Use cards and your imaginations to create an adventure story that everyone participates in. Players take turns in three different roles: The Storyteller, the Allfielder, and the Teammate. The game is over when the players feel like the chapter or story has ended! It can continue for as long and for as many sessions as you want.
Ages 4 & Up - 300 Cards - 2+ Players - Time: about 30 minutes and up
1. (Getting Started) The Dealer shuffles cards and deals each player 5 cards.
2. Character Cards: If a player has a desired character card in their hand, they lay it on the table for everyone to see. This is their Character card. A player has one Character card at a time. A player can swap it out at any time if dealt a character card that the player prefers. Players can make up their own back story and even change their name if they want. But this has to be explained to the other players. (Players can also choose to use an Animal card as their player, which is fine. A player’s character card can be anything they choose, if they can make it work!) Players might not yet have a card they’d like to use for a character (see Missing a Turn, step 9).
3. Mod Cards: Players can upgrade their character with Mod cards. The player can lay down up to 2 additional cards from their hand at any time which increase the capabilities of their Character. These “Mod” cards can be any card in the deck (Except Yaial cards, see Reviving Characters step 14). You can swap these out throughout the game as desired. A player can have a maximum of 2 Mod cards for their Character at any time. If a player has a character card as a Mod card, they cannot control that character, but instead benefit from the details and resources of that character.
4. Introductions: As players lay down and introduce their Character and/or Mod cards, they need to be explained to the other players. Remaining cards are held in players hands for now (see Surprise Cards, step 7). If a player does not yet have a desired Character to lay down, the player holds on to their cards for now (see Missing a Turn, step 9). The first round is ready to begin. Play moves to the left of the dealer and counterclockwise through the players.
5. (Gameplay Begins) Introducing a Story: The first player is the Storyteller. The Storyteller uses their imagination and an optional card drawn from the top of the deck to describe an opening scene in which all players are together. The Storyteller cannot determine what the players do or think. The Storyteller can describe what players see, hear, smell, and feel. The Storyteller assumes control of any non-player characters introduced into the story. The Storyteller can describe where players are and what is going on-or at least as much as the Storyteller chooses to reveal. Are you introducing a mystery or conflict, or simply a place to explore? If other players ask questions, the Storyteller chooses to answer as much or as little as they see appropriate. The Storyteller does not use their Allfielder card during their turn as Storyteller. The Storyteller is the manager for the turn and directs the story.
6. Dealer Check: At the beginning of a turn an Allfielder needs 5 cards total (between what’s laid down and in their hand), so the Storyteller needs to deal them the number of cards to make that happen. An Allfielder may exhange any number of cards as well, and must be done at this time. The Storyteller deals up to once per turn.
7. Action Begins: The Allfielder listens to the story. Two important things Allfielders can do during their turn is ask the Storyteller questions (exact answers are not guaranteed), and narrate what they want to say or do. This can include talking to or working with teammates. The Allfielder has whatever resources they discover in the story or in their Character and Mod cards (For example, a “Purdine” can light up a dark room, or “Quiet Command” lets you influence the behavior of animals). Allfielders may also draw upon help from their teammates. Teammates are the other players who are not currently a Storyteller or Allfielder during this turn. The Allfielder talks and asks questions and narrates actions they wish to attempt. Allfielders cannot determine any external activity or player outcomes in the game-only attempt things. The Storyteller determines outcomes (see Step 10).
8. Surprise Cards: Teammates can throw 1 Surprise Card at any time into a round of play. Only 1 may be thrown per turn. Surprise Cards are not compared and decided on based on merit-whichever Teammate throws a Surprise Card first locks out the other Teammates for that round. Teammates may discuss among themselves but once a card is thrown it is final. The Surprise Card can be used to help or harm the active Allfielder, and must be incorporated into the story.
9. Missing a Turn: If it’s an Allfielder’s turn and they do not have a Character card to play with, and after redealing up to five new cards, still doesn’t have an active Character card to play with, the Allfielder must forfeit their turn until the next time around and the play moves on. On their next turn they can attempt redealing again. However, it is legal for players to agree for a Teammate to swap a character card in from their hand so the Allfielder can play, even if the Allfielder has been re-dealt cards for that turn.
10. Determining Outcomes-Simple actions: Some actions an Allfielder wants to take may be simple, and the Storyteller must decide the success or failure of the attempted actions, and narrate the details of those results. In these cases of minor storytelling choices, the Allfielder’s turn will continue. The Storyteller decides whether or not the attempt is a “Simple” one to judge.
11. Determining Outcomes-Complex actions: Some actions may be a little more serious or complicated, and the Storyteller might require the Allfielder to roll the dice for an outcome. When the Allfielder rolls dice, the Storyteller narrates the details of the outcome based on the number that is rolled. At this point the Storyteller will announce the turn is over, and the next turn is ready to begin. (If the Allfielder rolls a 3, they get another chance, see table below)
12. Rotating to the next Allfielder: When the turn is over, the Teammate to the left of the Allfielder becomes the the new active player Allfielder. The Allfielder whose turn just ended becomes the next Storyteller. The story continues, repeating steps 5 through 12 with players rotating through role of Storyteller, Allfielder, and Teammate. This continues from player to player for several rounds until the players agree to pause the story or the story reaches a conclusion and the game ends.
13. Fair Play Considerations: The Storyteller for each turn also serves as final word and ruling judge in two types of situations: 1. player disputes and 2. after fair discussion, if a player is trying actions that are far beyond their ability and risk ruining the game (exaggerated abilities with no basis in story or card-defined resources). Having said that, judges are different for each turn, and imaginative problem solving is the heart of the game, as is fun. Players are encouraged to re-interpret the possibilities of what resources their cards describe, and use them in unconventional ways. Storytellers should not stop this. Also characters can cooperate in the game or decide to turn on each other. The judge needs to rule in terms of character resource, not whether or not a player is doing exactly what everyone else wants.
14. Reviving Characters: If a player gets three strikes during a game they are out. Either the game is over for them and that character, or if an Allfielder or Teammate decides, there are currently two methods of reviving a character. 1 is an Allfielder using the Knowledge Card of Deadthought, which can revive the character as a ghost. The revived ghost can play again, but cannot use Mod Cards. 2 is when an Allfielder uses the Yaial Card, in which case the revival takes up the Allfielder’s entire turn, and the revived character comes back into the story with normal rules again. It is up to the members of each game and should be decided ahead of time whether or not revival is allowed as a matter of preference, but it is perfectly legal.
(dice or spinner not included)
Roll a 1 – Strike: Your idea doesn’t work and you get a strike.
(End of turn. Receive 3 strikes during game and you are out-unless revived with a Yaial card!)
Roll a 2 – Complication: You tried but somehow made it worse.
(End of turn)
Roll a 3 – Second Chance: Your idea doesn’t work, but you get a second chance to try a completely different idea. (Player gets another chance)
Roll a 4 – Changeup: The story takes a sudden and abrupt turn.
(End of turn)
Roll a 5 – Assist: Your idea will work if you can convince another teammate to help you by throwing a surprise card. If everyone refuses to help, player gets a strike.
(End of turn)
Roll a 6 – Success: Your idea is successful and you get to draw a card from the top of the deck as a reward. This card stays on the table as a “spendable” Mod card. If and when you use its resources-it is then discarded.
(End of turn)
- Come up with your own card game using Allfield Cards, then submit your rules and ideas for other players to try.
- “Place: Building” or “Place: Territory” cards can hold another card, boosting the amount of Mod cards to up to four.
- Storytellers can adapt rules how they see fit, and teammates can talk freely, although Allfielder has player action control during their turn.