The Lobotomy Ward

Round Structure

Each round has 5 phases:

1. Deal Hands — Treatment cards are dealt to each player.
2. Reveal the Ward — Lunatics are flipped face-up into the Ward.
3. Claiming & Auctions — Claim patients and compete for contested ones.
4. Surgery — Operate on your claimed patients.
5. Cleanup — Discard committed cards. Score leader goes first next round (a disadvantage).

Claiming

Click patients in the Ward to claim them. AI opponents have already made their claims. Click "Done Claiming" when ready.

Auctions

When multiple doctors claim the same patient, a descending auction begins:

1. Every bidder must commit cards equal to the patient's requirement count (face-down). Cards don't have to match — you may bluff.
2. Each bidder may lower their bid (remove cards), hold, or drop out.
3. Continue until one player remains or someone bids 1 card (minimum — bidding ends immediately).
4. The winner's committed cards are locked in for surgery.

Surgery

Reveal your committed cards and match colors to the patient's requirements:

• Matched cards fulfill requirements automatically.
• Unmatched requirements each need a dice roll: 4+ succeeds, 1-3 fails.
• All requirements met → Cured! Score the patient's points.
• Any single failure → Dead. Worth −1 point.
• Zero matching cards → Instant death. No dice rolled.

Special Cards

Face cards fill their suit's color requirement AND activate a special ability:

Multiple specials on one patient all activate. Cards are revealed during surgery.

Scoring

Tiebreaker: fewest dead → most patients claimed → shared victory.

Lunatic Types

Every lunatic has a type (shown on the card). Types matter for secret objectives:

Lunatic • Melancholic • Hysteric • Possessed • Maniac

★ Famous People also have a type and score bonus points that scale with how many you cure. Patients with a pair symbol grant +2 bonus if you cure both halves.

Secret Objectives

Revealed at end of game. Each rewards a different playstyle:

Strategy Tips

• Your hand is your budget for the entire round. Overcommit on one patient and you'll have nothing left for the next.
• Bluffing is legal but dangerous. Bid wrong-colored cards to look confident — but if nobody contests you, you're stuck operating with junk.
• Watch what opponents collect. Their cured patients are face-up. Deny pairs and Famous People sets when you can.