Jibber Jabble (2024)
Jibber Jabble (2024) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Contents
- 10 Power cards
- 35 Word cards
- 9 Role cards
Play Styles
Party Mode: A relaxed, cooperative version for 3+ players. Play as long as you like, and feel free to add house rules! Power cards are optional, but fun!
Sabotage Mode: A competitive twist for 4-10 players who don't mind a little mischief. Players take on secret roles:
- Jibber: Guesses the "Secret Word"
- Jabblers: Spell out clues that relate to the Secret Word
- Jesters: Try to covertly sabotage the spelling of clues
Party Mode Setup
- Place the deck of WORD cards face down in the middle of the play area.
- Select one player to be the first JIBBER, and give them the JIBBER ROLE card. We suggest whoever can say the alphabet the fastest.
- Distribute POWER cards evenly to all other players. If playing with 11+ players, you can instead place the power cards face-up in the middle of the play area to be used as needed. (Power cards are a great place for house rules!)
How to Play: Party Mode
The player to the left of the Jibber draws the top WORD card. The JIBBER then calls out a number between 1-6. This will determine the secret word that is used for this round. The card is then passed around to all players except the JIBBER.
Beginning with the player to the left of the JIBBER and rotating clockwise, players will take turns completing one of the following three turn actions. (No strategic table talk about what letter to give!)
- Add a letter to the current clue
- Play a power card
- Say "stop" to end the current clue
Once 3 clue words have been completed, the JIBBER gets 2 attempts to guess the secret word. If correct - celebrate! If incorrect - politely discuss what went wrong (although finger pointing and the playing the blame game are equally valid responses).
To start a new round, the JIBBER role card is passed to the left, POWER cards are gathered and redistributed, and a new WORD card is drawn.
In party mode, you play to your hearts content! There are no winners or losers, and no silly points to keep track of. Play for 3 minutes, or play for 3 hours. The choice is yours!
Example
The Jibber calls "Let's go with #4!" The Word card lists: 1 Water, 2 Frozen, 3 Prison, 4 Cat, 5 Soup, 6 Dream. The Secret Word is CAT. The clue is spelled "M", "I", "C", "E" by Players 1 to 4:
- Player 1 gives "M" (thinking: "Meow would be perfect!").
- Player 2 gives "I" (thinking: "M?!? I guess cats drink milk?").
- Player 3 gives "C" (thinking: "Should I play a Power card to take away the I?" and "Wait! Cats chase mice!").
- Player 4 gives "E" (thinking: "I guess we're going with mice...").
As you can see - everything depends on the players working together and adapting.
Meow would have been a great clue, but Player 2 wasn't on the same wavelength as Player 1. Fortunately, "Mice" isn't too shabby a clue for CAT. If the group can spell two more words like "Purr", or "Feline", the JIBBER may still guess the secret word correctly!
Sabotage Mode Setup
So you want a challenge? You can't stand the idea of there NOT being a winner? Then Sabotage Mode is right for you! Fortunately there is only one setup modification from party mode.
In Sabotage Mode, you still have a JIBBER, but other players take on secret roles. Most players will be JABBLERS who are trying to give good clues. But 1-2 players will be JESTERS who are trying to covertly sabotage the spelling of clues. The ratio of Jesters to Jabblers will depend on the number of players:
- 4-7 players: 1 Jester, the rest are Jabblers.
- 8-10 players: 2 Jesters, the rest are Jabblers.
Shuffle the correct number of ROLE cards, then deal one to each player (except the Jibber). Keep your role secret! The ROLE cards will be redistributed after each round, along with the POWER cards.
How to Play: Sabotage Mode
The basic mechanics of the game will be the same as Party mode - with a few key exceptions.
- The JIBBER only gets 1 attempt to guess the secret word.
- Points are awarded based on how well each player carries out their role.
- The game ends once all players have been the JIBBER.
Points in Sabotage Mode
Points are awarded after each round based on 3 factors:
- Was the secret word guessed correctly?
- How many clue words did the JIBBER need?
- Were the JESTERS "caught" by the JIBBLER? (spelled this way in the source)
If the Jibber is correct:
- JIBBER gets +10 points.
- JABBLERS points are based on the number of clues needed before the secret word is guessed: 1 clue +15, 2 clues +10, 3 clues +5.
- JESTERS get +0 points.
If the Jibber is incorrect:
- JIBBER gets 0 points.
- JABBLERS get 0 points.
- JESTER points are based on the number of clues needed before the secret word is guessed: 1 clue +5, 2 clues +10, 3 clues +15.
Bonus Points (Optional)
After the secret word is guessed by the Jibber, whether correct or incorrect, the Jibber has the option to try and sleuth out the Jesters for extra points.
- 1 Jester: The JIBBER may choose a player they think was the JESTER. If correct, they steal 5 points from that player. If incorrect, they lose 5 points to the actual JESTER.
- 2 Jesters: If the JIBBER's first guess is correct, they may choose to try and identify the 2nd JESTER. If correct, they steal an additional 5 points from that player. If incorrect, they lose 5 points to the JESTER not identified.
If the JIBBER did not get their first guess correct, they lose a total of 5 points, but each JESTER gains 5 points.
NOTE: The JIBBER is not required to try for extra points by identifying JESTERS.
Winning the Game
Once all players have been the Jibber, the game ends. Whoever has the most points wins!
Additional Rules
When it comes to word games - we get it - people need boundaries. Someone is bound to ask "Can I combine 4 words into one clue?", or "Can I intentionally misspell words if the people I'm playing with have no clue what they're doing?"
Well, you've got questions, we've got answers!
Plural vs Singular
If a Jibber's guess is a plural or singular version of the secret word, it still counts. EX: The secret word is "Goose" and the Jibber guesses "Geese".
Synonyms
You should decide before starting each game whether synonyms of the secret word will be considered correct. For instance, if the secret word is "Truck" you may or may not decide to accept "Pick-Up".
Spelling & Strategy
While correct spelling is encouraged, this isn't a spelling bee - perfection isn't required. However, you cannot intentionally spell multiple words as a single clue (e.g., "FREEWILLY" is not allowed if the secret word is "Whale").
If a letter choice leaves the next player stuck, they have a few options:
- End the word by saying "stop"
- Ask if someone has a Whisper card for help
- Play their own Power Card if applicable
They should not ignore the previous letter and continue spelling as if it wasn't given. Overt strategizing in front of the Jibber goes against the spirit of the game.
Take Power Card
If a player uses the TAKE Power Card, they may choose to take another player's unused Power Card or draw a Power Card that was not distributed. They must play the power card immediately. They can also choose to request a specific Power Card, though other players are not under obligation to volunteer their card.
"Helping"
If a player gives any kind of hint (verbal, written, or physical) about which letter to choose, they should receive a 5-point penalty. This rule does not apply when using the Pick or Whisper Power Card or when playing in Party Mode.