UNSCREWED Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
  • For your First Game
• Overview
• Setup
• Core Concepts
  • Thingamajigs
  • Spaces
  • Movement
  • Pushing
  • The Edge
  • Character Gimmicks
  • Dibs Order
  • Simultaneous Effects
• Playing the Game
  • Spawning
• Draw Quirks Phase
• Scheming Phase
• Execution Phase
  • North, East, South, West
  • Improvise
  • Again
  • Master Plan (Dr. Piddles Only)
• Attacking
  • Step 1 - Aim the Attack
  • Step 2 - Resolve Effects
  • Determining Victims
  • Attack Example 1
  • Attack Example 2
  • Attack Example 3
• Aftermath Phase
  • 1. Activate Fans
  • 2. Check Bombs
  • 3. Activate Crush Spots
  • 4. Shrink the Map
  • 5. Retrieve Action Cards & Pass Dibs
• Death
• Game End
• Space Reference
  • Bomb Spitter
  • Fan
  • Portal
  • Blank
  • Slick
  • Cracks
  • Hole
  • Crush Spot
  • Wall
• Icon Reference

Components

• Player Sets (Freddy Fraidy, Moe Skeeto, The Mad Cow, Slappy, Dr. Piddles), each with: 1 Standee, 1 Gimmick, 1 Scheme Board, 6 Action Cards, 2 Reference Cards. Slappy also has 1 Friend Token; Dr. Piddles also has 3 Master Plan Cards and 1 Plan Token.
• 4 Map tiles, 4 Map Direction tiles
• 4 Map Covers: Outer, Middle, Inner, Core
• 10 Bombs, 5 Anvils, 25 Slick tokens, 25 Hole tokens
• 40 Quirk Cards, 60 Improv Cards
• 1 Dibs Token, 1 Coin, 1 Die

For your First Game

If this is your first time playing the game, you should ignore any sections in this rulebook that have the "1st Game" (crossed-out) icon next to them. This will help you get a feel for the basics before jumping in with everything all at once.

While setting up the game, you should leave out any components with the icon, too. Specifically, you should leave out the Quirk Deck, all 5 character Gimmick Cards, all 5 Gimmick FAQ Reference Cards, the Slappy's Friend Token, the Plan Token, and all 3 Master Plan Cards.

There are also cards with the icon in the Improv Deck, so be sure to leave them out.

Overview

Due to dwindling ratings, the Blammo! Network can only afford to keep one of their notorious Saturday morning cartoons on the air, but they can't decide which! You control the misfit characters from these cartoons in a televised fight to the death, concocting schemes and watching them go hilariously wrong.

You and the other players will try to out-scheme each other, using game-changing Quirks and an arsenal of cartoon weaponry to attack each other and survive a shrinking board that's out to kill you--all to keep your show from being cancelled.

The last player standing wins the game!

Setup

1. Each player chooses a character and takes everything from that character's player set (detailed on the Components page). Each player should have a hand consisting of six Action Cards (North, East, South, West, Improvise, and Again) with any character-specific components to the side.
2. Put the Bombs, Anvils, Slick Tokens, Hole Tokens, and Map Covers off to the side. (Or, feel free to leave them in the tray until needed)
3. (Not in first game) Shuffle the Quirk Cards to form the Quirk Deck, and place it within reach of all players, with space beside it for a discard pile.
4. If it's your first game, remove the cards with a "1st Game" icon from the Improv Deck. Shuffle the Improv Deck, and place it within reach of all players, with space beside it for a discard pile.
5. Place the Map Tile you'd like to play on in the center of the play area. If you're not sure which Map to use for your first game, Map 1A is a good choice!
6. Put one Map Direction Tile along each edge of the Map Tile. The Map Direction Tiles should be in clockwise compass order (North, East, South, West).
7. Give the Dibs Token to whichever player calls "Dibs!" first, and begin the game.

Core Concepts

Thingamajigs

Any component that stands upright on the board is referred to as a Thingamajig. Thingamajigs are physical entities that interact with the Map and each other in the same way.

Thingamajigs are not the same as Spaces, which are printed on Maps or exist separately as tokens (Hole and Slick Tokens are not Thingamajigs, for example, they're spaces). Character, Bomb, and Anvil standees are all Thingamajigs.

Spaces

On every Map Tile, there are a variety of spaces that apply unique effects to the Thingamajigs that interact with them. Some spaces take effect when a Thingamajig enters or exits them, such as Slicks and Portals; while others activate at specific times, such as Crush Spots and Fans. See the Space Reference section near the end of the rulebook for details about each space type.

When an effect puts a new space on the Map, place the corresponding Space Token on the appropriate space (removing any Space Token already present). Space Tokens override whatever printed space they cover, but they cannot be placed in a space occupied by a Thingamajig.

Movement

When a Thingamajig moves, it travels from one space to another in a specific direction, entering and exiting every space along the way. Effects apply immediately when triggered. This means that any triggered spaces or card effects should be completely resolved before continuing the movement of the Thingamajig that triggered them.

Example: Moe moves 1 space East and enters a slick space. The slick moves Moe 1 additional space East.

Some effects can send Thingamajigs to other spaces without moving them. This applies to any effect that changes the space a Thingamajig is on without using the word "move" (such as a Surprise Card that says "switch places with the next player"). When this happens, the affected Thingamajig is placed directly in its destination, and does not trigger enter/exit effects for any space. This is not considered movement and has no direction associated with it.

Example: Dr. Piddles and The Mad Cow switch spaces with one another, bypassing the Wall between them.

Pushing

Only one Thingamajig may occupy a space at a time. If a Thingamajig enters an occupied space, they push the occupant, moving them 1 space in the pusher's move direction before continuing their movement.

As long as Thingamajigs continue to enter each other's spaces, pushes continue to occur.

Example: Slappy moves 1 space South and pushes an Anvil. The Anvil is pushed 1 space into Freddy, who's also pushed 1 space.

The Edge

The Edge is the area outside of the available spaces on the Map. When a Thingamajig goes over The Edge, it dies.

At the end of every round, a Map Cover will be placed, reducing the number of available spaces and forcing players closer together. Moving into any placed Map Cover is considered going over The Edge.

When no Map Covers are placed, The Edge is the outside of the Map where there are no spaces. Moving into Map Covers is the same as going over The Edge.

Character Gimmicks

Each character has a unique ability card known as their Gimmick. Double-sided Gimmicks always begin the game with their front side face up. Gimmicks are public knowledge, and players are encouraged to read theirs aloud before the game starts.

Some Gimmicks have mandatory effects that occur at specific times.

All Gimmicks have a Goal and a Reward. Every time a player fulfills the conditions of their Goal, they immediately resolve their Reward.

For additional Gimmick clarifications, check your character's Gimmick FAQ Reference Card.

Dibs Order

Dibs Order refers to an order of the players that starts with the Dibs player (whoever currently has the Dibs Token) and proceeds clockwise. It's used to indicate the order in which players should resolve certain steps, actions, or effects.

Simultaneous Effects

If multiple effects trigger at the same time, they should be resolved by their controlling players in Dibs order. If one player controls multiple effects that trigger at the same time, they choose the order in which to resolve them. If it's not clear which player controls an effect, the Dibs player resolves it.

Playing the Game

First, all players Spawn their characters on the Map. Then, the game consists of four repeating phases:

1. Draw Quirks: Each living player gains a new Quirk.
2. Scheming: Players simultaneously plan their turns for the round.
3. Execution: Players take turns executing their Schemes, one step at a time.
4. Aftermath: Fans, Bombs, and Crush Spots activate, then the Map shrinks.

Spawning

In Dibs order, each player places their character standee on a Blank space that is neither occupied by nor adjacent to another character standee. Adjacent always includes diagonally.

Once all players have Spawned, you're ready to begin the first round of the game.

You can only spawn your character in Blank spaces that aren't adjacent to another character.

Draw Quirks Phase

Quirks are continuous, game-changing effects that players gain as the game goes on. Unless stated otherwise, Quirk effects are mandatory and take effect whenever their listed conditions are met.

First, the Dibs player looks at the top two Quirks of the deck and chooses one to draw and one to discard. They must choose a Quirk.

Then, each other player in Dibs order draws the top Quirk from the Quirk Deck. Quirks are public information, and players are encouraged to read them aloud after everyone has drawn one. When the Quirk Deck is empty, shuffle the discard pile to refill it.

QUIRK LIMIT: You can only have 3 Quirks at a time. If you would draw a 4th, you must discard one of your other Quirks. You must always keep the Quirk you drew.

Quirks go in the slots above your Scheme board.

Scheming Phase

Players simultaneously form their Schemes by selecting 3 Action Cards from their hand and laying them face down in the slots on their Scheme boards. Action Cards are resolved from left-to-right, so make sure you put them in the order you want to resolve them.

You may look at the Cards in your Scheme at any time, but you may not change them after the Scheming Phase.

Action Cards go in the thought bubble slots on your Scheme board.

Execution Phase

In Dibs order, players take turns flipping the first Action Card in their Scheme face up and resolving it. This means that no player should take their second action until everyone has performed their first. This is repeated for everyone's second action, and finally their third.

For the entire game, every player will have the same six Action Cards available to them. They provide the following effects:

North, East, South, West

Move your character standee 1 space in the indicated direction.

Directions are marked by the Map Direction Tiles at each edge of the Map Tile.

Improvise

Draw a card from the Improv Deck, resolve it immediately, then discard it. If the Improv Deck is empty when you take this action, shuffle the discard pile to refill the deck first.

The Improv Deck contains:

• Attack Cards: When you draw an Attack Card, follow the steps detailed in the Attacking section below.
• Surprise Cards: When you draw a Surprise Card, resolve its effects and discard it.

Again

Repeat the action that came before this one in your Scheme.

If this is the first action in your Scheme, Stumble 1 space. (Stumble = roll the die to move towards the corresponding Map Direction Tile.)

Master Plan (Dr. Piddles Only)

When you reach a step of your Scheme that has a Master Plan Card on it, you may perform any one of the basic 6 actions: North, East, South, West, Improvise, or Again.

Attacking

Attack Cards are an offensive type of Improv Card that can disrupt other players, the Map, or even the attacker themselves. Attacks are aimed in one of the four cardinal directions, chosen by the attacker.

Every Attack Card has a targeting grid and a description of the effects. The targeting grid will have one or more symbols, indicating the type of effect; and a white Aim Direction arrow, which also represents the Map space occupied by the attacking player.

Step 1 - Aim the Attack

Aim the attack in one of the four cardinal directions.

Hold the Attack Card over the Map, and rotate it to see which spaces will be affected by the targeting grid. The Aim Direction arrow indicates the direction you're aiming the attack, but pay attention to the icons in the description of the attack's effects--some effects do not occur in the Aim Direction.

Step 2 - Resolve Effects

Resolve as much of the attack's effect as possible, and discard it. If an attack's effect is split across multiple sentences, completely resolve each one in order, from top to bottom. Make sure to read the entire card even if it doesn't look like it will hit anything--many attacks have effects that occur even if there are no Victims.

A direction arrow icon in the description represents the direction of the attack's effect after the attack has been aimed. Pay close attention--they don't always point in the Aim Direction!

Determining Victims

When an attack's effect calls for Victims, check the symbols on the targeting grid relative to the attacker's current space. Any Thingamajig targeted by one of the attack's targeting symbols becomes a Victim of the attack.

Example: Victims of this attack are moved 2 spaces in the Aim Direction, and the attacker is moved 2 spaces in the opposite direction.

Victims are only made by symbols on the targeting grid. Thingamajigs that are indirectly affected by the attack (e.g., being moved by Pushes) are not considered to be Victims of the attack.

There are two targeting symbols that can appear on Attack Cards:

• Melee symbols indicate individual targeted spaces. Any and all Thingamajigs occupying these spaces are Victims.
• Ranged symbols indicate one or more lines of attack. Resolve one ranged line at a time, checking the spaces along its path, stopping only when the line hits a Thingamajig, a Wall, or leaves the Map. Only the first Thingamajig in the path of each ranged line is a Victim of the attack. Ranged lines continue beyond the targeting grid and can cross Map Covers.

Targeting grids may also include a move symbol:

• Move symbols represent the spaces the attacking character will move through as part of the attack. Only the attacker is affected by the move symbol. Unless specified otherwise, the attacker must move through all indicated spaces, stopping on the final marked space. If the attacker triggers another effect during this movement, completely resolve the triggered effect before continuing the movement.

Attack Example 1

Moe draws the Big Hammer Attack Card and aims it East.

Two of the three targeted spaces are occupied by Thingamajigs: Slappy and Bomb 1 become Victims.

The first part of the attack moves the Victims 1 space in the direction of the black arrow (East). The second part of the attack requires Moe to place a Hole Token on each of the targeted spaces.

Attack Example 2

The Mad Cow draws the Extendo-Gloves Attack Card and aims it West.

The first ranged line hits a wall, stopping just short of Freddy. The second goes over The Edge. The third hits an Anvil.

The Victim of this attack (the Anvil) is moved 1 space in the direction of the black arrow (West).

Attack Example 3

Slappy draws the Chompy! Attack Card and aims it East.

The first part of the attack moves Slappy 1 space in the direction of the black arrow (East), which moves him onto a series of Slick spaces. Slappy slides across all these spaces.

Once Slappy has completely finished moving, check for Victims for the second part of the attack. The Aim Direction symbol on the targeting grid marks Slappy's current position, and the melee symbols should be checked relative to that space, not Slappy's starting position. Dr. Piddles is in one of those spaces and becomes a Victim.

The attack moves the Victim (Dr. Piddles) 1 space away from Slappy (diagonally, Northeast).

Aftermath Phase

A pre-determined sequence of events occurs.

1. Activate Fans
2. Check Bombs
3. Activate Crush Spots
4. Shrink the Map
5. Retrieve Action Cards & Pass Dibs

1. Activate Fans

Simultaneously, move all Thingamajigs on any space in front of or behind a Fan 1 space in the direction the Fan is pointing. If there's a Wall between a Thingamajig and a Fan, it doesn't move.

Bad things happen to Thingamajigs that enter a Fan space, as detailed in the Space Reference section near the end of the Rulebook.

Example: All Fans activate simultaneously. Moe is moved one space West; Slappy and an Anvil are moved one space East. A Wall protects Dr. Piddles from being moved.

2. Check Bombs

Check each Bomb on the Map, one at a time, in numerical order. If any Thingamajigs are adjacent to a Bomb when it's checked, that Bomb explodes. Move all adjacent Thingamajigs 2 spaces away from the exploding Bomb, then remove the Bomb from the Map.

If new Bombs appear during this step, they don't get checked and do not explode.

Example: During the Aftermath, there are three bombs: 1, 5, and 8. Bomb 1 is checked first, and because there is at least one Thingamajig adjacent to it, it explodes, moving The Mad Cow and bomb 5 away from it. Then bomb 5 is checked. There's nothing adjacent to it, so nothing happens. Finally, bomb 8 is checked, and because The Mad Cow is adjacent to it, it explodes, moving The Mad Cow over the Edge.

3. Activate Crush Spots

All occupied Crush Spots activate simultaneously.

When a Crush Spot activates, the Thingamajig occupying it dies and an Anvil is put in their place.

4. Shrink the Map

Center the largest available Map Cover on the Map, covering an equal number of spaces on all sides.

If a Thingamajig occupies a space that is covered by a Map Cover, they die.

In all subsequent rounds, any Thingamajig that moves onto a Map Cover dies.

A Map Cover is placed every round, shrinking the Map from the outside in.

5. Retrieve Action Cards & Pass Dibs

All players return the Action Cards from their Scheme to their hand.

Next, check any effects that are triggered "at the end of the Aftermath" (e.g., If, at the end of the Aftermath, no players are adjacent to Freddy, flip his Gimmick Card).

Finally, pass the Dibs Token to the next player in Dibs order. If that player is dead, they respawn immediately. Start a new round beginning with the Draw Quirks phase.

Death

When a Thingamajig dies, remove its standee from the Map. If it was a character, the player controlling that character also removes their Action Cards from their Scheme (except for Master Plan Cards). Do not discard the Quirk Cards, as they will still be used if the player respawns. Dead players do not participate in the game in any way unless an effect states otherwise--they are out of the game until an effect allows them to respawn.

RESPAWNING: If the Dibs Token is passed to a dead player, that player respawns immediately, following the normal spawning restrictions. If there are no legal spaces to spawn in, the player does not respawn--they stay dead.

Game End

The game ends the moment only one living player remains on the Map, even if they still have movement remaining or they are about to die. If the final remaining players died simultaneously, there is no winner.

The last player standing wins, and their show isn't cancelled!

Space Reference

REMEMBER: Bombs, Slick Tokens, and Hole Tokens can't be placed in a space occupied by a Thingamajig.

Bomb Spitter

When a Thingamajig enters this space, a Bomb is spat [die roll icon] spaces in the direction the frog's mouth is pointing. The Bomb originates from this space and interacts with any spaces or other Thingamajigs it encounters on the way. If the space immediately in front of a Bomb Spitter is occupied by something it can't push (such as a Wall or a character with a Quirk that prevents them from being pushed), no Bomb is spat.

Bombs are Thingamajigs that explode during the Aftermath. When adding Bombs to the Map, do so in numerical order.

Example: Dr. Piddles steps on a Bomb Spitter and rolls a 2, spitting a Bomb 2 spaces out of the spitter's mouth.

Fan

All Fans activate simultaneously during the Aftermath. When a Fan activates, move all Thingamajigs in front of or behind them 1 space in the direction indicated on the Fan. Fans affect Thingamajigs in their path even if a Map Cover is between them--only a Wall blocks the effects of a Fan.

When a Thingamajig enters a Fan space (at any time, not just when the Fan activates), they die. If a player dies in this way, place Slick Tokens on every space in front of the Fan until a Thingamajig, Wall, or The Edge is reached.

Portal

When a Thingamajig would enter a Portal, they move as if they exited the matching colored Portal in the same direction instead. If a Portal is covered by a Space Token or Map Cover, its matching Portal should be treated like a Blank space.

Thingamajigs may never occupy a Portal space unless its matching Portal is covered or an effect allows them to ignore it.

Example: Freddy moves 1 space East, going through a Portal and ending up on the other side.

Blank

No effects.

Slick

When a Thingamajig enters this space, it moves an additional space in the same direction.

Slick Tokens differ from printed Map spaces in that they're red, however they function the same.

Cracks

When a Thingamajig exits this space, place a Hole Token here.

Hole

When a Thingamajig stops moving on this space, it dies.

Thingamajigs can move through Hole spaces without dying as long as they don't end their movement on the Hole.

Crush Spot

Crush Spots activate during the Aftermath, but only if they're occupied by a Thingamajig. When a Crush Spot activates, kill the Thingamajig occupying it and place an Anvil here.

Anvils are Thingamajigs with no other effects after they enter the Map.

Wall

Thingamajigs can't enter Wall spaces.

Walls also block Fans and ranged attack lines.

Icon Reference

• Stumble: Move in a random direction by rolling the die and moving towards the Map Direction Tile that has the number you rolled. The roll determines the direction, not the distance! Every Thingamajig rolls separately.
• Coin Flip: Flip a coin and call it. The rest of the effect will depend on whether you won or lost the flip.
• Improvise: Draw an Improv Card.
• Directions: North, East, South, or West.
• Direction Arrows: Direction arrows appear on Attack Cards and represent the direction of the effect after the Attack Card has been aimed.
• Confuse: Shuffle the next face-down Action Card from your Scheme into your hand, and randomly replace it. If all the actions in your Scheme are already face up, this has no effect.
• Shift: Move in any direction, including diagonals.
• Trash: Discard.
• Die Roll: Roll the die.
• Melee Target: Indicates a space that will be targeted as part of an attack.
• Ranged Line: Indicates a line of spaces that will be targeted as part of an attack.
• Move: Indicates a space that the attacker will move to as part of an attack.
• Tokens & Thingamajigs: shorthand for the Token/Thingamajig shown: Bomb, Anvil, Hole, Slick, Plan.