SuitUp™ War of the SUITS

War of the Suits

Players: 2-6 players
Deck: 112 cards (8 suits, including Wild cards)
Objective: Capture the most cards by winning battles. The player with the most cards at the end of the game wins.

Setup:

  1. Shuffle the deck thoroughly.
  2. Deal all the cards evenly among the players. (If the cards don’t divide evenly, set the extra cards aside to be used as bonuses during the game.)
  3. Each player places their stack of cards face down in front of them as their War Deck. Players do not look at their cards.

Gameplay:

The game proceeds in rounds:

  1. All players simultaneously flip over the top card of their War Deck and place it face up in the center.

    • The highest value card wins the round and captures all the cards in the center.

  2. Rank of Cards:

    • Card values range from 2 to Ace, with Ace being the highest.
    • Wild cards are considered special trump cards (explained below).

  3. Tiebreaker (War):

    • If two or more players reveal cards of the same value, they enter a "War."
    • Each player in the War places two face-down cards from their deck and then flips a third card face up.
    • The highest value among the face-up cards wins the War and captures all the cards in play.
    • If the War results in another tie, repeat the process until a winner is determined.

  4. Wild Cards:

    • Wild cards are not playable in a War battle (they are treated as "dead cards"). If drawn during War, the player must draw a new face-up card from their deck.
    • When not in War, a Wild card played wins the round unless another Wild card is also played, in which case a War begins.

  5. Special Suit Rule (Optional):

    • Introduce a "Suit of Power": At the start of the game, randomly select one suit to be the dominant suit (e.g., Clubs). Cards of this suit always beat cards of other suits, regardless of value.

  6. After each round, players place the captured cards face down at the bottom of their War Deck.

  7. If a player runs out of cards, they are out of the game. The last player standing (or the player with the most cards at the end) wins.

Winning the Game:

  • The game ends when one player has captured all the cards or after a predetermined number of rounds (e.g., 20 rounds).
  • Count the number of cards each player has at the end of the game. The player with the most cards is declared the winner.

Game Variations:

  1. Quick War:

    • Instead of playing until one person captures all cards, the game lasts 15 rounds. The player with the most cards at the end wins.

  2. Action War:

    • Use action icons (if included on the cards):
      • Swap (S): Play this card to force a player of your choice to exchange their top card with yours before the round begins.
      • Skip (SK): Skip the next player from participating in a round (their card is not flipped).
      • Dump (D): When this card is played, the player can discard 3 cards from their War Deck and draw 3 fresh cards from the stockpile.

  3. Team War (4-6 players):

    • Form two teams. Each team combines its War Decks into a shared pile. Team members consult on strategy and decide who plays which card in battle.

  4. Double Battle:

    • Each player flips two cards instead of one in every round. The combined value of the cards determines the winner. In the case of a tie, War ensues as normal.

Strategic Tips:

  • Track the Power Suit: If using the Suit of Power rule, focus on retaining cards of the dominant suit for critical battles.
  • Prepare for War: Save your high-value cards for War situations. Losing a War can cost you multiple cards!
  • Wild Card Strategy: Wild cards can secure easy wins, but saving them for a strategic moment (or avoiding War) may give you an edge.

Excitement of War of the Suits:

"War of the Suits" combines the simplicity of the classic War game with exciting twists and strategies enabled by the 8-suit SuitUp deck. With optional rules like action cards, power suits, and team battles, every game is unique and filled with surprises. Perfect for both casual and competitive players, it's a fresh spin on a timeless classic!