⚔️ The Way of the Blade -
Way of the Blade (WotB) is a simple trick taking game at which Players challenge each other when they select ‘blades’ as their weapon of choice in a duel. Each combatant is partnered with their chosen Second for the duration of the hand, sitting/standing diagonally opposite them.
Requirements -
• Way of the Blade Deck – A standard playing card deck with all of the face cards removed except for the Bowers (Jacks).
• Four Players – the Duellists and each of their chosen Seconds.
• Duels by the Way of the Blade take place at the Battlefield Table.
The primary combatants sit across from each other and their Seconds sit next to their opponents, cross-ways to their primary Duellist. All Players are dealt five cards each to begin the duel.
Fighting the Duel -
Leading with a suit of their choice, the challenger will play first and, going clockwise, Players will take turns playing one card at a time from their hand until no player can beat the trump card/suit that led the current trick. At any time after seeing their cards a primary player, (i.e. the challenger or challenged but not the Seconds), can choose if they want to ‘throw’ their hand, called a “feint,” by letting the other Player win the current trick. In this case, the feinting Player trashes the rest of their hand and their opponent wins the trick by default. In exchange, the Player who calls the feint is able to keep one of their current cards into the next hand. Players cannot ‘feint,’ in the same turn that their opponent does, the Player must take the offered trick when ‘feigned,’ an action which ends the hand and scores one point to the receiving Player. Seconds cannot feint.
At the end of each hand the winner collects their trick and must remove the most powerful card (trumps), putting it to one side, face down until the end of the Duel. This card is how tricks are tracked and also weakens the overall deck as the game continues. The rest of the cards are handed back to Control who will shuffle the deck and deal the next hand, with one less card than the previous turn. When the dealer would deal no cards, the duel is finished.
Communication with Seconds -
No one may talk during the duel other than to clarify rules. Seconds can, however, look at the cards of the Player sitting next to them and attempt to guide their Duellist’s decision. Seconds can do this only by playing cards, never through direct communication. That being said, Players may choose to strategise in advance about how to communicate with their Second during the duel, using their card choices.
Ending the Duel -
Each hand, one fewer cards is dealt, until any one Player can no longer challenge a trick. The team with the most tricks at the end of the duel, wins. Second’s tricks are counted towards the final score, meaning a savvy Player may choose to bring a Second that is more familiar with trick taking games, if they are less confident themselves.
Additional Rules Reference -
• The card which the Player keeps upon a ‘feint’ counts as their first card dealt in the subsequent round.
• When a Player wins a hand, they remove their highest scoring card from play and hold it as a point to track successful tricks. This makes each subsequent hand potentially weaker.
• The ‘Way of the Blade,’ deck has all of the face cards removed except for the Bowers (Jacks).
• Bower cards are called the ‘The Tribune’ and Aces are called ‘The Hag.’
• The Tribune is a trump card for most hands, being the highest value in each suit.
• Only the Hag beats the Tribune, i. e. the Hag becomes trumps if a Tribune is played on a trick.
• It does not matter which suit the Hag is it will trump a Tribune of any suit.
• All other cards beat the Hag.
• For the purposes of removing ‘the most powerful card’ at the end of a trick Hags count as one and are never removed.
Notes for Way of the Blade -
WotB duels take a long time and are complicated by design. If duelling Players have places to be, they should perhaps opt for the higher risk but faster method of duel by shot. Conversely, if wasting someone’s time is the Player’s aim, WotB will serve perfectly. Players should consider this heavily when scheming for their House.