Expedition-Themed Price-Drafting Card Game

Everest and Lhotse, from Pang La

Dice Hate Me games will soon be launching a contest for 54-card games. The winner will be published in a collection of 54-card games later next year.

At the moment, I'm pursuing an expedition-themed price-drafting card game for my submission. Players are explorers in some hostile environment that gets exponentially harder and more rewarding the farther you go. Think the South Pole, Mt. Everest, the Mariana Trench, the Moon, that sort of thing.


So first, everyone begins with 10 points. (Consider these dollars, if you prefer.) To start your turn, reveal cards from the top of the deck until all three suits appear or five cards appear. Each suit represents different pieces of equipment needed on the journey.



Next, set your own price for that bundle of equipment, for example "This bundle costs 4 points." Then each subsequent player has an opportunity to buy that bundle for that price, paying you those points. If it comes back to you, then you must pay the points to the bank.


Set that bundle beside your ongoing tableau, but do not merge them together yet. This represents you still asking donors to help fund your excursion. (If this was a mountaineering theme, I'd set up the tableau vertically as shown below.)


Instead of buying/selling a bundle, you may instead LAUNCH your expedition with whatever gear you have ready. In doing so, you must add cards to the tableau in the following manner:
  1. Add one card to the first level.
  2. Add one card to the first level, then second level.
  3. Add one card to the first level, then second level, then third level.
  4. Add one card to the first level, then second level, then third level, then fourth level.
And so on, continuing to add cards in this manner until you have used all cards in your bundle. Then you score points!

Look for matching suits and/or ranks in a level and score 1 point per matching suit, multiplied by its level. So a pair at first level earns 2 points, a pair at second level earns 4 points, a pair at third level earns 6 points, and so on.

After launching an expedition, your bundle of equipment is empty and you must solicit funding from other donors once again.

Continue playing until the deck runs out. Whoever has the most points wins!

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