SERPENT’S BLUFF
A Hyborian card game for 2-4 people
Serpent’s Bluff is played with 30 cards: 21 numbered cards, 1-6.
The deck also includes nine character cards: Serpents, Kings and
Witches. Character cards have special abilities:
Serpents “eat” other cards, destroying them.
Kings protects your cards from Serpents.
Witches allow you to look at and possess hidden cards.
WINNING THE GAME
Each player starts with five gems. The first player who claims all
the gems wins the game. If a player is unable to pay a token for any
reason they lose and are out of the game.
ALTERNATE QUICK RULE
For a faster 3 or 4 player game: whenever one person runs out of
gems, the player with the most gems wins. If two players are tied,
those two tied players play one more tie-breaker hand to determine
the winner.
PLAYING THE GAME
The Game is played in a series of rounds. Each round, all players
start by placing a gem in the middle of the table (the pot). Deal
each player two face-down cards for their hand. Don’t show other
players your hand.
Next, deal one card face-up in front of each player. Only face-up
cards affect the game. Cards in your hand have no effect until played
to the table.
Each round, the player whose numbered cards are closest to 13
without going over wins the round. Character Cards have special
abilities that affect the other cards. The player to the left of the
dealer takes the first turn. The next round, reshuffle all the cards and
pass the deck to the left: that player is now the dealer.
PLAYER TURNS
On your turn, you may Play or Pass. Before you choose, you may
use any face-up character cards in front of you.
If you choose to Play, draw a new card from the deck into your
hand, and then play one card from your hand face-up in front of
you. When you choose to Pass, you do not draw a new card and
take no further action. You may still play on your next turn - if you
get another turn. If the total of your face-up numbered cards is
greater than 13, you must pass.
Example: At the very start of her turn, Sally has a total of 15
in front of her, but also a Serpent. If she uses the Serpent and it
takes her under 13, she could choose to play instead of being
forced to pass.
ENDING A ROUND
A Round ends when any player’s face-up, numbered cards are 13 or
higher at the start of their turn, or if all players pass in a row.
Example: John, Sally, and Pete are playing. On her turn, Sally
plays a numbered card that brings her total to exactly 13. If the
turn comes back around to her without her total changing, the
round will end. Pete and John each have one turn to bring their
total up to 13, or change Sally’s total.
WINNING A ROUND
When the round is over, the player whose face-up, numbered cards
are closest to 13, without going over, wins the round and takes the
pot. If all players go over 13, no one wins the round and all the
tokens stay in the pot.
Example: Sally and Pete’s round has ended, so they compare
their totals. Sally has 11 and Pete has 14. Because Pete went
over, Sally wins the round.
Example 2: This round, Sally has 14 and Pete has 15. Even
though Sally is closer to 13, they both went over so nobody wins
and the tokens in the pot stay there until the next round. At the
start of the next round, they both must put another token in the
pot.
CHARACTER CARDS
Numbered cards are how you win, but character cards have power-
ful special abilities. Learning when to use them and when to hold
them in reserve is key to defeating your opponent.
Character cards have special abilities that may be used immediately
when played, or on a later turn when already face-up on the table in
front of you.
On your turn, you may use your face-up character cards before
choosing to play or pass.
SERPENTS
Serpents eat other cards. If you play or
already have a Serpent on the table, you
may discard the Serpent and discard
any another face-up card on the table,
including one of your own. This may
be done at any time on your turn.
Example: Pete has a Serpent
face-up on the table in front of
him, that he played earlier. His
numbered cards total 15, so he
needs to do something to bring his to-
tal down, or he’ll be forced to pass. He discards
his Serpent to “eat” one of his numbered cards, to bring his total
below 13.
 CHALLENGING A BLUFF
WITCHES If your opponent challenges your bluff, you must reveal the face-
Witches allow you see hidden cards – down card. If the card is not what you claimed, you must add one
and possibly possess them. When you of your tokens to the pot in the center of the table. If the card was
use a Witch, discard the Witch and not a bluff, the opponent who incorrectly challenged your bluff
look a random card in another player’s must add one of their tokens to the pot. Either way, the card is
hand or the top card of the deck. placed face-up in front of you.
After looking, you may switch the
card you saw with a card from your Example, continued: Sally doesn’t challenge Pete’s bluff, so
hand. Pete’s 6 is placed face-down in the discard pile, without Sally
seeing whether it’s really a Serpent. Pete must immediately use
Example: Sally has a Witch the ability of a Serpent: he eats his 2, leaving him in a good posi-
on the table. At the end of her tion to play his 4 the next round, for a total of 13.
turn, she uses the Witch to look at the
top card of the deck. If it’s something good (or she If Sally had challenged Pete’s bluff, Pete would have been forced to
doesn’t want her opponent to get it), she may swap that card with play the 6 as a 6 in front of him, bringing him over 13 and putting
a card from her hand. Or she can leave it there and have a little a token in the pot.
bit of knowledge about what her opponent may draw.
HIDDEN KINGS
KINGS Bluffing a King is a little different: play a card face-down in front of
Face-up Kings on the table protect your your other cards on the table, like a face-up King. An opponent may
other cards from Serpents (including only challenge your bluff when you play the card - not later. Face-
your Serpents). With a King in front of down “Kings” protect cards exactly like a face-up King.
you, none of your other cards may be
eaten by a Serpent - but the King can The consequences are the same: if your opponent challenges your
be. With two Kings, none of your bluff and it was a King, you’ll now have a King on the table and
cards may be eaten by a Serpent as your opponent adds a token to the pot. Otherwise, you’ll add
the Kings protect each other. another token to the pot and the card is played in front of you
normally.
When you play a King, place it in
front of your other cards, to show Note: All discarded cards should be kept face-down. If you’re
it’s protecting them. bluffing about what a card is, your rival will never know!

Example: Sally has played one King: placed in front of her other Game design: Aaron Dill & John Kovaleski
cards. The King protects the other cards, so her numbered cards
are safe from Serpents while the King is still alive. Rules subject to change.

THE SERPENT’S BLUFF Art: Mahmud Asrar, from Marvel’s “Conan the Barbarian”
When you play, you can attempt the Serpent’s Bluff: instead of
playing a card face up, you may play any card from your hand face © 2019 Conan Properties International LLC (“CPI”). CONAN,
down and declare that it is the character card of your choice. CONAN THE BARBARIAN, HYBORIA are trademarks or
registered trademarks of CPI.
Any opponent may challenge your bluff. If no opponent challenges
your bluff, the claimed character’s ability is used immediately, with-
out revealing what the card actually is.

Example: Pete has a 2, 3, and a 6 face-up on the table, for a total

of 11. Sally has a total of 12. Pete’s hand is 4, 5, 6. He is going to
lose this round, unless something changes. Pete decides to bluff: he
places his 6 face-down on the table and declares it is a Serpent. Now
Sally must decide whether to challenge his Bluff or not.