UnNatural Selection Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Summary
• Contents
• Game Setup
• Playing the Game
• Winning
• Variant 1
• Variant 2
• Playing Tips
• Judging Tips

Game Summary

Duke it out to victory in the Battle Arena. Win battles by having your Creature modified with wacky features and be chosen as the victor!

2-10 players, Ages 8+, 15-30 minutes

Contents

• 170 Creature/Feature Cards
• 10 Challenge Event Cards (variant only)

Game Setup

1. Youngest player starts. They will be the Judge for that round.
2. The Judge shuffles the Creature Cards and deals three cards to each of the other players.
3. Place the remaining cards in a stack face down on the table.

Playing the Game

1. Each player (except the Judge) chooses a Creature card from their hand, which they believe is best for the battle, and plays it FACE DOWN on the table.

Illustration captions: "creatures available for battle" (three Creature cards from a hand) and "card selected" (one card placed face down on the table).

2. Once all battling players have played a card on the table, a random card from the deck is added FACE DOWN to the cards played. The Judge picks up the cards, mixes them and flips them face up so the creatures are facing him.
3. All players (except the Judge) then flip their cards in their hands so that blue/Feature side is on top. This activates your super cool Mod Ray X5000 weapon so that you can now alter the features of any Creature on the table. In turn order, clockwise from the judge, all players now place these cards face down under any face up Creature card of their choice. You can play on just one, multiple, and even your own.

Illustration caption: "Mod Ray X5000 weapon activated" (Feature cards placed face down under Creature cards).

In this manner the Creatures are being modified, i.e. the basic "goldfish" becomes the "goldfish that has a headache". Once activated, the Mod Ray X5000 will discharge completely, so each player must play all cards remaining in their hand.

4. Once all players have finished placing their blue/Feature cards underneath the Creatures, the Judge reveals the cards under a creature arranging them so that the blue feature words are above the creature card. The judge now selects the modified Creature that he believes would win the battle.

Example of cards played (3 player game): the illustration shows three modified Creatures played against each other. The first is a Chicken with the features "Sprinkled with tempura flakes" and "Hobbyflying". The second is a Pet Rock with the features "Skinny", "Jolly", "Miniaturized" and "Athlete's foot". The third is a Goldfish with the features "Overweight", "Has a headache" and "Has strict parents".

5. The player of the selected Creature is awarded that card by the Judge and it is placed face down as their own score pile beside them. If the random Creature card from the deck is the one selected, then all of the cards go into the discard pile and no one scores that round.
6. The Judge gathers all of the Creature cards played during this round, and discards them next to the Creature deck. If the Creature card deck is running low, the discard pile can be shuffled and added to the bottom of the Creature card deck.
7. The role of the Judge is passed to the next player on the left. The new Judge takes the deck and deals out three new cards to each player.

Winning

Play continues following steps 1-7 until someone has earned enough Creature Cards to win the game.

a. For 2-5 players, win 5 battles. b. For 6-7 players, win 4 battles. c. For 8-10 players, win 3 battles.

Variant 1

After dealing the cards out, the Judge picks a Challenge Event Card from the top of the stack, reads the card aloud, and places it face up on the table. The players are then trying to pick Creature Cards that would triumph in this particular Event. Award the challenge card to the winner instead of the Creature card.

Variant 2

If your group of players is feeling competitive, decide a funny penalty at the start of the game, such as hop on one leg and make a Creature noise for 10 seconds. After the Judge selects the best Creature, he or she will also select the worst Creature. The player of the selected worst Creature must then perform the penalty and their card is not rewarded as a winning card.

Playing Tips

1. If none of your Creature cards seem great for the challenge, look at the blue feature side of the card. You could have a card that would be better for the modification effect, so avoid playing it as a Creature.
2. Commenting aloud on the Creatures as the Judge reveals the modifications is encouraged.
3. If you know the Judge finds a certain Creature or modification entertaining, you can try to work this to your advantage.

Judging Tips

1. As the Judge, make your decision about the winner based solely on your own opinion.
2. Feel free to be swayed by charismatic players or charmingly enhanced creatures.