BLAST
RADIUS
THE RULES
BACKGROUND
It's some year in the near future, maybe 2043 or something. There's been a coordinated attack on the power grid of every major developed nation on earth. An attack of this scale is simply unprecedented. As a result, a vast majority of nuclear power plants have malfunctioned, and many have experienced major explosions. Fortunately for you, you're alive but you're just outside the blast radius. It's everyone for themselves now. Friends and family are your enemies. Survive or die. Throw on your backpack, because you're going scavenging.
SETUP
Blast Radius is a set-collection party game for 3 to 6 players. Players compete to find loot and complete objectives. The player with the highest score wins.
Play proceeds clockwise, starting with the tallest player.
Table Setup
Place the shuffled ITEM deck face-down in the center of the table. Start a face-up DISCARD pile next to it after the first card is discarded. Separate the two MEDICAL card types into two face-up piles: one for SICK cards and one for INCAPACITATED cards. Place the shuffled OBJECTIVE deck face-down and keep one die on the table.
Starting Hand
Each player chooses a character to play as. Character abilities are not active in this version of the game, but they're coming. Each player draws 2 OBJECTIVE cards and 2 ITEM cards at random. Make sure none of your starting ITEM cards are REFLEX cards, marked with a circled asterisk (*). Players work toward completing 3 OBJECTIVES to trigger end game. The player with the highest score wins.
Players may hold a maximum of 5 ITEM cards at any time. All cards in hand are visible to all players at all times.
PLAYER TURN
Each turn begins with one mandatory action: DRAW an ITEM card from the top of the deck. If you are SICK, roll for incapacitation first, then draw. After drawing, you have one remaining action. Choose one of the following:
1
Mandatory: DRAW
If SICK, roll die first (6 = Incapacitated), then draw
2
Choose One Action:
• DRAW AGAIN (deck or discard)
• PLAY A STRIKE CARD (*)
• TRADE with another player
• TRADE IN OBJECTIVE
• COMPLETE OBJECTIVE (healthy only)
DRAW AGAIN
Draw a second ITEM card from the top of the deck or the top of the discard pile.
PLAY A STRIKE CARD
Play an item card marked with an asterisk (*) and follow its instructions. It is discarded immediately after use.
TRADE
Negotiate any trade with any other player. Only one trade can occur per turn.
TRADE IN OBJECTIVE
Place an unwanted OBJECTIVE card at the bottom of the OBJECTIVE deck and draw a new one from the top.
COMPLETE OBJECTIVE
Complete one of your active objectives. You must be healthy to do this.
If you have 5 ITEM cards at the start of your turn, discard one before or after drawing. You may also immediately discard the card you just drew if you would rather keep your current hand.
item CARD TYPES
There are three types of ITEM cards, each indicated by the symbol in the top right corner of the card.
Loot
Passive items with no active use. Hold them in your hand to satisfy objectives.
Examples: Boot, Rope, Umbrella, Bottled Water.
Strike
Cards you choose to play on your turn. Discard after use.
Examples: Machete, Medical Kit, Defibrillator, Book of Jokes, Homemade Blow Dart.
Reflex
Cards that trigger immediately upon being drawn. No choice, no delay. Follow the instructions and discard. These cannot be kept in hand.
Examples: Radioactive Muffin, Sewage Water, Shuffle!
Item Icons
Red Cross
This item can treat sickness or restore health.
Red Nuclear Symbol
This item can make you or another player Sick or Incapacitated depending on the situation.
OBJECTIVE CARDS
OBJECTIVE cards tell you what to collect or accomplish. You always have 2 active OBJECTIVE cards in front of you, visible to all players.
To complete an objective, you must have satisfied the conditions on the card and be healthy. Completing an objective is your remaining action for that turn.
When you complete an objective, place it face-down in a scoring pile near your hand, visible to all players. Draw a new OBJECTIVE card from the top of the deck so you always have 2 active. Completed objectives do not return to the deck.
Scoring
Each OBJECTIVE card has a point value in the upper right corner. This number reflects how many items or actions are required to complete it. At the end of the game, add up your completed objective point values. The player with the most points wins. You can win without completing the most objectives, so look out for higher-value cards.
Trading In an Objective
If you don't want an objective, trading it in is your remaining action for that turn. Place it at the bottom of the OBJECTIVE deck and draw a new one from the top. OBJECTIVE cards cannot be traded between players.
HEALTH STATES
Players can be in one of three health states: Healthy, Sick, or Incapacitated. Health status is tracked using the physical MEDICAL cards placed on the table in front of you, visible to all players.
Sick
Take a SICK card and place it in front of you. Sick players can still participate normally but cannot complete objectives. At the beginning of every sick turn, roll the die. If you roll a 6, you become Incapacitated.
If a Sick player is in a situation that would make them Sick again (e.g. drawing Sewage Water), they become Incapacitated immediately.
Incapacitated
Return your SICK card to the pile and take an INCAPACITATED card. Incapacitated players cannot trade, cannot defend, and cannot complete objectives. On your turn, you may only roll the die.
Roll a 3 on your turn to revive yourself early. After your 3rd turn incapacitated, you automatically recover on turn 4 and may play out that turn normally.
1
Roll
Roll a 3 to heal early
2
Roll
Roll a 3 to heal early
3
Roll
Roll a 3 to heal early
4
Heal
Auto recover,
play full turn
A defibrillator can be used either by you (if you have one) or other players to bring you back to health!
If you heal early via defibrillator or rolling a 3, play your turn as normal!
Other players may use STRIKE cards like the Defibrillator to revive an incapacitated player.
COMBAT
Weapons are offensive STRIKE cards that allow you to steal items from other players. When you play a weapon, declare your target and the specific item you want to steal. The defender then chooses how to respond.
Defender Options
Defend
If the defending player also has a weapon, they may choose to defend. Players take turns rolling the single die. The highest roll wins. On a tie, re-roll.
Allow it
The defender lets the steal happen without rolling. The attacker takes the declared item.
Outcomes
Attacker wins the roll
Steals the declared item. The attacker must then discard their weapon.
Defender wins the roll
Keeps the item. The defender must discard their weapon as it has been used.
Homemade Blow Dart
The Homemade Blow Dart can be used to defend against a weapon attack, even if the defender does not have a standard weapon. It cannot be used to steal items. Players take turns rolling the single die. If the defender wins the roll, the attacker becomes Sick. The blow dart is then discarded.
Attacking Incapacitated Players
Incapacitated players cannot defend themselves, even if they have a weapon. The attacker automatically takes the declared item. The weapon is discarded after use.
BOOK OF JOKES
The Book of Jokes is a very special STRIKE card.
When played, the active player has 10 seconds to tell a joke. Other players count down from 10 to add pressure. If the player fails to tell a joke in time, they become Sick.
Don't let the pressure get to you! Have a joke ready.
"Why did the scavenger bring a ladder to the wasteland? Because they heard the radiation levels were through the roof!"
"What's a survivor's favorite type of music? Heavy metal... from all the radioactive fallout!"
"How do you know if someone's been in the blast radius? Don't worry, they'll glow about it!"
Pro tip: Corny jokes count. Just don't freeze up!
CARD GALLERY
Survivor Cards
Scroll to view all 6 survivors and their special abilities.
Eugene
Eugene grew up on doomsday prep and never had to unlearn it. Gas mask, teardrop tattoos, zero chill. Each tear represents someone he's bested in the wasteland. The lucky ones remember his parting words: "gg kid, get out of my lobby."
Special Ability
When Eugene completes an objective, he can force any one player to discard a card of his choice from their hand.
Dr. Sprengen
Dr. Sprengen was a renowned physician before the blast. The explosion changed his appearance permanently. Pink skin, elongated frame, six eyes. He doesn't talk about it. He's still the best doctor in the wasteland and he knows it. Treatment is non-negotiable. So is the bill.
Special Ability
When Dr. Sprengen heals another player, he takes one card from their hand as payment. No negotiations.
KARRÖT
Karröt is a mutant humanoid carrot. Radiation did that. Solitary, aggressive, and widely feared across the wasteland. Nobody knows where it sleeps. Nobody has been brave enough to find out.
Special Ability
Karrot can attack on any player's turn, not just their own.
Jake McSqueeze
Jake McSqueeze carries a humanitarian flag everywhere he goes. He's dedicated, selfless, and genuinely wants to help. He just can't always stomach it. Don't mention the vomiting. He's trying his best.
Special Ability
Jake McSqueeze can heal himself with just 1 can of beans instead of 2. However, due to his squeamish tendencies, he cannot use Medical Kits on himself, only on other players.
Helga
Helga doesn't chase people. She sets traps and waits. As she's gotten older, she's taken in two cats despite being severely allergic to them. They're her early warning system. She's decided the sneezing is worth it.
Special Ability
Any player who attacks Helga and loses the combat roll must let Helga take one card of her choice from their hand.
Brayden
Brayden was in IT before everything went sideways. He spent most of his free time making elaborate cosplay armor, which turned out to be excellent preparation for the apocalypse. He built his current suit by hand. He will tell you exactly how he made it whether you ask or not. Somehow everyone still likes him.
Special Ability
Brayden can insert himself into any trade between two other players as a third party, offering one of his own cards to redirect the deal.
Item Cards
Scroll to view all Item cards including Loot, Strike, and Reflex types.
Objective Cards
Complete these to score points and win the game.
Medical Cards
Health status tracking cards placed in front of players.
BACKGROUND
It's some year in the near future, maybe 2043 or something. There's been a coordinated attack on the power grid of every major developed nation on earth. An attack of this scale is simply unprecedented. As a result, a vast majority of nuclear power plants have malfunctioned, and many have experienced major explosions. Fortunately for you, you're alive but you're just outside the blast radius. It's everyone for themselves now. Friends and family are your enemies. Survive or die. Throw on your backpack, because you're going scavenging.
SETUP
Blast Radius is a set-collection party game for 3 to 6 players. Players compete to find loot and complete objectives. The player with the highest score wins.
Play proceeds clockwise, starting with the tallest player.
Table Setup
Place the shuffled ITEM deck face-down in the center of the table. Start a face-up DISCARD pile next to it after the first card is discarded. Separate the two MEDICAL card types into two face-up piles: one for SICK cards and one for INCAPACITATED cards. Place the shuffled OBJECTIVE deck face-down and keep one die on the table.
Starting Hand
Each player chooses a character to play as. Character abilities are not active in this version of the game, but they're coming. Each player draws 2 OBJECTIVE cards and 2 ITEM cards at random. Make sure none of your starting ITEM cards are REFLEX cards, marked with a circled asterisk (*). Players work toward completing 3 OBJECTIVES to trigger end game. The player with the highest score wins.
Players may hold a maximum of 5 ITEM cards at any time. All cards in hand are visible to all players at all times.
PLAYER TURN
Each turn begins with one mandatory action: DRAW an ITEM card from the top of the deck. If you are SICK, roll for incapacitation first, then draw. After drawing, you have one remaining action. Choose one of the following:
1
Mandatory: DRAW
If SICK, roll die first (6 = Incapacitated), then draw
2
Choose One Action:
• DRAW AGAIN (deck or discard)
• PLAY A STRIKE CARD (*)
• TRADE with another player
• TRADE IN OBJECTIVE
• COMPLETE OBJECTIVE (healthy only)
DRAW AGAIN
Draw a second ITEM card from the top of the deck or the top of the discard pile.
PLAY A STRIKE CARD
Play an item card marked with an asterisk (*) and follow its instructions. It is discarded immediately after use.
TRADE
Negotiate any trade with any other player. Only one trade can occur per turn.
TRADE IN OBJECTIVE
Place an unwanted OBJECTIVE card at the bottom of the OBJECTIVE deck and draw a new one from the top.
COMPLETE OBJECTIVE
Complete one of your active objectives. You must be healthy to do this.
If you have 5 ITEM cards at the start of your turn, discard one before or after drawing. You may also immediately discard the card you just drew if you would rather keep your current hand.
If you have 5 ITEM cards at the start of your turn, discard one before or after drawing. You may also immediately discard the card you just drew if you would rather keep your current hand.
item CARD TYPES
There are three types of ITEM cards, each indicated by the symbol in the top right corner of the card.
Loot (no symbol)
Loot
Passive items with no active use. Hold them in your hand to satisfy objectives.
Examples: Boot, Rope, Umbrella, Bottled Water.
Strike
Cards you choose to play on your turn. Discard after use.
Examples: Machete, Medical Kit, Defibrillator, Book of Jokes, Homemade Blow Dart.
Reflex
Cards that trigger immediately upon being drawn. No choice, no delay. Follow the instructions and discard. These cannot be kept in hand.
Examples: Radioactive Muffin, Sewage Water, Shuffle!
Item Icons
Red Cross (+)
Red Cross
This item can treat sickness or restore health.
Red Nuclear Symbol
This item can make you or another player Sick or Incapacitated depending on the situation.
OBJECTIVE CARDS
OBJECTIVE cards tell you what to collect or accomplish. You always have 2 active OBJECTIVE cards in front of you, visible to all players.
To complete an objective, you must have satisfied the conditions on the card and be healthy. Completing an objective is your remaining action for that turn.
When you complete an objective, place it face-down in a scoring pile near your hand, visible to all players. Draw a new OBJECTIVE card from the top of the deck so you always have 2 active. Completed objectives do not return to the deck.
Scoring
Each OBJECTIVE card has a point value in the upper right corner. This number reflects how many items or actions are required to complete it. At the end of the game, add up your completed objective point values. The player with the most points wins. You can win without completing the most objectives, so look out for higher-value cards.
Trading In an Objective
If you don't want an objective, trading it in is your remaining action for that turn. Place it at the bottom of the OBJECTIVE deck and draw a new one from the top. OBJECTIVE cards cannot be traded between players.
HEALTH STATES
Players can be in one of three health states: Healthy, Sick, or Incapacitated. Health status is tracked using the physical MEDICAL cards placed on the table in front of you, visible to all players.
Sick
Take a SICK card and place it in front of you. Sick players can still participate normally but cannot complete objectives. At the beginning of every sick turn, roll the die. If you roll a 6, you become Incapacitated.
If a Sick player is in a situation that would make them Sick again (e.g. drawing Sewage Water), they become Incapacitated immediately.
Incapacitated
Return your SICK card to the pile and take an INCAPACITATED card. Incapacitated players cannot trade, cannot defend, and cannot complete objectives. On your turn, you may only roll the die.
Roll a 3 on your turn to revive yourself early. After your 3rd turn incapacitated, you automatically recover on turn 4 and may play out that turn normally.
1
Roll
Roll a 3 to heal early
2
Roll
Roll a 3 to heal early
3
Roll
Roll a 3 to heal early
4
Heal
Auto recover,
play full turn
A defibrillator can be used either by you (if you have one) or other players to bring you back to health!
If you heal early via defibrillator or rolling a 3, play your turn as normal!
Other players may use STRIKE cards like the Defibrillator to revive an incapacitated player.
Sick
Take a SICK card and place it in front of you. Sick players can still participate normally but cannot complete objectives. At the beginning of every sick turn, roll the die. If you roll a 6, you become Incapacitated.
If a Sick player is in a situation that would make them Sick again (e.g. drawing Sewage Water), they become Incapacitated immediately.
Incapacitated
Return your SICK card to the pile and take an INCAPACITATED card. Incapacitated players cannot trade, cannot defend, and cannot complete objectives. On your turn, you may only roll the die.
Roll a 3 on your turn to revive yourself early. After your 3rd turn incapacitated, you automatically recover on turn 4 and may play out that turn normally.
1
Roll
Roll a 3 to heal early
2
Roll
Roll a 3 to heal early
3
Roll
Roll a 3 to heal early
4
Heal
Auto recover,
play full turn
A defibrillator can be used either by you (if you have one) or other players to bring you back to health!
If you heal early via defibrillator or rolling a 3, play your turn as normal!
Other players may use STRIKE cards like the Defibrillator to revive an incapacitated player.
HEALTH STATES
Players can be in one of three health states: Healthy, Sick, or Incapacitated. Health status is tracked using the physical MEDICAL cards placed on the table in front of you, visible to all players.
COMBAT
Weapons are offensive STRIKE cards that allow you to steal items from other players. When you play a weapon, declare your target and the specific item you want to steal. The defender then chooses how to respond.
Defender Options
Defend
If the defending player also has a weapon, they may choose to defend. Players take turns rolling the single die. The highest roll wins. On a tie, re-roll.
Allow it
The defender lets the steal happen without rolling. The attacker takes the declared item.
Outcomes
Attacker wins the roll
Steals the declared item. The attacker must then discard their weapon.
Defender wins the roll
Keeps the item. The defender must discard their weapon as it has been used.
Homemade Blow Dart
The Homemade Blow Dart can be used to defend against a weapon attack, even if the defender does not have a standard weapon. It cannot be used to steal items. Players take turns rolling the single die. If the defender wins the roll, the attacker becomes Sick. The blow dart is then discarded.
Attacking Incapacitated Players
Incapacitated players cannot defend themselves, even if they have a weapon. The attacker automatically takes the declared item. The weapon is discarded after use.
BOOK OF JOKES
The Book of Jokes is a very special STRIKE card.
When played, the active player has 10 seconds to tell a joke. Other players count down from 10 to add pressure. If the player fails to tell a joke in time, they become Sick.
Don't let the pressure get to you! Have a joke ready.
"Why did the scavenger bring a ladder to the wasteland? Because they heard the radiation levels were through the roof!"
"What's a survivor's favorite type of music? Heavy metal... from all the radioactive fallout!"
"How do you know if someone's been in the blast radius? Don't worry, they'll glow about it!"
Pro tip: Corny jokes count. Just don't freeze up!
CARD GALLERY
Survivor Cards
Scroll to view all 6 survivors and their special abilities.
Eugene
Eugene grew up on doomsday prep and never had to unlearn it. Gas mask, teardrop tattoos, zero chill. Each tear represents someone he's bested in the wasteland. The lucky ones remember his parting words: "gg kid, get out of my lobby."
Special Ability
When Eugene completes an objective, he can force any one player to discard a card of his choice from their hand.
Dr. Sprengen
Dr. Sprengen was a renowned physician before the blast. The explosion changed his appearance permanently. Pink skin, elongated frame, six eyes. He doesn't talk about it. He's still the best doctor in the wasteland and he knows it. Treatment is non-negotiable. So is the bill.
Special Ability
When Dr. Sprengen heals another player, he takes one card from their hand as payment. No negotiations.
KARRÖT
Karröt is a mutant humanoid carrot. Radiation did that. Solitary, aggressive, and widely feared across the wasteland. Nobody knows where it sleeps. Nobody has been brave enough to find out.
Special Ability
Karrot can attack on any player's turn, not just their own.
Jake McSqueeze
Jake McSqueeze carries a humanitarian flag everywhere he goes. He's dedicated, selfless, and genuinely wants to help. He just can't always stomach it. Don't mention the vomiting. He's trying his best.
Special Ability
Jake McSqueeze can heal himself with just 1 can of beans instead of 2. However, due to his squeamish tendencies, he cannot use Medical Kits on himself, only on other players.
Helga
Helga doesn't chase people. She sets traps and waits. As she's gotten older, she's taken in two cats despite being severely allergic to them. They're her early warning system. She's decided the sneezing is worth it.
Special Ability
Any player who attacks Helga and loses the combat roll must let Helga take one card of her choice from their hand.
Brayden
Brayden was in IT before everything went sideways. He spent most of his free time making elaborate cosplay armor, which turned out to be excellent preparation for the apocalypse. He built his current suit by hand. He will tell you exactly how he made it whether you ask or not. Somehow everyone still likes him.
Special Ability
Brayden can insert himself into any trade between two other players as a third party, offering one of his own cards to redirect the deal.
Survivor Cards
Scroll to view all 6 survivors and their special abilities.
Eugene
Eugene grew up on doomsday prep and never had to unlearn it. Gas mask, teardrop tattoos, zero chill. Each tear represents someone he's bested in the wasteland. The lucky ones remember his parting words: "gg kid, get out of my lobby."
Special Ability
When Eugene completes an objective, he can force any one player to discard a card of his choice from their hand.
Dr. Sprengen
Dr. Sprengen was a renowned physician before the blast. The explosion changed his appearance permanently. Pink skin, elongated frame, six eyes. He doesn't talk about it. He's still the best doctor in the wasteland and he knows it. Treatment is non-negotiable. So is the bill.
Special Ability
When Dr. Sprengen heals another player, he takes one card from their hand as payment. No negotiations.
KARRÖT
Karröt is a mutant humanoid carrot. Radiation did that. Solitary, aggressive, and widely feared across the wasteland. Nobody knows where it sleeps. Nobody has been brave enough to find out.
Special Ability
Karrot can attack on any player's turn, not just their own.
Jake McSqueeze
Jake McSqueeze carries a humanitarian flag everywhere he goes. He's dedicated, selfless, and genuinely wants to help. He just can't always stomach it. Don't mention the vomiting. He's trying his best.
Special Ability
Jake McSqueeze can heal himself with just 1 can of beans instead of 2. However, due to his squeamish tendencies, he cannot use Medical Kits on himself, only on other players.
Helga
Helga doesn't chase people. She sets traps and waits. As she's gotten older, she's taken in two cats despite being severely allergic to them. They're her early warning system. She's decided the sneezing is worth it.
Special Ability
Any player who attacks Helga and loses the combat roll must let Helga take one card of her choice from their hand.
Brayden
Brayden was in IT before everything went sideways. He spent most of his free time making elaborate cosplay armor, which turned out to be excellent preparation for the apocalypse. He built his current suit by hand. He will tell you exactly how he made it whether you ask or not. Somehow everyone still likes him.
Special Ability
Brayden can insert himself into any trade between two other players as a third party, offering one of his own cards to redirect the deal.
Item Cards
Scroll to view all Item cards including Loot, Strike (*), and Reflex (*) types.
Objective Cards
Complete these to score points and win the game.
Medical Cards
Health status tracking cards placed in front of players.
This rulebook is protected under copyright belonging to Luke Conte / Duck and Cover Games Co.
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