HOW TO START HOW TO PLAY THE CARDS

There are 5 types of cards in the game.

Give a Reference card to each player. Place any remaining THE TURN
Reference cards back in the box. Players take turns by going clockwise around the table. Instant cards can be played any time any other
Each turn is made up of 4 phases. player plays a card (unless otherwise stated). If
Allow each player to choose their favorite Baby Unicorn
an Instant card is played in response to a card
card and place it in their Stable. Place any remaining
Beginning of If any cards in your Stable have an you played, you may respond with an Instant
Baby Unicorn cards in the Nursery.
Turn phase: effect that states, “If this card is card of your own (even though you already
in your Stable at the beginning of played a card this turn). Any number of Instant
your turn,” they are triggered now. cards can be chained during a single turn.
If you move to your Draw phase
Upgrade cards grant positive effects.
without triggering an optional
You can play an Upgrade card in any player’s
triggered effect, you can no longer
Stable. An Upgrade card in your Stable affects
trigger that effect this turn.
only your Stable (unless otherwise stated).
Draw phase: DRAW 1 card from the deck. Downgrade cards impose negative effects.
You can play a Downgrade card in any player’s
Action phase: Play a card from your hand or Stable. A Downgrade card in your Stable affects
DRAW an additional card from only your Stable (unless otherwise stated).
the deck.
Magic cards have one-time effects. When you
End of Turn phase: DISCARD until the number of play a Magic card, it immediately takes effect
Shuffle the black-backed cards (including any expansion
cards in your hand does not and is then discarded.
cards you want to use) together to create the deck, then
deal 5 cards to each player. exceed the hand limit. The Unicorn cards. You can play a Unicorn card in
hand limit is 7 cards (unless any player’s Stable. There are 3 sub-types of
Whoever is wearing the most colors is obviously the otherwise stated). Unicorn cards:
unicorniest, so they go first!

THE TERMS Baby Unicorn cards are Unicorns

Here is a list of defined terms you will see in the game: that only enter a Stable from the
Nursery. They are never added to
Set-Up Terms the deck, a player’s hand, or the
Stable: The area in which you play Unicorn cards, discard pile.
Upgrade cards, and Downgrade cards.
Nursery: The area in which Baby Unicorn cards that are Basic Unicorn cards are Unicorns.
not in any player’s Stable are kept. They don’t have any effects, but
Deck: The stack of black-backed cards from which players they might have a special place in
DRAW during the game. This may include black-backed your heart.
cards from any of the expansion packs.
Discard pile: The stack of black-backed cards that have Magical Unicorn cards are Unicorns
been sacrificed, destroyed, or discarded during the game. that have effects. Some have
Additionally, some card effects require cards to be moved triggered effects, while others have
to the discard pile. continuous effects.

Active Terms
SACRIFICE: Send a card in your Stable to the discard pile.
DESTROY: Send a card from any other player’s Stable to
the discard pile.
STEAL: Move a card from any other player’s Stable into
your Stable.
DISCARD: Send a card from your hand to the discard pile.
DRAW: Pull a card from the top of the deck and add it to
your hand.
THE SPECIFICS Order of Resolution: The Effect Chain Resolving Instant Cards Play vs. Bring Directly into Your Stable
Sometimes, the effect of one card triggers the effect Whenever any player plays a card, any other player may "Play" specifically refers to playing a card from your hand
Action Phase of another card. When this happens, each effect is respond with an Instant card. If a player chooses to during your Action phase or playing an Instant card at any
During your Action phase, you may do one of the considered its own link in an effect chain. You must respond, their Instant card is placed on top of the card time. If you “bring a card directly into your Stable,” you
following (unless otherwise stated): resolve the effect of the first link before moving on to to which they are responding. This creates a pile. Once do not “play” that card. This means that any card that is
• Play an Upgrade card the next link in the chain. All links in the chain must a pile has been created, you may only ever respond to brought directly into your Stable cannot be Neigh’d.
resolve before gameplay continues. the top card of the pile. If multiple players attempt to
Immunity
• Play a Downgrade card respond to a single card, the player who responded the
Some cards specify that they can’t be “affected” by certain
There are times when multiple effects may trigger fastest adds their card to the pile and all other cards
• Play a Magic card things. Cards
* can be “affected” directly or indirectly. Direct
simultaneously, such as during your Beginning of Turn played in response are returned to their players' hands.
effects target a card individually or as part of a group.
• Play a Unicorn card phase. All of these effects are considered to be a single
Indirect effects require a player to target a card or perform
link in the effect chain. Any targets of these effects must Players may continue to respond to each new top card
OR DRAW a card an action that affects a card. If a card states “this card
be chosen before this link in the effect chain resolves. in a pile until all players have declared that they do not
cannot be affected,” it is immune to both direct and
Stables and Effects If any of these effects trigger the effect of another card, intend to respond any further. When determining the
indirect effects.
Unicorn cards, Upgrade cards, and Downgrade cards another link is added to the effect chain. order of resolution for a pile, always start at the top
have no effect while they are in your hand. Their of the pile by first resolving the card that was played Pull vs. Choose
If multiple triggered effects require a target, the same When you “pull” a card, it must be picked randomly. When
effects are only active when they are in your Stable. most recently, then resolve each consecutive card in
card may not be selected twice in the same link. If there you “choose” a card, you can look at your options and pick
order. Each time a card is resolved, one or more cards
Triggered and Continuous Effects are not enough cards to target, you may only trigger as whichever card you want.
is removed from the pile, presenting an opportunity for
Some effects are only triggered by certain conditions. many effects as you have options for targets. You must
the new top card of the pile to be responded to again. Searching for Cards
Triggered effects are always preceded by an “if” or “when.” select targets for mandatory effects before selecting
Some card effects allow you to search the deck or the
targets for optional effects.
Some triggered effects are mandatory (ex. “If this card is in discard pile for a card (ex. “When this card enters your
your Stable at the beginning of your turn, DISCARD a card.”), No player can win until an effect chain has been Stable, you may search the deck for a Downgrade card
while others are optional (“If this card is in your Stable at completely resolved. and add it to your hand.”). Once you have retrieved that
the beginning of your turn, you may STEAL a Unicorn.”). card, you must reveal the card you chose to each other
player before adding it to your hand.

Any effect on an Upgrade card, Downgrade card,

or Unicorn card that is not a triggered effect can be
BEGINNING OF TURN EFFECT CHAIN
Card Effects with Multiple Actions
When a card effect requires multiple actions, those actions
HOW TO WIN
assumed to be a continuous effect. A card’s continuous are sometimes separated by “and,” “then,” or “If you do.” The first person with the required number of Unicorns in
effect is active as long as that card is in a Stable (unless EFFECT EFFECT EFFECT When resolving card effects, always perform multiple their Stable wins. Each Unicorn card counts for 1 Unicorn
EFFECTS RESOLVE
SIMULTANEOUSLY

otherwise stated). TRIGGERS TRIGGERS TRIGGERS actions in the order in which they are listed on the card. (unless otherwise stated). If a player reaches the required
LINK 1

Player Targeting number of Unicorns while an effect chain is active, that

TARGET TARGET NO TARGET If a card says “and,” you must perform both actions.
Cards use specific terminology when referring to players. REQUIRED REQUIRED REQUIRED player is not declared the winner until all links in that
effect chain have resolved.
If a card says “then,” you may only perform the second
Any player refers to any single player, including you.
action if you successfully perform the first action. 2 – 5 Players: 7 Unicorns to win
Any other player refers to any single player, excluding you.
EFFECT EFFECT If a card says “If you do,” only perform the second
EFFECTS RESOLVE
SIMULTANEOUSLY

6 – 8 Players: 6 Unicorns to win

TRIGGERS TRIGGERS action if you choose to perform the first action.
LINK 2

Each player refers to every player, including you.

If the deck runs out of cards before any player reaches
NO TARGET TARGET Impossible Actions
Each other player refers to every player, excluding you. REQUIRED REQUIRED the required number of Unicorns in their Stable, the
If you have a card in your hand that requires you to player with the most Unicorns wins.
Any number of players refers to as many players as you perform an impossible action, you may not play it.
choose, excluding you. Sometimes, however, the effect of a card in your Stable If two or more players tie for the most Unicorns in their
or a card played by any other player may require you to Stable, each tied player must add up the number of
EFFECT
TRIGGERS perform an impossible action. If this situation occurs, letters in the names of all the Unicorn cards in their
LINK 3

disregard that action. Some impossible actions include: Stable. The player with the most letters wins. If two or
NO TARGET more players tie for the most Unicorns and the most
REQUIRED • DISCARD when you have no cards in your hand letters, everyone loses.
• SACRIFICE a card when you have no cards
*For further rule clarifications or to download the
in your Stable
EFFECT CHAIN COMPLETELY RESOLVED 1-Player and 2-Player rules, visit UnstableUnicorns.com.
• SACRIFICE a card that cannot be sacrificed