
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,087
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Hex Effects
- 2–8 players
- 10–30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2025

2020
Rules assistance for MUD
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
MUD is a board game released in 2020 for 2–6 players, 20–40 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jade Shames, Kat Thek, Jen Igartua, and Ben Bronstein and its main mechanics are Take That, Set Collection, and Push Your Luck.
You are a wealthy mogul trying to influence the next presidential election for your own gain. Win by being the first to secure a solid block of voters of either party. You decide how corrupt to be. Every player is dealt seven cards and can place three voter cards face up in front of them (creating a voter map) each turn. Depending on how many players, you'll need at least three voters in three regions, all of the same political affiliation, on your map to win (undecided voters are wild). Peppered in the deck are RAT cards, which give you strong advantages. However, every time you play a RAT card, you must also draw a Scandal card, which contains a punishment. This punishment is not enacted immediately — rather, it sits face down in front of you until someone plays a DIG card on you. The DIG card will force you to turn over a scandal and abide by the punishment. Do you risk a scandal, or do you play it safe? The choice is yours in this dirty game of American elections. -description from designer
MUD supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for MUD is 20–40 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists MUD for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
MUD has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
MUD belongs to these categories: Card Game, Humor, and Political. Its main mechanics are Take That, Set Collection, and Push Your Luck. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of MUD are: Jade Shames, Kat Thek, Jen Igartua, and Ben Bronstein. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists MUD as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.