1. Kingslayer decks may not contain any cards that declare "a player wins the game" such as Coalition Victory.

2. (Optional) Decks may have a 5 card sideboard for wishes, lessons, and other cards that refer to cards a player owns "outside the game".

3. Keep in mind the "philosophy of commander" when thinking about decks.

1. Create the "Role Pool". With the exception of "The King", other possible roles should be added to the "Role Pool" randomly from all possible options as long as the number of roles match that of the breakdown:

Base (5) Players: 1 King, 1 Knight, 2 Assassins, 1 Highlander

6 Players: Base, +1 Assassin

7 Players: Base, +1 Assassin, +1 Knight

8 Players: Base, +2 Assassins, +1 Knight

9 Players: Base, +2 Assassins, +2 Knights

10+ Players: Alternate adding an additional Assassin and Knight each time.

2. Before picking a deck to play, players randomly choose a "Role Card" from the "Role Pool" and look at it. They then put their role card face down in the command zone. They may look at it at any time.

3. Players choose decks, and prior to the game beginning, reveal their commanders to each other.

4. Once everyone has placed their "Role Cards" face down in their command zones, "The King" flips their "Role Card" face up. "The King" proceeds to set their life total to 20 + 10(n), when (n)=number of the other players in the game. So in a 5 player game, the King would start with 20 + 10(4), or 60 life.

5. "The King" will always take the first turn in a game.

6. "Kingslayer" format follows the "Partial Paris" mulligan rules with the first being free.

1. Each "Role Card" has one or more effects. The effects of a "Role Card" can only be activated by that of the player whose role it is. If a player controls another's turn, they cannot interact with the controlled player's "Role Card".

2. "Role Card" abilities use the stack. They can be responded to, but cannot be countered, removed, targeted, or exiled by any spells or abilities in the game. Likewise, the cards themselves cannot be targeted by spells or abilities to prevent abuse of the "Role Card" abilities.

3. Unless stated otherwise on the card, a "Role Card" may be turned face up by its player at any time.

4. "Flip X " is a new keyword for the triggered ability of a "Knight".  When a "Knight" role is flipped face up, if it is on or after their "X" turn of the game, they trigger their "Flip" effect.

5. "Desperation X" is a new keyword for the triggered ability when an "Assassin" flips their "Role Card" face up. When an "Assassin" role is flipped face up, they trigger the "Desperation" effect. "Desperation" is equal to the current number of living non-"Assassin" players who have revealed role cards + dead "Assassins". If this number is higher than 3, "Desperation" is considered 3.

6. For purposes of spells and abilities, a player whose "Role Card" is unrevealed counts as an "opponent". Similarly, if your own "Role Card" is unrevealed, each other player counts as an "opponent".

7. Revealed "Knights" count as "Teammates" to "The King" and other revealed "Knights" for the purposes of spells and abilities.

8. Revealed "Assassins" count as "Teammates" to other revealed "Assassins" for the purposes of spells and abilities.

9. "Highlanders" always have the option to use the following ability instead of the one printed on their "Role Card" when they flip it face up: "When you flip this card face-up, gain 10 life, shuffle your hand and graveyard into your library, and draw 7 cards."

10. When a "Highlander" flips their card face up, all living players gain an emblem "Whose side are you on?" which reads "At the beginning of your upkeep, choose friend or foe. If friend is chosen, the Highlander counts as a teammate for your spells and abilities until the beginning of your next turn. If foe is chosen, the Highlander counts as an opponent for your spells and abilities until the beginning of your next turn."

11. All players always count as opponents to a "Highlander" for the purposes of a "Highlander's" spells and abilities.

12. When any player kills an "Assassin", they may draw 3 cards as a reward.

13. If "The King" kills a "Knight", "The King" discards five cards, sacrifices half their non-land permanents, and loses 10 life.

"Kingslayer" is played in teams based on "Role Cards". When a player loses the game, if a win condition is not met, they and their role are considered "killed" or "dead". Players and roles still active in the game are considered "alive".

The King & Knights:

If all "Assassins", "Renegades", and "Usurpers" are dead, and "The King" has not been killed by the beginning of their upkeep, then "The King" and "Knights" win the game. Note: Knights that may have been killed previously still win if this condition is met.

The Assassins:

If "The King" is killed, and no other win conditions are met, "Assassins" win the game.

The Highlander:

For a "Highlander" to win, they must be the last alive in the game at the beginning of their upkeep on their turn. Note: for this to happen, they MUST kill "The King" last. If "The King" is killed with any other role besides a "Highlander" alive, it fulfills the "Assassins" win condition, and therefore a "Highlander" would lose the game.

Fall 2023 Update

• Removed "Usurper" from the game. The role was not fun to play, and our games have been better without it. Perhaps will be added back some day if we can find a way to retool it.

• Decks are chosen AFTER picking roles now. We realized that some role cards become completely useless depending on the deck choice. This fixes that.