Stats:
No. of players: 2-4
Amount of time to play: 30-60 min.
Age requirements: 13+
Set-up time: minimal

ScrumBrawl Rules Description:

ScrumBrawl is a fantasy themed blood sport. You score points by getting orbs into portals or killing your opponents’ creatures. First to three points wins.

The board is a square 20 x 20 arena. One axis is numbered in red and the other in blue. When placing creatures, portals or orbs on the map you roll one blue d20 and one red d20. This randomly determines the coordinates you place the items.

To start the game you place a portal and an orb using the method above. For three or four player games you should play with two portals and two orbs. Portals are all the same but there are eight different orbs. Each has its own cards and rules that makes it different. There is a slippery orb, unstable orb, shield orb and even a plain old leather one. They might be hard to pick up, explode, grant you higher defense, but each is unique. To determine which enters the arena you draw the top card off the facedown stack.

Your turn consists of drawing until you have four cards, playing up to three creatures, playing enchantments, acting with your creatures and then discarding down to three cards.

When you draw cards if you draw an instant event it triggers. Instant events can have major effects on the battlefield. Most bring destruction, but all bring chaos.

Creatures are placed randomly by rolling like I explained above. You may only have up to three creatures in play at one time. Each creature has stats for throwing, catching, moving, attacking and defending. Most also have a special ability like flying or a ranged attack. They may not act on the turn they come into play. After that though they may move and attack or if the have an orb they can throw or hand it off.

Combat is pretty simple. The attacker rolls a d20 and adds its attack rating. The defender rolls a d20 and adds its defense rating. If the attacker’s roll beats the defender’s roll the creature is destroyed. If the defender survives it may counterattack. If you defeat another player’s creature you take its skin. Three skins are turned into one red point.

Your creatures may not attack when they have an orb (unless they have the adept special ability). But they may hand it off or throw the orb. Handing off is automatic but throwing requires you to roll a d20 and get under the total of the passer’s throw rating and the receiver’s catch rating.

You may place one enchantment on each of your creatures. Enchantments boost your creature’s stats or give them special abilities. They also act like another hit point. If your creature is hit and has an enchantment on it, the enchantment is destroyed instead of the creature.

There are also Alter Reality cards numbered two through five in the deck. They may be played most anytime and allow you to alter a die roll by its value.

If you get an orb into a portal you score one blue point. To win you must get three points total, but one must be a blue point.

Quick Review of ScrumBrawl:

ScrumBrawl is a fun, chaotic blood sport. This game is a free-for-all slugfest that may not be super strategic, but is a fun ride if you have the right attitude.

The game looks awesome. I really like the artwork and the components are top-notch. The rules are easy to learn and teach. In fact you can teach this game as you play it. I also have to mention the box insert. It has a place for everything and a very nice surprise from a small publisher.

I like that you have to score a goal and earn a blue point to win. You can’t just pound your way to victory. That said throwing and catching are kind of difficult to accomplish so you won’t see much of it. Most goals will be slam dunk into the portal.

ScrumBrawl is random and I think knowing and expecting that going in will help you enjoy the game. If you’re looking for a strategic and tactical sport simulation, this is not it. That said you can still have a lot of fun with this game. One game I played had my chicken survive the entire game. Somehow I rolled well enough to survive attacks by a dragon and a nightmare. We were all laughing and enjoying the absurdity of it.

The game plays quick with two but I’d suggest teams of two for a four player game. It just goes faster. I also think it is odd it is listed at 13+ for age. I played this with my four ear old and he loved it. This s a great kid’s game. The art is not too scary nor to scantily clad for kids. And the rules are easy enough that with some direction most kids will enjoy this one. I think 8+ could play with little to no help at all.

If you want a great looking fun game ScrumBrawl should be on your list. Like I said it is chaotic and random, but that is half the fun. If you don’t take it too seriously you should have fun. I also think this is a good game to play with kids. If they are anything like mine they will keep bothering you to play it.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 3 out of 6
Luck 6 out of 6
Player Interaction 6 out of 6
Replay Value 4 out of 6
Complexity 3 out of 6
Fun 4 out of 6
Overall 4 out of 6