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Old 04-26-2010, 09:39 PM   #1
Hiro Protagonist
 
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I just bought Munchkin Quest a week ago, and so far after 5 plays I think it's incredible and oh so much fun!

I'm curious if anybody uses house rules and why?

A few ones I use to make MQ more enjoyable!

1 move token on 1st turn. 2 move tokens on 2nd turn. 3 move tokens the 3rd turn. Gets everyone into the game faster so they're not waiting around, looking bored. Also prevents someone from getting to level 4 on the first turn, so competition stays fierce.

Players control their Monsters' Movement. Each Monster Movement turn, each player may choose to move a monster of their own color 1 space. This completely eliminates the annoying "monster mobs" and anti-social monsters who stay in one room the whole game. It makes the dungeon feel more dynamic and dangerous (because it is!!) It was hilarious running from my friend's Plutonium Dragon. Try it!

You can explore only 1 new room each player's turn. I've found this speeds up the game so people aren't waiting an hour until it's their turn again. Also gets people to use the different abilities of Move.


Those are mine, share me yours! :)
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Old 04-26-2010, 10:44 PM   #2
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I turned it into an ongoing campaign that I posted in this thread about Munchkin Quest 2010.
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Old 04-27-2010, 12:37 AM   #3
Hiro Protagonist
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EarthStone View Post
I turned it into an ongoing campaign that I posted in this thread about Munchkin Quest 2010.
Haha wow, that's pretty cool! Thanks for sharing, yo.
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Old 05-05-2010, 01:15 PM   #4
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I'm using the following during demos:

Start at level 5.
A maximum of 1 new room on turn 1, two on turn 2, and so on.
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Old 06-30-2010, 09:37 PM   #5
Hiro Protagonist
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MIB2826 View Post
I'm using the following during demos:

Start at level 5.
A maximum of 1 new room on turn 1, two on turn 2, and so on.
I've tried this and it really works! The game goes by impressively fast for a 4-player game, about 1-1.5 hours, and it makes it fun and easy for new players.

Here are some other variants we enjoy playing:

• We start at level 3, sadly if we start at level 1 we're usually too drunk by the time we get to ten (3 hours later...)

• I like to give people extra gold at the start of the game, only 300 seems a little too frugal.

1 x 100 gold
1 x 300 gold
1 x 500 gold


• Occasionally we have a problem where a player never draws a weapon during the entire game. To solve this, we have a weapon pile at the start of the game. You may draw 1 weapon in exchange for drawing 2 fewer cards at the start of the game.
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Old 07-03-2010, 05:40 PM   #6
Blu
 
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Hiro, you have some great ideas there. I'm thinking we may have to use some of those for sure.
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Old 07-04-2010, 02:48 PM   #7
Thomas
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hiro Protagonist View Post
I've tried this and it really works! The game goes by impressively fast for a 4-player game, about 1-1.5 hours, and it makes it fun and easy for new players.
Was that "1-1.5 hours" using the suggested start at level 5? If so, about how long is it usually for 4-player games when you use your alternate of starting at level 3? (I'd like to find a balance that gives a 2 hour game for four players.)
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Old 07-04-2010, 02:41 PM   #8
Thomas
 
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1. Consider not giving a DxM card for defeating or helping to defeat one of "your" (same base color) monsters.

2. Consider not giving a DxM card every time your color comes up on a Monster Die roll.

3. If you adopt both #1 and #2, then as a side benefit, you also usually don't need to bother rolling for a newly discovered monster's base color unless and until it is determined that it will survive the initial room exploration combat. (Exception: a munchkin in the initial combat has cards with special combat effects by monster color.)

[Note: DxM is still given as usual at the beginning of each turn and for exploring a new room.]

4. If you start munchkins at a level higher than level one, consider giving everyone 3 + Starting Level initial starting Treasure cards rather than just 4 (e.g. 5 for starting at level 2, 6 if starting at level 3, etc.).

Rationale:

For every level a munchkin is advanced without also receiving Treasure (e.g. by defeating a monster), that munchkin is on average somewhat weaker then they would have been had they earned those levels. From painful experience I have observed this can become more evident when it comes to the boss fight, and especially if the other players have been receiving DxM cards at the very generous standard rates. Once players realize that a defeat for the other player in a boss fight costs your opponent an extra level in addition to all other usual combat losses for other combats, then trying to finish the game with a weak munchkin offense against strongly enhanced boss defenses can become a long, grueling proposition -- generally not so much fun anymore, as well as making the finish drag on.

By adjusted starting treasure according to starting level, this seeks to stay closer to the normal advancement strength. The restrained DxM handouts seek to avoid making the defensive plays against other players too overwhelming, which can lead to slow, drawn out end games.

Last edited by Thomas; 07-08-2010 at 09:16 PM. Reason: Converted original question to specific suggested house rules
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Old 07-10-2010, 08:18 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hiro Protagonist View Post
Players control their Monsters' Movement. Each Monster Movement turn, each player may choose to move a monster of their own color 1 space. This completely eliminates the annoying "monster mobs" and anti-social monsters who stay in one room the whole game. It makes the dungeon feel more dynamic and dangerous (because it is!!) It was hilarious running from my friend's Plutonium Dragon. Try it!
it is also hilarious watching someone run from a monster mob. When my monster mob (stands were my colour) were in room next to me and included big monsters I used my movement to search for rooms I want use and put down a confined space that big monsters can't enter. In the end I faced one monster and won while weakening the mob.

Two games we have played went so quick (only two players got two turns) and the third game one person just happened to get plenty of items and we couldn't do anything to stop them. At least we all had four or five turns.
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Old 07-11-2010, 02:49 PM   #10
Thomas
 
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Tag Team Munchkin Quest

Even within the existing rules, two players could decide from the start that they will seek a shared win. Whereas independent munchkins tend to become separated in a dungeon by exploring in different directions (which makes trades or becoming a helper less often feasible), operating as an explicit team encourages them to stay together to share resources through trades and to help each other in all combats (thereby defeating more monsters and not needing to run away as often). This is more like how teams of adventurers would normally help each other.

The house rule aspect would be to extend this idea to a specific arrangement for a 4 or 6 player game where all the players are divided into teams of two. In play order for four players, the first and last players would be one team, the second and third players another. For six players, player 1 teams with 6, 2 with 5, and 3 with 4. In this way, each team has a player in the first half of the round and a player in the second half of the round in a way that avoids giving special advantage to any team.

In an explicit Tag Team game, if your partner munchkin dies, the new munchkin that replaces the dead munchkin becomes the new partner.

To win, both munchkins in a team must make it out of the dungeon by defeating a boss.

p.s. Of course, there may still be times when it is best to split up. For example, a thief partner might head for the exit to interfere with another team's boss fight, while you continue to explore new rooms.

According to standard rules, both munchkins must be level 10 to participate in a boss fight. (See The Boss Monster, p. 11.)

I should add that limitations on trades to items that are in play (not cards in your hand) still holds, and only when you are in the same or adjacent rooms and not in combat (p. 16), but if your partner was your helper for a battle you can still divide treasure cards appropriately at the time they are earned in a manner that you've mutually agreed upon (p. 10).

Last edited by Thomas; 07-11-2010 at 03:23 PM. Reason: clarified p.s.
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