Across America Fluxx
Across America Fluxx Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Setup
Place the Basic Rules card in the center of the table. Shuffle the deck and deal three cards to each player. Establish the draw pile by placing the remainder of the deck face down where everyone can reach it.
Going First
The dealer goes first, or choose a player at random. Play proceeds clockwise.
Overview
Fluxx games are all about change. The game begins with just a couple of simple rules, then becomes more complex little by little as additional rule cards are played. At first there will be no way to win – that's what Goal cards are for. Each Goal has a different victory condition, but they all require you to collect special cards called Keepers. As soon as someone's collection of Keepers matches the current Goal, they win!
- Fluxx is a game about constant change.
- Begin by following the Basic Rules.
- Each player starts with a hand of 3 cards.
- On your turn, draw 1 card, play 1 card.
- New Rules take effect as soon as you play them.
- Collect Keepers to match the Goal and you win!
Types of Cards
Each turn, you will Draw at least one card, add it to your hand, and Play at least one card. Here's how each type of card is used in the game:
New Rules
New Rules change the way the game works. When a New Rule is played, you must adapt to it right away. To play one, place it face up in the center of the table. When a New Rule contradicts a card already in play, the old rule is discarded.
Keepers
Keepers are what you need in order to win. To play a Keeper, place it face up on the table in front of you. Keep them in front of you after playing.
Goals
Goals indicate which Keepers you currently need in order to win. Goals are played face up in the center of the table. Discard the previous Goal, if any.
Actions
Actions are single-use cards. To play an Action card, do whatever it says, then place it on the discard pile. Follow the instructions on the card, then discard it.
Turn Sequence
- Draw the number of cards currently required.
- Play the number of cards currently required.
- Discard to comply with any Limit rules in play.
Optional actions allowed by New Rules, Keepers, etc., may be performed at any point during this sequence.
All cards are always playable, even if they have no effect. If you aren't sure how a card works, try reading the full text aloud as you play it.
Limits
At first there will be no limitations on the number of cards you can hold in your hand or Keepers you have in play. But Hand and Keeper Limit cards will create such restrictions. These rules only affect you when it's NOT your turn, so you can ignore them until your turn ends. When someone plays a new Limit rule, the other players must immediately comply with the new restriction, discarding cards of their choice as needed.
How to Win
The game continues until someone meets the conditions of the current Goal. That player wins instantly, no matter whose turn it is! (If a tie, the game continues until one winner emerges.)
Goals also go in the middle. They are shared by all players. Keepers are placed in front of their owners.
Other Notes
Discarding: You cannot simply discard unwanted cards. You can only discard if compelled to by a Hand Limit or similar compulsion. (Yes, this means you could end up being forced to play a card that makes someone else win.)
Reshuffling: If the Draw pile runs out, shuffle the Discard pile, turn it over to make a new Draw pile, and keep playing.
Cards in Play: 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. Keepers must be in play for you to meet a Goal that requires them.
Free Actions: Some cards allow for bonus actions which can be taken at any time during your turn. Since they don't count as plays, they are called Free Actions.
Jumping In: New players may join at any time by being dealt a hand of three cards.
Dropping Out: Players can exit the game at any time. Just discard your hand and all of the cards you have in play.
Examples
Here are a few examples to show how various cards interact:
- After drawing one card, you play the Draw 3 New Rule. Now the rules require you to draw three cards on each turn, but since you only took one card before, you must immediately draw two more cards. The next player draws three cards for their turn. They play Draw 2 which changes the rules again, but they draw no more cards, having already gotten (at least) two cards this turn. Since Draw 2 contradicts Draw 3, the Draw 3 rule is discarded.
- 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 would keep going, drawing three more cards, playing two cards, and discarding the third. All of this activity would be considered the playing of just one card when counting the number of plays on your turn.
- Suppose your hand contains a Keeper and a Goal that requires it. Which should you play? You might think it's a tossup, since you don't have the other Keeper you need. However, you should definitely play the Keeper first. If you play the Goal, it will very likely be replaced by another long before you find the second Keeper.
Across America FAQs
Q: Why do some Keepers have a date printed at the bottom of the stripe? Why some, and not others? Does it have any meaning in the game?
A: Generally speaking, the dates denote the construction or establishment of the monument depicted. We considered date options for the parks, such as, say, the year it became a National Park, or the approximate year the formation is believed to have taken shape, when that applies, but in the end, we decided only to put dates on things that were built. Although this version makes no use of the date info, it's designed to be combined with Around the World Fluxx, which includes a New Rule called When Was That Built?.
Q: Can I play I'm Lost! on myself?
A: Yes, the lost person can be anyone with a Keeper on the table, including yourself if you so choose.
Monument Map
The printed sheet includes a map of the United States numbering the monument and landmark Keepers in this edition:
- Independence Hall
- Statue of Liberty
- Niagara Falls
- Gateway Arch
- Mount Rushmore
- Devil's Tower
- Yellowstone
- Space Needle
- Crater Lake
- Redwoods
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Yosemite
- Hollywood
- Las Vegas
- Grand Canyon
- Monument Valley
- Arches
- Mesa Verde
- The Alamo
- Cape Canaveral
- DC Monuments
The map marks Looney Labs HQ as the starting point of the tour.