In the winter of 1947, whispers spread of a vault discovered deep beneath a centuries-old cathedral. This vault was said to hold an unimaginable fortune: chests of gold coins.
Game Objective
Players collect gold coins while avoiding cursed ones that reduce wealth. Maligmen, hidden among them, deceive others into taking cursed coins while securing gold for themselves.
Each turn, a player picks a card, checks it, and passes it to a Recipient via a Carrier. The Carrier shuffles and selects a card to pass. Gold coins add wealth, while cursed coins subtract it. The team with the highest net fortune—Treasure Hunters or Maligmen—wins. Action Cards help Treasure Hunters identify the Maligmen.
Game Setup
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It is recommended to choose a game coordinator.
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Based on the table provided, select a number of Action Cards randomly from the 10 available.
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The game coordinator shuffles the Game and Action Cards into a single deck and places them face down. The Penalty Cards are also shuffled and placed face down.
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Based on the table provided, the game coordinator selects the number of Maligman and Treasure hunter cards and distributes the Role Cards randomly.
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In a game with 2 Maligman cards, all the players close their eyes. On the game coordinator’s signal, the Maligmen open their eyes to recognize each other. Once they do, everyone opens their eyes.
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Before the start, each player draws one card from the deck.
How to Play
The youngest player starts the game, and turns continue clockwise.
On their turn, the Initiator draws a card, checks its value, and decides to either:
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Dump it (taking a penalty)
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Pass it to another player
If the Initiator dumps the card, they must draw a Penalty Card. Penalty cards cannot be played.
If the Initiator chooses to pass the card, they select a Carrier and a Recipient.
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The Carrier adds the received card to their hand, shuffles if they choose, and then selects a card—either the received one or another from their hand—to pass to the Recipient.
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The Carrier, whether a Treasure Hunter or a Maligman, can pass the same card, a higher-value card, or a lower-value card to the Recipient based on the trust developed during the game and their strategy.
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Cards must be passed discreetly between the Initiator, Carrier, and Recipient, ensuring that other players do not see their value.
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If a player reveals their card's number, they must draw 3 Penalty Cards.
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However, players are free to discuss their suspicions about the Maligmen during the game.
How the Game Ends
The game ends after all cards are played. The team—either the Maligmen or the Treasure Hunters—with the highest total net score, including the Game and Penalty cards, wins.
Using Action Cards
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Players may draw Action Cards on their turn.
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Action Cards can be played at any time during the game, even when it is not the player's turn.
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The card holder based on the type of the action card, may intercept, redirect and detour the card passing, switch his/her hand with other players and protect himself/herself from penalty.
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If a player chooses not to play an Action Card immediately, they must reveal the bottom of the card to prove it is an Action Card before adding it to their hand.
Role Cards
The game has 8 role cards:
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2 Maligman cards
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6 Treasure Hunter cards
Treasure Hunters seek to collect genuine gold while avoiding cursed coins.
Maligmen are hidden cursed guardians whose goal is to trick others into collecting cursed coins while securing enough wealth to win.
Game Cards
The game contains 40 game cards:
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Positive Cards (Gold Coins): 24 positive cards (values 1 to 8) – Representing treasure chests with genuine gold coins. Each adds to a player’s wealth.
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Negative Cards (Cursed Coins): 16 negative cards (values -1 to -8) – Representing treasure chests with cursed coins. Each reduces a player’s wealth, as the curse drains their fortune.
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Penalty Cards
If a player dumps a card, they risk a penalty that further reduces their total wealth.
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There are 30 penalty cards with values ranging from -1 to -5.
Penalty Cards
If a player dumps a card, they risk a penalty that further reduces their total wealth.
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There are 30 penalty cards with values ranging from -1 to -5.
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Action Cards
There are 5 types of Action Cards, with 2 copies of each, making a total of 10 cards.
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Intercept – The Initiator can ask the Recipient to reveal the card they received from the Carrier only to himself/herself. This allows the Initiator to verify if the Carrier acted maliciously.
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Redirect – The holder can change the Recipient when the Carrier is about to pass a card to the selected Recipient.
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Detour – The holder can change the Carrier when the Initiator is about to pass a card to the selected Carrier.
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Shield - If you dump a card this turn, you take no penalty.
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Swap Hands – Swap your entire hand with another player.
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FAQ
Game Basics
Q: How many players can play?
4–8 players.
Q: What is the recommended age?
Ages 8 and up.
Q: How long does a game take?
Approx. 20 minutes.
Gameplay
Q: Is there a 2-player or 3-player mode?
No. Maligman’s mechanics rely on relaying cards among multiple players and needs at least 4 players to make a fair competition among Maligman and treasure hunters.
Q: What makes Maligman unique?
Maligman is a fast-paced social deduction card game relying on secret card passing, trust management, risk–reward dumping, and hidden roles.
Q: Do Treasure Hunters know each other each other?
No, Treasure hunters don't know each other during the game.
Q: Do Maligman players know each other?
Yes, Maligman players know each other during the game.
Q: How Maligman players identify each other?
On the game coordinator’s signal, the Maligmen open their eyes to recognize each other. Once they do, everyone opens their eyes.
Q: Which player goes first? And who goes next?
The youngest player starts the game, and turns continue clockwise.
Q: When drawing a card to play, can I play any card in my hand or only the drawn card?
You must play the card you just drew. You cannot choose from the cards already in your hand.
Cards & Actions
Q: Can I play penalty cards?
Penalty cards are not allowed to be played. They are only received as a consequence when a player decides to dump a card.
Q: Can I disclose the card numbers during the game? What about disclosing the range of the card?
No. Players may not reveal specific numbers or ranges of cards during the game. All card information must remain secret.
Q: Can I play action cards ONLY when it is my turn?
Action Cards CAN be played at any time during the game, even when it is not the player's turn.
Q: Can I play action cards after the last card is played?
No. Action cards cannot be played once the final card of the game has been drawn and played.
Winning
Q: Who wins the game?
The team—either the Maligmen or the Treasure Hunters—with the highest total net score, including the Game and Penalty cards, wins. Note that the total net score for each team is calculated by adding (and NOT averaging) the net score of each player in the team.
Components & Quality
Q: What’s included in the box?
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40 Game Cards
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10 Action Cards
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8 Role Cards
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30 Penalty Cards
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Maligman Rulebook
Q: What material are the cards made of?
All cards are crafted from thick 300 gsm cardstock with a matte lamination and feature a shadowy design that keeps every move concealed.
Q: Why are the cards dark?
The darker design fits the theme and helps keep card values hidden during play.