Duplicity is a game for at least 3 players, played casually over the
course of several days. Each player tries to coerce or trick
other unsuspecting players into performing actions. If the
victim performs the action, he/she loses points and the trickster gains
points.
All players have identical roles in Duplicity. Each player
simultaneously plays the role of the "trickster" and "victim". As
a trickster, they try and coerce their designated victim into
performing some specified action. But the tricksters are also
victims themselves.
As an example, trickster Alice might have been instructed to get victim
Bob to scratch his nose. Bob is unaware of these instructions, and
unaware that Alice is even his designated trickster. If she can
lie, cajole, or deceive Bob into scratching his nose, then Alice gets
points and Bob loses points. The art of Duplicity is being
patient, subtle, and sneaky. Players may cooperate to bring down
a victim. Alliances between players are encouraged.
But remember to be sneaky. If Bob suspects that Alice is up to
something, he may not cooperate, for fear of losing points.
Actions can be simple, or outrageous. Here are some other
examples, not to be used in the actual game:
Victim must sing part of a Beatles song
Victim must call his lawyer
Victim must eat a piece of apple
Rules
One non-player will be designated the judge. His role is to
construct a set of actions, between 3 and 5 per player. Each
action will be given a point value between 1 and 10 based on its
difficulty, with 1 being the easiest action and 10 being the most
difficult.
The judge will construct cards or slips of paper with one action and
its point value on each slip. The judge will also construct
between 3 and 5 slips with each player's name. Players may not see
any of the action slips before play begins.
The judge will also set the time limits for the game (ideally several
days or even weeks), will keep score, and will settle disputes.
To start, all the action slips are placed in a box, and all the player
slips are placed in another box. Each player blindly draws 3
action slips and 3 player slips. If a player draws his or her
own name, he replaces the slip and draws again. These 3 slips
become that player's victims.
Players are advised not to reveal the actions or the victims to anyone
at this point. Later it may be useful to reveal a victim's name
to another player in order to aid in "turning the trick".
Over the course of the playing time, each trickster must pair a victim
slip with an action slip, then attempt to coerce that victim into
performing the action. If the victim performs the action as a
consequence of the trickster, then the victim loses the point value of
the action, and the trickster gains the point value of the action.
It is important that the victim perform the action as a direct or
indirect result of the trickster's intervention or as a result of
intervention by another player operating as an agent of the
trickster. For example, if Alice is required to get Bob to
scratch his nose, and he happens to scratch his nose without Alice's
intervention, this action doesn't count. Alice needs to keep
trying.
Alice might mention something about "a bug on Bob's nose".
If he scratches, then Alice wins the point value. Alternatively,
Alice might collaborate with the chef to put extra pepper in Bob's
omelet. If Bob scratches, then Alice wins. This is an
example of indirect intervention.
An action must be observed by at least one other player or reliable
witness. The event must then be revealed to the victim and the
judge for scoring.
After successfully scoring, the trickster must return the victim slip
and the action slip to the judge. These slips cannot be used
again in this game. This will leave 2 victim and action slips in
the player's possession. The trickster may then draw another victim
slip and action slip, if she desires. Any action slip can be
paired with any victim slip in the trickster's possession.
Game ends when the specified end time and date has passed. The
player with the highest score wins.