|
Axle_the_Red's Munchkin (Other)
|
| [January 25, 2011 03:07:33 AM]
|
---Munchkin---
Style: Card game
Players: 3-6
Objective: Reach level 10.
Materials: 1 die, 73 "treasure" cards, 95 "door" cards.
---Terms---
Treasure cards: Cards that provide bonuses from combat strength (equipment) to additional levels. These cards are in their own deck separate from the door card deck.
Door cards: Cards that provide an element of chance. These cards can be beneficial, harmful, or situationally so. The door deck consists of race cards, class cards, monster cards, curses, and miscellaneous effects cards.
Race cards: Cards that provide inherent abilities to the player that equips them. A player may only have one race at a time (unless the player has a card allowing more than one).
Class cards: Cards that provide inherent abilities to the player that equips them. A player may only have one race at a time (unless the player has a card allowing more than one).
Monster cards: Cards that represent a monster to fight. A monster card has a level, special effects, levels gained from defeating it, treasures obtained from defeating it, and consequences of losing the fight with the monster.
Curse cards: Cards that come with a negative effect. When drawn face up, they affect the player who drew them. When drawn face down, the player who drew them may play them on another player at any time.
Miscellaneous effects cards: Cards that essentially cover other random events/effects (example: add +10 to a monster's level).
---Gameplay---
Set Up: The door cards and the treasure cards are separated and placed face down in a deck. Players draw four cards from each deck. All race, class, and treasure cards may be placed face up in front of the player and go into effect immediately. Players roll a die to determine who goes first.
-Game flow-
Draw phase: When it is a player's turn, they draw a card face up from the door deck so all players can see it. If this card is a curse, it applies to the player who drew it immediately. If it is a monster, the player enters combat with the monster. Otherwise, the card goes into the player's hand. The player then has the choice to either play a monster card from their hand and enter into combat with it or draw another card face down from the door deck. The player's turn is now over.
Combat: A player's aim in combat is to overcome a monster's level with their own. Player's level is calculated as follows: player level + equipped treasures + other cards (miscellaneous cards that come into play). At this point, other players can use equipped treasures or miscellaneous cards to help or hinder the player if the card's flavor text allows. Should a player be unable to defeat a monster, the player has two options: they can ask for help or they can run away. When asking for help, a player can request help from any other player. Should another player agree, the two players are considered a singular entity. Their levels (including equipment) are added together. The player who is asked for help may establish conditions for help (such as a certain piece of equipment or a portion of the monster's treasure). If the player succeeds in defeating the monster (with or without help), they gain a level and then may draw however many treasure cards the monster card indicates. The player who helped them *does not* gain a level. Should the player(s) be unable to defeat the monster, they must then run away. To run away, a player must roll a five or a six. Should the player fail to run away, the monster's penalty is then enacted. Combat is then over.
Death: Certain monster cards cause death when failing to defeat them. In the event of a player's death, the player loses all equipment and their hand. Starting with the player on the left, players get to choose one card from the dead player and take it for themselves. The rest of the cards are then placed in the appropriate discard pile.
End of turn: At the end of a player's turn they must ensure they have only five cards in their hand. Any additional cards must be discarded.
---Play Rules---
Equipment: A player may have any number of equipment in play in front of them at any time. However, a player may only equip one of each kind (except for one handed items; two may be equipped). Non equipped items provide no benefit. At any time during a player's turn (except for combat), they may sell 1000 gold worth of items to the discard pile for a level. This only applies for exact increments of 1000 (example: 1200 will only provide one level). Equipment may be traded to other players for other equipment in play (on the table) at any time (outside combat).
Rules: Certain cards conflict basic play rules (such as equipment limits). In such case, the cards override the basic rules.
Miscellaneous rules: The player with the lowest level receives all cards discarded due to exceeding the five card end of turn hand size. In order to win, a player *must* defeat a monster. They cannot sell equipment to level up to level 10 or play a "gain a level" treasure card.
---Game play analysis---
A large portion of the game relies on randomness. It's entirely possible to receive a string of bad draws and be unable to do anything about it. However, while bad draws can influence game play, strategy is critical to success. Building up resources while strategically holding or playing cards to impede your opponents or impede them at a more critical time is crucial. Additionally, alliances are important as well. To prevent loss of equipment and other penalties from being unable to defeat a monster, it is imperative to be able to work with other players to ensure other players don't become too powerful while building up your own strength.
Alliances are important to progress in the game. Without help, often monsters will destroy any singular player without exceptional luck or help from other players. However, by the nature of the game, it's quite difficult to trust an alliance when one member becomes stronger than the rest.
Thus, the main strategy of the game is a divide between self preservation and aiding those who will (hopefully) aid you. Strategically choosing when to back stab and when to trust your fellow players is a difficult task. Being able to defend yourself against the inevitable back stab comes at the price of being unable to impede other players should they become close to reaching level ten. Being able to determine what the current flow of the game is leaning towards (helping others vs building up yourself) is vital to understanding the main strategy of Munchkin. The second core game play aspect to understand are alliances and when to break them, forge them, or sabotage them. This adds an entire dimension of game play to the basic card game.
---Opinion---
I enjoy Munchkin very much. It's a great game with many expansions should you get tired of the vanilla flavor. Each expansion has its own rules and individual quirks which change the game. You can even combine other expansions together to get a unique style of Munchkin. The ideal Munchkin experience requires a large amount of people to play (preferably the maximum), but even with only three, it's still enjoyable.
add a comment 
|
|
|
 |
Axle_the_Red's Munchkin (Other)
|
|
Current Status: Played occasionally
GameLog started on: Monday 24 January, 2011
|
|
