Card Game | Authors and Dragons

Murder Hobo Tavern Brawl is a chaotic fantasy battle card game that lets you fight 2 to 6 of your friends using an army of whacked out fantasy “heroes” and a variety of weapon and magic attack combos.

The object of the game is to destroy or pilfer your opponent’s defense cards, and then when they are vulnerable strike a final blow to boot them out of the tavern. But watch your back- everyone else is trying to do the exact same thing to you!

Don’t get cocky- special abilities can flip the table at any time, and only the last player standing wins the brawl, the bragging rights, and possibly the bar tab!

We'll have a physical copy ready for you soon, but in the mean time you can play for free on Tabletopia!

Or why not sign up our Patreon to join our Discord for hang-outs and trail plays?

How To Play

Know Your Cards

Attack Cards are how you give damage to other players.
Attack Cards come in two main types- Weapon and Spell.
They can be deployed in the Deployment stage of your turn.
Similar Attack Cards can be stacked to form combos to do higher damage.
Attack Cards can only be launched by a Hero Card with a corresponding icon in the Launch action of your turn.
You can only have a maximum of three Weapon and three Spell Attack Card/Combos ready at a time.
Sometimes a Hero Card Special Ability will let you deploy more than three Attack Card/Combos, such as Rage and Focus.
A golden Tankard Card is played as an Attack Card and can max out any deployed combo to its maximum potential.

Playing Hero Cards

Hero Cards have three uses- as Defense Cards, to Launch Attacks, and to use Special Abilities.
Use Hero Cards during the Deployment stage to add to your Defense Pile.
Their defense value (the number in the blue shield icon) shows how much damage they can block.
Once a Hero Card is deployed as a Defense Card, it cannot be used to launch attacks or activate Special Abilities.
During the Launching stage of your turn, a Hero Card may launch any deployed Attack Card or Combo, as long as the Hero has the matching icon.
If the Hero Card’s icon has a plus (+) modifier, that attack affects all opponents instead of just one. Y
ou may choose to use a Hero Card’s Special Ability instead of launching an attack.
Special Abilities with the (Combo) modifier can be used alongside an attack you launch.
Special Abilities with the (Reaction) modifier can be used when certain actions are taken against you.

Getting Started

The dealer deals from the deck until each player has 2 Hero Cards.
These Hero Cards go straight into the Defense Pile.
Any excess cards are shuffled back into the deck.
The player with the lowest total Defense Value (add the numbers on the blue shield icons) goes first.
If there is a tie, the player closest to the dealer clockwise goes first. Each player is then dealt 7 cards.
Play proceeds clockwise.

How Rounds Work

At the start of each player’s turn, they draw 3 cards from the deck (except on their first turn).
If a player begins their turn with no cards in hand, they must draw 7 cards instead of 3.
Each turn has two stages: the Deployment Stage and the Launching Stage.

Deployment Stage

The player may play up to 3 total cards from their hand (any mix of Hero and Attack Cards).
Hero Cards may be placed into the Defense Pile.
Attack Cards may be placed into the Attack Area, ready to be launched.
Attack cards can be stacked into combos.
Once they are in a combo they cannot be separated.

Launching Stage

The player may use a Hero Card to launch a deployed Attack Card or Combo.
OR
They may activate a Hero Card’s Special Ability instead of launching an attack.

Diplomacy Round (Optional but Recommended)

When playing with more than 2 players, it’s recommended to use a Diplomacy Round for the first round.

Players may deploy cards as normal during the Deployment Stage.
During the Launching Stage, players may not launch attacks, but they may use Special Abilities.

This gives everyone a chance to establish their defenses and prepare their attacks before the chaos begins.

Attacking

Launching an attack deals damage to one opponent of your choice.
If the launching Hero Card has a Plus (+) modifier relevant to the attack, the attack damages all opponents instead of just one.
When launching an attack, place your spent Attack Cards into the Trash Pile (next to the deck) face up, followed by the Hero Card that launched the attack, and then any combined Hero Cards used with it.
When using a Special Ability, resolve its effects first (take any cards owed to you), then place the Hero Card into the Trash Pile face up. Players taking damage must, in clockwise order, place the required number of lost Defense Cards into the Trash Pile face up.
Some Special Abilities may cause cards to be exchanged rather than trashed — for example, Tribute, Drain, or Combo effects.

Taking Damage

Defense Cards cannot be split. Example: If you have a Defense 3 card and take 2 damage, you still lose the whole card.
Damage continues through your Defense Pile until no Defence Cards remain.
If the total damage from a single attack is equal to or greater than the combined value of your Defense Pile, you lose all of your Defense Cards at once.
Any excess damage beyond the total value of your Defense Pile is ignored and does not eliminate you immediately.
Losing all Defense Cards makes you Vulnerable.
If you take damage while Vulnerable, you are eliminated and must place all your remaining cards face up in the Trash Pile (order goes weapon cards, then hero cards. If multiple players are trashing cards, they must do so separately in clockwise order.)
Any Defense Cards lost to an attack go face up into the Trash Pile, unless another card’s special ability intervenes.

Deck Depletion

If the Deck runs out, simply flip the Trash Pile face down to form a new Deck without shuffling. If both Deck and Trash are empty, players must draw:

0–3 cards from their deployed Attack/Defence

0–7 cards if their hand is empty

These cards will be treated as though freshly drawn, but choose carefully — weakening your Defence may leave you exposed!

Special Ability Types

Standard- These may be played instead of launching an attack and placed in the Trash Pile after use
(Combine)- You have to play this card with a launched attack to activate its affect. It is placed in the Trash Pile along with the attacking cards
(Reaction)- This card can be played when actions are taken against you. You Trash it immediately after playing.
Nothing- Some cards don't have special abilities and they’re only good for using as Defense Cards. These cards are sometimes referred to as NPCs.

You are now ready to play! Have fun, be lucky, and get those other jerks before they get you!

Authors&Dragons LLC Game Design and Concept by Steve Wetherell Art by John Luther Davis Special thanks to: Kerry Galway, Robert Bevan, Louise Wetherell, Rob Mathews, Aaron Alkavana