Chemistry Fluxx
Chemistry Fluxx Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Exec Summary
- Fluxx is a game about constant change.
- Begin by following the Basic Rules.
- Each player starts with a hand of 3 cards.
- On your turn, draw 1 card, play 1 card.
- New Rules take effect as soon as you play them.
- Collect Keepers to match the Goal and you win!
Setup
Place the Basic Rules card in the center of the table.
Shuffle the deck and deal three cards to each player.
Establish the draw pile by placing the remainder of the deck face down where everyone can reach it.
Going First
The dealer goes first. Or choose a player at random.
Play proceeds clockwise.
Types of Cards
Each turn, you will Draw at least one card, add it to your hand, and Play at least one card. Here's how each type of card is used in the game:
New Rule
New Rules change the way the game works. When a New Rule is played, you must adapt to it right away. To play one, place it face up in the center of the table.
When a New Rule contradicts a card already in play, the old rule is discarded.
Keeper
To play a Keeper, place it face up on the table in front of you. Keepers are what you need in order to win. Keep them in front of you after playing.
Goal
Goals indicate which Keepers you currently need in order to win. Goals are played face up in the center of the table. Discard the previous Goal, if any.
Action
To play an Action card, do whatever it says, then place it on the discard pile. Actions are single-use cards. Follow the instructions on the card, then discard it.
Turn Sequence
- Draw the number of cards currently required.
- Play the number of cards currently required.
- Discard to comply with any Limit rules in play.
Optional actions allowed by New Rules, Keepers, etc., may be performed at any point during this sequence.
All cards are always playable, even if they have no effect. If you aren't sure how a card works, try reading the full text aloud as you play it.
Sample Game (in progress)
The rules sheet illustrates a sample game in progress, with these callouts:
- The Basic Rules card stays in the middle for the entire game. It reads: Start with 3 cards. Draw 1. Play 1.
- New Rules that override the Basic Rules are placed overlapping the part they supersede. Other New Rules are placed in the center.
- Goals also go in the middle. They are shared by all players.
- Keepers are placed in front of their owners.
- After following an Action card's instructions, place it onto the discard pile.
Goal Card Formulas
The formula at the bottom of many Goal cards is for educational purposes only. It is not part of the Goal's requirements.
Limits
At first there will be no limitations on the number of cards you can hold in your hand or Keepers you have in play. But Hand and Keeper Limit cards will create such restrictions. These rules only affect you when it's NOT your turn, so you can ignore them until your turn ends. When someone plays a new Limit rule, the other players must immediately comply with the new restriction, discarding cards of their choice as needed.
How to Win
The game continues until someone meets the conditions of the current Goal. That player wins instantly, no matter whose turn it is! (If a tie, the game continues until one winner emerges.)
Other Types of Cards
Meta Rule
This type of card goes into play at the start of the game and stays throughout. (The Basic Rules are a Meta Rule.) A Meta Rule is an extra rule that stays in play for the entire game.
Examples
Here are a few examples to show how various cards interact:
-
After drawing one card, you play the Draw 3 New Rule. Now the rules require you to draw three cards on each turn, but since you only took one card before, you must immediately draw two more cards. The next player draws three cards for their turn. They play Draw 2 which changes the rules again, but they draw no more cards, having already gotten (at least) two cards this turn. Since Draw 2 contradicts Draw 3, the Draw 3 rule is discarded.
-
If you play the Action called Draw 2 and Use 'Em, you will immediately draw two cards and play them both. If one of those cards is Draw 3, Play 2 of Them you would keep going, drawing three more cards, playing two cards, and discarding the third. All of this activity would be considered the playing of just one card when counting the number of plays on your turn.
-
Suppose your hand contains a Keeper and a Goal that requires it. Which should you play? You might think it's a toss-up, since you don't have the other Keeper you need. However, you should definitely play the Keeper first. If you play the Goal, it will very likely be replaced by another long before you find the second Keeper.
Other Notes
Regarding Discarding: You cannot simply discard unwanted cards. You can only discard if compelled to by a Hand Limit or similar compulsion. (Yes, this means you could end up being forced to play a card that makes someone else win.)
Reshuffling: If the Draw pile runs out, shuffle the Discard pile, turn it over to make a new Draw pile, and keep playing.
Cards in Play: Whenever something mentions a card "in play," this refers to a card that is face up on the table, but not in the discard pile. Keepers must be in play for you to meet a Goal that requires them. If a Keeper has a special power, you must have it in play in order to make use of its bonus ability.
Free Actions: Some cards allow for bonus actions which can be taken at any time during your turn. Since they don't count as plays, they are called Free Actions.
Jumping In: New players may join at any time by being dealt a hand of three cards.
Dropping Out: Players can exit the game at any time. Just discard your hand and all of the cards you have in play.
Solo Fluxx
This is a summary of the solitaire rules. For a longer version, please visit looneylabs.com/solo-fluxx.
You can play solo with any version of Fluxx, but each has its own list of cards to set aside. Before playing Solo Fluxx, remove all cards that won't apply with one player. For this version, the 8 cards to remove are:
- Everybody Gets 1
- Exchange Keepers
- Random Tax
- Research an Element
- Share the Wealth
- Steal a Keeper
- Trade Hands
- Use What You Take
Setup
- Place the Basic Rules on the table, to one side.
- Divide the rest of the cards into New Rules (the Rules Deck) and non-Rules (the Main Deck).
- Shuffle the Rules Deck. Place it with the Basic Rules.
- Shuffle the Main Deck and place it on the other side.
- Draw 3 cards from the Main Deck.
- You take the first turn.
Play
- Toggle between taking a turn and adding a New Rule.
- During your turn, Draw the number of cards indicated, then Play the number of cards required.
- After your turn ends, draw from the Rules deck and place the New Rule in the appropriate spot, discarding any card that is already there.
- Comply with any new Limit before taking another turn.
End
- Any time you meet the conditions of the current Goal, move that Goal to the Scored Goals pile, and discard all Keepers and/or Creepers required by the Goal.
- The game ends as soon as either deck runs out.
- Your score is the total number of Goals you collected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few FAQs that relate specifically to Chemistry Fluxx.
Q: How do you "locate helium?" A: It's a difficult process, since it can only be obtained by mining it from underground gas pockets. Its scarcity destroyed the Hindenburg, which was designed for helium but was filled with hydrogen because helium was unavailable. As for locating it after playing Helium Effect, anyone with Helium in their hand or on the table must give it to you; then you look in the discard pile; and finally, the draw pile, shuffling it afterwards if required.
Q: Isn't the Statue of Liberty's patina technically a more complex compound than basic Copper Carbonate? A: Yes. More properly known as Cupric Carbonate, CuCO3 doesn't really occur naturally, although it certainly has that distinctive color when you create it. The famous patina is a more complex blend, which also includes sulfur and hydrogen.
Questions?
When playing Fluxx, there are many interesting situations that can arise. If you get stuck on how a particular card works and need an official answer, the fastest solution is to check our extensive online database of Frequently Asked Questions: faq.looneylabs.com
If you can't find the answer you need there, please email us and we'll get back to you with a ruling as soon as we can.
Another great way to learn is with our many tutorial videos: looneylabs.com/Video-Fluxx
Card List
This makes a total of 100 cards in the box. A rulesheet is also included.
Keepers (23 cards)
Hydrogen (2), Helium, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen (2), Neon, Sodium, Aluminum, Silicon, Sulfur, Chlorine, Calcium, Iron, Copper, Silver, Beaker, Test Tube, Erlenmeyer Flask, Bunsen Burner, Lab Coat, Goggles.
Meta Rules (2 cards)
Basic Rules, Goal Foundry.
New Rules (23 cards)
Draw 2, Draw 3, Draw 4, Draw 5, Play 2, Play 3, Play 4, Play All But 1, Play All, Hand Limit 2, Hand Limit 3, Hand Limit 4, Keeper Limit 3, Keeper Limit 4, No Hand Bonus, Get On With It!, Recycling, Double Agenda, Let's Keep Doing That!, Spontaneous Reaction, Lab Coat Bonus, Helium Effect, Compound It!.
Actions (17 cards)
Draw 2 And Use 'Em, Draw 3, Play 2 Of Them, Everybody Gets 1, Steal A Keeper, Exchange Keepers, Trash A Keeper, Jackpot!, Let's Do That Again!, Let's Simplify, Trash A New Rule, Rules Reset, Trade Hands, Discard And Draw, Use What You Take, Random Tax, Share The Wealth, Research An Element.
Goals (35 cards)
Safety First, Laughing Gas, Carbon Dioxide, Cleaning Solution, Cast Iron, EXPLOSION!, Tarnish, Diatomic Molecules, Statue of Liberty Green, Natural Gas, Water, Carborundum, Limestone, Battery Acid, Aqua Fortis, Sugar, Lime, Pyrite, Sand, Chlorargyrite, Muriatic Acid, Instant Acetylene, Rust, Salt, Corundum, Smells Like Rotten Eggs, Aluminum Carbide, Sterling Silver, The Sun, Transition Metals, A Noble Gas, Goggles Required, Heat It Good, Glassware, Neon Lights.