Description
Tomb of Four Kings is a fantasy adventure card game for a single player using a standard 52 deck of playing cards and one joker.
With each turn, you defeat monsters, disarm traps, and open doors as you explore a dark dungeon.
Along the way you collect treasure, gain skills, even use magic. But death awaits those who linger too long, and if all your torches burn out you will be lost in the dungeon forever.
The objective is to find the tomb hoards of four ancient kings, collect as much additional treasure as possible, and make it out alive.
When playing for points, there are multiple challenges available. To start, simply play to survive with as much treasure as possible. Soon you will want to see if you
can find all four tomb hoards and win the game. It’s not easy.
Variations
Like most solitaire games, there is some luck involved, and you will only win occasionally, even if you play your cards right.
When you want an additional challenge, play for total points over a series of three, five, or ten games. This provides incentive to survive, even if you can’t collect all the tomb hoards or get your high score in the current game.
If you’re a gambler, you can even play for money per point against another player’s game. Highest total points wins. Subtract the loser’s points from the winner’s points to determine debt. However, if the loser has all four kings, the debt is cancelled. You set the stakes, but keep it friendly
Narrative Play
Dungeon Solitaire can be played as a normal card game, but is perhaps most enjoyable when you imagine the narrative the game creates.
Picture yourself standing at the entrance of the legendary Tomb of Four Kings.
As you delve its depths, imagine the sprawling dark labyrinth of the dungeon around you, and picture each battle, each poison arrow or dead-fall trap, each gilded or ironwood door.
Look in wonder at the tomb hoards of old, and rejoice at the divine favors of the goddess.
Feel the satisfaction of gaining skills and putting them to good use. Sense the danger around every corner, the risk of death, and the stark terror should your last torch burn out.
Imagine all this and joy will be yours should you just make it out alive, no matter how much treasure you managed to find.
This game can be played with a standard deck of playing cards. Download the rules by clicking the link below.
Player feedback
The forums at BoardGameGeek often have good discussions about gameplay.
The link below discusses an easier mode of play you can use when you are first learning the game (Link will open in a new window or tab)
Files
A selection of files from BoardGameGeek. Links will open in a new window or tab.
Pocket Mod of Matthew Lowes Dungeon Solitaire Rules
Version 2 – corrected card table.
>> Click to download PDF <<
Player Aid Card, Double Sided
Redid the charts in a graphics program to fix some font issues. Updated both sides of the card with more symbols in the charts and a larger font!
>> Click to download PDF <<