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On The Run
A Card Game by
Barry Barker & Stuart Wright
What is On The Run?
On The Run is a turn-based strategic card game meant to be played with 3 to 6 players (ages 13+ due to mild language
and adult themes) and takes about an hour to play. The game can be downloaded for FREE at PlayOnTheRun.com
and printed out at home or any print store. It should cost under $10 to print the entire game. For printing
instructions, visit PlayOnTheRun.com/download.
Story
You and your crew have robbed a bank. You split the money evenly, but before you all go your separate ways you’ll
need to lay low and wait for the next train out of this two-bit town. Unfortunately for you and your thieving friends,
the police will not be laying low. With a locker full of evidence, the police (and your accomplices) will try pin the
brazen heist on you. Collect enough money to get out and you can live the rest of your days in paradise. If you can’t,
you’ll be calling the state penitentiary home for the next several decades. Good luck, and watch your back!
BROOKS WAS HERE
How To Win
Be the first person to collect 12 COINS and start and end your turn out of PRISON. ​
(That sounds simple)
What you need
● A printed version of On The Run card game
● 3-6 players
● COINS
You’ll probably need about 50 COINS for 3 players and around 80 COINS for 6 players. ​
You can use anything
for COINS - pennies, poker chips, buttons, toenails, whatever you have laying around your crummy
apartment. We personally prefer pennies but hey man, suum cuique.
1 Starting Out
1. Know your card types. There are 3 different card types: EVIDENCE cards, ACTION cards, and STRIKE / PRISON
cards. More information on these card types can be found in the “About the Cards” section.
2. Each player is dealt, face up, 5 EVIDENCE cards. These cards will be referred to as the PLAYER’S EVIDENCE and
each card represents traits and items each player possesses.
3. Each player receives 5 COINS. This is your loot. Money will be used in several different way:
● Paying BAIL to get out of PRISON
● Paying off BRIBES
● Most importantly, COINS are used to determine who wins the game.
4. In the center of the table, 5 EVIDENCE cards are dealt face up. These cards will be known as the EVIDENCE
LOCKER and they represent the EVIDENCE that the police have on the suspect(s). You’ll have a much easier time if
your EVIDENCE doesn’t match what’s in the EVIDENCE LOCKER.
5. 5 COINS are added to the EVIDENCE LOCKER. Think “Free Parking” in Monopoly​
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, or don’t, I don’t care.
6. Each player is dealt 5 ACTION cards, face down. These cards will be used (at your discretion) to alter the game.
The player may look at their own ACTION hand.
7. Have extra COINS close by (“The BANK”), as there will be cards that will allow the players to receive extra dough.
8. Try not to get annoyed with our verbiage. It’s evident that we use the word EVIDENCE quite a bit.
Note
This game is meant to be played a bit fast and loose, and the fewer “rules,” the more fun this game will be.
If you need help gaining traction try building an alliance with another player, devise a plan together to screw the
other player(s), but remember, the game can change on a dime and backstabbing comes with the territory.
2 About the Cards
EVIDENCE Cards
There are a total of 9 different EVIDENCE Cards. Unless you’re a masochist, you generally don’t want your PERSONAL
EVIDENCE to match the cards in the EVIDENCE LOCKER as that means you’re more connected to the crime and have a
higher chance of going to PRISON.
ACTION Cards
Oh man, these are the fun cards and will alter the game (hopefully in your favor). Some cards change the EVIDENCE,
some cards allow you to steal, some get you out of PRISON, while others can throw a player into PRISON or otherwise
change their circumstances. Some change components of the game play. Read each one carefully, as some cards can
be used even if it’s not your turn.
There are 3 types of ACTION cards: “Normal”, “Instants”, and “Ongoing” cards.
Normal ACTION cards: These cards are played once and then placed in the ACTION discard pile. There are far more
“Normal” cards than the other two card types (over ⅔of the deck are Normal ACTION cards). All cards are considered
“Normal” unless noted on the card.
Instant ACTION Cards: As the name implies, these cards are instants and can be played WHILE another player is
attempting some sort of ACTION. Once used, the cards are placed in the ACTION discard pile.
Ongoing ACTION Cards: These cards are placed in front of you or the player(s) it affects and remain in effect for as
long as the card is on the table.
How to remove Ongoing Action Cards:
● Removed at the discretion of the player who played them.
● Specific ACTION cards can remove them.
● A player pays the BRIBE noted on the card.
STRIKE / PRISON Cards
STRIKE cards are placed on matching evidence and PRISON cards are put in front of players while they’re in PRISON.
3 The Anatomy of an ACTION Card
1.
2.
3.
4.
Title:​
Self explanatory, dummy.
Card Type​
: Depicts if an “Instant” or “Ongoing” Action. If blank, then the card is “Normal”.
Body:​
This explains what a player may do with the card..
Response: This is where the response to the ACTION being played resides. If you play the ACTION card, you
MUST play the response as well.
● If the Response is receiving COINS it will come from “the BANK” unless otherwise noted.
5. Bribe Cost: This is the amount of COINS a PLAYER may pay to block this card from being played, or to remove
the card from further use if the card is currently in play (“Ongoing” Cards).
● BRIBES are placed inside the EVIDENCE LOCKER.
4 How to Play
1. The game will start with the player to the left of the dealer.
2. That player will add any STRIKES on their own PLAYER’S EVIDENCE that matches with EVIDENCE in the
EVIDENCE LOCKER.
● STRIKES will accumulate on every turn even if you already have STRIKES on a particular piece of
EVIDENCE from a previous turn.
● Doubles/multiples within either the PLAYER’S EVIDENCE or in the EVIDENCE LOCKER will receive
double/multiple STRIKES on a PLAYER’S EVIDENCE.
● Example 1​
: If there are 2 of the same EVIDENCE cards inside the EVIDENCE LOCKER and you hold 1 of
those cards in your own PLAYER’S EVIDENCE then you would receive 2 STRIKES on that 1 piece of
EVIDENCE.
● Example 2​
: If there are 2 of the same EVIDENCE cards inside the EVIDENCE LOCKER and you also hold
2 of the same cards in your own PLAYER’S EVIDENCE then you would receive 2 STRIKES on EACH of the
matching EVIDENCE (4 STRIKES combined). Yowzers, that one hurts!
● Still confused? We’ll walk through it like a set of IKEA​
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instructions at the end of this section.
3. A player may play up to 2 ACTIONS each turn (when not in PRISON.).
ACTIONS can be:
● Playing an ACTION card
● Discarding an ACTION card
● Paying a BRIBE
Notes on ACTIONS:
● If playing an ACTION card, the player must read the full card aloud to all PLAYERS.
● If there is anything in the “Response” (see “Anatomy of an ACTION Card” section) those ACTIONS will
be performed as well.
● If a player plays an ACTION cards that removes a piece of EVIDENCE, and that EVIDENCE had STRIKES
on it, those STRIKES remain in play even if the EVIDENCE is removed.
● The player does not have to play all 2 ACTIONS on their turn
● ACTION cards are dealt back up at the beginning of each turn.
Notes on paying BRIBES:
● Some ACTION Cards have a BRIBE amount at the bottom of the card. Another player may choose to
pay the BRIBE and block the player from playing that CARD. If no one pays the BRIBE in a reasonable
amount of time, the ACTION will be played.
● BRIBES are placed inside the EVIDENCE LOCKER.
● A player may pay a bribe at a later time on “ONGOING” ACTION cards. If the player wants to pay the
BRIBE after the card has been played they must wait until their turn and may use one of their
ACTIONS to pay the BRIBE.
4. Once the player is done with their ACTIONS, if they have 3 or more STRIKES, they are sent to PRISON. 7 or
more STRIKES you are sent to PRISON and skipped a turn. More on that can be found in “GOING TO PRISON”
section.
5 5. If the player is sent to PRISON:
● Players can only hold 2 ACTION cards while in PRISON. The player will discard all but 2 of their
unplayed ACTION cards (of their choosing) and put them into the DISCARD ACTION PILE.
● The player will remove all of their STRIKES
● If the player received 7 or more STRIKES they are sent to PRISON and skipped 1 turn.
● a PRISON card is placed in front of the player
6. That turn is done and the next player goes through the same process.
7. The game goes around the table and the PLAYERS draw back up their hand at the beginning of their turn (5
cards for anyone FREE and 2 cards for those in PRISON).
8. Players will continue to accrue STRIKES on matching EVIDENCE at the beginning their turn regardless of
whether they’ve already received STRIKES on the EVIDENCE in a previous turn. If you don’t like it, you’d
better find a way to ditch the EVIDENCE.
9. The game continues until the a player accrues 12 or more COINS and has been out of PRISON at the beginning
and end of their turn.
6 Going to PRISON
Get used to PRISON, you’ll be going often - but keep in mind it’s not always a bad thing. You could use your
time there to learn a new language, work on your GED, or work to get some of that EVIDENCE removed.
Notes on PRISON:
● You will not accrue any STRIKE cards while in PRISON.
● You can only hold 2 ACTION cards while in PRISON.
● You can only perform 1 ACTION per turn while in PRISON.
● You may get out of PRISON by playing an ACTION card that gets you out or by paying the BAIL
amount.
● BAIL is 2 COINS, and is placed inside the EVIDENCE LOCKER.
Wrapping Up
Thanks for playing our game! It’s still in test mode and we would love to hear your feedback.
Hit us up at:
Website: PlayOnTheRun.com/contact
Email: ​
[email protected]
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