Monsters Go to Town
◀ MONSTER HERDER CLAP BATTLE ▶
GAME SETUP: BEAT CARDS • MONSTERS & MINIONS
EACH PLAYER GETS: 1 MONSTER + 5 MINIONS
SIMILAR TO: ---
FOCUSES ON: RHYTHM
✦ GOAL: BUILD AND COUNT RHYTHMS! ✦
SETUP
- Shuffle the Monster BEAT Cards and set them face-down as a draw deck.
- In the middle of all players, set up the framework for four measures: your chosen time signature, three barlines, and an end barline. This is our "road to town" that we need to complete.
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Each player has one monster, but their minions should all be held by a judge who will award them as the player completes measures and wins points.
GAMEPLAY
Draw a card and choose a measure to add it to. Each player will draw and place one card per turn, gradually building out the measures as play continues. You can place your card anywhere in a measure, even between two existing cards. If you can’t place your card, add it to the discard pile.
To score points, you must complete a measure by playing the card that finishes it. You then have the first chance to "claim" the measure and gain a point:
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To claim the measure, your monster must correctly stomp out the rhythm along the card-path.
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Decide how many chances to allow for getting it right. Use any counting method you like!
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Decide how many chances to allow for getting it right. Use any counting method you like!
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If your monster succeeds, the judge places one of your minion pucks on the measure to mark your claim.
- If your monster does NOT perform the measure correctly, the measure remains unclaimed. From that point on, any player has the option to try to capture the unclaimed measure on their turn instead of drawing a card. If they succeed, they claim the measure and their puck is placed there. If not, their turn is over and the next players have the same option on their turn.
Special Rules for the Last Incomplete Measure
When only one measure remains incomplete, special rules apply: If you have a card that allows you to modify and complete the measure in a SINGLE move, you may remove as many cards as needed to do so and finish the measure.
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When all measures are claimed, players gather their minion points in order to keep their score for this round, as the game continues.
Then there is a Bonus Round
At this point, any monster can try to win an additional bonus point by stomping the entire finished road from beginning to end (the full sequence of measures), all the way "to town." The player who finished the last measure can stomp first.
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If no one has yet won the game, clear the road and start a new one.
WINNING THE GAME
Continue playing rounds until one player earns 5 points! Complete a the last round to allow for ties.
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Try using ducks instead of monsters. Quack qua-qua quaaaaaaack!!
Depending on space, you can stack the measures instead of laying them out in one line.
Harder: Require that cards are placed down in order in the measure, creating more challenging rhythms.
Harder: Don't clear the road after 4 measures, but keep building it longer and longer. Players are allowed to stomp the entire road for an extra point once they have four measures already claimed -- ie, they can use the bonus point to win the game. The full run of the road can only be attempted when there are no unfinished measures.
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