Quick Answer

Hidden Leaders is a social deduction game where players secretly support one of four factions vying for the throne of Oshra. To win, you must deduce opponents' loyalties while concealing your own, then ensure your faction gains the most influence by game end.

Understanding the Factions

The island of Oshra is in turmoil. Following the death of the Emperor, the conflict between the Hill Tribes and the Imperial Army escalated. While the Water People try to maintain balance between the old rivals, the Undead aim to escalate the war. All hope rests on the six children of the Emperor: Who of them will claim the throne?

Each player secretly supports one of these factions. Your goal is to help your faction gain the most influence by the end of the game, but you must do so without revealing your allegiance too early.

How to Play Hidden Leaders: Step-by-Step

  1. Setup: Shuffle the leader cards and deal one to each player face down. Place the faction tokens and influence track in the center. Each player receives a hand of cards representing characters and actions. Check that everyone has a hidden leader card before starting.
  2. Play Rounds: In each round, players take turns playing cards from their hand to gain influence for their faction or to manipulate the board. Some cards allow you to gain favor with a faction, while others let you sabotage opponents. Keep track of which factions gain influence each round—this reveals hidden loyalties.
  3. Reveal and Score: When the deck runs out or a certain condition is met, players reveal their leader cards. The faction with the most influence wins, and all players who supported that faction share the victory. If you're not in the winning faction, you lose—so be sure your secret support matches the likely winner.

Product Spotlight

  • Hidden Leaders: The game is set on the island of Oshra, where the Hill Tribes and Imperial Army are in conflict, the Water People seek balance, and the Undead aim to escalate the war. Understanding each faction's goals helps you make better decisions about which cards to play and when to reveal your hand.

    Hidden Leaders

    Hidden Leaders