HOW TO PLAY

Basic Bitch

2+ PLAYERS / 6 CARDS PER PLAYER
Basic Bitch Rules (Simple, fast-paced, party play)

(66% Luck / 34% Skill) This is the style to play when your looking for a fast-paced, easy-peasy way to have a good time at parties where loud music, drugs, alcohol, and less intelligent people gather to laugh, talk shit, and have a good time playing a fucked up card game.

Basic Setup

  1. The Deck
    • Each card has a Kill Level (KL) from 1 to 5, based on its murder method.
    • Defense cards, Specialty cards, Signature cards, and the Coin of Fate surpass all regular Kill Card Levels.
  2. Dealing
    • The Death Dealer (Usually the person who said, “Hey, let’s play Murderville!”) deals 6 cards to each player.
    • The remaining cards form the Shared Armory, available to all players during the game.
  3. Starting the Game
    • The Death Dealer begins as the first Challenger and can target any player at the table. The next Challenger is the player to the right.

Being the Challenger (Offense)

  1. The card dealer starts as the first Challenger.
  2. Play moves counter-clockwise after each completed match, meaning the next Challenger is to the right.
  3. To issue a challenge, throw a card down face up – or – point at any player at the table (or call them by name) first, and say, “Throw down!” to demand that the Targeted Player throws down their card first.

Being the Targeted Player (Defense)

1. If challenged, you must play a card.
2. Reveal your card face up.
3. If throwing down a Level 6 (silver) defense card or higher, follow the card instructions.

Playing a Round

1. Both players reveal their cards face up.

  • The card with the higher Kill Level wins the round.
  • The winner of the match takes 1 new card from the Shared Armory to replace their played card. This is in addition to any cards that a defense or specialty card might have granted.

2. If the cards tie (Basic Standoff):

  • Both players immediately play another card until the tie is broken.

3. All played cards go to a discard pile.

  • These will be used as the new shared armory if the original shared armory runs out of cards.

4. If you run out of cards, you are eliminated. You lose. You’re done.

Special Rules

Basic Standoff
  • If both players reveal cards with the same Kill Level, they must play additional cards until the tie is resolved.
  • The winner is still only allowed to draw 1 card from the Shared Armory when the match is done.
Special Standoff
  • If both players throw down a Specialty Card of the same level (Ex: both throw down a Level 6 card), the Challenger must flip the Coin of Fate to decide the winner.
  • If the coin lands Death-side-up, the challenger is eliminated, even if they still have cards remaining in their hand.
  • If the coin lands Life-side-up, the targeted player is eliminated, even if they still have cards remaining in their hand.
  • The winner of the match draws 2 cards from the Shared Armory (Assuming there are still other opponents remaining).
Fatal Standoff
  • If both players tie on their last playing card, the Challenger must flip the Coin of Fate.
  • If the coin lands Death-side-up, the challenger is eliminated.
  • If the coin lands Life-side-up, the targeted player is eliminated.
  • The winner draws 3 cards from the Shared Armory (Assuming there are still other opponents remaining).

Winning / Losing

  • Goal: Be the last player with cards remaining.
  • Elimination: If you run out of cards, you’re out.
  • Bragging Rights: Track your kill record for extra glory.

**Even in team play, teammates must eventually fight until only one survives.

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Back of Card

TRUE KILLER

2+ PLAYERS / 6 CARDS PER PLAYER
True Killer Rules (Strategy, wagering, and bluffing )

(31% Luck / 69% Strategy) This is the truest way to play, but requires more skill, strategy, thought, observation, and planning because it uses the element of card wagering and bluffing to build your hand and cause more damage to your opponents.

Setup

1. The Deck

  • Each card has a Kill Level (KL) from 1 to 5, based on its murder method.
  • Defense cards, Specialty cards, and the Coin of Fate can surpass all Kill Levels.

2. Dealing

  • The Death Dealer (Usually the bored person who asked, “You guys wanna play Murderville?”) deals 6 cards to each player.
  • The remaining cards become the Shared Armory, available to all players during the game.

3. Starting the Game

  • The Death Dealer begins as the first Challenger.

Being the Challenger (Offense)

1. The card dealer always starts as the first Challenger.
2. After each round, the next player to the right becomes the new challenger.
3. The Challenger can:

  • Throw down their card first (to prevent their target from wagering). 

— or —

  • Demand that the Targeted Player throw down a card first. This gives you the advantage of seeing their card before you throw down; however, it also allows the targeted player to place a card wager.
    • To issue a challenge, point or nod directly at the player (your target) and say, “Throw down!”
    • Be clear about who you’re challenging, and embrace the fact that this will make you look like a bit of an asshole.
  • If the target player wagers an additional card, you have 3 options:
    1. Match their wager with a card or cards equal to their wagered (or bluffed) card level.
    2. Pretend (reverse bluff) to match the card level they wagered (or bluffed) and hope you don’t lose. If you win, they’ll never see what card you actually wagered. 
    3. “Walk Away.” If you don’t want to risk losing an extra card, multiple cards, or a high-level card, you can choose to forfeit the round. You won’t throw down or lose any cards, but your opponent will still gain a card from the Shared Armory to strengthen their hand.

Being the Targeted Player (Defense)

1. Wagering is 100% optional.

2. Only a Targeted Player can initiate a wager.

  • This means betting 1 additional card from your hand as a bluff or a bet that you will win the match. 
  • To place a wager, just say something like, “I’m betting a 5,” to indicate what card level you are wagering, then place the card face down to the side. Your opponent will have to trust that you are actually betting the card level that you claimed and are not bluffing. (**No one will see your wagered card unless you lose the round.)
  •  If the Challenger doesn’t “Walk Away“, then they must match the wager, risking a card (or cards) equal to or above the level of your bluffed or wagered card.
If you win the match:
  • You win 1 card from the Shared Armory.
  • You keep your wagered card. (You are not required to show it to anyone.)
  • You also win your opponent’s wagered card(s). Their wagered card(s) must be equal to or above the level that was wagered or bluffed by the Targeted Player.
    • If it is not, they must surrender additional cards until it reaches the accumulated wagered level or higher, even if it eliminates them from the game.
  • If you wager AND win, it means you have just strengthened your hand and weakened your opponent’s hand by at least 1 additional card.
If you lose the match:
  • You lose your thrown card.
  • You also lose your wagered card.
  • If you were bluffing about the card level you wagered or matched, you will have to surrender additional cards until the bluffed card level is met or exceeded (if you can’t match the exact number), even if it eliminates you from the game.
    • Ex: If you bluff that you are betting or matching a level 5 card, but actually placed a level 3 card face down to the side and lose, you will also have to surrender an additional level 2 card (or 2 – level 1 cards) to match the level that was bluffed or wagered.
    • If you don’t have the exact level of card you need, get as close as you can (Ex: Surrender a level 3 if you don’t have a level 2 card) while trying to do the minimum damage to your hand.
  • Be not stupid! Wagering or matching AND losing means you will have inflicted more damage to yourself and strengthened your opponent’s hand by at least 1 additional card.
Important Notes:
  • Only 1 additional card can be wagered per match.
  • If matching a wager, you can use as many cards as you need to match the wagered (or bluffed) level.
  • Wagers must happen before any player throws a card face-up to start the match.
  • If the Challenger “Throws Down” (throws a card face-up to start the match) first, the Targeted player is blocked from wagering.
  • You can bluff up to the highest level card contained in the deck. (Ex: If the deck has card levels 8, 9, 10, or higher, you can bluff or wager those card levels, even if you don’t have them in your hand.) However, if you lose that match, the card level you bluffed or wagered will be owed.

Playing a Round

Both players reveal their chosen cards face up.
  • The card with the higher card level wins the round.
  • The winner is entitled to 1 new card from the Shared Armory deck.
  • If cards are wagered, they keep their own wagered card(s) and win their opponent’s wagered card(s).
  • If their opponent bluffed about their card wager, the winner is entitled to a card or cards that match the level that was bluffed (Ex: 1 – Level 8 card or 2 – Level 4 cards to equal a Level 8 card) or higher if that exact number can not be met.
If the cards tie (Basic Standoff):
  • If the Challenger and Target throw down the same card level, both players must Throw Down another card until someone wins.
  • All thrown down cards are discarded into a played pile. This becomes the new Shared Armory if the original Shared Armory runs out.
  • If you run out of cards before your opponent, you are eliminated from the game.

Special Rules

Basic Standoff

  • If both players reveal cards with the same Kill Level, they must throw down additional cards until the tie is resolved.
  • The winner is only entitled to 1 new card from the shared armory, regardless of how many were thrown down in a match.
  • If cards were wagered, the winner keeps their wagered card(s) and wins their opponent’s wagered card(s).

Special Standoff

  • If both players throw down a Specialty Card (level 6 or higher) of the same level, the Coin of Fate is used.
  • One player is eliminated immediately, even if they still have other cards remaining.
  • The winner of a Special Standoff is entitled to 2 cards from the shared armory, plus the wagered card(s). (Which only matters if there are more opponents in the game.)

Fatal Standoff

  • A Fatal Standoff happens when both players tie on their last card.
  • The Coin of Fate is used to decide the winner.
  • The loser is eliminated from the game.
  • The winner is entitled to 3 cards from the shared armory, plus the wagered card(s). (Which only matters if there are still more opponents in the game.)

Winning / Losing

  • The goal is to out-kill or out-survive everyone else.
  • The game ends when only 1 player remains with cards in their hand.
  • Even in team play, teammates are expected to kill each other until only one from the winning team is left.

Elimination

  • Ran out of cards before your opponent(s)? You’re eliminated.
  • Winners should always keep track of their kill record for bragging rights

SUBMIT A NEW STYLE OF PLAY

Only Murderville community members can submit new styles of play. Once submitted, the style will be reviewed, tested, and voted on by the Murderville HOA to become accepted as an officially recognized style of play. 

OTHER WAYS TO PLAY

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ASSASSIN'S GREED

2 – 4 PLAYERS / 10 CARDS PER PLAYER
Assassin’s Greed Rules (A bit more mathy)

(77% Skill + Strategy / 23% Luck) This variation involves combining card levels to take cards from your opponent(s) by strategically using defense and attack cards.

Start

Each player starts with:

  • 5 attack cards (face-up)

  • 5 defense cards (face-down)

Before the first round begins, players may swap up to 2 cards between attack and defense to adjust their strategy.

Style Summary

The ultimate goal is to collect as many cards as you can by overpowering your opponent(s) and taking their cards.

Play

1. Being the Challenger

  • Double tap or verbally call out the card (and person if more than 2 players) that you are targeting.

  • Example: “Johnny, I’m taking that Level 4.” Then, use a higher-level attack card (a level 5+ in this example) to take the card that you want.

  • The Target can retaliate by fortifying (increasing their card level) with additional cards only from their defense to stop you from taking their card.

    • (Ex: They add a level 2 card from their defense, increasing the Level 4 to a Level 6 to fight the level 5 attack card.)

  • The Challenger can use up to 2 more attack cards (a total of 3 attack cards) to overpower their target and take their card(s).

  • The chosen attack card(s) must be played one at a time, allowing the Challenger to decide if they need to add more cards after seeing the Target’s response.

  • The combined card level of the attack must be higher than the single targeted card and remain higher than each defense card used in retaliation.

  • Once cards are used, they go to your collected pile and cannot be reused.

2. The Target Player’s Options

The Target (challenged player) has two choices:

  • Defend: Use up to 2 of your defense cards to add to the card level of your targeted card. The combined card level must exceed your challenger’s total attack card level to succeed.

  • Surrender: Let the attacker take the targeted card and any other thrown cards.

3. Winning the Round

Once each side has thrown their maximum amount of cards (Challenger – up to 3 attack cards / Target – 1 targeted card + up to 2 defense cards), the player with the higher total card level wins that round and collects all the cards thrown.

4. Attack Switch

After each match:

  • Assuming cards remain in the Shared Armory, the Challenger and Targeted player can replenish up to 2 cards from the Shared Armory. They can use the cards to replenish their offense or defense, or use 1 card for each, keeping a maximum of 10 cards.

  • During this time, Defense cards can also be flipped into attack cards.

  • After replenishment, the next player in rotation becomes the new challenger.

5. Fatal Stand-Offs

If the attack and defense levels are tied after both sides have used their maximum combinations:

  • The Coin of Fate is flipped to determine the winner of that round.

  • The winner takes all cards thrown during the round and places them in their collected win pile. These cards cannot be reused.

Specialty Cards

  • Specialty cards (Level 6+) retain their card level but lose their unique abilities (e.g., winning the round and getting extra cards).

  • Specialty cards can only be used once per game and are also placed in the collected win pile after use.

  • Specialty cards can be combined with up to 2 other cards in attacks or defenses, the same as any other card.

Replenishment

  • Replenishment is limited to 2 cards per player after each round, regardless of whether you win or lose. Even if you use 3 cards, you can only replenish 2.

  • Priority for replenishment always goes to the player with the fewest cards.

  • If the Shared Armory is empty, players must make do with their remaining cards.

How to Win

  • Cards won during a round go into your win pile and cannot be reused.

  • The goal is to collect a majority of the cards.

  • If players end up with the same number of cards, the Coin of Fate determines the final winner.

TRIPLE 6

2+ PLAYERS / 3 CARDS PER PLAYER
Triple 6 Rules (A crazy, twisted, opposite, power play)

(65% Skill + Strategy / 35% Luck) The goal of this playing style is to be the first to create a hand consisting of only 3 Level 6 cards. 

Start

  • Each player begins the game with 3 cards.

Play

  • The player who throws down the lower Kill Level takes the higher card that was thrown down.
  • The player who threw down the higher kill card replaces their card with a card from the Shared Armory deck in hopes of getting a Level 6 Specialty Card. (Yes, you are attempting to get rid of your highest attack cards.)
  • If a Specialty Card is thrown down against a (level 1 – 5)  attack card, the player who threw down the lower card takes the Specialty Card. (crazy right?)
  • Whenever a Specialty Card gets pulled from the Shared Armory, it should be held, giving you only the remainder of your 3 cards to continue playing.
  • If each player ends up with 2 Specialty Cards and there are no other Specialty Cards available, then both players will throw down their third card against each other. The player with the higher kill level wins that round and takes the third specialty card from their opponent. (Twisted right? Because you’ve been trying to get rid of your highest cards the whole game.)
A Stand-Off (Important!)

In the event of a stand-off, both players in the round continue to throw down until one player wins the round. Remember that the lower card will take the higher card that was thrown down, even if it is a specialty card. So winning does not necessarily mean that you are winning.

  • The winner (the player who threw down the highest cards) of the round replenishes ALL of their thrown down cards from the shared armory.
  • The loser (the player who threw down the lower cards) replenishes their hand from the highest cards that were thrown down. Including any of the specialty cards that were thrown.
A Fatal Stand-Off 

If both players throw down all 3 of their cards and all cards are equal, Fatal Stand Off rules apply. The Coin of Fate must eliminate one of the players.

How to Win

Be the first to collect 3 – Level 6 Specialty Cards.

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BLIND BASTARD

2 – 4 PLAYERS / 12 CARDS PER PLAYER
Blind Bastard Rules (Play for Money)

(40% Skill / 60% Luck) This is a faster-paced game play that involves betting money and/or additional cards. Like your sex life, it is brutal and fast and not very complicated. 

Start

Each player is dealt 12 cards (depending on how many players there are, cards you own, amount of money being played, and how long you want the game to last) from the Shared Armory Deck.
 

Play

  1. The Challenger selects a target.
  2. The Target and Challenger each choose a card and place it face down at the center of the table. They are now committed to those cards.
  3. If you are also playing for money, it is at this point that the Targeted player can place a monetary bet up to the maximum agreed-upon per-round betting limit.
  4. The Challenger can match that bet or choose to increase that bet up to the agreed per-round betting limit. If the bet is increased by the Challenger, the Targeted player must match or “Walk Away”, forfeiting that card, but losing no money.
  5. If neither player Walks Away, the Targeted player then decides how many additional cards (0 to a maximum of 3 cards) and the accumulated card level both players (Challenger and Target) will wager from their hand. Ex: If you wager an L3, an L2, and an L5 card, you are wagering a total of 10.) This determines how much additional damage will be done to the loser of the round.
  6. At this point, the Challenger must match that total card level. (Ex: Wager 2 – L5 Cards to equal the total 10)
    — or — 
    Loses that round if they do not have enough cards or strong enough cards to cover that card bet.
  7. Once all wagers are placed, players now flip their original cards, face up, to reveal their Kill Levels.
  8. The player who flips over the highest Kill Level (the bastard) wins the round.

Special Rules

  1. In the case of a standoff, both players continue to flip an additional card from their hand until a winner is determined.

  2. If a Fatal Standoff occurs, the Coin of Fate will determine the winner.
  3. The winner collects all the wagered cards thrown down,  which are collected as spoils, but not reused.
  4. At the end of each round, players replenish their cards from the Shared Armory to retain 6 cards. The winner is the first to replenish their cards.

  5. Specialty cards are only used for their numeric power level but do not grant any of their special privileges, such as collecting extra cards or automatically winning the round.

  6. Once a round is completed, the Challenger alternates to the next player (previously the Target or the next player in the rotation.)
  7. Once the Challenger’s hand erodes below 3 cards, the Target can only wager up to the maximum number of cards remaining in the Challenger’s hand. (i.e. if they only have 2 or 1 additional card remaining, that is the maximum amount of cards that can be wagered.)

How to Win

The game ends when There are no more cards in the Shared Armory and only one player has cards remaining. If your opponent(s) run out of cards, your remaining card goes into your collected pile.
 
The player who has collected the most cards wins.
 

SUDDEN DEATH

2+ PLAYERS / 0 CARDS PER PLAYER
Sudden Death Rules (The Fastest & Easiest)

Play

  • Flip The Coin of Fate.

  • The result of the coin flip determines the outcome of the round:

    • Life: The challenger wins, and the opponent is eliminated.

    • Death: The opponent wins, and the challenger is eliminated.

How to Win

  • Be the last surviving player after all opponents have been eliminated through coin flips.

Special Notes

  • There are no cards involved in this play style. Victory depends entirely on luck and what you have sacrificed to the Murderville Gods.

  • For added drama,  all players should chant “Coin of Fate! Coin of Fate!” until the coin is flipped.

Coin of Fate_Death_ No BG
Coin of Fate_Life_ No BG

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