Gamehelpschottentotten

Schotten Totten — Rulebook

Designer: Reiner Knizia

Illustrator: Djib

Publisher: IELLO USA LLC

Contents

• 54 Clan Cards (numbers 1–9 in six colors)
• 10 Tactic Cards
• 9 Stone Tiles
• 2 Player Aids
• 1 Rulebook

Objective

Spring arrives in the Scottish Highlands. Your clan vies to reclaim land by shifting stones across the border — but your neighbor has the same plan!

Use your cards to form powerful formations and claim Stones.

Win conditions

1. Control 5 Stones total
2. Control 3 adjacent Stones

Game Elements

Clan Cards

• Represent clan members
• Strength 1 to 9
• Six colors

Tactic Cards (variant)

• Allies with special powers (black symbol)
• Played in place of Clan cards

Stone Tiles

• Represent the border
• Objective: control them

Setup

1. Place nine Stone Tiles in a line between players (the border)
2. Shuffle Clan Cards into a face‑down deck
3. Each player draws six Clan Cards
4. The player who most recently visited Scotland goes first

Gameplay

Players alternate turns:

1. Play one card from hand to any Stone on your side (max 3 per side)
2. Draw one card from deck (if available)

Once played, cards cannot be moved

Each side may have up to 3 cards per Stone

Card Combinations (strongest → weakest)

Color‑Run   

Three same‑color cards in numerical sequence

Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same strength

Color      

Three cards of the same color

Run       

Three cards in sequence (any color)

Sum       

Any three cards; highest total wins

Tiebreakers:

1. Higher total strength wins
2. If tied: player who completed third card first wins

Claiming a Stone

You may claim a Stone after playing a card (before drawing) if:

1. Both players have played three cards on that Stone, and your formation is stronger
2. Or your opponent has played fewer than three but cannot possible beat your visible combination (cards in hand don't count)

Once claimed:

• Move the Stone to your side
• No more cards may be played there

End of Game

The game ends immediately when a player:

1. Controls three adjacent Stones
2. OR controls five Stones total

Optional scoring (multi‑round)

• Winner: 5 victory points
• Opponent: 1 point per Stone controlled
• Player with most points after agreed rounds wins

Tactic Variant

Setup modifications

• Shuffle Tactic Cards into separate deck
• Each player draws seven Clan Cards

Gameplay changes

• On your turn, you may play a Clan or a Tactic card
• Draw from either deck to maintain a hand of seven cards
• If one deck is empty, you may no longer draw from it

You cannot play more Tactic cards than your opponent

If unable to play, you may pass

Tactic Card Types

Elite Troops (play like Clan cards)

• Joker (×2): Choose color & strength when resolving; max one per player simultaneously
• Spy: Strength 7; you choose color when resolving
• Shield‑Bearer: Strength 1–3; you choose color when resolving

Combat Modes (played on Stone tile)

• Blind‑Man’s Bluff: Only count strength—ignore combinations
• Mud Fight: Requires 4‑card formations per side

Ruses (played into discard pile)

• Strategist: Move or discard one of your cards from an unclaimed Stone
• Banshee: Discard one opponent card from an unclaimed Stone
• Traitor: Move opponent card from their side to yours on another unclaimed Stone
• Recruiter: Draw three cards from any deck(s), return two to bottom of deck(s)

Expert Variant

All base rules apply, with one change:

You may only claim a Stone at the **start of your turn**, before playing a card

Credits

• Designer: Reiner Knizia
• Illustration: Djib
• Product Manager: Virginie Gilson
• Translator: Danni Loe‑Sterphone
• Publisher: IELLO USA LLC (© 2016)