If you want to learn about the Cards Against Humanity rules then this helpful guide will help. Card Against Humanity is actually quite recent compared to many card games. It was the result of a successful Kickstarter campaign launched in 2010.
The game was created by a group of 8 students who met at Highland Park High School, USA. The card game is similar in some respects to Hasbro’s, Apples to Apples game but is much more adult in nature.
If you have never played Cards Against Humanity it’s likely you have at least heard of it. The game grew in popularity very quickly and it has seen numerous expansions, special edition sets, limited editions, and more. Let’s take a more in-depth look at this popular card game and see how you play.
What is Cards Against Humanity?
Cards Against Humanity takes its name from the saying “crimes against humanity” so you can likely already tell this game isn’t for the faint-hearted. The idea behind crimes of humanity is to be as funny as possible with your answer.
Because this is a party game it isn’t really point-based, although points can still be used to decide who won a round. The idea behind the game is to be shocking and funny by choosing the most outrageous answer.
If you’ve always wanted to give Cards Against Humanity a try then read on to find more about how to play the game.
How to Play Cards Against Humanity
What You’ll Need
Cards Against Humanity isn’t your traditional card game! In fact, one of the many reasons it likely grew in popularity so quickly was because of how flexible and “laidback” it is compared to other card games.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things to learn when it comes to playing the game or rules. To play Cards Against Humanity you will first need a set of cards. Like we mentioned earlier, there are plenty of different sets to choose from and expansion decks.
But to get started we recommend sticking to a basic set first. The good news is that even the basic introductory set like the product below comes with plenty of cards. Speaking of which let’s take a more in-depth look at how the cards work.
Black Cards
There are two kinds of cards in your standard Cards Against Humanity set, black and white. Black cards are question cards and at the start of a round, the Card Czar picks a black card and places it face up.
Following the standard rules, the black card is picked at random. However, given the flexible nature of Cards Against Humanity, this doesn’t always have to be the case. In fact, many players opt to choose the card they find to have the best potential for funny or shocking answers.
On each black card, there will be either a question or statement with a blank space. This space is what will be filled with a white card.
White Cards
White cards are more numerous than black cards. For example, in the basic Cards Against Humanity set you get 500 white cards and 100 black. At the start of each round once the Card Czar has placed the black card down every player will be dealt 10 white cards.
On the cards, they’ll be either a short phrase or a single word answer. This is what will fill in the empty space found on the black card. The idea is for each player to choose the card they find the funniest.
Once you choose a card you give it face down to the Card Czar who will read out each answer. So, that is the basics behind how the cards work. Let’s now take a look at the gameplay of this quirky, party game.
Cards Against Humanity Rules and Gameplay
The Aim of The Game
The aim of Cards Against Humanity is to simply have fun! While there is a scoring system it doesn’t have to be used and the rules actively encourage people to play however they want. But if you’re playing for the first time then following the standard rules is recommended.
After a while, you can always think up some fun house rules or try a few new things. But to ease into the game comfortably following the standard Cards Against Humanity rules is always going to be the best option.
Starting A Game
Cards Against Humanity is designed for group play and it’s recommended that there is a minimum of 4 players. If you’re looking for 2 player card games then Cards Against Humanity isn’t the best choice; with this game it’s the more the merrier.
There can be as many as 20 players and in some cases even more! But to start a game you first need to decide who the Card Czar is going to be.
The Card Czar will change after every round and it is their job to choose a black card, deal out the white cards, and finally read out the answers once collected. Under the standard rules, the Czar will also be responsible for choosing the funniest answer as well.
According to the official rule book included with Cards Against Humanity sets the person who most recently defecated should be the first Card Czar. Although like most areas of the game this rule can be changed.
Awesome Points
Earlier we said there was a scoring system under standard Cards Against Humanity rules. These are known as awesome points and a single point is awarded to the player the Czar chooses each round.
After one round has been completed a new player becomes the Czar. This doesn’t have to be the winner of the previous round although this is usually the case. And then a new round is played.
So, what does getting an awesome point actually do? Well under the standard rules noting, in fact, standard Cards Against Humanity rules make it clear that the objective is to simply have fun. They don’t state a way for you to win the game at all.
Rule Variations
Talking about all the variations and house rules for Cards Against Humanity would require quite a few large volumes. But if you want to add a twist to your games or utilize a more traditional points system you can do so.
Some popular rule variations include placing a cap on the number of rounds and the player with the most points wins. Others give players with awesome points the ability to play more than one white card per round.
Another popular house rule is to alter the rule of the Card Czar. Instead of them being the one to choose a winner the best white card is instead chosen by the group. Others even transform it into a drinking game.
Expansion Sets
Part of the reason for Cards Against Humanity’s popularity is the great array of expansion sets. These sets cover many different themes like ones based around UK and Australian style jokes. To ones themed around different decades like the 80s and 90s. Expansion sets come in various sizes and usually add new black and white cards to your decks.
Cards Against Humanity – A Party Game You Won’t Forget
Cards Against Humanity was definitely one of kind upon its release, although now there are quite a few variations from other companies.
It’s not something everyone will enjoy and the creators know this. The standard Cards Against Humanity box even states “a party game for horrible people” which shows the unique character this game has.
But if you are up for some tasteless and risqué fun or are looking for a card game suitable for group play it would make a fun choice. You can also customize the rules in all sorts of ways as well. It might not appeal to everyone but if it suits your sense of humor you’ll certainly enjoy playing.
