‘Circle Of Death’ Drinking Game: How To Play The Standard Way & Special Rules

You may be brave, but are you brave enough to be a part of the circle of death? ‘Circle Of Death’ is one of the most fantastic card-based drinking games you’ll ever run into! With basic equipment and our rules, you’ll turn the basic game night, into a fun game night! 

• Equipment needed to play;
• The setup;
• Instructions;
• Special ways & rules to play the game:
• Final thoughts;

Equipment Needed To Play Circle Of Death

Just like when playing similar games (such as Waterfall), you’ll need minimum equipment:

• A deck of cards. Any deck of classic works great, even if a card or two is missing. There’s also an option of playing without cards, but we’ll get to that later.
• Drinks of your choice. We recommend you get beers since they’re lighter, however, you could use vodka shots, wine, or anything you prefer. Therefore, use non-alcoholic drinks if people under 21 are playing.
• A can/bottle of beer or a cup. This will be used as the center of the cards. 

Now that we’ve dealt with the equipment, you should know that the game works fine even as a drinking game for 2 people, but, as always, for a better experience, we recommend you play it with a group of 4-8 people. If there are more than 10 people, use 2 decks of cards & you’ll be fine.

Setting The Game Up

Wait till you find out how simple the game setup is! All you have to do is first, place the cup or whatever drink container in the middle of the table. Next, spread the deck of cards, facedown, around the cup, and ask everyone to sit in a circle. Just a friendly reminder: ‘Circle Of Death’ is a cool drinking game for large groups!

The game’s aim: Circle Of Deaath helps you socialize and it’s an amazing icebreaker. Its biggest aim is to get y’all drunk and undoubtedly test your limits. 

Instructions: How To Play ‘Circle Of Death’?

After you’ve finished the setup, pick one player to start first. Here are some ideas: the oldest player starts first, the player who laughs the most, the winner of rock-paper-scissors, and so on. The first player starts first by drawing a card from the circle. Each card represents a special action:

• Ace: Once an Ace is drawn, all players waterfall. Waterfall means that the first player starts drinking, and then all the other players do the same in cascading order. They may only stop drinking only if the person prior to them does.

• 2 to 5: You drink as many drinks as the number on the card.

• 6 to 8: If the card is red, you take as many drinks as the card number. If the card is black, you give out that number of drinks.

• 9: The player who drew a 9 starts a game of Categories. Whoever messes up, drinks! 

• 10: Say out loud a word that comes into your mind. All players, taking turns, must say a word that rhymes with yours. Whoever breaks the rule, or takes too long to find a word, drinks!

• Jack: It’s Thumb Master’s time! You’re the master, and every time you put your thumb on the table (or floor), all the other players should do the same. The last player to do so has to drink.

• Queen: The player who drew a Queen should ask a player of their choice a question. That player, after answering, should ask someone else a question. The first player who takes too long or refuses to answer drinks.

• King: You are allowed to make a new game rule. This includes even undoing a previous ‘Circle Of Death’ rule. 

Special Ways & Rules To Play The Game

Using the game app.

You can play Circle Of Death without cards, just by using the drinking game app! It is available for IOS users, Android, and even as a PC app. The same rules are applied as if you were playing with cards. The app helps you with the instructions, picks cards randomly, and even adds extra rules. Super simple, innit?

The king is the slave.

Well, in normal terms, that doesn’t quite happen, but nothing is impossible in ‘Circle Of Death’. This rule means that every time you draw a King, you are the slave of the group (following the other players’ orders) until someone else draws a King. 

Jack is for Dinosaurs

Do you remember the facepaint of Ross & Rachel in Friends? That’s what you have to do if you draw a jack. Well, you have the opportunity to draw a dinosaur in another player’s face. You’re allowed to use a permanent marker though 🙂

4th King

Once all cards of a number are drawn & used, the whole group drinks. But, the player who draws the fourth King of the game has to down whatever’s in the middle cup.

Note: You may also add any rule you want to this drinking game, or modify the above-mentioned ones. For example, you may make one rule about a card of your choice, so the player who draws it has to pour some of their drink into the middle cup. 

Final Thoughts

Circle Of Death is one of those games you never get bored of. It’s flexible when it comes to the number of players, and requires no extra equipment. It will probably get y’all drunk, but I mean, that’s the point of it! Drink carefully and have a blast!