Munchkin Apocalypse in a Tournament

[Andrew Hackard]

If Cthulhu ends on Cultists: the winner(s) get Tournament Levels as though they had reached the final Level (10 normally, 20 if Epic). All other players receive the TLs for the Levels they actually attained.

If Apocalypse ends on the Seventh Seal: the winner(s) get Tournament Levels as though they had reached the final Level (10 normally, 20 if Epic). All other players receive the TLs for the Levels they actually attained.

Hmm, I see a way to consolidate these rules...

[offsides]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

If Apocalypse ends on the Seventh Seal: the winner(s) get Tournament Levels as though they had reached the final Level (10 normally, 20 if Epic). All other players receive the TLs for the Levels they actually attained.

OK, I see your reasoning and have no issue with it, but I also see a potential gripe with it:

In all Munchkin sets except Apocalypse, the Tournament mechanic is "get levels above all else", since that's what earns your "score" in each round. In Apocalypse, it's "get levels above all else, unless the seventh seal is opened, in which case levels only matter if you DON'T have the most bonuses." Granted, gaining levels and gaining bonuses are often correlated, but it's not a guarantee. Thus, players can find themselves in a catch-22 situation of having to decide whether to go for levels OR bonuses, and hoping the game swings in the correct direction.

I'm not saying this isn't acceptable, just that I can see it being an unpopular ruling in some circles. But I do agree that it follows the KISS principle.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by offsides

Thus, players can find themselves in a catch-22 situation of having to decide whether to go for levels OR bonuses, and hoping the game swings in the correct direction.

Right -- just like in the regular game. This is a feature, not a bug. Apocalypse rewards attentive play.

[offsides]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

Right -- just like in the regular game. This is a feature, not a bug. Apocalypse rewards attentive play.

Except that in Tournament Play, bonuses count for NOTHING at the end of the game, and so focusing on items over levels is normally a no-win strategy. I'm not saying it's a bug, just that it's a big wrinkle in the ultimate goal of the game vs. every other set under Tournament conditions.

Either way, you've answered the question definitively, and that's good enough for me.