Fluxx is an easy game to learn because it starts out simple-Draw 1, Play 1-and becomes more complicated little by little. Many folks find that the best way to learn is by jumping right into a game, but that usually works best if at least one player in the group has played a Fluxx game before.
So, if this is the first time for everyone, someone in the group needs to read these rules. But don't worry, after you've played the game a few times, everyone will understand!
Components
100 Cards (Version 4.0):
- Basic Rules card
- Meta Rule card
- 4 Creeper cards
- 19 Keeper cards
- 24 New Rules cards
- 29 Goal cards
- 22 Action cards
- Instructions
100 Cards (Version 5.0):
- 19 Keepers
- 27 New Rules
- 1 Basic Rules
- 23 Actions
- 30 Goals
- Instructions
Setup
Place the Basic Rules card in the center of the table. Shuffle the deck and deal three cards to each player.
Place the remainder of the deck face down next to the Basic Rules to form a Draw pile.
At the beginning of the game, there will be no Goal or New Rule cards in play yet.
There is no rule for who gets to go first. You decide!
Game Play
Fluxx is a game about change, so it's a game that changes as you play it. It begins with just a couple of very simple rules, and becomes more complex as additional rules are added via special cards called New Rules.
Start by following the Basic Rules (draw one card & play one card), and adapt to all additional New Rules as they are played.
Players take turns, going clockwise around the table, drawing and playing the indicated number of cards until someone meets the current Goal condition.
On Your Turn:
- Draw the number of cards currently required.
- Play the number of cards currently required.
- Discard down to the current Hand Limit (if any).
- Comply with the current Keeper Limit (if any).
Optional actions, allowed by New Rules, Keepers, etc., may be performed at any point during this sequence.
When playing a card, you may choose any card in your hand. If you aren't sure how a card works, try reading the full text aloud as you play it.
Sample Game (in progress)
Card Types
Basic Rules: This is the starting point - the foundation on which the rest of the game is built.
These initial rules will be superseded by New Rules during the course of play, but this card should remain on the table at all times.
The Basic Rules are: Draw 1 card per turn and Play 1 card per turn (with no other restrictions such as Hand or Keeper Limits).
New Rule: To play a New Rule place it face up near the Basic Rules. If it contradicts a New Rule already in play, discard the old rule.
New Rules take effect instantly, so all players must immediately follow the New Rule as required. This will often cause the player whose turn it is to draw or play additional cards right away, or it may cause other players to immediately discard some of their cards.
Examples: After drawing 1 card, you play the Draw 4 New Rule. Now the rules require you to Draw 4 cards on each turn, but since you only took 1 card before, you must immediately draw 3 more cards.
The next player draws 4 cards. He plays the Draw 2 which changes the rules again, but he draws no more, having already gotten (at least) 2 cards. Since Draw 2 contradicts Draw 4, the Draw 4 is discarded.
Goal: To play a Goal place it face up in the center of the table, discarding the previous Goal (if any). The game begins with no Goal in play, so no one can win until one is played.
The Goal applies to everyone; as soon as someone meets these conditions, they win! (Even if it's someone else's turn!)
Keeper: To play a Keeper take it out of your hand and place it on the table in front of you, face up. Most Goals require you to have a particular pair of Keepers, so playing a Keeper is always a good thing.
Action: Actions are used once and discarded. Just do whatever the card says, then place it on the Discard Pile.
Actions can sometimes cause major chaos, and yet at other times, have no effect at all.
Note that while some Actions may cause additional cards to be played, everything that happens as a result of an Action card is considered part of one "play".
Examples: If you play the Action called Draw 2 and Use 'em you will immediately draw two cards and play them both. If one of those cards is Draw 3, Play 2 of them you'd keep going, drawing three more cards, playing two cards and discarding the third.
All of this activity would be counted as the playing of just one card.
End of the Game
The game continues until someone meets the conditions of the current Goal. That player wins instantly, no matter whose turn it is!
Notes
If the Draw pile runs out, shuffle the Discard pile, turn it over to make a new Draw pile, and keep playing.
Whenever something mentions a card "in play", this refers to a card that is face up on the table, but not in the discard pile.
Regarding Discarding: Discarding a card is not the same as playing it. When a card is played all instructions on that card must be followed, if possible.
You cannot simply discard unwanted cards; you can only discard if compelled to by a Hand Limit. (Yes, this means you could be forced to play a card that makes someone else win).
The game doesn't end until there is a clear winner. If for some reason two or more players meet the winning conditions simultaneously, the game continues until a single winner emerges.
New players may join at any time by being dealt a hand of three cards.
Regarding Creepers: Version 4.0 of this game included a new type of card called Creepers, but we took those cards back out because we decided the original game is better without them.
But you'll find plenty of Creepers in Zombie Fluxx, Cthulhu Fluxx, Oz Fluxx, Monty Python Fluxx, etc.
Continue Reading
