The Franciscan Diamond

The Franciscan Diamond is an 18 card trick-taking game played with an asymmetric deck of 4 suits. Each suit has a different number of cards. The game starts with players taking a hidden role and proceeds over 8 rounds.

Each round begins with 3 draft passes where cards are exchanged between all of the players. After the drafts, play consists of tricks where players attempt to capture cards aligned to their secret role while avoiding collecting cards aligned to their role's nemesis. To help keep roles secret, scores in all four suits are kept for each player until the end of the game.

At the end of the game, players score points only for their role cards and lose points for any their nemesis cards obtained. Cards acquired from the other two suits do not gain or lose the player any points. The player with the highest total score wins.

The Franciscan Diamond requires players to play differently based on their assigned role. It is important to try to uncover the roles of others so that the drafts can ensure the right cards end up with the right players to create tricks that are favorable to a player's goals. This manipulation must then be balanced against keeping your secret role hidden. The result of this mix is an unusual trick-taking game that fans of noir mystery can enjoy.
-description from publisher

The Crime of the Century…

…is about to be committed. A Master Thief has set her eyes on The Franciscan Diamond and is plotting to steal it, but an equally talented Private Eye is on her trail. Seeking to distract the gumshoe and working her own angle is the Femme Fatale. But it’s no cake walk for her either because The Cops are hounding her every move, all while trying to avoid being played the fools by the Master Thief. Who will emerge victorious from this caper is a mystery!

'The Franciscan Diamond is an 18-card trick-taking game starring four classic characters of a Noir Mystery: the Master Thief, the Private Eye, the Femme Fatale, and The Cops. Players start the game with a secret role and aim to win tricks that score their objective cards while avoiding collecting cards linked to their nemesis. After 8 scenes, the case is closed and the player that best played their role emerges as the victor!
- from back of box