Fluxx
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.
New rules take effect immediately.
When a New Rule contradicts a card already in play, the old rule is discarded.
New Rules that override the Basic Rules are placed overlapping the part they supersede. Other New Rules are placed in the center.
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. Keepers are placed in front of their owners.
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.
Goals also go in the middle. They are shared by all players.
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. After following an Action card's instructions, place it onto the discard pile.
The Basic Rules Card
The Basic Rules card stays in the middle for the entire game. It reads:
- Start with 3 cards.
- Draw 1.
- Play 1.
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.
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.)
Examples
Here are a few examples to show how various cards interact:
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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.
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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.
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Suppose your hand contains a Keeper and a Goal that requires it. Which should you play? You might think it's a tossup, 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
Please visit LooneyLabs.com/solo-fluxx to download the rules for the solitaire version of this game!
Expansion Packs
Creeper Pack: Creepers are a new type of card, originally created for Zombie Fluxx, and a common element in many specialty editions of this game. With the Creeper Pack, you can add these troublesome cards to the core game! The set includes War, Death, Taxes, and the Radioactive Potato, along with Goals, Actions, and New Rules relating to these particularly intense cards! Contains 16 new cards.
Fluxx Blanxx: Now you can add your own zany ideas to Fluxx! Contains 10 cards: two Keepers, one Creeper, four Goals, one Action, one New Rule, and one Surprise. Just grab your trusty permanent marker and customize the fun!
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 the extensive online database of Frequently Asked Questions at faq.looneylabs.com. If you can't find the answer you need there, email Looney Labs and they'll get back to you with a ruling as soon as they can. Another great way to learn is with the many tutorial videos at looneylabs.com/Video-Fluxx.
Credits
The original version of Fluxx was invented on July 24, 1996.
- Game Design: Andrew Looney
- Illustrations: Andrew Looney (with color added by Todd Hamilton and Jacoby O'Connor)
- Package Design: Eileen Tjan
- Playtesters: Everyone at Looney Labs, the Wunderland Toast Society, and countless other gamers everywhere
Fluxx is a registered trademark of Looney Labs. Copyright 1997–2014 by Looney Labs, Inc.