Which set should I get?

[Lover1212]

Ok so I was planning on getting a munchkin game but please help me decide which of these options I should go with. First of all, me and my friends are all beginners, so if you found of the sets extremely difficult or just hard to explain and get into then please tell me.

1st choice: Getting Original Munchkin with Munchkin 2 and Munchkin Legends 2.
2nd Choice: Getting Munchkin and Munchkin Legends
3rd Choice: Getting Munchkin and Munchkin Chtulu
4th Choice: Getting Munchkin and Super Munchkin

[Valkyrie]

I think I should warn you that all the games you have listed are base sets, except for munchkin 2. Munchkin Cthulhu was not specifically designed to be mixed with another set (though a lot of people do), along with the other base sets. You can mix them if you want; like I could stop you. But the cards are very alike. If you are planning on playing them at different times, go for it. No of them are very confusing as long as you read the rules, though the first time is always a bit confusing.

[mabhatter]

If you’re really beginners I’d start with Munchkin Lite, or Munchkin:Spell Skool , or even Munchkin: OZ. The designers got much better at narrowing the game down with fewer confusing situations as those versions are aimed at younger/newer players. They all have “fantasy” backs so will blend with lots of other expansions you’ll buy later.

[Mister Ed]

If you've never played Munchkin, I'd suggest just buying one Core Set and trying that out before investing in any more. Much as I love Munchkin, I'm aware that not everybody does, so trying it out before buying multiple sets is a good idea. (If you have any local MIBs doing demos, then you could try it before buying anything.)

If you are looking at your first Munchkin experience, plain Munchkin and Munchkin Legends are the best bets from your list. Sets that up the complexity a little bit are ones like Cthulhu and Apocalypse (alternate win conditions, and in the case of Apocalypse, a separate deck of Seal cards), and sets with Powers (Super Munchkin, Axe Cop, Munchkin Bites, Zombies, and Marvel sets...I may have missed some).

But if you already know that you like Munchkin enough to make it worth buying multiple sets, then I'd say just go with whatever theme appeals to you most. Sure, some are a bit more complicated than others, but none are TOO much more complex, so if you've already played enough to know you like the game I doubt complexity will be a barrier.

One thing, though. Your first option includes a Munchkin Legends expansion but not Munchkin Legends. I'd have to look at the specific cards in that expansion to know for sure how well that would work, but in general expansions are designed to be used with the matching Core Set, and will sometimes have cards that refer back to cards in that Core Set, and so will not work so well blended ONLY with a different Core Set. Legends is pretty easily compatible with plain Munchkin, though, so that particular case might work fine.

[Andrew Hackard]

Legends 2 and 3 will work fine with Munchkin, Munchkin Legends, Munchkin Lite, and Munchkin Shakespeare, for sure. Others may require a bit more finesse.