Rats with Gats — TL;DR
+Ordinary rats. Math Magic. Extremely questionable piracy. A one-page rules reference.
+ +1. Muster the crew
+3–6 players; one deck with both Jokers. Everyone makes a Pi-Rat: looks, smell, first words, math ability, and what others like/hate about them. Names come later.
+Write 3 Secret Pirate Techniques, swap them with other players, then assign your new techniques to J, Q and K.
+Random starting ranks: one Rank 3 (first Deep), one Rank 1 (first Pi-Rat), everyone else Rank 2 (choose either role).
+Hand limits: highest rank 4, middle 3, lowest 2; compare the whole crew. Captain gets +1. Draw your starting hand to its limit. Draw immediately when your hand limit increases.
+2. Set a scene
+At least one player is a Pi-Rat (take action); at least one is the Deep (world, NPCs and trouble). Last scene’s Deep must play Pi-Rats next.
+Shuffle discards into the deck. Keep unfinished Obstacles and draw until the list has at least Deep players + 1 cards, plus any accumulated Joker increases.
+The Deep frames an urgent problem using the Obstacle tables. First scene: steal the ship you’re on!
+Suit themes: ♣ shootin’ & stabbin’; ♠ sneakin’ & schemin’; ♦ swimmin’ & sailin’; ♥ shoutin’ & singin’.
+3. Face a Challenge
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- The Deep states success/failure stakes and applies one or more Obstacles. +
- Play up to one card per Obstacle. Beat its current value to succeed. Equal, lower or no card = failure. +
- One success passes the Challenge; every failed Obstacle adds a complication. Narrate success using your card’s suit (or Technique). +
- Stack played cards beneath each Obstacle. The last card sets its next value; the original card keeps its suit/color. +
- After resolution, draw a replacement for each of your cards matching the original Obstacle’s color, even on failure. +
Discard an Obstacle and its column after one success per player in the whole group.
+4. Know your cards
+A = 1; 2–10 = printed value. A Gat adds +1 to black cards; a Name adds +1 to red cards.
+J / Q / K: your assigned Secret Pirate Technique automatically succeeds. As an Obstacle or the last card beneath one, its value is the challenged Pi-Rat’s rank.
+Joker in hand: before or after a Challenge, discard and replace one Obstacle (and its column); discard the Joker. Drawn as an Obstacle: discard it; permanently increase the list requirement by 1 starting next scene.
+Helping: only with multiple applied Obstacles. Each helper plays one card and shares the outcome; helpers don’t draw replacements.
+Duels: attacker plays a temporary Obstacle; defender responds normally. Discard the duel cards afterward. Only the defender gets color-match replacements.
+5. Chase glory
+Personal, in order: get a Gat → earn a Name → die like a pirate (or retire). The group decides when you’ve earned each. First two: +1 rank each; third: give another Pi-Rat +1 rank.
+Crew, in order: steal a ship → choose a Captain → commit piracy.
+Captain: highest rank after taking a ship; can be challenged for command. +1 hand limit, final say in crew disputes and vote ties; −1 rank whenever they personally fail a Challenge.
+Gat / Name Taxes: ask an eligible crewmate to take your Challenge for a random card. Refusal puts their Gat or Name at stake. Read the full tax rules before using them.
+6. Wrap up & go again
+The Deep may end the scene once every participating Pi-Rat has faced a Challenge and had an Objective opportunity, or no Obstacles remain, or all Pi-Rats have fled/been incapacitated.
+Flee before or after a Challenge; you’re out of the scene and don’t count as progressing or completing Objectives that scene.
+Between scenes: everyone votes for another Pi-Rat who wasn’t Deep; most votes earns +1 rank. Resolve ties together (Captain breaks ties). Apply Objective rank rewards.
+Only the previous Deep may discard any cards and refill to their hand limit. Rotate roles and set the next scene.
+End the story when the group is ready—ideally after everyone tries the Deep, each rat earns an Objective, and the crew completes all three. Celebrate!
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