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Rules

Welcome to The Ancient Ones — a circle card game where deities from five world mythologies battle for supremacy. Each round every player lays down one spell and/or one god, and the highest wins the round. Play your spells wisely, match gods to your secret pantheon to unleash their abilities, and outlast every rival at the table.

How a Game Unfolds

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    1

    Roll the Dice

    Every Ancient One rolls a die. The highest roller picks their Pantheon first, then down the order. The dice also set the turn order for the whole game.

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    2

    Choose Your Pantheon

    Each player picks a Mythical Card — one of the five pantheons. Playing a god that matches your pantheon unlocks its ability.

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    The Deal

    Each player is dealt a hand of cards: gods and spells. Gods carry Power (the number on the card); spells have one-time effects.

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    4

    Play a Round

    In turn order, each player first plays one optional Spell (it resolves immediately), then must play one God card. If you have no gods left, you are banished from the game.

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    Resolve the Round

    Once everyone has played, the highest-Powered god wins the round. Ties are broken by abilities first, then by Rock-Paper-Scissors among the tied players.

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    The Afterlife

    All played cards rest in the Afterlife. The round winner draws 2 cards; everyone else draws 1. Run out of cards and you are banished.

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    7

    Next Round

    The next player in turn order leads the new round. Rounds continue until the deck runs dry — then the Afterlife can be reshuffled back into the deck once.

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    8

    Win the Game

    The last Ancient One standing wins. If the deck is exhausted for good, the player holding the most cards is declared the victor.

Abilities & Spells

Every god has an ability that only triggers when it matches your chosen pantheon — look for the ★ on cards in your hand. Spells are one-use cards played before your god; casting a spell from your own pantheon boosts its effect (look for the BONUS badge). Long-press any card to read its full text.

All Abilities (A–Z)
  1. Chance — Choose the remaining cards from your opponents at random for the rest of the round.
  2. Darkness (Incinerate) — Choose an opponent and send one of their cards to the afterlife.
  3. Hardship — The winner of the round has to discard 2 cards from their hand.
  4. Immortal (Champion, Omnipotent) — If equal on Power at the end of the round, this card wins.
  5. Luck — After all cards have been played, you may choose to play another if needed before the end of the round.
  6. Mummification (Vengeance) — If you lose the round, choose an opponent and send one of their cards to the Afterlife.
  7. Perception — Choose an opponent's hand to look at.
  8. Power Up — Adds +1 Power to your card.
  9. Rebirth (Resurrect) — Draw a card from the afterlife and return it to your hand.
  10. Redraw — Place your cards back into the deck and draw the same amount again.
  11. Reincarnation — If you lose the round, you retain the card instead of sending it to the Afterlife.
  12. Rejuvenate — Choose to rotate all Pantheon cards to the left or right.
  13. Reset — Choose an opponent and force them to place all their cards back into the deck, and redraw the same amount.
  14. Speed (Onmipresence, Reflexes) — Before the end of the round, you may swap out this card with another in your hand.
  15. Steal (Sacrifice) — Choose an opponent and take one of their cards into your hand.
  16. Strike — All opponents send one card to the afterlife.
  17. Swap — Choose one opponent and swap one of your cards with one of theirs.