The Final Flicker

Official Manual: Version 1.0

This candle is your heartbeat. As long as it flickers, you are safe. But every card you burn brings you one step closer to being Consumed by the Darkness.

However, the dark isn't the only danger. If you let too many ghosts gather, you won't just die—you will lose your mind to the Possession. You must balance your fading light against your crumbling sanity.

Do not trust your neighbors. They are not your friends. They will shove the spirits into your shadow to save their own skin.

"You don't have to be the brightest light in the room. You just have to be the last one burning."

1. The Setup

The Supplies

Ratio: 1 Standard Deck (54 cards) for every 2 players.

IMPORTANT: Use strictly 2 Jokers per Deck. If your decks have extra jokers, remove them.
2-4 Players: 2 Decks
5-6 Players: 3 Decks
7-8 Players: 4 Decks
9-20 Players: Scale accordingly (1 deck per 2 players)

The Shuffle: Shuffle all decks together to create one massive pool.

The Circle & The Weighing

Sit in a circle.
Deal exactly 27 cards (Half a Deck) to each player.
The Candle: This stack is your life. Do not look at it. If it runs out, you are Consumed by the Darkness.
The Surplus: Place any remaining undealt cards Face Up into THE DARK (Discard Pile) to start the game.
The Chilling Touch:
All players must touch the hand of the person to their left. The player at the table with the Coldest Hands goes first, for the spirits are already drawn to them.
The Hand: Draw 5 cards from your Candle.
The Shadow: The empty space on the table directly in front of you. This is where ghosts manifest.

2. The Laws of the Circle

Line of Sight: You can only interact with your Immediate Neighbors (Left/Right).
The Accumulation: Ghosts played against you gather in your personal Shadow.
Forbidden Knowledge: Cards are discarded Face Up, but you may never look through the history of The Dark (Discard Pile) unless a card tells you to.
The Closing Gap: When a player dies, they are removed. The circle shrinks.
- Standard: Ghosts are banished to The Dark.
- Dark Mode: Ghosts split between neighbors.

3. The Passage of Time (Turn Structure)

Phase A: THE HAUNTING

Look into your Shadow. Count the Ghosts. For every Ghost currently haunting you, BURN (Discard Face Up) 1 card from your Candle into The Dark.

Phase B: THE BURN

Draw 1 card from the top of your Candle.

If your Candle is empty when you try to Draw, you are Consumed by the Darkness.

Phase C: THE RITUAL

Perform EXACTLY ONE of the following:

HAUNT (Attack): Play a Number Card (A-10) into a Neighbor's Shadow.
BANISH (Defend): Play a card from hand onto a Ghost in your Shadow.
Requirement: Must be Higher or Equal value.
Hierarchy of Suits: Spades (Highest) > Hearts > Clubs > Diamonds (Lowest).
INVOKE (Effect): Discard a Number Card to use its Ability.
SUMMON (Power): Discard a Face Card to use its Power.

Phase D: THE BURDEN

If you have 8+ cards in hand, discard down to 7.

4. The Grimoire (Card Effects)

The Whispers (Number Cards)

Action: Play into Neighbor's Shadow to HAUNT, or Discard to INVOKE.

Rank	Name	Invoke Effect (Discard to Use)
A	DRAFT	Force a Neighbor to Burn 2 cards from their Candle.
2	SCARE	Force a Neighbor to discard 2 random cards from Hand.
3	OMEN	Reveal top 3 of your Candle. Play 1 immediately. Rest to bottom.
4	SALT	Interrupt: Cancel an action targeting you. (Salt can be Salted).
5	GREED	Draw 2 cards.
6	CLEANSE	Destroy 1 Ghost in your own Shadow (no value check needed).
7	SIGHT	Look at Neighbor's Hand and Steal 1 Card.
8	VANISH	Return a Ghost from Any Board to your Hand.
9	POSSESS	Move a Ghost from your Shadow to a Neighbor's Shadow.
10	REKINDLE	Take top 3 cards from Discard; put at bottom of your Candle.

The Arcana (Face Cards)

Action: Cannot be Ghosts. Must Discard to SUMMON.

Rank	Name	Summon Power
JACK	THE MIRROR	Swap all ghosts in your Shadow with a Neighbor's ghosts.
QUEEN	THE MEDIUM	Pick any card from The Dark and put it in your Hand.
KING	THE PURGE	Banish ALL Ghosts in your Shadow instantly.
JOKER	THE HAUNTED	Force every Opponent to reveal cards from the top of their Candle until they find a Number Card. That card becomes a Ghost in their Shadow. (Burn any Face Cards revealed this way).

5. The Cursed (Classes)

THE SKEPTICImmune to Aces (Drafts).

THE PRIESTWhen you Banish a Ghost, Draw 1 Card.

THE SHADOWCan Burn 1 card from Candle to cancel a Haunt targeting you.

THE EXORCISTYour 6 (Cleanse) destroys 2 Ghosts instead of 1.

THE SURVIVORIf you have 2 or fewer cards in Hand, take no damage during The Haunting.

THE PYROMANIACDiscard a Red Card to force a Neighbor to Burn 2 cards.

THE SADISTWhen you play a 2 (Scare), you choose the cards they discard.

THE BINDERGhosts you Haunt cannot be moved (Possess) or returned (Vanish).

THE WARLOCKYou can use Face Cards to Haunt (Strength 10) instead of Summon.

THE VULTUREWhen a Neighbor dies, shuffle 5 cards from The Dark into your Candle.

THE OCCULTISTYour 9 (Possess) can target any player, not just Neighbors.

THE TRADERDiscard 1 to see Neighbor's hand. You may Swap 1 card with theirs.

THE SEEROnce per turn, you may look at the Top Card of any player's Candle.

THE HOARDERHand Limit is 10 (instead of 7).

THE MIMICOnce per game, swap Candles (Decks) with a Neighbor.

THE GRAVEDIGGERWhen a Neighbor dies, add their remaining Candle to yours.

THE FATALISTDiscard 1 Card to change the Suit of any Ghost on the board.

THE LEECHWhen you Banish a Ghost, put it on the bottom of your Candle.

THE MARTYRWhen taking Damage during The Haunting, you may Draw 1 Card.

THE LICHThe first time you die, steal top 2 Cards from everyone alive to revive.

THE JUDGEWhen you play a 7 (Sight), force that player to Burn 3 cards.

THE JESTERWhen Haunted, discard 1 to redirect it to the other Neighbor.

THE ARCHITECTPlay cards Face Down in your Shadow as "Walls" (Str 0). Ghosts hit walls first.

THE CLOWNGhosts you Haunt cannot be Banished by Numbers, only Face or Cleanse (6).

THE PHANTOMIf you have 0 Cards in Hand, you cannot be targeted by Haunts.

THE FINAL FLICKER CHEAT SHEET

Quick Reference Guide

Turn Structure

THE HAUNTING: Count ghosts in your Shadow. Burn that many cards from Candle.
THE BURN: Draw 1 Card.
THE RITUAL: Perform ONE action:
- Haunt: Play Number into Neighbor's Shadow.
- Banish: Destroy ghost in own Shadow (Higher/Equal Value).
  ♠ Spades > ♥ Hearts > ♣ Clubs > ♦ Diamonds
- Invoke: Discard Number for effect.
- Summon: Discard Face Card for power.
THE BURDEN: Discard down to 7 cards.

Endings

Consumed: 0 Cards in Candle.
Possession: End turn with 3 Ghosts of SAME SUIT in Shadow.

Card Effects

A	Draft: Foe Burns 2 cards.
2	Scare: Foe Discards 2 random cards.
3	Omen: Reveal 3 from Candle, Play 1.
4	Salt: Cancel an Action.
5	Greed: Draw 2.
6	Cleanse: Destroy 1 Ghost (Self).
7	Sight: Steal 1 card from Foe.
8	Vanish: Return Ghost to Hand.
9	Possess: Move Ghost to Foe.
10	Rekindle: Get 3 from Discard to Candle.

J	Mirror: Swap Ghosts with Foe.
Q	Medium: Fetch any card from Discard.
K	Purge: Destroy ALL Ghosts (Self).
Joker	Haunted: All Foes reveal Candle until they get 1 Ghost.