Dune Board Games: party game
Dune: Betrayal: How the Dune Card Game Plays
Dune: Betrayal is a 2021 social deduction card game from Gale Force Nine for 4 to 8 players. Each player secretly joins House Atreides or House Harkonnen, then spends six short rounds figuring out who’s on their side.
- 2021
- 4-8 players
- party game
- Gale Force Nine
Designers: Don Eskridge
Whose side is everyone on? Nobody knows. You have six rounds to figure it out.
Betrayal takes just six rounds, so its structure is easy to follow. Three action rounds help you gather information, two targeting rounds put your guesses on the table, and one battle round shows who got it right. The list below follows the rounds in order. Another game inspired by the 2021 film is Dune: House Secrets.
Fighters’ traits match their identities. Nobles have traits from both houses.
Quick guide to Dune: Betrayal’s six rounds
The game runs six rounds: three action rounds, two targeting rounds, and one battle round.
After you view a trait card, turn it sideways. You can’t view it again.
- Step 1:
Setup: each player gets a secret identity card, such as Duke Leto Atreides, Baron Harkonnen, a Trooper or Duncan Idaho, then picks the two trait cards that match.
- Step 2:
Action rounds (three): On your turn, take one of three face-up action cards. Some take effect right away; save others for the targeting rounds.
- Step 3:
Some actions let you secretly view another player’s trait card. Once viewed, that trait is shielded and can’t be viewed again.
- Step 4:
Targeting rounds (two): place either your attack card or defend card face down on another player’s identity card.
- Step 5:
You can target the same player twice, but not yourself. A player with 3 target cards can’t be targeted again.
- Step 6:
Battle round: players take turns revealing their identity and the cards and tokens on it, then move the score marker by their score.
- 7Step 7:
Points come from matching sigils on action cards, tokens and target cards. When scoring, each player moves the marker toward their own house; lost points move it toward the enemy. Its final position shows the winning house.
Betrayal is easy to explain, but a few precise rules govern hidden traits and shielded cards. The next block covers setup for each player count, the trait system, and scoring. For a heavier Dune game with the same Atreides and Harkonnen rivalry, try Dune: Imperium.
How to play Dune: Betrayal, step by step
Setup
Put the scoreboard in the center. Use the side for 4, 6 or 8 players, or flip it for 5 or 7. Set the round marker on the first action round and the battle marker on Start.
Choose a dealer, who takes the action, identity, trait and target cards, plus the dealer token. Shuffle the action deck and flip three action cards beside it.
For four players, use Baron Harkonnen, a Trooper, Duke Leto Atreides, and Duncan Idaho. Add Gurney Halleck for five, a Guard for six, Lady Jessica for seven, and Beast Rabban for eight.
Shuffle and deal one identity to each player. Everyone takes one trait card of each type, then keeps the two matching their identity. Hide the unused trait card under your identity card.
Harkonnen nobles discover their fighters through a script: everyone closes their eyes, fighters raise a hand, and the noble opens their eyes to spot them.
With 4 or 5 players, remove the 10 extended action cards before shuffling the action deck.
Turn by turn
Identities and traits
A fighter’s traits match their identity exactly. Nobles trust nobody, so they have both house traits. Trait cards are shuffled, which means even the owner doesn’t know which is which.
Action rounds
Starting with the dealer, choose a face-up action card. If its sigil matches your identity, you’ll score a point in the battle round. Immediate cards resolve right away; the rest wait for the targeting rounds.
Shielding
After you view a trait card, it’s shielded and turned sideways. It can’t be viewed again unless someone plays the Mind Breaker card.
Targeting rounds
Place an attack or defend card face down on another player’s identity card. In the second round, place your last card. Cards stay hidden until the battle round unless Aerial Recon reveals them.
Tokens
The Atreides Sigil and Master of Assassins actions give tokens to other players’ identity cards in the first targeting round. A player with two tokens can’t receive any more.
Battle round
Players reveal their identities and the cards on them, then adjust the battle marker. Atreides move it right when scoring and left when losing. Harkonnens move it the other way.
End of the game and scoring
Each player scores 1 point for every action card sigil that matches their identity. Atreides score 1 point per Sigil token, while Harkonnens lose 1 point per Assassin token. Harkonnen nobles lose 1 point per attack card, Atreides nobles lose 2, and fighters lose 1 if attacked. Each player gains 1 point for every defend card they receive. The marker shows which house is winning.
Key rules
Nobles versus fighters
Fighters lose 1 point if attacked, then ignore any further attacks. Nobles lose points for every attack card, so keeping your noble safe matters.
Target limits
You may play both target cards on the same player, but never on your own identity card. Anyone with 3 target cards can’t be targeted again.
Ornithopter Escape
Play this card in response to being targeted. The targeter must use that card on another player or discard it.
Mind Games
Lets a player skip placing a target card in the first targeting round and place both in the second.
Tips for your first game
- Use your action cards to learn identities. Once a trait is viewed, it’s shielded and can’t be viewed again.
- As Atreides, protect your noble. Atreides nobles lose 2 points per attack card.
- Target enemy nobles when you can. They lose points for every attack card.
- The rulebook suggests placing Sigil tokens on players from your own house and Assassin tokens on players from the other house.
Atreides nobles lose 2 points for each attack card, so defend them.
The rulebook thanks Legendary and the filmmakers of the 2021 film, and the identities are familiar characters. Next, we cover the designer, publisher, release and cast, from Duke Leto to Beast Rabban. For the wider range, see the Dune board games overview.
The game and the 2021 film behind it
A player can’t receive more than 3 target cards.
The game
Design and release
Don Eskridge, designer of The Resistance, also designed Dune: Betrayal. Gale Force Nine published the game in October 2021, with a retail price of $25.
In the box
The rulebook lists 8 identity cards, 24 trait cards, 16 target cards, 30 action cards (20 core and 10 extended), 8 reference cards, a double-sided scoreboard and 9 tokens.
The film or series it covers
The game draws on Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film Dune and the rivalry between House Atreides and House Harkonnen. It’s a social deduction game, not a retelling of the plot.
Players take on the identities of film characters. ComicBook.com’s announcement report said the game uses imagery from the film, including Duke Leto.
Scenes and story beats in the game
- 1
Duke Leto Atreides is the Atreides noble.
- 2
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is the Harkonnen noble.
- 3
Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck fight for House Atreides.
- 4
In 8-player games, Beast Rabban joins as a Harkonnen noble. Lady Jessica joins as an Atreides noble in 7-player games.
What’s in the Dune: Betrayal box
- 8 identity cards (4 Atreides and 4 Harkonnen)
- 24 trait cards (8 Atreides, 8 Harkonnen and 8 Fighter)
- 16 target cards (8 attack and 8 defend)
- 30 action cards (20 core and 10 extended)
- 8 reference cards
- 1 double-sided scoreboard
- 9 tokens (3 Sigil, 3 Assassin, the round marker, the dealer token and the score marker)
Dune: Betrayal questions
What is Dune: Betrayal?
Dune: Betrayal is a 2021 social deduction card game by Don Eskridge for 4 to 8 players. You secretly join House Atreides or House Harkonnen, then try to figure out who’s on your side.
How many rounds are in Dune: Betrayal?
Six: three action rounds, two targeting rounds, and one battle round.
How do you win Dune: Betrayal?
Your score moves the marker toward your house. After the battle round, it shows whether House Atreides or House Harkonnen won.
How many players can play Dune: Betrayal?
The game supports 4 to 8 players. One side of the scoreboard covers 4, 6 or 8 players; the other covers 5 or 7. Your player count also determines which identity cards you use.
Is Dune: Betrayal based on the movie?
The game is set in Dune and, according to ComicBook.com’s launch coverage, uses imagery from Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film, including Duke Leto Atreides and Beast Rabban.
Who knows who is on their side at the start of Dune: Betrayal?
During setup, Harkonnen nobles learn who their fighters are, but neither noble learns the other’s identity. Everyone else starts knowing only their own identity and uses action cards to uncover more.
Fighters’ traits match their identities. Nobles have traits from both houses.
After you view a trait card, turn it sideways. You can’t view it again.
Sources
- Gale Force Nine: Dune: Betrayal rulebook (PDF, archived copy) web.archive.org
- ComicBook.com: Dune: Betrayal social deduction game announced comicbook.com