Official Tournament Rules vs. Your Own

[chronojinx]

The Official Tournament Rules are as follow: The Short Version: Follow the spirit of the rules...
To Determine the Game Winner: Each Winner 2 Tournament Levels for each Level the player had at the end of the round...etc.
I don't find this as fun as making them up.

I went to a tournament at the Kawaii-Kon (Hawaii) this spring. They split the 20-or-so people up into groups and they used different expansions. The winners would use their hand and items in play in a Munchkin Cthulhu game of Epic Munchkin.

I have hosted a tournament this summer and used a variation of that using Munchkin as the Epic Munchkin set for the release of the 19th printing.

What tournament rules have you experience, used or would use?

[Solelron]

The NW Spring Tourney at Gamestorm has historically been

X Qualifiers where X=Number of Base sets released

Winners go to final table of Epic Uberblend.

With the new rules being updated, we are waiting to see whats coming down to us for next year though.

[MunchkinMan]

I think we're just trying to make sure we can rule out certain amounts of bad behavior, some of which I saw at Origins. I hate to have to put rules in that everyone has to be able to see the final result of a die roll or require people to indicate when they are going to win by calling over a judge to witness it, but when there is so much on the line, people tend to get upset when they get ****** out of winning by someone who intentionally snapped up a die to hide the result before people could see it or misrepresented that they would be winning a game when directly asked about it.

I also want to see a limit to promo use, or at least permission given to the TO to institute a limit. As of right now, I'm not sure the rules allow for it.

I'm also thinking that the Extra Scary Cultist rules should probably be dropped for tournament play. Some weird luck could churn out a winner at Level 2 with those rules in play. I've also heard tell of those rules being abused. . .

[Trsevener]

Erik, if you are taking suggestions I will put in my two cents (not two coins, I am keeping those ;)

I agree with much of what you stated. I would suggest that in the preliminary rounds promo items of all type be allowed. Some of us do not get to use our goodies except at a tournament because we are the only geeks, er, nerds, um, obsessive, no that's not right, most experienced, yeah, that's it, players in their home games. I personnally will not use any of my promo stuff in a game with friends because I am the only one with any of these, and I do not want to spoil everyone's fun by beating them over the head with bookmarks, coins, Sherpa, etc. That said, if I used all that and still lost I would never hear the end of it. I would like the opportunity to use all these things sometimes, and a tournament where it is more expected is a great release.

I liked at Origins where the Semi-Finals were limited to one promo item. It made you think more and choose carefully. It also increased skill and card play as factors. At that level, I would hate to loose because someone spent mega-bucks on items and for all intents bought their win.

I agree fully with the final table being promo free. If a player made it that far, bully for you, and you should have the skills to win on your own.

As far as writing the rules for bad behavior, you have my sympathy. It is sad that this might need to happen. Munchkin and the variants are great games when played within the rules. I am sorry that some people get caught up pushing the rules or play for their benefit, but I have seen it happen as well. I know how I deal with it as a player, I do not envy your task as a judge. From what I understand of the final table at Origins, I LOVED your solution to any potential problems.

[Andrew Hackard]

Erik, let's plan to talk this over next week. I'd like to hear more details (privately) about your Origins experience and what rules you'd like to see emplaced to make tourneys more fun for everyone in the future.

[chronojinx]

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

I also want to see a limit to promo use, or at least permission given to the TO to institute a limit. As of right now, I'm not sure the rules allow for it.

I'm also thinking that the Extra Scary Cultist rules should probably be dropped for tournament play. Some weird luck could churn out a winner at Level 2 with those rules in play. I've also heard tell of those rules being abused. . .

Promo as in Steve Jackson signed stuff?

More Scary Cultist Rules abused? Not unless the you have to cards to turn everybody into a cultist right?

That's sad, when I hold my little tournaments we are all friends and only a gameset is on the line. What was on the line at Origins?

[Blu]

See, I'd like a limit on promos myself. I don't use much around here either, because I'm about the only one with them. However, I don't have many. I absolutely HATE playing in a tournament where everybody else can bring 50 cards/items and I don't stand a chance. That's one of the reasons we switched our Versus tournaments to seal booster drafts.

[chronojinx]

What's seal booster drafts for Munchkin mean?

[Blu]

Originally Posted by chronojinx

What's seal booster drafts for Munchkin mean?

Not a thing; point of reference.

[chronojinx]

Originally Posted by chronojinx

The Official Tournament Rules are as follow: The Short Version: Follow the spirit of the rules...
To Determine the Game Winner: Each Winner 2 Tournament Levels for each Level the player had at the end of the round...etc.

I recently found the Illuminati tournament rules for a Munchkin tournament. I guess the "Official Tournament Rules" didn't explain it for me. This seems really fun since everyone get to play more than once. Using my rules: those that got lucky with cards first round and go on to play Epic Munchkin second round aren't at such an advantage. Since this is what happened my last tournament:
Four groups, the four that went on one was at lvl 16 due to all the monster her opponents wandered in since she was about to win the round.

Start by explaining to the participants of the tournament how the tournament is played and scored.

Divide your players into groups. 4-6 players per group is preferable.

Each group plays one game of Munchkin; this is Round One.

If all groups but one are finished, or any game is about to pass the hour and a half mark (or what ever time you want), declare the group is in sudden death: each player has one more turn, and then the game is over.

Once all the games are over, record the player's scores. Make sure no one cleans up cards from the table before scores are recorded.

Play through Round Two, as Round One. If there are enough players, shuffle the groups, so people play against new opponents.

Round Three is played by those who won a game in either Round One or Two.
Add up each player's total points for the tournament. The top three scores are the first, second and third place winners.

Scoring: At the end of a round, each player receives a score according to how well they did and how many people are in that group. In a six person group, the winner receives six points, the second place player receives five, and so on; whereas in a four player game, the winner gets four points, and so forth.

Determining Placement: The person who reaches Level 10 first, as in the usual Munchkin rules, wins first place. Second place goes to the person with the next highest level, and so on.

In case of ties, two people win simultaneously, or more than one are of a particular level. The tie-breaker is biggest overall bonus from items; after that is total value (in gold, credits, etc.) of a player's items, then total number of items.

I'll try it this next tournament I host.