Rules

Youtube Video of the Rules Here!

Clay Crusher Rules:

Welcome to Clay Crusher, a game of creativity, strategy and treachery. The goal of the game is to be the first person to go around the board (cross or land on the finish line) and to crush your friends dreams in one fell swoop.

The basic premise is each round there is a new judge. The judge selects an idea card for the players to create during the round. A time limit is selected and the players frantically sculpt. The judge rank the sculptures on the table and the players will move accordingly. 1st place moves forward 3 spaces, 2nd place moves two spaces, 3rd place moves 3 spaces, and the rest don’t move at all.

Along the way you will encounter rule squares, penalty squares and star squares, if you land on one of them, pick up a card with the corresponding symbol.

If you land on a star square you typically get the best card in the game, a Clay Crusher card. This means at the end of any future round the player can use their Clay Crusher card to smash another player's creation before the judge sees it.

First one around the board wins! Now lets get to it.

Contents:

1 pound of colored clay (blue, red, yellow and green)
Board
2 dice
8 Star Cards
8 Penalty Cards
8 Rule Cards
30 Idea Cards
Timer (optional)

A game for ALL AGES.

4 to 20 players is ideal. I dare you to play with more than 20, I bet you won’t!

If you have 2 or 3 players, don’t worry. You guys can still play. Look towards the bottom of this page for your special set of rules.

Goal of the Game:

Be the first to get all the way around the board (cross or land on the finish line)

Rules:

Gather players, grab some clay and sculpt your own game piece. Your piece will represent you as you move around the board, use any colors you like, take as much time as you need.
Divide the remaining clay evenly between all players.
Choose the Judge for the first round (the oldest person is the first Judge), the role of the Judge will rotate clockwise each round. The Judge doesn’t sculpt during the round.
Pick an Idea Card and roll the dice. An Idea Card will give you a subject or thing to sculpt with your clay. The dice determine the time limit you have to sculpt. Times the dice total by 10, that’s how many seconds you have. Example, a 2+3 = 5 = 50 seconds, a 4+5= 9 = 90 seconds… The longer you have to sculpt, the more detail you can add to your sculpture.
Disregard for the first round: The Judge now has the option use their Rule Card (you must first land on a rule square in order to have a Rule Card, more details below)
Take a breath, gather your clay and think about how you will make the idea within the designated time.
Judge leaves the room (or puts a bandana firmly over their eyes, either one), prepares a timer and counts down from 3...2...1...GO! If you do not have a timer or a phone, you can use your fingers and count softly to yourself.
All players create whatever representation of the Idea Card in the amount of time they received from rolling their dice. Make sure the Judge does not see what you are sculpting, the point is to remain anonymous.
All players must place their clay in the middle of the board within the bullseye when the timer rings and the Judge says “STOP”. If they continue to sculpt they will be given a Penalty Card (details below) applied in the next round. If someone is still moving their clay to the bullseye after the timer, that’s ok, but hurry up.
Judge makes sure everyone is ready to present their clay, this is the time to use a Clay Crusher Card, details below, re-enters the room (or removes blindfold) and examines the sculptures.
Judge chooses the best 3 sculptures and ranks them 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place. Feel free to explain why they were chosen.
1st place moves 3 spaces, 2nd place moves 2 spaces, 3rd place moves 1 space.
Pass the blindfold clockwise, that person is now the Judge.
After the round is over, disassemble your creation and reuse your clay.
The first person to land on or cross the finish line wins!

Star Cards:

Players receive a Star Card when they land on a star square (yellow square), you can choose when you would like to use your Star Card, hold on to it as long as you’d like, but don’t forget to use it!
Clay Crusher: You have the option to crush ONE creation at the end of a round before the Judge sees. Tell the Judge to wait a moment, then throw the Clay Crusher card on the table, shout something cool and get to crushin’.

ONE motion when crushing, smushing is discouraged. Multiple crushes are not allowed!!
If everyone is crushed during one round, tough luck, the Judge will still rank the Players accordingly

A Pat on the Back: The person to your right gives you a light pat on the back, squeeze in a thoughtful compliment if you’d like
Penalty Card Immunity: You can hold on to this card until you get a Penalty Card, the two cards cancel each other out and you do not have to do the penalty assigned to you
Add 30 Seconds: Yup, you guessed it! Inform the Judge and add 30 seconds to the designated time, for you and you alone

Penalty Cards:

Players are issued Penalty Cards if:

Someone lands on a Penalty Square (red square)
Someone breaks the Judge’s declared rule
Someone continues working on their sculpture after the time limit has passed

All Penalty Cards are to be used in the round directly after they were issued
All Penalty Cards are to be issued by the Judge during the round they are judging. If the round passes and the infraction is not called out, the culprit is not responsible any more
After they have been used, place them back into the pile
Penalty Cards only last for one turn
Any foul play (false starts, disfiguring others sculptures...) results in a Penalty Card, use at your own discretion
Play with One Hand: Choose which hand you would like to play with, tell the Judge, use that hand for one round

Play with your eyes closed: No peeking!!!

Absolutely nothing: Congratulations, you won the lottery, no penalty given
Judge makes up a penalty: The acting Judge for the round gets to create a custom penalty, be creative!

Move back one space: You get the picture. Players do not claim Star Cards, Rule Cards or Penalty Cards when they move backwards

Rule Cards:

Players receive a Rule Card when they land on a rule square (green square)
You can only use your Rule Card when you are a Judge, you can hold onto the Rule Card as long as you’d like
Each rule lasts for 1 round, no rules last longer than one round
Anyone caught breaking a rule will be issued a Penalty Card
Double the amount of time: Yes, take the amount of time rolled and double it! Example, the Judge rolls a 7, double it! That’s 14!! You now have 140 seconds for the next round.
Make up your own rule: Judge gets to make up any rule they like, with the exception that you cannot make anyone move backwards or forwards on the board. They make the rule before everyone begins to sculpt.
Everyone plays with their eyes closed: No peeking!
Everyone plays with one hand: Choose the hand you would like to play with and stick to it, no switching hands!
Everyone moves back one space: Excluding the Judge, players do not claim Star Cards, Rule Cards or Penalty Cards when they move backwards

Judge:

Judges can rank the sculptures based on ANY reason.
Judges must sincerely try not to peek.
If anyone breaks a Judge’s rule while it is applicable, the Judge can issue that person a Penalty Card.
The Judge can grab up to 3 Idea Cards and choose their personal favorite, then place the remaining cards at the bottom of the deck.
After the timer begins, the Judge has the option to inform Players how much time they have left, or leave them in silence

Tie Game:

In the event of a tie where two players both cross or land on the finish line on the same turn, the players with have a head to head “Clay Off”
Just to be clear, it doesn’t matter if someone advances further than someone else past the finish line, all that matters is if two people reach the finish line on the same turn
All the other players will become Judges
Everyone leaves the room except for the players
The Judges agree on an idea and time limit
The Judges all cast one vote for their favorite sculpture
If there are an even amount of votes, contact someone who is not playing the game (with your phone, perhaps a neighbor) and ask them to choose a winner

Rules for 2 or 3 Players

The general rules apply, but here are a few tweaks to the existing rules. Read the rules above, after this. RULES!
You must have a Virtual Judge, use your phone or computer to send someone pictures or video of your creations, OR a Celebrity Judge, anyone else in your general area that is willing to judge your beautiful construction.
You can have different Judges for every round. Feel free to send video chats to your friends until someone picks up, have them rank each sculpture (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and then hang up on them after they made their selections. 1st place moves 3 spaces, 2nd place moves 2, 3rd place moves 1.
The Green Squares are now neutral. No one is awarded a Rule Card if you land on green.
Players will take turns rolling the dice and picking Idea Cards. Oldest player rolls first and picks the Idea Card, the Virtual/Celebrity Judge’s only responsibly is to Judge the final sculpture
If all players smash each other with Clay Crusher cards and no one is remaining, the round is a wash. Clean up the clay and begin the next round.
Specifically, the Penalty card that says Judge Makes Up a Penalty is now void. Take the next Penalty Card.
An app is in the works so you will be able to play virtually as long as you still have clay :)

Board Game Design: Derek Van Wagner

Graphic Design: Jack Brownson

Rule Pamphlet Design: Alejandro Varela

Box Design: Ashton Perley