How To Play: Monstrous

So, your friends have invited you to play Monstrous, and now you’re wondering how to impress them (or at least not turn into monster food in five minutes). Grab some snacks and brace yourself! Below, I’ve put together an easy outline of the game rules and, more importantly, the sneaky tricks and top strategies I used to claw my way to victory.

Overview

What’s in the box

• 60 Monstrous cards
• 24 Location cards
• 1 Faith track board
• 4 Faith markers
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Monstrous: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Hand each player a deck of Monster cards. Yes, even the friend who thinks Medusa is a pasta dish.
2. Lay out Temple cards in the middle of the table.
3. Place Faith point tokens within easy reach of everyone.
4. Shuffle the cards and deal each player a starting hand (usually five cards, but check your box—mine once had an extra hydra for chaos).
5. Pick the player who most recently wrestled a cyclops to go first. Or just youngest, either works.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, pick a Monster from your hand and throw it (literally toss it!) at a Temple card. Don’t hit your grandma’s teacup collection. Trust me, I learned the hard way.
2. If your Monster lands face-up and at least half of it touches a Temple, it activates.
3. Activate the Monster’s power as written on the card. Some effects are simple, some are wild—like swapping cards or multiplying faith points. Read carefully!
4. Collect Faith points as directed by the card or temple you hit. Gloat if you must. Everyone else is doing it.
5. Draw back up to your hand limit. If the deck runs out, reshuffle the discard pile.

Winning

1. The game ends when a set number of rounds finish or if all temple cards get buried in a pile of monsters. (Or pizza.)
2. Everyone counts their Faith points.
3. The player with the most Faith points wins. The losers must sing a hymn to Zeus—optional but recommended for laughs.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. If a Monster flies off the table, it’s out for the round, but you can tell an epic tale about where it landed.
2. If two Monsters land on the same temple, resolve them in the order they arrived. No shoving.
3. Some temples grant extra bonuses or penalties. Remember to check temple powers before tossing your monster like a frisbee.
4. How To Play Monstrous tip: always keep an eye out for sneaky combos. And never trust the friend who says they’re bad at throwing games—deceptive muscle memory.

With these rules, you’re ready to learn how to play monstrous and maybe awaken your inner Greek god (or at least master the fine art of card tossing). Good luck, and may the faith points be ever in your favor!

Best Monstrous Strategies

Mastering Card Placement and Timing in Monstrous

Winning Monstrous often comes down to slapping your cards down in just the right spot, and at the right time. My friend Ted, for example, loves launching cards early, but then he misses juicy combos! Here’s how to avoid Ted’s mistakes:

1. Wait for the Perfect Temple

1. Observe which temples already have monsters. Sometimes, holding back lets you strike when there’s more valuable faith to gain.
2. Choose temples with special abilities for maximum effect.

2. Surprise Your Opponents

1. Play a monster when others least expect it. This can mess up their plans.
2. Pounce when you see someone about to score big—steal points with your card!

3. Chain Reactions

1. Hold cards that set up combos. Use abilities together for wild results.
2. Look at the board state each round. Your patience can pay off big.

Next time you play, remember: a well-timed monster makes you the true god of mischief!

Faith Points: Your Ticket to Winning Monstrous

Keep An Eye On Your Score

Always check your faith points. I once ignored mine and watched my friend Steve zoom past me. Don’t be like Jamie-that-day. Here’s what I learned:

1. Count faith points often, and let them guide your moves.
2. Use cards that give big faith boosts when you can.
3. Avoid risky moves if they could cost you a chunk of faith.

Plan For Bursts

Faith points are not about slow and steady. Instead, look for bursts!

1. Stack cards for big faith point turns.
2. Save cards that combo well for a huge payout.

Block Your Friends

Steal faith point chances from others. Trust me, they will try the same!

1. Keep track of what your opponents can do next.
2. Grab temples and spots they want before they do.

Temple Targeting Secrets for Monstrous Victory

Pick the Right Temples

1. Go for temples with the biggest faith payouts first. They will give you the most bang for your monster buck.
2. Always keep an eye on what your friends want—sometimes it pays off to snatch a spot just to block them, not just for points.

Timing is Key

1. Wait to strike temples when you can unleash a big effect, not just a splashy throw. That way, you score big and maybe clear out rivals, too.

Spread Your Monsters

1. Don’t just pile monsters on one temple. Spread out to scoop up extra points and stay flexible if you see a temple heating up.

When you play with friends, targeting temples feels like musical chairs with angry gods. I once went for the same temple all game, and my friends roasted me for it. So remember, in How To Play monstrous, pick your temples smart and mix it up for a shot at glory!

Unleash Your Inner Monster!

So, that’s my best Monstrous strategy advice—straight from my cursed hands to yours. Remember, card placement is everything. Manage your faith points like you’re guarding the cookie jar from sneaky siblings. And always keep an eye on those temples… they’re not just pretty art, they’re your ticket to victory points!

After a few rounds with my friends, I’ve learned that laughter and some sneaky moves go a long way. If you ever wonder How To Play monstrous in style, just mix skill with a bit of chaos. Good luck, and may your monsters never go off the board (as mine so often do)!

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