Martial Art rules FAQ and card list
- Game: Martial Art (2016)
- Battle deck: 60 cards
Martial Art's 60-card Battle deck runs from strength 0 (Supplies, Chaos, Ninja) to 14 (Ronin), with Cavalry the most common card at 9 copies. Supplies always come back to your hand, Legends are only gained through the Apprentice, there is no limit on Support cards, and tie-break flips use the number only.
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The Martial Art rule booklet was small enough to fit in the tuck box, so the publisher kept its card clarifications online. These are those rulings, restated in our own words, with the deck list.
Battle cards in the deck
| Strength | Card | Copies |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Supplies | 2 |
| 0 | Chaos | 1 |
| 0 | Ninja | 2 |
| 1 | Geisha | 3 |
| 2 | Apprentice | 2 |
| 3 | Archer | 4 |
| 4 | Peasants | 3 |
| 5 | Assassin | 3 |
| 6 | Raider | 4 |
| 7 | Scout | 4 |
| 8 | Cavalry | 9 |
| 9 | Samurai | 7 |
| 10 | Commander | 6 |
| 11 | Daimyo | 4 |
| 12 | Emperor | 1 |
| 12 | Shogun | 1 |
| 13 | Legend | 2 |
| 14 | Ronin | 2 |
That adds up to 60. If your count is short, check whether the two Legend cards are in their own pile (see below).
Rulings
Supplies. Supplies is an ordinary Battle card you can play. Win or lose, it goes back to your hand after the battle.
Legend cards. You can only get a Legend by playing the Apprentice. Keep the Legends face up in their own pile next to the table. When one is played, it goes back to that pile. Legends are never shuffled into the Battle deck.
Support cards. A Support card can be played two ways:
- As the card says, at the time it says. Its effect happens immediately and the card is discarded. For example, Cavalry played after the reveal adds 1 to your strength on the spot.
- Face down as your Battle card. Then its text does nothing; it is just a Battle card with its printed strength.
How many Support cards per battle. As many as you like. With a Raider (6) in battle and three Cavalry plus an Archer in hand, you could play all four as support and finish at 12.
Ties. When players flip cards to break a tie, only the printed number counts. Card text is ignored.
Geisha. Geisha wipes out the rules text on one card, for every player, not just for you.
Ninja. After you reveal a Ninja, you must play another card. You can always do it, because Supplies never leaves your hand for long.
Using the Battlefields expansion?
Battlefields replaces the original Geisha with two narrower cards, one that cancels a Battle card and one that cancels Support. If you play with the expansion, take the original Geisha cards out.
Questions people ask
How many Cavalry cards are in Martial Art?
Nine, more than any other card. Samurai is next with seven.
Can I play more than one Support card in a battle?
Yes. There is no limit. Each one takes effect as you play it and is then discarded.
Do card effects count when flipping to break a tie?
No. Only the number on the flipped card matters.
Does Geisha cancel a card for everyone or just for me?
For everyone. Geisha removes all rules text from one card for the rest of that battle.
Is it optional to play another card after revealing a Ninja?
No, it's required. You always have at least one card to play, because Supplies always return to your hand.