How To Play: Death Wish

Overview

If you’ve ever wanted to win at Death Wish and brag about it for weeks, you’re in the right place. After many wild game nights filled with sabotage and bad decision-making, I’ve put together a guide. We’ll go over the game rules—so you don’t get confused like my friend Dave—and the best strategies for winning. Grab your deck, sharpen your wits, and let’s get (mildly) lethal!

What’s in the box

• 108 Symptom cards
• 54 Cures cards
• 32 Hazard cards
• 10 Character cards
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Death Wish: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Shuffle all the ingredient and symptom cards together. This might take longer if your shuffling skills are as bad as mine.
2. Deal 5 ingredient cards and 3 symptom cards to each player. Try not to drop them on the floor like I always do.
3. Place the rest of the cards in the center of the table as two decks: ingredients and symptoms.
4. Pick the player who most recently had a weird meal to go first. If you all eat weird stuff, argue about it for a bit and then pick someone.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, you draw one ingredient and one symptom card. This is to keep everyone in misery.
2. Next, you may combine ingredients to create a deadly recipe. If you can match the symptoms on your card, good for you! If not, maybe next time.
3. If you complete a recipe, place the symptoms in front of you as proof of your poor life choices.
4. Discard and draw back up to your hand limit if needed. Make sure you don’t hide cards in your sleeves—trust me, it never works out.
5. Play passes to the left. Try not to throw shade at your neighbor, unless they deserve it.

Winning

1. The first player to complete all their symptom cards wins the game. They earn bragging rights and possibly a stern look from the rest of the table.
2. If the decks run out and no one has won, the player with the most completed symptoms takes home the glory. Or shame. Depends how you look at it.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. Certain cards or combos might have special effects. Read them out loud, mainly so your friends know you’re not making things up.
2. If two players finish symptoms at the same time, have a sudden death round. This is not as dramatic as it sounds, but still fun.
3. Don’t eat any of the actual cards. I learned that rule the hard way.

That’s it! These rules should get you playing in no time. If you forget how to play, just yell “How To Play Death Wish!” and someone will run you through it again—possibly me, probably with jokes.

Best Death Wish Strategies

Mastering Card Combo Timing in Death Wish

Spot the Perfect Moment

Winning at Death Wish takes guts and timing. You need to unleash your card combos when the chaos is at a peak. Wait until opponents show their good cards, then strike.

1. Keep track of who used their strong cards.
2. Watch for open opportunities—sometimes you have to be sneaky!

Plan for the Unexpected

It never goes as planned! Always save a key card for those tricky moments. You will thank yourself when someone targets you.

1. Hold back a card or two for emergencies.
2. React fast if the game shifts suddenly.

Chain Reactions for Maximum Effect

Pulling off a crazy combo can change everything. Pair cards that work well together, and always surprise your friends—they will never see it coming!

1. Look for combo chains, not just single moves.
2. Use How To Play death wish tips for timing and combo-making.

Hazard Cards: Turning Doom Into Boom in Death Wish

Spot Trouble Early

I play with my eyes wide open. If I see a hazard creeping up, I plan ahead. Sometimes, waiting one turn too long means disaster.

Keep Hazards Off Your Plate

1. Block hazards from landing by using protection cards.
2. Pass hazards to your least favorite friend (sorry, Greg!).
3. Use discard powers whenever possible to keep your hand safe.

Turn Hazards Into Opportunities

Hazards can force others to rush bad choices. If you see a chance to pile hazards onto a leader, do it! Watch them sweat, then move in for the win. That’s How To Play death wish with style.

Mess With Their Mojo: Top Sabotage Tactics in Death Wish

If you want to win Death Wish, you must mess with your friends. Sabotage is sweet. Here’s how I sent my buddy Dave spiraling into chaos. Use these tricks and watch your pals question your friendship and your sanity.

Steal Their Good Cards

1. Snatch high-value cards when they least expect it.
2. Remember who’s collecting what, then ruin their set.

Distract with Bluffs

1. Pretend you’re after one thing, but secretly aim for another.
2. Toss out fake excitement over bad cards to mislead.

Break Their Combos

1. Interrupt combos with smartly timed cards.
2. Don’t let anyone chain actions for easy points.

All in all, sabotage early but not too early, or you’ll make enemies fast!

Death Wish: Winning, Laughing, and Surviving Your Friends

So, that’s my guide to surviving (and even winning) in Death Wish. Trust me, your friends will try to sabotage you, and you’ll be slinging hazard cards like you’re on a game show with no health insurance. But keep your cool, plan those combos, and always remember where the discard pile is—because you’ll need it.

I’ve laughed, groaned, and tried to poison my friend Steve (in-game, relax!) more times than I can count. If you use these tips, you might even win without making too many enemies. Good luck playing—and try not to get arrested for making fake poison in real life!

For more on how to fool your friends and come out on top, don’t forget to check out my full guide on How To Play death wish. Happy gaming!

Want to know what we think of Death Wish? Read our detailed review of Death Wish here