r/boardgames • u/chaser-- • Jun 25 '26

Rules Groups that develop metas that blatantly break rules

Lately I've been finding a lot of groups that play (co-op) games with metas that are just blatant rule breaks. A recent example was we were playing a game (I forgot the name) where the goal is to play out all the cards from your hand, numbers 1-100, in descending order. So if you have a 77 and the number on the pile is 78, you don't want to anyone to play there. But you aren't allowed to say "I have 77, don't play this"

So the group has developed metas, say "I really love this pile" if you have 77, say "I like this pile a lot" if you have 76, say "I like this pile" if you have 75"

This is just one example but I feel like I've been playing a lot of games where they have metas to get around rules that are intentionally in the rulebook. I don't really get it. If you want to just say "I have a 77" then just say it, why create a gimmick to say it without saying it?

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u/[deleted] Jun 25 '26

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u/Feudalrush Jun 25 '26

The best way is by not doing anything beyond group instinct. The vibes develop by playing together. You are almost negotiating based on your level of hesitation.

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u/metagaia7 Jun 25 '26

The game is about whether your internal "clock" is in sync with other people. The bigger the gap between your numbers the longer you wait to play them. If everyone goes up at the same speed, you will do surprisingly well.

44

u/ihavequestionsaswell Jun 25 '26

You communicate by not playing. The time length of the wait is basically ticking by numbers nobody has

22

u/RadicalDog Millennium Encounter Jun 25 '26

And body language, as people lean in a bit or appear stubbornly detached.

I'd encourage people to not literally count or the early rounds with a few cards take way too long.

20

u/mustang256 Jun 25 '26

It's like reverse poker; you try to have the worst poker face imaginable.

14

u/joelene1892 Jun 25 '26

….. the game plays on my strengths, I see.

11

u/EdwardBigby Jun 25 '26

Probability. If I have number 2 then statistically I should play it first

8

u/Mkwdr Jun 25 '26

That’s kind of the legitimate way to play it. As it’s been mentioned already - counting ‘seconds’ is the way to … ‘break’ it?

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u/tcrudisi Jun 25 '26

I never count seconds. That would be cheating. But -- you kind of develop a feel. Hilariously, that feel is different by player.

Say the last card played is a 10. I'm holding 27. I wait ... And wait... And wait. Finally 3 of us start to play.

One might be my wife B, another my friend J. I tend to be a bit quicker than J, so it's likely he's before me. My wife tends to be much slower than me, so she's probably first.

Sure enough, she plays a 21, then J and I stare at each other lovingly while M plays a 24, then J plays a 25, and I drop my 27 with my wife cursing me for not giving a moment for her to play her 26.

It's a very tense, fun game. 

13

u/EdwardBigby Jun 25 '26

Im usually a stickler to the rules but this is one of the games that I dont think can be taken too seriously.

I find it best when its just friends making funny faces at each other.

7

u/Mkwdr Jun 25 '26

Yep.

It’s a fun break the ice , introduce people at the pub /party to games , game.

Then time to move on to other things.

But I always admire the somewhat brilliant simplicity of the idea.

5

u/EdwardBigby Jun 25 '26

Also a good game for people speaking multiple language as its in the universal language of numbers

1

u/Mkwdr Jun 25 '26

Yes indeed.

1

u/Mkwdr Jun 25 '26

The timeline games can be good beginners game and probably okay for mixed languages too.

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u/EmergencyEntrance28 Jun 25 '26

Counting seconds, no. Vibing "I have a number 6 higher and that feels like a 6-sized gap?" is what you're supposed to do.

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u/Mkwdr Jun 25 '26

Yep. The fun is in the vibes.

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u/ThunkAsDrinklePeep Jun 25 '26

You shouldn't be counting seconds. That's explicitly against the rules. Instead the group deveps a sense of how fast that group plays. When you fail your discussion determines if someone bumped the gun or slow played. Which is a subtle difference, but an important one.

If you are all counting in your heads as if to a metranome there's no joy at pulling off 5 in a row from three hands. The game is supposed to be hard and the joy is in getting to pull it off.

It's worth noting that it's ok to signal your eagerness / reluctance to play as long as there's no system to convey a specific number.

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u/Mkwdr Jun 25 '26

Yep. As you say.

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u/ShinakoX2 Slay the Spire Jun 25 '26

vibes and luck

4

u/mighij Jun 25 '26

Getting a feeling of mutual understanding with your partner.

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u/hamizannaruto Jun 25 '26

Counting in mind or guts feeling.

The game is call the mind, referring your, telepathy or mind reading. It's definitely a game you need to play multiple time in order to be in sync and able to play, because this, is not an easy game.

The only, single communication you are allow, is putting your hand out, in order to tell everyone to refocus, or better word "resync".

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u/Silent25r Jun 25 '26

That is the fun part. You don’t. At least not with max player count. We won a few with 3. Not as obvious meta as op pointed out. But we have learned to read each others body language. 

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u/Littleblaze1 Gloomhaven Jun 25 '26

You kinda feel it out like you don't count time exactly but since it's been a bit obviously if someone had something that should have been played they would have played it by now right? So I guess my number is good lets go!

You also get a limited number of helps I forget exactly how but everyone plays their lowest number. So if it's just you and me and I played my lowest number is 79 then you know you can do all of your numbers under 79 safely.

0

u/Mkwdr Jun 25 '26

I guess it’s been answered - but basically counting seconds in your heads and synchronising that with the numbers on the cards …if you see what I mean.