Hi! We’re working on a new gambling game called Rochi, which will be part of the next fantasy novel by Sonia Lyris, her sequel to The Seer.
Rochi is a gambling game for 2-8 players, played with a Tarot-style deck with six suits of different sizes. It’s a new deck design for us, and it’s a whole new way to think about how gambling games should work. There is no betting, very little bluffing, and six different pots!
We are seeking your feedback on the rules of the game, both in clarity and fun value. We are likely to post several updates to the rules during this beta period (except for the week when we are testing it aboard the fabulous JoCo cruise!).
Along with Rochi, we have developed a couple more games in the same family: another card game called Roche, and a dice game called Rugen. These are both standard self-working casino games, and we’ll post those rules shortly.
For now, here are the rules for Rochi, along with some graphics you might like, including a sheet of buttons those of you with a button machine can use to make your own Rochi lammers.
- Rochi Beta Rules (PDF, 259 KB) Updated 4/28! Shields are worth half, rounding up, and the core game is now rated for 3-6 players.
- Suit Token Art (JPG, 429 KB)
- Rochi Lammers (PDF, 2.1 MB)
- PnP Playtest Cards (PDF, 2.9 MB)
You can print our playtest cards and sleeve them (check out our “how to make cards” video), or you have a few other options: Build the deck from parts of two Pairs decks, four Poker decks, or buy our test deck for $10 from Drive Thru Cards.
You’ll also need chips for gambling, and something like a dealer button to remind you who goes first each round.
Tell us what you think! We’ll officially be collecting playtest feedback until March 31, 2017, and we are awarding two signed copies of Sonia Lyris’ The Seer to the people who send us the best and most useful feedback. (That’s our call, folks.)
At the very least, here’s a great chance to get a sneak preview of the next great casual game from James Ernest. We’re working with our friends at King of the Castle Games, makers of Campaign Coins, to bring this game to the public sometime in 2017. Help us make it as good as it can be!
We’re proud to offer games absolutely free for you to try. If you like them, when and if you’re able, throw us a donation. Check out “How much should I donate?” for guidance.
Enjoy!