Uno No Mercy vs Here to Slay

Be the first player to get rid of all your cards. When you play your second-to-last card, you must shout "UNO!". If another player catches you not saying it, you draw 2 cards as a penalty.

In tournament play, points are scored when a player goes out. The first player to reach 1000 points wins the game.

The Uno No Mercy deck (officially Uno Show 'Em No Mercy) contains 168 cards — 60 more than the classic 108-card Uno deck. The deck includes:

• Number cards (0–9) in four colors (Red, Yellow, Green, Blue). Special rules apply to 0s and 7s (see Number Cards section).
• Color Action cards — Skip, Reverse, Draw Two (+2), Draw Four (+4), Discard All, Skip Everyone — each in all 4 colors.
• Wild cards — Wild Reverse Draw 4, Wild Draw 6, Wild Draw 10, Wild Color Roulette.

To set up:

1. Shuffle the entire 168-card deck thoroughly.
2. Deal 7 cards to each player.
3. Place the remaining deck face down to form the Draw Pile.
4. Flip the top card of the Draw Pile to start the Discard Pile.
5. If the first card is an action card, its effect applies immediately.

Follow these steps to set up the game:

1. Separate the different types of cards in the box.
2. Each player chooses a Party Leader character to represent them throughout the game. Place your Party Leader card in your Party (the play area in front of you). You may roll to determine who picks first, or just make it a free-for-all.
3. Each player may take a rules reference card. Place remaining Party Leader cards and reference cards back in the box — they will not be used.
4. Shuffle the standard-sized cards together, then deal 5 cards to each player.
5. Place the remaining stack face down in the center to form the main deck. Leave space next to it for a discard pile.
6. Shuffle the Monster cards and flip the top 3 Monster cards face up in the center of the table. Place the remaining Monster cards face down to form the Monster deck.

Whoever picked their Party Leader card last gets to go first. Players take turns going clockwise around the table.

Uno Show 'Em No Mercy (commonly called Uno No Mercy) plays similarly to classic Uno but with more aggressive cards and official stacking. Play proceeds clockwise. On your turn, you must play a card that matches the color, number, or symbol of the top card on the Discard Pile. Alternatively, you can play a Wild card at any time.

If you cannot play a card, you must draw cards from the Draw Pile until you get a playable card. If you draw a playable card, you may play it immediately. Otherwise, keep drawing until you can play.

Stacking Rules

In Uno No Mercy, Draw cards can be stacked! When a Draw card is played on you, you can respond by playing a Draw card of equal or higher value to pass the penalty to the next player. The draw amounts accumulate. The player who cannot stack must draw the entire total.

• +2 can be stacked with +2, +4, +6, or +10
• +4 can be stacked with +4, +6, or +10
• +6 can be stacked with +6 or +10
• +10 cannot be stacked — the next player must draw

Mercy Rule

If a player reaches 25 or more cards in their hand at any point, they are immediately knocked out of the game. The player who caused the knockout (by playing the Draw card that pushed them over 25) scores a 250-point knockout bonus.

Calling UNO

When you play your second-to-last card, you must shout "UNO!". If another player catches you before the next player takes their turn, you must draw 2 cards as a penalty.

On your turn, you get three action points to spend. You can perform the actions below in any order, and you can perform the same action more than once if you have enough action points.

Actions Costing One Action Point

• DRAW a card from the main deck.
• Play a Hero, Item, or Magic card from your hand. If you play a Hero card, you may roll to use its effect immediately.
• Roll two dice to use the effect of a Hero card already in your Party. You cannot roll to use the same Hero card's effect more than once per turn, even if you roll unsuccessfully the first time.

Action Costing Two Action Points

• ATTACK a Monster card.

Action Costing Three Action Points

• DISCARD every card in your hand (if you have any) and DRAW five new cards.

Important: If a card's effect tells you to perform an action immediately, you do not have to spend an additional action point for that action.

Your turn ends when you have no action points left or you choose not to take any additional actions. Unused action points do not roll over into your next turn.

For details on each card type, see Card Types.

The deck includes number cards from 0 to 9 in four colors: Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue.

• Each color has one 0 card and two of each number 1–9.
• Number cards are played by matching color or number.

Special Number Card Rules

• 7's Swap — When you play a 7, you must swap your entire hand with another player of your choice. The arrows on the card indicate that hands are being exchanged.
• 0's Pass — When you play a 0, all players must pass their entire hand to the next player in the current direction of play. This hand-rotation rule can completely change the game!

Uno No Mercy includes classic action cards plus devastating new ones. All Color Action Cards are worth 20 points each and come in all four colors (Red, Yellow, Green, Blue).

Classic Action Cards

• Skip — The next player loses their turn.
• Reverse — Reverses the direction of play. In a 2-player game, it skips your opponent and you take another turn.
• Draw Two (+2) — The next player must draw 2 cards and loses their turn (unless they can stack a card of equal or higher value).

No Mercy Exclusive Action Cards

• Draw Four (+4) — The next player must draw 4 cards and loses their turn. This is a colored card (not a Wild card), so it must be played on a matching color. Can be stacked with +4, +6, or +10.
• Discard All — Discard ALL cards in your hand that match the current color. This can dramatically reduce your hand size in one play! Strategically, save this card for when you have many cards of one color.
• Skip Everyone — Every other player is skipped. You get another turn immediately! This is one of the most powerful action cards in the game.

Wild cards can be played on any card regardless of color or number. All Wild Cards are worth 50 points each.

• Wild Reverse Draw 4 — Reverses the direction of play AND the next player (in the new direction) draws 4 cards and loses their turn. In a 2-player game, it skips your opponent and you draw 4 cards!
• Wild Draw 6 — Choose the color that continues play AND the next player draws 6 cards and loses their turn. A devastating No Mercy exclusive!
• Wild Draw 10 — The ultimate punishment. Choose the color AND the next player draws 10 cards and loses their turn. Cannot be stacked — there is no defense against this card.
• Wild Color Roulette — The next player must choose a color, then reveal cards from the Draw Pile one at a time until they get a card of that color. Wild cards don't count. They add all revealed cards to their hand and lose their turn. This is pure gambling — you could draw 1 card or 20!

Can You Stack Wild Cards?

Draw cards (including Wild Draw cards) can be stacked following the rule of equal or higher value. For example, if someone plays a Wild Draw 6 on you, you can respond with another +6 or a +10. The only card that cannot be stacked on top of is the Wild Draw 10. When stacking, the draw penalties accumulate, so the unlucky player who cannot stack may end up drawing 10, 16, or even 20+ cards — potentially triggering the Mercy Rule!

Here is what makes Uno No Mercy different from the original:

• Stacking is official — Draw cards can be stacked with equal or higher value, unlike classic Uno official rules.
• New brutal cards — Draw Four (+4) as a colored card, Skip Everyone, Discard All, Wild Reverse Draw 4, Wild Draw 6, Wild Draw 10, and Wild Color Roulette are all new.
• Larger deck — 168 cards vs. 108 in classic Uno.
• Mercy Rule — Players with 25+ cards are knocked out of the game (250-point bonus for the player who caused it).
• Special number rules — Playing a 7 forces a hand swap, playing a 0 rotates all hands.
• Draw until playable — If you can't play, you must keep drawing until you find a playable card (classic Uno: draw 1 only).
• Higher stakes — Draw penalties can reach 20+ cards with stacking, and the Wild Color Roulette is pure chaos.
• Win at 1000 — Victory requires 1000 points instead of 500.

When a player goes out, they score points for the cards remaining in opponents' hands:

• Number cards (0–9) — Face value
• Color Action Cards (Skip, Reverse, Draw Two, Draw Four, Discard All, Skip Everyone) — 20 points each
• Wild Action Cards (Wild Reverse Draw 4, Wild Draw 6, Wild Draw 10, Wild Color Roulette) — 50 points each

Knockout Bonus

Each time a player is knocked out via the Mercy Rule (reaching 25+ cards), the player who caused the knockout earns a 250-point bonus.

Winning the Game

The first player to reach 1000 points wins the match.

Here are real game scenarios to help you understand how the No Mercy rules work in action:

Welcome to Here to Slay!

In this game, you'll assemble a full Party of Heroes to slay dangerous Monsters while working to avoid the sabotage of your friends (enemies). You'll also equip items to your Heroes, harness powerful magic, and use roll modifiers to tip the odds in your favor.

The first player to slay three Monsters, or assemble a full Party with six different classes, wins the game!

A typical game of Here to Slay takes approximately 30-60 minutes to complete.

Inside the box, you'll find the following components:

• 1 main deck (115 standard-sized cards)
• 6 oversized Party Leader cards
• 15 oversized Monster cards
• 6 rules reference cards
• 2 six-sided dice

Each Hero and Party Leader card has a class. There are six classes in the game, each represented by a colored symbol:

• Fighter
• Guardian
• Ranger
• Thief
• Wizard
• Bard

A gray symbol on Monster cards denotes a Hero card of any class.

Some Monster cards require you to have a Hero or Party Leader of a certain class in your Party to ATTACK them. You can also win the game by assembling a full Party that includes all six different classes. See Monsters for attack requirements.

The main deck contains five different types of standard-sized cards: Hero, Item, Magic, Modifier, and Challenge cards.

Hero Cards

Your Heroes are brave adventurers. Each Hero card has a class and an effect with a roll requirement. To use a Hero card's effect, you must roll two dice and score equal to or higher than that roll requirement.

• When you play a Hero card from your hand into your Party, you may immediately roll two dice to use its effect.
• Once a Hero is in your Party, you may spend one action point to attempt to use its effect once per turn. If you roll unsuccessfully, you do not get the action point back.
• There is no limit to the number of Hero cards you can have in your Party.

Item Cards

Item cards are enchanted weapons and objects that can be equipped to your Hero cards. Most Item cards bestow positive benefits such as bonuses to rolls or protections.

• When you play an Item card, you must immediately equip it to a Hero card by sliding it underneath the Hero card with the text still showing.
• Item cards can only be equipped to Hero cards (not to Party Leader cards).
• Only one Item card can be equipped to a Hero card at a time, and you cannot replace one Item card with another.
• If a Hero card with an equipped Item is destroyed, stolen, or returned to your hand, the Item card goes with it.

Cursed Item Cards

Some Item cards are Cursed Items that provide negative effects. These can be equipped to enemy Hero cards to give them disadvantages.

Magic Cards

Magic cards are powerful spells with a one-time effect. After using a Magic card's effect, move it to the discard pile immediately.

Modifier Cards

Modifier cards tip the odds in your favor. You can play a Modifier card instantly from your hand when any player (including you) rolls the dice, to modify the roll by the amount stated on the card. Playing a Modifier card does not cost any action points.

• Some Modifier cards give you two options (e.g., +1 or -3). Declare which option you wish to use.
• You may wait until a player chooses their targets (if applicable) before deciding to play your Modifier card.
• Each player may play any number of Modifier cards on the same roll. Once all players finish, combine the total change and adjust the roll accordingly.

Challenge Cards

Challenge cards can be used to try to stop another player from playing a Hero, Item, or Magic card. Playing a Challenge card does not cost any action points.

• When you CHALLENGE another player, each of you rolls two dice.
• If your roll is equal to or higher than the other player's roll, you successfully prevent them from playing their card. That card is moved to the discard pile (and the player does not get back an action point).
• If the other player's roll is higher, they proceed with playing their card as planned.
• You may wait until both players have rolled before deciding whether to use a Modifier card.
• Each card can only be challenged once — if another player has already challenged the card, you may not challenge it a second time.

See also Party Leaders and Monsters for additional card types.

Party Leader cards are oversized cards with light-colored backs. Each Party Leader has a class and a skill that gives you a unique advantage throughout the game.

• Party Leader cards are not considered Hero cards.
• Unlike Hero card effects (which can only be used once per turn), your Party Leader's skill can be used each time its conditions are met.
• For example, if your Party Leader states "Each time you play a Magic card, DRAW a card," the skill triggers every time you play a Magic card, even multiple times per turn.
• If you don't use the skill at the time the condition is met, you cannot go back later and do it.
• Your Party Leader card remains in your Party for the entire game and cannot be sacrificed, destroyed, stolen, or returned to your hand.

Note: You may not use The Shadow Claw as your Party Leader card in 2-player games.

For details on Hero card abilities, see Card Types.

Monster cards are oversized cards with navy blue backs. On your turn, you can ATTACK any face-up Monster card in the center of the table for a cost of two action points.

Party Requirements

To ATTACK a Monster, you must first meet the Party requirements listed on that card. Some require a certain number of Hero cards in your Party, while others require specific classes. Your Party Leader card is not considered a Hero card and does not count toward Hero card requirements.

If a Monster card requires a specific class plus a Hero of "any class," a single Hero of that specific class can fulfill either requirement, but not both.

Rolling to Slay

Each Monster card has a roll requirement. Roll two dice:

• If you roll equal to or higher than the requirement (including Modifier cards), you SLAY the Monster!
• If you roll within the Monster's fight-back range, you must pay the penalty listed on the card (e.g., SACRIFICE a Hero card). The Monster remains unscathed.
• If your roll falls outside both ranges, nothing happens.

Regardless of the outcome, you do not get your action points back.

Slaying a Monster

When you SLAY a Monster:

• Add the slain Monster card to your Party next to your Party Leader card.
• Your Party gains the new skill listed at the bottom of the Monster card for the rest of the game. Monster card skills work like Party Leader skills.
• Monster cards in your Party cannot be stolen, destroyed, attacked, or returned to your hand.
• Flip another Monster card from the Monster deck face up in the center of the table.

Slaying three Monsters is one of the two win conditions.

There are two ways to win the game:

• Option 1: SLAY three Monster cards.
• Option 2: End your turn with a full Party, meaning your Party (including your Party Leader card) represents six different classes.

Congratulations — you can officially brag that you are the best adventurer and monster slayer in the entire world!

Here is a list of key terms used in the game:

Set-Up Terms

• Party — The area in front of you in which you play Hero cards and Item cards.
• Main Deck — The stack of standard-sized cards from which players DRAW during the game.
• Discard Pile — The face-up stack of cards that have been sacrificed, destroyed, and discarded.
• Monster Deck — The stack of oversized cards from which a new Monster card is flipped face up each time a player SLAYS a Monster.

Gameplay Terms

• DRAW — Take the top card from the main deck and add it to your hand.
• DISCARD — Move a card from your hand to the discard pile.
• DESTROY — Move a card from another player's Party to the discard pile.
• SACRIFICE — Move a card from your own Party to the discard pile.
• STEAL — Move a card from another player's Party to your own Party.
• CHALLENGE — Attempt to stop another player from playing a Hero, Item, or Magic card. Both players roll dice; if the challenger's roll is equal to or higher, the card is discarded.
• ATTACK — Roll to SLAY a Monster card (costs 2 action points).
• SLAY — Add a Monster card that you successfully attacked to your Party.

Here are some tips to sharpen your adventuring skills:

• Balance your Party — Building toward six different classes gives you a second win condition. Even if you're focused on slaying Monsters, class diversity keeps opponents guessing.
• Save your Modifier cards — Don't waste Modifiers on low-stakes rolls. Keep them for crucial Monster attacks, Challenge defenses, or to sabotage opponents' key rolls.
• Time your Challenges — Challenge cards are limited. Use them to stop opponents from playing game-changing Hero or Magic cards, not minor plays.
• Use Hero effects wisely — Rolling to use a Hero's effect costs an action point even if you fail. Weigh the risk before spending your limited actions.
• Protect key Heroes — Equip Item cards that protect Heroes you need for Monster requirements or class completion.
• Cursed Items are powerful — Equipping a Cursed Item to an opponent's Hero can cripple their strategy. Time it for maximum disruption.
• Watch the Monster requirements — Before committing 2 action points to attack, make sure you can actually meet the roll requirement. A failed attack wastes your entire turn.
• Hand refresh is expensive — Discarding your entire hand to draw 5 costs all 3 action points. Only do this when your hand is truly dead weight.

If you enjoy strategic card games like Here to Slay, you might also like Pokémon TCG or Gin Rummy.

Here to Slay can be played with 2 players with the following adjustment:

• The Shadow Claw Party Leader card cannot be used in 2-player games.

All other rules remain the same. With only one opponent, Challenge cards and steal/destroy effects become even more impactful, and the race to six classes or three Monster slays is more direct.