Game: Forbidden

Thread: Re: Questions and some answers from Winning Moves

Benski — 2008-07-13T04:23:02+00:00

I have a question as well.

Can you take discarded cards to add onto sets that are already down in front of you?

And a comment - When the treasure chest pouch receives it's first two cards, I like to have one of those be a royalty card picked at random (excluding the monkey from the pick). Then after that, all the additional cards from subsequent rounds are just two off the top like stated in the rules. This makes the treasure chest more helpful and valuable.

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fractaloon — 2008-06-27T01:03:04+00:00

In the store packaging (back).

Thread: Re: Questions and some answers from Winning Moves

Apparatus — 2008-06-26T02:06:30+00:00

For us, we remove the reaction aspect by having players state which card they wish to take, thus giving the players a chance to decide whether to respond with a forbidden card before the card is taken. As mentioned above, the forbidden cards seem too useful to play in this manner too often as they really offer the best way to gain points the quickest.

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shfinfrock — 2007-09-22T20:29:35+00:00

Close-up of box top

Thread: Re: Questions and some answers from Winning Moves

JVKhoury — 2007-01-16T07:04:48+00:00

One thing, you can only block a discard stack once (unless the forbidden card is claimed by another player before it gets buried). Of course, I could imagine the sort of players who would gladly spend their turns picking up forbidden cards just to block others, rather than trying to get cards of their own. I play with some of them, but they don't often win.

Personally, I see the -5 penalty as peanuts compared to a possible doubling or tripling of your score. Why wouldn't you take that chance? And if you're just spending your turns recycling the forbidden cards, you're missing the oppurtunity to complete sets of your own. A single 3 card set or even just one ying-yang card nullify the penalty of one forbidden card, so if you're actually PLAYING and not just blocking, you can cover forbidden penalties nicely. Not to mention the emperor and empress cards that can nullify the forbidden penalty altogether. So I'd see their benifit not as blockers, but as possible points, using them to block only when I'm worried that my opponent is about to complete his hand.

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puppi — 2006-09-05T10:52:28+00:00

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puppi — 2006-09-05T10:49:12+00:00

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willpw — 2006-01-14T14:30:59+00:00

Treasure chest

Thread: Questions and some answers from Winning Moves

mpetty31 — 2005-08-25T00:35:58+00:00

I contacted Winning Moves about some questions I had for this game after playing it a few times. Here are my questions and the responses I received. I have some comments below.

Me: First, when I block an opponent with my Forbidden card, do I place the card on top of the card he tried to take or do I place the Forbidden card, then he returns his discard? A strict reading of the rules makes it sound like his card goes on top of the Forbidden card, but this seems unnecessary.

WM: When you block a player with a Forbidden card it is placed sideways on top of the card that the player was trying to pickup. That players turn ends. If the Forbidden card is placed too late and the opponent already picked up a card, the turn proceeds as normal. The Forbidden card cannot be played since the opponent was faster.

Me: Can I cheng if I have no Forbidden cards, but I'm holding the Emperor? In other words, does his ability to become a Forbidden card for the cheng player keep me from going cheng?

WM: Yes you can Cheng with 0 Forbidden cards and the Emperor. In that case the Emperor does not become a Forbidden card. It has no power and has no scoring potential...unless dragged away by the Empress for the Royal Marriage.

Me: Lastly, I'm wondering if you've got any tips for us. I'm assuming we're not playing very well or possibly not understanding a rule. So far in our games someone goes cheng very quickly. Players who aren't able to cheng are usually waiting to draw the one or two cards they need to go out. The result of this is it feels one player got lucky.

Furthermore, as I understand the rules of picking up discards, it hardly
seems worth it. It's highly likely at least one player has a Forbidden
card. At the moment I go to take a discard, his choice is to either keep the Forbidden card, hoping to go cheng himself, or to play it to block me. In practice this decision seems like a no-brainer. Of course he will block. Otherwise I'll likely go cheng (using the discard I clearly need) and his Forbidden card will hurt him. So, the result is no one wants to pick up discards. Being blocked costs a player his whole turn. When hands seem to average four or five times around the table, one turn is very costly.

WM: We found that the rounds do go somewhat quickly, though not as quickly as you described. We've also found that most people want to hang on to the Forbidden cards to multiply the score. It's not any fun if you just keep blocking someone....like forming a blockade in Parcheesy. You may have the blockade blocking opponents, but then no one has a good time. Also, if you don't have Forbidden cards it will take several rounds to reach 200 points. You may want to implement a house rule putting a limit on how many blocks a player is allowed to make.

My Comments (not sent back to WM, just posted here):
The first answer makes the game sound more like a reaction game than the original rules did. I'm actually more confused now, since the answer seems inconsistent with timing as described in the original rules.

The reference to a house rule to fix our apparent problem with play makes me wonder how seriously WM has taken this game. I'm sort rules lawyer, so I'd much rather have a game that works when played according to the rules that come in the box.

As it is, I hope to play the game again, but I know that won't happen with the one disappointed group that I tried it with. If anyone here has more experience with the game and can shed some light on how to better enjoy the game, please let me know.

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ljw74us — 2005-05-23T13:04:01+00:00

One Forbidden card and the seven Royal cards

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ljw74us — 2005-05-23T13:04:01+00:00

Suit cards (red, black, green) with Yin-Yang card, scoring card, and treasure chest envelope

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ljw74us — 2005-05-23T13:04:01+00:00

Forbidden blister packaging back

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fsumarc — 2005-05-05T15:38:21+00:00

Gamebox and Cards