Monikers

2015

Welcome to the exciting world of Monikers, a guessing game that combines elements of Charades and Taboo. This game offers a refreshing twist on classic party games, making it a must-have for any gathering. The theme of Monikers revolves around a group of friends gathered around a table, trying to guess various characters, items, or concepts. It’s a wonderful blend of pop culture, historical figures, and even obscure internet memes, making the game unpredictable and hilarious. The setting is as varied as the clues themselves, from a royal court to a high school reunion, from a deep sea adventure to ... Read more

60
minutes

4 - 16
player(s)

17+

Medium Light

About the game

Welcome to the exciting world of Monikers, a guessing game that combines elements of Charades and Taboo. This game offers a refreshing twist on classic party games, making it a must-have for any gathering.

The theme of Monikers revolves around a group of friends gathered around a table, trying to guess various characters, items, or concepts. It’s a wonderful blend of pop culture, historical figures, and even obscure internet memes, making the game unpredictable and hilarious. The setting is as varied as the clues themselves, from a royal court to a high school reunion, from a deep sea adventure to a journey through outer space. No two games of Monikers are ever the same!

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Monikers is a party game based on a public domain game called Celebrity. It consists of a few key components that are crucial to the gameplay. Here’s a comprehensive list of what’s included in the game and how each component interacts with the gameplay:

1. Deck of Cards:

A standard Monikers game comes with a deck of 440 cards. Each card has a unique name or term on it, along with a point value and a brief description or hint. These cards are the main component of the game. During each round, players will draw from this deck and attempt to describe the term on their card without saying it directly, aiming to get their teammates to guess the term.

2. Rulebook:

The rulebook outlines the rules of Monikers. It guides players on how to set up the game, explains how the rounds work, and clarifies any points of confusion. It’s essential for new players, but it can also be helpful for experienced players who need a rules refresher.

3. Timer:

The timer is used to keep track of time during each round. Once the timer starts, the player whose turn it is has that allotted time to get their teammates to guess as many terms as they can. When the time runs out, the turn ends, and the next team starts their turn.

4. Score Pad:

The score pad is used to keep track of each team’s points throughout the game. At the end of each round, the teams tally up the point values of the cards they guessed correctly and add them to their total score. The team with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner.

How the Components Interact:

At the start of each round, each player draws a certain number of cards from the deck. Using the timer to limit their turn, they must describe the term on each card to their teammates without saying the term itself. Once their teammates guess the term, they move onto the next card.

At the end of the round, each team adds up the point values of the cards they guessed correctly and records it on the score pad. The game continues for three rounds, with the rules of how players can describe the terms becoming more restrictive each round.

After three rounds, the team with the highest score on the score pad is declared the winner of the game.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Monikers is a fun and engaging card game that challenges players to guess a variety of personalities, characters, and objects based solely on their teammates’ descriptions. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up Monikers:

Step 1: Gather Your Players and Cards

Monikers can be played with a group of four or more people. You will need the Monikers card deck, which contains over 400 cards, each with a unique moniker or name along with a description and point value.

Step 2: Determine Player Roles

Each player will have a chance to be the ‘Presenter’. The Presenter’s role is to describe the Moniker on their card without saying the name. The remaining players are ‘Guessers’ who will try to guess the Moniker based on the Presenter’s clues.

Step 3: Set Up the Deck

Shuffle the Monikers cards and deal out a certain number to each player (the recommended number is 8, but you can adjust based on group size). Each player then chooses 5 of their cards to include in the game’s deck and discards the rest. Shuffle all chosen cards together to form the game deck.

Step 4: Define Game Rounds

Monikers is played over three rounds, with each round having slightly different rules. In round one, the Presenter can say anything except the Moniker on the card. In round two, the Presenter can only say one word. In round three, the Presenter can’t speak at all and must use charades.

Step 5: Board Placement

Place the game deck in the center of the play area where all players can easily reach it. This will be the draw pile. Leave some space next to it for a discard pile.

Step 6: Initial Resources

Each player starts the game with no points. Points are earned by correctly guessing Monikers and are tracked throughout the game. The point value of each Moniker is indicated on the card.

Step 7: Random Elements

Monikers has a number of random elements. The Monikers that appear in each game are random because the deck is shuffled and cards are chosen at random. Additionally, the order in which players take on the Presenter role can also be decided randomly.

Now that you’re set up and ready, enjoy playing Monikers!

Game flow Round and round we go

Monikers is a fun and engaging guessing game that encourages teamwork and creativity. The game is composed of three distinct rounds and involves a group of players split into two or more teams. Each team takes turns trying to guess the names of various characters or objects based on clues given by a member of their team. The game requires both knowledge and quick thinking, and is sure to provide hours of entertainment.

The game is divided into three rounds:

Round One: In the first round, the clue-giver can say anything except the name on the card. This is the initial round where all the cards in the deck get played.
Round Two: In the second round, the clue-giver can only say one word. The same cards from round one are used, but this time the players must guess the card based on a one-word clue. This tests the memory and association skills of the players.
Round Three: In the third and final round, the clue-giver can’t say anything at all, but must use charades to get their team to guess the card. This round adds a physical element to the game and challenges the players to think creatively.

The game is played as follows:

At the start of each round, a player from each team is chosen to be the clue-giver. The clue-giver draws a card from the deck and tries to get their team to guess the name on the card within a certain time limit.
The clue-giver can give as many clues as they want, and the team can make as many guesses as they want until they guess correctly or time runs out.
If the team guesses correctly, they keep the card and the clue-giver draws another card. If time runs out, the card is returned to the deck and it’s the next team’s turn.
Once all the cards have been guessed or returned to the deck, the round is over. The teams count the number of cards they have collected, and the team with the most cards is the winner of that round.
The game continues in this way for three rounds, with the rules for giving clues becoming more restrictive with each round. After three rounds, the team with the most cards overall is the winner of the game.

Monikers is a game of communication, collaboration, and quick thinking. The changing rules for each round keep the game interesting and challenging, and the wide variety of cards ensures that no two games are ever the same. So gather your friends, form your teams, and let the fun begin!

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Monikers is a team-based party game that combines elements of charades, password and trivia. The game is played in three rounds, each with different rules for giving clues. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what happens during a player’s turn in ‘Monikers’.

The game starts with each player drawing cards from a deck. These cards have various names of people, characters, or things on them. The player’s turn begins when the timer starts.

1. Giving Clues:

During their turn, a player must give their team clues to guess the name on the card. The way clues are given changes over the rounds:

Round 1: The player can use any words, sounds, or gestures, barring those on the card itself.
Round 2: The player can only use one word as a clue. They can repeat this word and use gestures.
Round 3: The player can’t use any words, only charades-style miming.

2. Guessing:

The team has until the timer runs out to guess as many cards as possible. The player giving clues cannot move to the next card until their team correctly guesses the current card. If the team is struggling, the player can decide to ‘pass’ and move to the next card. However, each pass carries a one-point penalty.

3. Scoring:

At the end of their turn, the team scores one point for each correctly guessed card and subtracts a point for each pass. The objective is to score as many points as possible.

Strategically, players should consider their team’s strengths when deciding how to give clues. For example, if the team is good at charades, the player might try to use more physical clues. If the team excels at trivia, the player might opt for more obscure, knowledge-based hints. It’s also important to keep track of time and know when it’s better to pass on a difficult card rather than waste precious seconds.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Monikers’ ends after three rounds of play. Each round has its own unique rules for how players can provide clues to their teammates, but the same set of cards is used throughout all three rounds. Once the third round has been completed, players proceed to the final scoring.

Victory Conditions:

The victory in ‘Monikers’ goes to the team which accumulates the most points over the course of the three rounds. Points are awarded based on the number of cards guessed correctly by a team during their turn. Each card carries a point value ranging from one to four, which is added to the team’s total score if the card is successfully guessed.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

Before the final scoring, teams must complete the following actions:

Collect Cards: At the end of each turn, teams should collect the cards they have correctly guessed and keep them in a safe place. These cards will be used to tally the final score.
Keep Track of Points: It’s essential to keep track of the total points each team has accumulated during the game. This can be done by adding up the point values of the cards guessed correctly after each turn.
Complete All Rounds: Ensure that all three rounds of the game have been played before proceeding to the final scoring.

Once these actions have been completed, teams can proceed to the final scoring. The scores from all three rounds are added together to determine the final score. The team with the highest score at the end of the game is declared the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Monikers is a popular guessing game that involves players describing, mimicking, or drawing characters for their team to guess. The game is played in three rounds, and scoring is an integral part of the gameplay. Below is a detailed explanation of the scoring system in Monikers.

Scoring during the game:

First Round: In the first round, each correct guess is worth one point. The guessing player can pass on a card, but each pass results in a one-point deduction from the team’s score.
Second Round: In the second round, the same cards are used, but this time, the guessing player can only use one word to describe each character. Each correct guess is again worth one point, and passing still results in a one-point deduction.
Third Round: In the final round, the guessing player must act out the character without using any words. As in previous rounds, each correct guess is worth one point and each pass costs the team one point.

Scoring at the end of the game:

At the end of the three rounds, the points from each round are added up to calculate each team’s final score. The team with the highest total score is declared the winner.

Tie-breaking rules:

If two or more teams have the same total score at the end of the game, a tie-breaker round is played. For the tie-breaker, a player from each team is chosen to go head-to-head in a quickfire guessing round. The player who guesses the most correct characters in a set time limit is the winner, and their team is declared the overall winner of the game.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Monikers is a team-based party board game that brings a lot of fun and excitement. However, there are some rare or special rules, exceptions, and important rule clarifications that players should be aware of to fully enjoy the game.

1. Clue-Giving Rules:

First Round: In the first round, the clue giver can say anything except the name on the card.
Second Round: In the second round, the clue giver can only say one word. The word can’t be a part of the name on the card.
Third Round: In the third round, the clue giver can’t say anything. They must use charades to communicate the name on the card.

2. Skipping Rules:

You can skip a card if it’s too hard, but it will cost your team a point.
If the card is skipped, it is returned to the box and not used again in the current game.

3. Scoring Rules:

Each correct guess is worth one point.
Each skipped card costs a point.
The team with the highest score at the end of three rounds wins.

4. Additional Rules:

Teams can challenge if they believe a clue giver broke a rule. If the challenge is upheld, that card is discarded and no points are awarded.
Players can’t use rhymes or initials to give clues.
In the second round, the one word clue can’t be a word that’s part of the name on the card.

5. Rule Clarifications:

Players must sit in a way that they can’t see the cards in the box.
The clue giver can make noises in the third round, but they can’t say words or numbers.
If the clue giver accidentally sees a card before it’s their turn, they should put it at the bottom of the deck.
During the third round, if a player on the guessing team closes their eyes, they must keep them closed until their team guesses correctly or decides to pass.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies

1. Constant Communication: Throughout the game, keep your team informed of your thought process. This will help them understand your clues better in the next rounds.

2. Remember the Details: Make a mental note of all the cards that have been guessed. This will give you an edge in the later rounds when you can’t use words to describe the cards.

3. Use Association: Try to associate the clue with something familiar to your team. This can be a previous clue, a personal joke, or a common interest.

Beginner Tips

1. Start Simple: Begin the game with simple and straightforward clues. As you get more comfortable, start introducing more complex clues.

2. Teamwork: Remember, this is a team game. Always try to involve your teammates and consider their suggestions.

3. Practice: Like any other game, practice makes perfect. The more you play, the better you’ll get at giving and interpreting clues.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overcomplicating Clues: One common mistake beginners make is overcomplicating their clues. Remember, the goal is to get your team to guess the card, not to impress them with your cleverness.

2. Ignoring Your Team: Don’t ignore the suggestions and ideas of your team. They can often provide a fresh perspective that can lead to the correct guess.

3. Not Paying Attention: It’s important to pay attention to the game at all times, even when it’s not your turn. The clues and guesses from other teams can be very helpful in later rounds.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay

1. Choose a Balanced Team: Try to have a mix of creative thinkers, analytical minds, and people with good memory on your team. This will help you cover all aspects of the game.

2. Use All Your Senses: In later rounds, when verbal clues are not allowed, you can use other forms of communication like miming, humming or even silent gestures.

3. Keep the Pace: Try to keep the game moving at a brisk pace. Long pauses can break the rhythm and make the game less fun.