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Love Letter
Z-Man Games · 2019
2–620 min10+ yrs1.1/5 complexity7.2 BGG
⚡ short answer
How do you play Love Letter?
The goal of Love Letter is to be the first player to collect a certain number of affection tokens. You win a round by having the highest-valued card in your hand when the deck runs out, or by being the last player remaining in the round after all others have been eliminated.
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FromRON 64· 2 shops
▶ Watch It Played · Love Letter (2nd Edition) - How To Play
Love Letter (2nd Edition) - How To Play
Watch It Played· 13 min· published Jul 11, 2019Community
the rules in 60 seconds▶ auto · 1/6
🧩
01
Setup
Each player gets a reference card, then shuffle the 21 character cards to form a deck, remove one card face down, and deal one card to each player as their starting hand.
The rules, step by step
Setup
Each player receives a reference card that lists the value, effects, and number of each character card. Shuffle the 21 character cards to create the draw pile and place it face down on the table. Remove one card from the deck and place it face down to the side without looking at it. If playing with two players, remove three additional cards face up. Each player then draws one card from the deck to form their starting hand.
Objective
The goal of Love Letter is to be the first player to collect a certain number of affection tokens. You win a round by having the highest-valued card in your hand when the deck runs out, or by being the last player remaining in the round after all others have been eliminated.
On your turn
Love Letter is played clockwise. On your turn, draw one card from the deck. You will now have two cards in your hand. Choose one of these two cards to play face up in front of you and resolve its effect. The other card remains in your hand. Some cards will eliminate players from the current round.
Scoring
A round can end in two ways: either the draw pile runs out, or only one player remains in the game. If the draw pile runs out, all remaining players reveal their hand cards, and the player with the highest-valued card wins the round and an affection token. If there's a tie for the highest value, all tied players win an affection token. If only one player remains, that player wins the round and an affection token.
Game end
The game ends when a player has collected enough affection tokens. The number of tokens needed depends on the number of players: 7 tokens for 2 players, 5 for 3 players, 4 for 4 players, and 3 for 5-6 players. Multiple players can win simultaneously if they reach the required number of tokens in the same round.
Tips
It's crucial to keep track of which cards have been played and which remain in the deck. All played or discarded cards should always be visible to all players. Use the reference card to understand the effects of each character and strategize your plays. For example, the Princess (value 9) eliminates you if discarded, while the Countess (value 8) must be played if you also hold the King or a Prince. The King (value 7) allows you to swap hands with another player, and the Chancellor (value 6) lets you draw two cards, keep one, and place two at the bottom of the deck. The Prince (value 5) forces a player to discard their hand and draw a new one. The Handmaid (value 4) protects you from other players' card effects until your next turn. The Baron (value 3) lets you compare hands with another player, eliminating the one with the lower value. The Priest (value 2) allows you to secretly look at another player's hand. The Guard (value 1) lets you guess another player's card, eliminating them if you're correct (except for the Guard itself). The Spy (value 0) grants an affection token if no other player played or discarded a Spy in the round.
🔬 game anatomy
Complexity1.1 / 5
BGG rating7.2 / 10
Language dependence
Some text — easily memorized
Play time
20 min
Players
2–6
Recommended age
10+ yrs
✨ from Trișache · verified
Frequently asked questions
Q1What is the goal of the game?
The goal of Love Letter is to be the first player to collect a certain number of affection tokens. You win a round by having the highest-valued card in your hand when the deck runs out, or by being the last player remaining in the round after all others have been eliminated.
Q2How do you set up the game?
Each player receives a reference card that lists the value, effects, and number of each character card. Shuffle the 21 character cards to create the draw pile and place it face down on the table. Remove one card from the deck and place it face down to the side without looking at it. If playing with two players, remove three additional cards face up. Each player then draws one card from the deck to form their starting hand.
Q3How does a turn work?
Love Letter is played clockwise. On your turn, draw one card from the deck. You will now have two cards in your hand. Choose one of these two cards to play face up in front of you and resolve its effect. The other card remains in your hand. Some cards will eliminate players from the current round.
Q4How is scoring calculated?
A round can end in two ways: either the draw pile runs out, or only one player remains in the game. If the draw pile runs out, all remaining players reveal their hand cards, and the player with the highest-valued card wins the round and an affection token. If there's a tie for the highest value, all tied players win an affection token. If only one player remains, that player wins the round and an affection token.
Q5When and how does the game end?
The game ends when a player has collected enough affection tokens. The number of tokens needed depends on the number of players: 7 tokens for 2 players, 5 for 3 players, 4 for 4 players, and 3 for 5-6 players. Multiple players can win simultaneously if they reach the required number of tokens in the same round.
Q6What tips are there for beginners?
It's crucial to keep track of which cards have been played and which remain in the deck. All played or discarded cards should always be visible to all players. Use the reference card to understand the effects of each character and strategize your plays. For example, the Princess (value 9) eliminates you if discarded, while the Countess (value 8) must be played if you also hold the King or a Prince. The King (value 7) allows you to swap hands with another player, and the Chancellor (value 6) lets you draw two cards, keep one, and place two at the bottom of the deck. The Prince (value 5) forces a player to discard their hand and draw a new one. The Handmaid (value 4) protects you from other players' card effects until your next turn. The Baron (value 3) lets you compare hands with another player, eliminating the one with the lower value. The Priest (value 2) allows you to secretly look at another player's hand. The Guard (value 1) lets you guess another player's card, eliminating them if you're correct (except for the Guard itself). The Spy (value 0) grants an affection token if no other player played or discarded a Spy in the round.
Q7How much does Love Letter cost?
Love Letter costs between 64 and 105 RON across Romanian stores.
Q8Where can I buy Love Letter cheapest?
The lowest price for Love Letter right now is 64 RON at librarie.net. The Prices tab lists every store currently tracking it.
Q9How do you play Love Letter?
Love Letter is a card game game, for 2–6 players, taking ~20 minutes, featuring deduction. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Love Letter — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q10How many players does Love Letter support?
Love Letter is played by 2–6 players.
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Regatul JocurilorEnglish edition 2019
Love Letter (2-6p) (2019 English Edition)
free over RON 149
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