Duel for Cardia rules: how to play and how to win

Duel for Cardia quick rules

The goal

Each round, both players place a card facing each other: this is an encounter. The stronger card wins a signet, the weaker card activates its ability. The first player with 5 signets on their cards at the end of a round wins.

The cards

Each player has a deck of 16 character cards, identical to the opponent’s: influence 1 to 16, an ability, a faction. You start with 5 cards in hand, and played cards stay in play, in a row between the players.

Playing cards

Each player places a card face down, then both are revealed together. The higher influence wins the encounter and gets a signet. On a tie, no signet and no ability: go straight to the end of the round.

Activating an ability

Only the card losing the current encounter activates its ability: losing on purpose can pay off. An instant ability takes effect once; an ongoing ability gets an ongoing token and stays in effect as long as it is there. Card text takes precedence over the rules.

Changing influence

Modifiers add or remove influence, which can become negative. If the result of an encounter changes, even a past one, the signet moves to the new winner, or back to the supply on a tie, but the new loser does not activate its ability.

End of the round and of the game

Each player draws a single card, and the discard pile is never reshuffled. You win with 5 or more signets at the end of a round, if an ability says so, or if your opponent cannot play a card. With equal signets, at least 5 each, keep playing.

Beginner pitfalls

A tie activates no ability, and only this round’s loser acts, never a card losing a past encounter. Signets are counted at the end of the round, after abilities. And keep cards: with no card to play, you lose.

Varying your games

After a few games, try deck II, with different abilities, or a location card, which changes a rule for the whole game. Their difficulty symbols add up to choose your level. The publisher recommends playing best of three.

With Guardians of the Wild

Every other encounter has a Guardian. After the losing card’s ability, each player who played a card of its faction activates its ability; for some, you must be the only one. Reveal the next Guardian at the end of the round.

How to win Duel for Cardia

No points

Duel for Cardia has no points: you win a game, usually by collecting signets.

Five signets

At the end of a round, after abilities, the player with 5 or more signets on their cards, and more than the opponent, wins.

Other wins

An ability that wins the game, like the Djinn, wins at once, even against 5 opposing signets. A player who cannot play a card loses. Some locations add a condition.

Draw

If neither player can play a card, the most signets wins; on a tie, the game is a draw. The Ludingo sheet records the result, and if you like the signets, the deck and how the game was won.

Example ending

Leo has 4 signets. He plays his Djinn, influence 16, and Alex plays the Inventor, influence 15, which loses and activates its ability: +3 on the Inventor, which goes to 15 + 3 = 18 and takes the Djinn’s signet, and −3 on another card of Alex’s choice. Leo stays at 4 signets, and the Djinn, now losing, does not activate its ability.

Common mistakes

• Counting signets during the ability phase: you count them at the end of the round.
• Activating the ability of a card that loses a past encounter: only this round’s loser acts.
• Stopping the game at 5 signets each: keep playing until one has more.
• Reshuffling your discard pile: you stop drawing, and with no card to play you lose.

How to set up Duel for Cardia

Setup takes a minute. There is no first player: cards are played at the same time.