Objective of the Game
Tides of Madness is a strategic card game for two players that blends drafting, set-collection, and resource management. The goal of the game is to cleverly play and collect cards to score the most points without succumbing to madness.
Setup
- Each player receives a madness indicator to track their madness resources.
- Shuffle the cards and deal each player five cards.
- The remaining cards form the draw pile.
Gameplay
The game consists of three rounds where players draft and play cards to create sets and score points.
Drafting Cards
- Both players look at their hand cards and select one card to keep.
- They place the chosen card face-down before them, pass the remaining cards to their opponent, and pick up the cards handed to them.
- This repeats until all cards have been played.
Set Collection and Scoring
- Once drafting rounds are completed, players lay their drafted cards face-up.
- Players create sets as per the conditions described on the cards.
Madness Mechanism
- Some cards have madness symbols, increasing the madness indicator when played.
- Reaching a specific madness level depending on the round results in an immediate loss. Players can also voluntarily withdraw from a round if their madness level is too high.
Scoring
- At the end of each round, points are counted based on completed sets and card conditions.
Special Features
- Strategy and Tactics: Players must carefully decide which cards to select and pass, managing their madness while maximizing points.
- Madness Management: Balancing the benefits of powerful cards against their madness impact is crucial.
- Game Situation Variation: With only 18 cards, cards may be known by the second or third round, adding strategic depth.
End of the Game
The game concludes after three rounds, and the player with the most points wins. If a player withdraws due to excessive madness, the other player wins immediately.
