Coup

Coup rules — frequently asked questions

Can I claim a character I don't have?

Yes — that's the heart of Coup. Any action or block can be a bluff. The risk: if you're challenged and can't show the card, you lose an influence.

What happens when a challenge is wrong?

The challenger loses one influence. The player who proved their claim shuffles the shown card back into the deck, draws a replacement, and their action proceeds as declared.

Why did I lose two cards to one assassination?

If you challenge the Assassin and they show it, you lose one influence for the failed challenge — and the assassination then resolves, costing your second. Same trap if you falsely claim Contessa to block and get challenged. Challenge assassinations only when you're confident.

Do the 3 coins come back if my assassination is blocked?

No. Assassination costs are paid on declaration and are never refunded — blocked, challenged, or otherwise.

When am I forced to coup?

If you begin your turn with 10 or more coins, your action must be a coup. Below 10, couping is optional (but at 7+ coins it's always available).

Can a coup be blocked or challenged?

No. Pay 7, name a target, they lose an influence. It's the only guaranteed effect in the game, which is why hoarding coins is threatening.

Can anyone block Foreign Aid, or only the players next to me?

Anyone at the table may claim Duke to block Foreign Aid, regardless of seating. Steal and assassinate blocks, by contrast, can only be made by the targeted player.

Who chooses which card is lost when I lose influence?

You do. When you lose an influence, you pick which of your face-down cards to flip face-up — revealed cards stay visible for the rest of the game.

How does the Ambassador's exchange work?

Draw 2 cards from the Court deck, look at them alongside your remaining hidden cards, and return any 2 to the deck. You may keep both new cards, both old, or a mix — nobody else sees what you kept.

Can I steal from someone with only 1 coin (or none)?

You can target them and take whatever they have — 1 coin, or nothing at all. Stealing from a broke player is legal, mostly useful as a bluff-bait.