A Life In Purgatory
Setting up the game
To set the game up, separate cards into decks with the same name on the back of the card, shuffle all decks separately. Place the hell, heaven and purgatory decks in the middle of the table next to one another in individual piles.
Give each player a lie and truth indicator card then draw one random character card each. Allocate life tokens to each player equal to the number of hearts shown on their character card.
Order of play
Each character card has a number in the top right corner. The lowest number goes first then the game plays clockwise. If there are two or more people with the lowest number, play rock paper scissors to decide who goes first.
How to play
In turns, you must pick up a purgatory card (keeping the face of the card hidden from the view of all other players). Your goal is to either tell a lie and fool your opponents, or tell the truth with the intention of being believed. Before telling your lie or truth you must let the other players know what purgatory card type you have (fact or lie, Headline quote, Fact or Lie about).
- Fact or Lie - These cards contain one real fact and one completely fake fact. Choose one and read it aloud.
- Headline quotes - These cards contain a real headline quote. Either read the quote as it is or swap the highlighted word for one of the words listed below the quote.
- Fact or Lie about - Read the topic out loud then tell a lie or truth surrounding the topic outlined in the card.
How to tell your lies and truths
When telling your lie or your truth you must not say anything more than the what is on the card. You cannot try to convince the other players with any follow up points. Draw no cards and end your turn.
Purgatory cards
When a card has been read, regardless of the outcome, the purgatory card is put to one side in a used card pile.
Deciding if someone is lying or not
When a player has read their purgatory card all other players must play a lie or truth card in the middle of the table face down.
Once the card is placed it cannot be changed. When all players cards have been placed in the middle, turn them over. the option with the most votes is the group verdict. If there is no clear verdict then the player reading the purgatory card wins the turn. Even if you are out of the game you still play an indicator card each turn.
Telling the truth
If you tell the truth and people think you are lying you may draw another purgatory card and repeat your turn. If you tell a truth and the majority believe you are in fact telling the truth, draw one heaven card.
After three consecutive turns of an individual player drawing and reading a Purgatory card, if the the unanimous indicator verdict is "Lie" draw three heaven cards and end your turn
Telling a Lie
If you successfully tell a lie, draw one hell card. If you get caught lying by the majority, draw no cards and end your turn
Playing a card
At any point in the game a player can play cards from their hand. When a card is played the effect on the card must be stated and then enacted.
Lvl based cards can only be blocked by a card with the same Lvl or higher. If an attack cannot be blocked or stopped the attacked player loses one life token.
Winning the game
The winner of the game is the person who still has a minimum of one life token left when all other players have zero. If all purgatory cards have been used and there is more than one player remaining, the player with the most lives wins.
Your hand after losing all lives
Upon losing all lives return your heaven and hell cards to their respective decks and reshuffle.
Buff and Debuff cards
Buff cards can be played whenever the drawer of the card wishes to play the card, the buff can be applied to anyone (person playing the card chooses). Debuff cards must be placed face up on the table after being drawn, their effects come into play immediately after being drawn. Unless otherwise stated, each debuff card is a one time effect.
The Holy Grail
Collect all three holy grail cards from the heaven deck and you instantly win the game.
Advanced play rules
The standard game rules do not allow Lvl stacking. Lvl stacking is the process of increasing the Lvl of one card with another.
For players who want to play a more advanced version of the game you can stack the Lvl of cards like so:
A Lvl one and Lvl two attack card can be played to create a Lvl three attack.
You can add Lvls to played cards during any exchange with an opponent until one player wins the exchange with a higher Lvl.
When playing the advanced version of the game players lose lives equal to the difference Lvls of the played cards.
If you block a Lvl three attack card with a Lvl one defence card you lose two lives. If you can't block the Lvl three you lose three lives.
There is no limit to the number of cards you can stack in any back and forth exchange.