The rules of Asante are not perfectly clear. There are so many possible situations that it is not always clear how the rules apply in a particular situation. Therefore we answer some frequently asked question about specific situations in Asante. If you have more questions feel free to ask them in a comment below.
Is it possible to block the Meerkats, the Animalist, or the Dealer with an Animalist?
No, the Animalist can be played only in your opponent’s turn and not in your own turn. As a result the Meerkats, the Animalist, and the Dealer cannot be blocked by an Animalist.
When exactly are you allowed to play the Animalist?
You are allowed to play the Animalist immediately after your opponent plays a person card or animal card. The effect of the card will not be invoked. If your opponent plays for example the Smuggler, you can block the effect by immediately playing an Animalist. You cannot wait to see which goods your opponent will receive and then choose to block the effect.
Are you allowed to play your own Holy Territory cards if you also played a Cartographer?
Yes, if you play the Cartographer, you are allowed to play a Holy Territory card in the same turn.
How much gold can you get from the Hermit?
The Hermit costs one action token to play. If you do nothing in your turn, but play the Hermit, you get 4 gold. If you have only one action token left and you play the Hermit, you will get no gold.
Are you allowed to play Meerkats in reaction to the Map and the Mancala?
The Map and the Mancala read ‘Take the top card of the draw pile / “Holy Territory” card’. This should be ‘Show the top card of the draw pile / “Holy Territory” card’. You don’t really take the top cards, but rather show the card. With this explanation Meerkats cannot be played in reaction to the Map or Mancala. If the Map gets your opponent a Rwenzori mountain, it is of course possible to play Meerkats in reaction to this Rwenzori mountain.
How much gold can you bid on the Healer?
You are not allowed to bid more gold than you own on the Healer. If you have only four gold and your opponent plays the Healer, you cannot bid more than four gold. You are allowed to bid more gold than your opponent owns. In that case your opponent is obligated to sell the chosen cards to you and cannot buy them himself.
Can you have more than one gold placed on your Voodoo doll at the same time?
You can have more than one gold placed on your Voodoo doll, if you only use the first effect of the Voodoo doll and place a piece of your opponent’s gold on your Voodoo doll for multiple times in a row. However, you can only take one gold per turn to exchange it for a ware. And of course, you are more vulnerable for the African Buffalo or the Chimpanzee.
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