This page contains the official Wyvern(tm) Three-Player Rules and the official Wyvern(tm) Four-Player Rules. These can be an interesting and fun twist to the original game.
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Version 1.0, May 1995, US Games Systems, Inc.
OVERVIEW
Three-player Wyvern resembles the two-player game in many respects. The biggest difference is that each player is battling two opponents at once. The game is played until one of the three players has lost their last battlefield position. Since the 25-point bonus for winning is awarded to the player who causes either opponent to lose, you will find that the game is self-balancing. As one player's battlefield positions dwindle, the other two players fight each other for the honor of administering the coup de grace and garnering the victory bonus. When playing several games in a match, you keep track each player's total points in all games played. Normally, the two players who are behind in points will "gang up" on the leader, but even if they do, they will end up fighting over which of them will complete the kill.
Note: While these rules are "official" only for the three-player game, they are playable with five or six players as well. When five or six play, you may want to increase each player's starting gold allowance to 30. When four play, see the official four-player (partnership) rules.
SET UP
1. Each player uses their own deck of cards, and has their own Battlefield just as in the two-player game.
The set up is the same as shown on page six of the Wyvern Revised Rules. Each player has their own Battlefield, Dragon Lair and Treasure Horde.
2. Each player starts with 25 gold pieces. Gold piles are kept separate throughout the game. You may not give gold to another player unless required to by the play of a card.
3. Determine randomly which player will go first. The order of turns around the table is clockwise.
4. The Sequence of Play is identical to the two-player sequence. Each player completes the sequence before the next player begins it; other players may play cards only in the Action Phases, or during a Battle.
ACTIONS
1. In each Action Phase, the person whose turn it is always has the first opportunity to play an action. Other players may then play an action (or pass), according to their place in the turn order.
2. An Action Phase ends only after all players have had a chance to play as many Actions as they wish, i.e., when all players say "no action" or "pass."
3. As usual, only the player whose turn it is may play a Dragon Slayer Action, and only in the First Action Phase; this would cause the player to skip the ensuing Battle Phase.
4. Reaction cards may be played out of order, but this would constitute a player's action opportunity in the current "round" of actions. If more than one player wants to play a Reaction card at the same time, the clockwise turn order determines who gets to play it.
BATTLE
1. You may attack either opponent in your Battle Phase. Once you have decided who you are attacking, play the Battle Phase as if the defending player's battlefield is directly opposite yours. This is done for purposes of range determination, and column location (in case the attacking dragon is in a Tunnel, for example). The player who is neither attacking nor defending is referred to as the "unengaged" player.
2. As usual, the player who is currently behind in the battle plays the next Battle Action. The unengaged player may not play a Battle Action until the player who is behind declines to play one. The unengaged player may then play a Battle Action, stating which player (or dragon) it applies to (if not obvious). If the unengaged player plays a Battle Action, the player who is now behind may then play another (and the unengaged player must again wait until the player who is currently behind "passes").
3. HELP: Once battle is joined, only dragons from the two engaged battlefields may be called in to Help. The unengaged player's dragons may not enter the battle via a HELP card or a Dragon's or Treasure's ability to provide Help. Note: INDRA (card 154) is a Dragon who can give Help. The unengaged player may give Help with Indra to either player (as a Battle Action).
4. The POSSESSION SPELL is usable on any face up dragon, from any battlefield, who is not yet in the battle.
5. If BATTLE CHAOS is played, the unengaged player must state whose side his or her dragon is fighting for, if one (or more) enters the battle.
ENDING THE GAME
1. The game ends immediately, as soon as one player has lost their last position. (Note: Two players will remain; do NOT continue playing one-on-one.)
2. Scoring is as follows:
a) The player who is eliminated has lost the game and scores points equal to half his or her remaining gold, rounded down.
b) The player who caused the losing player's elimination is the winner and receives the 25 point bonus; to this is added the winner's remaining gold, plus one point for each occupied position in the winner's battlefield.
c) The player who neither wins nor loses scores points equal to their remaining gold plus one point for each occupied position in their battlefield.
d) A player who causes their own elimination is the loser. In this case, there is no winner, so no one scores the 25-point bonus. The two remaining players each score "gold plus positions."
3. The standard match is to play several games until one player reaches of exceeds 100 total points (or some other agreed upon amount). The order of finish is determined by total points scored.
Version 1.0, May 1995
OVERVIEW
With four players, Wyvern is a team game - two against two. In the diagram below, four players are seated at the table: Kathleen and Bob are in partnership against Doug and Janine.
Kathleen Bob
[ Table ]
Doug Janine
Consider the side-by-side battlefields of each team to be one extended battlefield. Each partner controls half of the extended battlefield. The two extended battlefields of the team game are considered to squarely face each other at all times (for purposes of range determination and column location).
SET UP
1. As usual, each player uses their own deck of cards, and sets up a battlefield as shown on page six of the Revised Rules. Each player has their own battlefield, Dragon Lair and Treasure Horde.
2. Each player starts with 25 gold pieces. Gold piles are kept separate throughout the game. You may not give gold to another player (not even to your partner) unless required to by the play of a card.
3. Determine randomly who will go first. The order of turns around the table resembles an "X" pattern. In the arrangement shown above, if Kathleen went first, the order of turns would be Kathleen, Doug, Bob, Janine.
4. The Sequence of Play is identical to the two-player sequence. Each player completes the sequence before the next player begins it; other players may play cards only in the Action Phases, or during a Battle.
TREASURES
1. You may play Treasures only to your own Treasure positions, not to your partner's.
2. Treasure cards in play effect both partners' battlefields(i.e. across the entire extended battlefield) and may be used by your partner without your permission.
3. Treasures in a row need not be discarded until all positions in the extended battlefield in that row are vacant. As long as at least one position remains in one of the partners' battlefields, all four Treasure positions of that row can contain a Treasure.
MOVEMENT
1. You may choose to forfeit your Movement Phase in order to transfer one card from your battlefield to any position in your partner's battlefield, regardless of range. A transferred card is controlled by your partner as long as it remains in your partner's battlefield.
2. A row is not considered vacant until all positions in the extended battlefield (i.e. both partners' battlefields) are vacant. Only if all six positions in the front row of the extended battlefield are lost does the entire extended back row move up and become the front row, per page 18 of the Revised Rules.
ACTIONS
1. In each Action Phase, the person whose turn it is always has the first opportunity to play an action. Other players may then play an action (or pass), according to their place in the turn order.
2. An Action Phase ends only after all players have had a chance to play as many Actions as they wish, i.e. when all players say "no action" or "pass."
3. As usual, only the player whose turn it is may play a Dragon Slayer Action, and only in the First Action Phase; this would cause the player to skip the ensuing Battle Phase.
4. Reaction cards may be played out of order, but this would constitute a player's action opportunity in the current "round" of actions. If more than one player wants to play a Reaction card at the same time, the turn order determines who gets to play it.
BATTLE
1. When attacking, if a dragon is able to reach any card in a row, it can reach all cards in that row. For example, in the arrangement above, a Dragon in Doug's furthest left front row position could attack any card in either Kathleen's or Bob's front row.
2. Once an attack is declared, it is considered to be a battle between the two players whose individual battlefields are engaged. The two players who are neither attacking nor defending are referred to as "unengaged" players.
3. As usual, the player who is currently behind in the battle plays the next Battle Action. The unengaged players may not play a Battle Action until the player who is behind declines to play one. The partner of the player who is behind may then play a Battle Action. If an unengaged player plays a Battle Action, the engaged player who is now behind may then play another (and the unengaged players must again wait until the player who is currently behind "passes").
4. HELP: Help from "one card away" applies only to the battlefield of the dragon getting help. Help abilities that say "in this row" (e.g. MAGIC POTION) apply to the entire row of the extended battlefield.
Note: INDRA (card 154) is a Dragon who can give Help. An unengaged player may give Help with Indra to their partner (as a Battle Action).
COMMUNICATIONS
1. You may not show your partner your hand (unless required by the play of a card), nor communicate to your partner in any way what cards you hold or what cards are face down in your battlefield.
2. You may not request that your partner play any particular card nor speak in a manner so as to make obvious what card should be played. [ A certain amount of "table talk" is inevitable, but try to minimize it to allow each player to study the situation in the game and decide for themself what to do. ]
3. The one time that you may ask your opponent to play a card is when you are about to lose a battle. In this case you may ask your partner to play a Battle Action (although you may not ask for a specific Battle Action). Your partner may or may not accede to your request. Note also that your partner is allowed to play a Battle Action without being asked.
ENDING THE GAME
1. When a player is eliminated from the game, continue playing, two against one. The order of the turns is maintained, thus allowing the remaining team two consecutive turns between each of the lone player's turns.
2. The game ends when both player's of a partnership are eliminated.
3. Scoring is done as follows:
a) The winning team scores 25 points for the win, plus points equal to their total combined gold and positions remaining.
b) The losing team score points equal to their combined gold divided by two (rounded down).