Unstable Unicorns is a turn-based strategic card

game about your two favorite things: Unicorns and HOW TO PLAY THE TYPES OF CARDS
Destruction. The first person with 7 Unicorns in their
Stable wins!* THE TURN There are 5 types of cards in the game.
Players take turns by going clockwise around the table.
*Only 6 Unicorns are required if you are playing with Unicorn cards have a horn symbol in the top
Each turn is made up of 4 phases.
6-8 players left corner. A Unicorn card stays in a player’s
Beginning of Turn phase: Stable until it is sacrificed or destroyed. Collect
WHAT’S IN THE BOX If you have a card in your Stable with an effect
Unicorns in your Stable to win the game!

that states, “If this card is in your Stable at the Unicorn cards come in 3 flavors:
beginning of your turn,” its effect is triggered
during this phase. Baby Unicorn cards have a purple
corner. Each player starts with a Baby
Draw phase: Unicorn card. Since Baby Unicorn cards
are kept in the Nursery and are never in
DRAW a card from the deck. any player’s hand, the only way to bring
more Baby Unicorn cards into your
114 Black-backed 13 Baby Unicorn 8 Rules reference Action phase: Stable is through a special effect from
cards cards cards another card.
Take ONE of the following actions:
• Play a Unicorn card from your hand; Basic Unicorn cards have an indigo
HOW TO START • Play a Magic card from your hand;
• Play a Downgrade card from your hand;
corner. They don’t have any effects, but
they might have a special place in your
To start, separate the Baby Unicorn cards and the • Play an Upgrade card from your hand;
heart.
reference cards from the black-backed cards in the box. • DRAW a card from the deck.
Shuffle the black-backed cards (including any expansion Magical Unicorn cards have a blue
cards you want to use) together, then deal 5 cards to End of Turn phase:
corner. Each Magical Unicorn card
each player. Place the remaining stack of cards face has an effect that can give you an
down in the center of the table; this stack is your deck. DISCARD until the number of cards in your hand
does not exceed the hand limit. The hand limit is 7 advantage in the game.
Leave space next to the deck for a discard pile, which
is where you will place cards that have been sacrificed, cards (unless otherwise stated).
destroyed, or discarded throughout the game. Magic cards have a green corner with a
Each player must choose a Baby Unicorn card and place THE IMPORTANT TERMS star symbol. These cards have a one-time
effect; if you play a Magic card on your turn,
it in their Stable, which is the play area in front of them. immediately move it to the discard pile.
Place the remaining Baby Unicorn cards in a stack on Here are a few setup terms you’ve seen already:
the table; this stack is the Nursery. Baby Unicorn cards
Stable: The play area in front of you in which Unicorn, Downgrade cards have a yellow corner with
that are not in a player’s Stable are always placed back
Upgrade, and Downgrade cards are played. a down arrow symbol. Add a Downgrade card
in the Nursery. They are never added to your hand, the to another player’s Stable to impose negative
deck, or the discard pile. Nursery: The stack of Baby Unicorn cards on the table.
STABLE
effects on that player. (Technically, you can
Deck: The stack of black-backed cards from which add a Downgrade card to your own Stable, but
players DRAW during the game. This may include black- you’ll rarely want to do this.) A Downgrade card
backed cards from any of the expansion packs. stays in a player’s Stable until it is sacrificed or
destroyed.
Discard pile: The stack of black-backed cards that have
been sacrificed, destroyed, or discarded during the game.
Upgrade cards have an orange corner with an
Additionally, here are some common terms you’ll see up arrow symbol. These cards grant positive
effects. You can play an Upgrade card in
STABLE

on card effects:
STABLE

any player’s Stable. An Upgrade card stays

DRAW: Pull the top card of the deck and add it to in a player’s Stable until it is sacrificed or
NURSERY DECK DISCARD your hand. destroyed.
PILE
DISCARD: Move a card from your hand to the discard pile.
Instant cards have a red corner with an
SACRIFICE: Move a card in your Stable to the discard exclamation point symbol. This is the only type
pile. This term is used for Unicorn, Upgrade, and
of card that doesn’t have to be played on your
Downgrade cards.
STABLE turn. In this deck, the Instant cards are Neigh
DESTROY: Move a card from any other player’s Stable cards, which can be played any time any other
Each player may also take a reference card to quickly
to the discard pile. This term is also used for Unicorn, player plays a card. Any number of Instant
reference the rules. Upgrade, and Downgrade cards. cards can be chained during a single turn.
Now you’re ready to play! Whoever is wearing the most STEAL: Move a card from any other player’s Stable into
colors is obviously the unicorniest, so they go first. your Stable.
 THE END OF THE GAME ADVANCED RULES AND CLARIFICATIONS 2-PLAYER RULES
The first person to successfully collect the required Cards in Your Hand vs. Cards in Your Stable Choosing Targets for Effects If you are playing with 2 players, make the following
number of Unicorns in their Stable wins! Each Unicorn modifications before you get started. If you forget to
card counts for one Unicorn (unless otherwise stated). Unicorn, Upgrade, and Downgrade cards have no effect There are two play styles for player targeting that you make these modifications, you may find the game to
while they are in your hand. Their effects are only active can use when playing Unstable Unicorns: feel less balanced.
* 2 – 5 Players: 7 Unicorns to win when they are in your Stable.
6 – 8 Players: 6 Unicorns to win Remove these cards from the deck and place them in
Option 1 (easy): When you play a card with an effect,
the game box. They will not be used in the 2-player
Entering and Leaving Your Stable you must declare which player(s) you are targeting
If the deck runs out of cards before any player reaches version of the game:
before using the effect. This allows players to decide if
a winning number of Unicorns in their Stable, the Each time you play, STEAL, or bring a Unicorn into your they want to respond with a Neigh card. • All Basic Unicorns
player with the most Unicorns wins. Stable, it counts as “entering your Stable.” Any time a • Queen Bee Unicorn
Unicorn card is sacrificed, destroyed, or stolen, it counts Option 2 (advanced): When you play a card with an • Seductive Unicorn
If two or more players tie for the most Unicorns in their as “leaving your Stable.” effect, players have to choose if they want to use a Neigh • Rainbow Unicorn
Stable, each tied player must add up the number of
card before you select targets. • Nanny Cam
letters in the names of all the Unicorn cards in their
Mandatory vs. Optional Effects • Sadistic Ritual
Stable. The player with the most letters wins.
Both options are viable for gameplay, so you can select • Slowdown
Some effects are mandatory (ex. “DISCARD a card”), your house rules for consistency within the game. • Yay!
If two or more players tie for the most Unicorns and
while others are optional (“you may STEAL a Unicorn”). • Mother Goose Unicorn
the most letters, everyone loses. Ouch.
If a card does not use the word “may,” you can assume it Searching for Cards • Necromancer Unicorn
*If you are playing with 2 players, make sure to read is mandatory.
If you are adding expansions to your game, you can
the 2-Player Rules section. Some card effects allow you to search the deck or the
find a comprehensive current list of cards to remove
If a card has an optional effect that states “If this card discard pile for a card (ex. “When this card enters your
for a 2-player game at UnstableGames.com.
is in your Stable at the beginning of your turn,” you Stable, you may search the deck for a Downgrade card
may NOT use that effect if you forget to use it before and add it to your hand”). Once you have retrieved that
Before shuffling the deck, take out two Neigh cards
you DRAW a card for your Draw phase. If the effect is card, reveal the card you chose to each other player and hand one to each player. From there, you may
mandatory, you must still do it if you (or another player) before adding it to your hand. shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards to each player (giving
notices that you did not use the effect. each player a total of 6 cards in their hand to start the
Getting Rid of Downgrade Cards game, including the Neigh card).
Beginning of Turn Effects
Some card effects allow you to specifically remove Gameplay may now proceed normally!
Downgrade cards from your Stable. In addition, if a
If you have multiple cards that state “If this card is in
card’s effect states “SACRIFICE a card,” you can use that
your Stable at the beginning of your turn,” their effects
card to get rid of a Downgrade card in your Stable (ex. “If
occur simultaneously. That means if one card tells you
this card is in your Stable at the beginning of your turn,
to immediately end your turn after using the effect, you
you may SACRIFICE a card, then DESTROY a card”).
can still use the other beginning of turn effects of cards
in your Stable.
Card Effects with Multiple Actions
Neighing Card Effects
When a card effect requires multiple actions, those
actions are sometimes separated by “then” (ex.
Neigh cards can only be used to stop a player from
“SACRIFICE a Unicorn card, then DRAW a card”).
playing a card from their hand. This means that you
If a card says “then,” you may only perform the second
cannot Neigh a card effect. For example, if another
action if you successfully perform the first action. In
player already has a card in their Stable that states “If
the example listed, if you do not have a Unicorn card to
this card is in your Stable at the beginning of your turn,
SACRIFICE, you may not DRAW a card.
DESTROY a Unicorn card,” you cannot use a Neigh card
to stop that effect from being used.
Impossible Actions
If you’ve reached this point in the rules, Player Targeting
Sometimes, the effect of a card in your Stable or a card
you know everything you need to know
played by any other player may require you to perform
to get started! We added the next section Cards use specific terminology when referring to players.
of advanced rules and clarifications an impossible action. If this situation occurs, disregard
for your reference to explain certain that action. Some impossible actions include:
Any player refers to any single player, including you.
interactions that may cause confusion or Another player refers to any single player, excluding you. For further rule clarifications, visit
raise questions throughout the game. You DISCARD when you have no cards in your hand
Each player refers to every player, including you. UnstableGames.com. You’ll also find
might never need to use it, but it’s here for SACRIFICE a card when you have no cards in your Stable
more games, game accessories, and
you just in case! SACRIFICE a card that cannot be sacrificed
other exciting content!