Never Bring a Knife (2020) Board Game

Never Bring a Knife is a hidden roles card game designed by James Mosingo and released in in 2020. The game is published by Atlas Games and is designed for 4-8 players, with the best player count being 5-6. It falls under the categories of card game and deduction game, where players must use their deductive skills to figure out who is on their team and who is the enemy.

Game Components of Never Bring a Knife

Player cards: Representing undercover cops and hardened criminals.

Action cards: Used for various actions during the game, such as shooting or investigating.

Token cards: For tracking health, actions, and other game states.

Rulebook: Detailed instructions on how to play the game.

How To Setup Never Bring a Knife

Setup involves shuffling the player cards and distributing them randomly among the players. Each player receives a role card that indicates whether they are an undercover cop or a hardened criminal. Action and token cards are also shuffled and placed within reach of all players. The objective of the setup is to ensure that players do not know the roles of the others, adding to the social deduction element.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Social Deduction: Players must figure out who among them are undercover cops and who are hardened criminals.

Action Resolution: Players use action cards to shoot, investigate, or perform other actions to uncover roles or eliminate opponents.

Health Tracking: Players use token cards to track their health; eliminating a player involves reducing their health to zero.

Game Objective: Undercover cops aim to eliminate all hardened criminals, while the criminals aim to eliminate the cops or have an equal number of each role remaining.

Player Experience

In **Never Bring a Knife**, players are immersed in a tense and dynamic environment where trust and deception are key. The game requires strategic thinking and social interaction, as players must negotiate and bluff to achieve their objectives. The short game duration and simple rules make it accessible, yet the complexity of social deduction adds depth and replayability.

Pros

Quick Games: Sessions are short, lasting 20-30 minutes.

High Replayability: Random role distribution and action card draws ensure different experiences each time.

Social Interaction: Encourages negotiation, bluffing, and deduction.

Simple to Learn: Easy rules make it accessible to new players.

Cons

Limited Complexity: Some players may find the game too simple.

Player Count Dependency: Best with a full group of 4-8 players; smaller groups may not experience the full social deduction aspect.

Luck Element: Action card draws can sometimes feel random and outside of player control.

Personal Thoughts on Never Bring a Knife

**Never Bring a Knife** is ideal for groups of friends or family members who enjoy social deduction and bluffing. It is particularly suited for those who like fast-paced, interactive games that don’t require a long commitment. The game’s themes and mechanics are not suitable for younger audiences due to the mature nature of the content. Overall, it’s a great addition to any game collection for those who enjoy dynamic, social gameplay.

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