Maximum Throwdown
Maximum Throwdown Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Goal
Score the most points by the end of the game.
Components
- 90 Throwdown cards (6 decks of 15 cards each)
- 6 Reference cards
- 6 Starting location cards
- This rulesheet
Note: Players will need to provide a pen and paper to keep track of scores.
Setup
Players must agree on how many location cards will be used and how they will be arranged in the play area. A few suggested layouts are presented below but players are free to experiment with alternative layouts if they wish. Once the location cards are arranged, they cannot be moved after setup is completed.
The printed rulesheet shows five suggested layouts as diagrams: (1) six location cards in two rows of three; (2) three location cards in a triangle, one at the top and two angled below it; (3) six location cards in a hexagonal ring; (4) five location cards in a plus shape, with one card above, three in a central row, and one below; (5) five location cards in an X shape, with four cards at the corners of a diamond and one in the centre.
One player then takes the reference cards, shuffles them, and deals one to each player. (Alternate Setup: If all players agree, players may choose which deck they play instead of being determined randomly.)
Each player takes all 15 throwdown cards that matches the illustration on the back of his reference card, then shuffles the cards to form a facedown deck.
The player who yells "Maximum Throwdown!" the loudest takes the first turn.
How To Play
Players take turns drawing and throwing cards onto the play area, attempting to cover opponents' icons in the process. Each turn, points are scored and abilities are used (see "Turn Sequence" below). The game ends when all players have run out of cards and the winner is the player with the most total points scored.
Turn Sequence
On your turn, you must follow these steps in order:
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Evaluate Active Icons: Look at your faceup cards in the play area and see which icons are completely uncovered. Each of these icons is considered active and will either provide an ability (see "Icon Abilities" for a complete description) or help you score points later during your turn.
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Score Points: You score one point for every six pips that are active (if the entire icon they show on is uncovered).
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Attack and Steal: Resolve all of your active Attack and Steal icons in any order you wish.
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Draw: Draw one card, plus one additional card for each of your active Draw icons.
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Throw: Throw one card, plus one additional card for each of your active Throw icons. Each Throw icon allows you to either throw one additional card (if you drew sufficient cards to do so) or immediately re-throw a card that missed. If you drew additional cards and did not have enough Throw icons to actually throw all of them, return the cards back on top of your deck in any order you wish.
After you finish all of these steps, the next player clockwise takes his turn.
Rules for Throwing
When a card is thrown, it must touch another card already in play (either a location card or another throwdown card). A card is considered touching if at least a portion of the card is over or under another card. If the thrown card does not touch another card in play, it is considered to have missed. Missed cards are immediately removed from the play area and placed in a common discard pile.
If a card lands facedown, its icons are considered covered and does not provide any abilities. However, if the facedown card still touches another card in play, it remains in play and provides an additional target for future throws.
Players may move around the play area to throw from different spots. Between turns, players should return to their starting spot to maintain turn order.
Typically, a player's throwing arm should not go over the play area. However, this can be adjusted for preferred difficulty as long as all players agree to it at the start of the game.
Icon Abilities
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Draw: Draw one additional card from the top of your deck and add it to your hand.
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Throw: You may either throw one additional card from your hand OR immediately re-throw a card that missed. Note that you may only make additional throws if you drew additional cards with the Draw ability. If you choose not to immediately re-throw a missed card, the card is discarded from the play area as normal.
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Break: This ability allows you to keep a missed card in play. If you choose not to immediately Break a missed card, the card is discarded from the play area as normal.
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Steal: Steal a card by drawing one card from an opponent's deck of your choice and throw it onto the play area. You may choose to throw the card facedown or faceup. However, if the card lands faceup it will grant your opponent his icon abilities as normal. If the stolen card missed, the card is discarded from the play area as normal. Throwing a stolen card does not count towards your Throw icons.
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Attack: Choose an opponent and discard the top card of his deck to the common discard pile.
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Points: Each Points icon contains a certain number of pips represented by small dots. For every six pips showing at the beginning of your turn, you score one point.
Note: Your icons are only evaluated and considered active at the beginning of your turn during the "Evaluate Active Icons" step. Remember that cards you throw will not be active until your next turn, and only if the icons remain completely uncovered.
Running Out of Cards
When a player runs out of cards, he still continues taking turns by scoring points and activating his icon abilities until the game ends and the final scoring round is completed.
Winning the Game
The game ends when all players have run out of cards in their decks and the last player with any cards remaining in his hand throws his last card. At that point, there is one final scoring round and each player takes one more turn of scoring points. Only Points icons are activated during the final scoring round, all other icons are ignored.
The winner is the player with the most total points scored. If two or more players are tied for the most points, the player with the most total uncovered icons wins. If players are still tied, they share the win.
Scoring Example
It is the blue player's turn during his Score Points step. The red arrows in the diagram below point to icons that are considered active and count towards scoring. While the blue player has other pips showing on his cards, they are not considered active since they are covered by another card.
The printed rulesheet shows this example as a diagram of four blue throwdown cards and one yellow card, with red arrows marking the active icons.
The blue player has a total of 8 active pips (one 5 pip icon and three 1 pip icons). Every six pips scores one point so the blue player scores one point this turn. Any extra pips that did not count towards scoring are lost (extra pips do not carry over from turn to turn).