Questions tagged [pandemic]
Pandemic is a cooperative game in which players work together to combat the spread of four deadly diseases before they overwhelm the planet. Each player brings a distinct skill to bear on the problem; only through careful teamwork can they ultimately save the Earth! 2-4 players, 45-60 minutes.
98
questions
5
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Pandemic's difficulty seems to rest on the placement of the first epidemic card in the deck
It's impossible to get an outbreak until the first epidemic has occurred.
As such the placement of the first epidemic in the player deck has a large effect on the game. If near the bottom, it allows ...
- 3,485
1
vote
1
answer
3k
views
Do I need On The Brink to play In The Lab?
I bought the Pandemic base set, and In The Lab, as I saw it plays up to six people. (Though I notice now that's for team play).
When I got home, I saw the box says that you need both the base set ...
- 3,485
7
votes
4
answers
15k
views
Single player variant of pandemic?
Is it possible play the base version of Pandemic with one person?
One thing I've consider is you could just play for four players with open hands.
- 3,485
2
votes
2
answers
502
views
How can I keep track of which outbreaks I've resolved?
In a situation where outbreaks chain into other cities, how can I manage cube placement so that I know which cities I've resolved? If I just place the cubes into the city, it's easy to lose track of ...
- 1,753
3
votes
1
answer
933
views
In Pandemic: on the brink, can I remove multiple bioterrorist cubes at once for a cured strain?
In Pandemic On the brink we ran into a situation where both the black strain and bioterrorist purple strain were cured. At one point one of the players moved into a territory that had multiple black ...
- 33
10
votes
1
answer
20k
views
In Pandemic, when does the discard-over-7-cards rule take effect?
Scenario
Pandemic's excess card rule states that if you have more than 7 cards in your hand at any time, you must discard the excess (according to your preference, of course).
Let's say you're the ...
- 1,727
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How to win 2 player Pandemic as Quarantine Specialist and Contingency Planner
When playing with just two players in vanilla pandemic, what strategies are best when the the player's roles are contingency planner and quarantine specialist? Who should be doing what?
- 602
7
votes
4
answers
16k
views
How many players realistically possible in Pandemic Board Game 2nd edition
I love playing Pandemic, but the one of the biggest holdups for me is how you can only play 4 players. However, in the box there are 7 roles! (Scientist, Researcher, Medic, Quarantine Specialist, ...
- 602
6
votes
7
answers
4k
views
Would it be viable to play pandemic with an "eradicate all diseases" win condition?
I have played several games of Pandemic, and have found it to be a really enjoyable game with a lot of challenge.
I was wondering about the possibility of modifying the rules such that the game is ...
- 4,797
7
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Bio-terrorist Tactics / Strategy
What are some good general tactics and strategy for the Bio-terrorist to use?
Specific questions:
Where should I start?
I started close to one of the cards I was dealt. I thought this would be ...
- 4,144
2
votes
1
answer
901
views
How many epidemic cards to use with the Bio-Terrorist challenge?
I've had Pandemic and On The Brink for a while, recently we tried giving the Bio-Terrorist challenge a go. We weren't sure how many epidemic cards to use.
For the standard game (no purple cubes but ...
- 4,144
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Pandemic - Will the expansions really make a difference? [closed]
Hi i just bought myself Pandemic and played for the first time last night. I have mixed thoughts about the game. I love the setting, and i think it looks fab, but there's definitely something lacking ...
- 31
1
vote
1
answer
3k
views
Can a Special Event be used to help another player during their turn?
Special Events cards can be used at any time, even if it is not your turn, and many of them begin with "The current player may", e.g. Borrowed Time, Re-Examine Research, Mobile Hospital, Special ...
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
1k
views
Thinking of getting Pandemic...should I buy one or both of the expansion packs along with the base game? [closed]
I enjoy games and puzzles, although I don't have many people to play with (usually 2 players, sometimes 3). I've heard that Pandemic is a good solo game so I'm especially interested in it. I'm ...
- 19
15
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Pandemic--epidemics with eradicated diseases
If an Epidemic card is drawn, but the card from the infection deck that is then drawn has an eradicated disease on it, is it necessary to shift the infection rate forward--or does the fact that the ...
- 151
30
votes
6
answers
24k
views
Is Pandemic harder with fewer players?
I've played a couple of Pandemic games with 2, 3 and 4 players.
From my point of view, the game should be harder with only 2 players since it will be more difficult to get a medic and both players ...
- 527
9
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Does the Lab Challenge make Pandemic easier or harder?
We've tried out the Lab Challenge (from the new In The Lab expansion), and I can't quite tell if it makes the game harder or not.
All other things equal (#players, roles, # epidemics), is a game with ...
- 1,094
24
votes
2
answers
12k
views
What are the differences between Pandemic and Pandemic 2013?
I have seen that there is a new edition of Pandemic for 2013.
What are the differences between Pandemic and the "New Challenge" version?
Can I convert my original edition to use any of the new rules?...
- 427
6
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Can the Dispatcher spend actions to allow others to knowledge transfer?
I saw the following question: exchanging cards in pandemic
And now I am wondering if the following (specifically step 3) is a legal move in pandemic?
1. Play the dispatcher (can spend actions to move ...
- 5,946
6
votes
1
answer
12k
views
Are normal infection cards still drawn after a player draws an epidemic card?
I didn't see a clear explanation for this in the rule book so I wanted to double-check.
If a player draws an epidemic card during their turn do they still need to draw from the infection pile as ...
- 777
13
votes
1
answer
40k
views
How exactly do cures affect future infection in Pandemic?
How does finding a cure affect future infections in Pandemic?
Scenario 1) Cure IS found, disease cubes for that same color DO exist on the board, and player draws an infection card matching that ...
- 777
8
votes
1
answer
513
views
When the bio-terrorist is eliminated, do they discard their cards?
When the bio-terrorist is eliminated from play (via the purple disease being eradicated), should they discard their current hand of infection cards to the infection discard pile?
- 1,505
8
votes
1
answer
605
views
Can all players change roles with "New Assigment"?
In Pandemic On The Brink, the wording for the "New Assignment" special event card says:
Any player (including the current player) may discard their current Role card and select a new one from the ...
- 1,505
9
votes
1
answer
29k
views
What are legal ways to use the Dispatcher's special ability in Pandemic?
I don't quite understand what the person playing the Dispatcher role is allowed and disallowed to do.
If the Dispatcher wants to move i.e. the Medic's pawn, does he need the approval of the owner or ...
- 3,264
20
votes
1
answer
3k
views
What are the chances of losing Pandemic on the first turn?
I like probability questions, and it has been a while since tttpp's excellent analysis of losing in the first turn of Forbidden Island. I figured it might be interesting to calculate how likely you ...
- 39.9k
15
votes
2
answers
7k
views
Bottom card drawn during epidemic: What happens if there is already more than one disease cube in the city?
How do you handle a situation where the bottom card drawn in an epidemic is for a city with 2 or 3 cubes (of the same color) on it already?
For example, if Mumbai has 2 black cubes on it due to ...
- 565
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
In Pandemic, do certain setup and card order combinations make it impossible to win?
My family has won most of the Pandemic (2 or 3 player games) we've played, but we ran into one recently that I thought impossible to win due to the 2 and 3 cube infections being far from Atlanta, far ...
- 8,854
14
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Bottom card drawn during epidemic: Are 3 cubes added to the city pictured, when the disease in that city's region has already been eradicated?
I suspect not, because the rule on Eradicating Disease states:
From now on, cards of this color have no effect when drawn on the
Infector's turn. Take all of the cubes of the eradicated color and
...
- 8,854
14
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Who goes first in Pandemic?
I've recently bought Pandemic and I'm going to play it for the first time tomorrow. Having read the rules I wasn't quite sure how to interpret:
The player who was most recently sick goes first.
...
- 4,144
12
votes
1
answer
792
views
What is the timing of the Hidden Pocket effect?
When does the Virulent Strain Epidemic effect for Hidden Pocket happen? The way the card is laid out, it would seem that it happens after the three epidemic steps; however, that would negate the ...
- 7,025
17
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Why is the Pandemic starting position always Atlanta?
Why did the creators of the game Pandemic decide that the starting position for each game would be Atlanta rather than any of the other possible cities on the board?
- 1,028
11
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Best method for evenly distributing epidemic cards in Pandemic setup?
The rules for Pandemic call for shuffling the Player deck and distributing the initial cards to each player. The remaining 50 or so cards are then seeded with epidemic cards by this rule:
Divide ...
- 603
19
votes
2
answers
15k
views
Special event cards and timing
The Special Event cards all indicate they may be played "at any time". Are there any restrictions to "any time", i.e. in the middle of someone's turn? Suppose an epidemic card has been drawn -- can ...
- 293
15
votes
1
answer
6k
views
How does the "Special Orders" special event card work?
The "Special Orders" card states:
During this turn, the current player may move one other player's pawn (with permission) as if it were his own.
I have read this and the rule book (which gives ...
- 9,283
11
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How many cubes can the containment specialist remove in Pandemic On The Brink
The Containment Specialist role card says the following:
When you enter a city with 2 or more cubes of the same color, remove 1 cube.
We played yesterday with the mutation purple disease, and had ...
- 9,283
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Can you choose the role with the "New Assignment" event?
In Pandemic: On The Brink there are several new event cards. We are curious as to whether the "New Assignment" card lets you choose, or whether you pick one at random (as at the start of the game).
...
- 9,283
23
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Clarification of a Pandemic rule involving the Medic
The rules of the French edition of Pandemic are a little unclear about the following game situation. Once a cure for a disease (let's say blue) has been found, at any point the Medic is in an infected ...
- 886
14
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Can outbreak chains loop?
Is it possible for outbreak chains to loop - would it be possible for a city to experience an outbreak twice in the same round as a result of a chain?
- 395
15
votes
3
answers
9k
views
How do you handle two epidemics in a row in pandemic?
Instructions on epidemics ask that the discard pile be reshuffled and put back as the last action to take with the card. This means that if a player draws two epidemic cards at the same time, there ...
- 395
17
votes
1
answer
21k
views
Exchanging Cards in Pandemic
When exchanging cards between two players in Pandemic, does it matter which player's turn it is? I have seen this rule played two ways:
- The active player can only give a card.
OR
- The active ...
- 1,449
45
votes
11
answers
199k
views
What are good general strategies for Pandemic?
I've looked at a lot of forum posts on several sites on Pandemic and it seems that there is a decent amount of luck. You may win two 6-epidemic games in a row, then lose three 5-epidemic games. I have ...
- 21.2k
13
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What changes to the game will the "On The Brink" Pandemic expansion offer me?
I'm trying to decide if I should get the pandemic expansion on the brink. Here's the obvious advantages I can see:
lets you play with 5 people
adds some variety with new cards
options to make the ...
- 21.2k
15
votes
12
answers
7k
views
Do you know any rules that make Pandemic's difficulty more even?
Pandemic varies vastly in difficulty depending on the number of players. Does anyone know of any custom rules that make it more even?
- 331
27
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Why is Pandemic's Bio-terrorist Challenge not recommended with five players?
The rules say the bio-terrorist challenge is for three and four player games and is explicitly not recommended for five players. Why is that? If it's a difficulty issue, couldn't the number of ...
- 7,025
21
votes
10
answers
54k
views
How can I play Pandemic with 6 players?
I've recently bought Pandemic, and really liked the game. But since the basic game is only 2-4 players, I ordered the expansion "On the Brink", which brings it up to 5 players.
Is there a rules ...
- 554
33
votes
2
answers
8k
views
Pandemic and Forbidden Island - How similar are they?
We have Pandemic at home. When browsing for some new games I stumbled over Forbidden Island made by the same designer. I thought it could be interesting to have another cooperative game but when I ...
- 5,024
14
votes
1
answer
8k
views
Pandemic: "Resilient Population" card
The "Resilient Population" card reads:
Take a card from the Infection Discard Pile and remove it from the game.
When you play the "Resilient Population" card, what exactly are you allowed to do?
- 2,603
28
votes
11
answers
9k
views
Does anybody need the 6th epidemic card in Pandemic?
4 epidemic cards in the pile are easy in Pandemic. 5 cards - it is interesting. Our win / lose ratio is about 50% with 5 epidemic cards. But I can't imagine how to play with 6 epidemic cards. Are you ...
- 1,286