Overview

Duplik is a party drawing game where one player (the Portrayer) describes a bizarre scene depicted on a card while all other players (the Artists) attempt to draw it based solely on the verbal description. After 90 seconds, drawings are evaluated against 10 hidden criteria on the card. Points are scored for meeting criteria, with one randomly determined “golden criterion” worth bonus points. The Portrayer also scores based on how many criteria at least one Artist satisfied. The role of Portrayer rotates each round.

Components

• 120 double-sided picture cards (scene cards with 10 criteria each)
• Card cover (to conceal the scene)
• 1 ten-sided die
• 6 score notepads
• Pencils
• Hourglass (90-second timer)
• Rulebook

Setup

1. Each player takes a pencil and a score notepad with blank canvases.
2. All players roll the 10-sided die; the highest roller becomes the first Portrayer.
3. All other players are Artists for this round.

Turn Structure

Each round follows this sequence:

1. Portrayer Selects a Scene

The Portrayer draws a picture card and places it in the card cover so only they can see the image. The Portrayer rolls the die to determine which of the 10 criteria is the “golden criterion” (worth 3 points instead of 1).

2. Description Phase (90 seconds)

The Portrayer announces the scene’s title and then describes the scene in detail for 90 seconds (timed by the hourglass). The Portrayer may not use gestures, show the card, or look at the Artists’ drawings. Artists draw based solely on what they hear. Artists may not speak, ask questions, or otherwise communicate during this phase. All drawing stops when time runs out.

3. Evaluation Phase

Artists pass their canvases to the neighbor on their left, who becomes their Evaluator. The Portrayer then reads each of the 10 criteria aloud, one at a time. For each criterion, the Evaluator marks “YES” if the drawing satisfies it or “NO” if it does not.

4. Scoring

• Artists earn 1 point for each criterion their drawing satisfies, except the golden criterion which is worth 3 points.
• The Portrayer earns 1 point for each criterion that was satisfied by at least one Artist’s drawing (including the golden criterion at its normal 1-point value).

5. Next Round

The role of Portrayer passes to the next player clockwise. A new scene card is drawn.

Actions

Portraying (Describing)

• Describe the scene as precisely as possible in 90 seconds.
• Focus on details that match the hidden criteria.
• May not gesture, point, or view Artists’ work.
• Should announce the scene title before beginning the description.

Drawing (As Artist)

• Listen carefully and draw what is described.
• Artistic quality does not matter — only whether specific criteria are met.
• Drawing must stop when the timer runs out.

Evaluating

• Judge each criterion honestly based on the drawing.
• The criterion should be clearly represented in the drawing to earn a YES.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

After each player has served as Portrayer once (or a pre-agreed number of times for longer games), the game ends. The player with the highest total score wins.

Scoring per round:

• Artist: 1 point per criterion met (3 for the golden criterion)
• Portrayer: 1 point per criterion met by at least 1 Artist

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Golden Criterion: Determined by the die roll at the start of each round. Worth 3 points to Artists instead of 1. The Portrayer scores the normal 1 point for it if any Artist met it.
• Ties: If players tie for highest score, they share the victory.
• Number of Rounds: For a standard game, each player is Portrayer once. For a longer game, each player may be Portrayer 2-3 times.
• Double-Sided Cards: Each card has a different scene on each side, providing 240 unique scenes.
• No Artistic Skill Required: The game rewards accurate description and careful listening, not drawing ability.

Player Reference

Round Flow: Select card + roll die -> Describe scene (90 sec) -> Pass drawings -> Evaluate criteria -> Score

Artist Scoring: 1 point per criterion met

Golden criterion = 3 points

Portrayer Scoring: 1 point per criterion met by any Artist

Game End: Each player has been Portrayer once (or agreed number of times) -> Highest total score wins