Master Fox is a tactile dexterity game where players wear fox blindfolds and use touch alone to identify and grab the correct animal pawns from a box. Each round, mission cards reveal which animals to capture. Players score eggs for correct grabs and lose eggs for mistakes. The first player to collect 10 eggs (15 for experienced players) becomes the new Master Fox.
Components
4 fox masks (blindfolds)
8 mission cards
24 loot pawns (various animal shapes)
5 ruse pawns (special shapes)
30 egg tokens
1 box (serves as the grabbing area)
Setup
Place the box bottom centrally within reach of all players.
Place all 24 loot pawns inside the box and close the lid.
Shuffle the 8 mission cards into a deck.
Place egg tokens and ruse pawns nearby.
Each player takes a fox mask.
Turn Structure
Each round:
Reveal missions: Draw 3 mission cards and display them face-up, showing which animals to capture.
Shake the box: The oldest player shakes the box to mix the pawns.
Ready: All players don their fox blindfolds.
Go! On the count of three, all players simultaneously reach into the box (one hand only) and try to identify and grab the correct pawns by touch.
Stop: When any player has at least 3 pawns, they call “STOP!” All players lift masks.
Score: Check grabbed pawns against mission cards.
Actions
Grabbing Loot
Use one hand only.
Feel the pawn shapes to identify which animals they represent.
You may put back a grabbed pawn if unsure.
Maximum 4 pawns in your hand at any time (loot + ruse combined).
Scoring
For each round:
+1 egg per correct loot pawn (matching a mission card)
-1 egg per incorrect loot pawn
-1 egg for excess pawns beyond what missions require
-1 egg for holding multiple ruse pawns
Your score can never go negative for a round (minimum 0)
Ruse Pawns (added gradually from Round 2+)
Fox pawn: Worth +1 egg
Snake pawn: Steal 1 egg from an opponent
Hammer pawn: Protects you from snake theft
Scoring / Victory Conditions
The first player to collect 10 egg tokens wins and becomes the new Master Fox. For experienced players, the threshold is 15 eggs. Ties broken by youngest player.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Ruse pawns are added to the box starting from round 2, gradually increasing complexity.
Players must keep their masks on until “STOP” is called.
Pawns returned to the box during a round are fair game for other players.
If a player has fewer eggs than penalties assessed, their score for that round is simply 0.