A Social Deduction Board Game

Maligno Trip is a social deduction game set in the Philippines. A game of betrayal roles, suspicious actions, and deceptive talk. Players must work together to go home to Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. Amongst the players are Maligno, a shapeshifting monster that is trying to kill them all.

Gas Focused

While Going home with their car, a group of friends will find themselves riddled by detours, wrong turns, and long routes which will affect their gas fuel.

While the goal of the human team is to go home, the Maligno team aims to consume all the gas to kill them before they reach Manila.

Bluff-filled Trip

The trip will involve hidden information. As the maligno may curse and kill during the night, humans must find out who is their ally and their enemies. They must use their social skills to convince other players that they are on the good team, even if they are actually on the bad team. The actions, body language, and behavior of every player must be considered.

Strategic Roles

Each day, a designated driver is elected by the group. During each turn, the driver and navigator will work together to decide which route to take. Every action is dictated by a random deck. Players must figure out if the actions of the driver are based on luck or based on deception.

Role Preparations

Give each player one team card and one character role card. Do not let anyone see the player's team card!

After knowing your team, place the team card face down in front of you.

Place the character role card face-up in front of you.

Mechanics

Objective

The objective of the Human team is to make sure the car token reaches Manila. The objective of the Maligno team is to consume all gas so that the car token will not reach Manila.

Map

The map is divided into 4 blocks or days. Each day, a designated driver is elected by the group who will decide the final action of the car token. When the car token lands on a location that is found beyond or on the boundary of blocks/days, then the night phase is initiated. Players will sleep during the night phase.

Car Movement

The movement of the car token is dependent on turns. A navigator is assigned each turn to work with the driver. Navigators are automatically assigned counter-clockwise of the driver, starting on the right of the driver.

Depending on the action card, the car token may move from one location to another. Only the driver may place the car token in its proper place.

Turn Mechanics

With each turn, the navigator draws 3 action cards from the deck and discards 1 action card. The navigator will pass the remaining 2 action cards to the driver. Then, the driver selects 1 action card and discards the other. A new turn will occur after the driver selects the final action card.

Rejections

The driver has the choice to reject any card that is handed by the navigator. Navigation rejection may only be done if the driver has not yet seen the action cards. The navigation rejection bar on the board describes how many rejections have been made. Each day, three rejections may be done by the driver. The navigation bar resets each day.

Important!

Remember, each day has a new driver while each turn has a new navigator.

A previously designated driver cannot be elected on the next day. Previous drivers may be elected after one day.

Player Ratio

4 players can start playing the game, while the maximum number of players is 8.

Include the prescribed number of Maligno during game preparations.

Map Setup

The board is divided into 4 colored parts or blocks. Each part is considered a day. The boundary between parts is considered a night. Cities and small town locations connected by small roads and an expressway are destinations that can be reached by the car token. The movement of the car token is dictated by the action card which will be decided by the designated driver.

Each turn, the car token has only one movement. Depending on the action card, the number of gas consumption will be affected. Move the token on the gas indicator whenever an action card has gas consumption.

Locations

The map consists of an expressway that houses toll locations. To gain access, a toll pass from the deck must be played by the driver.

If a detour card from the deck was played, then the movement of the car token is towards small roads.

Legends

There are different legends on the map that correspond to events that are favorable to either the human or maligno team.

For example, the 'Red gas' icon gives you an additional one gas upon landing on it. Regardless of gas consumption from the action card, a red gas icon adds one gas for the car. A 'Green Gas' icon gives you no gas consumption in one movement. It is similar to the toll pass gas coupon.

These events may be used as an alibi to use detour cards, which may cover the true objective of the Maligno Team.

The 'Navigation Rejection' icon, indicated by a red cancel icon near Manila, enables the driver to reject any shown action card given by the navigator. This icon is a special rejection feature because it lets navigation be rejected even though the driver has seen the two action cards. This feature, however, can only be used once throughout the game.

Day & Night Phases

The game includes a day phase which enables the designated driver and the navigator to move the car token within small roads and expressway. The night phase will simulate a sleeping cycle that will require players to close their eyes for 15 seconds.

During the night, the maligno team will be able to open their eyes and curse or kill one player of their choice. Some special skills will let players peek during the night regardless of their team.

Cursing or Killing requires the maligno team to place a token on top of the name of their chosen player. Names of the characters are found on each side of the board. Killing a player can only be done for 6 players or more.

Deck Setup

The deck is composed of 20 cards that is comprised of 7 blue cards and 13 red cards. Various card types are made for special purposes. The blue cards are used to access the expressway, while the red cards are used to access the small roads and make the game favorable for the Maligno Team.

Each turn, the navigator will influence the choices of the driver by discarding a card that is not favorable to their team. Players must figure out who among the navigator or drivers were able to manipulate the action cards for their team.

Beside the deck, a discard pile may be placed.

Action Cards

Toll Pass
Gives access to the Super Luzon Expressway. Place the car token on the toll location using one move. Consume one gas.
Toll Pass with Gas Coupon
Same as 'Toll Pass' but consume no gas on one move.
Toll Pass with Bypass
Gives access to the Super Luzon Expressway even if the road is not connected to the toll location. Place the car token on the toll location using one move. Consume one gas.
Detour
Gives access to the smaller roads. Place the car token on detour location using one move. Consume one gas.
Long Turn Detour
Same as Detour, but consumes two gas.
Roadblock
No car movement. Consume one gas.
Wrong Turn
Moves the car in its most previous position. Consume one gas.

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Character Roles

Role preparations let players randomly choose their character roles. Roles are essential in strategic plays because they add depth and complexity to the gameplay. Both teams will use the skills of the character roles to their advantage.

There are two types of skills. The action skill requires players to say a word to activate the skill, while the special skill will have circumstances to be activated.

Both action and special skills are only used once separately throughout the game.

The Game Idea

Social Deduction

Social deduction games have exploded in popularity in recent years, captivating audiences with their unique blend of strategy, psychology, and social interaction. But what exactly makes these games so fun? The answer lies in a potent combination of factors that engage our brains, challenge our skills, and ignite the primal thrill of human deception.

Strategy

Beyond simply reading others, social deduction games demand strategic brilliance. Players must craft convincing narratives, plant seeds of doubt, and manipulate information to sway their opponents. This strategic complexity requires planning, foresight, and the ability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. Whether crafting intricate alibis or orchestrating cunning plays, social deduction games are a testament to the human mind's ingenuity and adaptability.

Filipino Mythology

Maligno Trip transports players to the heart of Filipino mythology, where the unseen realm of the maligno lurks just beyond the veil. Maligno Trip isn't just about strategizing moves; it's about mastering the art of deception. Players must weave intricate tales, cultivate alliances, and sow seeds of doubt to achieve their goals. The game's unique mechanics add a layer of suspense, forcing players to constantly adapt their strategies and question the motives of those around them.

Versions

Maligno Trip will be available in a Print-and-Play version & a physical copy for Kickstarter. A local physical version for the Philippines will also be available. We are finalizing which fulfillment experts will transact our board game per region.

For now, our partners in Hong Kong will fulfill any pre-orders in the Philippines, while we will fulfill any Kickstarter Print-and-Play orders through the backer's email. Tune in for future updates on our news regarding shipping.