Powerhouses of Wrestling! Dice Game

A pro wrestler dice game for two players.

Dedication: To Ken, for inspiring this in the first place, and to Rob, for teaching me that stories—whatever the form—are gifts to keep the darkness at bay.

The Powerhouses of Wrestling! game is a quick and easy simulation of a pro wrestling match for two players, using standard six-sided dice. You will need five dice for play (rob your Yahtzee game) and a pen or pencil and paper.

How to Win

Wrestlers wear each other down with maneuvers. In this game, that wear-down means a loss of dice. The wrestler who reduces the opponent to a single die wins.

The Abilities

For the purposes of this game, professional wrestling involves five abilities:

Agility represents overall speed and maneuverability.

Brawling is down-and-dirty fighting skill.

Martial Arts represents training in unarmed combat techniques.

Strength is a wrestler’s raw physical power.

Technical Ability represents knowledge of specialized moves and holds.

Preparing to Play

• On a piece of paper, write a name for your wrestler. (You can make up a name, or use the name of a wrestling star you admire.)
• Write the numbers 1 through 6 on separate lines.
• Choose one ability to be your wrestler’s specialty, and one to be their weakness. (If you are playing a real wrestler, rate them as seems appropriate.)
• Next to number’s 1 and 2, write your wrestler’s specialty.
• Next to numbers 3, 4, and 5, write one ability other than the wrestler’s weakness. Use a different ability for each number. (Do not list the wrestler’s weakness.)
• Next to number 6, write “Fan Support.”

Example Wrestler

Bruno “the Bear” Marconi

1. Strength
2. Strength
3. Brawling
4. Martial Arts
5. Technical Ability
6. Fan Support

Rolling the Dice

To attack and defend in this game, players roll their dice, looking for matching sets of abilities, and keeping count of the totals.

Examples: If Bruno’s player rolls a 1, 3, 3, 5, and 4, Bruno has two matched “Brawling” results. On a roll of 1, 2, 3, 5, and 4, Bruno would have two matched “Strength” results (because the 1 and 2 both count as “Strength” for Bruno).

Fan Support: The cheering (or jeering) of the crowd inspires a wrestler. For this reason, “Fan Support” can be counted as any of the abilities during a roll.

Example: If Bruno’s player rolls a 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, Bruno would now have three matched “Strength” results (the 1, the 2, and the 6).

“On a Roll”: Whenever you roll and obtain at least one match, set those matching dice aside, and you may roll the unmatched dice again. If any of these dice now match the earlier dice, set them aside as well, and you may roll any unmatched dice again. And so on…

“Over the Top”: If at any time during your roll, all of your dice match, leave one of the rolled dice set aside, and you may reroll the rest.

“Going Bust”: Any time you roll and do not get a match, you must stop rolling and subtract one from the number of matches so far.

“Calling It Quits”: You may stop rolling at any time you wish.

Note: If on your first roll for any turn, you get more than one match (e.g. a 1, a 2, and a trio of 3’s), you must go with the largest match (in this case, the 3’s). If the matches are of equal size (e.g. a 1, a 2, and a pair of 3’s) you may choose which match to pursue.

Extended Example

Bruno’s player begins a turn by rolling all five dice and gets 2, 3, 3, 4, and 6. He has a match, so he’s “On a Roll.” The player sets the pair of 3’s and the 6 aside as a match of three Brawling results. (Note that the 6 must go with the pair of 3’s.) Then he rerolls the remaining dice, resulting in a 5 and a 6. He puts the new 6 with the previous match, for a total of four Brawling results. Rolling the last unmatched die, he obtains another 3—another Brawling result, for a total of five. He’s “Over the Top”!

He sets aside one of the 3’s, as a reminder that Bruno is doing a Brawling maneuver, and rerolls the other four dice, with a result of 2, 2, 4, and 6. The pair of 2’s and the 4 don’t count, because Bruno is currently rolling for Brawling (3’s), but the 6 does. Bruno now has a total of six Brawling matches. The player decides to continue; he sets the 6 aside and rerolls the remaining three dice, obtaining a 1, a 3, and a 4. Bruno now has seven Brawling matches. The player decides to roll the remaining two dice, and obtains a 6 and a 6. Bruno now has nine Brawling matches.

Again, all five dice match, so the player leaves one die aside, and rolls the other four. This time, he gets a 1, 1, 2, and 3. Bruno now has ten Brawling matches! Crazed with success, the player continues, rolling the three unmatched dice. Unfortunately, he rolls a 1, 2 and 4. As none match Brawling, he has “Gone Bust” and must reduce Bruno’s Brawling score to nine matches.

The Take-Down

The game starts by deciding which wrestler will be the first attacker. The players each roll their dice until they “Go Bust,” and the wrestler with the highest score wins the Take-Down and is the first attacker.

The Turn Sequence

The game uses an unusual turn sequence to represent the fact that sometimes a wrestler is on the attack, and sometimes on the defense.

The Attack: The player whose wrestler is the current attacker begins rolling for matches, stopping when they “Go Bust” or “Call It Quits.” The player announces their number of matches and the maneuver that total represents. (See the Maneuver Table, or make up your own maneuver—it’s just for drama.)

The Defense: The defending player then rolls for their wrestler, also stopping when they “Go Bust” or “Calls It Quits.” (Note: The defender need not roll for the same ability as the attacker did.) The defending player announce their wrestler’s number of matches. (Also inventing and describing a defensive maneuver, for drama’s sake.)

The Result: The players compare their totals. One of three results may occur.

1. Wear Down: If the attacker has the higher total, the opponent is worn down and must discard one die. A new turn begins with the same attacker.
2. Resistance: If the wrestlers have an equal number of results, the defender suffers no damage. A new turn begins with the same attacker.
3. Reversal: If the defender has a higher total, their wrestler suffers no damage, and they become the attacker for the next turn.

The Come-Back

Sometimes, just when things seem the grimmest, a wrestler gains a second wind. In this game, that’s represented by the possibility of a “Come-Back.”

Whenever a wrestler is reduced to two dice by Wear-Down, the player makes an immediate “Come-Back” roll. If they get a match on this roll, their wrestler immediately regains one die.

Ending the Game

Immediately when a wrestler is reduced to one die, the game ends, and their opponent wins the wrestling match.

Maneuver Flavor Table

Agility Attacks

Stand on Opponent Kick Big Boot Abdominal Splash Hamstring Pull

Legdrop Elbowdrop Flying Bodypress Monkey Flip Suplex Shoulder Roll

Scissors Piledriver Avalanche Earthquake Splash Through-the-Ropes Leap and Clothesline (Or more). Over-Top-Rope Cross-Bodyblock

Brawling Attacks

Scratch Bite Slap Hair Pull Punch

Stomp Headbutt Eye Gouge Choke Double Axhandle

Discus Punch Jawbreaker Wrist Spike Windup Punch (Or more). Piston Punches

Martial Arts Attacks

Back Fist Strike Karate Chop Karate Punch Leg Sweep Claw

Legwheel Karate Kick Lunge Punch Knee Armlock Crescent Kick

U-Punch Roundhouse Kick Two-Fisted Spring Punch Jumping Spin Kick (Or more). Figure-Four Armlock

Strength Attacks

Bearhug Head Vise Irish Whip Bodyslam Clothesline

Shoulderblock Head Scissors Body Scissors Airplane Spin and Slam Atomic Drop

Gorilla Press Slam Through-the-Ropes Toss Belly-to-Belly Suplex Tombstone Piledriver (Or more). Over-Top-Rope Toss

Technical Ability Attacks

Armlock Chicken Wing Standing Side Headlock Half-Nelson Sleeper Neckbreaker

Toehold Rolling Cradle Backdrop Abdominal Stretch Full Nelson

Sleeper Bulldog Piledriver Boston Crab (Or more). Figure-Four Leglock