Ruling Questions

[Sigma88]

Hello, i just started playing Munchkin and after reading the rules on how to play there are quite a few rulings on this game that i don't understand, some of which have to do with the cards. I have the updated and most recent printing of Munchkin core set so i will go by those rules. This thread could go on forever since there are quite a few rules i want to address, especially with the cards.

Equipments:
If i'm a human and i have 2 cards in my hand that are weapons and can only be equiped by, let's say, a thief, can i still play them on the field?
I fully understand that they will have no effect on me because my class is not a thief. Do these cards turn sideways?
Hypothethically and strategically speaking, if i have more than 5 cards in my hand, i would like to play whatever i can on the field to prevent me from giving cards away as charity. Is this possible?

One shot items:
Kind of the same concept question as above, can i place them on the field, not having any effect until i decide to announce their use?

Discard/Charity:
I have 7 cards in my hand. I already kicked open the door/looted the room. Does my turn automatically end? Or can i still trade/sell/play cards so i can prevent myself from discarding/charity?

Party/Helpers:
If a player helped me defeat a monster, when looting the treasure the manual says to draw them face up so the "party" can see them. Does party refer to the players in the game or does party refer to the helper that helped you? Does this mean i have to show everybody the treasures? Or just the player that helped me?

Cards:
-Lawyers (level 6) will not attack a thief. Can a thief still defeat this enemy to go up a level? What happens when the thief runs away? Does this mean the thief can instead discard 2 treasures and draw 2 new face down ones?
-Income Tax: If someone plays the curse Income Tax on me, do I get to pick what to discard? Or does the person who played the curse get to choose?
-Cleric's Resurrection: What does this exactly do? If i activate this ability, do i get to take the top card of the discard pile into my hand (then i discard) or do i play whatever is on top of the discard pile? For example the top card is a curse, am i cursed? Same with a class card, thief, am i a thief now? What about cards like mate, half-breed, super munchkin, any non-monster non-curse card, etc?
-Half-breed/Super Munchkin don't necessarily state what kind of card they are. Can i play them any time i want, even during another player's turn?
Also, can i just play them even when i don't have a race/class in play or in my hand? Or do i have to have a race/class in play first?

[SmokeRulz]

Originally Posted by Sigma88

Equipments:
If i'm a human and i have 2 cards in my hand that are weapons and can only be equiped by, let's say, a thief, can i still play them on the field?
I fully understand that they will have no effect on me because my class is not a thief. Do these cards turn sideways?
Hypothethically and strategically speaking, if i have more than 5 cards in my hand, i would like to play whatever i can on the field to prevent me from giving cards away as charity. Is this possible?

Yes you can play them, and turning them sideways is recommended so everyone knows they're not actively giving you a bonus. This is one of the main ways to avoid giving Charity. You're thinking like a Munchkin already! It's a good sign. ;)

Originally Posted by Sigma88

One shot items:
Kind of the same concept question as above, can i place them on the field, not having any effect until i decide to announce their use?

Assuming that they are an Item (items always have a Gold Piece value), then yes they can be placed on the field just like any other item. One-shots can also be used straight from your hand, so don't feel pressured into leaving them on the field unless you're avoiding Charity.

Originally Posted by Sigma88

Discard/Charity:
I have 7 cards in my hand. I already kicked open the door/looted the room. Does my turn automatically end? Or can i still trade/sell/play cards so i can prevent myself from discarding/charity?

You can still do all that, yes. Your turn does not end until you've verbally announced that it has. Do whatever you wish to do, proceed to Charity if you have cards you couldn't get rid of in some other way, then end your turn.

Originally Posted by Sigma88

Party/Helpers:
If a player helped me defeat a monster, when looting the treasure the manual says to draw them face up so the "party" can see them. Does party refer to the players in the game or does party refer to the helper that helped you? Does this mean i have to show everybody the treasures? Or just the player that helped me?

"The party" means everyone playing the game. You are an adventuring party travelling together.

Originally Posted by Sigma88

-Lawyers (level 6) will not attack a thief. Can a thief still defeat this enemy to go up a level? What happens when the thief runs away? Does this mean the thief can instead discard 2 treasures and draw 2 new face down ones?

Yes, if a Thief is powerful enough to kill the Lawyers, he can do it. If he is not strong enough, then he can do the trade instead. Running away is also an option if you don't wish to do the treasure trade, and I don't think the Lawyers will pursue the Thief, so running away would be automatic. I'd let one of the moderators confirm this, though.

Originally Posted by Sigma88

-Income Tax: If someone plays the curse Income Tax on me, do I get to pick what to discard? Or does the person who played the curse get to choose?

The players all choose which items they'll be discarding for the effect of the card. It's irrelevant how the Curse was originally played.

Originally Posted by Sigma88

-Cleric's Resurrection: What does this exactly do? If i activate this ability, do i get to take the top card of the discard pile into my hand (then i discard) or do i play whatever is on top of the discard pile? For example the top card is a curse, am i cursed? Same with a class card, thief, am i a thief now? What about cards like mate, half-breed, super munchkin, any non-monster non-curse card, etc?

The card you're getting off of the discard pile isn't played or activated in any way, you're basically drawing it into your hand. So no, you're not going to curse yourself, or forceably change your own Race/Class, etc etc. You may choose to activate the drawn card later, however. It's yours now!

Originally Posted by Sigma88

-Half-breed/Super Munchkin don't necessarily state what kind of card they are. Can i play them any time i want, even during another player's turn?
Also, can i just play them even when i don't have a race/class in play or in my hand? Or do i have to have a race/class in play first?

I'd call them Race/Class Enhancers, if I had to give them a name. They're basically just like a Race/Class card, you can play them as soon as you get them, or any time you want on your own turn, assuming there's no combat happening. No, you cannot play them if you have no Races or Classes to attach to them. They must have at least one card on them or you'll lose them!

[Andrew Hackard]

SmokeRulz got a lot right, so where I'm not quoting, assume I agree with his answer.

Originally Posted by Sigma88

-Lawyers (level 6) will not attack a thief. Can a thief still defeat this enemy to go up a level? What happens when the thief runs away? Does this mean the thief can instead discard 2 treasures and draw 2 new face down ones?

Once a Thief makes the decision to attack the Lawyer, he can no longer exercise the "draw Treasure instead" option. The Lawyer is not a forgiving creature.

Originally Posted by Sigma88

-Income Tax: If someone plays the curse Income Tax on me, do I get to pick what to discard? Or does the person who played the curse get to choose?

You pick.

Originally Posted by Sigma88

-Cleric's Resurrection: What does this exactly do?

In a situation where you would be drawing face-up cards, the Cleric may draw from the discard pile instead, as long as he doesn't draw more cards than he's entitled to and he has the cards to discard to pay for the Resurrection ability. What happens to those cards depends on why they were to be drawn face-up. If the Resurrection happened instead of Kicking Open The Door, then the Cleric encounters the face-up Door just as if he'd turned it over at the start of his turn. If, instead, the Cleric resurrects Treasure cards after receiving another player's help in a combat, those Treasures (plus any from the Treasure deck) are divided according to the prior agreement, if any. There are other examples, but the general rules is that the face-up cards gained by Resurrection exactly replace the cards that otherwise would have been drawn.

Originally Posted by Sigma88

-Half-breed/Super Munchkin don't necessarily state what kind of card they are. Can i play them any time i want, even during another player's turn?
Also, can i just play them even when i don't have a race/class in play or in my hand? Or do i have to have a race/class in play first?

You must have a Class in play to play Super Munchkin, or play a Class along with it. You must have a Race in play to play Half-Bree, or play a Race along with it. Super Munchkin and Half-Breed are treated as Class or Race cards for determining when they can be played.

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by SmokeRulz

Yes you can play them, and turning them sideways is recommended so everyone knows they're not actively giving you a bonus.

It's not "recommended," it's part of the rules. You MUST turn (non-one-shot) Items sideways if they are not "in use."

Originally Posted by SmokeRulz

The players all choose which items they'll be discarding for the effect of the card. It's irrelevant how the Curse was originally played.

Not entirely. The actual target of the Curse selects which Item to discard first. The other players only choose after that Item is discarded.

Originally Posted by SmokeRulz

The card you're getting off of the discard pile isn't played or activated in any way, you're basically drawing it into your hand.

Absolutely incorrect. The card EXACTLY REPLACES the card you otherwise would have drawn -- if you Resurrect a monster or a Curse, you encounter that monster or Curse, for instance.

Originally Posted by SmokeRulz

I'd call them Race/Class Enhancers, if I had to give them a name.

Unfortunately, that name is already taken by High, Dark, Master, and other cards you haven't seen yet, and since Super Munchkin and Half-Breed don't necessarily attach to a single specific Class or Race, it's not a good name in any event.

[Sigma88]

Thank you both of you, those answers really help.
I'm still confused about Cleric's resurrection. If it's the door discard pile, If i resurrect a monster or curse, i have to fight/get cursed immediately?
How about if i resurrect anything other than a monster or curse, does the card get put into my hand? (like resurrecting a thief or super munchkin card)
Now what about if i resurrect off the treasure pile, do i have to play those cards immediately? Or do i put them into my hand?


Usables/not usables:
I have a staff of napalm which is only usable only by wizards. I am a wizard and i just played super munchkin to also be a warrior. Can i still use and equip the staff of napalm?

I have mithril armor that cannot be used by wizards. Because i'm a wizard and am also a warrior due to super munchkin, can i use and equip mithril armor?


Combat hate:
Drooling Slime gets +4 against elves. If i have half breed in play and am also only an elf, does this make me a half elf half human, meaning the monster will not get a +4 combat bonus?
What about if i'm half elf half dwarf, does the same rule apply?

What about if a monster has a penalty against elves, let's say -4 to monster's combat, because i'm half elf half dwarf, does this mean the monster won't be affected by this penalty?

[MadMan]

Originally Posted by Sigma88

I'm still confused about Cleric's resurrection. If it's the door discard pile, If i resurrect a monster or curse, i have to fight/get cursed immediately?
How about if i resurrect anything other than a monster or curse, does the card get put into my hand? (like resurrecting a thief or super munchkin card)
Now what about if i resurrect off the treasure pile, do i have to play those cards immediately? Or do i put them into my hand?

If it's the door discard pile and you resurrect a monster or curse, YES you have to fight/get cursed immediately.
If you resurrect anything else you play it like you do in the regular "kicking open the door"!

Originally Posted by Sigma88

Usables/not usables:
I have a staff of napalm which is only usable only by wizards. I am a wizard and i just played super munchkin to also be a warrior. Can i still use and equip the staff of napalm?

I have mithril armor that cannot be used by wizards. Because i'm a wizard and am also a warrior due to super munchkin, can i use and equip mithril armor?

Yes you can use staff of napalm because you are a wizard (as you can use items only warriors can use) and you can't use mithril armor...

Originally Posted by Sigma88

Combat hate:
Drooling Slime gets +4 against elves. If i have half breed in play and am also only an elf, does this make me a half elf half human, meaning the monster will not get a +4 combat bonus?
What about if i'm half elf half dwarf, does the same rule apply?

What about if a monster has a penalty against elves, let's say -4 to monster's combat, because i'm half elf half dwarf, does this mean the monster won't be affected by this penalty?

On Drooling Slime If you are using "half breed" on elf card with no other race card +4 don't count. if you are half elf-half dwarf +4 counts.
if a monster has a penalty against one race and you have that race in play the monster is affected by the penalty.

[MunchkinMan]

Originally Posted by SmokeRulz

Yes, if a Thief is powerful enough to kill the Lawyers, he can do it. If he is not strong enough, then he can do the trade instead. Running away is also an option if you don't wish to do the treasure trade, and I don't think the Lawyers will pursue the Thief, so running away would be automatic. I'd let one of the moderators confirm this, though.

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

Once a Thief makes the decision to attack the Lawyer, he can no longer exercise the "draw Treasure instead" option. The Lawyer is not a forgiving creature.

I'm returning Andrew's favor and overruling him! Okay, I'm only doing it because he's mistaken here, and I'm not just being petty. A Thief CAN NOT fight the Lawyer. The Lawyer clearly states that it will not attack a Thief. This is no different than the Amazon, who will not attack female characters. The Lawyer will leave the combat immediately when facing a Thief, while giving the Thief an opportunity to discard two Treasures (in play or from your hand) for two new Treasures that will go in the Thief's hand. I repeat: The Thief does not get to choose whether he will fight the Lawyer, but he can choose whether to do the discarding deal. In answer to the original question: The Thief can't Run Away from the Lawyer, since the Lawyer is discarded once a Thief is present in the combat. If the Lawyer was the only Monster, then combat is over, unless someone wants to add a new Monster by playing a Monster from their hand with Wandering Monster. Regardless, the Thief will always be allowed to choose to make that "deal" before combat can continue.

[MunchkinMan]

In the future, please create new threads if any extra questions you have aren't related to your original questions. It will help with keeping track of what has and hasn't been answered, and what has and hasn't been answered correctly. I feel most of your second set of questions are follow ups, but I just wanted to get that out there in case something came up and you wanted to ask something different. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Sigma88

Thank you both of you, those answers really help.
I'm still confused about Cleric's resurrection. If it's the door discard pile, If i resurrect a monster or curse, i have to fight/get cursed immediately?

Yes.

How about if i resurrect anything other than a monster or curse, does the card get put into my hand? (like resurrecting a thief or super munchkin card)

The card you are drawing replaces the card you would have taken from the deck. Do exactly what you would depending on the situation. So, if you're kicking down the door, Curses hit you, Monsters fight you, and everything else goes in your hand unless it says otherwise (Divine Intervention being a prime example of a card which says it must be played immediately).

Now what about if i resurrect off the treasure pile, do i have to play those cards immediately? Or do i put them into my hand?

As I said above, it depends on the situation. If you've just won combat, you must first provide for your helper (the main way a Cleric will be drawing face-up Treasure is by having a helper in combat). Then, you can do with the cards what you want, just like you always can. If you're drawing face-up Treasure because a card told you to, and that card also told you that you must play that card immediately, then if you choose to resurrect a card from the top of the Treasure discard pile, you must play it immediately because the reason you were drawing told you to do so.

Usables/not usables:
I have a staff of napalm which is only usable only by wizards. I am a wizard and i just played super munchkin to also be a warrior. Can i still use and equip the staff of napalm?

Yes, because you're still a Wizard. Super Munchkin played with two Classes gives you the advantages (being allowed to use certain Items, bonuses against certain Monsters, special abilities) and disadvantages (not being allowed to use certain Items, Monsters having bonuses against the Class) of both Classes.

I have mithril armor that cannot be used by wizards. Because i'm a wizard and am also a warrior due to super munchkin, can i use and equip mithril armor?

No, because you're still a Wizard. See what I said above about advantages and disadvantages.

Combat hate:
Drooling Slime gets +4 against elves. If i have half breed in play and am also only an elf, does this make me a half elf half human, meaning the monster will not get a +4 combat bonus?
What about if i'm half elf half dwarf, does the same rule apply?

What about if a monster has a penalty against elves, let's say -4 to monster's combat, because i'm half elf half dwarf, does this mean the monster won't be affected by this penalty?

Just like Super Munchkin with respect to Classes, Half Breed follows the same principles with respect to Races. If you have one Race and Half Breed, you get all of the advantages (special abilities, the ability to use certain Items, bonuses against certain Monsters) and none of the disadvantages (not being allowed to use certain Items, Monsters having a bonus against you). If you use Half Breed with two Races, you get all of the advantages of both Races, and all of the disadvantages of both Races. So, in your examples:

• The +4 bonus Drooling Slime gets is a disadvantage to an Elf. A character who is a Half Elf will not grant the bonus to the Monster, but an Elf/Dwarf will.
• A Monster having a penalty when facing an Elf would be an advantage of the Elf Race, so an Elf, a Half Elf and an Elf/Dwarf would all cause the Monster to receive the penalty.

[SmokeRulz]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

It's not "recommended," it's part of the rules. You MUST turn (non-one-shot) Items sideways if they are not "in use."

Missed that sentence in the rules! I thought it was just a suggestion.

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

Not entirely. The actual target of the Curse selects which Item to discard first. The other players only choose after that Item is discarded.

Well yeah, I figured that was evident given the effect on the card. Everyone has to follow the target of the curse after he kills an item. I didn't mean to suggest everyone selects at the same time.

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

Absolutely incorrect. The card EXACTLY REPLACES the card you otherwise would have drawn -- if you Resurrect a monster or a Curse, you encounter that monster or Curse, for instance.

My mistake. I actually completely forgot Resurrection could be used on the Kicking Down the Door phase, otherwise I would have provided a better answer.

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

Unfortunately, that name is already taken by High, Dark, Master, and other cards you haven't seen yet, and since Super Munchkin and Half-Breed don't necessarily attach to a single specific Class or Race, it's not a good name in any event.

Eh... Good point. Haha.