- BGG rank
- BGG #21,906
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Weird Little Elf
- 4–15 players
- 15–45 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,914
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Never Bring a Knife
2020
Rules assistance for Never Bring a Knife
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 4–8 players
- 20–30 min
- 17+
- Complexity 1.5/5
For 4 players
Rules assistant for Never Bring a Knife
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Never Bring a Knife is a board game released in 2020 for 4–8 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 17 and up. It was designed by Maggie Clyne and Jordan Clyne and its main mechanics are Hidden Roles.
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About the game
It was the critical moment in the heist of a lifetime when you found out the gang was compromised. Now it’s undercover cops and hardened criminals in a desperate shootout . . . and no one knows who’s who. Never Bring a Knife is a light, quick social deduction card game with less talking and more shooting. It's got fast-paced action inspired by modern action movies, and a new mechanical approach that's a breath of fresh air in the social deduction genre. When the first player falls, everyone who had the same role — Cops or Criminals — loses. The whole other team wins. Find your friends, keep your head down, and don’t tip your hand! —description from the publisher Each player starts the game knowing their own role, and the role of the player to their left. Then, in each round of play, every player plays and receives four cards like Gun, Armor, Money, Crime, and Intel. Some are played face-up and some face-down, according to three simple rules. Then, all cards are revealed and everyone learns who was shot, who was wounded, who banked money, and who learned what. Finally, players can spend money to treat wounds or learn even more about the other players' roles before the next round begins. When someone has taken three wounds, they fall, their whole team loses, and the other team wins.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Atlas Games
- Sovranti
Questions and answers
Never Bring a Knife supports 4–8 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 Never Bring a Knife is 20–30 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 Never Bring a Knife for ages 17 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.
Never Bring a Knife has a complexity rating of 1.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Never Bring a Knife belongs to these categories: Card Game and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Hidden Roles. 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 Never Bring a Knife are: Maggie Clyne and Jordan Clyne. 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 Never Bring a Knife 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.