Weird Little Elf Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Setup
• Play
• Accusing
• Winning
• Cards
• Summary

Setup

1. Remove the "You're an Elf!" role cards from the box. Set out Elf role cards equal to the number of players minus two. These will be redistributed to the players every round. Set the rest of the Elf role cards aside. They won't be used this game.
2. The other cards stay in the box, until drawn during play. Keep the red/blue Santa cards in front, and the green Imp role cards at the back.
3. The jolliest player is the first Santa!

Play

Hand out roles. At the start of each round, Santa draws one Imp role card from the box and shuffles it in with the Elf role cards. Then Santa deals one to each other player. Players look at their role cards and keep them secret.

For example, in a six-player game, there's one Santa, one Imp, and four Elves. Santa deals five cards out to the players, not knowing which one gets the Imp card.

Draw a Santa card then chant. Santa draws a Santa card from the box and starts the round by chanting in a deep, merry voice:

"The imp is missing. Bless my beard!"

All the other players respond together. They each point at a player of their choice and say in a high, squeaky voice:

"Look! That elf is acting weird!"

NOTE: For 8 or more players, you may choose to have a second Imp.

Read a question. After the chant, Santa reads one question on the card out loud. This can be either the red Christmas-themed question or the blue year-round question on the reverse side.

Answer the question. Moving clockwise, each other player must answer Santa's question. Players can't repeat an answer that was already given that round. Otherwise, they're free to answer however they like.

Follow the secret rule. Meanwhile, the Imp has a secret rule on their Imp role card that they must obey. By default, they can perform this any time during the round, including while answering. But some rules specify they're limited to just when answering.

Accuse the Imp. After everyone answers the question, Santa goes first to accuse someone of being the Imp (see below).

Next round. After the Imp role card is awarded, the player to Santa's left becomes the new Santa for the next round.

Accusing

Imp accusations are resolved like this:

• If Santa is correct, he keeps the Imp's role card.
• If Santa is wrong, that Elf guesses. The Elf that Santa guessed then accuses someone else of being the Imp, and gets the Imp role card if right.
• If neither is correct, the Imp keeps the card.

If there's disagreement about whether the Imp obeyed the secret rule, the Elves vote to see if the Imp gets to keep the card. Santa is the tiebreaker.

Winning

The first player to collect three Imp role cards wins!

Cards

• Role card, Elf version ("You're an Elf!")
• Role card, Imp version (with secret rule; e.g. "You're the Imp! Cross your eyes during the round.")
• Santa card (blue year-round side)
• Santa card (red Christmas side)

Summary

1. Santa hands out the role cards.
2. Santa draws a Santa card and chants: "The Imp is missing. Bless my beard!"
3. The others reply: "Look! That Elf is acting weird!"
4. Santa reads a question.
5. The others take turns answering, while the Imp also follows a secret rule.
6. Santa must correctly accuse the Imp to win the Imp role card. If wrong, the accused Elf guesses. If both are wrong, the Imp gets the card.
7. The player to Santa's left is Santa next round.