Rolf
Rolf Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Standard Game
3 to 6 players
Give 3 point tokens to each player. Yep, that's right, all players start with 3 points, don't lose them!
Pick a player to be the first judge. Can't decide? The first player to say the phrase, "stop your lollygagging," becomes the first judge.
The judge draws a card from the deck, and selects one of the phrases on the front of the card.
The judge then reads the phrase aloud to all players, and then holds the back of the card up where all players can see it simultaneously. This will show the word that CANNOT be said by players, and the letter that the replacement word must begin with.
All players try to blurt out a word that starts with the letter, and that fits the phrase within 3 seconds. If the correct word printed on the card is spoken, the player who said it cannot win this round, and loses one point if they have any.
The judge picks their favorite valid response, and that player earns a point. Any player who repeats a word that has already been said in this round, or a previous round cannot win and loses a point if they have one.
The player to the left of the judge becomes the next judge.
Game End
Once all players have been the judge twice, the game ends and the player with the most points wins.
Alternate Game End
Instead of ending the game when all players have judged twice, set a timer for an agreed to amount of time. For example, 30 minutes. When the timer goes off, the game ends, and the player with the most points at that moment is the winner.
Game Variants
One at a Time
3 to 8 players
Use the same rules as the Standard game, except the judge holds a card up for one player at a time starting with the player to their left. The judge may draw a new card, or use the same card for each player. Only one player answers at a time, but the judge should move on if a player does not answer within 3 seconds.
Story Time
3 to 8 players
The judge begins telling a story, and then shows a card back to the player to their left. That player must continue the story AND must use a word that starts with the letter shown in their first sentence. The judge then picks up telling the story, and does the same for the next player in clockwise order. Once all players have gone, the judge brings the story to its conclusion, and picks the player who was the most creative in their storytelling. That player gets a point.
Nonconformist
3 to 12 players
Pick a player to be the judge. The judge player draws a card, and selects one of the phrases on the front of the card. The judge then reads it aloud to all players, and simultaneously holds the back of the card up where all players can see it. All players have 2 minutes to write a word down on a piece of paper that starts with the letter shown to complete the phrase, but not the word shown.
All written responses are given to the judge face down, or are thrown into a hat. The judge shuffles the responses, and reads the phrase aloud with each word. If the same word is written by two or more players, those answers are disqualified. The judge then picks their remaining favorite, and that player gets a point. The next player in clockwise order becomes the next judge.
Conformist
3 to 12 players
A judge is not required for this version. One player draws a card, and reads one of the phrases on the front of the card while holding the back of the card up where all players can see it. All players have 2 minutes to write three words down on a piece of paper that start with the letter shown to complete the phrase, but not the word shown own the card.
When everyone is done, every player gets 1 point for each word they have written if it's legal (starts with the correct letter, and is not the correct word shown on the card), and 1 point for every other player who wrote the same word.
The next player in clockwise order reads the next card.
Trifecta
3 to 8 players
Same as the "One At A Time" variant, however the judge holds up 3 cards at a time starting with the player to their left. The judge should hold the cards so that the phrases are facing him and then read aloud one of the phrase on the rightmost card.
The player must then say a sentence or phrase aloud using 3 words that start with the 3 letters shown, but without using any of the words shown. The judge may draw new cards or use the same cards for each player.
Card Anatomy
Front of card: Two fun phrases for the judge to choose from.
Back of card: The letter that player's answer must start with and the word players cannot say.