1

GAME CONTENTS

1x Rulebook

12x six-sided dice

20x counter tokens

Cards

28x Outpost Draw Deck 1

Cards, 5-6 player expansion

20x Outpost Draw Deck 1

20x Outpost Draw Deck 2

5x Outpost Draw Deck 1/Suspicion

18x Outpost Draw Deck 3

1x Outpost Draw Deck 2

29x Thing Draw Deck 1

1x Outpost Draw Deck 3

10x Thing Draw Deck 2

7x Thing Draw Deck 1

10x Thing Draw Deck 3

4x Thing Draw Deck 2

12x Character

1x Thousand Mile to the Coast

10x “Burn” or “Wait and see”

1x Bad Blood

16x Encounter

8x Thing’s Action

8x Destruction

1x Encounter

4x Task

1x Blood Test Info

1x Blair-Saucer

1x Tool Shed

1x The Thing Attacks

Mark Chaplin’s The THING Card Game.

Game created and original rules written by Mark Chaplin.

Revised rules and format contributed by Aaron Bohm, Clyde Wright, and Mark Ramsey. Card design by Mark Chaplin, card image

contributed by Mark Chaplin. A special thanks to Boardgamegeek.com and all users who assisted, playtested, and reviewed this

game to help others enjoy it.

All other images are the property of Universal Pictures, this game is an unauthorized, non-profit game for fans.

2012.

2
 INTRODUCTION

Mark Chaplin’s The THING Card Game, based on the 1982 horror movie masterpiece "John Carpenter's

The Thing," is an unauthorised, non-collectable, non-profit game for two to six players that simulates the

paranoia and horror of an American Antarctic research facility (Outpost 31) that has been infiltrated by a

deadly, parasitic, alien organism capable of perfectly imitating its victims. Through use of cleverly hidden

roles players can never know who is friend, who is foe and as events and cards unfold randomly, players

will never see the same game twice. Take care, The THING Card Game is for mature audiences, like the

movie, but otherwise this dastardly sinister game will have you on your toes each time you play it.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Understanding the cards

4

Set Up
6

Prepare the Decks

6

Setting up the Outpost

7

The Players
7

Set Up Diagram
7

Mission Objectives
8

Gameplay
8

The Plot Begins

Anytime Actions

Phases

Encounter
9

Suspicion
9

Assign and Resolve

10

Thing-out
11

Check End Conditions

11

Final Encounter
11

“See what happens”

12

Card FAQ and FAQ

13

Some Things to help you understand the game

Summary

Playing The THING card game is similar to many co-operative games that already exist. At the beginning

of the game all players except The Thing are on the same side striving for the same objective. As time

goes on, more and more players will get infected, changing them to be on The Thing’s side with a new

objective of helping it win.

Secret Information
Discarding

The THING card game utilizes “secret

All discards are face-down at all times during the

information.” Players cannot EVER reveal the

game. This maintains the air of paranoia over who

cards in their hands nor tell others what cards

is playing bad cards and dumping good ones into

they have.
the discard pile.

Players will be receiving infection cards that

either turn them into a Thing player or leave

Roleplaying

them as a human. Players may not show this

This game is most fun if the players really get into

card. Part of the fun is trying to bluff your

their role. Feel free to watch the movie

way around what others think about you while

beforehand, put on mood music, turn the

at the same time trying to determine who the

temperature down or otherwise create an eerie

other players truly are.

atmosphere for the full effect. Players can act like

their characters or otherwise try and use dialogue

that brings the mechanics of the game to life.

3
UNDERSTANDING THE CARDS

Tip:

Draw Decks
“ XD6”

A “D6” is a six sided die.

Outpost Draw Decks 1-3 Thing Draw Decks 1-3

Any cards that have a

numerical value for

“X”D6, this specifies

how many 6 sided dice

the card allows to be

rolled. Example: 4D6,

roll four 6 sided dice.

Throughout the game each player draws from their corresponding deck (The Thing player is the only one

who can draw from The Thing Decks). Players start drawing from Deck 1. As encounters are revealed,

some will allow players to begin drawing from other decks.

Event and Encounter Cards

These cards are labelled with “Act 1”,

“Act 2”, “Act 3” or “The End?” and are

the main driving force of the game.


Events: These cards do not have any

“crew, size, draw,” or other features

that Encounters have. The instructions

should be followed on the card as

written.


Encounters: The cards can be

completed following the rules of

encounters (see page 14).

Character Cards

With a picture of the character on both sides as well as

some differing abilities, character cards represent the

people of the American Antarctic Research Team.


The characters the players pick to play as are known

as the Outpost Players or are sometimes referred to

as “played characters” (PC).


All characters not selected are non-played

characters (NPC).

Task Cards and Tool Shed

 Task Cards (Radio, Research, Helicopter, Bulldozer) are

placed in the Rec Room and on any round where an

encounter is being attempted, tasks may also be attempted.

Unless playing with 5-6 players, tasks may only be

attempted by non-played characters (NPCs).

 Tool Shed: IMPORTANT –This card is also placed in the

Rec Room. After the event “Blair goes Berserk,” one NPC

is selected to go into the Tool Shed. There they cannot use

any ability or be affected by any card other than an

infection card and are otherwise out of the game until the

“Final Confrontation.”

4
 Destruction Cards

These cards destroy task

“Burn” and “Wait and See” Cards

cards, removing them

and any tokens form the

Used during the “Wait and see” event.

game (there Destruction

Cards named after each

task). Usually The Thing

player uses them or they

come up during the

“Blair goes Berserk,” event. After a task is destroyed, remove any

Destruction Card with the same name from the deck and reshuffle.

(for 5-6 players) The Thing’s Action cards

Suspicion cards

A special deck of action

cards for The Thing to use

4 Suspicion cards as well as 1

throughout the game.

“You are a Thing” Suspicion card.

The Thing player gets one

These are handed out with multi-

each time an encounter is

player infection cards, the

successfully passed. An

“You are a Thing” suspicion card

Outpost player revealed as

can only be handed to a player

a thing during the “Blood

along with a “You are now a thing”

Test” encounter may also

multi- player infection cards.

receive these cards.

OTHER CARD EXPLAINATIONS

Infection Cards

The Thing Attacks!

Blair-saucer

Infection cards come from

A single encounter card that

Another encounter card for

The Thing’s Draw Decks.

The Thing player can play

The Thing. Throughout gameplay,

There are regular infection cards

on any task or encounter

Blair-saucer may have cards placed

and multi-player infection cards.

that has an infected NPC

under it –from failed encounters or


Regular infection cards have

player present. The players

from Thing cards – and at the end of

“Human” or “Infected!” on them

must resolve the encounter

each round the Thing player can roll

and can only be played on NPCs.

before continuing and take

to see if the Blair-saucer is completed.


Multi-player infection cards can be

all negative effects, if any.

If it is, The Thing is able to reach

played on any player as noted.

civilization and wins the game.

(for 5-6 players only)

TIP Just because a player has an infection card does not mean

Bad Blood

This card goes in the Rec Room.

that player is infected, some infected cards are benign. Others will

During the Suspicion phase El Capitan selects a

explicitly state that a player is infected. If so that player is now on

The Things side.

player. That player must discard a card

underneath Bad Blood or place a token on

“Thousand Miles to the Coast.”

Thousand Miles to the Coast

A special encounter for The Thing. If at any time “Thousand

Miles to the Coast” has 10 tokens, The Thing wins.

For further card explanations, see Card FAQ on page 13

5
SET UP

1.
Prepare the Decks

2.
Setting up the Outpost

3.
The Players

Prepare the Decks


Separate all the decks by their cover picture. Make sure to separate the character cards, Tool

Shed, Bad Blood, The Thing Attacks, and Thousand Miles to the Coast cards as well.


Take Outpost Draw Deck 1, set aside the 5 Suspicion cards (4 Suspicion, 1 “You are the Thing!”)


Take Thing Draw Deck 1, set aside the 7 Infection and 7 Multi-Player Infection cards. Keep them

separate!


Take the Encounter Deck. “See what happens” encounter should always be the bottom card. On

top of that, without looking or revealing the cards, shuffle the Act 3 encounters and then place

them on top of “See what happens.” Do the same for the Act 2 encounters placing them on top of

the Act 3 cards. The Act 1 cards are numbered, 1-6. Place them in order on top of the Act 2 cards

with the #1 Act 1 card, “Antarctica, Winter 1982,” on top.

Number of players

(for 5-6 players)

Play with all cards

-For 6 players, shuffle the multiplayer-infection cards and, without looking, remove 2 from

the game.

For 5 players, remove 1 “Thing” and 1 “Still Human” multiplayer-infection card. Shuffle the

remaining and remove 1 from the game, again without looking.

Then shuffle ONLY the remaining multiplayer-infection cards into Thing Deck 1. (Keep the

regular infection cards separate for now).

For 3-4 players


Remove all 5 Suspicion cards from the game


Remove The Thing’s Action Cards


Remove the “Bad Blood” card


Remove the “Thousand Miles to the Coast” encounter


Remove the “Somebody Blew out a Fuse in the Lab” event


Remove the following Outpost Draw Deck 1 cards

"Maybe they found a fossil..."

"So how's this motherfucker wake up..."

"This thing doesn't want to show itself..."

"It's alright by me, Doc..."

"Blair, I'd like you to start an autopsy..."

"Clark - did you notice..."

"I ain't going with Windows."


Remove the following from Outpost Deck 3 cards

(the Norwegian sniper in the helicopter) card


Remove 1 “Thing” and 1 “Still human” multi-player infection card

-For 4 players shuffle the remaining multi-player infection cards and, without looking remove

2 more from the game.

-For 3 players, remove 1 additional “Thing” and “Still Human.” Shuffle the remaining and

remove 1 from the game, again without looking.

Then shuffle ONLY the remaining multiplayer-infection cards into Thing Deck 1. (Keep the

regular infection cards separate for now).

For 2 players


Remove the same cards as in a 3-4 player game.


Additionally remove all multi-player infection cards as well as “Man-in-Charge” and “MacReady

Cuts Loose” event cards.

Now…

Shuffle all decks EXCEPT Thing Draw Deck 1. This Deck will not be shuffled until the 1 st event card

is revealed and resolved.

6
 Setting up the Outpost

The middle of the table should be reachable by all players. This area will be known as the Rec Room.

Thematically, think of each player sitting in the Rec Room until they leave to complete the Tasks,

Encounters or otherwise move to a location or use a card.

In the Rec Room…

1.
Place all 12 character cards

2.
Place the 4 unique Task cards in any order

3.
Place the Tool Shed card

4.
Place the Event and Encounter cards

*(cards should be prepared as explained above)

(for 5-6 players)

5. Place the Bad Blood card

In The Thing’s Play Area…

6. Separate and place Thing draw decks 1, 2, and 3

7. Place the “Blair-saucer” encounter

8. Place the 8 Destruction cards

9. Place “The Thing Attacks” card

(for 5-6 players)

10. Place The Thing’s Action Cards

11. Place the 5 Suspicion cards (4 Suspicion, 1 You are a thing!)

*remove 1 regular Suspicion card if playing with 5

12. Place “Thousand Miles to the Coast” encounter

In the Outpost Players’ Play Area

13. Separate and place Outpost draw decks 1, 2, and 3

The Thing’s

play area

The play area

should now look

something like this:

Rec Room

Outpost Player’s

play area

Figure 1

The Players


Choose a player to play as the Thing.


All other players are the human Outpost Players and begin uninfected.
TIP


The Outpost Players each choose a character from the Rec Room to play as. They
Unless you want a

more challenging

place that character in front of them and receive 1 “Burn” and 1 “Wait and See”

game, it is

card each. These are the “played characters” and may also be referred to as “PC”
recommended that

by the cards.
at least 1 player

chooses a character


For the rest of the game any of the players not selected are not considered to be

with the “Pilot”

regular characters like the ones played by the Outpost Players. Instead they are
skill.

non-played characters, or NPC’s, and as such follow different rules.

7
MISSION OBJECTIVES

• For Outpost Players, status: uninfected • For The Thing

The Outpost players are trying to make it

If at any time all players are either

through the encounters of the game without

infected or dead, The Thing wins!

triggering any of The Thing’s win conditions.

The Thing player receives the “Blair-

Once they resolve both the “Final
saucer” encounter card. If it

Confrontation” and the “See what happens”

completes this encounter The Thing

encounter successfully, all uninfected players

wins!

win and The Thing loses!

If at the end of the game the players

• For Outpost Players, status: infected

fail either “Final Confrontation” or

“See what happens,” The Thing wins!

Once infected, Outpost Players now have the

objective of helping The Thing win. It is

(for 5- 6 player games)

important for them to conceal their identity to

The Thing receives the “Thousand

help accomplish this goal.

Miles to the Coast” special encounter

card. If this card ever has 10 counters

If at any time The Thing wins, all infected

on it, The Thing wins!

players also win. A win for the uninfected

players results in a loss for any infected player.

THE PLOT BEGINS!

The THING Card Game is played over a number of rounds or “Acts” the players have to survive until

the Final Conflict is revealed. Each round begins by turning over either an Event card or an Encounter

card (see page 4). The first card of the game, “Antarctica, Winter 1982” is an event.

Flip over the first card and the game begins.

TIP

Players should

Following the instructions on the first event:

always pay close

1st The Thing player should still have 7 Infection cards (3 “Human,” 4 “Infected!”)
attention. When

The Thing player

It selects 2, so long as both are not “Infected!” and secretly places one each

selects the first 2

underneath any of the NPC characters. Any NPC that received an “Infected!”
NPCs for

card is now an infected NPC, a Thing! The Thing player now shuffles the
infection, the

remaining infection cards into its Deck 1.

players should

know right away

that one of them

2nd All players including The Thing player draw 6 cards from their respective Draw

is not infected,

Deck 1. NO PLAYER CAN DRAW FROM ANY OTHER DECK NUMBER

possibly both.

UNTIL AN ENCOUNTER CARD ALLOWS.

3rd The Outpost Players select “El Capitan.” They can select him through vote, randomly, or by any

other method approved by the players. Several cards allow El Capitan a power or right to act and

this player can convey his leadership through dialogue but El Capitan is the leader of the group in

title only and the group is under no obligation to obey him.

Once this is completed, flip over the second encounter.

TIP

El Capitan can change throughout the

course of the game. When deciding

GAMEPLAY

who to change it to, if there is a tie the

Gameplay resumes with each round broken into 5 phases:

same player retains El Capitan.

1.
Encounter

2.
Suspicion

TIP
3.

4.

Assign and Resolve

Thing-out

*Anytime actions: Both Outpost Players and The

Thing player will have cards in their hand. Each are

If some cards bend or

5.
Check End Conditions
allowed to play them throughout the game so long

otherwise break some of

as the card allows; some of these can be played at

the rules of the game, this

*Anytime actions

any time during any phase. Cards are always

is allowed.

resolved in the order they are played.

8
 ALL Event cards

1. Encounter Phase
(first card)

Act 1 – “Antarctica, Winter 1982”

Act 2 – “Matters of Trust”

Each round begins with the players turning over a new encounter or event card.

Act 2 – “Blair Goes Berserk”

Act 2 – “The Man-in-Charge”


IF the card turned over is an event (see page 4), read and follow all
Act 3 – “MacReady Cuts Loose”

instructions and then flip over the next card, skipping all other steps and

(for 5-6 players)

beginning a new round.

Act 2 – “Someone Blew a Fuse”


OTHERWISE each encounter represents a challenge the characters face in the game. All Outpost

Players must assist with the encounters.

(If players have any questions during “Blood Test” or

“Blair Goes Berserk” encounter, please see the card FAQ on page 13).

Each encounter has the following directions:

a). Draw: the players draw the number of cards indicated. Unless other decks have been

unlocked by a previous encounter they can only draw from Deck 1. Note: At this time The

Thing player draws 1 card for each Outpost Player, to a max of 3. It must also only draw

from the allowed decks.

EXAM PLE It’s a three player game. An encounter instructs all players to draw 1 card. All the Outpost Players

(whether or not they are infected) draw 1 card and The Thing draws 2 cards – 1 card for each Outpost Players.

b). Crew: The minimum/maximum number of Outpost and NPC players that can be at the

encounter. All Outpost Players must send their characters to each encounter. They then must

invite additional NPC characters until the minimum number is met. Players cannot assign

more players in this way than the maximum number allowed.

c). Skills: For each skill listed on the encounter that is not listed on one of the characters present

at that encounter the Outpost Players roll 2D6 less when rolling for successes. You may

never have a negative dice pool, but you could end up with no dice to roll.

(for 2 players)

Only 1D6 is lost for every skill not present.

d). Target: When rolling for successes, this number rolled and higher counts as 1 success.

e). Successes: The number of total successes needed for the encounter itself to succeed.

f). If the encounter fails, read and follow the consequences. Do the same for a success (if any).

2. Suspicion Phase

TIP As The Thing,

If The Thing player has any infection or multi-player infection cards in its hand, it

try not to be too

obvious. Always
may play one now. Infection cards are secretly played underneath an NPC. Multi-
infecting the same
player infection cards are handed directly to Outpost Players. That player may look

players, the obvious

at it before placing it under his character sheet.

choices, or even failing

to mix in “human” cards

can make it easier for

Only one infection card can be played and only during encounters, not events.

the players to guess

Multi-player infection cards may be played on any player but count towards the

what you’re up to.

one-an-encounter limit.

(for 5-6 players)

When the Thing passes a multi-player infection card to an Outpost Player, it can also give the player a

Suspicion card (see page 5) for them to keep in their hand with their other cards. Important: the Thing must

only ever give the “You Are a Thing” suspicion card when it also gives the same player a “You are now a

Thing!” multi-player infection card.

Bad Blood - Whoever is El Capitan must choose one player during this phase to discard a card – if they

refuse put one token on the “Thousand Miles to the Coast” special encounter.

9
 3. Assign and Resolve Phase

Assign

EXAM PLE

Childs decides it

After The Thing player has played an infection card or passed, the Outpost Players next

would be a good idea

assign NPC’s to the encounter or various tasks in hopes of getting as many successes as
to use Bennings,

possible while hopefully trying to avoid assigning infected players.

MacReady, and Blair

to work on the

Bulldozer. This is

All the Outpost Players should now “move” to the encounter. If the minimum player
okay, as the maximum

count is not yet filled players should decide which NPC’s to add to the encounter first.
crew for the Bulldozer

Players then decide, of the remaining NPC’s, whether to assign them to work on the tasks
is 3. No further NPCs

could be sent to work

or help with the encounter. NPC’s can be used in this way so long as the maximum crew

on this task this turn.

size is not exceeded. Any NPC’s not assigned to a task or encounter remain in the Rec

Room – possibly tied to a couch…

(for 5-6 players)

El Capitan selects one Outpost Player. That player may not participate in the encounter this turn however

that player may instead assist with a task if he wishes. An Outpost Player then would add his dice to the

success roll of the task the same as an NPC (cards may never be used on tasks). This is the only time an

Outpost Player may be assigned to a task.

Note: The same player may not be selected by El Capitan to sit out 2 rounds in a row.

Resolve

The players next choose in which order they want to resolve the tasks and encounter.

Tasks and encounters are resolved in a similar manner with some differences.

Exam ple

Tasks: For each task in order, one by one, first add up the total number of

Players use MacReady,

dice that can be rolled by all players present.

Childs, and Palmer on

the Helicopter Task.

That Task has two

For each skill required on a task, add 1 die if at least one character present at

skills: Mechanic and

the task has this skill (no more than 1 die per skill).

Pilot. So in this case,

the players would roll 5

dice. 3 for the dice

Roll all the dice and add a token to the task for every success.

listed on the NPCs + 1

NO CARDS MAY BE PLAYED BY ANY PLAYER TO CHANGE THIS RESULT.

for Child’s Mechanic

skill +1 for Palmer &

If at any time the task has tokens equal to or more than the

MacReady’s Pilot skill.

Even though both

difficulty on the upper right corner, that task is completed. So long as the

Palmer and MacReady

task remains in play, players may use the ability of a completed task at any

have the Pilot skill,

time.

those players only get

Note: If the Outpost Players complete and use either the Radio or Helicopter task,

one extra die total.

they may proceed directly to the “See what happens” encounter. Additionally, if the

Helicopter is used only the Outpost characters - NONE of the NPC’s - join in on the

“Final Confrontation,” whether the NPC’s are infected or not.


Encounter: In the same way, again add up all dice from all players

(including NPCs).
EXAM PLE

The Outpost Players form a team

Instead of getting extra dice for having a skill, on an encounter the players
to “Review Evidence.” They are

using Windows, Norris, and

instead lose 2D6 per skill that is not met by one of the characters present.

MacReady. To help win the

(1D6 per skill in a 2 player game).

encounter – since they lose 2D6

for not having Meteorology –

After the roll, all players including The Thing can play cards to
one of the players tries to play

the “That Thing wanted to be

add/subtract dice, successes, etc. Cards requiring a skill must have

UHHsss!” But this card cannot

someone with that skill present at the encounter to use. This continues
be played because the team does

until all players are done playing cards.

not have the Biology skill

required. Playing the “’Cos it’s

Note: Any player that has an infection card underneath him may also discard
different ‘an us see” card is legal,

however, because the MacReady

cards from their hand, adding 2D6 for each card discarded in this way.

character has the Tough skill.

(For a 2 player game, a player may discard without having an infection card

and gains only 1D6).

Success or Failure

10
 After all cards and rolls are made, count the totals. All rolls at or above the target number add 1

success. If the total number of successes meets or is higher than the stated number of successes

required, the players have beat the encounter and read and follow the “Success” effect on the card (if

any). Otherwise the players must follow the “Fail” effect on the card.

(for 5-6 players)

If an encounter is successfully completed, The Thing player may draw 1 of the 8 cards in The Thing’s

Action Card deck. This card can be played at any time as if it were a regular card.

TIP This game is as much about hand-management as it is about the guessing game of who is who. While players should

be wary of letting too many encounters fail, they should also note that it is just as bad to use up too many cards trying to pass

every encounter.

4. Thing-out phase

TIP

After the resolution of all tasks and the encounter, The Thing player
IMPORTANT! This is a crucial

aspect of the game. While it

may play its “The Thing Attacks!” card on top of an encounter or

doesn’t seem like much, “The

task that has an infected NPC player.

Thing Attacks!” can cripple

players and cause a lot of

The Thing then reveals the “Infected!” card underneath that NPC,
damage. Players should be

wary against assigning

removes the NPC from the game, and the players must now face this

suspected NPC’s too many

new encounter following the instructions of the card and facing any
times to tasks and encounters.

consequences for failure.

At the same time however,

players should be “testing the

waters” often as once in a while

5. Check End Conditions

sending suspicious NPCs to a

task may be critical in helping

With the exception to “Final Encounter” and “See what happens”

to determine which ones are

infected.

encounters, for the last phase of each round The Thing player first

checks the Blair-saucer encounter. If it has any cards underneath this

encounter The Thing may roll and see if it completes the saucer. If it does, The Thing wins and all

uninfected Outpost Players lose.

The Thing next checks to see if all players are either infected or killed. If so, The Thing wins.

Lastly, if at any time “Thousand Miles to the Coast” has 10 counters on it The Thing player

automatically wins.

If The Thing player has not won, proceed to the next encounter until the Final Encounter is reached or

the players use the Radio or Helicopter.

At the Game’s End, there lies…

Final Encounter

This card is shuffled among the Act 3 cards so players will not know exactly when the game will end.

When this encounter is revealed the Outpost players must first fight a Thing. The target numbers

needed are described on the card just like a regular encounter. In any of the following battles all

players may continue to play cards as normal.

After the first Thing has been dealt with and destroyed:

1.
Any infected Outpost player that was already revealed by the “Blood Test” encounter now battles

the Outpost Players similar to the fight above. This player may play “success cards” in his favour,

increasing the difficult by 1 per success.

11
FINAL ENCOUNTER, CONT.

2.
The Thing player may reveal an infection card under an NPC character. If he was “Human” the

character is removed from the game (it’s assumed that he either ran off into the blizzard or was

absorbed into The Thing’s biomass). If he was “Infected!” he immediately becomes another Thing

the Outpost players must fight just like the first.

The Thing player may keep revealing NPCs one at a time, the players having to fight each one,

until it decides to stop. The Thing could reveal all NPC’s with an infection card in this way or

none.

3.
The Thing must now ask each of the Outpost Players, slowly and in clockwise order, if they wish

to reveal themselves to be a Thing. All answers must be loud enough for all players to hear.

Note: Uninfected Outpost players may not answer “yes” however infected players may answer “no” in

hopes of fooling their fellow players.

4.
If an infected Outpost player says “yes,” they reveal themselves as a Thing and battle the other

Outpost Players! This battle is the same as for a revealed infected player, see step 1.

Note: until a player is revealed as a thing, whether NPC or Outpost player, that player MUST continue to

help with these battles. He is not required to play any cards to assist however he still lends his character’s

dice to the fight.

Also note: no NPC characters can “Thing out!” during “Final Confrontation.” This therefore means cards

like the Flamethrower can only be used for their secondary purpose of adding 5D6 to the battle.

If the Outpost Players fail any of these battles, all uninfected players lose and The Thing player wins!

After all players have revealed themselves or passed, if the players are still alive…

It’s Not Over Yet

“Why don’t we just wait here for a little while… see what happens…”

The “See what happens…” encounter emulates the possible decision that Childs and MacReady had at

the close of John Carpenter’s film. At the very end of the game the Outpost players have an important

decision to make based on deduction, instinct, and some luck. Each player has two cards: “Burn” and

“Wait and See.” These cards are only used during the “See what happens” encounter.

Note: Infected Outpost Players must always choose the “Wait and See” card.

For an uninfected Outpost Player, this encounter is a guessing game that will use all of their wits as

well as everything they’ve observed up till now. These players will want to select a “Burn” card if they

think there might still be a Thing among them. However they must guess carefully for if they select

“Burn” and there are no Things left then they have just fried their comrades and lose. Players should

select “Wait and see” if they think there are no Things left.

Note: Active discussion between the Outpost players – some of whom may be Things – is encouraged at this

juncture. The Thing player is also permitted to talk up suspicions, if it wants to.

Each Outpost player secretly selects one of the two cards, placing it face-down in front of them. All the

cards are revealed simultaneously.

Then, one by one, the Thing player must reveal the infection cards under each remaining NPC until all

are viewable. Do not forget the NPC in the Tool Shed if he is still there. Next, the Outpost Players

reveal the infection cards beneath their character cards one by one. The winner should now be known.

The Thing wins…


If “Burn” is chosen by anyone, and there are no Things remaining.

 If “Wait and See” is chosen by everyone, and there are Things remaining.

Any Uninfected Outpost Players win…


If “Wait and See” is chosen by all, and there are no Things remaining.

 If “Burn” is chosen by anyone, and there are Things remaining.

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CARD FAQ

“Blood Test” Encounter

If Blood Test is successful El Capitan may reveal infected NPCs one at a time, up to four. If a Thing

is revealed it immediately triggers “The Thing Attacks!” encounter and the blood testing ends - no

further NPCs can be tested.

(for 5-6 players)

The players may either choose to allow El Capitan to test the NPCs – as described above – or they may

choose to test each other.

If the players decide to test each other, conduct the scene as follows:

The Thing points to any Outpost player that has an infection card. Once chosen that player can

either reveal their infection card or refuse to be tested.

When an Outpost Player refuses, remove 1 token from the “Thousand Miles to the Coast” card.

The Thing must keep picking Outpost Player until all eligible players refuse or a player reveals

himself.

If a player reveals himself the blood test immediately ends.

If that player turns out to be human that player may discard any suspicion and infection cards he

has and must add 2 tokens to the “Thousand Miles to the Coast” card.

If that player turns out to be infected they discard all their cards and draw up to 4 cards from The

Thing’s Action Cards. That player now can play against the players for the rest of the game until

the “Final Confrontation.”

“Blair Goes Berserk” Encounter

When El Capitan draws two cards from the destruction deck and chooses one, he is choosing the

task that is destroyed (by the crazed NPC). Only 1 task is destroyed in this way for this event.

Destruction Cards

Important! Any time Destruction cards are drawn, that player should never reveal what his

choices were. Reveal only the card that was destroyed. Afterwards that player must look

should also secretly remove any other Destruction Card with the same name.

Tool Shed

After “Blair Goes Berserk” an NPC will be put into the Tool Shed. With exception to infection

cards, that character is out of the game until the Final Confrontation. He may not be assigned

tasks or encounters or have any cards played on him. He may still be infected by The Thing

and can be revealed in the “Final Confrontation” and must be considered for “See what

happens.”

FAQ

Can I cancel an infection card as it’s played, with “Cheating, Bitch”?

Yes. Any card may be cancelled, even a card played by another Outpost player.

Does “Tough” mean I have to put 2 infection cards under MacReady to infect him?

No. The “Tough” skill only applies to damage resolution during a Thing Attacks! encounter –

MacReady, Clark, and Childs need to be selected twice by the Thing player to be removed from the

game. Tough NPCs need only be infected by one card, like everybody else.

What happens if there is only one NPC with an infection card under it, and Shredded Longjohns

is played?

The card has no effect. To be clear, you shouldn’t play the card unless 2 NPCs have infection cards

under them.

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FAQ, CONT.

The Garry character card has been killed, but somebody still played a “Tied to this fucking

couch!” card – is this correct?

Yes. And this rule applies to all situations in the game whereby the card’s title quote has been spoken

by a dead NPC. They are only card titles. If the game had to take in situational rule permutations

regarding who said what and when, then the game would be about a hundred times more complex, for

no extra fun! Anyhow, who knows if Garry didn’t set a course of action in progress, before being

killed…?

What happens if my character is killed during the game?

You are out of the game. If you can’t be killed, it’s not much of a tension-building horror game, if you

ask me. That said, this should happen very rarely, unless the players are very reckless. Plus, it’s a quick

game, so it’s not like you’re out for an hour twiddling your thumbs. So I advise you to hold onto those

flamethrower cards, because anyone could be one of those Things…..

Okay. I’m the Thing player in a 4-player game, and I’ve just made Garry Thing-out. After a

bunch of cards have been discarded, all the NPCs and PCs are now dead. Now, the only living

character is Blair – and he’s locked in the Tool Shed. Have I won?

Yes. Even if Blair is revealed to be human, he can’t do a great deal to stop the Thing’s diabolic

schemes from within the shed. The Tool Shed is an out-of-play area until the Final Encounter, so you

have fulfilled one of the winning conditions for the Thing.

Can I use the Morphine Injection on an NPC in the Tool Shed?

No.

If I have a suspicion card in my hand with two other cards, and the Thing Attacks! is played, how

many cards do I discard?

You discard your other two cards but retain the suspicion card – as they can never be discarded.

Remember to declare the suspicion card in your hand to the other players – so they know why you’re

still holding a card – but do not show it to them. For the purposes of the attack and the possible killing

of crew, this does not count towards reducing the strength of the Thing Attacks! encounter.

It seems to me the Blood Testing of other players breaks the theme, in that the players have to

wilfully submit to the testing - in the movie they were tied to a couch.

There’s the rub. This is a game and not the movie – it has to transcend the material in many ways.

Forcing a player to effectively reveal their true nature – when they may not want to – can drain the

game of tension and ultimately fun. We’ve tried it!

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COMPELTE CARD LIST

The Outpost Decks (66 cards):

The Thing Decks (47 cards):
Encounter (16 cards):

1x Heart condition
2x Multi-player infection/thing
Act I

1x Molotov cocktail
3x Multi-player infection/human
Antarctica, Winter 1982

1x Dynamite
5x Human
Explore Norwegian research camp

1x That thing wanted to be UHHSSSS!

9x Thing
Autopsy of Norwegian-thing

2x Maybe we’ll just warm…

1x Assimilate!
Battle in Dogtown

1x I mean, he could be one of those things

1x Something in the ice
Review Evidence

1x Shredded Longjohns
2x Spider-thing
Investigate Crashed Saucer site

1x Computer simulation
1x Suicide?
Act II

2x Yeah, fuck you too!

1x Stretch-head-thing
Blair goes Berserk

7x Flamethrower
1x Somebody got to the blood
Matters of Trust

1x Somehow it gets thawed out…

2x Stretch-face
The Man-in-Charge

1x Fire alarm
2x Dog-thing
Conduct Blood Test

1x I’d say the ice it’s buried in is…

1x It’s GONE, Macready
Battle in Rec room

1x ‘cos it’s different ‘an us see

2x Fingers in flesh
Act III

1x I’d rather not spend the rest…

2x Dog-face-thing
Destroy Blair-saucer

1x Voodoo bullshit
3x Dog assimilation
Macready cuts Loose

1x Clark, will you put this mutt…

1x My god, what the hell…
Destroy Outpost #31

1x They’re falling out of the skies…

1x Bennings-thing
Final Confrontation

1x Mac wants the what?

1x He’s killed the rest of the dogs
Why don’t we just wait here…

1x Cheating, Bitch!
1x If it takes us over, then it has no…

2x Blair’s revolver
1x This thing doesn’t want to show itself
Other (17 cards):

2x Garry’s popgun
1x Anyplace but here
8x Destruction cards

1x I know Bennings
1x Norris shadow?
3x Burn cards

1x One of those things won’t obey…

1x I hear funny things out here
3x Wait and See cards

1x It’s weird and it’s pissed off…

1x Watch Clark, and watch him close
1x The Thing Attacks! card

1x I haven’t been able to get hold of jack…

1x Blair-saucer

1x hey, thanks for thinking about…

Outpost crew (12 cards):
1x Tool Shed

1x How much more of this crap is there?

Macready

1x Macready - tool shed

Clark

1x You gotta be fucking kidding

Fuchs

4x Jed
Blair *

1x Hey, Sweden!
Nauls

1x First goddamn week of winter

Windows

1x Chariots of the gods, man

Norris *

1x Maybe we at war with Norway

Palmer *

1x They taught the Incas…

Garry

1x Get a hold of somebody, anybody

Copper

1x Garry – generator
Childs

2x Nauls – generator
Bennings *

1x We’d better start closing off the outside doors

(* denotes Thing-out special ability)

1x And I suggest that we only eat…

1x Copper – infirmary

4x Shotgun
Task (4cards):

1x Cassette recording
Radio

1x I know how this one ends

Helicopter

1x Norwegian’s rifle
Research

2x Hey, Blair! You down there?

Bulldozer

1x I was wonderin’ when El Capitan…

COMPELTE CARD LIST, 5-6 Players

The Outpost Decks (27 cards):

The Thing Decks (11 cards):

1x Gasoline
1x Multi-player infection/human

1x I ain’t going with Windows

1x multi-player infection/thing

1x Dynamite
1x The Thing on the ceiling

1x Morphine Injection
1x Spluttering Flamethrower

2x Flamethrower
1x Out of fuel?

1x Poor baby, you’re starting to lose it

1x Another Thing bursts out!

1x Normal set of internal organs

1x They’re not dead yet

1x I’m just letting you know we’re…

2x Big one-eye in the kennel

1x I’d like you to start an autopsy right away

1x Transfixed with terror

1x I’m tired of talking, Fuchs

1x Unearthly screeching

1x So how’s the motherfucker wake up

1x Looking for answers

Encounter (1 card):

1x Any of them move, you fry ‘em

1x Should be somebody a little more

1x Somebody blew out a fuse in the lab

1x And everybody watch whoever

1x Maybe they found a fossil

Other (15 cards):

1x Anything strange about the dog?

2x Burn cards

1x It’s getting late

2x Wait and See cards

1x Norwegian Rifle in helicopter

1x Bad Blood

1x So some of you are still human

1x Thousand Miles to the Coast

1x It wants to hide inside an imitation

8x Thing Action Cards

4x Suspicion cards
1x I’ll show you what I already know

1x You are a Thing! Suspicion card

15