Hello! I'm new to this forum but a long-time fan of Lunch Money. It's been a staple of our weekly game group (dinner and violence for five to ten people) for more than a year. Because of that, we've had to teach the game to newcomers many, many times, and I keep encountering the same roadblocks.
It's not an easy game for newbies, since you really have to be familiar with all the cards and interactions to know what to play; they're organized into groups in the official rules and reference, but there are a lot of exceptions, which doesn't help matters. On top of that, some of us are very nitpicky. While we've decided on house interpretations for pretty much everything, there are places the rules could be more clear. Finally, with two separate sets, a new player has to check both rulesets to find a given card.
A lot of revision and a couple all-nighters later, enter my reference. It completely ignores all classification in favor of alphabetization, which makes it a pain in the ass to update and browse casually, but brings down lookup time drastically. If someone plays a card on you, check its row for a list of countering cards. If there's an unfamiliar card in your hand, check its row for what it does and when you can play it. The wording for each one is tweaked as finely as I can, and that's with the genes of an editor and a lawyer on my side. (I added the general rules at the top as something of an afterthought.)
This just covers the basic rules; I'm about to start adding Sticks and Stones. (We don't have Beer Money and I wouldn't be comfortable describing it until I've argued with people about it a few times.) I've incorporated notes from the FAQ when I needed them. I also added a couple of local house rules, but they're marked and have the official rules alongside. (Seriously, you should be able to Roundhouse/Spinning Backfist yourself!) As for the premise, I don't think it actually says "Catholic schoolgirls" anywhere in the rules, but that's how it was told to me and how I pass it on.
Please, if this is one of your favorites too, take a look and make sure I'm not missing anything.
chiliahedron.com/game_night/lunchmoney.html
Now I'm off to add Sticks and Stones. (I'm looking forward to it because it includes one of my favorite house rules, which has never come up: if someone plays Tantrum on you, and you actually have a hand of five Blodges, you can play them as an uncounterable Backlash.)
Thanks!
--Relsqui
P.S. Is the combo in my sig the best one possible with just basic + S&S, assuming no defense? I can't think of a better one offhand. Four-point kick, of course. (It's not weird 'cause you can't hold that many cards.)
