Duck & Cover

Welcome! This page gathers all the official variations for Duck & Cover

Rules for rounds

These rules can be used for one, several or all rounds, unless explicitly stated otherwise. If you would like, you can change the rules for each round. You must decide which rules to play with before the start of the game.

Rule for more "Competition"

The splash value is replaced by the card numbers.

Example: a player finishes the round with the cards number 12, 3 and 1. Their score will be 16 (the value of the card numbers) and not 6 (the value of the splashes). If a player ends the round with only the card 12 remaining, they score -12 points.

Rule for more "Madness"

Instead of quacking when you do not have the announced card, make the sound of an animal of your choice.

Rule for more "Constraints"

All the cards with number 1, 2 and 3 are removed from the draw deck.

Players can play their cards numbered 1, 2 and 3, only after they have been covered by one or more cards.

Rule for more "Pressure"

During the last round, negative scores are doubled.

Rule for more "Surprises"

Two cards are secretly removed from the draw deck before each round.

Rule for more low blows

When the Max, Repeat (and the special card if it is in the game) cards are drawn, they no longer have their usual effects. Instead, each player simultaneously chooses one of their 2 lowest value ducks and give it to the player on their left.

The player receiving the card can choose where to place it on their grid, following the ducking rules. That is, they can place it on any empty spot, but the card must be placed directly adjacent to another card of the grid and cannot cover any cards.

This new card is now considered theirs.

If a player has multiple cards corresponding to the card announced, they must choose which one to play according to the regular rules.

Rules for an entire game

These rules must be played throughout an entire game.

Rule for more "Competition"

Warning: these rules extend the game duration. This version can be played with 2 to 5 players.

Setup:

The Repeat card is removed from the draw deck, and the special card cannot be added.

A maximum of the 25 cards from the draw deck are dealt to the players. Each player must receive the same number of cards.

The remaining cards, if any, become the draw deck.

The rest of the game setup is identical to a classic game.

A player is randomly chosen to be the active player.

The active player chooses a card from their hand and announces it aloud as if the Captain had drawn the card.

All players play the announced card normally.

Once everyone has ducked, covered, or quacked, it is the next player's turn to play a card from their hand.

Players must play all the cards in their hands.

Once all the cards from the players' hands have been played, players draw from the draw deck if there is one.

The rest of the game proceeds exactly like a classic game.

Rule for more "Control"

This variation can be played with 2 to 7 players over 3 rounds.

Each turn, the Captain reveals 2 cards. Each player chooses which of the two announced ducks to play.

Players do not quack.

Each round ends whenever a player finishes with a single deck.

The Repeat card allows players to replay the duck they chose in the previous turn.

Rule for more "Cooperation"

This variation can be played with 2 to 5 players over 2 rounds. Players play together to obtain the best score.

Setup:

Each player receives two cards from the draw deck and keeps them secret from the other players. Players cannot, at any time during the game, give information about their cards until they decide to reveal them.

The rest of the setup is identical to a classic game. The draw deck will contain between 16 and 22 cards.

Before drawing a card from the deck, the Captain insures that no player wishes to play one of the cards from their hands.

If a player wishes to do so, they can announce it, but they cannot communicate the number or effect of their card before revealing it.

If multiple players would like to play a card at the same time, they must discuss but they cannot announce the number of effect of the card that they want to play. Only one card can be played at a time.

If a player only has two adjacent cards left on their grid, and can cover one of them, they must do so.

The round ends as in a classic game or when the draw deck only has one card left, regardless of whether the players still have cards in their hands.

At the end of each round, the score of all players is added together.

At the end of the two rounds, the final score is obtained by adding the total of each round.

Will you be able to improve your team score from game to game by achieveing the lowest possible team score?

Artist Pack Content

Special Cards Effect

The special card is added to the deck and introduces unique effects.

Discard Area Cards (Available in the Art Pack)

These cards represent the discard area according to the number of players.

Artist Pack Families

2 Duck families have been added, allowing you to play with up to 9 players.

Rules for 8 and 9 players

Add 1 or 2 duck families to play with up to 9 players.

In a game with 8 players, a round ends when there are 3 cards in the Discard area. With 9 players, only 2 cards are needed to end a round.

Special Card Rules

These rules can be used for one, several or all the rounds of a game. If you would like to, you can change the effect of the special card in each round.

Rule for more "Chaos"

Add the special card to the draw deck.

When this card is drawn: place this card and the next 3 cards from the draw deck directly into the Captain pile after showing them to all players.

These cards are passed and not played.

Rule for more "Movements"

Add the special card to the Draw deck.

When the special card is announced, you can play the card of your choice, but you can only duck (move the card to an empty space).

Rule for more "Predictions"

Add the special card to the draw deck.

When this card is drawn: all players must play their highest card and cover the neighboring card with the smallest value, if there is one. If not, they must duck as usual.