Sultan's Game Combat & Adventure Guide: Dice, Duels & Dragons

While Sultan's Game is primarily a narrative and political experience, combat and adventure mechanics are central to survival. From dice checks to duels to the revolution's military campaign, understanding combat is essential for multiple endings.

Dice Check System

Core Mechanic

Most events are resolved through dice checks. The number of dice is determined by your relevant attribute total:

Attribute Total	Dice Count
3 points	1 die
6 points	2 dice
9 points	3 dice
12+ points	4+ dice

Dice Results: All dice are rolled and summed. If the total meets or exceeds the event threshold, you succeed.

Key Combat Attributes

Physique + Combat (Primary Combat Stats)

• Most combat and duel situations require these
• Physique CANNOT be boosted by intel cards (build through books and equipment)
• Combat can be boosted by intel cards and equipment
• Priority: Build these early and consistently

Stealth + Survival (Secondary Combat Stats)

• Used for assassination, infiltration, and survival scenarios
• Important for certain kill and escape situations

Wisdom + Charm (Social Combat Stats)

• Used for political confrontations and social events
• Often paired with combat in complex scenarios

Intel Card Boosting

Intel cards can provide:

• Extra dice for the matching attribute
• Reroll opportunities (Silver intel provides 3 rerolls)

Critical Rule: Since Physique has no intel card, it must be built through permanent means (books, equipment). This makes Physique the highest-priority combat stat.

Duel System

Court Duels

• Triggered by carrying a Bloodshed card to court and challenging a noble
• The duel occurs the next day
• Check: Your Physique + Combat vs. opponent's Physique + Combat
• Can be used to eliminate troublesome nobles (like Royal Honor Guards)

Duel Strategy

• Before challenging, check your opponent's stats
• Equip your best combat gear before the duel
• Use Combat intel cards for extra dice
• If unsure of victory, don't challenge

Killing vs. Dueling

Method	Requirement	Risk	Best For
Court Duel	Carry Bloodshed to court, challenge noble	Public, known	Removing nobles
"Cruel Sacrifice" (Methinks)	Kill a follower	Private, loses follower	Emergency Bloodshed break
Assassination	Stealth + Combat check	May fail, may be caught	Silent removal
Poison	Various	Variable	Indirect killing

Adventure & Exploration Events

Conquest Card Adventures

Standard Adventures:

• "The Proud One" (Methinks): Protagonist climbs mountain alone, 2 days, Survival check. Limited to rock/bronze cards.
• Wound the Rhino: Silver-tier beast combat
• Hunt the Fierce Lion: Bronze-tier beast combat
• Haunted House: Can resolve rock/bronze Bloodshed or Carnality
• Abandoned House by Wanderers: Variable difficulty
• Riot Outside the City: Bronze-tier combat event
• Wild Dog Pack: Low-tier combat
• Famous Hamar Brothers: Silver-tier combat

Gold Conquest (The Hardest Cards):

• Shama's Father: Requires troops; triggered at 10+ infamy and 1+ passion for Shama
• Hilshina (as Great Adversary): If he becomes your sworn enemy, he'll come for you
• Random Conquest Events (5): Trigger at 10+ infamy; require troops + leader
• "Rebel Against You": At 20+ infamy, followers may try to kill you. Can use Gold Conquest to handle this. Use Rewind to reroll participants if needed. Protect critical characters by placing them in multi-turn rituals.
• Final Challenge to the Sultan: If your propaganda is insufficient, Gold Conquest can justify fighting the Sultan

The Revolution: Military Requirements

Revolution Ending Checklist

Requirement	Minimum	How to Achieve
Troops	Sufficient force	Riel's path is most convenient. Heal her → she conquers gangs/liberates slaves → fund her → gangs become troops
Duelists	4 fighters	Each needs 25+ Physique + Combat. Can double as generals.
Mages	3 followers, 20 total Magic	Lumera (fastest magic learner), Badriyyah (starts at 5), Shadow Compass accessory (+5 Magic, can duplicate)
Personal Power	40+ Physique + Combat	Final duel with the Sultan. Recruit "Nameless Gold Mercenary" for assistance.

Royal Guard Defection

All four Royal Guards can be persuaded to betray the Sultan:

• Jabal (Adventure Enthusiast): Easiest. Defeat him in a hunt → blackmail him in a street fight → demand he join you.
• Nabhani (Playboy): Unreliable ally but can help with various cards
• Faris (Cavalry Captain): Standard persuasion difficulty
• Other Guards: More difficult than Jabal

Strategic Impact: If ALL four Royal Guards defect, the final battle skips entirely.

The Sultan's Ring

The Sultan's ring can be:

• Stolen through stealth missions
• Countered with divine power (Divine Descent path)
• Hassan's Gold-tier poem "Providence" can flip a defensive army to your side

Combat Preparation by Ending

Revolution Ending

• Build 4 fighters with 25+ Physique + Combat
• Build 3 mages with 20+ total Magic
• Recruit Riel and fund her military operations
• Persuade as many Royal Guards as possible
• Prepare "Providence" poem (Hassan)

Dragonslayer Ending

• Requires different combat preparation (see Endings guide)
• Personal combat stats matter more than army size
• Specific team composition needed for dragon fight

Divine Descent Ending

• Magic is the primary combat stat
• Build multiple high-Magic followers
• Divine power can bypass conventional combat entirely

Combat Tips

1. Physique is irreplaceable: Since it has no intel card, build it through books and equipment first
2. Combat intel is your friend: Use it before any difficult fight
3. Equipment matters more than base stats: A well-equipped weak character beats a naked strong character
4. Reroll wisely: Save Silver intel rerolls for critical checks
5. Know when to avoid combat: Some events are better resolved through politics, stealth, or diplomacy
6. The "Rewind" function: Use it to reroll unfavorable random events (like who rebels against you at 20+ infamy)

The Adventure Mindset

Combat in Sultan's Game isn't about grinding enemies. It's about preparation, positioning, and choosing your battles. A character with 9 Physique and 6 Combat, properly equipped with the right intel cards, will defeat a character with 12 Physique and 9 Combat who walks in unprepared.

Plan your fights, equip your characters, and never enter a duel you haven't already won in your mind.