Summary
Sultan’s Gamewill challenge players' patience, morals, and most likely, their capability to think outside the box. It is a game unlike any other game they will be able to find today. However, it has some triggering elements (violence, depravity, murder, and debauchery) that can be deterring for certain audiences, so be careful when stepping into this card game’s world.
For those who darechallenge themselves and the Sultanin his wicked game, this list offers some useful tips that will help them survive each round, make the most of all opportunities, and, most importantly, break each challenge card successfully.
Equipment Is Key To Survival
It Will Boost Your Character Cards' Stats
Thoughthe Sultan’s Game is quite vaguewith this detail during the tutorial, players will soon learn that they can equip certain ‘items’ in the shape of other cards using the Equipment Event next to their Household. This is one of the most critical mechanics in the game since it will allow players to boost importantAttributeslikeCharisma, and this will, of course, allow them to use their cards effectively in each of the events happening in the game.
Equipment can be obtained in three different ways: As gifts from courtesans and the Sultan’s allies, purchasing them from the Merchant, or through certain Timed Events that happen at random during each Day/Night Cycle. Remember, the player’s allies and spouses can also be equipped, and this will give them an edge while completing each task.
Manage Your Household Carefully
It Is Your Main Source Of Income, And Money Is King (Well, Sultan)
To buy Equipment, players need coins. To bribe politicians and corrupt agents of rival nobles, players need coin. To break Extravagance cards, players need coins. As players might have guessed, the coin is the currency that makes the game flow, and without it, they are stuck and heading directly towards their execution.
There are several ways to obtain a steady influx of Coin, but the best way is to put their spouses (or allies) to manage the household, so they can earn a steady source of income each day. Be careful though, there’s a chance for a bad roll to leave them with no coin that day, and that will be bad for the flow of the game.
Don’t Miss Time-Limited Events
They Only Pop Up Once, And Offer Tons Of Useful Cards As Rewards
Some Time-Limited Events appear once during the player’s run and offer unique chances for players to get items, improve certain cards, and even gain useful intelligence to keep playing the Sultan’s Game without dying in the attempt.
Some events might require persuasion, others cohesion, and others a little bit of bribery. So, keep an eye out for these and measure every action depending on the Ally cards' stats. Remember that opportunity cards often offer stat boosts and re-rolls to make sure you get the best outcome out of every event.
Respond To Court Summons ASAP
You’ll Regret It Otherwise
Vizirs, The Sultan, and Political Allies/Enemies might summon playersto court from time to time. Attending at once it is the most intelligent thing to do since it will give less time for enemies to slander the player and will please potential allies and grant them better opportunity cards.
The better the stats of the Player’s card, the higher the chances for them to get higher quality opportunities in exchange for their political support, advice, and political squander with rivals. Think fast, and never waste Court Summons because they can also unlock Sultan Card resolution events.
If You Are Stuck, Ask Methinks
It Recharges When Using Opportunities Or After A Few Rounds
Methinks is the skeleton figure in the bottom left corner, and it will help players to reveal certain opportunities, events, and Sultan Card resolution events that would otherwise be hidden from the player. It can also trigger special events in Ally cards that will help them progress in quality and attributes.
Each time players use Methinks, they will spend a charge of it. Look for more opportunities, play rounds, and gain the upper hand in the Grand Game (Sultan Court) to recharge this useful feature.
Use Opportunities If You Need Them
They Are The Key To Victory
Opportunity Cards are buffs that can be attached to the player’s main card or the allies during certain resolutions, events, and interactions with Allies/Enemies (for example, court summons). These come in several qualities (like any card) from stone to gold and offer better stats depending on their type and extra dice rolls.
These cards are meant to be used to improve Rolls in daily resolutions and to save time and money that players might need to invest in breaking Sultan Cards before the time expires. Players can also improve them later using one of the many opportunities offered during the Grand Game. By spending 4 cards of the same quality, they will be able to receive a higher-quality one, which can help them deal with accumulated low-level opportunities.
Don’t Lose Your Wife
If She Leaves It Will Be Your Downfall
There are many ways in which players might displease their Wives, one of which is to consort with Prostitutes and other mistresses, or accumulate too much infamy, being cruel towards her or the servants/followers, and executing random acts of violence and debauchery. So, keeping a marriage stable might bemore difficult than what players might think.
The player’s spouse can leave at any given time (or be murdered, kidnapped, or other random events), and losing her and the bonuses she brings (plus a valuable ally to help them in each round) is nearly equal to losing the Sultan’s Game. Think of the Wife as the best Chess Piece (The Queen), and one just doesn’t lose the Queen unless they’re absolutely sure they can crown a pawn, or they can do a checkmate by sacrificing her.
Play Golden Cards With Extreme Care
They Might Pop Up Early, But You Will Need Them For The Endgame
If players are extremely lucky, or solve a good turn in the Great Game, they might gain the Sultan’s Favor and receive a Golden Card (Opportunity, Ally, etc). This is a godsend, especially in the endgame, when players are just a few cards away from beating the game, and they might need a few of these to boost their chances of solving encounters favorably.
But, if players spend them unwisely earlier during the game, they might find themselves trapped in an inescapable situation later in the game: In other words, stuck. Measure each play of these cards cautiously, and be especially careful not to play The Sultan Card in court (in front of the Sultan) or alongside the players' Wife as it might have terrible consequences.
