Goal of the game
Be the last mortal holding Lightning Essence. If all your Lightning Essence is destroyed, you are eliminated from the Lightning Games.
Shocking Deal rules
How to play Shocking Deal
Learn the basics fast: set up your Lightning Essence, take two actions, attack your friends, protect yourself, and survive the chaos.
Video coming soon
2-minute how to play video
A short animated how to play video will live here soon. For now, use the quick guide below to get playing fast.
Quick start guide
Set up fast. Play even faster.
Use this as the table-side version of the rules. It covers the goal, setup, turn flow, damage, protection and hand limit.
Sort the cards
Separate the Lightning Essence cards into their own pile. Every other card becomes the main Deck.
Set up each player
2–3 players: each player starts with 4 Lightning Essence, then remove 3 Super Rubber Gum Boots and 3 Recharge cards from the Deck and deal 5 cards each.
4+ players: each player starts with 3 Lightning Essence and is dealt 6 cards from the Deck.
Take 2 actions
On your turn, perform any 2 actions: draw a card, play an Attack card, activate a Defence card, or play an Action card.
Attack, defend and retaliate
Attack cards deal damage. 1 damage destroys 1 Lightning Essence unless the target protects themselves with active Defence cards, Retaliation cards, or The Big Red Button.
End your turn cleanly
You can only hold a maximum of 6 cards at the end of your turn. Discard any extras, then play continues clockwise.
Bad Luck warning:
If you draw or start with Bad Luck, place it on the discard pile immediately. It does not count as an action, but you lose 1 Lightning Essence for each Bad Luck card unless you can protect yourself.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Need a rules clarification mid-game? These common questions cover general play, gameplay edge cases, and a few cheeky tips.
General Questions
Is Shocking Deal easy to learn?
Yes, it is easy to learn but has enough depth to make you say “just one more game”.
How many people can play?
Shocking Deal is made for 2–6 players.
How long does a game take?
Most rounds take around 10–30 minutes, making it a strong fit for games night, parties, and family play.
What age is it for?
Shocking Deal is suitable for ages 7+.
Is it a party game or strategy game?
It sits between both. It is a fast-paced family and party card game with light strategy, lots of interaction, and plenty of chaos.
Gameplay Questions
Is there a limit to the amount of Lightning Essence cards you can have or gain?
There is no limit, you can gain as many as you like!
What happens if I can’t play any cards in my hand?
You will have to draw a card from the deck. If you end up with more than 6 cards in your hand at the end of your turn, then you must discard back down to 6 cards.
What happens if I have no cards in my hand?
On your turn you can draw a card from the deck.
What happens when I am attacked but have the Bubble Shield Defence card in play?
All damage received is blocked, meaning you take no damage and will not lose any Lightning Essence cards. You also gain 1 Lightning Essence card. You must then discard the Bubble Shield card.
When is the Earthing Turtles Defence card discarded?
At the start of your next turn, before you take any of your 2 actions on your turn.
Is there a limit to the amount of active Defence cards a player can have?
There is no limit. You can have multiple Defence cards in play at once.
If a player has 2 active Bubble Shield Defence cards in play, then when attacked the player will take no damage and will gain 2 Lightning Essence cards.
If a player has both Bubble Shield and Earthing Turtles in play, the Bubble Shield Defence card takes precedent before the Earthing Turtles Defence card.
Can you play the Voodoo Lightning Attack card while only having 1 Lightning Essence card?
Yes. You must discard any of your own Lightning Essence cards to deal damage equal to the amount discarded. In this case, you would discard your only Lightning Essence card, eliminating yourself from the game, to deal 1 damage to a player of your choice.
Can Defence cards stop the Shocking Deal Attack card?
No, the only card that can stop it is the Big Red Button Action card.
What are some examples of how the Get Forked Attack card works?
Example 1: Player A plays Get Forked, dealing 1 damage to Player B and Player C. Player B is first on the left, so they can retaliate first. Player B plays Chain Lightning, passing the 1 damage to the left to Player C. Player C has now taken 2 damage and plays Feedback, returning 2 damage back to Player B. If Player B has no Defence cards in play and no Retaliation cards, they lose 2 Lightning Essence cards.
Example 2: Player A plays Get Forked, dealing 1 damage to Player B and Player C. Player B plays Feedback, passing the 1 damage back to Player A. Player A can now retaliate. If Player A chooses not to, they lose 1 Lightning Essence card. Player C is then taking 1 damage and can play Retaliation cards.
Once all attacks and damage are resolved for every player, the Get Forked attack is complete.
Tips and Tricks
- Place Defence cards as your first action before drawing or attacking other players.
- Play the Big Red Button Action card to cancel a player’s active Defence card before you attack them.
- Play the Monkey Monkey Action card when it’s your last card in your hand.
- Play Retaliation cards before using a Big Red Button Action card. Keeping Big Red Button available lets you counter the very powerful Shocking Deal Attack card if it appears.
Ready to enter the Lightning Games?
Grab Shocking Deal and bring the chaos to your table.
Fast to learn, full of interaction, and built for family game nights, parties and weekends with friends.