The Great 2010 Munchkin Changeover

Starting in May 2010, Steve Jackson Games revamped its entire line of Munchkin games and published updated versions over the following year or so. Certain rules and some cards were changed, the core set rule sheets were expanded from 4 pages to 6, and the fantasy Munchkin sets were reprinted in full color (previously they had been monochromatic in shades of brown and tan).

While some of the changes were significant, the publisher was very clear that these updates do not constitute a new edition of Munchkin, its expansions, or any of the other core sets. For instance, the first updated fantasy Munchkin is listed as 1st edition, 19th printing.

• 2010 Munchkin Change Log
• Munchkin: Go Up a Level
• Rules for Munchkin: Go Up a Level

The rules were overhauled in the 2010 Changeover, in some cases to clarify and in others to make actual changes. This section presents some of the more significant items. See the 2010 Munchkin Change Log for a detailed list.

The starting hand is now 4 Treasures and 4 Doors, instead of 2 each. A player who dies will also draw this number of cards at the start of their next turn.

A monster's Level is what's printed on the card, and it doesn't change. A player's Level is the number on the level counter, die, etc., and it doesn't change. A monster's/player's Level is differentiated from combat strength, which can be modified in many ways and can also go below 1. (Previously, a Level could not go below 1.)

Clarified the rules regarding death, specifically that a dead player can't receive cards, change levels, or win the game.

Added the optional "Listen at the Door" rule, where players draw a face-down Door card prior to the Kick Open the Door phase. When this rule is in effect, players draw a Treasure instead of a Door during the Loot the Room phase.

Removed the ability to play monster enhancers on hirelings and steeds. Mooks from Munchkin Fu, however, still retain this feature per the Munchkin Fu rules.

Removed the rule allowing players to Loot the Room after encountering a friendly monster.

Clarified that the main fighter in the combat is the one who draws all Treasure cards. He then distributes them to the helper in accordance with the agreement.

The wording was changed to indicate that you can only play Cheat! and Super Cheat! with one of your own cards that you already possess. This is not a change to the rule; rather, it's merely a clarification.

All monster enhancers ("+X/-X to Level of Monster") now affect the monster's combat strength instead of its Level. So the "Level of" phrase was removed, and they now say "+X/-X to Monster". Also, the "(Minimum Level 1)" note was removed, since a monster's combat strength may go below 1.

In the Star Munchkin games, all instances of "Credits" were changed to "Gold Pieces".

You may now use Super Munchkin with a single class (the previous version only allowed you to use it with two classes). In addition, if you only have a single class, then you get all the advantages and none of the disadvantages in a manner similar to the Half-Breed card.

Now says to add the monsters' combat strengths instead of their Levels.

• Card list for Munchkin: Go Up a Level

• Publisher's list

The release dates below are when the games showed up in stores, not when they were shipped by the publisher. This means that some of the dates differ from the publisher's list.

All games are 1st edition and vary only by their printing numbers.

Note #2: Munchkin Blender was superseded by Munchkin 7: Cheat With Both Hands, which is a reprint of the Munchkin Blender cards (with the updates listed above) but with fantasy Munchkin backs and color scheme.