Setup Instructions
Setting up Alice: Cards of Wonder is a simple and straightforward process. Follow these steps to prepare for your journey into Wonderland:
Step 1: Prepare the Deck
Shuffle the 52 playing cards thoroughly to ensure a random distribution of Creatures, Artifacts, Actions, and Environments.
Step 2: Distribute Cards
Deal a starting hand of six cards to each player. Place the remaining deck face down within easy reach of all players. This will serve as the draw pile.
Step 3: Organize Tokens
Place the Gem tokens (Red, Green, and Purple) and Element tokens (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Herbs) in separate piles within reach of all players. These will be used throughout the game for various actions and objectives.
Step 4: Select Starting Characters
Each player chooses one Creature card from their hand to start with and places it in front of them. This will be their active character for the first turn. The chosen card should be one of the four characters: Alice, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, or the Cheshire Cat.
If a player does not have any Creature cards in their initial hand, they must show their hand to the other players for verification. After doing so, they shuffle these cards back into the deck, then draw a new hand of six cards. This ensures that each player starts with at least one Creature card.
Step 5: Prepare Creature Tokens
Each player takes the Creature token corresponding to their chosen starting character and places it in front of them. These tokens help track which Creature is currently active for each player.
Step 6: Set Up Optional Playmat
If you have the optional playmat, lay it out in the center of the play area. Place the deck, tokens, and any discarded cards as indicated on the playmat.
Step 7: Determine First Player
Decide who will take the first turn. This can be done randomly or by choosing the youngest player, or through any other method players agree upon.
Once the setup is complete, you are ready to begin your adventure in Wonderland. Players will take turns drawing cards, playing cards, and engaging in the strategic elements of "Alice: Cards of Wonder."