You can also learn to play by

watching a video explanation:

FoxtrotGames.com/Forest
 The Fox in the Forest
A Trick-Taking Game for 2 Players
By Joshua Buergel

Overview
The Fox in the Forest is a trick-taking game for two players, each
playing cards to win tricks against the other over multiple rounds.
Players score points during a round by winning tricks containing
specific cards and at the end of a round based on the number of
total tricks they won. The player with the most points at the end
of the game is the winner.

Components
Game Cards (33)

1-11 1-11 1-11

Bells Keys Moons

Scoring tokens (17) player reference (2)

Card Reference Scoring Reference
Monarch: When you lead this, Findif Treasure
your
opponent has a card of this After each must
suit, they trick, the winner receives 1 point for
play either the 1 of this suit each 7 (Treasure)
or their highest in the trick.
ranked card of this suit.
Win Tricks
Witch: When determining the After each of
winner complete
a round, the players each
earn9 points
trick with only one 9, treat the as if it based on how many tricks they won
were in the trump suit. in the round:
Tricks
Treasure: After each trick, the winner Points Description

x5 x4 x8
receives 1 point for each 7 in the trick.
0-3 6 Humble
Woodcutter: When you play this, draw4 1 1
card. Then discard any 1 card to the bottom
of the deck (face down). 5 2 Defeated
6
Fox: When you play this, you may exchange 3
7-9 hand.
the decree card with a card from your 6 Victorious
10-13
Swan: If you play this and lose the trick, 0 Greedy
you lead the next trick.

D2E
 D eep in the woods lived a witch well known for her
potions. Desperate travelers would brave the depths
of the dark forest in order to consult with her.

Setup
Each game consists of multiple rounds. In each round, one player
will be the dealer. (For the first round, randomly select the dealer.
For each round after that, alternate which player is the dealer.) At
the beginning of a round, the dealer for the round completes the
following steps:
1. Shuffle the 33 game cards​.
 eal both players a hand​of 13 cards. (Each player may look
2. D
at their own hand but should keep their hand hidden from the
other player.)
3. Set aside the remaining 7 cards face down to make a draw
deck​.
4. Take the top card of the draw deck and place it face up next to the
draw deck. This card is known as the decree card. (The suit
of this card will be important during the round.)

D3E
 Gameplay
Round Overview
Each round consists of a series of 13 turns for each player, called
tricks. Every trick, both players will play one card from their
hand face up into the middle: one player will lead​(that is, play
the first card of the trick), and the other player will then follow​
(that is, play the second card of the trick). Based on the two cards
that are played, one player will be said to win the trick.

T he woodcutter’s daughter packed a bag with flint

and steel, her food, and a long blanket. She set off
into the woods, following one of her father’s trails.

Trick Details
Leading:​The non-dealer leads on the first trick of a round.
After that (unless specified otherwise), the winner of one trick
will lead the following trick. The leader can choose to play any card
from their hand, without restriction. The suit of that card is known
as the lead suit​for the trick.
Following:​After one player leads, the other player now must
play a card that (if possible) matches the lead suit; that card can
be (unless specified otherwise) of any rank in that suit. If the

D4E
 T he fox, puzzling over the riddle, turned to the girl and
grinned. She chose the path the fox had identified,
and the companions journeyed back into the woods.

follower does not have a card in the lead suit, they may play any
card without restriction.
Determining the Trick Winner:​After both cards have
been played (and any abilities activated; see Abilities on page 7),
players determine the winner of the trick. Typically, the card with
the highest rank in the lead suit wins the trick. However, the suit
of the decree card (known as the trump suit​) is considered
higher than the lead suit:
11 If either card in the trick is in the trump suit, the player
who played the card in the trump suit with the highest rank
wins the trick.
11 If neither card in the trick is in the trump suit, the player
who played the card in the lead suit with the highest rank
wins the trick.
The winner of the trick takes the two cards and keeps them face
down near their side of the table. The number of tricks won by
each player is public information, visible to both players during
the round. However, no player may look at the faces of cards in
previously won tricks.
The winner of a trick leads the next trick (unless otherwise speci-
fied). Continue to play tricks until all 13 tricks have been won.

D5E
O nce upon a time, a woodcutter
and his daughter lived in a small
village bordering the forest. She had
traveled with him and had seen him
speak with the forest animals.

T he woodcutter was known in

the village as a brave man,
unafraid of the forest’s dangers.
He would travel deep into the woods
to bring back the best timber.

T he queen decreed that whoever

defeated the monsters would be
granted half the kingdom in reward.
Many second sons and daughters
came from faraway lands to seek
their fortune.

Visit FoxtrotGames.com/Forest to read the original fairy tale by

Alana Joli Abbott for more background on the setting of this game.
D6E
Abilities
All the cards of odd rank (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11) have special abilities
printed on them, which activate when the card is played. They
may change what your opponent can play, how the winner of the
trick is determined, or who leads the next trick; they may let you
take a special action when you play the card; and they may give
points to the winner of the trick. The exact timing of each ability
is included in the text.
(See the Appendix: Common Questions on page 9 for any additional
help with these abilities.)

End-of-Round Scoring
After all 13 tricks have been played, count how many tricks each
player has won. Players may win points at the end of the round,
based on the number of tricks they won. (See the chart below.)
You want to win more tricks than your opponent, but not too many.

Tricks Points Description

0-3 6 Humble
4 1
5 2 Defeated
6 3
7-9 6 Victorious
10-13 0 Greedy
(If you get too greedy, you will be brought down like the villain in
so many fairy tales.)

D7E
After the end-of-round scoring, if either player has at least
21 points, then the game is over. Otherwise, play another round
(with the dealer of the next round being the player who did not
deal the current round).

End of Game
Play complete rounds until either player has at least 21 points.
The player with the most points wins! If there is a tie, the player
who won the most points during the last round wins.

S he entered the throne room. Her eyes beheld a precious

treasure, unlike anything she had ever seen. Catching
herself, she knelt respectfully before the monarch.

VARIABLE GAME LENGTH: For a shorter or longer game,

you may agree to end the game at a different number of points:
11 For a shorter game, we recommend playing complete rounds
until either player has at least 16 points.
11 For a longer game, we like playing complete rounds until
either player has at least 35 points. (You will need a piece of
paper and a pencil to record the higher scores.)

D8E
 Appendix: Common Questions
When do the abilities on the 3 (Fox) and 5 (Woodcutter) occur?
Each of these two abilities takes place immediately when the
card is played, before another card is played or the winner of
the trick is determined. (Note: If the person playing a 3 changes
the decree card, the trump suit may also change. The new trump
suit is used to determine the winner of the current trick.)

If my opponent leads a 9 (Witch), do I have to follow the 9’s suit or

the trump suit?
You must follow the 9’s suit if you can. A non-trump 9 is not
treated as if it were in the trump suit until after both cards in the
trick have been played following the normal rules.

If my opponent leads a trump card and I have a trump card, can I

play a non-trump 9 (Witch)?
No. A non-trump 9 is not treated as if it were in the trump suit
until after both cards in the trick have been played following
the normal rules. If you can follow suit with a trump card, you
cannot play a non-trump 9.

Who wins a trick with two 9 (Witch) cards in it?

The special ability on the 9 (Witch) only applies when the trick
contains one 9 (Witch). (The witch’s magic lets her transform
into the trump suit at the end of the trick, but with two witches
in the trick, they neutralize each other’s magic.) If the 9 of the
trump suit was played, it would win; otherwise, the 9 of the
lead suit would win.
Who leads the next trick after a trick with two 1 (Swan) cards in it?
If both players play a 1 (Swan), the player who loses the trick
would lead the next trick.

D9E
 T he queen moved to strike the girl, but the swan
spread its wings and flew to protect her. “My beak
is quick and my wings are powerful,” said the swan.

Credits
Game Design: Joshua Buergel
Illustration: Jennifer L. Meyer

Game Development: Randy Hoyt, Charles Wright

Graphic Design: Keith Pishnery
Rulebook Editing: Dustin Schwartz

Playtesting: Jeff and Ruth Ashton, Michael C. Brannon, Andrew

Brooks, Jarrett Carberry, Michael Domeny, Todd Edwards, Sarah
Graybill, Megan Hazen, J. R. Honeycutt, Christine and Daniel
Isom, Nolan Lichti, Christin Miller, Mike Mullins, Justin Neddo,
Daniel Newman, Kelsey R. North, John Shulters, Beth Sobel,
and Brian Villanueva

© 2017 Foxtrot Games. All rights reserved.

D 10 E