Bang! (card game)
| Designer(s) | Emiliano Sciarra |
|---|---|
| Illustrator(s) | Alex Pierangelini |
| Publisher(s) |
daVinci Games Mayfair Games |
| Players | 4–7 (3–8 with expansion sets) |
| Setup time | approx. 5-10 min. |
| Playing time | 20–90 minutes |
| Random chance | Card drawing |
| Skill(s) required | Card playing |
Bang! is a Wild West-themed social deduction card game, designed by Emiliano Sciarra and released by Italian publisher daVinci Editrice in 2002. In 2004, Bang! won the Origins Award for Best Traditional Card Game of 2003 and Best Graphic Design of a Card Game or Expansion.
The game is known worldwide as Bang!, except in France, where it was known as until September 2009.
The game is played by four to seven players (three to eight players with variants and expansions). Each player takes one of the following roles:
Each player also receives a unique character card with special abilities and a certain number of 'bullets' (i.e. life-points).
The objective of the game is different for every role:
Each player is randomly dealt a Character card and a Role card: there is always a Sheriff, two Outlaws and a Renegade. Roles depend on the number of players (for example, with 7 players there will be 1 Sheriff, 2 Deputies, 3 Outlaws and 1 Renegade). The Role cards are given face down to each player. The Sheriff shows his card. With the expansion, it is possible to play with only three players using a Deputy, an Outlaw and a Renegade.
The game is played in turns, in clockwise order. The Sheriff begins. Each player's turn is divided into three phases.
1. Draw two cards
2. Play any number of cards.
Each player can only have one weapon at a time. If you want to play a new weapon card when you already have one, you must discard the one you already have. This is explicitly noted in page 3 of the rules.
When a card is played just follow the symbols on it. Cards can be played only during your turn (with the exception of Beer, Bang! and Missed!).
Normally a card has an effect which is immediately resolved, and then the card is discarded. However, blue-bordered cards, like weapons and horses, etc., have long-lasting effects, and are kept on the table face up in front of you. In the Dodge City expansion, green-bordered cards are played face up and cannot be used until the following round, then are discarded.
The effects of these cards (in play) lasts until they are discarded or removed somehow (e.g. Cat Balou or Panic) or a special event occurs (e.g. in the case of Jail or Dynamite.)
3. Discard excess cards.
Once the second phase is over (you do not want to or cannot play any more cards), then you must discard from your hand any cards exceeding your hand size limit. The hand size limit of a player (at the end of his turn) is equal to the number of bullets currently shown on the card that lies under his character card. Then it is the next player's turn, in clockwise order.
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