Nichtlustig
Nichtlustig Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
The aim of the game is to use matching dice combinations to collect as many cards as possible, which are worth different numbers of points at the end. Beware of Death, which cancels points you have already scored. Worst of all, you will first lose the Lemmings. They are worth the most points, but when Death comes they shout "Hier" ("Here!") and are lost. The Yetis do not want to be alone and are only worth many points if you have several of them. The Professors are only revealed at the end: their points are rolled for. Numerous special cards add further turbulence. Some players find that not funny at all.
Components
37 playing cards (25 target cards, 5 x Death, 1 x Death's Poodle, 6 special cards) and 7 coloured dice (2 black, 2 red, 2 white and 1 pink).
Setup
- Using the 25 target cards Herr Riebmann, Yeti, Lemming, Professors and Dinosaur, lay out a 5 x 5 grid in the middle of the table (see the illustration on page 2 of the sheet).
- Each card type forms a row of 5 cards (dice values ascending from 1 to 5). The fifth row is the Dinosaurs, laid out with the ascending values 24 to 28.
- Place the five Death cards and the Death's Poodle card in a row next to the layout.
- Place the 6 special cards Duck, Time Machine, Clown, NF-700 Robot, UFO and Killer Virus on the other side of the layout.
- Set the seven dice aside as well.
The Cards
- To get Herr Riebmann, Yetis or Lemmings, you must roll the pair of dice shown on the card. The pair is always made of two dice of the matching colour. Herr Riebmann needs a black pair, the Yetis need a red pair, and the Lemmings need a white pair.
- For the Professors you need a triple (three of a kind) in each of the three colours white, black and red.
- The Dinosaurs demand high dice totals (24, 25, 26, 27, 28).
- The Death and Death's Poodle cards each show a pink die. Players should avoid these cards where possible, because they can cancel points.
Turn Sequence
- Whoever rolls the highest number on a die becomes the starting player and begins. After that, the players take their turns clockwise.
- When it is your turn, roll the seven dice. Instead of a "6", the dice show a symbol that relates to the special cards. Each symbol has the value "0".
Note: The pink die has a special role in the game and must always be considered separately from the other six dice.
- In your turn you may roll up to three times. After each roll you may set aside as many dice as you like and roll the rest again.
- A die that has been set aside may not be rolled again later.
- If, after your last roll, the black, red and white dice meet the requirements of a target card (or, later, of a card belonging to an opponent that has not yet been scored), you may take that card.
- It is entirely possible for a player's roll to meet several target cards at once. However, each die may only be used once.
- Cards you have won are laid face up in front of you. As long as these cards have not yet been scored, i.e. converted into points, other players can still snatch them away.
- During your own turn you can take not only target cards from the table layout, but also cards that lie in front of your opponents.
- Cards that have been scored can no longer be lost to opponents.
Note: As points are scored over time, it becomes harder and harder to win cards. For example, if you roll two white "3s" but the corresponding Lemmings have already been scored, you come away empty-handed.
Observe the order!
- After the last dice roll of each turn, the scoring according to the pink die always takes place first, for all players. Only after that does the active player take the target cards he has rolled.
- Cards that were won can therefore not be scored in the same turn.
Scoring
- After a player has finished his dice roll, scoring takes place with the help of the pink die.
- All players now turn into points those of their cards that show the same value as the pink die. A card is turned into points by turning it over onto its cartoon side. Its point value is then visible at the bottom right.
Dinosaurs
- The number values of the Dinosaurs must be reached or exceeded by the total of the white, black and red dice. Symbols on the dice have the value "0". The pink die does not count when determining the total.
- A player whose dice roll meets the requirements for a Dinosaur may turn that card to its point side immediately.
- Only one Dinosaur card can be won per dice roll.
Note: Dinosaurs are particularly attractive, because they do not have to be turned into points by a scoring round first, and they are safe from Death and Death's Poodle.
Death and Death's Poodle
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Death and Death's Poodle represent a threat to the players. Strictly speaking, the threat is to their scored cards.
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At the end of his turn, after scoring, a player must take at least one target card from the layout or from an opponent. If a player cannot get a target card with his dice roll, he must take the Death card that shows the same dice value as the pink die. If the pink die shows Death's Poodle, the player must take that card.
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Death's Poodle has the same function as Death itself. If it is rolled, however, no scoring takes place, so nobody may turn over a target card lying in front of them.
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A player who must take Death or Death's Poodle must immediately place that card face up on one of his own already scored Lemming cards. This cancels the points of that card.
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A player who has no scored Lemming card in front of him may choose which already scored card receives Death or Death's Poodle.
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Note: Dinosaurs are not affected by Death or Death's Poodle (they are already extinct) and therefore need not be covered.
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If a player later has to take a Death or Death's Poodle that is already lying in front of an opponent, that opponent is lucky: the previously covered point card is "freed" and is valid again.
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If a player has no scored cards in front of him, or only Dinosaurs not threatened by Death, when he receives a Death or Death's Poodle, he must lay the card in front of him face up. A Death or Death's Poodle lying face up at the end of the game counts as one minus point.
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Note: Only scored target cards are covered by Death and Death's Poodle.
Special Cards
- Whoever has one or more symbols on his dice at the end of his turn receives the corresponding special cards and lays them face up in front of him.
- If a relevant special card is currently in the possession of an opponent, the active player takes the card from there.
Positive Special Cards
- If a player has the Duck, the Clown or the Time Machine at the start of his turn, he may use these cards once during his turn. How each special card is used is written on the card itself.
- After using a special card, the player returns it to the table centre. If a card is not used, the player may keep it and use it in a later turn, unless an opponent "rolls it away" from him.
Negative Special Cards
- If a player has the UFO, the NF-700 Robot or the Killer Virus in front of him at the start of his turn, he must use these cards in his turn and then return them to the table centre. How each negative special card affects play is written on the card itself.
- Some further notes on these:
- If a player has the NF-700 Robot in front of him, it only skips his turn, and the card is returned. Other special cards (including negative ones) of that player do not come into play and remain in front of him.
- The UFO prevents the use of the Duck, because there is never a third roll.
- If a player has the Killer Virus, at the end of his turn he receives the Death or Death's Poodle that matches the result of the pink die. Clown and Killer Virus can cancel each other out.
Note: Special cards are not target cards. If a player receives only one special card in his turn, he is not protected from Death. To avoid this, a player must roll at least one target card with his dice.
End of the Game
The game ends when, after a turn, only 5 or fewer target cards remain in the table centre. Then the final count takes place immediately. Each player adds up the points he has collected:
- Each scored Lemming card is worth 4 points.
- Each scored Yeti card is worth 3 points, provided the player has brought at least two scored Yeti cards into the final count. (The Yetis do not want to be alone.) A single scored Yeti is worth only 1 point.
- Each scored Herr Riebmann card is worth 2 points.
- Dinosaurs are worth 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 points.
- If a player has one or more scored Professors, he must first roll as many dice as he has scored Professor cards. (Nobody knows exactly what comes out of their experiments.) The highest die value gives the points for all of his Professors together. Depending on the result, the Professors are therefore worth 0 to 5 points. Tip: To display the points, a die can be placed on a Professor card.
- Each target card that has not yet been scored is worth 1 point.
- Cards covered by Death or Death's Poodle are invalid and count 0 points.
- Special cards count nothing.
- Death cards or Death's Poodle lying face up in front of a player count 1 minus point each.
The player with the most points is the winner. In case of a tie, the player with fewer cards showing Death or Death's Poodle in front of him wins.
Example of Scoring
The player has the following cards in front of him at the end:
Two Professor cards, a Lemming, a Dinosaur, three Yetis, a Herr Riebmann card and a Death card.
He rolls two dice for the Professors and gets 2 and 4. The higher value counts for both cards together, so the Professors give him 4 points. In addition, the Lemming card gives 4 points and the Dinosaur card 3 points.
The two Yetis are worth 3 points each. The third Yeti, which he could not score, and the unscored Herr Riebmann card are each worth 1 point. The Death card, which covers one card, is worth 0 points.
So the player has scored 4 + 4 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 0 = 19 points.