Last Updated on October 17, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Betrayal Deck of Lost Souls is a horror-themed card game of deception, deduction, and survival. Players take on secret roles, forming uneasy alliances while trying to uncover the traitor hidden among them. Each round brings new events, dark rituals, and shifting loyalties, creating a tense and unpredictable experience. Fans of games like Betrayal at House on the Hill or Werewolf will feel right at home in this chilling and strategic game of trust and treachery.

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How to Play Betrayal Deck of Lost Souls

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Introduction

The House on the Hill is an abandoned house with a mysterious past. Many have entered to discover its secrets, but few have left. Now, an ancient deck of cards has been found in the attic, connected to centuries of evil. These cards, once used for fortune-telling, now bring misfortune, feeding off the souls of the living and threatening to consume those who dare to use them. As you enter the House, driven by curiosity, the deck gives you and your companions new identities. You might become the Alchemist, focused on invention and experiments, or the Merchant, skilled in making deals. Your role will determine your ability to face Omens and identify the deck’s true Curse. But be warned, one of you may be a Traitor, seeking to unleash the Curse instead of stopping it.  

Objective of the Game

In Deck of Lost Souls, players draw a secret Journey card at the game’s start, assigning them the role of either an explorer or the Traitor, each with different objectives. Sometimes there won’t be a Traitor, and discovering their identity may come too late.  

Explorers

Explorers must identify the true Curse from six Curse cards by placing Hint cards throughout the game. The Curse with the most Hints at the end is the true Curse. Explorers win if they have the Items to defeat it. However, if an explorer runs out of Item cards after a Major Omen is played, all explorers lose. If there is no Traitor, explorers win by having the Items to defeat four of the six Curses.  

Traitor

The Traitor aims to prevent the explorers from defeating the true Curse. They win if the explorers lack the necessary Items to defeat the Curse at the game’s end or if any explorer is out of Item cards when a Major Omen is played.  

Card Types

The game uses 8 types of cards, each with a specific purpose:  

• Character Cards: These cards assign roles to each player, potentially granting them an affinity for certain Item cards.  
• Item and Special Item Cards: These are essential for overcoming Omens and Curses, with some usable only by specific characters. Players can trade Items during their turns.  
• Minor Omen and Major Omen Cards: Omens foreshadow the consequences of the true Curse. Some are unsettling, while others are deadly.  
• Reference Cards: These cards provide turn reminders and information on the six Curses.  
• Journey Cards: These cards determine whether a player is an explorer or the Traitor.  
• Curse Cards: There are six Curses, and players must identify the true one by the game’s end.  
• Card Symbols: Ancient symbols on the cards indicate their type and interactions, such as Item symbols needed to defeat Curses or Omens.  

New Player Tips

For your first game, it’s recommended to play without the Journey cards. All players will be explorers, and there will be no Traitor. To win, you must defeat four of the six Curses using Items and Special Items, without needing to use Hints or identify the true Curse.  

Setup

For a four-player game, set up as follows (for other player counts, see page 13):  

1. Place the Curse cards faceup in numerical order.  
2. Remove the six Charon’s Obol Item cards from the Item deck and set them aside for variant games.  
3. Shuffle the remaining Item cards and deal 4 to each player.  
4. Shuffle the Special Item cards and place them facedown at the bottom of the Item deck.  
5. Remove the Inquisitor from the Character cards. Shuffle the rest and deal 1 to each player, faceup.  
6. Remove 1 explorer card from the Journey deck, shuffle the rest, and deal 1 to each player, secret. Place the remaining card facedown next to Curse 6 (or set all aside for an easier game).  
7. Shuffle the Minor Omen cards and deal 3 to each player.  
8. Shuffle the Major Omen cards and deal 2 to each player.  
9. Each player takes a Reference card.  
10. Arrange the play area with room for discard and draw piles.  

Gameplay

The Occultist plays first, and turns proceed to the left. Each turn has two phases: the Cooperation Phase and the Omen Phase.  

Cooperation Phase

During this phase, a player can either reveal an Item card from their hand, placing it faceup (if they are the appropriate Character), or give an Item card to another player.  

Omen Phase

1. The player plays an Omen card, reading it aloud. Minor Omens must be played before Major Omens.  
2. The player can use Items to defeat the Omen, announcing and revealing them. Accidentally revealed unusable Items are discarded. The player then draws an Item card and discards one (unless they had none at the start of their turn).  
3. The player to the left can play an Item card to help defeat the Omen, and so on.  
4. Played Items remain in play unless the card states otherwise.  
5. If the Omen is defeated, the player receives the listed reward. If not, they suffer the penalty.  
6. The Omen card is discarded unless it’s a Hint card.  

Defeating a Minor Omen with a Hint

If a Minor Omen with a Hint is defeated, the player can place it facedown next to one of the two Curses named on the card. If players fail to defeat a Major Omen with a Hint and the Traitor is revealed, the Traitor may place the Omen next to any Curse. Otherwise, the Major Omen is discarded.  

Special Items

The four Special Item cards are at the bottom of the Item deck. If a player has both parts of the Cameo Pendant, they can take one Special Item card, shuffle the rest back into the deck, or the Lost Prophet’s Coffer allows a player to search the discard pile for an Item card. Once all Item cards are drawn, players needing to draw can take any card from the Item discard pile.  

Example of an Omen Phase

In a four-player game, the Alchemist plays the Weeping Angel Minor Omen, requiring a Ceramic Hand Grenade or Scarab Brooch to defeat it. The Alchemist and Occultist have the Ceramic Hand Grenade, and the Soldier has the Scarab Brooch. Players decide to use the Soldier’s Scarab Brooch since it isn’t discarded after use. The Alchemist receives the reward, and the next player takes their turn.  

Playing as the Traitor

If you are the Traitor, your goal is to unleash the true Curse. Keep your identity hidden initially and try to get other players to give you cards they’ll need. You don’t have to reveal Items to defeat Minor Omens, but you must use revealed Items.  

Winning as the Traitor

You can win by ensuring the explorers lack the Items to defeat the true Curse at the end of the game or when a player has no more Item cards after a Major Omen is played.  

Revealing Yourself as the Traitor

You can reveal yourself at the end of a turn where you played a Major Omen, after another player plays a Major Omen and you refuse to use helpful Items, or at the end of a turn when another player played a Major Omen and you have no Item cards. After revealing yourself:  

1. Discard all your Item cards.  
2. Take all Major Omen cards from other players.  
3. Place your Journey card facedown next to the Curse you want to be the true Curse; it counts as a Hint.  

Accusing Another Player of Being the Traitor

Before a player plays a Major Omen, any player can accuse another of being the Traitor. If another player seconds the accusation, the accused must reveal their Journey card. If the accused is an explorer, they, the accuser, and the seconder each discard an Item card. However, if the accused is the Traitor:  

1. The Traitor shuffles their Item cards and deals them to the other players.  
2. All players give their Major Omen cards to the Traitor.  
3. The Traitor no longer takes regular turns but plays an Omen card during every other player’s Omen phase.  

End of the Game

The game ends when a player has no Item cards left after a Major Omen is played (explorers lose, Traitor wins) or when the last Major Omen card is played. All players then reveal their Journey cards. If there’s a Traitor, the Curse with the most Hints is the true Curse (the Traitor’s card counts as a Hint, and ties are broken by the Traitor). Explorers win if they have the Items to defeat the true Curse. If there is no Traitor, explorers win if they can defeat any four Curses.  

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Betrayal Deck of Lost Souls delivers a gripping mix of strategy, suspense, and social deduction, keeping players on edge with every turn. Whether you’re unraveling secrets or hiding your own, the game promises a chillingly fun experience each time you play. Perfect for game nights with friends who enjoy a bit of mystery—and a lot of betrayal.