Guide
Hex Path house rules: 6 setups that change the game
Six Hex Path variants built from the lobby settings, from a no-elimination Pacifist game to a Loop Frenzy scoring race. Includes exact settings.
The default Hex Path rules make a tight, balanced game. The lobby also exposes almost every number that drives scoring and collisions, so you can build very different games from the same tiles. Here are six setups we like, with the exact settings for each.
All of these use settings in the Hex Path lobby: the board forge (rings, seats, and tile density), the rules toggles, and Scoring (house rules).
Quick reference: the defaults
| Setting | Default |
|---|---|
| Board rings | 4 |
| Path density | 3 points per side (9 paths per tile) |
| Strict trails | Off |
| Head-on collisions | Eliminate the moving player |
| Visit base points | 1 |
| Visit multiplier | 2 (1, 2, 4, 8…) |
| Travel bonus scale | 1 (+1, +2, +3… per hex in a run) |
| Elimination bonus | 2 (adds twice the turn's points) |
1. Pacifist
Settings: head-on collisions set to stalemate, elimination bonus 0.
Nobody gains anything from aggression, and head-on meetings stop both paths instead of knocking anyone out. The only way to go out is to run off the edge. Games turn into calm building contests where the best loops win.
Good for: new players, kids learning the game, and anyone who finds eliminations frustrating.
2. Loop Frenzy
Settings: visit multiplier 3, travel bonus scale 0.
Every return to a hex is worth three times the previous one: 1, 3, 9, 27, 81. Long runs no longer earn a bonus, so the whole game is about carving out a home region and passing through it again and again. Scores get huge, and one great loop can decide the game.
Good for: players who like big swings and puzzle-style planning.
3. Long Haul
Settings: visit multiplier 1, travel bonus scale 3, 6 board rings.
Revisits are worth the same as fresh hexes, but each hex in a single run earns three times the usual travel bonus: +3, +6, +9, and so on. The large board gives you room to set up long connections and then trigger them all at once.
Good for: patient players who enjoy setting up a payoff several turns in advance.
4. Bloodsport
Settings: elimination bonus 5, 3 board rings, 4 to 6 seats.
On a small, crowded board, every elimination is worth six times the turn's points. Shared glowing hexes appear early and often, and nobody is safe for long. Expect short games and loud tables.
Good for: competitive groups and quick rematches.
5. Tightrope
Settings: strict trails on, path density 1 (3 paths per tile).
Simple tiles make paths easy to read, and strict trails mean crossing any rival's trail eliminates you. The board fills with no-go zones, and the game becomes about claiming space before others do.
Good for: players who like clean, readable positions and careful play.
6. Fog Night
Settings: fog of war on (local games only), 5 board rings.
You see only your own trail, your next placement hex, and one ring of neighbors. Opponents' tiles stay hidden until your path reaches them. It's a different game: you plan by feel and react to surprises.
Good for: hotseat play on one screen, especially with a mix of humans and bots.
Tips for inventing your own
- Change one number at a time. Scoring rules interact. Play a game or two before changing a second setting.
- The visit multiplier is the strongest lever. Even moving it from 2 to 3 changes how everyone plays.
- Small boards amplify everything. Any rule that rewards aggression gets stronger with fewer rings.
- Tell everyone the rules first. House rules are shown in the lobby, but a 20-second explanation saves arguments later.
If you come up with a variant your group loves, tell us about it. Good ideas may become presets.