How To Play: Bears!

Overview

Welcome to the only place on the internet where someone has actually played Bears! too many times and lived to tell the tale. This guide covers everything: How To Play bears!, the basics of the rules (so you don’t accidentally hug a bear), plus the sneaky tricks I use to win. If you want to avoid being eaten by your friends, stick around for the best strategies!

What’s in the box

• 20 White Camp Dice
• 20 Black Bear Dice
• 4 Player Scoring Chips
• 1 Score Pad
• 1 Pencil
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Bears!: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Each player grabs a set of shooter dice and scoring markers. I usually go for the brightest color, because that’s how I roll.
2. Pour out the camp dice in the center. Make sure everyone can reach. Trust me, long arms help here.
3. Roll all camp dice to get ready for chaos.

Gameplay

1. Everyone rolls their shooter dice at the same time. The table will sound like a stampede.
2. Grab matching pairs by snatching your shooter dice and pairing them with camp dice. Move fast—my friend Julie once nabbed all the sleeping campers while I blinked.
3. Keep grabbing pairs until someone yells, “Stop!” because there’s only one camp die left.

Winning

1. Tally your points for each round. Bears score one way, campers another, and tents… well, tents are like the wildcard of camping.
2. Play enough rounds so everyone gets a chance to mess up in glorious style.
3. Finally, the player with the most points wins. Winner gets bragging rights and possibly the last cookie.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. If you pick a wrong pair—like a bear with a tent—no points for you! My group loves pointing and laughing; it’s all in good fun.
2. If there are no campers left when the round ends, bears score bonus points. I learned this the hard way—don’t leave the campers defenseless!
3. If you can’t grab a die in time, tough luck! Speed matters. But don’t knock over your drink, like I did once.

Bears! is fast, silly, and full of light strategy. That’s how you play, and with this guide, you’ll be yelling “How To Play bears!” at your friends in no time.

Best Bears! Strategies

Dice Grabbin’: When Timing is Everything in Bears!

If you want to win at Bears!, you gotta master when to grab dice. It sounds simple, but let me tell you, I’ve seen grabbing-gone-wrong destroy dreams. Here’s how to stay sharp:

1. Watch Your Opponents

1. Don’t rush. If Barb is eyeing the same die, wait a second—she might grab a dud.
2. Look for what others ignore. Sometimes, the best dice are hiding in plain sight.

2. Know Your Needs

1. Are you desperate for a tent? Go for it early, or someone else will snatch it.
2. If you need a bear to finish a set, keep calm. Everyone panics, but you’ll play smart.

3. Adapt to the Chaos

1. If someone grabs fast, speed up. If the table stalls, take your time.
2. Never ignore How To Play bears! tips for timing. Trust me—I lost a game by hesitating once, and my friends still tease me!

Mastering the Reroll: Turn Luck Into Victory in Bears!

When to Reroll for Bears

Sometimes, your first roll gives you a sad lineup of tents and no bears. Instead of sulking, use your reroll smartly. First, check the available tiles. If you see many bears in the middle, strike fast!

1. Reroll when you need more bears to match available campers.
2. Don’t reroll dice that already show what you want. Just reroll the troublemakers!

Defensive Reroll Tactics

Players often forget that rerolls can stop opponents. When another player looks ready to score big, pause and reroll your dice to snatch the last matching tent or bear. This often makes your friends groan (and you grin).

1. Time your reroll to block scoring combos.
2. Look at others’ dice before you reroll, not just your own.

Adapt to Chaos

Finally, Bears! is chaos. Never expect things to work every time. Use your reroll as a flexible tool, not a last resort. The best players always switch up their reroll tactics to keep the game spicy.

1. Don’t be afraid to take risks with a reroll if you fall behind.
2. Mix up your reroll strategy each round. Surprise is your friend.

Mastering the Art of Timing Your Scoring in Bears!

Read the Room

Always keep an eye on your friends. Scan their dice piles—if they look ready to snatch up high-scoring combos, act fast! How To Play bears! becomes a lot about knowing when nerves are about to break.

1. Watch opponents’ actions closely.
2. Predict their next move by their facial expressions (the classic eyebrow twitch means panic).

Balance Risk and Reward

Do you grab points now, or gamble for bigger gains? Often, it’s smarter to grab a modest set than risk losing them all.

1. If a big combo looks risky, settle for small sets.
2. Don’t get greedy—greed makes you lose more than just bears.

Adapt to Chaos

Bears! never stays calm for long. Sometimes you must change your approach halfway through a round, especially when campers start vanishing.

1. If you notice others shifting strategies, don’t be afraid to switch too.
2. Stay flexible and act quickly; surprises hit hard in this game.

Ready to Outrun the Bears? Let’s Roll!

If you made it this far, congrats! You now know more about Bears! than most actual bears. My friends and I laughed (and shouted) our way through the game, and let me tell you—winning feels as sweet as not getting eaten. Remember, How To Play bears! is all about grabbing dice fast, reading the room, and not panicking if a bear stares you down. Now go scare your friends with your new skills—and maybe bring a teddy for moral support! Good luck!

Want to know what we think of Bears!? Read our detailed review of Bears! here