Bible TriBond Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• The Game
• The Object
  • "What Do These 3 Have in Common?"
• The Beginning
• The Play
  • Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
  • Humble Yourself
• The Challenge
• The Green Challenge Spaces
• Rolling a Challenge Clue-set
• The Winner
• Variations
  • Variation: The Shorter Game
  • Variation: The Two-player Game
• Components

The Game

Let's begin by describing the Bible TriBond game board. This will help players understand the rules better as they are read aloud.

There are three separate paths on the board, each encircling a Trinity space marked God, Jesus or Holy Spirit. Each player or team controls three game pieces of the same color. Game pieces are moved clockwise along each path. The green spaces are called Challenge spaces, and serve a special purpose explained later in the rules.

The Object

To move three game pieces along their separate paths, and each into their respective Trinity space. Game pieces are moved by answering Bible TriBond clue-sets. A clue-set is a list of three people, places or things that has a specific relationship or "bond." Below are some different types of clue-sets to demonstrate the play of Bible TriBond.

"What Do These 3 Have in Common?"

1. Stone * Building * Stumbling Answer: Blocks 1 Kings 5:17, 1 Kings 6:7, Ezekiel 14:3

2. Physician * Historian * Close companion of Paul Answer: (Characteristics of) Luke Colossians 4:14, 2 Timothy 4:11

3. Seth * Cain * Abel Answer: Brothers or Sons of Adam & Eve Genesis 4:1-2, 5:3

4. King David * King Solomon * A horse bridle Answer: They have reins or reigns 1 Kings 18:44

5. Peter * Eutychus * Rip Van Winkle Answer: They got into trouble by sleeping Matthew 26:40, Acts 20:9

6. Hosea's wife * Joseph * Jesus Answer: They were bought or sold (for silver) Hosea 3:2, Genesis 37:28, Matthew 26:14-16

Most Bible TriBond clue-sets and scripture references are from the New International Version of the Bible, unless otherwise noted. Any words in parentheses, like (Characteristics of) in example 2, or (for silver) in example 6, are not part of the required answer.

Example 3 has two answers. Either is correct.

The answer to example 4 involved a word that has two different meanings and spellings, but sounds the same (rein and reign). Since players answer out loud in Bible TriBond, these clue-sets are allowed... plus they're fun!

Example 5 includes the non-biblical clue "Rip Van Winkle*." All non-biblical clues are marked with an asterisk (*). These clues are included to make Bible TriBond more playable to people who may not have great knowledge of the Bible.

Scripture references are provided for you. They are not part of the required answer.

The Beginning

Bible TriBond can be played in teams or individually. The rules assume you are playing individually.

1. Place the card box within its lid, so that the Question side of the cards matches the Draw end of the lid.
2. Each player chooses three of the same-colored game pieces.
3. Place each game piece within the center green triangle, and at the Start of its respective path.
4. Important reminders: A single game piece of each color is moved clockwise on each path. There is always only 1 game piece per player on each path.
5. Each player rolls the die to determine who starts the game. The highest roll goes first, with play passing clockwise.

The Play

1. The first player rolls the die. The number rolled determines which clue-set should be read and the number of spaces the player may move should they answer the clue-set correctly.
2. Another player then draws a card from the Draw end of the card box, and reads the matching numbered clue-set on the Bible TriBond game card. Clue-sets are always read one clue at a time, and in the order that they appear on the clue-set card.
3. If the player correctly answers the question by "bonding the three clues," they may move any one of their three game pieces the number of spaces shown on the die.
4. The card is then placed in the Discard end of the box, and the player continues their turn by rolling the die again.
5. A player's turn is over when a clue-set is answered incorrectly, or if they roll a "Love your neighbor as yourself" or a "Humble yourself" statement.

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

After you roll the die to determine which clue-set is played, the reader of the card may find your clue-set replaced by Jesus' command "LOVE your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:28-31).

If this happens on your turn, you must give the number of spaces you rolled to the player immediately to your left.

Your "neighbor" then treats this gift as their turn, and can move any one of their 3 game pieces as if they had answered a clue-set correctly.

All challenge rules are still in force if applicable (see The Challenge below). The "neighbor's" turn then continues as normal.

Humble Yourself

The reader of the card may find your numbered clue-set replaced by the command "HUMBLE yourself" (Matthew 23:11-12).

If this happens to you, you must move any one of your game pieces back (counter-clockwise) the number of spaces you rolled, and then end your turn.

If you can't move any game piece backwards because you rolled a number higher than the available spaces on that path (i.e. you are close to the Start space or still in the Start space), you don't have to move backwards, but still lose your turn.

Game pieces that have completed a path and are safely within their Trinity Space do not move backwards.

The Challenge

1. If a player chooses to move their game piece onto a space already occupied, a Challenge is initiated. Challenges may occur on any space on the board. (Game pieces that have completed a path and are safely within their Trinity Space can not be challenged.)
2. The player who moves onto the occupied space is the Challenger, and the player occupying the space is the Defender.
3. A card is then drawn and read by a neutral player. There is one Challenge clue-set marked on each game card.

The reader should memorize the answer on the flip side of the card before reading the Challenge clue-set to the Challenger and Defender. This will help the reader to determine the winner of the Challenge.

Remember that any words in parentheses are not part of the required answer.

4. These clue-sets are much easier by design. They must be read slowly, pausing 2 to 3 seconds between each clue.

The Challenger and Defender may blurt out guesses after the first clue is read, and continue until one of them answers correctly. There are no penalties for incorrect guesses.

5. If the Challenger answers correctly first, they remain on that space, while the Defender moves back to the Challenger's previous space. The Challenger then continues their turn by rolling the die again.
6. If the Defender answers correctly first, they remain on their space, and the Challenger returns to their previous space, ending their turn.

Example: The blue player rolls the die and gets a 5. The blue player answers the #5 clue-set correctly, and decides to move one of their game pieces (five spaces) onto a space occupied by the red player.

A Challenge clue-set is read by another player. The blue player (Challenger) answers correctly first, and the red player (Defender) is sent backwards to the space from which the blue player came, in this example... five spaces!

7. If neither player answers a Challenge clue-set correctly, or if there is any question as to which player answered correctly first, another card is drawn, and another Challenge clue-set read.

Note: If four players are playing in teams of two, and a Challenge is initiated, only one player from each team participates in the Challenge.

The Green Challenge Spaces

1. There are five Green Challenge Spaces located on each path.
2. If a player lands on a Green Challenge Space they can use it to move their game piece to any player ahead of them on that specific path. A Challenge is then initiated!
3. The play follows here as in a regular Challenge sequence. (See rules 3 to 6 under The Challenge.)

Example: The yellow player rolled a three and answered their clue-set correctly. They advanced one of their game pieces three spaces onto a Green Challenge Space.

They now decide to use that Green Challenge Space to move (that same game piece) nine spaces ahead to the blue player and Challenge for their space.

The yellow player wins the Challenge by answering a Challenge clue-set before the blue player does. The yellow player remains on that space, and the blue player is sent back to the Green Challenge Space, in this example... nine spaces!

(If the blue player were to win, they would remain on their space, and the yellow player would return to the Green Challenge Space, ending their turn.)

4. The Green Challenge Space may be used to move ahead and Challenge only the moment it is landed on. Not at the player's next turn. Not when a game piece is sent back to it after losing a Challenge. Not when it is sent back after rolling a "Humble yourself" command.

If a player lands on a Green Challenge Space that is occupied, they may Challenge the player that occupies that Green Challenge Space, or use it to Challenge a player ahead of them on that specific path.

Rolling a Challenge Clue-set

1. Challenge Clue-sets are placed randomly throughout the clue-set cards. If on a player's turn, a Challenge Clue-set is drawn, that player must Challenge someone ahead of them in the game.

They may choose any player ahead of them on any path (excluding players safely within their Trinity Space).

A neutral player may need to draw another card and read the Challenge Clue-set. Again, play follows here as in a regular Challenge sequence.

Example: The green player rolls a four. Another player draws a card and finds a Challenge Clue-set in the #4 slot on the card. The green player decides to move 11 spaces ahead to the red player and Challenge them. If the green player wins, the red player goes back, in this example... 11 spaces!

2. A player will lose their turn when drawing a Challenge Clue-set if they have no one to Challenge (a player can only Challenge someone ahead of them on the board). Even if a player draws a Challenge clue-set at the start of the game, they lose their turn.
3. All Challenges must be initiated when moving your game piece forward.

The Winner

The Bible TriBond winner is the first player to move all three of their game pieces around their respective paths and into their respective Trinity Space.

Players must win by answering a Bible TriBond clue-set and therefore can not win by being "given" a LOVE your neighbor free move. Players in this situation may move their third game piece into the Trinity Space, but must roll and answer a final Bible TriBond clue-set on their next turn in order to win.

An exact roll of the die is not needed to enter a Trinity Space. When a game piece lands on the Green Center Triangle, it automatically slides safely into its Trinity Space.

Variations

Variation: The Shorter Game

It takes about an hour for five people to play Bible TriBond. If a shorter game is desired, try eliminating one of the three paths. A good rule of thumb is that each path takes about 20 minutes to complete. This flexibility allows five people (playing on only one path), to enjoy all the fun of Bible TriBond in under half an hour!

Variation: The Two-player Game

The two-player version of Bible TriBond has all the excitement of the original, with the chase and set-back fun increased for two-player action!

When playing Bible TriBond with two players, the Challenges are used as Changes. Instead of verbally racing for an answer to determine who remains on a space, players simply change positions.

• The Change: When a player lands on a space occupied by their opponent, the opponent automatically moves back to where the player came from.
• The Green Change Spaces: If a player lands on one of the five Green Change Spaces on each path, they may use it to change board positions with their opponent.
• Rolling a Challenge Clue-set: If a player draws a Challenge clue-set on their turn, they can change board positions with any one of their opponent's game pieces. All other rules from the Challenges still apply.

1. Board changes may occur on any space except the Trinity Spaces.
2. Green Change Spaces may be used only the moment they are landed on. Not at a player's next turn and not when a game piece is sent back to it after changing board positions.
3. A player will lose their turn when drawing a Challenge clue-set if they are ahead on each path and thus have no game piece to change positions with.

Components

Contents: 1,200 Bible TriBond Clue-sets on 300 Cards, Game Board, 15 Game Pieces, 1 Die and Rules.