The Table is Lava
IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, STAY ON THE ROCKS!
As dawn breaks, Mount Kahlualualuau is spewing its fiery lava down onto Meepleville. The natives are frantically trying to escape the rivers of lava and remain on safe ground. Whoever’s tribe survives the eruption with the most meeples shall be the winner!
SETUP
Each player chooses a color and takes the meeples and cards of that color. If playing with fewer than 4 players, remove the #3 card showing the meeple of the color(s) not being played. The starting player is the first player to say “Is it hot in here?”.
Each player of The Table is Lava takes their Start card and puts it in the center of the table. Form any pattern you like as long as all cards touch at least one other card. Then take 2 of your meeples, stand up one on your Start card, and place one standing on the Start card of the opponent who is 2 to your right.
(For a two-player game, put one meeple of your color on each Start card.) Pay attention to where you place your meeple on the card. You are trying to make it hard for players to knock your meeple off.
PLAYER TURN
The first player now chooses one of their cards to launch onto the table. You may use one of two methods:
• You may toss your card from the edge of the table (keeping your hand behind the edge of the table).
• Place it flat on the edge of the table and flick it towards the starting area.
You are attempting to knock opponents’ meeples off cards while not knocking off your own. After the card has come to a stop, if it is not touching another card on the table or within your thumb’s width away, you’re done, and it’s the next player’s turn. Otherwise, place a number of your meeples standing on the card equal to those of your color shown on the card. If another player’s color is also shown on the card, they get to place their meeple on the card.
Remove from the play area any meeples that are not touching cards and give them back to the players of the respective colors. Play continues clockwise until everyone has played all of their cards.
IMPORTANT!
You are not allowed to add any meeples to the final card that you launch.
A player who has no meeples left in their supply cannot place any on cards.
END OF THE TABLE IS LAVA GAME
All meeples touching a card in any way are worth points. If a meeple is standing, it is worth two points. Each one lying down is worth one point. The player with the most points wins. Ties are broken by the player who has the most meeples of any color on their cards. In this case, they also win the title of “Lifesaver”!
VARIANT - ROCK ISLAND
It is no longer necessary for a card to touch other cards to allow you to place meeples. Now, any card thrown, (even ones that land apart from the other cards), can have meeples added to it as long as you have some in your supply.
As dawn breaks, Mount Kahlualualuau is spewing its fiery lava down onto Meepleville. The natives are frantically trying to escape the rivers of lava and remain on safe ground. Whoever’s tribe survives the eruption with the most meeples shall be the winner!
Ages 14+ | 2 to 4 Players
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What happens to cards that land on the wrong side (backside up)? Do they stay on the table or are they removed, especially if they stay on top of the other cards?
A:They remain where they land. Some people use them as if they landed upright assuming they look at it or know what was thrown, but some people prefer that the action is lost when that happens. We leave it up to personal preference.
Q: What if a card lands on top of other meeples, does it stay on top, and are new meeples placed on top?
A: Remains how it landed. Nothing is moved.
Q: What if a card slides under all the other cards and can't be seen, where are the meeples put then?
A:No meeples can be placed on a card like that.
Q: What if a card slides off the table?
A:Pick it up and remove it from the game. No meeples can be placed on it unless it is on the playing surface.
