Stabby Jack

Stabby Jack is a Role-Playing Game (RPG) played with a deck of cards.

2+ players use one deck of 52/54 cards per two players: 2 decks for 3-4P, etc.
A marker to indicate Damage is also required. The official marker is the Canadian penny.

Players win by increasing their character's Attributes, Leveling Up, and fighting Monsters!

-- SETUP --

2-10 are Numbered cards.
Ace(A), Jack(J), Queen(Q), King(K), and Joker(O) are Specials.
Jokers are optional.

Shuffle the cards and place them face down in the middle of the table.
This is the Deck. There will also be a Discard pile.
When the Deck is emptied, leave the top Discard on the table and reshuffle the Deck.

Each player requires a space for their character's Attributes, captured Monsters, and a means to track Damage.

-- CHARACTERS --

Deal each player four Numbered cards (2-10) face up. Discard any Specials.
These are each character's Attributes.
Characters are born with Numbered cards equal to their Level(L). Begin at L4. Maximum is L8.

(H) Hearts   =       Health (HP)

(C) Clubs    =         Luck (LP)

(D) Diamonds =   Red Attack (RA)

(S) Spades   = Black Attack (BA)

Suits stack together EX: 3H,8H,4C,5C,4S = 11HP,9LP,4BA

A player with no Hearts has a character with 1HP.

-- PLAY --

Anyone begins. Play proceeds to the left in turns...

On your turn you must announce your action first: You may Fight, Train, Stay In Bed, or Level Up.

IF YOU DRAW A CARD WITHOUT SAYING WHAT YOUR ACTION IS, DISCARD IT AND FORFEIT YOUR TURN.

IF YOU DRAW A SPECIAL CARD, A SPECIAL EVENT HAPPENS (SEE BELOW).

"Fight"

Draw a card from the Deck.
Fight the Numbered card (2-10),

• Fight RED cards with Diamonds(D)
• Fight BLACK cards with Spades(S)

"Train"

Draw a card from the deck.
This Numbered card (2-10) replaces any one of your Attributes (you choose).

"Stay In Bed"

Heal 1HP / Remove one Damage

"Level Up"

Discard 5MP from your captured Monsters, and add one Attribute to your character (Max L8).
Draw until you reach a Numbered card. Discard any Specials.

-- SPECIALS --

A, J, Q, K, O are Special cards.

Any time a Special card is drawn, its Special Event happens and the turn ends.
The two exceptions to this are Birth and Level Up from MP, when Specials are Discarded.

Ace

When an Ace is drawn, that player must swap a character Attribute card with another character.
The card may be of the same Number or of the same Suit.
EX: 7C for 7H, or 2S for 10S

Jack

When a Jack is drawn, Stabby Jack stabs the character. Twice.
Take 2 Damage / -2HP
If you have captured a King, you may choose to Discard him (-2MP) to avoid Stabby Jack.

Queen

When a Queen is drawn, the player must choose to either

1. Receive a blessing:
     Heal 2HP / -2 Damage, or
2. Steal from the Queen:
     Draw the next card.
   • If it is a Numbered card, check your Luck. If your LP is >= the Number on the card you Level Up; Add it to your Attributes (Max L8).
   • If it is a Special card, a Special Event happens.

King

When a King is drawn, fight the King. He is worth 13 (9,10,J,Q,K).

• Fight RED Kings with Diamonds(D)
• Fight BLACK Kings with Spades(S)

Joker

When the Joker is drawn, get a free Level Up.
Draw the next card,

• If it is a Numbered card, add it to your Attributes (Max L8).
• If it is a Special card, a Special Event happens.

-- DEATH --

If a character's Damage exceeds the sum of their Heart Attribute cards (0HP), the character dies.
Discard their captured Monsters. Discard their Attributes.
The player may immediately be dealt a new character at the same Level as the one who died. Deal new Numbered cards, Discard all Specials.
A character may or may not die on their turn. Play continues to the left.

-- GOAL --

A player wins if AT ANY TIME their character has ALL THREE OF:

1. Ten or more Monster Points (10MP),
2. More Luck (LP) than each other character, and
3. Enough attack power (BA or RA) to reduce each other character's Health (HP) to zero.

-- REMINDERS --

• A character with no Heart Attribute cards has 1HP.
• Any time a Special card is drawn, its effect happens and the turn ends.
  The two exceptions to this are Birth and Level Up from MP (Specials are Discarded).
  EX: "Fight" -> Q -> O -> Q -> J -> -2HP -> End
• IF YOU DRAW A CARD WITHOUT SAYING WHAT IT IS, DISCARD IT AND FORFEIT YOUR TURN.
• Special cards are mandatory, but you may always choose either option with the Queen.
• Win ties with the Queen. Lose ties with the King.
• When Training, the drawn card must replace a current attribute.
• At L8 you may not obtain more Attributes. If you Level Up, you may Discard the drawn card instead of a current Attribute.
• No cards are hidden, except the Deck.
• If you have 10+ MP and you continue fighting indefinitely, you are being a jerk.
• If you Level Up by discarding only Kings, you will forfeit 1 MP. You cannot dicard half a King.

-- CONTACT --

Some additional Stabby Jack resources are available at our GitHub repository.

Feel free to send up questions and compliments via email. All emails to the stabbyjack.com domain will work.