Bears vs Babies: Rules, Instructions & Strategic Creature Creation

Introduction

Bears vs Babies is a card game where players build incredible bears (and other monsters) to battle and eat evil babies. The game was created by the same folks who made Exploding Kittens, and it’s got a similar sense of humor. It’s a strategic party game that’s all about building creatures that are strong enough to eat the most babies, which reminds me of that old ‘how many five year olds can you take in a fight’ meme that flew around the internet back in the day. The game was funded through Kickstarter and became a hit because of its unique theme and fun gameplay.

The game is played with a deck of cards that players use to build their creatures. These creatures are made up of a head, a body, and legs, and each part can give the creature different abilities. The babies are in another deck, and they form armies that the players’ creatures must fight. The game ends when there are no more babies to fight, and the player who has eaten the most babies wins.

Now, let’s dive into the details of how to play Bears vs Babies and how you can become a pro at it.

Rules for playing Bears vs Babies

The rules of Bears vs Babies are pretty straightforward. Each player starts with a hand of five cards. On your turn, you can do one of three things: draw a card, play a card, or provoke the babies to attack. You play cards to build your creatures or to prepare for the baby armies. When you provoke the babies, all creatures fight against the babies in the middle. If your creature is strong enough, it eats the babies and you get points. If not, your creature is discarded.

You keep taking turns until all the babies have been fought. Then, you count up how many babies each player’s creatures have eaten. The player with the most points wins the game.

There are some special rules to keep in mind, like how some cards can be played as actions, and how some creature parts have special abilities. But the main idea is to build strong creatures and eat as many babies as possible.

Equipment and Setup for Bears vs Babies

To play Bears vs Babies, you need the game deck, which includes creature cards, baby cards, and action cards. You also need enough space for each player to build their creatures and for the baby armies in the middle.

Here’s how you set up the game:

1. Shuffle the creature and action cards together to form the draw pile.
2. Place the baby cards in the middle to form the baby armies.
3. Deal five cards to each player to start their hand.
4. Decide who goes first, and you’re ready to play!

The types of tiles in Bears vs Babies are heads, bodies, legs, and action cards. Heads start your creature, bodies add abilities or strength, and legs can give you extra actions or points.

How to Play Bears vs Babies and Game Mechanics

Here’s a breakdown of the game mechanics:

1. Setup: Shuffle the decks, deal the cards, and get ready to play.
2. Gameplay: On your turn, draw a card, play a card, or provoke the babies. Build your creatures and prepare for battle.
3. End of the Game: The game ends when all the babies have been fought. Count your points to see who wins.

During gameplay, you can take these actions:

1. Draw a card from the deck to add to your hand.
2. Play a card from your hand to build a creature or play an action.
3. Provoke the baby armies to start a fight.

How to Win at Bears vs Babies

To win at Bears vs Babies, you need to eat more babies than anyone else. You do this by building strong creatures and choosing the right time to provoke the babies. You also want to use action cards to mess with other players or to give yourself an advantage.

Here are some tips for beginners:

1. Start building your creatures early.
2. Keep your hand full of cards so you have options.
3. Watch what other players are doing and try to stop them from getting too strong.

For intermediate players:

1. Pay attention to the types of babies in the middle. Some are worth more points than others.
2. Use action cards to change the game in your favor.
3. Build balanced creatures that can handle different types of babies.

And for advanced players:

1. Try to control when the babies attack. You want to be ready when they do.
2. Build creatures that can eat multiple babies in one fight.
3. Keep track of what cards have been played and what might still be in the deck.

Best Strategies for playing Bears vs Babies

Now, let’s talk about the best strategies for playing Bears vs Babies. You want to build creatures that are strong, but also flexible. You want to be able to adapt to whatever the game throws at you. Here are some strategic plays to aim for:

Build creatures with lots of parts. The more parts your creature has, the stronger it is. But be careful not to make it too complicated, or you might not be able to finish it before the babies attack.

Use action cards wisely. They can give you a big advantage, but only if you use them at the right time. Sometimes it’s better to save them for later in the game.

Keep an eye on your opponents. If you see someone building a really strong creature, you might want to provoke the babies to attack before they’re ready.

And here are some sneaky tactics:

Bluffing. You can pretend to have a strong creature by adding lots of parts, even if they don’t match. This might scare other players into not attacking.

Stealing. Some action cards let you take parts from other players’ creatures. This can be a great way to weaken them and strengthen yourself at the same time.

Surprise attacks. If you have a creature that’s ready to go, you can provoke the babies when other players aren’t expecting it. This can catch them off guard and give you an easy win.

Scenarios

Here are some common scenarios you might find yourself in while playing Bears vs Babies:

If you have a strong creature but no action cards, you might want to wait to provoke the babies until you have a better hand.

If you have a lot of action cards but no creature parts, you might want to use those cards to mess with other players while you build up your creature.

If you’re behind in points, you might want to take a risk and provoke the babies early, hoping to catch up.

In all these scenarios, the key is to stay flexible and adapt to the game. Keep building your creatures, keep your hand full, and keep an eye on the other players. That’s how you turn any scenario to your advantage.

Frequently Asked Questions about playing Bears vs Babies

Here are some common questions and answers:

Q: Can I add parts to other players’ creatures?

A: No, you can only add parts to your own creatures.

Q: What happens if I can’t finish my creature before the babies attack?

A: If your creature isn’t complete, it can’t fight the babies. You’ll have to discard it and start over.

Q: Can I provoke the babies on my first turn?

A: Yes, you can provoke the babies at any time during your turn.

Q: How many cards can I have in my hand?

A: There’s no limit to how many cards you can have in your hand.

Q: What if there’s a tie for most babies eaten?

A: If there’s a tie, the players share the victory.

External Links

For more information on Bears vs Babies, check out the official website and rulebook:

Bears vs Babies Official Website
Bears vs Babies Official Rules [PDF Download]