-4 players
This game happens in two phases--Primary Election and General Election. Each phase, each player will draw a hand of cards, and the phase ends when every player has played all of his or her cards. The winner of the General Election wins the game.
In a two player game, go through both phases as normal, but obviously the two players automatically become the Candidates.
Play order:
In each phase, each player draws seven cards. Randomly determine a starting player. Each player takes turns playing one card each until the hands are exhausted. A card may be played on any player, including the one playing the card.
Affiliation and Electability:
Cards may affect one of two attributes of a player (or do other things according to their text). A player's Electability governs that player's general appeal to the populace, while Affiliation indicates how close that player is to their own party's base. Electabilty is always beneficial, but Affiliation has different effects in the Primary Election than in the General Election.
Candidate Styles:
Some cards apply a Style to a candidate. You may play these on yourself or on other players, and they replace any existing style. Styles apply modifiers to attributes or allow other effects. If a Style changes one of your attributes to zero, then no other modifiers apply.
Phases:
After the Primary Election, add your Affiliation to your Electability. The two players with the highest total are their parties' Candidates. Remaining players are known as Spoilers.
After the General Election, subtract your Affiliation from your Electability. The Candidate with the highest positive total becomes President (and wins the game). If neither Candidate has a positive total, the Spoiler with the highest Electability (ignoring Affiliation) becomes President.
Cards:
Tack Center (x4)
"I believe that you misheard me. I meant to say that I am against taxes."
+4 Electability
-3 Affiliation
Toe the Line (x4)
"We must take things away from people we don't like and give them to people we do!"
-3 Electability
+5 Affiliation
Steal Their Position (x2)
"If you'll just check my record, you'll find that I've never not voted against that thing you hate."
+6 Electability
-5 Affiliation
Slam Your Fellows (x2)
"Everyone else on this stage is a ninny."
+3 Electability
-3 Affiliation
Targeted by a Negative Ad (x2)
"'If elected, I will murder babies' 'Did I really say that?' 'You may have been drunk, sir.'"
-3 Electability
Unaffiliated Activity
"We're not coordinating, A-WINK"
Draw two cards
Sister Soulja Moment (x2)
"Certain members of my party suck"
+7 Electability
-7 Affiliation
Gaffe (x2)
"I am the only anti-unicorn candidate in this race"
-3 Electability
-3 Affiliation
True Blue (x2)
"I agree with my party in every way"
+5 Affiliation
Civil Debate (x2)
"Man, I LOVE you guys"
+3 Affiliation
Uncivil Debate (x2)
"My opponent hates dogs"
-3 Electability
Strange Pronouncement (x2)
"Sure, I believe in UFOs"
+2 Affiliation
Party Endorsement (x2)
"My party member is obviously the best to lead our nation!"
+5 Affiliation
Newspaper Endorsement (x3)
"Dude, this guy rocks" - High Times
+3 Electability
Policy Proposal (x3)
"Everyone should get nifty things"
+3 Affiliation
Voter ADHD (x4)
"The average citizen has the same memory as a gold- hey, what's that over there?"
Remove one card from play
Screaming Partisan
Style
While a Screaming Partisan, your Affiliation is doubled.
Outsider Candidate
Style
While an Outsider, your Affiliation is zero, and you may not play cards on other players that would decrease their Affiliation.
Insider Candidate
Style
While an Insider, your Electability is halved, but you may play two cards each turn, then draw one card.
Great Debater
Style
When someone plays a card on you, you may immediately play a card on them, then draw a card.
The Mudslinger
Style
Subtract your Affiliation from everyone's Electability
The Necromancer
Style
In the General Election, subtract the other Candidate's Affiliation from your Electability instead of your own.
The Lesser Evil
Style
Your Affiliation is zero
The Greater Evil
Style
Your opponents' Affiliation is zero
The Highlander
Style
As a Spoiler, you may still participate in the General Election as if you were a Candidate
The Hairpiece
Style
Your Style has no effects
Third-Party Candidate
Style
Ignore all effects of Affiliation, even from other Candidates. Your Affiliation is zero.
The Teflon Wonder
Style
Before playing a card, you may remove a card that's been played on you
Variation:
Divide the four players into two parties, and count points. When a player becomes a Candidate, that player gets a point, and when a player is elected President, that player gains two points and other party members gain one. After four games, the player with the most points wins.‚