I just got the basic boxed Munchkin game, and while I want my husband and daughter to enjoy it, I want to have the edge. Any tips? Other than taking the very best cards out of the decks and sliding them into play when I think I can get away with it?
Oh, it’s a game! When I saw the thread title I thought it should be in Cafe Society.
‘Thank you, waiter. I’ll have the grilled Munchkin tips with couscous.’
Seriously?
Help people out early (for a consideration, of course) - tooling up your character is more important than trying to stop other people gaining levels.
Don’t be nasty to opponents at low level - while it’s always fun to have someone beaten up by the pot plant, the game’s sufficiently random that it doesn’t gain you much in the long run. Save up the curses, monster boosts and battle-cancels and unload them on the first opponent who threatens to actually win.
Don’t worry too much about weapons and stuff that require you to have free hands or be the right race/class/whatever. Remember it’s only cheating if somebody notices.
The first player who tries for the win rarely makes it. The player who tries right afterwards (before the opponents have had time to rebuild their hands) has a much better chance.
Have fun, and beware the Plutonium Dragon!
Know the rules and bend it well to your will.
Remind the others to do charity. Knows what happens what a player loses to a monster (the other players are supposed to be able to loot them). Know that you can discard a class/race in the middle of resolving combat. Break the game with your special ability (especially Wizards).
–duplicate–
Remember the fact that the person who owns the cards is the ultimate arbiter of the rules. My ex beat me regularly using that fact. (Silly me, I BOUGHT her the things…)
Also, know the cards, and come up with loopholes and exploits you can pull out when it serves your purposes. Also excuses for keeping your hubby and daughter from being allowed to use those loopholes and exploits (aside from ‘I said so, that’s why’). The more clever, the better.
‘My character is gay/bisexual’ is useful when you get a Gentleman’s Club or Kneepads of Allure for a wrong-sexed character. >_>
I’m the one who owns the cards. I’ve been reading the rules and the cards. My daughter gets into town late tonight, so we probably won’t have time to get a game in…but after that, I’m going to insist on some Quality Family Time.
All three of us have played D&D, and enjoyed it. In fact, I got both of them into the game.
- Just make sure you get the Kneecaps of Allure, a high level monster, and a big bonus to run away
- You can only reach level 10 by defeating a monster, but remember that there are cards in the game that allows you to cheat
- There is no limit to the amount of items a thief can steal each round, and you cannot go below level 1. 1st level thiefs are nasty
- Play Go Up A Level cards generously on an opponent if he is too low level for him to be affected by a monster, especially if that monster’s Bad Stuff is that the player dies and you get his loot.
Remember, exploit the rules in any way you can, and you’ll have the most fun in Munchkin.
Don’t play cards to stop an opponent from winning unless you absolutely have to. Always try to get someone else to play their cards first.
Unless you can make a potted plant defeat them. Then you have to do it just for style points.
There’s nothing in the rules that says I can’t design my own cards, right? I mean, as long as I do it BEFORE the game starts, and the cards have a fair chance of showing up in anyone’s hand?
Nothing wrong with that. I wouldn’t make an instant win card, or anything, and probably not a really powerful one, just for the sake that it’s supposed to be fun. But sure, go right for it.
I think that’s actually encouraged, and the point of the blank cards the come with the set…though it’s been a few years.
My number one tip: Do not – under any circumstances – play a card that smacks down my ex-girlfriend just when she’s about to win, costing her the game. She’ll never let you live it down.
This is pretty much my strategy. Play for second the entire game, and you’ll likely win. Everyone targets the leader and will spend every card they’ve got to keep him from winning- which means that when he gets smacked down, the guy right behind him will win.
It is my primary strategy too. Don’t go for the win until your opponents have played out their hands. Sometimes going for the win second is too early.
A couple other minor points:
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Elves get a level for aiding someone else on their turn. You can often get a few levels early on just by being an elf. Most people are too preoccupied with their own plans that they don’t remember to check if you are an elf.
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A 9th level Cleric can win with Divine Intervention and I have seen this happen a few times. If you are 9th level and not tied to a class, at least be a Cleric.
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As others have said, get everyone else to do the dirty work whenever possible. Not only does it save your cards, but it avoids revenge. Pretend you don’t have any cards to stop someone, point out that an opponent is getting too powerful, etc.
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I think the Charity rule is a little confusing. Understand it and use it to your advantage.
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The website has a FAQ that clarifies some of the rules. I found the rules about Dying and Charity to be confusing at first.
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The website also has rules for Epic Munchkin. That’s a lot of fun – especially when the original game is losing steam.
Just play without care about whether you win or lose.
Also, regarding your race: remember that you can switch races anytime you want. This is good to know when you help someone when you are 9th level and have an Elf in hand.
My boxed set doesn’t have any blank cards! Did I get cheated?
Ah, sorry…checking Wiki, the blanks came with the Unnatural Axe expansion, not the base game. My bad…bought them both at the same time, just after the latter came out…either didn’t notice, or forgot, which set the blanks were in.