Hex Hex XL Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Components
• Setting Up
• The HEX•HEX Deck
  • Basic Deflections
  • Enhanced Deflections
  • Counter Hexes
• Play Only When Hexed
• Play When Dealt / Standing Effect
• Starting the Game
• Playing the Game
• Getting Hexed
• Dealing with Multiple Hexes
• Ending the Round
• Cards Worthy of Special Mention
• Maddening Compulsion
• Other Key Card Phrases Defined
• The Last Round
• Winning the Game
• Laying Down the Law
• Credits
• FAQs

Game Components

94 HEX•HEX Cards 6 Voice Cards (To track your score) 6 Voice Tokens (Glass Beads) 14 Hex Tokens     6 Standard Hex Tokens [Red], 8 Enhanced Tokens

Setting Up

Carefully punch out all 14 Hex Tokens from the Token Sheets. Discard the waste. Remove the six cards entitled VOICE from one of the two wrapped card decks and place them aside. Then shuffle the remaining 94 cards together thoroughly. Be sure to break up clumps of cards with the same name.

Determine the number of rounds to be played. Each game of HEX•HEX is composed of a number of rounds (or hands) equal to the number of players plus one. So if you've got 5 players, play 6 rounds.

Give each player a VOICE Card. Voice is the measure of how much power and influence you command in the group. All players begin the game with an equal Voice. Represent this by placing a Voice Token on the diamond-shaped number 5 on the Voice Card. During play, players will gain and lose Voice through the casting of Hexes at one another. At the end of the game, the player with the most Voice wins, earning them the right to have the final word and lay down the law.

Choose a player at random to be the dealer. Deal each player 5 cards face down. As a general rule, you will only receive cards at the beginning of a given hand - so as you play, your hand will become depleted. The remaining cards are placed face down beside the dealer. When the deck itself runs out of cards, reshuffle the discard pile into the deck - but not until then.

The HEX•HEX Deck

The HEX•HEX Deck is composed of 94 cards that players will use to deflect Hexes away from themselves and towards other players - as well as to alter the Hex's power or abilities. HEX•HEX cards fall into 5 distinct categories and are detailed here with representative cards for each group. Only a portion of the available cards in each group are shown.

Basic Deflections

TURN ASIDE LEFT — Hex passes to the player on your left.

TURN ASIDE RIGHT — Hex passes to the player on your right.

DEFLECT ACROSS — Hex passes to a player across the table. If more than one player, choose one.

Basic Deflections are just that. They deflect the Hex away from you, towards another player. Basic Deflections make up most of the deck.

Enhanced Deflections

BOOST LEFT / RIGHT — Hex passes to the player on either your left or right. This Hex will cause the loss of an additional Voice when it goes off.

TWAIN — The Hex is duplicated. Simultaneously, one Hex passes left, the other right.

CUT TO THE CHASE — Hex passes to a player you choose. Before doing so, all players must discard at random, down to a hand of no more than two cards.

Enhanced Deflections pass the Hex and cause additional effects as a result of having played the card. Some, marked with a ●, require you to add the matching Enhanced token to the Hex targeting you.

Counter Hexes

NULL — You may play this card even if it is not your turn. Cancel the last card played. If the player has another card, they may play it instead. (HEX HEX may not be Nulled.)

DISMISS — May not be played as your first card during the round. Play only when you are The Intended. Dispel the Hex. You gain two Voice.

DETONATE — May not be played as your first card during the round. Play on another player as they are passed a Hex, before it goes off on that player. You and the player who passed the Hex gain a Voice.

These cards are used to disrupt the best laid plans of others. You may cancel cards they play, dispel Hexes, or blow 'em up in their faces. Many can be played out of turn. Save them for critical moments. Cards that "may not be played as your first card during the round" can only be played after you personally have played at least one card this round.

Play Only When Hexed

SPITE — Play only when Hexed. You lose Voice per normal. You may then sacrifice any number of Voice to cause target player to lose double that amount.

WHAT THE HEX UP WITH THAT? — Play only when Hexed. All other players lose one Voice. Then, you gain a Voice for each point lost this way. Other scoring effects are canceled.

CURSE — Play only when Hexed. Suffer the loss of two additional Voice when the Hex goes off on you. (yeah, this is a bad card to have)

These cards are time bombs. Most are either good news for you or bad news for someone else. But here's the trick... they only trigger if the Hex actually "goes off" on you. That said, you can't simply choose to be Hexed. So, if you have cards that would allow you to pass the Hex, you must play those first. But when HEXED as a result of having no other cards that allow you to legally pass the Hex or because another player causes the Hex to "go off" on you prematurely (as with Detonate) they must be played, for good or ill. If you hold more than one card of this type in your hand, choose one to play for each time you are HEXED.

Play When Dealt / Standing Effect

MARKED MAN — Play immediately when dealt. Draw three new cards up to a hand of seven.

DECEPTION — Play immediately when dealt • Standing Effect. This round, play all your cards face down and announce the card name. Other players may challenge the stated card. If it is the card you named, they lose 3 Voice and play continues. If not, you are Hexed and lose 6 Voice.

These cards are played immediately when dealt and resolved before a round of play begins. Some may have Standing Effects and continue to affect play until the round ends. Check for these as soon as you get your hand.

Starting the Game

After dealing each player 5 cards, give players ample time to read and understand the cards in their hand. If you received any cards that read, 'Play immediately when dealt' resolve their effects before beginning the round. No other cards may be played until the round officially begins (not even Hex Hex). Note: Since these cards are played before the round begins, they do not count as 'the first card you play during the round' and do not satisfy the condition listed on cards like Dismiss or Detonate (see sample cards left). When all players are ready, the round may begin.

Playing the Game

Play begins with the player to the left of the dealer. This player casts the first Hex, not with a card, but by saying aloud, "HEX•HEX, (target player name)". The named player is now The Intended target. Place a standard (red) Hex token in front of that player. When a Hex token is passed to a player, it becomes their turn. In response, The Intended may play a card from their hand onto the table face up in front of them. In most cases, it will be a basic deflection that redirects the Hex to another player. When a Hex is deflected, pass the Hex token to The Intended target after playing your card.

Other cards may pass the Hex to another player with additional effects. For example, the Hex may become more powerful, force a discard or create a duplicate Hex that gets passed around simultaneously. Follow the specific instructions on the card. Where those instructions conflict with the general rules printed on this sheet, the card prevails. Note: All effects on a Hex are cumulative. For example, it is possible to Boost an already boosted Hex. Stack the appropriate tokens as you pass them to make it easier to keep track of all effects on a Hex.

Getting Hexed

Play continues in rapid-fire succession as player after player deflects the Hex around the table. At some point, a player will be unable to pass the Hex, either because they hold no cards in their hand or because the cards they are holding do not allow them to pass the Hex. When this occurs, the player is HEXED. Under normal circumstances, when a Hex "goes off" on a player, The Hexed loses one point of Voice and the player who targeted them gains one point of Voice. If The Hexed would lose additional Voice through a card like Boost, the player who targeted them still only gains one Voice. Record the scoring of this loss or gain by moving the token along the scoring track on your Voice Card.

A player may also become HEXED as a result of certain cards (Detonate, Maddening Compulsion) which cause the Hex to "go off" prematurely. Players may not, however, simply allow themselves to be HEXED if they have the means to pass the Hex instead. Nor can players cause themselves to be HEXED by naming themselves the target of Detonate or other similar cards. (Someone might be tempted to do so if they hold a card that gives a benefit to being HEXED, like 'Level'. But don't let 'em.)

Dealing with Multiple Hexes

Through the use of cards like Twain or Double Back, more than one Hex can be in play at a given time. When cast, these cards cause the Hex to be duplicated – including any effects the Hex currently carries. So if you Twain a Boosted Hex, the duplicate is also Boosted.

It is not unheard of for there to be three or four Hexes ricocheting around the table at once – often times with different effects placed upon them. This is where those Hex Tokens really come in handy. You have 6 standard Hexes and 8 for Enhanced Hexes featuring Boost, Escalating Obsession and Maddening Compulsion. The tokens will help you keep straight which Hex carries which effect / or effects. When you play any one of the 3 named cards above, add the appropriate Hex Token for the card you played on top of the standard red Hex Token. Pass that stack of tokens, as a unit, to The Intended as they become targeted.

IMPORTANT: When more than one Hex is in play, all Hexes are passed simultaneously. Each player with a Hex in front of them readies a card from their hand. Cards play at the same time. Hexes move at the same time. Resolve any pre-pass effects (like Choke's discard effect) before passing.

Yes. It is possible to be targeted by more than one Hex at a time. Should this happen, each Hex must be redirected with a separate card. If a player is unable to redirect one or more Hexes in a round, they are HEXED for each that goes off upon them.

Play continues until ALL Hexes have gone off or have been dismissed. A HEXED player is never out of the round - and may be hit by other Hexes still in play.

Ending the Round

Once all Hexes have "gone off" or are dismissed, the round is over. Assess the loss or gain of Voice and record it on your Voice Card. Once all scoring has been recorded, players discard any remaining cards in their hands and those they've played to the discard pile.

Begin a new round. The new dealer is the person who cast the Hex last turn. The new person to cast the Hex is the player on their left. The deal rotates clockwise in this fashion until all players have had a chance to both deal and cast a Hex once.

Cards Worthy of Special Mention

HEX•HEX – This card may be played even if it is not your turn, especially in the heat of battle or while someone is chatting when they should be Hexing. When played, the entire deck of cards becomes cursed. The last player to drop their cards and raise their hands high over their head is HEXED and loses three Voice. No one gains Voice as a result of playing this card. No card in the game may cancel HEX•HEX or change the amount of Voice lost. The previous Hex or Hexes in play and their effects are dismissed. The round ends.

HEX SIGN – This card is played when you are The Intended. Instead of passing or resolving the Hex normally, the Hex is dismissed. In its place, all players play 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' in unison. The sign made by the person who played this card is the Hex Sign. Any player matching the Hex Sign gains one Voice. Any player who chose a different sign loses one Voice. A player who chose a sign subordinate to the Hex Sign (i.e. choosing Paper when Scissors is the Hex Sign) loses an additional Voice.

If there is more than one Hex in play when Hex Sign is played, wait to resolve this effect until all other Hexes have 'gone off'. Since everyone plays a bit differently, agree beforehand how you plan on doing it. Ours goes "1-2-3-SHOOT!" with everyone revealing on "Shoot!" And just so we're clear: Rock beats Scissors • Scissors beats Paper • Paper beats Rock.

Maddening Compulsion

MADDENING COMPULSION – The Hex passes to a player on your left or right (there are two versions of this card). The first player who can not pass the Hex in the named direction is automatically Hexed. Any card that passes the Hex in the named direction is legal. Duck, Twain, Called Shot, and Boost (even Deflect Across in a three player game) are all examples of legal cards that allow the Hex to continue in the prescribed direction.

Maddening Compulsion carries the "COMPEL" keyword and therefore trumps and overrides all other cards once it is in play. So Dismiss, Hex Sign, and any other card that does not pass the Maddened Hex in the direction indicated causes the Hex to go off. Fate & Theft of Thought, because they allow you to draw a card and then respond to the Hex, fulfill the 'by any means' stipulation and are legal.

NOTE: If you are NOT The Intended, cards that may be played out of turn like Detonate or Hex Hex MAY still be played without triggering Maddening Compulsion. But once you are The Intended, even these cards become illegal to play. And yes, you can trump the trump by playing another Maddening Compulsion - even if the new Maddened Hex goes the opposite direction. One "Compel" can override another.

Other Key Card Phrases Defined

"Play even if it is not your turn" – A player may play this card at any time after the initial casting of the Hex, even if it is not that player's turn.

"Play when you are The Intended" – A player may play this card any time that they are the current target of the Hex. This is the assumed condition for playing most cards, but in certain cases it needed to be stressed in the card text.

"Play only when Hexed" – A player may not play this card until they are HEXED. If you can otherwise legally pass the Hex by playing another card, you must do so. You may only play this type of card if you can not pass the Hex or if another player causes the Hex to 'go off' on you prematurely (as with Detonate). Play only one for each time you are HEXED.

"Hex is dismissed" – The Hex and its effects are canceled and no voice is gained or lost. If this is the only Hex in play, the round ends. A card that dismisses a Hex may have effects to replace those of the canceled Hex.

"Hex passes to a player across the table" – A player across the table is defined as any player not sitting to your immediate right or left. If there is more than one player sitting across from you, choose one. In a three-player game, you may choose either player. And yes, in this instance, Deflect Across can be played on a 'Maddened' Hex.

"Standing Effect" – These cards have a continuous effect once played. If the card is removed during the course of play, the effect ends. In either case, the card is discarded after the round ends

"Discard / Discard at Random" – If a card calls for you to discard a card from your hand, discard face down to the table in front of you. If a card calls for you to discard at random, have another player choose the cards blindly for you.

The Last Round

Once all players have had a turn dealing a hand and casting a Hex it is time for the last round. The player with the least amount of Voice selects a player to deal the last hand and then begins the round by casting the Hex.

Winning the Game

The player with the most Voice at the end of the set number of rounds wins. If two or more players are tied, play a tie-breaker round. All Voice losses and gains are doubled in a tie-breaker. The player with the least amount of Voice selects a dealer and casts the Hex. Keep playing until someone's Voice carries the day. And remember… the winner gets to lay down the law!

Laying Down the Law

The winner of each game earns the right to make up a rule for the next game. Be sure to set a penalty for violating the rule as well. We recommend that you not set a penalty that would end a round prematurely. A loss of Voice, a loss of cards or other penalty that keeps the game moving is far more fun. If you are playing a series of games, all the added rules are cumulative.

Sample rules include…

• Anyone who points a finger during the game loses one Voice.
• Before playing any card, touch it to your chin or you must discard the card instead.
• Cancel that stupid rule.
• Any Hex passed to the right must be passed with your right hand, any passed left must be passed with the left hand – or lose two voice.
• Any player with a Voice of 0 or less may not speak until their Voice is raised to at least 1 Voice.
• A particular card is removed from the deck permanently.
• Players who are Hexed in a round may cause an equal loss of Voice to any target player.

Be creative. This keeps the game lively. Just remember, you've got to live with any rule you create.

That's the game. If you play multiple games, and you will, the new dealer will be the player to the left of the player who dealt the first hand last game. This is where the 1st Caster token comes in handy. It will help ease the confusion of who started the current game and signals when to play the last round.

Credits

Curt Covert - Owner, Chief Instigator, Justin Brunetto - Uber Instigator HEX•HEX Game Design, Graphic Design, Rules/Copywriting - Curt Covert

Playtesters, Contributors and Instigators: Many thanks to... Alison Mahakian, Robin Mazzola, Bill & Jill Chase, Denise, Peter & Phalen Mascitelli, Nicole & Steve Harkins, Jeff Kochosky, Paul Simms, Sal Crescitelli, Frank Lazar (credit for the 'Eradicate' card idea), H.C. O'Neill, Chris Meyer, Lisa and friends at The Wizard's Tower and a special note of thanks to Ethan T. Platt. Additional thanks to Dan Fabulich for debugging the heck out of the cards and rules.

Item# S&D 0002 Printed in China by Annboli Pacific, LTD.

'cause games are a lot more fun when you can stab a friend in the back.

Other rulings, FAQs and interesting "laws" can be found on our web site at www.smirkanddagger.com Or e-mail us at [email protected]

FAQs

NULL: Cancels cards AS they come into play. So you can use it to cancel Maddening Compulsion as it is played or even a card that would've ended up passing a Maddened Hex to you - if it had a chance to enter play at all. Only Hex Hex is immune to Null.

BLIND HEX: I played Blind Hex and pulled a card for The Intended that they would not legally be able to play normally. What happens? If you play a card from their hand like Detonate or one of the 'Play Only When Hexed' cards when they have the means to pass (so, ask them), discard the card and take another from their hand until they can legally pass or become Hexed.

FATE: What happens if the card drawn via Fate is not legal to play? Do I get to draw another card from the deck? No, you only get one card from the deck regardless of what it is. As it is your last card, any 'Play Only When Hexed' are legal because you have no other way of passing - so you are Hexed. Make a Friend Make an Enemy is illegal to play on your self - so you can't pass and are Hexed. This is no different than if it had been the last card in your hand normally. Null however can be played in response and cancels the card that sent the Hex your way. The most interesting bit comes if you pull a 'Play Immediately When Dealt' card. It was indeed just dealt - So play it. It may or may not help you. Ward does - now you're safe from harm. Deception doesn't - no cards left to pass the Hex with. Both Laying Down Tricks and Marked Man put cards in your hand that can be used immediately.

CHARM: What happens if a Charmed player is forced to play a card that would target the Charmer? (e.g. Fate selects "Turn Aside Right", which would pass the Hex illegally to the Charmer) A charmed player can not target the person who charmed them. If a player's last card, whether or not they are forced (as with FATE), targets that person, it can not be played and they are Hexed. A Blind Hex that pulls an illegal passing card to a charmed player is discarded and a new card is drawn from their hand.

DUCK: After Duck is played, who is considered to be passing the Hex to whom? Say Alice passes the Hex to Bob who Ducks, so the Hex passes to Carol. Is Alice passing the Hex to Carol now? Or did Bob pass the Hex to Carol? To DUCK is to get out of the way, not to actively pass. So Alice passes to Carol. If it goes off, Alice, not Bob gains Voice. If it is DOUBLEd BACK by Carol, Alice gets targeted by two Hexes. So DUCK is very distinct from Turn Aside Left or Right.

WARD: What exactly does Ward defend against? Does it defend against Hex-Hex? How about What the Hex Up with That? Hex Sign? It defends against all of those cards and effects. Now, if the WARDed player plays SPITE as a result of being HEXED (which they could), if they elect to SACRIFICE Voice to inflict damage on someone else, they don't lose one for being HEXED - that's covered. But the sacrifice is their choice and not covered. A warded player can not however be the victim of someone else playing SPITE. That is prevented by WARD.