Cards on the Table Qs

[koolkat67]

Just got our first game Munchkin Bites...had a blast playing it but i need to clarify some things.

1) what cards CANNOT go on the table? Like Monster Enhancers? or Curses? This pertains to keeping 5 cards in your hand. What stops me from putting all my cards on the table?

2) If, for example, I have 2 head gear (both on the table), one in-use and one is sideways; can I switch between them? Swap them being in-use and sideways. Or do I need to discard the in-use one before using another headgear? In the rules it says you cant simply discard a BIG item to use small ones but you have to sell or trade, etc but nothing about just turning it sideways.

Thanks!

[MunchkinMan]

Originally Posted by koolkat67

J1) what cards CANNOT go on the table? Like Monster Enhancers? or Curses? This pertains to keeping 5 cards in your hand. What stops me from putting all my cards on the table?

The rules explain that Items, Races, Powers, and Minions are the only cards that you can keep in play (i.e., play to the table). Races are restricted to one in play, unless you have Half-Breed, which would allow two. In either case, to replace a Race, you have to discard the current Race and put a new one down. Powers are restricted by your Level and the Ranks of the Powers you have in play already. Minions are restricted to one, which means you'd have to discard one to play another one, unless you have a card which overrides that rule. Nothing in the rules allow you to turn a Race, Power, or Minion that you're not "using" sideways, so you can't do it.

2) If, for example, I have 2 head gear (both on the table), one in-use and one is sideways; can I switch between them? Swap them being in-use and sideways. Or do I need to discard the in-use one before using another headgear? In the rules it says you cant simply discard a BIG item to use small ones but you have to sell or trade, etc but nothing about just turning it sideways.

You can switch which Items you are using at any time you are not in combat. You don't have to discard the Item you are using in order to switch to using a different Item. You can only have one Big Item in play. That means you can't have a second Big Item in play. You can turn a Big Item sideways if you're not using it (it is still an Item, and all rules about Items still apply to Big Items), but that does not mean you could put a second Big Item in play to use. Having a Big Item does not mean you can't have any small Items.

To clarify, the rules say :

Originally Posted by The Rules

You may not simply discard one Big item to play another; you must sell it, trade it, lose it to a Curse or Bad Stuff, or discard it to power a Power or Race ability.

That is not saying that you can't discard a Big Item to play another Item, that's saying you can't discard a Big Item to play another Big Item.

[koolkat67]

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

The rules explain that Items, Races, Powers, and Minions are the only cards that you can keep in play (i.e., play to the table). Races are restricted to one in play, unless you have Half-Breed, which would allow two. In either case, to replace a Race, you have to discard the current Race and put a new one down. Powers are restricted by your Level and the Ranks of the Powers you have in play already. Minions are restricted to one, which means you'd have to discard one to play another one, unless you have a card which overrides that rule. Nothing in the rules allow you to turn a Race, Power, or Minion that you're not "using" sideways, so you can't do it.

Great Thanks! This brings up a new question. When you are using the Half-Breed card I assume that goes on the table?

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

You can switch which Items you are using at any time you are not in combat. You don't have to discard the Item you are using in order to switch to using a different Item. You can only have one Big Item in play. That means you can't have a second Big Item in play. You can turn a Big Item sideways if you're not using it, but that does not mean you could put a second Big Item in play to use. Having a Big Item does not mean you can't have any small Items.

I guess my confusion here came from the rules "You may carry any number of small items, but only one Big one. You may not simply discard one Big item to play another; you must sell it, trade it, lose it to a Curse or Bad Stuff, or discard it to power a Power or Race ability."
It doesn't say you can just turn the BIG item sideways so the impression I get is you had to get rid of it.

[Mister Ed]

Originally Posted by koolkat67

It doesn't say you can just turn the BIG item sideways so the impression I get is you had to get rid of it.

You have to get rid of it only if you want to play another BIG item.

[MunchkinMan]

Half-Breed is part of your Race, so it would have to be played to the table and kept there to confirm that you are, in fact, a Half-Breed. The card tells you that you only lose it if you lose the Race(s) it is attached to, which also implies that the card remains in play.

I can see how that might be confusing. However, Big Items can be turned sideways, as I said, because they are still Items. However, turning it sideways does not allow you to put another Big Item into play. In order to play a Big Item when you already have one in play, you must do those things the rules mention in order to get rid of the Big Item you already have in play. An example would be a Big Item that is Armor, but has a lower bonus than some other small Armor Item you would like to use. You can turn the Big Armor sideways to use the other Armor, but that wouldn't then allow you to play a Big Hand Item until you'd found a legal way to get rid of the Big Armor. The important issue here is that you can't discard Items you have in play, regardless of size, just because you want to.

[koolkat67]

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

I can see how that might be confusing. However, Big Items can be turned sideways, as I said, because they are still Items. However, turning it sideways does not allow you to put another Big Item into play. In order to play a Big Item when you already have one in play, you must do those things the rules mention in order to get rid of the Big Item you already have in play. An example would be a Big Item that is Armor, but has a lower bonus than some other small Armor Item you would like to use. You can turn the Big Armor sideways to use the other Armor, but that wouldn't then allow you to play a Big Hand Item until you'd found a legal way to get rid of the Big Armor. The important issue here is that you can't discard Items you have in play, regardless of size, just because you want to.

I agree with Big Items can be turned sideways but you can't have another Big Item in play. This makes more sense with the rules. Thanks
But using the same analogy on the rule where Big and Small Items can't be together just like Big and Big can't be together I would think you couldn't play Small Items while a Big Item is turned sideways.

[MunchkinMan]

There is nothing in the rules that says you can't have small Items when you have a Big Item. The rules say the following: You can have any number of small Items in play; along with all of your small Items, you may have only one Big Item in play. In other words, you can have, in play, as many small Items as you like, even if you have a Big Item in use or turned sideways. You can also play new small Items while you have a Big Item in play, in use or turned sideways.

[Andrew Hackard]

Stating this very clearly: There are no restrictions limiting the number of Small items you may have in play.

[koolkat67]

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

There is nothing in the rules that says you can't have small Items when you have a Big Item. The rules say the following: You can have any number of small Items in play; along with all of your small Items, you may have only one Big Item in play. In other words, you can have, in play, as many small Items as you like, even if you have a Big Item in use or turned sideways. You can also play new small Items while you have a Big Item in play, in use or turned sideways.

ah yes! I read that wrong. Thank you!