Two big rule changes, effective immediately
 

These won't be reflected in the reprints coming up later this year, because we decided on these changes after those went to print, but we will start incorporating them into reprints moving forward.

1. Players may not be forced to help someone else in a combat that is for the win. If a player is forced to help someone in a combat and it later becomes a combat for the win, the helper is kicked out of the fight without penalty. This rule does not apply to voluntary helpers, who should have thought harder about what they were getting into. It also does not apply in the situation where the helper could win the game (Elves, mostly, but other cards can set up this situation); be careful when you choose a helper!
2. Cards that automatically kill monsters end combat immediately if there are no other monsters present.

There are also two cards that require revision in light of that second rule:

Death-Touch (from Munchkin Fu): At the end of this card, add "You do not get any rewards for that monster unless you defeat all remaining monsters."

Churninator (from Munchkin Cthulhu): Add "unless this would give you the winning level" at the end of the first sentence.

These are official errata already up on their respective errata pages.

Re: Two big rule changes, effective immediately
 

I thought Rule 1 was already a rule.

Does Rule 2 eliminate the possibility of adding a Monster via Wandering Monster in response to all Monsters in the combat being eliminated by other cards? That would sure simplify things.

Re: Two big rule changes, effective immediately
 

A lot of cards say that, but it hasn't been a global rule. Now it is.

That was one of the major reasons for this rule -- there are several annoying corner cases in the FAQ that are eliminated entirely by this change.

It does make for some insta-win situations (although I think the errata above nerf the most obnoxious possibilities) but they all require the player to have exactly the right card at the right time. I agreed with Steve that discouraging clever card combos goes against the Munchkin spirit.

Re: Two big rule changes, effective immediately
 

So, not to muddy the waters too much, but by using the word "kill," this sounds like this doesn't affect a Wizard's charm spell, or similar defeat-but-not-kill effects like Pollymorph Potion. Am I reading that correctly, or does the new rule need to be even more clear?

Re: Two big rule changes, effective immediately
 

That needs to be clarified. Good catch.

Re: Two big rule changes, effective immediately
 

Revised Rule #2: If all monsters are removed from a combat, the combat ends immediately.

Re: Two big rule changes, effective immediately
 

Is not Death-Touch is from Monky Business and Churninator is from Call of Cowthulhu expansions? Why in FAQ they are in core sets?

Re: Two big rule changes, effective immediately
 

Probably an editing error on my part. We'll get that fixed when we're back from Gen Con.

Re: Two big rule changes, effective immediately
 

About Rule 1

On the Kneepads of Allure is written this rule. But new rules in this thread says:


So, can I force with Kneepads an Elf level 9 (when I'm at level 8, for example) to help in combat vs big monster to win the game together? Or text on the card still actual now "as is" and prevents me to force Elves with level 9 to help me?

Re: Two big rule changes, effective immediately
 

You cannot use the Kneepads of Allure to win the game because it's written on the card.

Even if it weren't, you cannot compel someone else to help you win the game because that's what the rule above says. It doesn't matter whether they would also win. The helper exception means that if a helper can win the game because a fight gets bigger (for instance, a Level 8 Elf suddenly faces two monsters), that's the chance you took when you asked that player for help.