Rules v0.1 for The Die of Consequences, rules to add strategic depth to party games with judging mechanics

Submitted by devtesla in just_post (edited )

Note: I haven't actually played this, so I don't know if this is actually fun or not.

Requires:

  • an Apples to Apples style judging party game, where you don't know who played what card
  • a d20, d12, and a d8
  • something to keep track of scores and number of strikes for each player

Play the game as normal, except the judge selects two cards at once: the funniest, and the most controversial. The judge can decide a card is both the funniest and the most controversial.

If a player has a funniest card (but not the most controversial): roll a d12, and add that to your score.

If a player has the most controversial card (but not the funniest): roll a d20, and add that to your score. If the roll is 12 or higher, then you must roll The Die of Consequences. Roll a d8, if you get an even number, you're safe. Roll an odd number, you get one strike.

If a player's card is both the funniest and most controversial: roll both the d12 and the d20, and add the combined total to your score. If the combined total is 24 or higher, it's Super Die of Consequences time. Roll a d8, if you get an even number, you're safe. Roll an odd number, you get two strikes.

If you have three or more strikes, you are canceled and lose 50 points. Points can be negative. After this point, you have two options: Keep making controversial jokes, as you cannot get canceled twice, and try to catch up. You do keep earning strikes. Or, you are now able to remove strikes by playing a card that's judged to be funny, but not controversial. If you are able to clear all your strikes, earn 60 points.

The game ends when someone reaches the goal number of points (don't know what this should be, haven't played the game yet), or people feel like it's time to be done.

I came up with this idea by trying to think about how you would adapt Twitter into a board game, because I have extremely terrible intrusive thoughts. I think the most apt description of Twitter is as a casino where if you win you ruin your life (note: I didn't come up with that lol). A big negative jackpot is a pretty good description of going viral on Twitter!

As I designed this out, I got more interested in how this might actually be fun to play, and I'll probably try it if I can get a table of people willing to go along with it. Pretty much all the cards in these types of games work as either safely funny, controversial but not funny, or funnily controversial. Think up a strategy to get the most points, and match it to what will make the judge laugh or get angry.

It's a mix of pure algorithmic randomness and the whims of people, which is pretty close to what Twitter is like. I also have ideas for ways to make each round where you win one or the other make the The Die of Consequences more dangerous, to simulate having a popular account. I also thought about ways to play where you know who played each card, so the judge can strategically decide to give the funny and controversial die to, with some checks where they have to justify their choice. But I'm starting with the simplest rules first lol

Let me know if I'm totally crazy for this or not lol, thank you for reading!!

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devtesla OP wrote (edited )

Rethinking the game to use drawing cards from a standard deck split into black and red cards.

Black cards are drawn and kept for when the judge finds you the funniest, and red cards are drawn and kept when you're most controversial. Like before, Consequences are a 50/50 change to get a strike (or two if you're a double winner), and three strikes total means you're Canceled, which also works the same as before.

Task execution order: black card effect -> red card effect -> Consequences

Black Card Effects:
(♠️, ♣️) 1-5: Add 5 to the card value and add that to your score.
(♠️, ♣️) 6-10, J, Q: Add the card value to your score. Jacks is 11, Queens is 12.
(♠️, ♣️) K : Quote dunk - If you did not also get the red card: Gain 15 points, and player with the red card loses 10 in addition to whatever they get from their card. If you have both cards: choose a player to lose 10 points.
♣️ A : Unexpectedly wholesome - 10 points, plus 5 for every strike you have.
♠️ A : Milkshake ducked - Gain 10 points, but lose fifteen points for every strike you have.

Red Card Effects:
(♥️, ♦️) 1-5: Add the card value to your score.
(♥️, ♦️) 6-10: Double the card value, but this card has a Consequences effect.
(♥️, ♦️) J: Standom - If you did not also get the black card: Gain 15 points, and the player with the blue card loses 15 points. If you have both, gain 10 points and 5 points for every strike. Either way, flip for Consequences.
(♥️, ♦️) Q : Offensively funny / no one liked that - If you also gained the black card this round, add 10 to the amount you gained from the black card and double the total, then add that to your score. If you did not gain the black card, gain no points, and flip for Consequences.
(♥️, ♦️) K : Unexpectedly vicious - If this is your first red card, gain 10 points and then 3 for every Black card you have. If you have gotten a red card and are not canceled, lose 5 points, and flip for Consequences. If you have been canceled, gain 10 points plus 5 for every strike.
♦️ A : Getting away with it - Gain 20 points, no Consequences
♥️ A : 14.87.233.76 - Immediately get two strikes

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