Doomtown Rulings and FAQ

Version001a20140908

The game
DoomtownisanExpandableCardGamepublishedbyAlderacEntertainmentGroup,setintheDeadlands
WeirdWestcreatedandpublishedbyPinnacleEntertainmentGroup.Thebasesetwaspremieredat
GenconinAugust2014followedbytheglobalreleaseinSeptember2014.Expansionswillbeannouncedon
theAEGwebsite.

Tournaments and organised play

AEGsupporttournamentsforthegamethroughtheOrganisedPlayschemeforbothlocalstoresandat
conventionsandsimilar.Detailsareonthewebsite,aswellastheofficialtournamentfloorrules(pdflink).

The Team
MarkWoottonisinchargeofalldesignandrulesdecisionsonbehalfofAEG.Heisassistedinanswering
rulesquestionsontheDoomtownRulesforumbytherulesteamMatBowles(MatGB),GerryCrowe
(gamesmeister),DavidOrange(davido)andBenHiggins(DaidojiRyushi).Thisdocumentismaintainedby
MatGBwithassistancefromtheteam.

The rules and mechanics

Turn Sequence clarifications
Sundown
TraitsoreffectsthatapplycontinuouslyduringSundownstart
Checkforvictoryconditions(gamepossiblyends)
EffectsthatrequireacheckorgamestatechangeduringSundown(egSloaneGangoutfit)are
resolved
AllplayersmaychoosetodiscardonecardfromtheirplayhandWinnergoesfirst.
Allplayersrefilltheirhandtotheirmaximumhandsize(normally5cards)
Unbootallcards
EffectsthatapplyduringSundownend
Effectsthatapplyuntiltheendofturnend
Turnends,startanewturn.

Shootouts
Step1.MakePlays
Winner(ofLowball),orfirstplayerclockwisefromwinnerifwinnerhasnodudesinfightgetsthefirst
opportunitytoperformaShootoutability.
Shootoutabilitiesmustcomefromadudeinthefight,comefromanActioncard,ormove
someoneintothefight.AplayermayuseaReactprintedonanycardiftherelevanttriggerismet.

Acardabilitymaybeusedtomoveadudeintooroutofapossefrom/tothesamelocationasthe
shootout,asenteringorleavingapossefulfilsthemoveconditionofanysuchability.
Eachplayerwithdudesinthefightmayperformanabilitywhenitistheirturnuntilallplayerspass,
eveniftheyhavepreviouslypassedduringthisroundofthefight.However,onceallplayershave
passedthestependsimmediately
Theshootoutendsifatanypointthereisonlyonepossewithdudesleftintheshootout,thatposse
wins,cardabilitiesmaynotbeusedtomovedudesbackintoanemptyposse,thefighthas
alreadyfinished.
Step2.PickYerShooter
Anydudeineachpossemaybechosen,evenifnotcontrolledbytheLeaderorMark.Cardeffects
maydeterminethischoice.
Step3.Draw!
Iftheleadshooterhaszerobullets,theycontributenothing,allotherdudes,includingthosewith
zerobullets,contribute1only,choosingazerobulletdudeasleadshooterifthereisanyother
optionreducesyourshootingability.
PlayersshoulddeterminehowmuchoftheirDrawbonustheywillusethendiscardsimultaneously.
Eachplayermay,iftheywish,examinetheiropponentsdiscardedcards,butonlyafterrevealing
theirowndiscards.
Step4a.Reveal
Revealeffectsapplyfirst,beforeanyResolutionplayscanbemade.
Revealeffectsareonlyappliedto,orasaresultof,theinitiallyrevealedhandsthisround,theydo
notgetachancetotriggerduringResolutionifahandischangedbyaResolutioneffect
Revealeffectshappensimultaneously,ifeitherplayerbelievesitmatters,theWinnercanchoose
theordertoprocessthem.
Revealeffectsnormallyapplyforthatround,andcontinuetodosoifthehandischanged
ThevalueofajokerisdeclaredaspartofRevealandbeforeResolutionplays
Step4b.Resolutionplays
Winner(ofLowball),orfirstplayerclockwisefromwinnerifwinnerhasnodudesinfightgetsthefirst
opportunitytoperformaResolutionability.
Resolutionabilitiesmustcomefromadudeinthefight,comefromanActioncard,ormove
someoneintothefight.AplayermayuseaReactprintedonanycardiftherelevanttriggerismet.
Note:Cheatin'cardsarenotReactcardsandareplayedduringtheResolutionstepalongside
otherResolutionplays
ACheatin'abilitymayonlybeusedwhenanotherplayerhasaCheatin'hand.Ifyouaretheonly
playerCheatinyoumaynotuseaCheatinability.
Cheatin'resolutionabilitiesrequirethatadifferentplayeriscurrentlyCheatin'andtheyhavent
alreadyhadaCheatin'abilityusedagainstthemtotheirhandthisdraw.Acurrentlylegalhand
cannothaveaCheatin'abilityusedagainstit,evenifthathandwaspreviouslyillegal.
Ifadrawhandthatwaslegalonrevealischangedasaresultofaresolutionability,itmaynowbe
treatedasaCheatin'hand,therequirementisthatthehandbeCheatin'atthetimetheresolution
abilityisplayed.
AplayermayonlyhaveoneCheatin'abilitytriggeredbytheirdrawhandperresolutionstep,
regardlessofhowmanytimestheirhandchangestoorfromlegaltoCheatin'duringthatresolution
step.
Step5.TakeYerLumps
Modifierstohandrankarecumulativeandlastfortheround

Modifiersthattakeahandrankbelow1orabove11arestilltherebutnotcountedforcasualties,
modifiersbacktheotherwayhavetobringitbackbelowtheminimumormaximum(ieifahandhas
rank8,hasmodifiersgivingit+6and2itisstillabove11andcountsasbeingrank11)
Ifhandsareexactlytied,thereisnowinnerorloserforthatround,theLowballwinnerchooses
casualtiesfirst.
Thereisnosuitcomparison,two(eg)straightflusheswiththesamenumericvaluesareanexacttie
regardlessofsuit.
Eachplayermusttryto'fairlycover'casualtiesasexactlyaspossible,youmustdiscardonedude
ifyouhaveonecasualty(youcannotaceadudeforonecasualty),andmustaceallyourdudesif
yourcasualtynumberistwiceormorethenumberofdudesyouhaveintheposse.
Theloseroftheroundfirstchoosesalltheirdudesthatwillbecomecasualtiesandwhatwillhappen
tothem.Afternominatingalltheircasualties,eachcasualtyisresolvedoneatatime.Reactionsto
thelosertakingcasualties(TakinYaWithme,HotLeadFlying)areplayedaftertheloserfinishes.
Whentheloserhasresolvedtheircasualties,thewinneroftheroundthenchoosestheirsandthen
resolvestheminthesameway.
Cardabilitiesthathappenwhenadudeisbeingdiscardedoracedasacasualty(especially
healingreacts)canchangeorpreventthediscardoracingfromtakingplace,thisstillcountsfor
thepurposeoffulfillingcasualtynumbers.
Sidekicksattachedtoadudeselectedasacasualtycanstillbeselectedinthesameroundasthe
dudehasnotyetleftplay.
Step6.RunorGun
Dudesthatfleecountasmoving,eveniftheshootoutisintheirownhome
Youmaychoosetohavesomedudesrunandsomestay,thiscanincludetheoriginalmarkifthis
isashootoutresultingfromacallout.
Step7.ChamberanotherRound
Ifbothpossesstillhavedudesremaining,anotherroundoftheshoutouthappensautomatically.
Ifnot,allshootouteffectsendandthegamereturnstowhereitwas,orthejobisresolved

AnoteonJobResolution
Themarkslocationisdefinedduringstep4,SaddleUp,whentheleaderspossemoves.Evenif
themarksubsequentlymoves(egbyPistolWhiporfleeingunderstep6),thejobcanstillsucceed
iftheattackingposseisthereattheendofthejobshootout.
Theattackingposseonlyneedsonedudetoremaintoclaimvictory,eveniftheoriginalleaderdies
orissenthome
Ifthejobwascreatedbyanabilityonadudeandthatdudediesorisdiscarded,keepthemtoone
sideuntilthejobisresolvedincasethejobtextneedsreferencing(theystillcountashavingbeen
acedordiscardedforthepurposeofothercardeffects).

General Rulings
Cheatin
Ifyouhavetwocardsofthesamerankandvalueinadrawhand,youhaveacheatin'hand.This
excludesJokersbutincludesotherwildcardeffects(egGhostlyGun)
Ifacardismodifiedfromitsoriginalvalue,determinewhetheryouhaveacheatin'handwiththe
modifiedvaluetheprintedvaluedoesn'tmatteronceit'sbeenaltered.
Job Cards
Arenotdiscardeduntiltheireffectthejobtheycreateends(page8).

TheLeaderstartingthejobonlybootsifthecardrequiresitasacost(eg:ACoachComesToTown
doesnotrequiretheleadertoboot,Ambushdoes)

Sidekicks
Adudemayattachanynumberofsidekicks.
Thesidekickmustbeattachedtoadudeintheposseinordertobeused
Sidekickscoveracasualtyinthesamewayasdudesdo,theydontreducethenumbertaken,they
countasone.
Ifanothercardeffectchecksthebulletratingofacasualty,asidekickhas0bullets
Cannotbeusedtoreplaceacasualtyrequiredby,forexample,PinnedDown
Canbeselectedasacasualtyifthedudeattachedtohasalreadybeenselectedforthatround,all
casualtiesareselectedtheneachisresolved.
Actions and Abilities
Thefirstsentenceafterthecolonisaconditionthatdefineswhetheranabilitycanbeused.NB,a
conditionisnotacost,negatingcostsdoesntstoptheconditionbeingrequired.Allotherclauses
afterthefirstsentencemustbedoneifpossible.
ActionsareatypeofcardthathaveAbilitiesprintedonthem.OthercardsalsohaveAbilities,using
themisnotperforminganaction,itismakingaplay.

Weapons
Addtheirbulletbonus(ifany)tothedudetheyreattachedtoevenwhenbooted,unlessacard
effectsaysotherwise
Uniqueness
YoucheckforUniquestatusatthepointofenteringplay,ifwhileacardisinplayanothercopy
goestoBootHill(egthroughAceintheHole)thishasnoeffectonthecardwhileitisstillinplay,it
doesmakeithardertoreturnthecardtoplay(egwithRaisingHell).

Bounties
Togetthebountyforacingordiscardingadudewithanability,itmustbeanabilityfromyourcard.
YouonlygetthebountyfromotherplayerswantedDudes,notyours.
Adudewithnobountyisnotwanted,alldudeswithatleastonebountyarewanted.
IfaDudeleavesaposse(egPistolWhip)andthenreenters(egTheStakesJustRose),theycount
asenteringtheposseandreceiveasecondbountyifforajobthatmakesyouwantedorina
shootoutonprivateground
Cardeffectsthataddtoabountymaytargetdudeswithnobountyunlesstheysayotherwise
Movement
AslongasaDuderemainsunbootedtheymaycontinueperformingmoveactions

Specific card rulings

Outfits

Law Dogs
Youonlyneedtobootenoughdudestoexceedthetargetinfluence,notallyourdudes.

The Sloane Gang

ThecontrolpointisgainedduringSundown,aftervictoryconditionsarecheckedatthestartof
Sundownsocannotcountforthatturn.

Dudes
Arnold

McCadish
Thedudestillcountsasacasualtyforothereffects(egTakinYaWithMe)
Attachedcardsstaywiththedude,theyrenotatanypointactuallydiscarded
AbilityistriggeredwhenthecontrollingplayerdecidestoresolvethatdudesdiscardaspartofStep
5.

Barton Everest
Traittriggersonreveal(step4aabove)andlastsforthatround,iscumulativewithotherhandrank
modifiersandcontinuestoapplyifBartonisacedorleavestheshootout.
JokersdonotmakeahandCheatin,anillegalhandmusthavetwocardsofthesamesuitand
valueexcludingjokers.
Dr Dawn Edwards / Eve Henry
Ifbroughtintoplaybythediscardoftheother,theyenterplayunbootedinthenormalmanner,
effectsdonotcarryover.
TheydonotentertheShootout
Youcanonlysearchyourdeck,notyourdiscardpileorhand.
Theymustactuallybediscarded,effectsthatpreventdiscard(egArnoldMcCadish)preventthe
triggerforthetrait.
Youmaysearchyourdeckevenifyouknowthecardisnotpresentasthatknowledgeisnotpublic
(itmaybeinyourhand,etc)
Fred Aims
Histraitdefineshisbaseinfluence(asifitwereprintedinthechip),othermodifiersstillapply.
The Ghostly Gun
Ifhisabilityisusedwhenheisthelastmemberofhispossetheshootoutendsandyouskipto
step7asperpage23.
ItisaResolutionability,Cheatinabilitiesmaystillbeplayedonthehandheisnowinif,atthetime
theCheatin'abilityisplayedthehandisillegalandhisownerhasntalreadybeentargetedbya
Cheatin'abilitythatdraw.
Hisvaluemustbedeclaredwhenyouusetheability
Hisvaluecountsasthevaluedeclaredonlyforthepurposeofdeterminingifthehandisillegal

Harold Aimslee
YoumusthaveanonWeaponGadgetinyourdiscardpileinordertousetheabilityanddiscarda
card
Irving Patterson
YougaintheghostrockifheistheLeaderorTargetasperpage21,aswellaswhenhejoinsa
posseformedbysomeoneelse.
Ivor Hawley
Histraitcheckstoseeifhehasone(ormore)hexesattachedandifsogiveshimthebonus,its
notaoneperhexbonus.
James Ghetty
TheGhostRockmaybeusedtopayforanAutoRevolver(orotherGoodsifConcealedWeapons
hasbeenplayed).
Jarrett Blake
Themovedoesnotboothimorhistarget.
Jon Longstride
Allowsanabilitytobereusedlaterintheturn,doesnotrequireorallowimmediateuse
Kevin Wainwright
APeacemakerdoesnotpreventKevinfromrevertingtoadrawattheendofSundown,hisability
grantsatemporaryboost.
Movingisaconditionoftheability,hemustactuallychangelocation(iestartinadifferentlocation
totheHuckster)
TheHucksterdoesnotneedtobeunderyourcontrol.
TheremustbeaHucksterinplay
Lawrence Blackwood
HisCPsarenotsetto1byhistrait,othermodifiers(egfromtheSloaneGangoutfit)stillapply.
Prescott Utter
Histraitdefineshisbasebulletsandinfluence(asifprintedonthecard),othermodifiersstillapply
Ramiro Mendoza
YoumustpaytheghostrockifMendozaistheLeaderortheTarget,asperpage21ofthe
rulebook,aswellaswhenhejoinsaposseformedbysomeoneelse.
Youmusthavetheghostrockwhendeclaringhesjoining,youcannotuseghostrockgained
through,forexample,IrvingPattersonstrait.
IfMendozaiswantedandhiscontrollerdoesntpayhim,heisdiscarded(andleavestown),thusno
bountyisrewarded,hewasneitherdiscardedduringashootoutnorbyacardability.
IfusinganabilitytomoveMendozaintoanexistingshootout,heisstilljoiningaposseandstill
demandspayment
Remy LaPointe
Hisabilitycannotraisehisbulletratingabove5,evenifhehasbonusesfromothersourcessuchas
weapons.

Silas Aims
Histraitdefineshisbasebullets(asifitwereprintedonthecard),othermodifiersstillapply.
Sloane
Doesnotenterplaywanted,butonceshehasabountyitcannotbereducedbelowthestated
minimum
Doesnotgrantbooteddudestheabilitytojoinaposse
Yourdudesinherlocationmayjoinapossewithoutbootingevenifshedoesnot.
Muststillboottostartthejobifthejobabilityrequirestheleadertoboot
Tommy Harden
TraittriggersonrevealofaCheatinhand(step4aabove)andlastsforthatround,iscumulativewith
otherhandrankmodifiersandcontinuestoapplybothifTommyisacedorleavestheshootoutand
ifthehandsubsequentlybecomeslegalthroughothercardeffects.

Deeds
1st Baptist Church
TheextracardisgainedwhenhandsarerefilledduringSundown,afterVictoryConditionsare
checkedbutbeforeeffectssuchasYanLisTailoringwearoff.
ItonlyaffectsthePlayHand,notDrawHands
Carters Bounties
Canbeusedtomoveadudeintothepossefromthesamelocation,includingadudethathad
previouslylefttheposse.
General Store
Justsaystoreducethecost,soallotherrequirementsforshopping,suchaslocationyoucontrol,
unbooted,etc,mustbeadheredto.
Gomorra Parish
CardsacedarestillinBootHillandcountforUniqueness
Pony Express
Youmusthaveacardinyourhandtousetheability

Actions
Auction
TheDeedisprivateuntiltheendoftheturn
Bad Company
Responsibilityisdefinedinthesamewayasbountypayments,itmustbethedirectresultofacard
abilityorasashootoutcasualty.
Bounty Hunter
TheGunslingerbecomeswantedifatanopponentsprivatelocationasperpage22.
TheGunslingerisunderthecontroloftheplayerthatplayedthecard

Coachwhip
IfusedduringShootoutResolution,thedudemustbeinaposseasperpage23.
Cheatin Varmint
PlayingthiscardtoaffectanopponentshandinLowballmakesthemmorelikelytobetheWinner
Youmayuseitseffecttoreduceyourdrawhand
Lastsforthatround,iscumulativewithotherhandrankmodifiers
Anyplayerwithadrawhandmayhaveitsrankreduced,evenifusedasaCheatin'resolution,it
doesnothavetobetheCheatin'hand
Whenyouplaythecard,choosewhichabilitytouseifeitherisvalid,youmaynotusebothfrom
onecopyofthecardinoneplay.
Concealed Weapons
TechnicalErrata:Itshouldbereadas"Noon:Yourdudesmayattachgoodsandspells(as
Shoppin')atanylocation,andasShootoutplays"
Onlyappliestotheplayerthatplayedthecard.
Shootoutplaysmuststillbepartoftheshootout
Canbeatanylocation,includingalocationyoudontcontrol
Fresh Horses
Horsesaffectedmayuseprintedabilitiesagainthisturn,theyarenotrequiredtodosoimmediately
Good Stiff Drink
Allowsanabilitytobereusedlaterintheturn,doesnotrequireorallowimmediateuse
Hex Slingin'
Lastsforthatround,iscumulativewithotherhandrankmodifiers
Hired Guns
Canbelegallyplayediftherearenodudesinyourdiscardpile,butyoumusthavecardsinyour
discardpile.
Hot Lead Flying
"Afteryoutakecasualties"isatimingwindowdescription,notareferencetoanumberof
casualties,andlosingtheroundissomethingthatcanhappeneventakingzerocasualties(for
exampleifSheriffDaveMontrealstraithasappliedthatround).
Magical Distraction
Doesnotreplaceyouractualhand,doesnotpreventyoualsobeinghitbyaCheatin'card
Setsyourbasehandrankfortheround,modifiersstillapply,changestothecontentofyouractual
handhavenofurthereffect(egAceintheHole,BottomDealin)
Thedudethatdiscardsthehexisnotmakingthepull,socannotbecombinedwithDoylesHoyle.
Youmusthaveadudewithahexattachedinyourposseinordertoplaythecard
Make the Smart Choice
Youmaytargetyourowndudeswiththisability
Thebulletpenaltylastsuntilendofshootout,soifthedudeismovedbackintothatshootoutthe
penaltystillapplies,butthenextshootouttheyrebacktonormal.

Pinned Down
Iftwoofthiscardareplayedonthesameposseinthesameroundofashootout,themostrecently
playedtakesprecedence,theotherisignored.
Therequirednumberofcasualtiesarechosenandtheneachisresolved,soaSidekickattachedto
aPinnedDowndudemaystillbeused.Ifthedudeistheonlycasualty,thesidekickgoeswhen
theygo.
Ifthereareenoughotherdudesorsidekickstocoverallcasualties,thedudecanbediscarded.
Run Em Down
Eachofyourmovingdudesmusthaveahorse
Theopposingdudemayalreadybebooted
Youmusthaveatleastonedudeinplaywithahorseinordertoplaythecard
Anyofyourdudesattheopposingdudeslocationmaycallthemout,itdoesnothavetobe
someonethatmovedin
The Stakes Just Rose
Thedudejoiningthepossedoesnotboot.
Canbeplayedonabooteddude
Canbeplayedonadudeatthesamelocationastheshootoutbutnotcurrentlyineitherposse,
includingadudethathaspreviouslyleftaposse
Takin Ya With Me
Takethevalueatthepointthecardisresolved(ie,thedudesareinBootHillwithnomodifiers).
Thereisnocardmemory.
Ifacasualtyhasnotleftplay(egthankstoArnoldMcCadish)thentheircurrentBulletvaluecounts,
includingallmodifiers(egWeapons,PistolWhip)
Mustbeplayedafterloseroftheroundtakestheircasualties,butbeforethewinnerdoes,cannotbe
playedafterthewinnertakescasualties.
Cardswithoutabulletstat(suchassidekicks)countashavingzerobulletsforthiscard
Canbeplayedevenifthelosertooknocasualties(egDaveMontrealwaspresent),thetriggerisa
timingstepnocasualtiescountsaszerobulletsinthiscase
Addsontothenumberofcasualtiesthewinnermustchose,doesnotcreateanothercasualtystep
Unprepared
TechnicalErrata:Itshouldbereadas"Shootout:Chooseadude.Bootthatdudeandtheir
attachedcards.Thatdudegets1bulletsandcannotuseabilities.Theirattachedcardsloseall
traits,abilities,andbulletbonuses."
Effectslastuntilendofshootout

Goods

Auto-Revolver
Cannotbeattachedatalocationyoudontcontrol,itdoesntoverridenormalrestrictions
Costs(includingbootingthemadscientist)muststillbepayed,sothescientistmustbeunbooted.
Auto Cattle-Feeder
Thescientistdoesnothavetobeattheranch.

Morethanonecanbeattachedtothesamedeed.

Bluetick
ThemovedoesnotbootthedudeBluetickisattachedto
Flame-Thrower
Iftheabilityhasbeenused,thecontrollermusttakeanextracasualtyiftheylosetheround.
Intheeventoftiedhandranks,thelowestpokerhandstillcountsastheloserforthiseffect.
Intheeventofanexacttieforhandvalue,thereisnowinnerorloser(egidenticalhands)
Force Field
Thiscanraiseyourhandranktobeequaltoyouropponentandforcebothplayerstotakea
casualty
Itsa+Xbonussetwhentheabilityisusedthemaximum+Xtakesintoaccountotherbonuses.
Abilitiesplayedsubsequentlymayfurtherincreaseordecreasehandranks.
Maybeusedmultipletimesinthesameroundwheneverhandranksaredifferent
Pair of Six Shooters
IfthismakesyourhandillegalandyouhavenotbeenhitbyaCheatincardthisresolutionphase,
youmaynowbe.
Whiskey Flask
Youmusthaveacardinyourhandtousetheability

Spells
Ace in the Hole
CanbeusedasareactionduringashootoutbyaHucksternotintheshootout,theruleofpresence
onlyappliestoResolutionandShootoutactions.

Raising Hell
IfyourBootHillcontainsmultiplecopiesofthesameAbomination(egthroughAceintheHole)then
thatAbominationcannotenterplay.
TheAbominationthatentersplaymaybethecardacedfromyourdrawhand.
TheAbominationjoinsthehucksterspossethereforeentersplayatthehucksterslocation