Outsmart, outmaneuver, overwhelm! A tight area control clash
In this two-player duel, you’ll send out your elite warriors to vie for control of seven battlefields with their strength and special abilities.
$9
For the Emperor - $9
A battlefield in your pocket
Two ancient clans work to overpower, outwit, and outmaneuver each other to claim victory!
In this two-player duel, you’ll send out your elite warriors to vie for control of seven battlefields. Each warrior adds their strength and ability to the battlefield where they’re placed.
You control a battlefield if you have more total strength there than your opponent. If you control the most battlefields at the end of the game, you win!
With tricky cards that cause others to be returned to hand, amplify the power of cards at the same battlefield, and more, you’ll have to be clever to triumph.
What makes it stand apart?
Why We Love It
Tiny Box, Tight Gameplay
The best games don't always have the biggest, baddest boxes. Sometimes, you can do a lot with a little—like fitting an intense battle of wits on just 30 cards.
Tricky Special Powers
The Empress doubles the strength of your other warriors on her battlefield. The Ronin can close a battlefield if played early. Each card has a unique ability, with new strategies emerging every play.
Min-Max To Try And Find The Edge
For The Emperor is a game of tiny margins. Every strength, ability, and turn matters. Squeeze out every optimal play to win!
How To Play For The Emperor:
1) Play a warrior
Choose a battlefield with either no banner or fewer total warriors than the number on its banner. If your warrior has a "When Played" ability, resolve it immediately.
2) Assign Banners
After playing a warrior, check whether to assign banners. Place one if the highest banner in the supply matches the number of warriors on any battlefield without a banner.
3) 3 with 3+ rule
During the game, there can never be more than 3 battlefields with 3+ warriors.
4) Check for control
Count each final player's strength from warriors, tokens and "Game End" abilities. Whoever controls the most battlefields wins!
Components
What's in the box?
A battlefield in a box:
- 17 Battlefield Cards
- 218 Warrior Cards (9 per player)
- 32 Player Aids
- 47 Banners
- 58 Ability Tokens (4 per player)
