MURDER in the ISLANDS! - Cheapass Games
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MURDER in the ISL ANDS!
Renowned adventurer Doctor J. Robert Lucky has invited several he ruined your dry cleaning business. Perhaps he seduced and/or
of his closest friends for a weekend safari on his mysterious private betrayed your girlfriend and/or drinking buddies. Perhaps you labor
island. But, unbeknownst to the good Doctor, everyone in the party under the unshakable dread that he is the secret king of the vampires.
wants to kill him! Or perhaps his cat just keeps peeing in your shrubs.
Welcome to Isla Fortuna, an island just as dangerous as you. You’re a Whatever the reason, the old man must die. But he isn’t called
vengeful killer on the hunt for Doctor Lucky, and you’ve long awaited “Doctor Lucky” for nothing. It’s harder than ever to kill him, and
this golden opportunity to take him out. this deadly manhunt promises more dangers than you can imagine.
Why the animosity? Perhaps Doctor Lucky said or did something cruel Doctor Lucky is ready for you this time, and while you race to kill the
or unforgivable to or about someone or something you love. Perhaps old man, his island will try to kill you!
Component Details
The Basics
The Board: There are 24 regions, or “spaces,” on Isla
Your goal is simple: Kill Doctor Lucky. You can
Fortuna. Players can move and see between any two
try to do this when you are alone with him
connected spaces, i.e., spaces that share an edge.
and no one else can see you. You can also kill
Moving: Players start with a Move of 1 (one step),
him from a distance, using a Hazard card.
but they can gain more movement through play.
When you try to kill Doctor Lucky, his
There are four airplanes, located on the Plains
abundant Luck (played by other players) will
spaces, which act as quick-move connections. You can
usually save him.
move between any two airplane spaces with one step.
But you will gain a little strength each
Seeing: Players and Doctor Lucky can see each
time you try, and eventually the Doctor’s
other on the same space, and on all adjoining spaces.
Luck will run out!
For example, a player in the Frog Pond can see (and
The Island of Doctor Lucky is based
be seen by) others in the Frog Pond, Sunset Beach, the
on our very first game, Kill Doctor Lucky,
Sugar Farm, and the Cliffs of Social Anxiety.
and they have many rules in common.
However, you should read these rules
The Cards: There are three types of card in the deck: Weapons, Hazards, and Failure
carefully, as some mechanics have changed,
Cards. There are also eight Character cards, which do not shuffle into the deck.
and others are brand new!
Luck: Doctor Lucky’s “Luck” can appear on every type of card in the
deck, and is represented by shamrocks like the one shown here. The Luck
j Components k value of a card has nothing to do with its other functions, but you can
discard these cards whenever you need some Luck. Luck
The Island of Doctor Lucky includes:
Weapons: You don’t need a Weapon to kill Doctor Lucky, but they make your
• Eight Player Pawns murder attempts stronger. Each Weapon card is usable everywhere, but also has a
• One larger Pawn for Doctor Lucky single space where it is even better.
• One small round Token for the cat. Hazards represent the dangerous surprises found all over the island, including
• Eight Character Cards traps, creatures, and terrain. You can throw Hazards at other players, or at Doctor
• 72 Game Cards Lucky, if they are alone and in the right type of space.
• The Isla Fortuna Game Board Failure Cards represent the majority of Doctor Lucky’s Luck, and this is their
• These Rules only function. While Weapons and Hazards might have zero, one, or two Luck, Failure
Cards have from 1 to 4 Luck. The details for all these cards are given below.
Note: The basic rules are best for groups
of 4 to 8 players. Supplemental rules for 2 or 3 The Cat: Doctor Lucky’s panther, Ragu, is a beloved fixture of Isla Fortuna, and is
players are given on the last page. represented by the small round token. She acts as a “sight line stopper.”
Missing a Piece? If you discover that When Ragu is in a region, pawns in that region (including players and Doctor
something is missing from your game, Lucky) can’t see into the neighboring spaces. They can still see each other, but they are
please contact us at cheapass.com. too distracted by the cat to look anywhere else. This might be because she is so cute,
or because she is extremely dangerous, or perhaps both.
Setting Up
Each player chooses a Character card and the corresponding pawn.
On Each Turn
Place your Character card on the table in front of you. A turn has two steps, called Phase 1 and Phase 2.
Players’ pawns start on Castelo Feliz. Doctor Lucky starts at
Sunset Beach. The cat starts in the Observatory. In Phase 1, you may do one of the following, or pass:
Shuffle the deck and deal a hand of cards to each player: • Move your pawn,
• Move the cat, or
With 2 or 3 players, the starting hand is 7 cards. See the back • Play a Hazard.
page for some additional rules for 2 and 3 players.
With 4 to 6 players, the starting hand is 6 cards. In Phase 2, you may do one of the following, or pass:
With 7 or 8 players, the starting hand is 5 cards. • Draw a card, or
• Try to kill Doctor Lucky.
Set the deck beside the board, with space for a discard pile
beside it. When the deck is empty it is not recycled. Note: Because the Phase 2 options require that no one can see
Begin with a random player. Play usually proceeds to the left, you, you will often be unable to do anything in Phase 2. More
but sometimes the turn order can be altered by Doctor Lucky, as details on both phases are below.
described below.
PHASE 1
In Phase 1 you may do one of three things: move yourself, Playing a Hazard on Doctor Lucky: When you throw a
move the cat, or play a Hazard. You can also choose to do none Hazard at Doctor Lucky, it is resolved in a similar fashion to a
of these and just stay put. murder attempt, described later.
Starting on your left, each player has one chance to discard
Moving Yourself: Your character begins with a basic Move of Luck to foil the Hazard, and if your opponents don’t play enough
one step. One “step” takes you from one region to any adjacent Luck, you win the game!
region. You can also step directly between any two regions that
contain airplanes. Gaining Movement: After you play a Hazard, no matter
Gaining Movement: Each time you play a Hazard (see what the target or the outcome, you gain +1 to your Move. Keep
below) you will gain +1 Move. This gives you a longer range of the Hazard card face down under your Character card, on the
movement for the rest of the game. Note: it takes no more than four “+ Move” side, as shown below.
steps to get anywhere on the board!
Moving the Cat: Instead of moving yourself, you may move the
cat. Ragu knows the island better than anyone, so she can hop
directly to any space.
About the Cat: Ragu is quite a distraction, so anyone who is in
a region with her (including players and Doctor Lucky) is unable to see In this example,
outside that region. Move her correctly in Phase 1, and you can often Janet Principle
prevent people from seeing you in Phase 2! has accumulated
two extra Moves,
Playing a Hazard: Instead of moving, you can play a Hazard on and now has a
Doctor Lucky or on another player. Move of 3.
Each Hazard card is marked with a particular type of region
where it can be played (for example, Forests). The target of your She also has
Hazard must be alone on that type of space. +1 Attack.
“Alone” means that no other pawn, including players and
Doctor Lucky, is on the same space. However, Ragu doesn’t care,
so you can absolutely throw a Hazard at someone who is alone
with the cat.
The effect of the Hazard depends on whether your target is a
player or Doctor Lucky, as follows:
*Optional Rule: You’re Out!
Playing a Hazard on Another Player: When you throw a
Hazard at another player, that player pays one of two penalties. For an even more dangerous game, you can add this rule: If you
They must either: throw a Hazard at a player who holds no cards, that player is
• Pass you one card from their hand, or eliminated from the game! Make sure everyone agrees to this
• Discard enough Luck to match the value of the Hazard. For rule at the start of the game, because it will dramatically affect
example, discard at least 3 Luck if the Hazard is worth 3. the way players manage their hands.
• If your target’s hand is empty, there is no penalty*.
PHASE 2 NBetween Turns: O
In Phase 2 you have to be unseen to act. You can either draw a card,
Moving Doctor Lucky
or try to kill Doctor Lucky, but only if no one is looking at you.
If you’re being watched, you will have to do nothing. Doctor Lucky walks in a fixed path around his island, stopping at
each region in order. After each player’s turn, Doctor Lucky moves
Draw: Take one card from the top of the deck. You may draw one step forward, to the next space in sequence. From the highest
only if no one, including Doctor Lucky, can see you. number, space 24, he steps to space 1.
There is no limit to the number of cards you can hold. When Doctor Lucky moves, he can sometimes cause players to
When the deck empties, it is not recycled, so players will draw cards, and he will often change the turn order.
no longer have the option to draw cards.
Drawing Cards: If Doctor Lucky moves into an
Make a Murder Attempt: If you are alone with Doctor empty Building space, all players who hold fewer
Lucky and no one else can see you, you can try to kill him. You than three cards draw one card.
may play a Weapon to improve your attack, or you can try to “Empty” means that there are no players
kill him with your bare hands. in the building. (The cat doesn’t count.) These
Attack Value: You start with a basic Attack of 1. This spaces have a card icon, shown here, to remind Card Icon
increases by 1 point each time you make a murder attempt, you of this rule.
similar to the way that Hazards increase your Move. If the deck is nearly empty, the order in which players
You can play one Weapon to improve the value of your at- draw their cards will matter. Start to the left of the last active
tempt. The Weapon value is added to your Attack Value. player, and proceed around the table to the left.
Note that each Weapon is useful everywhere, but also When the deck is empty, players can no longer draw cards.
has an improved value in a specific place. For example, the
Beach Chair is worth 2 points anywhere, but is worth 4 points Turn Order: If Doctor Lucky moves into a space with a player,
in Sunset Beach. the turn jumps to that player, and will proceed to the left from
there.
Foiling a Murder Attempt: Doctor Lucky escapes murder Exception: On the first round of the game, this rule is off,
attempts when other players discard a sufficient amount of and the turn order cannot change. This means that Doctor Lucky
his Luck. does not activate players by moving into them until each player has
Luck is represented by the shamrocks found on most had at least one turn. At the end of the last player’s first turn, the
cards, and each point of Luck that is discarded cancels one rule goes into effect.
point of the Attack Value. Moving the turn around like this can cause some chaos,
Starting on the left of the murderer, and going just once but it also means that you can lie in wait for the Doctor and be
around the table, each player in turn may discard as many guaranteed a turn, unless someone else is waiting with you.
cards as they wish (or none at all), to contribute their Luck If Doctor Lucky moves into a room occupied by more than
value to Doctor Lucky’s escape. one player, the turn moves to the player in the room who is
Failure! If sufficient Luck is played, Doctor Lucky lives closest to the left of the last active player.
and the game continues. For example, if Player 1 moves into a space with Player 3,
Success! If sufficient Luck is not played, Doctor Lucky and Doctor Lucky moves in behind him, then Player 3 will take
dies, and the murderer wins the game! the next turn.
“Riding the Lucky Train”: Sometimes you can take
Hint: In general, it’s safe to assume that every player’s hand several turns in a row by moving one step ahead of Doctor
starts with some Luck. So when playing Luck on early murder Lucky, and letting him re-activate you with his next move. This
attempts, it makes sense to pass unless you are very late in doesn’t let you draw a lot of cards (because the Doctor is al-
the rotation. Always use your best judgment and play only as ways watching you), but it can help you move to a better place,
much Luck as you have to! bringing the Doctor along with you.
Note that you can’t just ride the Lucky Train through an
Gaining Attack Strength: That which does not kill Doctor occupied room, as explained above, though you can sometimes
Lucky makes you stronger! Each time you fail at a murder at- leapfrog another player who is in your way.
tempt, you gain +1 Attack. If you played a Weapon, keep that
card face down under your character card on the “+1 Attack”
side. If you did not play a Weapon, you can use any discard for
the same thing. (It doesn’t matter which discard you choose,
because the discards are not recycled.)
Note: Hazards played on Doctor Lucky are foiled in the same
manner, although nothing can modify a Hazard’s base value. As
mentioned above, Hazard cards become +1 Move.
Also Note: The card backs have “boot” and “sword” icons in
the corners. When you stack modifier cards below your character
card as shown at left, you can reveal the boots as +1 Move, and
the Swords as +1 Attack.A Rules for 2 or 3 B
With only two or three players, the basic rules can lead to a very
short game. We suggest adding “Strangers” to balance the game, as
described here. Strangers are essentially automated players.
Strangers sit between the live players. With two players
you will have two Strangers, and with three players you will
have three. Give each Stranger a Character card.
The Strangers’ pawns begin on the empty Plains spaces
(Desperation Bluff, Salient Point, and Lone Horse Ranch).
With two Strangers, just pick any two of these.
Live players start with hands of 7 cards. Strangers do not
have hands.
Strangers can see and be seen just like live players.
Strangers take turns, as described below, and they can be
activated by Doctor Lucky. They can also be moved by players.
In Phase 1, you may allocate movement points between
yourself and any number of Strangers. So for example if you
had a Move of 3, and chose the “move yourself” option, you
could move yourself twice, and a Stranger once, or even move
three Strangers one step each.
When they are asked to play Luck, Strangers will discard
the top card of the deck. Sometimes this card has no Luck on
it, in which case it will simply have no effect.
On a Stranger’s turn, in Phase 1 they will usually move
one space upstream (i.e., to the next smaller number), unless
they are already in a position to make a murder attempt.
In Phase 2, if they can make a murder attempt, they will.
They can’t play Weapons, but they do gain +1 Attack each time
they fail. Strangers can even win the game!
If you play a Hazard on a Stranger, the Stranger reveals
one card from the deck. If it has enough Luck to stop the Haz-
ard, it is discarded. If not, you get to put it into your hand!
Strategically, the Stranger to your right is a little bit like
your ally, and the Stranger on your left is a little bit like your
enemy. You want to position your ally to catch Doctor Lucky so
that you can take more turns. f CREDITS g
Kill Doctor Lucky was the very first Cheapass Game, originally
Winning the Game released in the Fall of 1996. This version of the game was created in
2017-2018 by designer James Ernest and the Cheapass Games crew.
The goal is simple: Kill Doctor Lucky. The Island of Doctor Lucky was illustrated by Israel Evans, Nate
Although your early murder attempts will probably fail, they Taylor, BJ Becker, and James Ernest. Game designed by James Ernest
are still worth making. They always make you stronger, and they and Rick Fish. Edited by Carol Monahan and Cathy Saxton. Featured
will pull cards out of other players’ hands. murderers include Brittanie Boe, Shawn Carnes, Jennifer Page as
You should be selfish with your Luck when other players make Janet Principle, and Professor Elemental as himself.
murder attempts. If you’re pretty sure that someone after you will
play enough, it’s better to be aggressive and pass. Playtesters in this edition included, but were not limited to: Vye
This game can have both a winner and a loser. The “loser” is Alexander, Jeep Barnett, BJ Becker, David Cornwell, Steve Ellis, Nate
the last player who could have played Luck, but didn’t! Heiss, Ryan Macklin, Nora Miller, Jeff Morrow, James Ostby, Paul
Not every game has a loser. Don’t be the loser. Peterson, Toivo Rovainen, Cathy Saxton, Tom Saxton, Lauren Tozer-
Kilts, Shel Tozer-Kilts, and Cheapass Metamonkey Cassidy Werner.
Kill Doctor Lucky and The Island of Doctor Lucky © and ™ 2018
James Ernest & Cheapass Games. Published by Cheapass Games,
Seattle, WA. Printed in the USA.
@cheapassgames
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