Rules for The Great Munchkin Game - Updated 21/April/2008

[AFNB]

If you're here, I assume that you have been reading the discussion of having a Munchkin game in the EGS main forum. Therefore, I say "Welcome."

I now give the basic rules of Munchin on this forum, as applies to the players:

Card Management
Your hand: Cards in your hand are not in play. They don't help you, but they can't be taken away except by cards that specifically affect "your hand" rather than the items you are carrying. At the end of your turn, you may have no more than 5 cards in your hand (6 for Dwarves).
Carried Items:Treasure cards can be played in front of you to become "carried items." See Items below.
When Cards Can Be Played:Each type of card can be played at a specified time (see below).
Cards in play may not be returned to your hand - they must be discarded or traded if you want to get rid of them.
My suggestion for Forum Munchkin is this: each player keeps track of their own hand by writing the cards (and their effects, if player does not own a Munchkin set) on paper or a word processing program. The GM should do the same for all players, to avoid any cheating.
Carried Items should also be kept track of, but done on the forum thread.
When playing a card, state its title and effect.

Character Creation
Everyone starts as a Level 1 human with no class. (Heh, heh.)
Look at your four initial cards. If you have any Race or Class cards, you may (if you like) play one of each type by placing it in front of you. If you have any Item cards, you may play them by placing them in front of you. If you have any doubt about whether you should play a card, you could read below, or you could just charge ahead and do it.
Class, Race, and Level should also be kept track of by the individual player publicly, and by the the GM. Indicate items that are equipped, and not just carried, by placing them in Bold text.

Starting and Finishing the Game
Decide who goes first by rolling the die and arguing about the results and the meaning of this sentence and whether the fact that a word seems to be missing has any effect.
Play proceeds in turns, each with several phases (see below). When the first player finishes his turn, the player to his left takes a turn, and so on.
Positions shall be determined by order of joining in [ie the second person who agreed to play shall be "to the left of" the first person, and so forth.
The first player to reach 10th level wins...but you must reach 10th level by killing a monster or by Divine Intervention. If two players kill a monster together and reach 10th level at the same time, they both win.
I don't know if there's any point in this for Starting the Game, but all die rolls will be done by the GM, to prevent cheating (More important in the actual gameplay).

Turn Phases([i]Please state each phase when acted.)
(1) Open a Door:I felt that this phase was necessary to mention, but the card shall be drawn by the GM, and "read" on the thread.
(2) Look for Trouble:If you did NOT encounter a monster when you first opened the door, you now have the option of playing a monster (if you have one) from your hand and fighting it. See Combat. Don't play a monster you can't handle unless you can count on getting help.
(3) Loot the Room:Again, this shall be handled by the GM. All treasures gained from defeating monsters shall be drawn by the GM, and explained in full via Private Message to the player. In the event that someone helpts to defeat a monster, the card is "drawn face up" and a full description is provided on the thread.
If you met a monster but ran away, you don't get to loot the room.
If you did not meet a monster, or you met a friendly monster, you search the room (state that you search the room, and the GM will provide you with with a "face-down" card.)
NOTE: taking a monster's treasure(s) is also considered looting the room.
(4) Charity
If you have too many cards (6 for Dwarves, 5 for everyone else), give the excess to the living player with the lowest level (via Private Message.) If players are tied for lowest, divide them as evenly as possible, but it's up to you who gets the bigger half. If YOU are the lowest or tied for lowest, just discard the excess.

It is now the next player's turn.

Combat
To fight a monster, check the Level indicated. If your own level, plus the Bonus from any items you are carrying, totals more than the monster's level, you kill it. Some monster cards have special powers which effect combat - a bonus against one race or class, for instance. Be sure to check these before resolving combat.
You may also use one-shot cards, such as potions, from your hand during combat. A card is a one-shot if it says "Usable Once Only", or if it gives a level increase.
You cannot steal or trade items while combat is going on.
If you kill a monster, you automatically go up a level (2 levels for some very dangerous monsters). If you were fighting multiple monsters - see Interfering - you go up a level for each monster killed! But if you defeat a monster without killing it, you NEVER go up a level.
Note: Someone may play a hostile card on you, or use a special power, just as you think you have one. When you kill a monster, you must wait a reasonable time (the definition for which on the forums should be discussed) for anyone else to speak up. After that, you really have beaten the monster, and you really go up a level and get the treasure, though they can still argue and whine.
If you cannot defeat the monster, you have two choices: ask for help or run away.

Asking for Help
You may ask any other player to help you. If he refuses, you may ask another player, and so on, until they all turn you down or someone helps. Only one player may help you.
You can bribe someone to help. In fact, you'll probably have to, unless there's an Elf around. You may offer items you are currently carrying, or any number of the Treasure cards the monster has. If you offer them part of the monster's treasure, you must agree whether you pick first, you pick first, or whatever.
When someone helps you, add their level and bonuses to yours.
The special abilities or vulnerabilities of the monster also apply to your helper, and vice-versa.
If someone successfully helps, the monster is slain, and standard procedure applies. Your helper does not go up (unless he's an Elf).
IF nobody will help you, or if somebody tries to help, and your fellow party members hurt you or help the monster so the two of you still cannot defeat it...you must

Run Away
If you run away, you dont get any levels or treasure. You don't get to loot the room. And you don't always escape...
For running away, the GM will roll his/her die (for Forum Munchkin), and state the results. You only escape on a 5 or better, plus modifications.
If you escape, discard the monster. You get no treasure. There are usually bad effects...but read the description. Some monsters hurt even if you get away from them!
If a monster catches you, it does Bad Stuff to you, as will be described. This may vary from losing an item, to losing one or more levels, to Death.
If two players are cooperating and still can't defeat the monster(s), they must BOTH flee. They roll separetely (Player gets first roll, helper gets second). The monster(s) CAN catch them both.
If you are rolling from multiple monsters, you roll separately to escape each one, in any order you choose, and suffer Bad Stuff from each one that catches you.

Death
If you die, you lose all your stuff. You can keep your class(es), race(s), and level - your new character will look just like your old one.
Looting the Body: Lay out your hand beside the cards you had in play. Starting with the one with the HIGHEST level, each other player chooses a card...in case of ties, die-roll. If your corpse runs out of cards, tough. After everyone gets one card, the rest are discarded.
Your new character appears immediately and can help others in combat on the next turn - but you have now cards.
On YOUR next turn, start by drawing TWO CARDS FROM EACH DECK, face-down, and playig any Race, Class, or Item cards you want to, just as when you started the game.

Charater Stats
I feel we have covered this well enough that I can just touch on the basics.
Each character is basicallly a collection of weapons, armor, and magic items, with three stats: Level, Race, and Class. For instance, you might describe your character as "an 8th-level elf wizard with Boots of Buttkicking, a Staff of Napalm, and the Kneepads of Allure."
Your character's sex starts off the same as your own.
All players will be required to state a description at the beginning, including gender: "A level one male/female human with no class", and provide a description at the beginning of each of your turns. I don't know if it is possible to have multiple accounts on this forum, but if so I would recommend making a seperate account strictly for playing Munchkin, and keeping track of your current character by providing a full description in your signature. This shall count as a description provided, and save you the trouble of writing it out each turn.EDIT: After consideration, I have decided to revise this rule - the player profile should be kept in the player's signature at all times (an easily-accessible link is also acceptable). The reasoning behind this is that the cards in play are relevant constantly, not just on that player's turn.
Level:This is a measure of how generally buff and studly you are. (Monsters have Levels, too.)
You gain levels when you kill a monster, or when a card says you do. You may also sell items to buy levels (see Items.
You lose levels when a card says you do. Your level can never go below one. However, your EFFECTIVE level in a combat can be negative, if you get cursed or backstabbed.
Race: Characters may be human, elf, dwarf, or halfling. If you have no Race card in play, you are a human.
Humans have no special abilities. Each other race has different abilities or penalties (keep track of this in your full descriptions, for which an example will be provided at the beginning of the game.) You gain the abilities of a race the moment you play it, and lose them as soon as you discard it. You can discard a Race card at any time, even in combat: "I don't wanna be an elf anymore." When you discard a Race card, you become human again.
Class:Characters may be warriors, wizards, thieves or clerics. if you do not have a Class listed in your character description, then you have no class. Yeah, I know, we did that one already.
Basically, the same rules apply for Race and Class, so I'm not bothering to copy the description.

Items
Each Item has a name, power, size, and value in gold pieces.
An item card in your hand does not count until you play it; at that point, it is "carried". You may carry any number of small items, but only one Big one. (Any item not designated as Big is considered small.)
Dwarves are an exception. They may carry any number of Big items. If you stop being a Dwarf, you must get rid of all Big items except one. If it's your turn, you may sell them. Otherwise, you must give them to the lowest level player(s) who can carry them.
Selling Items:During your turn, you may turn in items worth 1000 GP and immediately go up one level, If you turn in (for instance) 1,100 GP worth, you don't get change. But if you can manage 2,000 worth, you can go up two levels at once. You may sell items from hand as well as those you are carrying.
You may not sell, trade, or steal items DURING a fight. Once you expose a Monster card, you MUST finish the fight with the equipment you have.



I'm short on time so I'll just finish with interference and two important cards.

MISC.
Interfering with Combat
You can interfere with others' combats in several ways:
USE A ONE-SHOT CARD. If you have a potion, you could help someone by casting it against their foe. Of course, you can "accidentally" hit your friend with the potion, and it will count AGAINST them.
PLAY A CARD TO ENHANCE A MONSTER. These are cards that make a monster worse...and give it more treasure. You can play these either during your own combats or during someone else's combat.
BACKSTAB: Thief ability.
CURSE them if you have a Curse card.

Half-Breed
This card allows a character to have 2 races at once.
You can play Half-Breed any time you have one race in play; you are now half that race and half human. You may add a second race at the same time or later, as long as you still have Half-Breed out. You are now (for insance) half Elf and half Dwarf, with the advantages and disadvantages to both. You lose Half-Breed at any time you have no race card in play.
NOTE: A half Human gains the benefits of the other race, but none of it's disadvantages. For example: an Halfling/Human Half-Breed may sell one item each turn for double price, but does not gain the -1 modifier to Run Away. Likewise, he/she will not be affected by monsters that have abilities against Halflings.

Super Munchkin
This card allows a character to have 2 Classes at once.
You can play Super Munchkin any time you have one Class in play, and you have another Class card to add to it. You lose Super Munchkin if you lose either of your class cards.

[UltimateRandom]

This intrigues me. Did you make all this stuff up, or is it some actual game I have never heard of? (obviously heavily D&D based)

[m2pt5]

No, it's an actual game.

And I'd be interested in joining in.

I assume that cards-in-hand management will be done through PM.

EDIT: What first interested me in Munchkin was someone mentioning the card "...of Doom". I find this downright hilarious. (If I remember correctly, it gives +2 power to another card. "Staff of Healing ...of Doom." I literally LOLed at that idea.)

[AFNB]

Actual game. A discussion of it started in the EGS main forum, in the Cursed Tech Delays topic. Check out Page 4, the majority of which accidentally became centered on Munchkin.

I have three people who have volunteered for the Forum Munchkin test base. Therefore, I now finish the discussion of the rules:

When to Play Cards
Instructions on the cards always override the general rules. However, no card can reduce a player or monster to Level 0 or below, and no player can reach Level 10 except by killing a monster or by Divine Intervention.

Monsters
If drawn face-up during the "Open a Door" phase, they apply immediately to the persion who drew them. They must be fought immediately.
If acquired any other way, they may be played during the "Looking for Trouble" phase, or played on another player with the Wandering Monster card.
For rules purposes, each Monster card is a single monster, even if the name on the card is plural.

Monster Enhancers
"Ancient," "Enraged," "Intelligent," and "Humongous" rase the level of monsters (and Baby lowers the level). "Wandering Monster" and "Mate" bring another monster to join a battle. They may be played during any combat.
All enhancers add together, and anything that enhances a monster enhances its "Mate". If "Ancient" "Enraged" and "Mate" are played togeher, IN ANY ORDER, you are facing an ancient enraged monster and its ancient enraged mate.
However, if there are two different monsters already in play (via Wandering Monster), the player who plays the enhancer must choose which one it applies to.

Playing Treasures
Any treasure card may be played to the table as soon as you get it, or at any time during your own turn.
Some treasure cards are "specials" (like "Go Up a Level"). You may use these at any time, unless the card itself says otherwise. Follow its instructions, then discard it.
Using Treasures
Any one-shot card can be played during any combat, whether you have it in hand or "on the table".
Other magical items cannot be used unless they are in play. If it's your turn, you can play them and use them immediately. If you are helping someone, or fighting out of turn for some reason, you cannot play new items from your hand to the "table".

Curses
If drawn face-up, during the "Open the Door" phase, they apply to the person who drew them. If drawn face-down or acquired in some other way, they may be played on ANY player at ANY time. Any time, do you hear me? Reducing someone's abilities just as he thinks he has killed a monster is a lot of fun.
A curse effects the victim immediately (if it can) and is discarded.
Exceptions: "Change Sex gives a penalty on your next fight, and "Chicken On Your Head" just keeps going and going. Keep these cards until you get rid of the curse.
If the curse can apply to more than one item, the victim decides which item is lost or cursed.
If a curse applies to something you don't have, ignore it.

Other Munchkin Stuff
There will be times when it will help you to play a Curse or Monster on yourself, or to "help" another player in a way that costs him treasure. This is very munchkinly. Do it.

Trading
You may trade Items (but not other cards) with other players. You may only trade items from the table - not from your hand. You may trade at any time except when you're in combat - in fact, the best time to trade is when it's not your turn. Any item you receive in a trae must go to the table; you cannot sell it until it's your turn.
You may aso give items away without a trade, to bribe other players - "I'll give you my Flaming Armor if you won't help Bob fight that dragon!"
You may show your whole hand to other players. Like we could stop you.

Rules Contradictions or Disputes
When the cards disagree with the rules, follow the cards. Any other disputes should be settled by loud arguements among the players, with the owner of the game having the last word.

[AFNB]

No, it's an actual game.

And I'd be interested in joining in.

I assume that cards-in-hand management will be done through PM.

EDIT: What first interested me in Munchkin was someone mentioning the card "...of Doom". I find this downright hilarious. (If I remember correctly, it gives +2 power to another card. "Staff of Healing ...of Doom." I literally LOLed at that idea.)

I think that "...of Doom" was part of the expansions. It isn't in the base Munchkin set.

[Beacon]

Just to clarify, as the rules were never terribly clear on this. If I have Half-Breed or Super-Munchkin, can I play a race or class card from my hand to replace one of my current ones?

i.e.: Super Munchkin - Warrior/Wizard. Discard Warrior and play Thief. Now Thief/Wizard.

[m2pt5]

I don't know about Super Munchkin, but I know you can for Half-Breed, as Half-Breed can exist in play with only one race card.

[AFNB]

According to the rules, you lose Supermunchkin if you lose EITHER of your class cards. Therefore, I have to rule that if one class goes, so does Super Munchkin.

[Beacon]

According to the rules, you lose Supermunchkin if you lose EITHER of your class cards. Therefore, I have to rule that if one class goes, so does Super Munchkin.

I'm not suggesting if you get hit by a curse. I'm wondering if you can opt to swap out one class for one in your hand. I realize that according to the letter of the law, this would create a single instant where you only had one class, and therefore you'd lose the Super Munchkin, but I'd like an official clarification before we start.

[UnkemptSage]

That's a good question. I demand an answer!

[m2pt5]

I third that demand.

Also, I think someone should get scans and/or a complete text list of the cards, and make a Munchkin plugin for Lackey CCG.

[Beacon]

I third that demand.

I demand that we may or may not demand an answer!

And I'll take a look at that program sometime this weekend. As a programmer and a card game enthusiast, I'm already intrigued. I don't have a scanner, though.

[AFNB]

I'm not suggesting if you get hit by a curse. I'm wondering if you can opt to swap out one class for one in your hand. I realize that according to the letter of the law, this would create a single instant where you only had one class, and therefore you'd lose the Super Munchkin, but I'd like an official clarification before we start.

I tried to clarify that.

My original ruling was that, as you have to discard a class to replace it, you would lose your Super Munchkin card.

However, upon reconsideration, I've decided that switching classes does not count as losing a class. Super Munchkin may stay.



And if my scanner worked, I would provide m2 with a list of images of the cards.
Of course, I'd also take my friend's Star Munchkin, scan "Being of Impure Thought", and print out an edited copy of the card with the monster's image being replaced with the picture of Tedd in m2's avatar.

[UnkemptSage]

I just recently got a scanner (a really nice one, too), but I don't have the game. I could see if my friend would let me borrow it, though. But I'm not gonna get involved in anything that I could get busted for copyright infringement, though.

[m2pt5]

Of course, I'd also take my friend's Star Munchkin, scan "Being of Impure Thought", and print out an edited copy of the card with the monster's image being replaced with the picture of Tedd in m2's avatar.

That would be hilarious. And I know I've heard that name ("Being of Impure Thought") elsewhere.

[communist trees]

Ah, Munchkin. Such a wonderful game...

One of the funniest things I've seen was a player using Revealing Costume with an Eleven Foot Pole. So very wrong...

[AFNB]

I mentioned it about a month ago in the main board.

I was playing Star Munchkin, and drew the Being of Impure Thought. My immediate reaction was "It's Tedd!" (purely because of the title)

[AFNB]

For your convenience, I provide a list of Racial and Class Abilities

HUMAN: None. (Bah. Humans are losers anyway.)

ELF: +1 to Run Away.
Gain a level for every monster you help someone else kill.

DWARF: You may carry any number of Big items.
You may have up to 6 cards in your hand.

HALFLING: -1 to Run Away
Once per turn, you may sell an item at twice its printed cost.
GM's note: This does not apply to the Level Up card "1000 Gold Pieces". Even as a halfling, you cannot turn this into 2000 Gold Pieces, so give up trying.

ORC: An Orc who is hit with a curse can always choose to ignore the curse and lose a level instead - unless he's already at Level 1.
When an Orc fighting alone defeats a monster by more than 10, he goes up an extra level.

GNOME: -1 to Run Away.
In combat alone, you may play one monster from your hand as an Illusion; cards may enhance this monster normally. Its levels add to yours for one combat only; then it vanishes.
Monsters treat you as a Halfling; they are too dumb to know the difference. EXCEPTION: The Floating Nose and Shadow Nose will never pursue you.



WARRIOR: BERSERKING: You may discard up to 3 cards in combat; each one gives you a +1 bonus.
You win ties in combat.

WIZARD: FLIGHT SPELL: You may discard up to 3 cards while Running Away; each one gives you a +1 bonus to flee.
CHARM SPELL: You may discard your whole hand to charm a single Monster instead of fighting it. Discard the monster and take its Treasure, but don't gain levels. If there are other monsters in the combat, fight them normally.

CLERIC: RESURRECTION: When it is time for you to draw a card face-up, you may instead take the top card from the appropriate discard pile. You must then discard one card from your hand.
TURNING: You may discard up to 3 cards in combat against an Undead creature. Each discard gives you a +3 bonus.

THIEF: BACKSTABBING: You may discard a card to backstab another player (-2 in combat). You may do his only once per victim per combat, but if two players are fighting a Monster together, you may backstab each of them.
THEFT: You may discard a card to try to steal a small item carried by another player. Roll a die. 4 or more succeeds. Otherwise, you get whacked and lose 1 level.

BARD: ENTHRALL: When facing a monster, you may discard 3 cards and select a rival. Each of you rolls a die; if your roll ties or beats his, he must help you and cannot ask for a reward.
BARDIC LUCK: When you win a combat on your turn, alone or assisted, draw one extra Treasure. Look at them all, and immediately discard one (your choice).

RANGER: MONSTER TAMER: In combat on your turn, you may tame a single monster instead of fighting it. It becomes your new Steed. To do so, you must discard your old Steed (if any), plus a number of cards equal to the Treasures on the monster's card. That number is your new Steed's combat bonus. You may not trade a monster Steed, give it away, or sell it for levels.
RANGED SUPPORT: When you help someone in combat, you get +2.

[Masami]

Something I thought of that isn't really important yet, but should at least be implemented once a cleric shows up.

Whenever you post (or at least for the clerics turn) make a comment about what is on the top of each discard pile in case the cleric wants it.

[AFNB]

Not a bad idea. The great, mighty, and at level 21 most generally-studly person involved in the game GM thanks you for your suggestion.

[communist trees]

HUMAN: None. (Bah. Humans are losers anyway.)

'Course, only humans can use the Badass Bandana, not that it's really much of an advantage...

One other thing that I've noticed, which may not be as important here as when playing in person, is what the timing rules for reactions are. The group I play with has gotten into a few half-hour shouting matches over these sort of issues. Though we do feature an above average number of rules lawyers...

[AFNB]

This was briefly discussed in the main thread, with a suggested allowance of 24 hours.

[UnkemptSage]

Bump, just so it's not so hard to find it.

[Karfir]

I'd like to play in the next game, when it comes. Do I need my own Munchkin cards? My impression is no.

[Beacon]

No, you don't. One person is the GM, and draws from his own deck. I'll volunteer myself and my massive collection of Munchkin cards for the next game if people are interested.