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2015

Munchkin Short Rules

Short Rules Info

The rules to the Munchkin Card Game in a shorter format than the original rules. Written in Markdown. The short rules are from andersfischernielsen/Munchkin-Short-Rules.

Official rules can be found here. No copyright infringement intended. Rights to the Munchkin logo belong to Steve Jackson Games.

Munchkin Short Rules

Setup

  • Divide the cards into a treasure stack and a door (AKA room) stack.
  • Give each player four cards from each stack.
  • Give each player a level token.
  • Everyone starts at level 1.

Cards

  • Item cards: Items have a price at the bottom of the card and "+ some-number" at the top of the card.
  • Monster cards: Monster cards have a level and name at the top of the card and "some-number Treasures" at the bottom.
  • Curse cards: Curse cards have "Curse!" at the top of the card.
  • Race cards: Race cards have "race" at the bottom of the card.
  • Class cards: Race cards have "class" at the bottom of the card.

Playing

Starting the Game

  • If you have any cards in your hand that are either race or class cards, play them immediately and gain their abilities.
  • If you have any item cards and want to equip them you can also do so now.
  • Roll the dice. Decide who starts from the die rolls.

Kick Open the Door

  • Draw a card from the door deck.
  • If it's a monster - fight it. Then your turn ends.
  • If it's a curse - it hits you. Then Look For Trouble or Loot the Room.
  • If it's any other card - put it in your hand. Look For Trouble or Loot the Room.

Look For Trouble or Loot the Room

If you did not fight a monster, choose one of these options:

  • Look For Trouble: Choose to play a monster you have in your hand and fight it for levels and treasure.
  • Loot the Room: Choose to loot the "room" you entered and draw another card from the door pile. Keep it in your hand.

Charity

When your turn ends, you must have no more than five cards in your hand. If you have more, choose to:

  • Play cards until you're down to five (curses, items etc.)
  • Give cards to the lowest level player until you're down to five cards. If you're the lowest level player, discard cards until you're down to five.

Combat

  • If your level plus bonuses add up to more than the monster, you win. You only get level(s) from killing monster(s), not making them disappear etc.
  • If you and the monster are tied, or the monster has more than you, you lose. Ask for help, or try to run away.
  • If more monsters are in the battle, beat their total strength. You can defeat one and try to Run Away from the other, though.

Asking For Help

  • Only one player can help you if you cannot defeat a monster by yourself.
  • Players will want some of the treasure if they help. Agree on who gets what and who picks first before helping.
  • Every bonus the helper can add to the fight applies.
  • The helper does not gain levels, only treasure, unless a card specifies otherwise.
  • If you cannot defeat the monster(s), you both have to Run Away.

Running Away

  • Roll the dice. If you get a 5 or more, you escape. If not, read the monster card and do what the "Bad Stuff" is.
  • You have to Run Away from each separate monster (roll for each monster).

Items

  • Items are not equipped when turned sideways on the table. You can only equip when not in combat.
  • You can only carry one type of item (headgear, armor etc.)
  • Selling items for 1000 Gold gets you a level.
  • You can only carry one Big item.
  • You may not trade items from your hand - only from the table. Traded items must go on the table, too.

Curses

  • Curses in your hand can be played at any time on any player.
  • The victim chooses what item a multiple-item curse applies to.

Death

  • If you die, you lose everything except for your level, curses on you, your class and your race.
  • Put every other card you have on the table face up.
  • The other players each pick items, until everything is gone. The highest level players pick first.
  • On your next turn, draw four cards from each deck, like when the game began.

General Rules

  • Cards in front of you are in play (race(s), class(es) curses, items etc.)
    • When a card has been played it cannot be taken back into your hand.
  • You can only reach level 10 by killing a monster.
  • You can never have a lower level than 1.
  • At any time you can: Discard a class or race, play a "Go Up a Level" card, Hireling or curse.
  • If you are not in combat, you are able to: Trade items, change equipped items, play a card you just received.
  • On your turn you can: Play a new class or race card (any time), sell items for levels (except when you are in combat) and play items.
  • Super Munchkin and Half-Breeds do not suffer penalties for either race/class they are.
  • Treasure cards cannot be played during combat, unless the card(s) says so.
  • "Go Up A Level" cards can be used on any player.
  • If an undead monster is in battle, any player can add another undead monster to the battle.