Member House Rules

[mehrkat]

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

Could you please quote what implies that there is a consequence to that? I mean, the rules directly tell you that nothing can make a character or Monster go below Level 1, so I'm a little confused. Of course, one's combat strength could go below 1 if you're cursed or somehow receive a penalty in the current combat. If that's what you were referring to, then you mis-spoke your intentions.

The first few times I played if you lost a level at 1 you went to level zero. It sounds like that was just my misread of the rules.

There are several cards that say things like "trap lose a footgear or a level player choice" I just meant if you were already at level 1 no consequence ie you don't lose the footgear either to help support the very beginning of the game.

On the die rolling thing. I did weight the middle +1 or +2 on purpose. I haven't tried out some of the changes yet I wanted to see if others had tried similar things.

I might try the quick start rules (double starting cards) and it sounds like the early level team combats are similar to your (play friendly early) alteration but putting it in a standard rule format to force it along.

[Cheese8242]

Originally Posted by mehtkat

I might try the quick start rules (double starting cards) and it sounds like the early level team combats are similar to your (play friendly early) alteration but putting it in a standard rule format to force it along.

See, I think you and your play group is taking the whole "stab your buddy in the back" part a little to much to heart. And unfortuantly there are way to many Munchkin players that do.

There is nothing wrong with this (especially if it works for your play group). But the real point of the game is to have fun. And in a two player game cutthroat play style doesn't work in the very beginning. One player will almost always get too large of a lead, while the other gets stuck at or around level 1.

While this can be fun for the person with the lead, the other is going to have a horrible time.

You shouldn't need special house rules to make sure no one gets stuck at level 1. At least if your playing with friends, don't you want to make sure both you and your friend are having fun. If so then there shouldn't be any trouble helping each other in the beginning.

Now once you start getting close to winning that's when your open to backstabbing. But if your playing with someone in a two player game and they refuse to help you get past level 1 and/or keeps backstabbing you while your level 1, you need to start looking for a new person to play with. Those are the type of people that can suck the fun out of a game (not just Munchkin).

[mib2932]

And buy a wicked munchkin die so you start at level 2.

;-)

[mehrkat]

Originally Posted by Cheese8242

.... But if your playing with someone in a two player game and they refuse to help you get past level 1 and/or keeps backstabbing you while your level 1, you need to start looking for a new person to play with. Those are the type of people that can suck the fun out of a game (not just Munchkin).

I'm not sure I explained well enough. The person I'm playing with is my young son and he just gets it better if there is an actual rule. Once he sees the advantage of the rule he'll go along but he's also always the lucky one so I can't explain it to him by showing it to him in action. And he's in a stage now that his capacity to feel joy at being ahead is really strong and ability to see the other side is at a low ebb. And adult I could just explain and we could come to a solution that worked for everyone and I don't disagree that an adult that didn't feel some need to make the game fun for everyone would be a problem. In a child its my job to teach him as well as play with him to show him why the social contract is necessary sometimes a rule is necessary to that goal.

Though in general everybody seems to agree that working together at low stages is the way to solve the problem. Thanks for your thoughts

[jayson]

A two-player version that my son and I came up with was pretty fun. Here are the altered rules:

OBJECTIVE: Be the first player to retire your four heroes at level 6.

SETUP: Start by separating out all the Class and Race cards. In the standard Munchkin game you will find 21. Shuffle these cards together. Next, deal 4 cards to each player. Each player places these character cards in front of him/herself on the table. These cards represent your Adventuring Troop of Heroes trudging through the Dungeons of Munchkingdom. Next, place a single D6 (six-sided) die on top of each character to represent their current level. Each hero starts at level 1. Lastly in Setup, reshuffle the remaining Class and Race cards in the Door deck, and draw 4 door cards, and 4 treasure cards per Player (not per character). Each player may distribute their 'loot' amongst their 4 heroes.

GAME PLAY: Roll the die to see who goes first, highest die wins. The first player may lay down any treasures or items below any of his 4 heroes. Note: Once a treasure has been laid to the table from your hand, it must remain with THAT hero to which it has been placed. Furthermore, a thief cannot steal a card from any allied hero pertaining to the same Adventuring Troop. A Thief can only steal from the opponent's Troop of Heroes.

Each Hero can later on be one Class and one Race as per normal rules. Furthermore, if Class or Race are lost as a result of a curse or some other reason, simply flip the card over...that hero still can be played as normal, just without the Bonuses/Penalties of the previous Race/Class.

Once the first player is ready to begin, he chooses ONE hero from his Troop (moving the Class/Race card forward slightly to show election to other player) to open the door, then flips over TWO Door cards. Both Door cards have active effects if they are monsters or curses. This means that they are resolved simultaneously. If they are two monster cards it is like the results of a Wandering Monster card as per the original rules (Running Away must be resolved from each monster by EACH hero involved in combat).

If they are both curses, they affect that single hero who busted down the door. A Wishing Ring or other item that prevents a Curse will deflect ONE of the Curses (active player chooses which Curse to be removed). The player may still 'Loot the Room' (drawing a face down Door card into your hand) or play a Monster by 'Looking for Trouble' from his hand as per normal rules, unless the Curse card specifically states the turn has ended.

If one card is beneficial (i.e. Class/Race card, Cheat card, etc.), the player may place this directly into his hand. The non-beneficial card is then resolved (i.e. fighting the monster).

If BOTH cards are both non-threatening, the player places both into his hand, and then may choose to either 'Loot the Room' or 'Look for Trouble' per normal rules.

Note: Monster Altering cards (i.e. Humungous +5) are non-threatening if drawn with a non-Monster card, and may be placed in the player's hand. But, IF drawn with a Monster, it alters THAT monster during that combat.

Also: The actual Wandering Monster card if drawn Face Up, invites your opponent to lay down ANY held Monster card in their hand!

After resolving combat with monsters per the rules below, or after 'Looting the Room', the player ends his turn by either laying down Item cards to individual heroes in his Troop (Treasure cards aquired from defeating Monsters can only be equipped directly after combat to the two heroes involved in combat...see combat rules below), or discarding them so that only 5 cards remain in his hand at the end of his turn. Every Dwarf character in his Troop allows the player to hold +1 card above the normal 5! If cards were discarded in this manner (at the end of the turn), the opponent if he has a hero with a current level less than or equal to the lowest level of all the heroes on the table, he may select ONE of the discarded cards and place it to the table below that lowest level hero (if its an item) or to his hand (if its NOT an item).

Note: Items that are unusable be a hero may still be equipped to that hero. The bonus is just not added unless conditionary requirements are met. But, heroes that are NOT a Dwarf can only equip ONE Big item, used or unused.

COMBAT: When fighting a monster, add up all the bonuses of all the Monsters and Monster Altering cards involved in combat. Unless one of the heroes involved in combat is a Warrior, the player must beat the Monster's bonuses by 1. This number is derived by adding the hero's current level, plus any bonuses (or subtracting any Penalties). If the first hero who 'Busted Down the Door' does not have sufficient Attack Points (Level + Bonuses), then he/she can ask for help. This is done by selecting ONE of his current heroes (those NOT Retired). The Opponent may even offer to help for some bargained price, with any ONE of his heroes. If someone helps in combat, their bonuses and levels are added to the first hero's. Once a hero agrees to join combat, he/she cannot back out. If for any reason the hero(s) cannot defeat a Monster(s) then each hero involved in combat must attempt to Run Away separately from EACH Monster in the combat. If a hero is unsuccessful from Running Away from any Monster, that hero must face the consequences of the Bad Stuff of THAT Monster.

The only Hero that gains Levels after defeating a Monster is the one who 'Busted Down the Door'. If for some reason another hero jumps into battle to help, then the first hero leaves. The second hero must face the Monster(s). That second hero does not get any levels if the Monster(s) are defeated, but does get all the treasures. Furthermore, a third hero cannot be asked to help.

Note: The Kneepads of Allure, or other similar Items may be used to force someone into help the wearer of the Item, OR it can be used to PREVENT your opponent from using ONE of his heroes as a helper! In either way, the hero being manipulated by the item gets a saving throw to resist. That player must roll higher than a 6, by rolling a D6 and adding THAT hero's current Level.

RETIRING: Once a hero reaches Level 6, he/she is Retired from play. Take all his Class/Race cards, and Item cards and discard them. Leave just the D6 to represent one Retired hero. Player who Retires All four Heroes in their Troop wins.

DEATH: When a hero(es) suffer Death from Bad Stuff, they lose all their stuff. The player of the dead hero(es) lays down all their cards in ther hand next to all the dead hero's items he/she had in play. All of these cards will be discarded. Prior to being discarded, the opponent gets to select ONE item to add to EACH of his active (non-Retired) heroes. These items must first be given to the lowest level heroes.

Note: this means that if both players have heroes that die in the same combat for whatever reason, one player's opponent will Loot his hero's body, while his own heroes will Loot his Opponent's dead hero's body. Dead heroes do not participate in Looting the Body.

The dead heroe's Level die (D6) remains at the same level.

SELLING ITEMS: Only ONE Level can be bought each turn by each hero in your Troop. Furthermore, Level 6 can only be attained as per normal Munchkin Rules regarding Level Ten.

[LordOci]

Originally Posted by jayson

The only Hero that gains Levels after defeating a Monster is the one who 'Busted Down the Door'. If for some reason another hero jumps into battle to help, then the first hero leaves. The second hero must face the Monster(s). That second hero does not get any levels if the Monster(s) are defeated, but does get all the treasures. Furthermore, a third hero cannot be asked to help.

Jayson: interesting houserules, but this part is a bit confusing for me: "then the first hero leaves". The helper replaces the first hero? This is an alternative option, that you can "sacrifice" another hero instead the first who kicked the door? Or it's just some misunderstanding, the first hero remain in fight, if win, the first gain level, the second just can get a part from the treasure?

[Mizznox]

The only real house rule we have is that you have to have at least 3 cards in your hand to use the Wizard's Charm power.

[Smolin]

Originally Posted by Mizznox

The only real house rule we have is that you have to have at least 3 cards in your hand to use the Wizard's Charm power.

We're playing a two-player game a lot, so I like the above. Wizard gets pretty unstoppable without more people around to gang up on him.

I'm also thinking of allowing the Warrior a maximum +5 (or +6 for Dwarven Warriors) if he's got enough cards in hand.

[Robby]

Originally Posted by Smolin

We're playing a two-player game a lot, so I like the above. Wizard gets pretty unstoppable without more people around to gang up on him.

I'm also thinking of allowing the Warrior a maximum +5 (or +6 for Dwarven Warriors) if he's got enough cards in hand.

What about dwarven warriors with a portable hole?
What about epic dwarven warriors?

[Ash Plissken]

I have come up with a few card-specific crossover rules, let's see how many of them I can remember...

If you are wearing Spudded Leather Armor, the Fries will not fight you, and cannot be added to your combat.

(under consideration) No player may have both the Pirate and Ninja classes at the same time, and a Pirate may not help a Ninja in combat, or vice versa.