Spoon Buffet

Players: 2–5
Time: 15–20 minutes
Goal: Manage your daily energy (“spoons”) wisely and finish the game with the most spoons preserved, without burning out.

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Theme: What Are “Spoons”?

Spoons represent mental, emotional, and physical energy.
You start each day with a limited number. Some things cost spoons, others restore them—and ignoring your limits has consequences.

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Card Types

• Task Cards
  Work, School, Chores
  → Cost spoons to complete
• Self-Care Cards
  Sleep, Exercise, Mindfulness
  → Restore spoons
• Support Cards
  Friends, Therapy, Family
  → Protect spoons or help counter Stress
• Stress Cards
  Anxiety, Overcommitment, Unexpected Events
  → Drain spoons unless managed

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Setup

1. Shuffle the full deck.
2. Each player starts with:
   • 10 spoons (use tokens, paper, or a tracker).
3. Deal:
   • 2–3 players: 7 cards each
   • 4–5 players: 8 cards each
4. Keep spoons visible to everyone.

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Gameplay (Drafting Rounds)

Each round represents one day.

1. Choose One Card
   • Look at your hand.
   • Secretly choose one card to play face-down.
2. Reveal & Resolve
   • All players reveal cards simultaneously.
   • Apply effects immediately:
     • Pay spoon costs
     • Gain spoons
     • Trigger stress effects
3. Pass the Hand
   • Pass remaining cards:
     • Left on odd-numbered rounds
     • Right on even-numbered rounds
4. Repeat until all cards in hand are played.

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Card Effects

Task Cards

• Cost 1–3 spoons
• Worth points only if you can afford them
• If you cannot pay → take Spoon Debt (see below)

Self-Care Cards

• Restore 1–3 spoons
• Cannot raise you above your starting max (10 spoons)
• Multiple self-care cards stack

Support Cards

• Protect against Stress cards
• May:
  • Reduce spoon loss
  • Cancel a Stress card
  • Be shared with another player (card text specifies)

Stress Cards

• Force spoon loss unless countered
• Some require another player’s involvement:
  • Example: Overcommitment → another player must give you a Support card or you lose extra spoons
• If no help is given, consequences increase

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Spoon Debt (Burnout Mechanic)

If you ever drop below 0 spoons:

• Take 1 Spoon Debt token
• Immediately reset to 0 spoons
• Each Spoon Debt = –2 points at the end of the game

Message: You can push through… but it costs you later.

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End of Game & Scoring

When all drafting rounds are complete:

1. +1 point for each spoon you have left
2. –2 points for each Spoon Debt token
3. Bonus points (optional):
   • +2 points for balanced play (at least one Task, Self-Care, and Support card played)

Highest score wins.