Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

Hi! I'm a pre-newbie looking for advice on buying and combining Munchkin decks in order to increase the number of players. The original deck allows up to 6 players, but I'm looking to increase this to 10 or more. My question is:

a) Is this possible?

b) Which packs are good for this (besides the base deck)?

There are so many out there that my head is spinning, but the "classic" expansion packs 2-6 look like they can do the trick. Friends have also suggested the Zombie and Pirate decks.

Advice needed please, and many thanks in advance!

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

I'd venture a guess that most people will advise against it. It's designed for 6 regardless of how many expansions you add. However, if your goal is a long drawn out game (which can be fun with the right people,) just having enough cards should do the trick. Having the Fairy Dust deck around to encourage helping, and the Monster Enhancers booster can't hurt. You'll also want to play by the Fast Play rules, as waiting 9+ turns to get no Race, Class, or Monster would get old really quick.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

While playing Munchkin with more than 6 players technically works if you just have more cards, I'd also highly recommend splitting into 2 tables. I've been known to try playing with 7, but even then, the game gets harder to win with too many people having ways to meddle. Also, people start getting bored or distracted waiting for their turn to come around.

So get a second set (whatever strikes your fancy) and split into 2 groups. You'll have much more fun overall that way.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

you can also do the 2 headed giant variant where 2 people play as one munchkin using 5 teams of 2

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

I've done 8+, up to 12. My advice to anyone trying to do that: Don't. 2 tables of 5 is more fun for all involved.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

Thanks for the input. I understand games can get pretty long and boring with lots of deadlock when the number of players increase. Sometimes, it's the interaction during the game that makes it fun.

In the meantime, let me try to get my head around this... Pirates can be a base deck on its own? And so can Zombies? StormCrow42's reply seems to indicate that they can be played on their own. I've always thought that they needed to be added to the base deck to be played.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

Nope. There are currently 13 different base decks. Many of them have one or 2 expansions with fantasy having 7 and a bunch of boosters.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

Hmmm... I like this idea. Keeps everyone together for the insanity. Do you use any special rules for this variant, or just two people playing as one Munchkin with normal gameplay?

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

I think I just got the hang of it.

http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/icons/ shows in text the standalone decks and the icons are the associated expansion packs.

There's also a writeup on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munchki...%29#Expansions .

It still makes my head spin!

p.s. so theoretically.... if I wanted to spend 10 hours boring 15 people to tears, I could combine 3 standalone decks together and play? Do answer this question: Yes or no?

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

Yes you could. But, as you've probably gathered from responses here, most would suggest that you give each of those standalone decks to a group of 5 people to play, instead.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

I'm actually planning on trying that tomorrow for the first time. I got the idea from the house rules thread. I was thinking of either doing it like that, or so each individual had their own hand (or slightly larger combined hand) and still playing as one munchkin.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

You could, although there is no real logic behind using 3 standalone decks to do it. You could just as easily use the Fantasy deck with expansions and have the same number of cards.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

We played a six-player game of Star Munchkin, and half the group got tired of it before the end. Especially because we were going round after round of everyone at level 9 not being able to proceed cause there was always someone with something to interfere. We only really enjoy Munchkin games that are one hour long or less. After that it just becomes too much.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

A good movie for the players not involved to watch. Hamburgers, Shakes and Fries for the non-players. OR, for godsake, break it into 2 Five-Player games. 8 player tournament final's games are 4 hour deals. I know, I run 3 a year. IF you have great players, add another 2 hours...

Or add booze to make it seem shorter... (But once, just once, I had a player catch it right and run a 9 player table in 2 hours and 15 minutes.)

YMMV

Pat

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

I suppose in this case you could invent your own endgame rules?

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

Really, just split the tables and play two games. It'll be more fun for everyone.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

What Andrew said. With that many players, the game really slows down. People have side conversations or get up from the table to do other things while waiting for their turn. Not fun.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

Yup, and forget about it if you're using a large rectangular table. You'll get several side conversations since people at opposite ends have a harder time hearing each other.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

Everyone is right, over six and you're asking for trouble and you'll end up with a bunch of people that won't like munchkin. The best part of separating into two groups is after the games are done, you can switch everyone around and do it again! I have all the fantasy sets, and I figure there's enough cards to play with 16 people... oh lord I would never do that!

Every time I get a game going at our local game store, I get lots of people wanting to jump in. I don't always turn them away, but these are also hardcore gamers and even they tend to lose focus.

Stay as close to 6 as possible!

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

There's plenty of room for argument, but IMO the sweet spot for Munchkin is five players. Four players is a bit too few; six players is too long between turns. I've played (with just a base set) everything from three to eight, and I wouldn't turn down a game with any of those numbers, but five's perfect for me.

Re: Advice needed for 10+ player Munchkin games
 

I played once in a gome of 8 players and will say it was a bit of a train wreck. I didn't enjoy it at all and don't really think many other of the players did either. I will echo others here and just say split the group up and play 2 different games. I think everyone involved will be happier.

William