“Bang!” is an enthralling multiplayer card game that brings the essence of the Wild West to your tabletop. Designed for 4-7 players and skillfully weaves together elements of strategy, luck, and role-play, ensuring a distinct adventure in every round. Players are drawn into a world of outlaws, sheriffs, and duels, each assuming a secret role with unique goals and abilities. From tense showdowns to strategic alliances, “Bang!” offers a dynamic and immersive experience. Easy to pick up yet rich with strategic depth, it’s an ideal match for both new enthusiasts and seasoned gamers. Its compelling gameplay and thematic design stand as a tribute to Emiliano Sciarra‘s creativity, making “Bang!” a favorite for game nights and a highlight in the world of card games.
Game Overview
“Bang!” is a Wild West themed card game, where strategy, luck, and quick thinking reign supreme. Players adopt roles from iconic Western figures, each with unique abilities and goals. The Sheriff aims to uphold justice, while Outlaws seek chaos, Deputies covertly support the Sheriff and Renegades plot to take it all. With a dynamic mix of card play and role-play, “Bang!” ensures a riveting experience in every session, making it a favorite for those who relish strategic depth and interactive gameplay.
Roles and their Objectives
Each player is assigned a hidden role (except for the Sheriff, whose role is public). Each role has specific objectives to achieve in order to win the game. Understanding these objectives is crucial for strategizing and navigating through the game’s dynamics. Let’s go through each role and its objectives, as well as how to play each role effectively.
Sheriff
The Sheriff’s primary goal is to eliminate all the Outlaws and the Renegade, ensuring law and order.
Sheriff’s identity is “public” from the beginning of the game. This makes the Sheriff a main target but also allows for potential support from Deputies.
How to Play as the Sheriff?
Here’s how to effectively play as the Sheriff.
- Reveal Your Role: Unlike other roles, the Sheriff’s identity is known to all players from the beginning, setting the stage for alliances and confrontations.
- Build Alliances: Identify potential Deputies and build alliances. Although you won’t know for sure who the Deputies are, pay attention to players who aid you or target known Outlaws.
- Maintain Health: As the primary target for Outlaws and the Renegade, keeping your life points high is crucial. Utilize Beer cards and other healing abilities to stay in the game.
- Assess Threats: Keep an eye on aggressive players or those targeting you, as they’re likely Outlaws or the Renegade. Use your actions and alliances to counter these threats.
- Use Your Power Wisely: The Sheriff can hold more cards than other roles, based on the number of players. Use this advantage to maintain a strong hand and control the game’s pace.
- Eliminate Outlaws: Your primary objective is to eliminate all Outlaws. Focus your efforts on identifying and targeting them, but be wary of attacking potential Deputies.
- Be Cautious of the Renegade: The Renegade wants to be the last player standing and may initially help you eliminate Outlaws. However, they will turn against you once other threats are neutralized. Watch for sudden shifts in behavior that might indicate a player is the Renegade.
- Strategic Use of Jail and Duel Cards: Utilize Jail cards to immobilize suspicious players and Duel cards to challenge aggressive players, potentially depleting their hand and making them vulnerable.
- Keep an Eye on Character Abilities: Each character has unique abilities that can significantly affect the game. Be aware of these and plan your strategy accordingly, both in defending against them and leveraging your allies’ abilities.
Playing as the Sheriff requires a balance of defense, strategic aggression, and diplomacy. By carefully managing your life points, building strategic alliances, and systematically targeting your adversaries.
Deputies
The main goal of a Deputy is to protect the Sheriff from threats and help identify and eliminate the Outlaws and the Renegade.
Deputies work to support the Sheriff, both in defending against attacks and in identifying threats. They must be cautious in their actions to avoid revealing their identity too early and becoming targets themselves.
How to Play as a Deputy?
Here are some strategies for playing effectively as a Deputy.
- Protect the Sheriff: Your primary role is to defend the Sheriff from attacks. Use cards like “Missed!” or “Beer” to help keep the Sheriff alive.
- Conceal Your Role: While you want to help the Sheriff, it’s often wise to keep your role as Deputy a secret initially. This can prevent becoming a target for Outlaws and the Renegade early in the game.
- Identify Allies and Foes: Pay close attention to players’ actions to determine who might be an ally and who is likely an enemy. Support those who aid the Sheriff and challenge those who pose a threat.
- Use Your Cards Judiciously: Save your most helpful cards, like “Beer” or “Panic,” for critical moments, especially to aid the Sheriff or counter significant threats.
- Draw Fire Away from the Sheriff: If possible, take actions that make you a more appealing target than the Sheriff. This can help divert attention and attacks away from the Sheriff, giving them a better chance of survival.
- Be Ready to Reveal Yourself: If the Sheriff is in grave danger or you need to gain their trust, consider revealing your role as Deputy. This can solidify your alliance with the Sheriff and encourage them to support you in turn.
- Eliminate Threats: Work with the Sheriff to identify and eliminate Outlaws and the Renegade. Be cautious, however, not to accidentally target another Deputy.
- Strategic Use of Jail: Use Jail cards on players you suspect are Outlaws or the Renegade, but be careful not to imprison another Deputy by mistake.
- Keep the Sheriff Informed: If you have identified threats or strategies that can benefit the Sheriff, consider sharing this information discreetly if you believe it won’t compromise your safety.
Playing as a Deputy requires a careful balance of defense, subterfuge, and strategic aggression. By protecting the Sheriff, concealing your role when advantageous, and tactically managing threats, you can help uphold law and order.
Outlaws
The primary goal of an Outlaw is to eliminate the Sheriff.
Outlaws must collaborate (often silently, since roles are hidden) to attack the Sheriff while avoiding detection and elimination by the Sheriff and Deputies.
How to Play as an Outlaw?
Here are strategies to effectively play as an Outlaw.
- Conceal Your Intentions: Initially, it may be beneficial to disguise your aggressive intentions towards the Sheriff to avoid early retaliation from Deputies or the Sheriff himself.
- Form Temporary Alliances: While your ultimate goal is to eliminate the Sheriff, forming temporary alliances with other players can help you manage threats and control the flow of the game.
- Target the Sheriff: Your main objective is to bring down the Sheriff. Focus your attacks on him, but be strategic about when and how you strike to maximize your impact.
- Manage Threats: Keep an eye on players who aggressively defend the Sheriff, as they are likely Deputies. Plan your moves to neutralize these threats without exposing yourself to unnecessary risk.
- Use Your Cards Wisely: Leverage your cards for maximum effect, whether it’s attacking the Sheriff, defending yourself, or disrupting the strategies of Deputies and the Renegade.
- Monitor the Renegade: The Renegade’s goal is to be the last player standing, which means they might initially assist the Sheriff in fending off attacks, including those from Outlaws. Be cautious, as the Renegade may align with the Sheriff until it’s strategically viable to make a move against him. As an Outlaw, it’s important to recognize this potential temporary alliance and plan your strategies accordingly
- Adapt Your Strategy: Be flexible and ready to change your tactics based on the game’s progression and the remaining players’ actions.
- Bluff and Mislead: Use bluffing to your advantage to mislead other players about your intentions, your cards, and your role.
Playing as an Outlaw requires a balance of aggression, deception, and strategic timing.
Renegades
The Renegade aims to eliminate all other players, ensuring they are the only survivor (The last man standing).
The Renegade’s role is the most complex, requiring a careful balance of deceit and strategy.
How to Play as a Renegades?
Here are some strategies for effectively playing as the Renegade.
- Maintain a Low Profile: In the early game, it’s crucial to not draw too much attention to yourself. You want the other players to underestimate your threat level.
- Assist the Sheriff (Initially): To achieve your end goal, the Sheriff must survive until all Outlaws are eliminated. Help the Sheriff fend off Outlaw attacks without revealing your true intentions.
- Eliminate Outlaws Discreetly: Work towards eliminating the Outlaws, but do so in a way that doesn’t make it obvious that you’re on the Sheriff’s side. Your goal is to ensure the Sheriff’s survival until the Outlaws are dealt with, not to become the Sheriff’s trusted ally.
- Balance the Power: Keep the game balanced by subtly undermining both the Sheriff and the Outlaws. You don’t want any one side to become too powerful too quickly.
- Prepare for the Endgame: As the game progresses, start preparing for the eventual showdown with the Sheriff. Hoard useful cards and try to maintain a healthy number of life points.
- Seize the Moment: Once all Outlaws and Deputies are out of the game, it’s your time to strike against the Sheriff. This is the most critical phase of your strategy, and timing is everything.
- Use Cards Wisely: Save your most powerful cards for the final showdown with the Sheriff. Cards like “Dynamite”, “Duel”, and powerful weapons can turn the tide in your favor.
Playing as the Renegade is arguably the most challenging role in “Bang!” because it requires a delicate balance of subterfuge, strategy, and timing. Your success depends on your ability to convincingly play both sides of the conflict until you’re ready to make your move.
Every role presents unique challenges and strategies. The key to winning lies in deciphering other players’ secret roles to tailor your approach and steer the game in your favor.
Characters and Abilities
Every character has a special ability that can alter the standard rules in some way, providing strategic advantages or new options during the game. Let us take a look at each characters and their ability.
Character Cards Breakdown
Character Card Breakdown
Health
The number of bullets assigned to each character represents the life points, dictating how many hits one can withstand before being eliminated from the game.
These bullets serve a dual purpose by also determining the maximum number of cards you’re allowed to keep in your hand at the end of your turn.
Ability
Every character in brings a distinct ability to the game. They mirror the colorful characters of the Wild West, from quick-draw gunslingers to devious bandits, each adding a unique twist. Abilities like drawing more cards, evading shots, or packing extra punch can turn the game on its head.
Playing Cards
Playing cards are at the heart of the game’s mechanics, driving actions, conflicts, and strategies. Each has specific functions and uses during gameplay. Before we can proceed on playing the game, it is crucial that we familiarize ourselves with the different cards and their uses.
Here’s a breakdown of the types of playing cards, their roles, and some common question regarding each one of them.
BANG!
Central to the game’s dynamics, Bang! cards are used to whittle down opponent’s life points and eliminate threats.
Used to “shoot” at other players within your character’s distance range.
How do you counter a Bang! attact?
Any card with a Missed! symbol
can be used to cancel the
effect of a card with a BANG! symbol
Can you use more than one Bang! card?
No. You cannot use more than 1 Bang! card in a turn, unless a character’s ability say otherwise.
Take Willy The Kid, he can play any number of Bang! cards during his turn.
In special cases, a Bang! card used not intent to shoot other player such as that of a Duel and Indians! cards are not consider a Bang! since they are meant only to be discarded.
Missed!
Crucial for defense, these cards help players survive by dodging incoming attacks.
Played in response to a Bang! card to negate its effect, preventing the loss of a life point.
How do you play a Missed! card?
When another player targets you with a Bang! card, you can play a Missed! card right away, even if it’s not your turn. This action cancels the shot, preventing you from losing a life point.
If you choose not to play a Missed! card or don’t have one, you must discard one of your bullet tokens (life points) into a central discard pile.
If your character is Calamity Janet and your out of Missed! card, yor at luck. She can use a Bang! card as Missed! card and vice versa. Aldough, if she does use a Bang! card she cannot play another Bang! that turn.
Unless she has a Volcanic in play.
Remember, you can only use Missed! cards to cancel shots aimed directly at you. Regardless of whether the shot is canceled, the Bang! card used is always discarded afterward.
If Slab the Killer plays a Bang! card against you, you’ll need two Missed! cards to dodge his shot. One just won’t cut it against this sharpshooter.
Losing your last bullet means you’re eliminated from the game unless you can play a Beer card immediately to regain a life point.
Beer
Beer cards are vital for recovery, especially after a series of attacks.
Restores one life point to the player who uses it, up to their maximum starting life points.
They can’t be used to aid other player.
When are you NOT allowed to use a Beer Card?
The “Beer” card is a crucial card for healing and can often turn the tide of the game by restoring life points to a player. However, there’s an important rule exception: if only two players remain in the game, playing a “Beer” card has no effect. This means you cannot use it to gain life points. This rule ensures the game reaches a decisive end, preventing the last two players from prolonging the duel indefinitely by continuously healing themselves.
Saloon
When played, the Saloon card allows the person who played it to heal one life point, and every other player also gains one life point. It’s like a round of drinks for the whole group, providing a momentary truce in the midst of the gunfighting chaos.
Can I use Saloon if I’m at my last life point?
No. If you’re about to be knocked out of the game, you can only use a Beer to prevent from being eliminated from the game, not a Saloon.
Also, an eliminated player can’t regain a life points(restore to life) if another player plays a Saloon card. Saloon card only affects all the player that are still alive. Once eliminated, you are definitely out of the game.
Weapons
Upgrades a player’s current weapon, altering their shooting range and offensive capabilities.
Weapon cards are a type of blue-bordered card that enhance a player’s ability to attack others. Each weapon card has a range, which determines the distance you can target other players for an attack.
How to measure distance? ( Range )
Distance is a key factor in gameplay, as it determines who you can target with various cards, like Bang! cards, based on the range of your current weapon, which is a Colt .45 (Starting weapon) with a range of one space.
Here’s a simplified illustration with regards to range or distance.
Counting Distance
To calculate the distance to another player, count the number of seats between you and that player, going either clockwise or counterclockwise, whichever is shorter. The number you get is the distance.
Effect of Eliminations
When a character is knocked out of the game, they are no longer counted when measuring distance. This means some players may become “closer” to you, as there are fewer players between you and your target.
Importance of Distance
Your starting weapon, the Colt .45, have a range of one, meaning you can only target players seated directly next to you.
To hit targets beyond distance 1, you need a more powerful weapon than the standard Colt .45, which you replace by playing a new weapon card. The new weapon takes over until it’s either stolen (like with a “Panic!” card) or discarded (such as through “Cat Balou”). Remember, the Colt .45 is the only weapon you can’t lose. You’re limited to one weapon at a time, to switch, discard your current weapon.
Note that weapons only affect your shooting range, not the actual distance between players.
Can you have both Volcanic and a Scope in play?
Yes! Combining the “Volcanic” and “Scope” cards allows you to attack multiple times in one turn and reach players further away.
The Volcanic lets you play unlimited Bang! cards.
The Scope increases your attack range.
Making this combo powerful for targeting and eliminating opponents.
Barrel
The “Barrel” card provides a form of defense. When you have this card in play, it gives you a chance to “draw!” each time you are the target of a “Bang!” card. If you draw a Heart suit card from the deck, the “Bang!” is dodged as if you played a “Missed!” card, meaning the “Barrel” effectively grants you an extra opportunity to avoid getting hit.
Here’s an example of a Barrel card at play.
A Bang! has been played against a player, who responds by using their Barrel card.
The Barrel card, featuring a heart symbol, indicates that drawing a Heart from the deck will activate its effect and cause the Bang! attack to miss.
The defending player draws a card from the deck.
Defender draw a “Cat Balou” with a King of Hearts. Successfully dodging the Bang!
This means the “Barrel” has worked, and the “Bang!” shot misses. The “Cat Balou” card is then discarded as its role was only to determine the Barrel’s success.
Let’s consider another scenario.
Let’s assume that you got a different card from the deck, you got the Stagecoach that has the 9 of spade instead. In this scenario, the “Barrel” card does not protect you from the Bang! and you lose a life points.
But of course, you as Defender has other options to avoid losing a life points.
Ether you
Play a Missed! card to dodge the Bang!
Or
Use a Beer card to replenish life points.
Or, use a Saloon card.
However, remember that you CAN’T play Saloon if you’re losing your last life point.
Remember, the drawn card is immediately discarded, regardless of its actual game effect. The same principle applies when drawing for the Jail cards—only the suit or number on the card matters at the moment of the draw, and then the card is discarded without triggering its printed effect.
Can I use another Barrel cards if the the first one was unsuccessful?
No. No player can ever have two cards with the same name in front of them on the table.
However, if you are playing as Jourdonnais considered to have a Barrel in play all the time plus you have a real Barrel card? That would give you two chances, like playing 2 Barrel cards one after another if the first didn’t work out.
Dynamite
Introduces an element of risk and unpredictability, potentially changing the game’s course if it detonates.
A hazard card that passes from player to player at the start of their turn. The player holding Dynamite must “draw!” from the deck, and if they draw a card within a specific range, the Dynamite explodes, causing 3 life points loss, and is then discarded.
Here’s an example of a Dynamite card at play.
1. A player lays down the Dynamite card.
2. The next player draws a Bang! card with the Ace of Spades, Safe! Dynamite threat is then passed to the next player to the left.
3. The next player draw, yields a Beer card with the 6 of Hearts. Safe! Dynamite passes to the next player to the left.
4. The next player drew a Winchester card with 8 of Spades (Within the Dynamite Range Spade 2-9), thus triggers its effect.
Explodes causing 3 life points loss.
Players take turns drawing cards, awaiting the pivotal moment when a Spade card numbered from 2 to 9 is drawn, signaling the explosion of the Dynamite card. The unlucky player who draws the triggering Spade card suffers the blast, losing 3 life points. After this explosive effect, the Dynamite card is then discarded(finishing its effect), its fiery impact resolved until possibly reappearing in later rounds.
Players are not exempted from Dynamite damage or elimination even if they are in jail.
If a player got eliminated by a Dynamite, does the character Vulture Sam draw the Dynamite along with all other cards of the player eliminated?
Dynamite’s effect requires it to be discarded after it explodes, placing it in the discard pile before Vulture Sam’s ability takes effect.
So, while Vulture Sam ability does gather the eliminated players remaining hand and table cards, the Dynamite, having fulfilled its explosive destiny, is already in the discard pile and out of reach.
The Dynamite card itself is not included among the cards Vulture Sam can collect.
Jail
Useful for temporarily neutralizing key threats or strategic players without causing direct harm.
Played on another player (except the Sheriff) to “imprison” them, forcing them to skip their next turn unless they draw a Heart card at the start of their turn.
How do you get out of Jail?
To get out of Jail, at the start of your turn, you must draw a card from the deck. If you draw a Heart, you successfully “escape” and can proceed with your turn as usual. If the card is not a Heart, you stay in Jail and miss your turn, and you’ll have to try again on your next turn. You continuously lose your turn until you draw a heart.
The Jail card stays in front of you(You remain in jail) until you draw that Heart or another game effect removes the Jail card.
Are you immune from attacks when your in Jail?
No. Even in jail, you can be subjected to Bang! attact, you can still respond to an attack with a Missed! card or Beer card only if you’re losing you last life point.
You are also vulnerable to Dynamite explosion as well.
To be in Jail simply means you skip your turn, but during other players’ turn you are a legal target for every card in the game. This means you are vulnerable from cards such as Cat Balou, Panic, Duel , Indians, and Gatling from other players.
Also, when a player plays a Jail card towards you, it doesn’t mean you go straight to jail right away. That Jail card is just considered a warning. It’s effect would only be determine after you draw from the deck whether you’re going to jail or not (if you drew a heart or not).
General store
When played, a number of cards equal to the number of players are revealed from the deck. Starting with the player who played the “General Store” card and proceeding clockwise, each player chooses one of these cards and adds it to their hand. This process continues until all the revealed cards are taken.
Here’s an example of a General Store card at play.
Let’s assume there are 7 players.
The player in Turn lays down the General Store card.
The same player gets to draw 7 cards(Number of player) from the deck, and lay them on the table face-up.
Starting from the same player that played the General store card, in clockwise direction, each player chooses one from those face-up cards and add to their hand.
Last person has no more choice but to pick the remaining card.
Panic!
The “Panic!” card is a play-and-discard card that allows you to take one card from the hand of a player who is within a distance of 1 from you. This means you can essentially ‘steal’ a random card from hand or card that has been played on the table. Used during your turn to immediately affect the game. It’s a strategic card that can be used both offensively, to weaken another player’s options, or defensively, to gain a card that could be crucial for your survival.
What’s the difference of Panic! card from Cat Balou?
Panic! is limited to targeting players within a distance of 1, allowing the user to take a card from the targeted player’s hand or in play and add it to their own hand. Conversely, Cat Balou offers broader targeting flexibility, enabling the user to choose any player, regardless of distance, and force them to discard a card either from their hand (randomly) or directly from play.
While Panic! benefits the user by adding to their resources, Cat Balou is more about disrupting any player’s strategy by removing their cards.
Cat Balou
The “Cat Balou” card allows a player to force any other player, including themselves, to discard a card of their choice. This action can disrupt other players’ strategies by removing key cards from their setup or reducing their hand, making “Cat Balou” a powerful card for altering the state of the game.
If I played a Cat Balou, do I get to pick which card to discard?
When you play the Cat Balou card, you get to pick “any player” and make them “discard a card.” You can decide whether they lose a random card from their hand or discard a specific card that’s in play on the table. Remember, the choice of what gets discarded — a specific card on the table or a random card from the hand — is entirely up to the person using the Cat Balou.
The Cat Balou card is especially useful for getting rid of troublesome cards like Dynamite and Jail.
Gatling
The “Gatling” card represents a powerful attack that affects all other players in the game. When a player uses the “Gatling,” they effectively launch an attack that requires every other player to discard a “Missed!” card or lose one life point. It’s like a “BANG!” card that targets all opponents simultaneously, making it a formidable card that can swiftly change the game’s landscape, especially when multiple players are low on life points or “Missed!” cards.
Can I play a BANG! if I have already played a Gatling in the same turn?
Yes, you can play a BANG! card even if you’ve already used a Gatling in the same turn. While both cards involve attacking, the Gatling is not considered a BANG! card, so it doesn’t count against the usual limit of one BANG! per turn.
Indians!
The “Indians!” card is a powerful offensive card that involves all players. When played, it forces every other player to discard a “Bang!” card or lose a life point. This card simulates an attack by Indians on all players, representing a moment in the game where everyone must quickly defend themselves or suffer the consequences(lifepoint loss). It can dramatically affect the game by depleting other players’ hands of valuable “Bang!” cards.
Duel
The “Duel” card initiates a one-on-one showdown between the player who plays the card and a target of their choice. Once the Duel is initiated, the targeted player must immediately play a “Bang!” card to counterattack, or they lose one life point. If they do counter with a “Bang!” card, the initiator of the Duel must then play a “Bang!” card or lose a life point themselves. This back-and-forth exchange continues until one player cannot respond with a “Bang!” card, resulting in the loss of a life point.
The Duel card forces players into a direct confrontation, potentially depleting valuable “Bang!” cards from their hands and inflicting life point damage, making it a strategic tool for weakening or eliminating specific threats.
Mustang
When you play this card in front of you, it makes you harder to be hit. It does this by increasing the distance between you and all other players by 1. So, if someone wants to target you with a Bang! card, they have to be closer or have a better weapon with more range. This card stays in play, giving you ongoing protection.
Here’s a simple illustration how the Mustang card works.
Let assume you are the Sheriff as an example.
Distance Other Players see you normally.
Distance other player see you having Mustang card.
You are 1xtra distance more from the other players.
Making you a lil harder to reach to be attacked by short range weapons.
Can you have multiple Mustang?
It’s against the rule to have 2 of the same card name in front of you at play, thus you can’t play multiple Mustang cards.
But certain character such as Paul Regret is considered to have a Mustang card in play at all times. All other players must add 1 to the distance to him. If he has another real Mustang card in play, he can count both of them, increasing all distances to him by a total of 2.
It’s like having 2 mustang card.
Scope
“Scope” card improves your shooting accuracy. When you play this card in front of you, it lets you shoot players who are further away. It does this by reducing the distance to all other players by 1. So, with a Scope, you can target players who would normally be out of range of your current weapon. Like other blue cards, the Scope stays in play and continues to help you until it’s removed or the game ends.
Here’s a simple illustration how the Scope card works.
Again, let’s assume you are the Sheriff.
The normal distance you see other players.
The distance how you see other player with a SCOPE.
Every player are 1 distance closer to you.
Making it a lil easy for you to reach them for an attack.
Can I use multiple Scope card to target players with farder distance?
No. Having 2 cards with the same name in front of you at play is against the rule, thus you can’t use multiple scope.
But certain character such as Rose Doolan is considered to have a Scope card in play at all times. If she has another real Scope card in play, she can count both her ability and of the card, reducing her distance to all other players by a total of 2.
Now that’s like playing 2 Scope at the same time.
Stagecoach and Wells Fargo
Stagecoach
When you play this card, you draw two extra cards from the draw pile.
Wells Fargo
When you play this card, you draw three extra cards from the draw pile.
Now that we are familiar with the different cards and their uses, let’s proceed on how to play the game.
How to Play
Preparation
First, determine how many players are gonna be playing. The number of players determines the mix of roles, here’s how the roles are distributed based on the number of players.
Take as many role cards as the number of players and divided as follows below
4 players: 1 Sheriff, 1 Renegade, 2 Outlaws
5 players: 1 Sheriff, 1 Renegade, 2 Outlaws, 1 Deputy
6 players: 1 Sheriff, 1 Renegade, 3 Outlaws, 1 Deputy
7 players: 1 Sheriff, 1 Renegade, 3 Outlaws, 2 Deputy
Let’s first
1. Distribute The Role Cards
Shuffle the role cards and deal one to each player, face down. The player who gets the Sheriff role turns their card face up to reveal themselves, while all other players secretly check their roles without revealing them to the others.
Then let’s
2. Distribute The Character Cards
Shuffle the character cards and deal one to each player, placing it face up in front of them. Players then introduce their characters by name and explain their special abilities.
Following this, each player collects bullet tokens equal to the number indicated on their character card. Bullet tokens are a way to track life points.
Each players gets a playing board as well.
Bullet tokens and Playboard are optional, there’s a simple way to play the game without using them and still track your life points.
What’s another way to easily track your life points?
To keep track of your life points
Assuming your Character is Bart Cassidy, here’s a simple way to track your life points without using the Playing boards and Bullet tokens making the game more mobile.
To keep track of your life points, you can use a spare character card. Place it face down and slide your character card on top to reveal the number of bullets representing your remaining life points, as shown in the image. This sliding method is a handy way to monitor your health, making the game portable and easy to play anywhere.
Now if your role is the Sheriff, lucky you because
The Sheriff gets extra bullet
The Sheriff gets an extra bullet in the game. So, if the Sheriff’s character card displays four bullets like Bart Cassidy, they actually play with five.
Assuming you end with a character like El Gringo that shows 3 bullets, the Sheriff plays with four.
Now let’s
3. Shuffle the playing cards
Shuffle the playing cards and deal out a number of cards, face down, to each player equal to their bullet tokens. Place the leftover playing cards face down in the center of the table to form the draw pile, making sure there’s space nearby for a discard pile.
Assuming there are 7 players, below would be your table setup.
If you decide to use the slider method, not using the bullet tokens and play board, below would be your table setup.
Now that the stage is set, everyone’s picked their characters, and the roles are dealt. With cards in hand and the draw pile ready, you’re ready to Play.
Starting The Game
The Sheriff always starts the first turn.
Turn Structure
A player’s turn is divided into three main phases, the draw phase, actions phase, and discard phase. Here’s how a turn typically unfolds:
Draw Phase
Start of Turn
At the start of your turn, draw two cards from the top of the draw pile.
Action Phase
After you’ve drawn your cards, you enter the Action Phase. This is when you get to play the cards in your hand. You can attack other players with Bang! cards, defend with Missed! cards, or use any other cards that help your strategy.
Remember, you can only play one Bang! card per turn unless you have a special ability.
Discard Phase
End of Turn
The Discard Phase is the last part of your turn. If you have more cards in your hand than the number of bullets (life points) you have, you must choose and discard cards until the number of cards in your hand matches your life points.
Playing “Bang!” is straightforward as taking turns and eliminating other players.
Eliminations Penalties and Rewards
Whenever a player gets eliminated, that player then reveals his/her ROLE. Players responsible eliminating the other player gets rewards or penalties.
When the Sheriff accidentally takes out a Deputy, they must discard all their cards, both from their hand and any in play as penalty.
Whenever a player takes down an Outlaw, regardless of whether they are also an Outlaw, they get to draw a reward of three cards from the deck.
What if I played a “Dynamite” card and eliminated a player, do I get the reward or penalties?
If a player is eliminated by a Dynamite, this damage is not considered to be caused by any player, no one gets the reward or penalties.
What if I played an “Indian” card and eliminated a player, do I get the rewards or penalties?
Unlike the Dynamite, the player who played the Indians! or the Gatling is considered to be responsible of the elimination of a player. Thus, gets the reward or the penalties.
Now, how do you win the game?
Winning The Game
The game concludes immediately when the Sheriff is killed. If the Renegade is the sole survivor at this point, the Renegade wins. But, if there’s more than one player still standing or an Outlaw remains, Outlaw team wins dead or alive..
Below images shows conditions for each role to win the game.
Deputies, Outlaws and Renegade Eliminated. Sheriff Wins
Outlaws and Renegade Eliminated. Sheriff & Deputies Wins.
Deputies, Outlaws, and the Sheriff last to be Eliminated. Renegade Wins.
Sheriff got Eliminated even if the Deputies and Renegades ar not. Outlaw Wins
Deputies, Renegade and Sheriff last Eliminated. Outlaws Wins.
Deputies and the Sheriff got Eliminated even if the Renegade is not. Outlaws Wins.
Here’s a special cenario
If Dynamite explodes and kills a Sheriff when both a Renegade and Deputy are alone left in play(remaining alive), the eliminated Outlaw team wins!
This also applies if the Sheriff got killed by Indians and Gatling attacks. The outlaws win, dead or alive.
And that’s how you play Bang! Simple right?
Now let’s look at Bang! Expansions and Stand alones.
Expansions & Stand Alones
Expansion Pack
The BANG! Expansion Pack unites three expansions to escalate the action in your BANG! games. This pack includes “Wild West Show,” “The Valley of Shadows” Lastly, “High Noon and A Fistful of Cards”.
What are the decks of cards included in the Expansion Pack?
1. Wild West Show
“Wild west show” enriches the original “BANG!” card game by introducing new characters, action cards, and unpredictable events, deepening the strategic gameplay. This expansion adds a layer of unpredictability and excitement, with unique abilities and game-changing cards that seamlessly integrate with the base game, offering fresh challenges and strategies.
2. High Noon
“High Noon” expansion introduces a novel twist to the original “BANG!” card game, set in the Wild West. It features a special deck of cards that are drawn at the start of each round, applying unique effects that change gameplay rules and conditions for all players. These effects can range from altering distances between players to restricting card uses, creating a dynamic game environment that demands adaptive strategies. Designed to seamlessly integrate with the base game, this expansion adds depth and unpredictability.
3. The Valley of Shadows
“The Valley of Shadows” Introduced an array of unique new characters, along with deadly new cards and strategic elements, this expansion offers fresh gameplay experiences with thematic additions that perfectly complement the Wild West setting. Players can encounter rattlesnakes, brave the dangers of tornadoes, and fight off outlaws and other threats using new weapons and gear.
Dodge City
This expansion allows for up to 8 players, increasing the game’s complexity and interaction. Additionally, “Dodge City” introduces 15 new characters, each with unique abilities. Also, it includes new features like dual-wielding, where players can equip two weapons, and green-bordered cards that have ongoing effects.
Gold Rush
“Gold Rush” elevates the base game by incorporating the thrilling dynamics of a gold rush, introduces gold nuggets as a novel element to the classic “BANG!” card game. The pursuit of gold introduces a resource management aspect, offering fresh challenges and deepening player engagement.
The Great Train Robbery
“The Great Train Robbery” expansion adds a dynamic train heist theme to the original card game, featuring outlaws trying to seize valuable cargo and law enforcers aiming to protect it. This expansion introduces a set of Railroad and Locomotive cards that move with the Sheriff’s turn, along with 16 Railcar cards, 14 Stop tiles, 8 new characters, and 16 additional playing cards. It brings fresh mechanics and strategies to the table, enhancing the gameplay experience with its engaging Wild West train robbery scenario.
Armed & Dangerous
“Armed & Dangerous” enriches the BANG! game experience by introducing an arsenal of new elements that include Dangerous cards, featuring powerful weapons, gear, and ammo. Players must navigate the use of limited, powerful new goods to gain an upper hand, making each match more thrilling and unpredictable.
The Duel
“The Duel” is a two-player spin-off of the original Bang! card game, tailored for intense one-on-one matchups. A Wild West showdown between a Sheriff and an Outlaw, each equipped with unique characters and decks aimed at depleting the opponent’s life points. The game successfully condenses the essence of Bang! into a fast-paced, engaging duel format.
The Duel: Renegades
“The Duel: Renegades” is an expansion for “BANG! The Duel. This expansion introduces a thrilling twist with four exciting modes, including dual-player battles and a tense three-player “Mexican Standoff”.
The Walking Dead
“Bang! The Walking Dead” is an adaption of “The Walking Dead” setting. This edition captures the essence of the original game’s Wild West showdowns, integrating characters, scenarios, and tensions from the popular zombie apocalypse series. Players assume the roles of iconic characters, each with unique abilities, navigating through alliances and conflicts in a struggle for survival against the undead and each other, embodying the suspense and survivalist spirit of “The Walking Dead.”
The Dice Game
“BANG! The Dice Game” takes the essence of the original “BANG!” card game and translates it into a fast-paced dice game. The game introduces a push-your-luck mechanic with five dice, offering a fresh twist on the classic gameplay. Actions include shooting other players, healing, and more, making it a quick, engaging, and accessible version of the beloved Wild West-themed game.
The Dice Game: Old Saloon
“The Dice Game: Old Saloon” introduces new characters, dice, and saloon cards, adding variety and depth. The expansion offers five modules, including loudmouth and coward dice, for customizable gameplay. Players can mix and match modules for a fresh experience every time, making the game even more dynamic and exciting.
The Dice Game: Undead or Alive
“The Dice Game: Undead or Alive” expansion introduces five modular components, enhancing the game with new dynamics like duel dice, Rage cards, and a zombie outbreak scenario for eliminated players. Options for re-entry as zombies, add a novel twist to player elimination.
Samurai Sword
“Samurai Sword” is a standalone game in the “BANG!” series, set in feudal Japan. It retains the essence of the original game, including hidden roles, but introduces new elements like swords, characters, and equipment. The game replaces the Sheriff, Outlaws, and Deputies with the Shogun, Ninjas, Samurai, and Ronin. Points are tracked with Honor instead of life points, and the game ends when one player reaches a specific Honor level, making it a fresh twist on the classic “BANG!” gameplay.
Samurai Sword: Rising Sun
“The “Samurai Sword: Rising Sun” expansion brings new depth to the “Samurai Sword”. This expansion intensifies the struggle between the Shogun and Ninjas, questioning if the noble Samurai will continue to protect the Empire.
If you’re feeling that Samurai theme, Check this out..
Bang! Rulebook Library (pdf)
Just in case you still have a few more questions, here’s a list of Rulebooks to help you by.
Click on the book image.
Bang! Base Game
Bang! Expansion Pack
Bang! Dodge City
