How To Play: Bears!

Overview

Ever seen your friends grab dice like wild raccoons at a trash party? That’s Bears! for you. If you’ve ever wondered how to play Bears! without embarrassing yourself, this guide is your new best friend. I’ll give you a quick outline of the game rules and share the best strategies I’ve used (and sometimes failed with) to win. Grab those sleeping bags. Let’s roll!

What’s in the box

• 20 Camp cards
• 40 Black dice (bears and runners)
• 20 White dice (tents and guns)
• 4 Scoring reference cards
• 1 Score pad
• 1 Pencil
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Bears!: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Hand everyone a set of five player dice. Give the camp dice to the middle of the table.
2. Choose a brave soul to roll the camp dice (I always volunteer, but it’s mostly because I like to make dramatic sound effects).
3. Roll all the camp dice. Place them in the center for everyone to see and grab later.

Gameplay

1. At the same time, all players roll their own set of player dice. It’s a speed round, so no slow pokes allowed!
2. Everyone scrambles (seriously, expect chaos) to pair their player dice with those tasty camp dice in the middle.
3. Each player can only grab dice one at a time, and must quickly match them with their own dice to make scoring pairs.
4. Once all the camp dice are paired, or everyone is out of dice, yell out to end the round (use your outside voice, it’s more fun).

Winning

1. Score points for the pairs you make. For example, a Reroll icon with a Camp icon equals safe and sound points (I call it my survival badge).
2. Keep a running tally each round. Play for a set number of rounds or until someone hits a target score (pick a number before you start or let the loudest person decide).
3. The person with the most points at the end wins. Bragging rights are not included, but I always claim them anyway.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. If there’s a tie, settle it with a fierce bear growling contest, or play another round (official rules say rematch, but I prefer the growl contest).
2. If you grab the wrong dice or make illegal pairs, you lose points. Trust me, do not try to cheat—my friend tried and got booed off the camp site table.
3. Bears! is meant to be fast and silly, so keep the pace up and don’t take it too seriously—unless you really want that top score for your How To Play bears! brag sheet.

That’s how you wrangle dice and survive the wild world of Bears! Remember, the real winner is whoever has to clean up the most dice that rolled under the couch.

Best Bears! Strategies

Mastering Dice Drafting in Bears! for Sweet Victory

Spot the Best Dice Fast

Speed matters! I once lost a game because I froze up trying to count honey symbols. Now, I scan for matches first. Look for these:

1. Camp dice with tents—safe but not flashy
2. Bear dice—risky but juicy points

Balance Risk and Reward

Drafting bears can bring big points. However, think twice if you’re not ready! I once grabbed a bear and left my camper out in the open. Oops.

1. Choose bear dice when you have matching rerolls
2. Pick safe tents if you’re ahead

Block Your Friends

Don’t just grab points; grab dice they want! My friend Lily hates when I snag the last tent. It’s mean, but it works.

1. Take dice your opponents need
2. Force them into risky moves

How To Play bears! like a champ? Pay attention, stay quick, and mess with your friends—just a little.

Mastering the Risk versus Reward Game in Bears!

Choose When to Grab or Reroll

I learned the hard way that not every dice is worth the panic. Always ask yourself if that tent is really worth losing your precious bears! Here are some quick tips:

1. Check what dice are left for others.
2. Count your points before a risky grab.
3. Consider a reroll if nothing looks good.

Seize the Best Dice at the Right Moment

It’s tempting to go for the highest points first—but sometimes waiting pays off big. Try these moves:

1. Watch your friends’ faces. If they look nervous, they might want that dice more than you.
2. Grab high risk dice only if you can use them.
3. Never ignore the safety of a boring but reliable move.

Balance Your Strategy Every Round

When you play Bears!, I swear, the whole table turns into a circus. Stay on your toes:

1. Mix safe moves with bold ones.
2. Don’t chase every risky chance—pick your battles!
3. Use what you know about How To Play bears! to get ahead.

Mastering the Clock in Bears!

Seize the Perfect Moment

When playing Bears!, timing your actions makes all the difference. Waiting too long or acting too soon can cost you points. Watch your friends nervously eyeing those juicy blue tents, then grab them at just the right time! Here are some tips to sharpen your timing.

1. Count the remaining dice before each grab. It helps you avoid terrible last-minute choices.
2. Notice your rivals’ habits. Do they always snatch guns first? Beat them to it once in a while and see them panic.

React to the Table

Stay alert. The table changes fast! Suddenly someone yells, “Bear attack!” and your plans crumble. Adapt quickly:

1. Switch your target if someone blocks your best move.
2. Stay cool, but move fast if you spot a big scoring chance.

Keep the Pressure On

With everyone watching, sometimes the best move is to act confidently. When you take control, others follow your lead and make mistakes. Now, that is How To Play bears! and win!

Final Roar: Outplay, Outbear, Outlast!

If you want to master How To Play bears!, remember it all comes down to quick hands, sharp eyes, and not getting eaten by a cardboard grizzly. When I played, I learned that chucking caution out the tent flap sometimes pays off—but so does blocking that one friend who always gets the good dice. Stay alert, play clever, and be ready for chaos. May your sleep be safe and your points be plenty. Go forth and bear victory!

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