Frequently Asked Questions about the INWO Rules Prepared by Steve Jackson (Formatted into plain text by Robert DeLoura) Updated January 9, 1995 Wonder how we want to organize this in the long run? Right now, it is alphabetically by subject. Eventually, we may want HTML links from here to the rules, and vice versa. There's a separate file for frequently asked card questions. Automatic Takeovers ------------------- Q: Are you permitted to skip your automatic takeover if you choose? A: Yes. Q: What if you forget to make your takeover? Do the other players have to go back and let you make it? A: No, unless you have a house rule that says "Always play nicely." It's up to the other players. Card Ownership -------------- Q: When groups are captured or traded during a game, or when Plot cards change hands, how do you keep track of who "really" owns the card? A: The two best ways are just to make notes whenever a card changes hands, or to use little bits of sticky-notes, which adhere to the card face without leaving permanent traces. Q: Are there any cards that let someone "steal" my undrawn Plots or Groups without telling me what they got? A: No. When someone steals your cards, they must show you what they took. Instant Attacks --------------- Q: Can Plot cards which increase a Group's Power, for one use only, be used to help fight an Instant attack - that is, a Disaster or an Assassination? A: In general, no, because such cards don't specifically say that they can be used against such attacks. However, if a Group has a special ability to interfere in some type of Instant attack, then Plots that increase its power can be used before it gives its aid. Likewise, if the attack is one like Giant Kudzu, which does allow other groups to help, then groups may have their Power boosted before they help, and the target group may also have its Power boosted to help it defend. (Rationale: The "Giant Kudzu" is conceived of as a very slow disaster; there is time for outside aid.) Knocking -------- Q: The rules mention "knocking," but don't define it. What is it? A: Sorry. The term comes from euchre. It means to knock on the table to alert the next player and tell them it's their turn. Q: If you say "That's all," but don't actually knock on the table, is it the next player's turn?" A: Whatever your group wants to accept, as long as it's clear to everyone. Fooling someone into thinking it's their turn, when it's not, is not acceptable behavior unless it's a cheating game. Links ----- Q: Why would you want to link a person to a place? A: Because the card for that particular person or place specified some advantage to be gained by such a link. If neither the Personality nor the Place card specifies a reason for a link, we suggest that you just not do it, thus cleverly avoiding any pointless "what if" questions. Goals and Victory ----------------- Q: What's to stop someone from hiding extra Goals in his hand, and discarding them before showing one Goal and claiming a win? A: Well, it's cheating. Someone who would do that would mark cards or steal your Action tokens, too . . . We don't have a specific punishment for it, any more than we do for any other type of cheating. Q: What happens if two players, playing the same Illuminati, meet their Goals at the same time? A: The rules say they can't share a win. Since they cannot share a win, neither of them wins. Unless some other player(s) also have reached their Goals, the game continues. Yes, this means that if you cannot stop player A any other way, perhaps you can stave off his win by a turn if you aid player B who happens to have the same Illuminati . . . Q: How do the goals on Goal cards interact with the original goals of the Illuminati groups? A: Read the cards. Most Goals specifically say that they can't be combined with other goals in any way. Two of them allow certain cards to count double toward the Basic Goal (number of groups controlled). One Goal just clones the Bavarian goal (control a total of 55 Power). The goals from different or multiple Goal cards cannot be combined in any way, even if it's legal for you to have more than one Goal card . . . which it isn't, unless you are the UFOs or have a Plot card that allows multiple goals! No group or Resource may ever count more than double toward the Basic Goal. Q: If a Plot or special ability changes a group's Power or Alignment, does that count for goals? A: The rules specifically say (top of p. 5) that Power changes count for goals only if they are permanent. There is no such note under Alignments - an alignment change that only lasts until the end of the turn does count toward (or against) a win at the end of that turn. However, after the end of that turn, it doesn't count for anything. Q: Is that true even if the group is destroyed? A: Yes. If you turn a group permanently Peaceful and destroy it, it counts as a destroyed Peaceful group for all purposes. If you turn it temporarily Peaceful and destroy it, it would count for a win at the end of that turn, but not later. Secret Groups ------------- Q: The rules say that a Secret group's master and puppets can always aid its attacks. Does that mean "even regardless of alignments?" A: No. The group must still have either Global Power or an appropriate alignment in order to aid its Secret master or puppet. The rule just means that a group is not barred from aiding its master or puppet because of Secrecy. Starting the Game ----------------- Q: You start the game with one puppet. Is that put out immediately, or is that the automatic takeover that you will get on your first turn? A: It is put out immediately. On your first turn, you get an automatic takeover - that is a different card.