Fright Factor Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Game Play
  • 1. Shuffle and Deal Monster Cards
  • 2. Set Fright Track
  • 3. Predict Tricks
  • 4. Play Tricks
    • Scariest Monster
    • Zombie Hand
  • 5. Score Points
• Winning the Game
• Special Powers Variant
• 0-Rank Special Powers

Components

• 60 monster cards ranked 0-9 in six suits
• 6 Zombie Hand cards (rank X)
• 6 Scariness tokens
• 16 Bidding tokens
• Fright Track (back of the game box)

Setup

1. Give 1 Zombie Hand card to each player - they will add this to their hand later.
2. Build the monster deck based on the number of players:

Players	2	3	4	5	6
Ranks	0-4	0-6	0-8	0-9	0-9

3. Return unused Zombie Hand and monster cards to the box.
4. Place the game box (Fright Track side up), Scariness tokens, and Bidding tokens in the center of the table.

Game Play

Play three rounds, regardless of player count. Each round consists of the following phases in this order:

1. Shuffle and Deal Monster Cards
2. Set Fright Track
3. Predict Tricks
4. Play Tricks
5. Score Points

1. Shuffle and Deal Monster Cards

Gather and shuffle the monster cards, including any that were set aside the previous round. Evenly deal the whole deck. With 4 players, there will be 2 cards leftover; reveal them.

2. Set Fright Track

Each player chooses and simultaneously reveals 1 monster card from hand (2 players: reveal 3 each; 3 players: reveal 2 each). Place these cards, along with any other previously revealed cards, next to the Fright Track. For each monster card showing, set its Scariness Token on the Fright Track to the rank of the card. If multiple ranks show for the same monster, use the highest rank. Then set all revealed monster cards aside until next round.

If a card was not shown for a monster, place its token in the center of the Fright Track. Monsters with tokens in the center of the Fright Track will always be scary this round. If there is only one token in the center, that monster is the Scariest Monster for the round. If there are zero tokens in the center, there is no Scariest Monster this round.

3. Predict Tricks

For the first round, randomly choose a player to go first. In later rounds, rotate the lead clockwise from the player who led first in the previous round. Turn order proceeds clockwise.

In turn order, each player announces a prediction (0 or greater) of the number of tricks they expect to win this round and takes that number of bidding markers from the supply.

4. Play Tricks

The start player leads and plays any card from hand except a card of a monster whose Scariness Token is on 0. These monsters are no longer frightening and can no longer lead tricks. You may always lead with monsters who are in the center of the Fright Track, as they are always Scary.

Clockwise in turn, each player plays a card from their hand. If a player has a card of the monster that was led, they must play one of that monster. If they do not, they may play any card.

The highest rank played of the Scariest Monster wins the trick. If no card of the Scariest Monster was played, then the highest rank of the monster that was led wins the trick. The winner then adjusts the Fright Track:

• Lower each token on the Fright Track by 1 per matching monster card played into the trick, but not lower than 0.
• Do not reduce tokens in the center of the Fright Track. They are always Scary this round.

The winner then gathers the cards played and keeps them face down in front of them such that the number of tricks won so far is obvious to all. Taken tricks may not be examined after the next trick starts.

Another trick starts, led by the previous trick winner, and played as before, continuing until the round ends. If the trick leader cannot play–because any cards still in hand have scariness of 0, or they have no cards left in hand–they reveal any cards still in hand, and the round ends immediately.

Remove any played Zombie Hands before shuffling for the next round.

Scariest Monster

If the first trick began with multiple Scariness Tokens in the center of the Fright Track, there is no Scariest Monster to start the round. However, the instant a monster card matching a Scariness Token in the center is played, move its token to the large space below the center of the Fright Track. That monster will still remain in the center and be Scary for the rest of the round, but it will no longer be eligible to become Scariest Monster. Once a single Scariness Token remains in the center, that monster becomes Scariest Monster immediately for that trick and the rest of the round.

Zombie Hand

Once per game, instead of playing a card from hand into the current trick, each player may play their Zombie Hand. The Zombie Hand may never be led but can always be played, even if the player could otherwise follow the monster that was led. Playing a Zombie Hand is a guaranteed way not to win the trick.

Immediately upon playing a Zombie Hand, you may choose to reduce your prediction for the round by 1.

5. Score Points

After the round ends, each player scores points based on the number of tricks they won compared to their prediction:

Result	Points
Won fewer tricks than predicted	0 points
Won more tricks than predicted	Points = prediction
Won exactly as many tricks as predicted	Points = prediction, +1 per monster type still Scary (Scariness Token > 0 or in the center)
Predicted 0 and won 0 tricks	Points = the highest other player score this round +1

Winning the Game

After three rounds, the player with the most points wins. If tied, the player with the highest score from round three wins. If still tied, victory is shared.

Special Powers Variant

Setup is the same, but each 0-ranked card can perform a special power when played if its monster is still Scary.

Special powers resolve at the end of the trick into which they are played, before adjusting the Fright Track. If multiple special powers activate in one trick, resolve them in the order played.

Some special considerations with 0-rank cards:

• A 0-rank card can win a trick, either using a special power or if it is of the Scariest Monster suit.
• A 0-rank card immediately loses its special power if its suit is no longer Scary.
• 0-rank cards can never be led.
• If the trick leader has only cards of 0 scariness and/or 0 rank in hand, they reveal their hand and the round ends immediately.

All other normal rules apply, including following the led suit when able and that 0-scariness cards cannot be led.

0-Rank Special Powers

Frankenstein – Wins the trick, even beating any Scariest Monster played, except…

The Bride – Wins the trick, even beating any Scariest Monster or 0-Frankenstein played, but only if the 0-Bride is the last card played into the trick.

Dracula – Whoever plays the 0-Dracula, and whoever wins the trick into which it is played, may reduce their bids by 1. The 0-Dracula player decides first, then the trick winner decides. If they are the same person, only decide once.

Mummy – Whoever plays the 0-Mummy, and whoever wins the trick into which it is played, may increase their bids by 1. The 0-Mummy player decides first, then the trick winner decides. If they are the same person, only decide once.

Lagoony – Whoever plays the 0-Lagoony, and whoever wins the trick into which it is played, may discard 1 card from hand. The 0-Lagoony player decides first, then the trick winner decides. If they are the same person, only decide once. Do not reveal the discards; set them aside until the next round.

Werewolf – Play a second card at the end of the current trick, still following all regular rules. Both cards count when determining the trick winner.