Last Updated on August 19, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Traitors Aboard! is an intense social deduction game where trust is a fragile commodity. Players work together to complete tasks and survive—while hidden traitors secretly sabotage their efforts. Can you identify the deceivers before they take control? With strategy, deception, and teamwork at play, every round keeps you on the edge of your seat. Ideal for game nights, Traitors Aboard is perfect for fans of mystery, intrigue, and strategic bluffing.

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How to Play Traitors Aboard!

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Game Overview

Mutineers are hiding among the crew… Can you unmask them before chaos takes over the ship?

Age: 10+
Players: 3–8
Type: Party game, hidden roles
Playtime: 20 minutes

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Game Contents

• 8 Role Cards – assign secret roles of Pirate or Mutineer
• 6 Pirate Cards
• 2 Mutineer Cards
• 42 Loot Cards (values: +1, 0, -2)
• 34 Action Cards, consisting of:
  • 22 Plank Cards – throw players overboard
  • 3 Good Riddance Cards – remove chest cards
  • 3 Empty Your Pockets Cards – force opponents to discard
  • 3 Spyglass Cards – peek and rearrange chest cards
  • 3 Miraculous Catch Cards – manipulate hand and draw pile

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Objective

The crew’s treasure chest has been overturned by mutineers.

• Pirates’ Goal: Fill the chest to the required value or throw all mutineers overboard.
• Mutineers’ Goal: Prevent the chest from reaching the target value or eliminate enough pirates to control the ship.

The tension revolves around hidden roles, bluffing, and strategic card play. Each turn, players contribute to or sabotage the chest while trying to deduce the hidden loyalties of others.

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Game Setup

1. Assign Roles: Shuffle the Role Cards. Deal one face down to each player. Each player secretly looks at their card.
   • Pirates aim to fill the chest and identify mutineers.
   • Mutineers aim to subtly disrupt progress and mislead others.
2. Prepare Cards: Arrange the Plank Cards and other components according to the player count. Remove extra cards from the game to avoid imbalance.
3. Shuffle Loot and Action Cards together. Deal 3 cards to each player. Place the remaining deck face down as the Draw Pile in the center.
4. Set aside space for:
   • Chest Pile – where Loot cards accumulate
   • Discard Pile – where played Action cards and discarded Loot cards go

You are now ready to begin.

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Turn Structure

The most talkative player begins. Play proceeds clockwise. On a player’s turn, they must perform one action:

1. Place a Loot Card

• Place a Loot card face down on top of the Chest.
• Announce the card’s value aloud. You may lie to protect your secret role.

Loot Card Values:

• +1 → adds 1 to the Chest value
• 0 → does not affect the Chest
• -2 → subtracts 2 from the Chest value

Strategic Tip: Mutineers will often try to overstate positive cards or understate negative ones to manipulate the Pirates’ assessment. Pirates need to track placements carefully.

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2. Play an Action Card

Reveal the Action card and apply its effect immediately. After resolving, place it face down in the Discard Pile.

Action Card Details:

• Plank:
  • Choose another player and place a Plank card in front of them.
  • Accumulate 3 Plank cards? That player is thrown overboard: reveal their role, discard all cards in hand, and leave the game.
  • Thrown-overboard players can still discuss strategy but cannot play cards.
• Good Riddance:
  • Remove the top 2 cards of the Chest without looking at them and discard.
• Spyglass:
  • Examine the top 3 Chest cards (or all if fewer than 3). Shuffle them and place them back in any order, face down.
• Miraculous Catch:
  • Draw 3 cards. Keep one, return 2 to the top of the Draw Pile in any order.
• Empty Your Pockets:
  • Select a player (not yourself). That player discards all cards in hand and draws 3 new cards.

After Action: Draw a card from the Draw Pile to maintain 3 cards in hand, unless the Action was Miraculous Catch.

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Special Rules

• Bluffing: Lying about Loot card values is allowed and often necessary for Mutineers.
• Discussion: Players may talk, question, or try to mislead others. Observation and memory of announced cards are crucial.
• Card Tracking: Keep mental notes of revealed actions and announced Loot cards to deduce roles.

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End of the Game

The game ends immediately if any of these conditions occur:

1. Chest Target Declared by a Pirate:
   • Pirate declares the Chest meets the target and reveals their Role.
   • Reveal the Chest and sum the Loot card values.
   • If Chest value ≥ target → Pirates win
   • If Chest value < target → Mutineers win

Target Chest Values by Player Count:

Players	Target Value
3	5
4	8
5	11
6	6
7	9
8	12

2. All Mutineers Thrown Overboard: Pirates win
3. Mutineers Equal or Outnumber Pirates: Mutineers win
4. Draw Pile Depleted: Mutineers win

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Strategy Tips

• Communication is Key: Discuss openly, but be wary of lies. Mutineers may provide false information.
• Track Cards: Remember what others claim to hold. Discrepancies can reveal Mutineers.
• Use Action Cards Wisely: Timing can drastically change the outcome of the game.
• Bluff and Deduce: Mutineers should mix sabotage with believable support; Pirates should identify patterns.
• Observe Behavior: Players’ actions, hesitations, and voting tendencies can reveal hidden roles.
• Plan Ahead: Consider multiple turns and anticipate opponents’ moves when playing Action cards.

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Why You’ll Love Traitors Aboard

• Suspenseful and Fast-Paced – Every round raises the stakes.
• Endlessly Replayable – Different roles, player dynamics, and strategies make every game unique.
• Perfect for Groups – Works best with 5–10 players, making it ideal for parties, game nights, or team-building.
• For Fans of Deduction Games – If you enjoy The Resistance or Werewolf, this game brings a fresh twist to the genre.

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Traitors Aboard FAQ

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Traitors Aboard: Pirate Card Game offers a blend of strategy, bluffing, and betrayal, creating an engaging and unpredictable experience for players.