Monstrosity, The Card Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
  • Rule Cards
• Goal of the Game
• Setup
• Getting Started
• Terms
• The Basics
• Getting Serious
• Requirements
  • 1. Point Requirement
  • 2. Color Requirement
• Bonus Ribbons
  • Purple Ribbon
  • Orange Ribbon
• Taking Turns
  • Seize the Day
  • Assemble
  • Power
  • Go Freegan
  • Trash Day
• Building Your Monster
  • Some Assembly Required
• More Cards
  • The Basics
  • Sabotage Cards
  • Action Cards
  • Modifier Cards
    • Upgrade Cards
    • Degrade Cards
• Power
• The All Nighter
  • The Final Round
  • Last Call
  • Winning
• Advanced Play
  • Heart Bonus Icon
  • Optional Heart Goal
  • The Heart of Gold
  • Blue Limbs
    • Swing Both Ways
  • Inbred
  • Special Item Cards
  • Special Item Icons
• Team Play (Optional)
• Additional Details
  • Color Strategy
• Frequently Asked Questions

Components

• 1 Dumpster card
• 2 Ribbon cards
• 4 Rule cards
• 13 Heart cards
• 52 Body Part cards
• 9 Power cards
• 7 Sabotage cards
• 5 Upgrade cards
• 5 Degrade cards
• 12 Action cards
• 6 Special Item cards

Rule Cards

The four Rule cards summarise the turn options (see Taking Turns):

• In a single day, on your turn you can do ONE of the following
• Seize the Day: Draw a card from the draw pile. Play a card (excludes body part and power cards). Discard a card into the dumpster. These can be done in any order.
• Build: Play a body part card. Lay the card face up in front of you.
• Power: Play a power card. Only once your monster is complete.
• Go Freegan: Take the top card from the dumpster. Body part or power card only.
• Trash Day: Discard three cards from your lab and draw two new cards from the draw pile.

Goal of the Game

Your goal is to assemble a complete monster and bring it to life. The monster worth the most points at the end of the game wins.

Setup

1. Place the dumpster card face up in the middle of the table. This is the discard pile.
2. Set aside the two ribbon cards; these will come into play later in the game.
3. Shuffle the heart cards and deal 3 face down to each player (2 each with 5 players). Each player looks at their hearts and selects one. After selecting a heart, the remaining hearts are returned to the heart deck and set aside. Your heart will remain face down in front of you until later in the game. Most hearts have different requirements, so the heart you select will directly affect the strategy you'll need to pursue to bring your monster to life (see COLOR REQUIREMENT).
4. Shuffle the monstrosity card deck and deal 7 cards face down to each player. Place the remainder of the deck face down perpendicular to the dumpster. This is the draw pile.

Getting Started

The player that has had the most stitches in their life goes first and play continues clockwise. Feel free to completely ignore this rule and come up with your own method of deciding who goes first.

Example: whoever has been kicked in the face by a donkey the most.

You are now ready to begin the competition!

Terms

There are a few key terms you will see in the game. Remember these:

• Day: Your turn is considered a day. Anything you can do on your turn can be done in a single day.
• Lab: Your hand (the cards you are holding) is your laboratory, or lab. This is where you store everything you'll need to create a monster. You play cards from your lab. At the end of the day your lab can only hold a maximum of 7 cards. You must discard if you have more than 7.

The Basics

Players will take turns drawing and/or playing cards. Players will either play a body part card to assemble part of their monster or they will play one of the many other card types in the deck; these cards can affect the outcome of the game in a range of ways (see MORE CARDS).

Players will try to assemble a complete monster which is made up of a head, a torso, 2 legs, and 2 arms; these are all body part cards. Once a monster is fully assembled and all requirements have been met, the monster can be brought to life by playing a power card. Once a monster has been successfully reanimated it starts the final round of the game. The player with the "living" monstrosity worth the most points at the end of the game wins.

BEGINNERS: We recommend removing the special item cards and the Heart of Gold from the decks.

Getting Serious

Once you have a grasp of the basic gameplay, see the ADVANCED PLAY section when you're ready for some serious Monstrosity action!

Requirements

There are 2 requirements that a player must meet in order to bring a monster to life.

1. Point Requirement

A player's monster must have a minimum of 15 total points to be successfully reanimated. Point values are clearly marked on all heart, body part, and power cards; all of these count towards a monster's total. Many other cards can either add or subtract points from a monster's total.

2. Color Requirement

The heart you choose at the beginning of the game is the heart that will help bring your monster to life. You must assemble a monster that is compatible with your heart. Every heart card specifies a unique minimum color requirement. If it's not met then you cannot play a power card to bring your monster to life.

Most hearts require your monster to contain a minimum number of body parts of a particular color; the point value shown on the body part cards specify the card's color. Some hearts are worth more points than others. The higher the points, the more difficult the color requirement; higher risk, higher reward. Some hearts are worth 0 points but have no color requirement making it easier to complete your monster.

The heart you choose will directly affect your strategy during the game.

Bonus Ribbons

Purple Ribbon

This ribbon is awarded to the player that assembles a complete monster first. Grab the card and place it face up in front of you. This adds 1 bonus point to your monster's total.

Orange Ribbon

This ribbon is awarded to the player that powers their monster first. Grab the card and place it face up in front of you. This adds 1 bonus point to your monster's total.

Taking Turns

All in a daze work: On your turn, in a single day, you can only do one of the following. (What you do during the day is up to you, we don't judge.)

Seize the Day

• DRAW a card
• PLAY a card
• DISCARD a card

You can do these in any order. If you draw a card from the draw pile you don't have to play a card or discard if you don't want to. You cannot play a body part or a power card. Let the next player know when you're done with your turn.

Assemble

• PLAY a BODY PART card

Lay the card face up in front of you. You don't have to play a torso card first. If you are replacing a body part on your monster, discard the card you are replacing to the top of the dumpster.

Power

• PLAY a POWER card

Lay the card face up in front of you. A power card can only be played once you have assembled a complete monster and both of your requirements have been met. The point value of your power card does count towards your point requirement.

Go Freegan

• DRAW the top dumpster card

You can only pick up body part and power cards from the dumpster. The free card is placed in your lab. Reject consumerism. One man's trash is another player's arm.

You must announce "I'm going freegan."

Trash Day

• DISCARD 3 cards from your lab and DRAW 2 cards

You must show the other players the 3 cards you throw in the dumpster. Place the cards on top of the dumpster in any order you choose.

Don't forget about trash day, tossing unwanted cards for new possibilities can be extremely helpful.

Building Your Monster

Some Assembly Required

You assemble your monster by playing body part cards. Lay them face up in front of you in the configuration shown below. There are 6 possible slots to assemble a body part:

(Diagram in the printed rulebook: the six slots of the monster.)

The body icon on every body part card shows where on your monster the card can be assembled; possible slots are marked with a solid color.

(Diagram in the printed rulebook: body part icons.)

Some body parts can be connected in more than one slot; you can assemble them in any of the slots indicated on the body icon.

You can update a body part that is already assembled on your monster by playing another body part on the same slot. If you do, discard the previous body part card.

When a body part is removed from a monster, all of the modifier cards attached to that part are thrown in the dumpster under the body part card. See MODIFIER CARDS.

Once you have fully assembled your monster, whether or not your requirements have been met, you must expose your heart by flipping it face up so the other players can see it. Once your heart is exposed you are more vulnerable as your opponents gain insight into your strategy and may attempt to sabotage you.

More Cards

The Basics

There are other types of cards that can be played in the game. Some cards increase or decrease a monster's point total while others are used to stir things up or sabotage an opponent to slow them down.

Sabotage Cards

These cards are played on an opponent. Sabotage cards remove a body part from a monster as specified on each card. The sabotage card is placed in the dumpster on top of the removed body part. Any modifier cards connected to that body part are thrown in the dumpster as well.

The saboteur chooses which body part is affected within the limits of the card's details. If there is a point tie between two body parts the sabotaged player chooses.

Action Cards

These cards have a range of effects as detailed on each card. Be sure to read these cards thoroughly.

Modifier Cards

These cards either increase or decrease the point value of the body part it is attached to. These can never be attached to a torso.

Upgrade Cards

These cards are attached to a body part of your choosing within the limits of the card's details. They add 1 point to its value. Place the card next to the body part as shown below. The card remains attached until the body part is removed from the monster.

(Diagram in the printed rulebook: an upgrade card attached to a body part.)

Degrade Cards

These cards are attached to a body part of your choosing within the limits of the card's details. They subtract 1 point from its value. Place the card next to the body part as shown below. The card remains attached until the body part is removed from the monster.

(Diagram in the printed rulebook: a degrade card attached to a body part.)

A body part can never be worth less than 0 points.

There is no limit to how many modifier cards can be attached to a body part.

Power

You need to harness a power source in order to jump start your heart and bring your monster to life. Once you have fully assembled your monster and both your color and point requirements are met then you can play a power card by laying it face up in front of you. Remember, your power value does count towards your point total. Now you have successfully reanimated your monster.

Once a monster is alive it is immune to sabotage cards and body parts cannot be updated. Modifier cards can be played on a living monster.

The first player to power starts the final round of the game, the all nighter.

The All Nighter

The Final Round

The first player to reanimate their monster is done playing the game, every other player gets one final turn to stay up all night, drink too much, and get a lot more done than they could on a normal day. This round gives the other players a chance to make a comeback and possibly win the game. Play continues clockwise.

On your turn, on the all nighter, you can do all of the following in any order:

• DRAW a card from the draw pile
• PLAY a card (not a body part or power card)
• PLAY a BODY PART card
• PLAY a POWER card
• GO FREEGAN (if you go freegan you cannot also draw a card from the draw pile)

Last Call

It is important that players don't fall too far behind in assembling their monster. The all nighter allows you to assemble one final body part. If a player is behind more than one body part when the all nighter begins then they have no chance of winning the game.

Winning

After all other players have worked through the all nighter the game is over. Players now add up all of their monster's points. This total includes all body part cards, heart card, power card, ribbon cards, and any point modifiers attached to a monster. The player that has the "living" monstrosity worth the most points wins.

If there is a point tie then the monster that was reanimated first wins.

Advanced Play

Now that you have an understanding of the basic game we have a few more rules to make the game a bit more interesting. Start by shuffling the special item cards and the Heart of Gold into the decks.

Heart Bonus Icon

There are a few body part cards that have a heart bonus icon as shown below. If the body part is attached to your monster when it is reanimated and your heart is the same color as the icon then you gain a point bonus as specified by the heart bonus icon.

(Diagram in the printed rulebook: heart bonus icon.)

Optional Heart Goal

Some heart cards have an optional goal in addition to the color requirement. If the goal is achieved when your monster is reanimated then you gain a point bonus as specified on the heart card.

The Heart of Gold

This heart has no color requirement and is worth 0 points. Every time you discard a body part or power card that is pulled from the top of the dumpster by a freegan opponent this heart gains an additional 2 points. You need to silently keep track.

Blue Limbs

Swing Both Ways

Blue limbs can be assembled on the wrong side of a monster. Subtract 1 point from the limb's point value until the limb has been removed from the monster. Lay the card face up as usual but turn the card as shown below so it's clear the limb is assembled on the wrong side.

(Diagram in the printed rulebook: a blue limb turned to show the wrong side.)

Inbred

If a monster is reanimated and every body part is the same exact color then it is inbred. An inbred monster gains an additional 3 points.

Special Item Cards

These modifier cards can be played as an upgrade or as a degrade within the limits of the card's details.

Special Item Icons

Special item cards are related to certain heart cards and are marked with matching icons.

(Diagram in the printed rulebook: special item icons.)

If a special item card is attached to your reanimated monster that matches the icon on your heart, you gain a point bonus.

(Diagram in the printed rulebook: special item icon on a heart.)

If the special item is attached as an upgrade, add 1 upgrade point and 1 additional special item point to your monster's total.

If the special item is attached as a degrade, your matching heart converts it into an upgrade. Only add 1 upgrade point to your monster's total.

Some heart cards have 2 icons, both related special item cards can earn the monster bonus points.

Team Play (Optional)

Now that you have an understanding of the advanced game, Monstrosity can be played in two teams of 2. Team play adds another level of gameplay and fun as you can help your teammate assemble a monster as well as your own. This opens up new strategic possibilities.

Team members should sit across from each other as shown below.

(Diagram in the printed rulebook: team seating.)

Gameplay is very similar to the singles game with a few exceptions:

1. Anything you can play on your own monster you can play on your teammate's monster as well. Teammates work together to assemble both of their monsters.
2. The first player in a team to reanimate their monster continues to play as normal until the all nighter.
3. The all nighter is only started after both of a team's monsters have been reanimated. Only players that have not reanimated their monster get a turn in the all nighter.
4. At the end of the game, teams combine their point totals. The team that has a pair of reanimated monsters worth the most points wins.
5. Your heart card remains hidden from your teammate until it has been exposed and, teammates are prohibited from discussing which heart they selected.

Additional Details

Color Strategy

There are some slight differences in body part colors that may affect your strategy.

• Green: There are a few extra green body part cards in the deck that have the potential to help assemble a monster with a very high point value, but it may be a slower, higher risk approach.
• Blue: The ability to assemble blue limbs on the wrong side of your monster allows for flexibility with more possibilities to assemble your monster.
• Red: There are a few extra red body part cards in the deck that have the potential to help assemble a monster quicker but could leave you vulnerable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happens if my monster drops below 15 POINTS after it has been reanimated? A: Nothing, your monster is still alive, it just has low self esteem.

Q: What happens if I play the Heart Transplant card and pick the Heart of Gold? A: The heart only gains points for cards picked up after the heart was picked.

Q: What happens when the green extension part is removed? A: If an additional body part of the same slot is connected to it, both parts go in the dumpster.

Q: Does the mermaid tail count for both legs? A: Yes.

Q: Can the mermaid tail be traded? A: No.

Q: When using the electric carver sabotage card, what happens if there is more than one limb with the same lowest value? A: The player that has been sabotaged chooses which weakest limb is lost.

Q: If the Black Hole heart hasn't been exposed does it affect the other monsters? A: No.

Q: Does the Black Hole heart subtract 1 point from your teammate's monster? A: Yes.

Q: What does daily action mean on the Extra Day card? A: This means you can take a full turn and then also play the Extra Day card to get another full turn, an extra day.

Q: How does the Steal Power from your Neighbor card work? A: This is a POWER card but it can only be played if one or more players have already powered their monster. It cannot be played against a power card worth 0 or less.

Q: Are action cards discarded after they are played? A: Yes, unless the card states otherwise.

Q: What does "three body parts connected in a row" mean? A: A head, torso, and a leg are considered to be connected in a row OR An arm, torso, and the other arm.

Q: What happens if the guillotine card is not touching a limb when it lands on the table? A: Nothing, you failed.

Q: In team play, if my monster is reanimated can I still update parts on it? A: No, that would be cruel.

Q: What cards are in the Monstrosity deck? A: Monstrosity cards have the logo on the back, it includes all cards except the Dumpster, Heart, and Ribbon cards.

Q: Can I play Modifier cards on an opponent's monster? A: Yes, modifier cards can be played on your monster or an opponent's monster. Not sure why you would upgrade your opponent's monster, but hey, to each their own.

Q: Why do I love this game so much? A: It's awesome.

Q: Where can I get playmats? A: MonstrosityGame.com