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International Toy Fair Nuremberg 2011
Internationale Spielwarenmesse Nürnberg 2011
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Lo Scarabeo
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From an Italian company that mainly prints tarot cards, it now presents a board game - with tarot cards.
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The tarot cards are used to move the game pieces and also indicate what will happen to them. The game is playerd in nine turns, with the winner having collected the most victory points. Most of the victory points are awarded during the 'house prestige' phase, that occurs after the third, sixth and ninth turn. Additional victory points can be scored by playing cards.
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Apart from the player tokens, there are four sets of court figures in four different colours that are related to the four noble houses and that players may move and take influence on. At the start of the game, the deck is divided into Major Arcana and Minor Arcana cards. As repeatedly mentioned in the rules, the game uses a regular tarot deck, but then it reads that the 'Justice' card and 'Strentgh' card are swapped in number, as the tarot deck used in the game is in the tradition of 'Golden Dawn'. Well, all this information helps a lot for players who don't know anything about tarot, doesn't it?
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Each game turn is split into two phases: drawing and hiding cards, and playing cards and moving court figures. When drawing, a player may choose between three Minor Arcana or one Major Arcana card. When playing cards, a player must play a Minor Arcana and apply its effects on the court figure. One Major Arcana may be played before or afterwards; this may involve one or more court figures. The corresponding prestige of the House of the played card is raised by one, and the court figure is moved to the corresponding location.
Each location has its own effects, listed on the right side of the location. These mainly deal with gaining victory points, drawing additional cards, raising the prestige level of a House, or hiding cards.
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During the scoring phase, the 'house prestige' points are scored. Starting with the House with the most prestige, players reveal their cards for that house. Points are awarded to the three players with the most influence.
Some Major Arcana effects:
0: The Fool - this card is a joker
I: The Magician - draw two Minor Arcana and hide one Minor Arcana from your hand
II: The Priestess - score three victory points
VIII: Strength - one House of a player's choice gains five prestige points; the player scores two victory points
XII: The Hanged Man - the player loses two victory points, but may draw two Major Arcana; etc.
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So this is what traditional tarot cards look like?
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Arcanum, Andrea Chiarvesio & Pierluca Zizzi, Lo Scarabeo, 2011 - 2 to 5 players, no age indication, no time indication
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