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READ SIR CHAOS
OFFICIAL RULES
Collect the merch. Get Read. Find your Escape Ticket.
Then get out before somebody ruins it.
Build the most valuable merch collection and escape with Read Sir Chaos. The game cannot end until one player simultaneously has Read Sir Chaos, an Escape Ticket, and at least $1,000 worth of tabled Merch. When that happens, the game ends and all players total their points.
Each tabled Merch card scores its printed value.
The player holding Read Sir Chaos when the game ends scores an additional 10,000 Merch Points.
The Escape Ticket is required to trigger the end of the game but has no Merch Point value.
The player with the highest final Merch Point total wins.
Read's 10,000-point value does NOT count toward the $1,000 tabled-Merch requirement needed to end the game.
Place the Pick-Up Pile and Discard Pile in the centre of the table. Each player has their own play area containing:
1 Read Sir Chaos slot.
10 Merch slots — one for each Merch type, including the unique Read Merch card.
A private hand, normally containing 6 cards.
Duplicate Merch cards are stacked in their matching Merch slot.
Shuffle the full game deck.
Deal 6 cards to each player.
If Read Sir Chaos is dealt, immediately place him face-up in that player's Read slot.
The player dealt Read Sir Chaos automatically takes the first turn.
On that player's first turn only, they pick up 2 cards before completing their Put Down.
If Read Sir Chaos was not dealt, determine the first player by an agreed random method.
Place the remaining cards face-down in the centre as the Pick-Up Pile. Leave space beside it for the Discard Pile.
Unless a card changes the rules for that turn, every turn follows the same two-step structure.
Take 1 card from the Pick-Up Pile and add it to your hand.
Choose ONE of the following:
Discard 1 card from your hand to the Discard Pile.
Play 1 Action card and resolve the instructions printed on it.
Table 1 Merch card from your hand by placing it into its matching Merch slot.
Card text overrides the normal turn rule. For example, a card that grants another turn or allows multiple Merch cards to be tabled is resolved exactly as written.
Merch placed on your table contributes to your final score and may be affected by theft, sabotage and protection cards.
Merch is tabled face-up in its matching Merch slot.
Multiple copies of the same Merch type may be stacked in the same slot.
The unique Read Merch card has its own Merch slot and only one copy exists in the deck.
Only tabled Merch counts toward the $1,000 requirement to trigger the end of the game.
Merch in your hand does not count toward your table value or final Merch total unless it is tabled before the game ends.
Read is displayed face-up in the holder's Read slot and is not kept as part of the player's hand.
Cards such as Kidnap Read, Seduce Read Away and Trick Read Away transfer the displayed Read card from one player to another.
The player holding Read at the end of the game receives 10,000 Merch Points.
Possessing Read alone does not end the game.
An Escape Ticket is required to trigger the end of the game.
The game continues if a player has Read + Escape but has less than $1,000 in tabled Merch.
If that player's tabled Merch is reduced below $1,000 before all end conditions are satisfied, they cannot escape until they rebuild their table to at least $1,000.
A player may choose to end the game once they simultaneously have all three:
Read Sir Chaos
An Escape Ticket
$1,000 or more in tabled Merch
When an eligible player chooses to escape, score immediately: each player totals the printed value of all Merch on their table. Add 10,000 points to the score of the player currently holding Read. The highest total wins.
Action cards are played during your Put Down unless the card itself is a protection, cancellation or reaction that says otherwise. Resolve the printed instruction completely, then place the Action card in the Discard Pile unless its text says it remains in play.
Golden rule: If a card's printed text conflicts with a general rule in this booklet, follow the card.
| Card | Effect |
|---|---|
| Kidnap Read | Take displayed Read from another player. |
| Seduce Read Away | Take displayed Read from another player. |
| Trick Read Away | Take displayed Read from another player. |
| Card | Effect |
|---|---|
| Sent Cheeky Pic | Take one available Merch card worth $10 or less and table it. |
| Flirted Successfully | Take one available Merch card worth $20 or less and table it. |
| Fan of the Month | Take one available Merch card worth $50 or less and table it. |
| Won a Free Audio | Find one Signed Photo and table it, then shuffle. |
| Energy Drink Activates | Table up to three Merch cards from your hand this turn. |
| You Won a Giveaway | Draw two cards. |
| Gifted Big During Live | Draw two cards. |
| Read Time Activates | Take another turn after this one. |
| Card | Effect |
|---|---|
| Teased Too Much | Steal one tabled Merch card worth $10 or less. |
| Flirting Failed | Steal one tabled Merch card worth $20 or less. |
| Fans Sabotaged | Steal one tabled Merch card worth $50 or less. |
| Mine Now | Steal the target player's highest-value unprotected Merch card. Cannot take Read. |
| Oops, That's Embarrassing | Return one tabled Merch card worth $50 or less to its owner's hand. |
| Caught Being Thirsty | Steal the target player's lowest-value tabled Merch card. |
| Wrong Hole | Steal one permanent Merch Protect card and use it on your own Merch. |
| Jealous Much? | Steal one random card from another player's hand. |
| Read's Favourite Changed | Steal one random card from another player's hand. |
| That Wasn't Yours | Take one random card from another player's hand and discard it. |
| Someone Else Got All the Attention | Target player misses their next turn. |
| Card | Effect |
|---|---|
| Blow a Kiss to Read — Merch Protect | Place beneath one Merch card. It cannot be stolen, discarded, exchanged or returned while protected. Exactly 3 are used in every game. |
| Not Today Demon | Cancel an effect attempting to steal, discard, exchange or return your Merch. |
| Fan Ticket | Cancel any effect targeting your Merch or hand. |
| Read Has You Covered | Cancel one negative card played against you. |
| Hands Off, Babe | Protect one card in your hand until your next turn. |
Permanent Merch Protect cards are placed beneath the specific Merch card they protect.
A protected Merch card cannot be stolen, discarded, exchanged or returned while that protection remains attached.
Wrong Hole steals the Merch Protect itself, leaving the previously protected Merch exposed; the stolen Protect is then used on one of the thief's own Merch cards.
Cancellation and reaction cards are played in response to a valid effect before that effect resolves.
Hands Off, Babe protects the chosen hand card until the protecting player's next turn; random hand effects cannot select that protected card.
| Starting hand | 6 cards |
|---|---|
| Normal turn | Pick up 1 → Put down 1 |
| Put Down options | Discard 1 / Play 1 Action / Table 1 Merch |
| Read opening rule | If dealt Read, go first and pick up 2 on your first turn |
| End trigger | Read + Escape Ticket + at least $1,000 tabled Merch |
| Read value | 10,000 Merch Points at final scoring |
| Escape Ticket value | 0 points |
| Winner | Highest final Merch Point total |
Pick up. Put down. Protect your merch. Steal theirs. Escape with Read.