Never Bring a Knife

About this board game

Never Bring a Knife is a light, fast social deduction card game for 4–8 players that plays in about 30 minutes. Set during a desperate shootout between undercover cops and hardened criminals, it challenges everyone to identify allies before the first player falls.

Each player begins knowing their own role and the role of the player to their left. In every round, players both play and receive four cards, including Gun, Armor, Money, Crime, and Intel. Some cards are played face-up and others face-down according to three simple rules, creating uncertainty without lengthy discussion.

• Discover who was shot and who was wounded.
• Learn who banked money and who gained information.
• Spend money to treat wounds or uncover more about other players’ roles.

Once all cards are revealed, the consequences of the round become clear. Players must weigh the information they have, interpret everyone’s actions, and keep their own allegiance hidden while the conflict escalates.

The central rule is decisive: when the first player takes three wounds, they fall. Everyone sharing that player’s role—Cops or Criminals—loses, while the opposing team wins. This gives every shot lasting importance and makes even a quick round potentially game-changing.

With fast-paced action inspired by modern action movies, Never Bring a Knife offers a fresh mechanical approach to social deduction. Find your friends, keep your head down, and do not reveal which side you are on.