“Wondering how it’s played?” – Bootstrap Bill
“I understand. It’s a game of deception. But your bet includes all the dice, not just your own. What are they wagering?” – Will Turner
“The only thing we have. Years of service.” – Bootstrap Bill
“So any crew member can be challenged?” – Will Turner
“Aye, Anyone.” – Bootstrap Bill
“… I challenge Davy Jones.” – Will Turner
“I accept, mate.” – Davy Jones

When I think of Liar’s Dice, this is the first thing that pops into my head.  Will Turner and Davy Jones going head to head on the Flying Dutchman in Pirates of the Caribbean.  If you haven’t seen this scene, you can check it out on YouTube.  It’s a great introduction to Liar’s Dice. 

Fluff vs Liar’s Dice 

So, how the heck do we get from Liar’s Dice to a game called Fluff?!  Fluff is a new Dice Game from Bananagrams.  Fluff puts a new twist on Liar’s Dice:  All the “ones” on all the dice have been replaced with wildcards.  So every single die has a wild card die side instead of a one die side (one pipped dice), and that wild card is now wild for everyone.  

It’s an effective spin on the game, and that spin changes the math/odds around a bit.  But the game pretty much still plays the same as regular Liar’s Dice.  

How to play Fluff

• Each players starts the game with 5 dice. 
• Each player places their dice into their dice cups, gives them a shake, and slams them down on the table – keeping their dice covered from all the other players.
• You all take a peek at your own dice.
• The first player announces a bid – A bid is a guess of the total quantity of a specific value of ALL player’s dice including WILDS.  The first player might bid “4 twos”.
• The next player has to raise the bid or call “Fluff”.  To raise the bid, the second player would have to call something like “4 threes” or “5 twos”.  
• Your other option is to call “Fluff!” on the existing bid. Say I bid “9 FIVES” and you have no fives. You might think I’m lying, so you call “Fluff!” All players reveal their dice. If there are 9 FIVES or more, you would lose a die. If there are fewer than 9 FIVES, I lose a die.
• You may also call “Fluff!” when it’s not your turn, but you will lose two dice if you’re wrong and the bidder still loses only 1 if you’re right. 
• When you lose a die, set it aside for all to see, and start fresh with a new roll. The person who lost the die starts the next round with the opening bid.
• When you lose your last die, you’re out. Play continues until only one player has dice left. That player wins the game.

What’s in the Box?

• 4 Small Palm fitting Dice Cups with Storage Lids
• 20 Dice.  Four sets of 5 dice matching the color of the Dice Cups
• Hard to Lose Instructions (Because all instructions are written inside the box)

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• The Box – The Box is awesome.  It folds open and has a magnet seal to keep it closed when you close the game up.  There are also great instructions inside, and the box holds all the components nicely.  
• Very colorful – The colors of the box are great, as well as the colors on the dice cups and the dice.  These are no boring white dice or boring dice cups.
• Math Challenge – This game is great for making people do some math calculations on the fly.  You have to remember how many dice are in play, and calculate the probabilities that the person in front of you can actually make his bid.  Even if you do your math right, lady luck might be on his side.
• Fun & Quick – This fun, four-player game will probably only take you about 15 minutes.  The game is fun & tense when it comes to your turn. 
• Easy to Teach – You will have new players up & running within a few minutes
• Nice components – The dice cups and dice are well made.
• This is a great group game.  We bought two sets so we could play with 8 players. 
• The price has dropped from $20 to about $12 since it was originally released.  This is a fair price point.

Cons:

• Only 4 players – The box only comes with enough dice and cups for 4 players.   You can add more players by buying additional sets.   
• Player elimination – When you are out of dice, you are out of the game.  But the game is still very entertaining to watch even when you are out  

Final Thoughts 

I know this box is for 4 players max, but I think this makes for a fantastic party game. If you buy two of these, you can play with up to 8 people.  I think Party Game night is where this game really shines. We have played this several times at my house with 8 players, and it’s great.  My personal opinion would be to try to pick up two sets of Fluff.