Dead Mans Draw

To make it nice and easy for folks to find, here is the text of the updated rules as they
are on the Final Version of the cards:
Rules
The game starts with the lowest value of each suit in a separate pile, face down
(Discard Pile), from the Main Deck. Shuffle both the Discard Pile and Main Deck.
During each players turn, he or she draws cards from the Main Deck. As a card is
drawn, the cards ability is activated upon entering the board.* At any point, a player
may choose to collect the cards he or she have drawn for that turn and end the turn.
*The only exceptions are the Key & Chest combo, whose abilities are only activated
upon collection, and the Mermaid, which has no activated ability.
However, if a player draws two of the same suit in a turn before he or she collects, he
or she busts and discards all cards drawn that turn into the Discard Pile.
Each players collected cards are organized into stacks of the same suit, highest value
card on top to lowest value card on the bottom. Each player has a possible max of ten
suit stacks.
Important: Only the HIGHEST valued card of each suit stack counts toward the
players total score.
For example, an Oracle suit stack with values 7, 4, and 3 will contribute 7 points to a
players total score, not 14 points.
The game ends when the Main Deck has been depleted. Each player adds up the top
value cards of each suit stack and the player with the highest score wins.
To spice things up, randomly select a Character Card to host the round! For even
more variety, each player may choose one or two Trait cards which grant special
abilities that change the core game in fun and exciting ways!
Rules Tips
Suit abilities take effect immediately when played, even when it is because of Kraken,
Sword, Hook, or Map abilities. Cards revealed by Oracles are revealed face up for all
players to see. When drawing bonus cards for a Key & Chest combo, shuffle the
Discard Pile and draw from the top.
Swords and Cannons only affect one target. With 3 or 4 players, you choose which
opponent to target. They always affect the top card in a suit stack unless a Trait or
Character Card changes this.
The Key & Chest combo ability takes effect when it is collected, even after a Bust.
Example: Key, Chest, Anchor, Key. You would still collect the Key and Chest
because of the Anchor and you would still draw an additional 2 cards from the
Discard Pile.
When forced to draw extra cards because of a Kraken, drawn card abilities still take

effect. Cards played as a result of those abilities count toward the total cards that you
must play for a Kraken.
Kraken is the only suit that can force you to Bust. If another ability would cause you
to Bust, the ability is nullified. Example: You have drawn a Cannon and a Hook. You
only have Cannons in your Suit Stacks. Playing another Cannon would cause you to
Bust so the Hook ability is nullified.
When drawing from the Discard Pile for a Map, draw cards face up for all players to
see until you have 3 cards that will not force a Bust, then play 1. Example: After
drawing a Hook and playing a Map from your suit stacks, you start drawing from the
Discard Pile and get a Map. A Map would force a Bust so you continue - a Sword, a
Mermaid, a Hook. Since a Hook would also force a Bust, you continue - an Anchor.
You now have 3 playable cards, a Sword, Mermaid, and Anchor. Choose 1 card to
play and place the rest of the cards back in the Discard Pile. Shuffle the Discard Pile
when you have finished.
Suit Abilities
Anchor - Collects cards drawn before the Anchor even if you bust.
Hook - Choose the top card from any suit stack you own and put it into play.
Cannon - Discard the top card of any suit stack from your your opponent.
Key - Collect a Key and Chest in the same turn and get double your cards from the
Discard Pile.
Chest - Collect a Key and Chest in the same turn and get double your cards Discard
Pile.
Map - Maps dig up three cards from the Discard Pile, then let you choose one to play.
Oracle - Reveals the next card in the Main Deck without drawing it.
Sword - Steal a card from your opponents suit stack you dont already own and put it
into play.
Mermaid - Worth more points. Mermaid cards are numbered 4-9 instead of the normal
2-7
Kraken - Forces you to draw two additional cards before you can collect.
Suit Abilities Tips
Anchor - The Anchor, and cards drawn after it can still bust normally.
Hook - You cannot play a card that would bust you. Card abilities activate when
played. Choose carefully to string several cards together.
Cannon - Target suits with a lone, high-value card. Discarding those drop your
opponents score the most. Discards are added to the Discard Pile.
Key & Chest - The abilities of these suits are only activated upon collection (not a
bust), whereby the player gains a number of cards from the Discard Pile equal to the
number of cards that were collected that turn.
Map - If there are no cards in the Discard Pile when this card is drawn, the ability is
nullified.
Oracle - In rare situations, busting intentionally can be a good strategic play.
Sword - You must choose a suit from your opponents stack that you dont own. If
you have all the suits in your opponents stack, the ability is nullified.
Mermaid - This suit has no activated ability, but their value range is worth more.
Kraken - If revealed with an Oracle, a player may wisely choose to collect and end
their turn, forcing their opponent to draw a Kraken on their next turn. Map, Sword,

and Hook abilities can help you get past a Krakens forced draws without busting.
Trait Card Rules
Davy Jones Locker, Misfire, Parry, and Beastmaster may only be used for 2 player
games, set them aside for 3 and 4 player games.
At the beginning of play, shuffle all the Trait Cards and distribute them evenly among
all players. Set extras aside. 2 players = 8 cards each, 3 players = 4 cards each, 4
players = 3 cards each.Each player may then choose one or two Trait Cards to put into
play. All remaining Trait Cards are set aside until the next round.
Method 2: Shuffle all Trait Cards into the Draw Pile. Trait Cards drawn during play
go into effect immediately. If the player collects the Trait Card, it remains in effect
until discarded. Drawing a second Trait Card during the same turn results in a Bust.
Players may collect up to two Trait Cards. If they draw a third Trait Card on a later
turn, they may choose to discard one of their two previously collected Trait Cards to
immediately take the effect on the newly drawn Trait Card otherwise the new Trait
Card is discarded immediately. All discarded Trait Cards are removed from play.
Optionally, discarded Trait Cards can go to the Discard Pile and may come back into
play through the abilities of Maps or Key & Chest combos. Remember that more than
one Trait Card in a turn results in a Bust and that each player may have no more than
2 Trait Cards in play at a time.
Method 3: Shuffle all Trait Cards together and allow each player to draw 1 or 2 Trait
Cards randomly. Make a note of which Trait(s) are drawn and reshuffle. Repeat for
each player. This means that multiple players may end up with the same Trait Cards
in play.
Optionally, players may simply select up to 2 Trait Cards each.
Trait Tips
The Mystic Trait Card allows Oracles to reveal 3 cards one at a time. If you stop
before exhausting this ability, no further cards are revealed. Example: With the
Mystic Trait Card, you draw an Oracle. The first card revealed is a Sword. You draw
it. You reveal a Kraken next and decide NOT to draw it. No further cards are
revealed, you collect your cards, and end your turn.
The Captains Hook Trait Card means you must play two cards from your hand when
you draw a Hook, so long as they do not force you to Bust. This may force you to
play a Kraken. Cards played as a result of suit abilities do not count toward the two
cards for Captains Hook. Example: With the Captains Hook Trait Card, you draw a
Hook. You have Suit Stacks with Hooks, Swords, and Krakens. You play a Sword for
the first Hook played card. You steal a Map from your opponent and draw a Mermaid
from the Discard Pile. You must now play a second card for Captains Hook since
playing a Kraken will not automatically force you to Bust. If instead of Krakens you
had Mermaids, you would NOT play a second card for Captains Hook, since playing
a Mermaid would force you to Bust.
The Miser Trait protects all cards played with Hooks, including both cards played as a

result of the Captains Hook Trait.

The bonus from Golden Scales only adds to the highest value Mermaid in your Suit
Stacks. Example: You have the 5 of Mermaids, your score 10 for Mermaids. If you
had the 9 and 7 of Mermaids, your score for Mermaids would only be 14, not 21.
When you collect a Key & Chest combo while using the Plunderer Trait Card, first
pick which opponent you will collect cards from, then have your opponent shuffle all
of their collected cards together and place the pile face down, you then draw from the
top of that stack.
Trait Tips Continued
The Swordsman Trait is completely useless against the Parry Trait.
The Master Gunner Trait combines very well with the Scavenger Trait and allows you
to take many of your opponent's cards. Beware using the Master Gunner Trait against
the Misfire Trait, as you will discard many of your own cards.
The Scavenger Trait completely negates the Misfire Trait. While your cannons will
not destroy any of your opponents cards, you will not have to discard any of your
own.
The Fisherman Trait completely negates the Beastmaster Trait.
The Safe Harbor Trait does NOT protect cards that caused the bust. Example: You
draw a Mermaid, Cannon, Anchor, Key, and Cannon, the Anchor would protect all of
the cards before it and the Key after it, but not the Cannon that caused the bust.
Mermaids that are banked automatically due to the Casanova Trait or Swords that are
automatically discarded due to the Parry Trait DO NOT count towards your card
draws for a Kraken.
Treasure Hunter and Plunderer can be a devastating combo to quickly empty your
opponents suit stacks.
Beware of Krakens when using the Swordsman Trait! If your opponent has no other
cards to steal that you could play but a Kraken, you must steal and play the Kraken.
Beastmaster and Davy Jones Locker can be a great combo, since it forces your
opponent to draw extra cards when he or she plays a Kraken and you get to collect
their cards if they bust.