Blank
Blank Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
Be the first player to get rid of all of your cards. Watch out for the Rule Cards or you might suffer a Penalty. Keep your eyes peeled for Game Card effects that might change the course of the game. Not only does the winner enjoy the glory of victory, they also get to create a new Rule Card or customise a Game Card. Winning means you get to make your mark, changing the game forever!
Setting Up the Game
Before playing, split the Game Cards and the Rule Cards into two separate decks. Remove any plain Rule Cards and set them aside.
- Shuffle the Rule Cards and place three of them face up where all players can see them. Read each rule out loud as you draw the cards. Make sure every player understands how the Rule Cards will affect the game.
- Place the remaining Rule Cards in a face down stack to form the Rule Card Pile.
- Shuffle all 72 Game Cards (even the plain ones!) and deal seven cards face down to each player. Place the remaining Game Cards in a face down stack to form the Draw Pile.
- Flip over the top card of the Draw Pile and place it face up next to it. This is the beginning of the Discard Pile.
You are now ready to play. The youngest player starts!
Anatomy of the Cards
Rule Cards
Rule Cards affect gameplay and are always active.
- If... The condition that has to be met to trigger the effect.
- Then... The effect applied whenever the condition is met.
- The creator of the rule writes their name on the card.
- A space on the card can be marked to help identify different decks.
There are 38 Rule Cards: 14 with basic rules and 24 plain.
Game Cards
Effects on Game Cards are ONLY applied when they are played as the topmost card to the Discard Pile.
- Each Game Card has a title, an illustration area, a text area, a number (1-6) and a colour / symbol.
- A space on the card can be marked to help identify different decks.
- The creator of the effect writes their name on the card.
There are 72 Game Cards: 36 plain and 36 illustrated (6 illustrated with effects and 30 illustrated without).
The card colours and symbols are as follows: Hexagon, Triangle, Square, Circle, Diamond, Shield.
Playing Your Turn
Taking turns and starting clockwise, each player must play at least one card from their hand onto the Discard Pile. The card(s) you play must either:
- MATCH THE COLOUR of the card on top of the Discard Pile, OR
- MATCH THE NUMBER of the card on top of the Discard Pile.
You can play more than one card at the same time, as long as all the cards you play match either the colour OR the number. If you play multiple cards in one go, ONLY the top card on the Discard Pile triggers any Rules or Game Card effects. You must apply the effect shown on the top card if it has one. After all effects triggered by your played card(s) have been applied, your turn ends.
Example: If there is a Red 4 Game Card showing, you may play as many 4s OR as many Red cards as you have. You may NOT play a combination, such as a Green 4 and Red 2 together.
If you don't have a card that matches the colour or number of the topmost card of the Discard Pile, draw a card from the Draw Pile and add it to your hand. This is called a Penalty.
NOTE: You can't play a card that has just been drawn as a Penalty. Whenever you take a Penalty, your turn immediately ends.
There are other ways of suffering a Penalty (see Penalties).
Rule Cards
Every game of BLANK is unique thanks to the Rule Cards. They affect how each game works. There are always three in play at the start of each game. If a Rule Card or Game Card Effect ever requires a Rule Card to be discarded, return it face down to the bottom of the Rule Card Pile.
As the game is played, you'll want to keep a close eye on the Rule Cards to check if any are triggered. If a Rule Card is triggered and the target player(s) fail to follow it correctly, they must draw a card as a Penalty - but ONLY if another player points it out!
NOTE: Sometimes a card is played that triggers multiple Rule Cards. If this happens, players should agree the order in which they are resolved.
Game Card Effects
Game Card Effects are applied when the card is played as the topmost card to the Discard Pile. Just like a Rule Card, failure to follow it correctly results in a Penalty for the targeted player(s). Remember, if you play multiple cards in one go, ONLY the topmost card triggers Rule Cards or other effects!
Penalties
Part of the fun of BLANK comes from players taking Penalties. When you play BLANK, these events will trigger a Penalty.
When Do You Draw a Card?
- If you play a card out of turn: take it back to your hand AND take the Penalty.
- If you falsely accuse another player of making a mistake: take the Penalty.
- If you play a card that doesn't match either the colour or number of the topmost card of the Discard Pile: take it back to your hand AND take the Penalty.
- If you fail to follow a Rule Card or Game Card Effect before the next card is played: take the Penalty.
- If you play more than one card that doesn't share the same colour or number: take them ALL back to your hand AND take the Penalty.
It's possible you might trigger multiple Penalties at the same time. You must draw a card for each Penalty! (And remember, your turn immediately ends if you take a Penalty.)
The Draw Pile
If the Draw Pile ever runs out, pause the game. Set aside the topmost card of the Discard Pile to start a new Discard Pile. Shuffle the remaining Game Cards to form a new Draw Pile. Resume the game with the player taking their card.
End of the Game
When a player has no cards left in their hand after any Rule Card and Game Card effects have been resolved, they win! The winner has the choice of two prizes: Create a New Rule Card, or Customise a Game Card, making their mark on this copy of BLANK forever!
Creating a New Rule Card
When you create a new Rule, it will have a lasting (and sometimes unexpected) effect on the game. Before writing the new Rule Card, it's a good idea to discuss it with the other players to clarify how it might work in future games. The owner has the final approval on whether a new Rule Card can be created and added to their copy of BLANK. Before writing your first rule, check out Tips for Creating Rules and Effects for some helpful ideas.
- Write a TRIGGER that could happen during the game (after "If...").
- Write your TARGET and EFFECT (after "Then...").
- Sign your creation with your name.
Use your newly created cards to make your game more fun, silly, challenging or competitive. Their effects can be just about anything that you can think of. The only limit is your imagination!
Of course you'll want to see how your new rule works immediately. When setting up your next game, instead of drawing three Rule Cards, draw two and add your brand new creation to see how it plays!
How to Customise a Game Card
Choose either an illustrated or plain Game Card. Think about what you would like to happen and who or what will be affected whenever this card is played. The owner has the final approval on whether a new Game Effect can be added to their game. Before writing your first Game Card Effect, see Tips for Creating Rules and Effects.
- Give your card a memorable title.
- If the card is not illustrated, you can add your own drawing.
- Write the TARGET and EFFECT in the text area.
- Sign your creation!
Make It Your Deck
Differentiate between your copies of BLANK by adding a unique symbol or mark in the bottom right corner of each card in the deck. This allows you to mix different decks and create new card combinations, making BLANK unique every time you play. Don't forget to write the name of your deck on the side of the box!
Tips for Creating Rules & Effects
When creating the rules and effects you find in BLANK, we developed a simple format that makes it easy to generate new ideas whenever you need them.
- To make a Rule Card: If [TRIGGER] then [TARGET + EFFECT]
- For a Game Card Effect: When this card is played, then [TARGET + EFFECT]
Note: We've kept things simple to get you started, but part of the fun of BLANK is making it yours! Try experimenting with new rule and effect formats.
The table below provides a few possible combinations for you to use.
| Trigger (for Rule Cards only) | Target | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| A Card is Played | The NEXT Player | Draw a Card |
| A Card is Drawn | The PREVIOUS Player | Take Card(s) from Player(s) |
| A Card is Discarded | ALL Players | Discard Cards |
| A Non-Game Event | Cards in Play | Changes Other Cards |
| A Player's In-Game Action | The Draw Pile | Say Something |
| A Period of Time Passes | The Discard Pile | Do Something |
The TRIGGER is a moment in the game that activates a rule. It could be a particular colour or number card being played, an event happening during a game, or the action of a player. If you can imagine it happening during a game of BLANK, it has the potential to be the trigger for a rule.
The TARGET is who or what will be affected by this card. Is it the next player? Maybe it's all players? You can think about the cards themselves, either in players' hands or the Discard Pile. Even the rules can be a possible target when it comes to BLANK.
The EFFECT is what happens to the target. This could be almost anything: drawing cards, performing outlandish actions or answering a trivia question. Think of effects that will be fun for players to encounter when they play.
This is YOUR game and YOUR experience. Your copy of BLANK will transform in ways we can never predict. This means that not every possible situation can be covered in these rules. If any questions arise, we encourage all players to discuss and agree on the best solution!
Examples
Here are some examples that use the format.
Game Cards:
- Sick Tricks (Anita M.): The next card(s) can only MATCH NUMBER, not colour!
- Deep Dive (Winnie S.): This player may SEARCH THE DRAW PILE for a card of their choice, then shuffle the Draw Pile.
- Switch Up (Michael McM.): Choose TWO players to EXCHANGE THEIR HANDS immediately.
- Bee-Cycling (Rory O'C.): Discard ALL your cards, then draw FIVE new cards.
- Leftron (Michael F.): All players must TAKE A CARD from the player to their left.
Rule Cards:
- (Rob D.): If a player COUGHS during the game, then they must TAKE A CARD from a player of their choice.
- (Amanda McC.): If you play TWO OR MORE CARDS in a turn, then name a CARD COLOUR which may not be played until your next turn.
- (Michael F.) If a player takes more than 5 seconds to play a card, then all other players may DISCARD a card from their hand.
- We Are Not Amused (Pedro P.): Challenge another player to a STARING CONTEST. The winner gives a card to the loser.
- Bark Like a Dog (Pedro P.): If a card is played, then the next player must BARK LIKE A DOG three times.