Components

• 78 cards

Object of the Game

Have the fewest points in hand by casting spells to collect Baba Yaga cards, along with other low-scoring cards.

Setup

Separate the Baba Yaga cards (red back) and the Owl spell cards (teal back) from the main deck (black back) and place each in a pile in the middle of the playing area.

Take a moment to identify the different cards that make up the main deck. Note that the majority are potion cards (valued 1-7). In addition, there are three types of spell cards: Pelicans, Baba Yaga's Cats, and Baba Yaga's Lost Wand.

Each spell has an activation value printed in the corner. There are also two special cards: Garlic and Mortar.

Once you are familiar with the cards, shuffle the main deck and deal 5 face down to each player. (Keep your cards in your hand, secret from opponents).

Stack the deck face- down in the center of the playing area to form a draw pile. Draw the top two cards and place one face up on either side of the draw pile to form discard piles.

Tutorial and Review Video

Game Play

Whoever last saw a black cat starts the game and play continues to the left. On your turn, take one of the following actions, making sure to end your turn with 5 cards in hand.

1. Exchange a card

   Place any single card from your hand on one of the two discard piles and then either take the top card from the draw pile or the top card from the opposite discard pile, as long as it is not a spell card that was recently activated.

   Note: If there is ever only one discard pile, you must discard your card to the opposite pile.

2. Cast a Spell

   If you have a spell card (Pelican, Owl, Cats, Lost Wand) you may activate it by discarding a number of potion cards whose total adds up to the activation value of the spell card.

   

   For example a 3 potion and a 4 potion will activate a Pelican spell.

   Place the potion cards on one of the discard piles and on top of them place the spell card. After following the actions of the spell, replenish your hand to 5 cards by taking any remaining cards from the draw pile.

   Remember: The total sum of the potion cards must be exactly equal to the value of the spell for it to be active. If you place a spell without any potion cards it is not active, and the next player can take it.

3. Declare "Baba Yaga!"

   If the total value of your hand is 4 or less, you can declare "Baba Yaga!" and end the game.

Important Tip!

The back side of the Baba Yaga cards is red, the back side of the Owl cards is teal.

Keep an eye on your opponents' hands and try to estimate, according to their behavior and cards, how close they are to declaring "Baba Yaga!"

If the draw pile runs out - shuffle both discard piles to form a new a draw pile. Any Owl cards that were in the discard piles will now be a part of the draw pile and can be exchanged by players on their turns.

Spells

The key to getting a low-scoring hand is collecting Baba Yaga cards, whose value is 0. In order to get them, you will have to cast Pelican and Owl spells.

A Pelican can turn into a Baba Yaga or an Owl.

Discard potion cards from your hand that add up to 7, along with the Pelican card and then draw either one Baba Yaga card or one Owl card from its respective pile.

Replenish your hand back up to 5 cards (if necessary) from the draw pile.

An Owl can turn into two Baba Yagas.

Discard potion cards that add up to 7 from your hand, along with the Owl card and then draw two Baba Yaga cards from the pile.

Replenish your hand back up to 5 cards (if necessary) from the draw pile.

Baba Yaga's Cats and Lost Wand

In the main deck hide Baba Yaga's cats and her lost wand. Both of these have magical powers that can allow you to influence your opponents' plans.

Take a Baba Yaga or Owl card from another player.

Discard potion cards that add up to 7 from your hand, along with the Cats card. Then take either a Baba Yaga or Owl card from another player of your choosing I.

That player has to give you the card and take a different card from the draw pile. Replenish your hand back up to 5 cards from the draw pile.

Dispel Baba Yagas and Owls.

Discard potion cards that add up to 8 from your hand, along with the Lost Wand card. Then, declare whether you wish to dispel Baba Yagas or Owls.

Every player who has that card in hand (except you) must return one to its respective pile and take a different card from the draw pile. Replenish your hand back up to 5 cards from the draw pile.

Special Cards

• Garlic protects you from spells.

  

  If another player casts a Lost Wand or a Cats spell on you, you can instantly block it using a Garlic card. Instead of doing what the spell requires, place the Garlic card on a discard pile and take a different card from the draw pile.

  No potions are required to activate a Garlic card. However, any Garlic cards left in your hand at the end are worth 10 points.

• Mortar is a wild potion card.

  

  The Mortar card can stand for any number of potions required to cast a spell. Just place it on a discard pile along with any spell you wish to cast from your hand. No potions are required to activate a Mortar card.

  However, any Mortar cards left in your hand at the end are worth 10 points.

End of the Game

Once the value of your hand is 4 or less, you can declare "Baba Yaga" and immediately end the game. You may only declare on a turn where

you have not cast a spell. That is, if you cast a spell and reached a value of 4 or less, you have to wait for your next turn to declare "Baba Yaga".

After declaration, all players show their cards and add up the values of all their cards including any spells or special cards. Whoever has the lowest score wins. In case of a tie, whoever has more Baba Yaga cards wins.

Tournament Play

Find a piece of paper to keep score. Play a series of rounds as per the above rules. At the end of each round, every player receives points which are added to their scores from previous rounds:

• Winner - 0 points
• Losers - Value of their hands at the end of the round
• Declarer who lost to a lower hand -25 points (other player receives 0 points).
• Declarer who won with 5 Baba Yaga cards - 0 points and all other players receive 30 points.
• +A player who, upon declaration, has 5 "T potion cards 0 points and all the other players receive 20 points.

Once a player reaches 100 points, the player with lowest total score is the winner.

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