Crabs in a Bucket

Crabs in a Bucket Rulebook

Table of Contents

Objective

Overthrow the tyranny of the four Crab Kingdoms by getting rid of all cards in your hand! Lead a Crab Coup by carefully utilizing the powers of the Joker Crabs as well as the Jack, Queen, and King Crabs to usher in your reign. You can play a suited card from your hand that matches the suit or value of the top card on the discard pile, or play a Joker Crab and activate its effect after your first turn!

Components

52 Suited Cards - Ordinary suited cards. Aces and numbered cards can be discarded in ascending order when played on a player's turn, and Jacks, Queens, and Kings prevent Joker Crab play and trigger special end-turn effects.
22 Joker Crabs - Special non-suited cards that have crazy effects when played but not discarded.
6 Rule Cards - Double-sided cards for each player's reference with information about what to do on your turn, objectives, and keywords used in the game.
Playing Mat - Reversible sheet with necessary information about the game's setup.
Rulebook - A guide for the game's setup, components, and list of Joker Crabs.

Setup

Remove the 6 included rule cards and distribute one to each player for reference. Rule cards are double-sided and contain information about what to do on your turn, how to win, and key terms.
Choose a dealer. If this is your first time playing Crabs in a Bucket together, the most tyrant-like player becomes the first dealer. Otherwise, the last person to win a round becomes the dealer.
Dealer shuffles the remaining 74 cards together to form a deck. Dealer deals 7 cards to each player and places the remainder of the deck face-down in an area easily accessible to all players.
Flip over the first card. If it's a Joker Crab, place it in the Joker Pile to the right of the deck from the dealer's perspective. Flip over another card and continue to discard Joker Crabs until you reveal a Suited Crab. Place the suited card to the left of the deck, into the Discard Pile. Begin play by having the player to the left of the dealer play a suited card that matches the suit or value of the card just flipped over.

The four Suit Kingdoms: Spade, Heart, Club, Diamond.

Gameplay

Play begins with the player to the dealer's left. No Joker Crabs can be played on a player's first turn. To play and activate the effect of a suited crab or Royal, place the card in the Discard Pile, located to the left of the deck from the dealer's perspective. To play and activate the effect of a Joker Crab, place the card in the Joker Pile, located to the right of the deck from the dealer's perspective. Refer to the flow chart below or the flow chart on one of the sides of the rule card to determine what to do on your turn.

What to Do on Your Turn

Start at "Your turn": Do I have a card that I want to play? If yes, play a card. If no, draw a card, then ask: do I have a card that I want to play now? If yes, play a card; if no, end turn. After playing a card, the turn ends.

An Example of Play

Luna seems the most tyrant-like, so she's made the dealer. Luna passes out a rule card to her 5 other friends and saves one for herself. She shuffles the 74 cards together and passes 7 cards to each player, starting with Nico to her left. She then places the deck in the center of the table and flips over the first card. It's a Joker Crab! She discards it into the Joker Crab and draws again. It's an Ace of Hearts! To her left, Nico immediately begins his turn. He has a few Joker Crab in his hand, but he can't play them yet because you can't play Joker Crabs on your very first turn. Thankfully he has a 3 of Hearts in his hand. He plays the card because the suits match. The card has a play effect that allows him to also discard other Heart in his hand of higher value, so he discards his 5 of Heart too and ends his turn. Now James, the player to his left, can begin his turn.

Joker Crabs

Imitation Crab

Trigger the effect of the last card on the Joker pile as if you played it. If there is no card on the Joker Pile to trigger, discard 3 cards.

Halloween Crab

Draw a card and discard it. If it's not a Joker Crab, all opponents with fewer cards must draw a card from your hand. If it is, draw a card from each opponent.

Patriot Crab

Discard a suited card. All opponents must discard a card of the same suit or draw 2 cards.

Clown Crab

Discard up to 1 card of each suit. If you discard a spade, a heart, a club, and a diamond, discard one additional card of any type.

Vampire Crab

Trade hands with an opponent. If your opponent now has less cards than you, give them 2 cards.

Tree Crab

Draw as many cards as there are opponents. All opponents must draw a card from your hand. If you are left with only Joker Crabs, discard your entire hand.

Spider Crab

Draw 2 cards. Give 2 cards to other players. (Both cards can go to one player!)

Pom Pom Crab

All opponents must discard a card that matches the suit of the top card on the Discard Pile or draw 4 cards.

Hairy Crab

Choose an opponent to draw or discard cards until they have the same amount as you.

Arrow Crab

Choose an opponent to draw a card out of your hand and the deck.

Fiddler Crab

Force all players to give a card to whoever has the least amount of cards. (If there's a tie, pick one!)

Sleepy Crab

Draw a card. If you have 10 cards, discard until you have only 1.

Champagne Crab

Collect an opponent's hand and shuffle it with yours. Redistribute the cards (without looking!) back and forth, starting with your opponent.

Zombie Crab

Draw this card back into your hand, as well as the Joker Crab below it. If there is no Joker Crab below this card, discard all cards in your hand but this one.

Yeti Crab

Draw a card and discard it. If it's a suited crab, discard all cards of that suit in your hand and trigger this effect again.

Lobster

Lose the game, EVEN IF THIS IS YOUR FINAL CARD! If this card is successfully discarded it is removed from the Joker Pile and shuffled back into the deck.

Hermit Crab

Discard your hand. Draw a card for each card discarded. You may discard any newly drawn Joker Crabs.

Ghost Crab

Discard up to 3 other Joker Crabs. All opponents must discard the same number or draw 4 cards.

Giant Crab

Discard up to 3 Joker Crabs. Trigger the effect of the last Joker Crab you discard as if you played it.

Rainbow Crab

Pick an opponent to show their hand to all players. Swap cards between your hand and theirs as you please.

Candy Crab

Discard all Jack Crabs, Queen Crabs, and King Crabs. If you discard more than 3 cards, all opponents must draw a card from your hand.

?????

Mystery Crab...?

Samurai Crab

Force an opponent to discard a suited card and discard one yourself. If your card is of higher value than your opponent's, force them to draw a card and repeat this effect.