Party
3. Deploy cards from your hand
4. Use abilities on cards that are in play (physically on the table)

End of turn:
When a player announces that he wants to end his turn, the opponent gets
a chance to respond before the turn actually ends.
Complete any actions required by the response. If there is no response, the
turn passes to the next player.

How to Deploy a Card

1. Choose a card in your hand. Make sure you meet the threshold re-
quirement of the card. (See Resource Icons & Threshold Requirements).
Resources always help you meet threshold requirements even if they are
attached to a faction.
2. Satisfy all of the card’s costs. This includes the numeric cost (see Attach-
ing and Detaching Resources) and any extra costs listed in its rules text. If
you can’t do this, you can’t deploy the card.
3. Wait for your opponent to respond with a tactic or ability, should they
choose to.

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 4. The card resolves. If it is a character, item, or location put it into play. If it
is a tactic, follow its instructions and put it into your discard pile.

ABILITIES
Many cards have abilities in their rules text. Every ability has a
center-justified name and a clearly labeled cost and effect section. For
example:

Some abilities even have threshold icons next to the name. You can’t use an
ability unless you’ve met its threshold and can satisfy all its costs.

Just like tactics, abilities can be used in response to your opponent’s actions
even if it isn’t your turn. There are also special times during battles when
you can use abilities.

1. Choose an ability you control. If the ability has a threshold requirement,

make sure you have enough resource icons in play to meet it.
2. Satisfy all of the ability’s costs, listed in its cost section. If you can’t do
this, you can’t use the ability. If part of the cost is to “Pay”, do so by
attaching that many resources to your faction.
3. Wait for your opponent to respond with a tactic or an ability.
4. The ability resolves. Follow the instructions in the effect section of the
ability.

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RESPONDING TO YOUR OPPONENT
You get a chance to respond every time your opponent deploys a card, uses
an ability, or ends their turn. If you choose to respond, you can deploy tactics
and use abilities. All your responses resolve before your opponent’s action
happens.

Keep in mind that even responses can be responded to. A series of

responses can go back and fowrth between players any number of times.
Just remember that the last response made always resolves first. You can
visualize this like a zipper, zipping up and down.

BATTLES
How to Attack
You win the game by attacking your opponent’s faction and reducing their
influence to 0. Characters can act alone or join together in battle parties.
Combining your characters can drastically affect a battle’s outcome. Since
you can attack as many times as you want each turn, you have lots of battle
options. To attack, follow these steps:

1. Announce that you want to attack. By default, you are attacking your
opponent’s faction but you can choose to target one of their locations
instead.
2. Choose one or more characters you control that are not depleted to form
the attacking party. Then, deplete the attacking characters. Remember, a
character can’t attack unless it started the turn in play under your control.
3. Once the attacking party is formed, you can deploy tactics and use abili-
ties. Then, your opponent can do the same.
4. Your opponent may choose one or more characters they control that are
not depleted to form the blocking party.
5. Resolve the battle.

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 HOW TO RESOLVE A BATTLE
Follow these steps:
1. Form a speed group by taking the characters with the highest speed in
the battle and group them together on the table. Example: if the highest
speed among all characters in the battle that have not yet assigned dam-
age is 4, all speed 4 characters form the first speed group.
2. The attacking player may deploy tactics and use abilities. Then, the
defending player can do the same.
3. All attacking characters in this group assign damage equal to their
strength to the blocking party. This damage can be divided however their
controller wants. If there are no blocking characters left, the attacking
characters assign their damage to the target of the attack instead.
4. The blocking party assigns damage equal to their strength to the attacking
party divided however their controller wants.
5. All assigned damage is now locked in and will be inflicted even if the
source that assigned it leaves play.
6. The attacking player may deploy tactics and use abilities. Then, the
defending player can do the same.
7. All assigned damage is inflicted. Any characters destroyed by this damage
leave play immediately, even if they have not acted yet.
8. Repeat steps 1-6 for all remaining characters who have not yet assigne
damage and all remaining speed values, from the highest to the lowest.
If there are no characters left that need to assign damage, move to the
next step.
9. End the battle and deplete all surviving characters.

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FREE FLOWING GAME TURN
Unlike many other games, there are no “phases” in The Spoils. Things
happen at the start of the turn and things happen at the end of the turn, but
in between, you get to choose how your turn plays out.
As long as you are still able to satisfy the costs, you are able to take any turn
actions outlined above. For example, a player might play a resource, form
an attacking party with one member, use an ability, attack again, and play a
card. Don’t worry about taking the best action when you’re just starting out;
choose an action and go with it!

KEYWORDS
Certain cards have KEYWORDS in their rules text which act as shorthand for
longer rules.

TACTICAL: This card can be played any time a tactic could be played.
AGGRO: This card can attack the turn it came into play.
COVERT: This card can only block and can only be blocked by Covert parties.

VOID
The Void is the removed from the game zone. If a card references putting
itself or another card into the Void, remove it from the game face-up unless
otherwise stated.

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 DO YOU HAVE THE DECADE OF DECKADENCE BOX
The Deckade of Decadence (DOD) is a self-contained core set and cube for
The Spoils Card Game. A “cube” is a set of cards used primarily for re-play-
able draft and sealed format games, often containing some of the most
powerful and interesting effects in a card game’s history. Although the DOD
can be played as a stand-alone game, the cube is customizable by adding
cards found in Booster Pack Expansions.

CONTENTS
428 Total Cards
156 Unique Cards (two copies of each), 89 of which are brand new cards
exclusive to the Decade of Deckadence, and the other 67 are reprinted from
the history of The Spoils Card Game
100 Staple Resources, 20 of each (Obsession, Greed, Elitism, Deception, and
Rage)
8 Faction Cards
5 Micromajig Token Cards, 3 Demon Token Cards

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This cube is the perfect entry-point for new players to The Spoils Card Game, as
well as an exciting expansion to the ever-growing library of The Spoils cards.
What kind of games can I play with the Deckade of Decadence?
Here is a list of supported game formats and the number of DOD copies
suggested for each:

Draft (6-8 players): This is the primary game type for the DOD. In a draft, all
players receive three randomized “booster packs” of 13 cards each and then
follow the rules for drafting. (see How to Draft) One copy of DOD is needed
for draft.

Sealed (4+ players): In the sealed game type, players receive six randomized
“booster packs” of 13 cards each and follow the rules for sealed. (see How
to Play Sealed) One copy per four players is needed for sealed.

Constructed: This format is quite different from the previous two because
players need to build a deck of 75 cards before the start of a game/match.
(see Basic Constructed Deck Rules and Guidelines) Two copies of the game
are needed to have enough cards to make a proper constructed deck,
though constructed decks can be made with just one copy. Check www.the-
spoilscardgame.com for updated rules on Constructed formats, tournaments,
and gameplay.

HOW TO DRAFT
In a typical booster draft, 6-8 players are seated around a table and give
three booster packs each. Players then open one pack, pick one card from
the pack, and pass the pack to the next player, repeating until all cards
are picked and then repeating this with the other two packs. The DOD is
designed to simulate the experience of a booster draft and may be used in
official Victors Organized Play tournaments, or just for fun!
Rules for Drafting with the DOD:
1. Set aside all staple resources, tokens, and faction cards. Sufficiently
randomize the remaining 312 cards.
2. Randomly separate the cards into face-down piles of 13. Each player

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 should receive exactly three face-down piles of 13 cards each. Keep
each pile separate, as these represent your “booster packs” and must be
drafted one at a time. Packs must remain face-down and are opened in
the same order for each player.
3. Once all players have the right amount of packs and cards, the draft
begins.
4. Players pick up and examine their first pack of cards.
5. Each player selects one card from the pack and puts it in a separate-
face-down pile in front of them where they will keep all cards chosen
during the draft.
6. After choosing a card, players should shuffle the remaining cards in the
pack and put them on the table between themselves and the player to
their left.
7. Players now pick up the pack passed to them by the player on their right
(when available) and begin examining it.
8. Repeat steps 5-7 until all the cards in the first pack have been drafted.
9. Players may review their cards for 1 minute.
10. Steps 4-9 are repeated with the second “Booster Pack”, except players
now pass packs to the player on their right. Steps 4-9 are repeated one
last time with the third “Booster Pack”, passing the pack to the player on
the left again.

DECK BUILDING
• Limited format decks (Draft and Sealed) must contain a minimum of 40
cards (not including the faction). There is no restriction on the number
of copies of a card that may be played. Players may only use cards they
drafted.
• Ideally, players should be separated so they cannot see what other people
drafted.
• In official draft tournaments, players should be given 20 minutes total to
construct their decks. For higher-level events, players should be required
to register their drafted cards and the contents of their deck on a regis-
tration checklist. If deck registration checklists are used, players should

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 instead begiven 30 minutes total to construct and register their decks.
Registration sheets can be downloaded from www.thespoilscardgame.
com.
• In official sealed tournaments, players should be given 30 minutes to
construct their decks.

PLAYING
• Players are generally not allowed to modify their decks in between games.
Official tournament guidelines should be followed if competing in an
official event, but house rules are encouraged when playing at home or
casually with friends.
• Randomize matches and begin to play!

HOW TO PLAY SEALED

It is recommended that two copies of DOD are used to play sealed.

CASUAL AND LOCAL PLAY

1. Set aside all staple resources and faction cards. Sufficiently randomize the
remaining 624 cards.
2. Randomly separate the cards into face-down piles of 13. Each player
should receive exactly six face-down piles of 13 cards each.
3. Once each player has the proper amount of packs and cards, players may
look at each of their packs to begin deck building.

TOURNAMENT PLAY
If you are using your DOD for tournament play, please make sure to check
www.thespoilscardgame.com for the latest tournament rules and pairing
software.

CASUAL PLAY
If you are using your DOD at home or for casual play, feel free to come up
with your own house rules! Having fun is the most important rule.

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 COMMON TERMS
Controller
The controller of a card is the player who originally played it unless an effect has changed its control-
ler. These effects have phrases like “take control” or “put into play under your control”. If a character
changes controllers during a battle then it is removed from the battle immediately.

Owner
A card’s owner is the player who brought the card to the game as part of their deck. The ownership of
a card cannot change during a game.

Draw
If you are instructed to draw a card, put the top card of your deck into your hand. If there are no cards
left in your deck you do not lose the game, you simply fail to follow that instruction.

Deplete
For various reasons, the rules instruct you to deplete a card. You do this to indicate the card has been
used this turn. Whenever you are instructed to deplete a card, you must indicate the card has been
depleted in a way that is clear to you and your opponent. Once a card is depleted, it cannot be
depleted again until it is restored. Resources do not deplete. Instead, they are attached to your faction.

Restore
You can only restore depleted cards. To restore a card, undo whatever you did to indicate it was
depleted.

Destroy
Only cards that are in play can be destroyed. If you are instructed to destroy a card, put it into its
owner’s discard pile.

Discard
If you are instructed to discard a card, you must put that card from your hand into your discard pile.

Damage
Damage can be inflicted to characters, locations, and factions. Each of those card types handles
damage differently.

Attach
To attach one card to another, arrange the attaching card so it overlaps the other card. If something
causes a card to leave play, any cards attached to it leave play in the same way. (This includes being
destroyed, removed from the game, put into its owner’s hand, or shuffled into its owner’s deck.)

Detach
You can only detach attached cards. To detach a card, you must physically separate it from the card to

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which it was attached.

Duplicate
If a tactic or ability is duplicated, the duplicate retains the same rules text as the original. You must pay
all costs listed in the rules text for the duplicate. If you cannot satisfy all these costs, then the duplicate
is invalid and has no effect.

Terminate
To terminate a card or ability is to stop it before it resolves. You must cease following any instructions
associated with the card or ability immediately. If it’s a card, put it into its owner’s discard pile.
Micromajig Token

Some cards instruct you to put a Micromajig token into play. Treat Micromajig tokens as Gearsmith
character cards with 1 strength, 1 life, and 3 speed. If a Micromajig token would leave play, remove it
from the game instead.

Demon Token
Some cards instruct you to put a Demon token into play. Unlike Micromajig tokens, which are always
treated as Gearsmith character cards with 1 strength, 1 life, and 3 speed, Demon tokens have unique
abilities and stats dictated by the card putting them into play. If a demon token would leave play,
remove it from the game instead.

DESIGN TEAM
Director
Christopher L. Medina
Lead Designer
Mikael Conrow
Design & Development Team
Josh Lytle, Dylan Mayo, Ken Pilcher, Bryan Petersen, Joe Huber
Rules & Judging Support
John Westcott, Brian Hodge
Playtesters
Dan Hanson, Chris Kelly, Ricky Boyes, Christian Robertson, Mike Thompson, Kevin Pettinger, Matt Ba-
ranowski, James Portnow, Scott Dodson, Adam Strong, Jed Dolbeer, Michael Aitchison, Eric Reasoner,
Mike Gurney, Sam Martinez, Ryan DiCrisi, Ian Spiegel - Blum, Donovan Howard, Zach Carr, Daryl Ayers

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