The 2.6 seconds rule

[woodycanuck]

I know it's a joke, but I'm curious how this works in practice for everyone else. We played for the first time last weekend and we sort of made up the following pattern that worked for us:

Player flips door card, reads aloud. If monster, player attempts to gain the upper hand or asks around for help. Once player is ahead, he says something like "Ok, I'm combat level 12 I'm going to kill this level 10 monster now" and if nobody speaks up for a few seconds, it's done. Otherwise there can be sort of an arms race: someone curses player, someone uses a single-use on player, someone wanders a monster, someone commits to help, etc. Finally, there's a few seconds lull and player declares "ok, I win"

Is this how it generally goes? We found we had to force player to declare the combat levels otherwise we were each doing the math and it got too confusing.

[Clipper]

That's pretty much how I handle it in my games too. We announce the scores and say something along the lines of, "We're winning, so is anyone going to do anything?" If everybody shakes their head or nobody speaks up for a few seconds, the combat owner will then say they win and move to drawing the Treasure.

[bonetm]

hat's pretty much how we do here to, and how I try to teach the game.

But I wanted to say something about this part:

Originally Posted by woodycanuck

We found we had to force player to declare the combat levels otherwise we were each doing the math and it got too confusing.

You could each get a Kill-o-Meter (or use the one in the mobile app) to keep an easier track of the combat strenght of each player.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by bonetm

You could each get a Kill-o-Meter (or use the one in the mobile app) to keep an easier track of the combat strenght of each player.

In practice, I think you need at least two Kilometers so that you can track both player and monster strengths. There's also the problem with Reversal of Fortunes which is such a weird card (starts out of play, goes to the "owner" of the Kill-o-Meter whoever that is) and is likely, IME, to make people not want to play the game (just like any of the "pay real money for in-game benefit" things).

Now I realize you can use the Kill-o-Meter without the card, and probably ought to, but the card is so tempting. :)

[UncleBob]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

In practice, I think you need at least two Kilometers so that you can track both player and monster strengths. There's also the problem with Reversal of Fortunes which is such a weird card (starts out of play, goes to the "owner" of the Kill-o-Meter whoever that is) and is likely, IME, to make people not want to play the game (just like any of the "pay real money for in-game benefit" things).

Now I realize you can use the Kill-o-Meter without the card, and probably ought to, but the card is so tempting. :)

The FAQ actually covers this (sorta) in what I feel is the best way possible. I have a kill-o-meter and the official app. Most that I play with use one of the unofficial apps out there. (which, in some ways, are better)

As the FAQ suggests, you can shuffle the card into the deck. If a player happens to draw it (which hansn't happened yet), then they'll just get to reverse their total combat level.
http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/faq/#kom

I agree with the idea of not wanting it to seem unfair (even more so when I'm just teaching this wonderful game to so many new folks (so I don't use my cool shirt, bracelet of slapping, etc.) Some day, I'll probably buy another kill-o-meter or two - though I'm really waiting for word that the card has been reprinted correctly... don't know if that's even on the table though...

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by UncleBob

though I'm really waiting for word that the card has been reprinted correctly... don't know if that's even on the table though...

Unless I'm missing something, the card isn't incorrect, the FAQ entry is just a suggested house rule if you declare the Kill-o-Meter to be communal property (Marxist! :) ). The card as written still seems to apply if you want to treat it as individual property (which is the default). Right?

[UncleBob]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Unless I'm missing something, the card isn't incorrect, the FAQ entry is just a suggested house rule if you declare the Kill-o-Meter to be communal property (Marxist! :) ). The card as written still seems to apply if you want to treat it as individual property (which is the default). Right?

The back of the card shows it as a part of the treasures deck, but the front looks like a Door card. :)

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by UncleBob

The back of the card shows it as a part of the treasures deck, but the front looks like a Door card. :)

Well since it's not supposed to be shuffled in I'm not sure if that really matters, unless you are using the FAQ suggestion, in which case it might as well be a treasure. On the other hand, I'm not even sure what you are talking about for the non-Quest version (of course I have a 1st printing of Munchkin, so all my cards look the same). Regular Muchkin doors and treasures look different on the face? How?

[MIB.6361]

We do this. Face up Monster (either from Kick down the Door or from Looking for Trouble); Player reads aloud the text "Woah, a level 16 Strumming Earwig, plus six vs. Bards which doesn't affect me. My combat value is 19, I'm beating it by three." Looks around, starts to count, slowly "One... Two... Two point six." We probably take about four seconds for this count.

If at any time during the count, someone says Wait, the count stops, and cards are played (or people just start throwing cards without saying wait). Combat levels are reassessed, help is negotiated, etc. If the Munchkin(s) are on top again we start over with "ok, now we're beating it by six" "One... Two... Two point six. And the Earwig and it's Mommy die..."

Yes, we run the 2.6 joke into the ground and since we do it in all of the demos and tournaments at conventions, it has spread to many local players.

[UncleBob]

Sir Pudding: http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=85391