Play your first turn in two minutes
No theory. No fluff. Just what you need right now.
What you're trying to do
Control the most territories when the deck runs out.
Nine territories on a 3x3 grid. You're fighting to own as many as possible. When the last card is drawn, whoever holds the most wins.
There's a shortcut: control all nine at once. Instant win. That's Domination. Rare. You'll know it when you see one.
Your turn, step by step
Three steps. Same order every time.
Step 1: Territories activate
Any territory you control fires its ability automatically. No choice involved.
Own Sativa Springs? You draw a free card before anything else happens.
Step 2: Take one action
Pick exactly one:
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Claim | Drop a Strain card onto an empty territory. It's yours now. |
| Attack | Throw a Strain card at an enemy territory. Combat resolves. |
| Play Event | Fire off an Event card's effect. Powerful. Single use. |
| Skip | Discard one card and pass. Sometimes the right call. |
Step 3: Draw cards
Refill your hand. Next player goes.
How combat works
You attacked a territory. Here's what happens:
- Your card's Attack vs. their card's Defense
- Higher number takes it
- Tied? Both players roll dice (0-100). High roll wins
- Dice tie too? Both cards hit the discard pile. Territory goes empty
Loser's card is gone. Winner's card holds the territory.
After you attack, an interrupt window opens. Opponents can play Instant cards — boost their defense, cancel your attack, redirect it somewhere else. Combat online is never just two numbers.
The cards in your hand
Strain Cards. Your bread and butter. Each one has Attack and Defense stats. Attack to invade. Defense holds what you've taken. A 7-Attack Sativa will punch through most walls. A 2/8 Hindu Kush won't kill anything, but good luck taking it off the board.
Event Cards. One-shot effects that change the board. Draw three cards. Steal a territory outright. Wipe every card off the map. Hold them for the moment that matters — a well-timed Event flips games.
Instant Cards (Online only). Played on other people's turns. They don't cost your action. Someone attacks your key territory? Drop a +3 Defense buff. Someone plays a game-ending Event? Cancel it. This is where reads and reactions live.
The one habit that wins games
Watch the deck.
Every card drawn is one fewer card left. When the deck gets thin — roughly 15 cards — the game changes. Stop expanding. Start counting. Hold what you have. Reinforce what matters.
New players lose because they're still grabbing territory when the clock runs out. The player counting cards is already ahead.
You're ready
That's everything you need for your first game. The rest you'll figure out at the table.
Want the full rulebook? Complete Rules covers every phase, interaction, and edge case.