- BGG rank
- BGG #125
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Inis
- 2–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,656
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Katana: Samurai Action Card Game
2019
Rules assistance for Katana: Samurai Action Card Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 15–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Katana: Samurai Action Card Game
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Katana: Samurai Action Card Game is a board game released in 2019 for 2 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Tracy Alan and its main mechanics are Campaign / Battle Card Driven.
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About the game
Katana is a two-player only game with battles that last 15–35 minutes. The game is suitable for ages 8 and up. Gameplay is handled through cards. You are samurai on a quest to become supreme military commander of Japan. To do this, you must defeat the other player by eliminating their 4 armor and 4 health tokens. Use cards to inflict damage and defend. When taking a turn, you may attack by playing an offensive card. To defend, play a card with a defensive value and subtract it from the attack value to determine if the hit landed. After taking an action, you may play an action card face down. This is your defensive stance during your opponent's turn. When you opponent takes an action, you may reveal your stance card. However, if your opponent chooses to attack, your stance will break and any benefit to be gained from it will be lost. Divine beings and forces of nature called kami provide crucial support in battle. Every kami possesses two abilities: an active one that requires playing a purify card and a passive ability that is "always on." Not only do kami provide game-changing special powers, they can be called upon to sacrifice themselves in kamikaze attacks that inflict massive damage (crab bosses beware). Each time you activate a kami power, though, you must draw a shrine card. A mixture of good and bad events, shrine cards are yet another element of risk to think about when considering use of kami powers. -description from designer
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
- (Web published)
Questions and answers
Katana: Samurai Action Card Game supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Katana: Samurai Action Card Game is 15–30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Katana: Samurai Action Card Game for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Katana: Samurai Action Card Game has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Katana: Samurai Action Card Game belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Campaign / Battle Card Driven. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Katana: Samurai Action Card Game are: Tracy Alan. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Katana: Samurai Action Card Game as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.