User:Amberblueaz/sandbox

CODEX Card Game

Codex is a card game created in 2010 by Gregg M. Cox and marketed worldwide by C&C International. Codex consists of a number of code cards containing a random series of five numbers and colors, joker cards, lock cards and number cards in either red, yellow, blue, black or green. The object of the game is to be the first to decipher the code through use of the number cards or in combination with the joker cards.

Inventor Gregg M. Cox Publisher(s)	C&C International Players	Two to four (unlimited with additional cards) Setup time	Less than 1 min Playing time	Approximately 20 minutes

Contents: 50 Number cards 15 Wild cards 5 Lock cards 10 Code cards

Preparation

Remove the two decks of cards from the box, separate the Code cards placing them face down in a separate stack within reach of all players and shuffle the remaining cards together.

From this deck, deal out a hand of five (5) cards, one at a time and face down, to each player.

Players hold their five (5) cards in hand, out of view of the other players. The remaining cards are placed face down within reach of all players, to become the Draw pile.

Following the deal, each player, from the dealer´s left draws one (1) Code card from the Code pile. Following the draw, each player places their Code card face up in view of the other players. Any remaining Code cards are placed to the side, out of play.

The top card of the Draw pile is turned face up and placed next to the Draw pile, to become the Discard pile. Each player looks at their Code card and visually tries to match a corresponding number and its color with any of the cards held. Only numbers in sequence, first code number, followed by the second, third, fourth, fifth to the Code card may be placed. No play out of sequence is allowed.

CARD TYPES

Code cards:

Code cards display a five (5) digit code comprised of numbers 1,2,3,4 and 5 of various colors (red, green, blue, yellow or black). Each code is unique to each player and it is this code that the player tries to compose, before any of the other players in order to win the game.

Number cards:

Number cards display a single number 1,2,3,4 or 5 in either red, green, blue, yellow or black. Number cards are used to compose the required code found on the Code cards.

Wild cards:

Wild cards are those cards which display a single color in either, red, green, blue, yellow or black. Wild cards are used to change a number of the same type required on the Code card, but of a different color into the color of the Wild card.

Lock cards:

Lock cards are those cards displaying a closed lock. Lock cards are used to either lock the next player from their turn, by placing it on the Discard pile, or by canceling a Reverse pile or Hold pile at any stage of its development. Once a Reverse or Hold pile is canceled, the cards are placed aside. Lock cards may not however be used to start a Reverse pile or a Hold pile. In the case of a lock out, if the next player also holds a Lock card, they may play it on the Discard pile and continue with their turn.

GAME PLAY Play begins with the player to the left of the dealer, and continues clock wise. In turn, the player may draw the top card from the Draw pile or take the top displayed card next to the Draw pile and add it to their hand.

If the player has a Number card that matches both the number and its color of the number of the player´s Code card, the player may discard the Number card and display it below their Code card, but only in the same sequence as that of the code on the Code card.

If the player has a Number card that matches the number of their Code card, but is of a different color, this card may not be used, unless the player is holding a Wild card with the corresponding color required for the Code. In this case, both the Wild card and the Number card are displayed below the Code card.

Once a Wild card has been played as a certain card in a code sequence, it cannot be replaced by the intended card and used elsewhere.

If the player has the next corresponding Code number and so on, these cards may also be attached below the Code card in sequential order. The player however must retain two cards required for discard to end their turn regardless if all of the cards held can be used.

If no cards can be used, the player ends their turn by discarding two cards-one in the Discard pile and one in either the player´s own Hold pile, or in a Reverse pile. If a card cannot be discarded in either a Hold or Reverse pile, the player must sit out their following turn, and discard their second card while beginning their next turn.

A Reverse pile is begun by placing a discarded Wild card or number five (5) card within the playing field, in reach of each player. The next player may discard their card, in descending order 5,4,3,2,1 on the Reverse pile or begin another Reverse pile with a five (5) or Wild card.

A Hold pile is begun by placing any Number card, a five (5) only when two (2) Reverse piles exist, or Wild card into a column of cards held by the player.

Hold piles must be displayed face up, in sequence either descending 5,4,3,2,1 or ascending 1,2,3,4,5 or of the same number or of the same color, but no player may maintain more than two (2) Hold piles at any time. Wild cards can be used as any number but not as any color. If only one (1) Reverse stack is in play, Number cards displaying a five (5) may not be placed in the Hold pile, but must be played in a new Reverse pile. A maximum of two (2) Reverse piles may be in play at any time.

Once a Reverse pile of five (5) cards has been completed or cancelled through the use of a Lock card, the Reverse pile is removed and placed aside. A new Reverse pile may be started in its place. In turn, a player may select either the top card from the Draw pile, the top displayed card next to the Draw pile, or one (1) of the last cards placed in their own Hold piles.

After the player determines if any cards can be played, the turn is ended with the discard of two (2) cards.

Any player may not hold more than five (5) cards to begin a turn. At the beginning of each turn, the player draws enough cards from the Draw pile to bring their hand to five (5) cards.

If the Draw pile becomes exhausted, cards from the Discard pile and closed Reverse and Hold piles are shuffled to form a new Draw pile. A player can never play all five (5) cards from their hand as two (2) cards are needed to discard to end the turn.

No new cards are to be drawn at the end of turn, only at the beginning of the next turn.

The first player to complete their code sequence wins the game.

References •	Rules for playing Codex (PDF)- http://service.mattel.com/instruction_sheets/42050.pdf •	C&C International. (2012). http://c-c-intl.com/index.php?route=common/home •	2012 Salon de Comic Barcelona. http://www.brevan.net/1967_skip_bo_files/Skip%20bo%20Rules.pdf •	2012 Comic Con San Diego- http://www.comic-con.org/