Reapers (2021)

Overview

Rooted in traditional Trick-taking games like Hearts or Spades, Reapers has some major differences that set it apart:

Every hand is drafted from face-up piles of three cards rather than dealt to players.

Winners of tricks score the lowest value card in the trick rather than the trick itself as a point.

In addition to having four suits, the game also includes two different special cards.*

Players place a wager as to how they think they will do in each hand, with options for scoring the fewest points, scoring the second most points, or not trying to predict — all of which can be viable strategies.

1st EditionNecromancy isn't all fun and games, which is why once a month that deadly cabal gathers to blow off steam. Most popular with these nefarious ne'er-do-wells is a card game known as Reapers, and as might be expected the stakes with which they wager are the souls of the damned acquired through their dark dealings. —description from the publisher

(*Suits are daggers, poison, plague, and pistols - each related to the method by which the damned souls died — and the two different special cards are called "Reapers" and "Demons".)

2nd Edition“Do you know of the Wild Hunt? It is said to be a portent of war, plague, or possibly the immenent death of whoever witnesses it - their soul destined to join the Hunt. What’s that? You’ve seen them ride? Oh. That’s not good. Ok, here’s what you should do. Gather the skulls of whatever wildlife you can find in the forest. Deer, boar, snakes, ravens - those are their favorites. Perform the cleansing rituals. If you must, search the graveyard. But you must be the reapers, lest you be reaped yourself.” —description from the publisher

(*Suits are deer, snake, boar, and raven - each related to one of the preferred types of animal skulls - and the two different special cards are called "Reapers" and "Rituals".)