SOON - rulebook
SOON is a fun and strategic card game with a simple goal: build a sequence of 8 increasingly rare cards in front of you, while slowing down your opponents with special cards.
But be mindful, being the first to finish doesn't guarantee victory! Cards come in two suits, day and night. Sequences can be mixed, but a monochrome sequence will double your points!
Setup
- Each player is dealt 3 random cards.
- The remaining cards form the draw pile, placed in the center face down.
- The top card is turned over face up to start the discard pile.
How to Play
The game is played clockwise. The player who woke up the earliest goes first.
On their turn, the player starts by drawing a card from the pile or taking the top card from the discard pile except if it's a special card (discard blocked).
Then, they must perform one of the following actions:
- Play the next card of their sequence in front of them, face up, starting with number 1 and regardless of the suit.
- Replace a card already in their sequence (Number, Joker, or Thief) with a new card and discard the replaced card.
- Discard a card from their hand.
- Use a special card (see the "Special Cards" section).
Their turn is over, and moves to the next player.
Special Cards
Special cards provide advantages or can disrupt your opponents. There are 4 types:
Jokers
These replace any Number card from 1 to 7 of the same color, but result in a 1-point penalty for completed sequences (see "End of the Round").
The Explorer
Allows you to ask a player of your choice for a specific Number card (and optionally its color), which you must use immediately. If they have it, they give it to you and draw a new card. If not, your turn is over.
Lightning
The player of your choice must discard the highest card of their sequence into the discard pile, underneath your Lightning card.
The Thief
Take the next Number card (not Joker) you need from an opponent's sequence and place the Thief card in its place. Play the stolen card in your own sequence immediately.
The targeted player can continue to progress but must eventually replace the Thief with the missing number to complete their sequence. This card does not influence the color of a sequence.
End of the Round
The round ends as soon as a player completes a full sequence from 1 to 8.
Every other player takes one final turn and completed sequences are untouchable. Then points are counted using the following method...
Counting points
Scoring is very easy: follow the instructions below in order (reading them aloud, for example) so each player can calculate their total.
| 1 point | per card in a sequence (excluding the Thief) |
| x2 | if the sequence is a single color (monochrome) |
| +2 | for all players who achieved a complete 8 card sequence |
| -1 | if said sequence was completed using one or more Jokers |
| +2 | for the first player to have completed their sequence |
The duration of a round varies depending on the number of players. Choose your final victory conditions based on your preference: Express (win 1 round), Classic (first to 40 points), or Endurance (first to 80 points).
The player with the fewest points starts the next round.
"Speed" Variant
Each player is dealt 4 cards instead of 3. The goal: to be the first player to complete your sequence, regardless of colors or Jokers used, to win the round (no point system, just first to finish).
Empty Draw Pile
When the draw pile is empty, shuffle the cards from the discard pile (except for the top card which stays in place), to form a new one.
Game Components
The game consists of 108 cards (86 Number cards and 22 Special cards), divided into two colors. The higher the number, the rarer the card:
|
Cards 1: 14 Cards 2: 14 Cards 3: 12 Cards 4: 12 |
Cards 5: 10 Cards 6: 10 Cards 7: 8 Cards 8: 6 |
Joker: 4 Explorer: 6 Lightning: 6 Thief: 6 |
Thanks for playing SOON !