Basics of Play

For both Into the Grey and Deck Burner, the cycle of play in Mnemonic follows a set pattern. Each player takes the lead in describing their character’s actions through a scene where their character has focus; then, once everyone has had a turn to lead, the group comes together to address the complications that may have arisen during each player’s individual scenes.

You can also use this framework to come up with new modes of play.

Individual Scenes

Individual Scenes are ones in which a player’s character is doing something related to their particular needs and skill set. Your character might not be the only person present in the scene (and in fact I encourage you to invite other players into your scene to help you tell your character’s story), but in terms of action and mechanics, the Individual Scene is about one character: yours.

To play out the scene, follow this process, adding narrative details wherever and however you find them appropriate.

  1. Choose a card from your hand or draw one from the deck. The face or number on the card tells you a bit of interpretive information about who’s in the scene with you or what the scene is about. Maybe the card just gives you a prop to play with; think of it as a story prompt, which you can follow as closely or loosely as you like.

    Card Prompts

    When you play a card, either from your hand or from the top of the deck, begin by consulting the following table. You don’t have to do this step, but it may help for framing your scene.

    Card Prompt
    2 A meeting, interrupted.
    3 A gift, with conditions.
    4 A sanctuary, threatened.
    5 A path, with many branches.
    6 A reminder of where you’ve been.
    7 A secret, dearly kept.
    8 A glimpse of infinity.
    9 A river you cannot cross.
    10 An opening to somewhere new.
    Jack A rival, or someone who is about to become a rival.
    Queen An ally, or someone who is about to become an ally.
    King A powerful stranger.
    Ace A looming danger.
    Joker A mistake you can’t take back.

  2. Choose a skill for your character that matches the suit of the card you played.

    Optional: Asking for Help

    If you don’t have any skills that match the suit and you don’t want to learn a new skill, you can ask another player to join you in the scene to assist you. If they do, choose whatever skill you like and have them choose a skill for their character to use. They won’t roll, but you’ll need to know what skill they used in the event of an injury; a player that assists you also assumes the same risks as you during the scene.

  3. Gather and roll a number of dice equal to the rating for the skill you chose. Keep the highest result.

  4. If the highest result is anything other than a 6, the skill you used in this scene becomes complicated and cannot be used until it is repaired.

  5. (Optional) Perform a weaving to avoid the complication to your skill or to give one other player an extra die in their next roll.

  6. Pass the focus of play to the next player and lend them your attention as best you can.

  7. Once everyone has played out a scene, choose:

    • Play a Group Scene.
    • Play another round of Individual Scenes.
    • End the game here.

Group Scenes

In a Group Scene, everyone works together to deal with the consequences of their actions. You cannot have a Group Scene without first laying the groundwork for everyone’s characters in Individual Scenes first. (Well, you could, but the stakes would be floppy and impersonal, and more practically the Adversary’s pool would be utterly empty of Complications).

To play a Group Scene:

  1. Set the Stakes: Each player adds up and declares their character’s total number of complications. For each complication, add one die to the Adversary’s Pool.
  2. Make the Plan: Each player chooses a skill. For Deck Burner, everyone must first draw a card from the top of the deck; the skill they choose must match the suit of the card they drew. If a player has no skills available, their character is left to hope for the best, contributing nothing of substance to the group’s efforts.
  3. Execute the Plan: Every player rolls their dice separately, keeping their highest roll.
  4. Things Go Wrong: Roll each of the Adversary’s dice individually.
  5. Sort it Out: Starting with the lowest roll, each player describes their actions in the scene. If a Complication die interrupts the order, describe how things go wrong. When you get to the highest roll:
    • Victory: If the highest roll belongs to a player, the characters overcome the scene’s obstacles and resolve the scene on their own terms. The player with the highest roll describes how their action brings the scene to a close. End the game here or play a new round of Individual Scenes. Clear all complications from everyone’s skills.
    • Defeat: If the highest roll belongs to the Adversary, the characters are overwhelmed by the consequences of their actions and are forced to live with them, at least for now. For each player, the suit they used in this scene also becomes injured.
    • Draw: If both the Adversary and a player share the highest roll, the characters are unable to fully resolve the consequences of their actions, but no one gets hurt in the process.

If the players win, go back to playing Individual Scenes or end the game there. If the players suffer defeat, choose one of the following:

  • Try Again: Play out another Group Scene, starting with Set the Stakes.
  • Regroup: Play a new round of Individual Scenes.
  • Retreat: End the game here.