Combo Breaker

Final Match 2: Combo Breaker

In Combo Breaker, players must understand the rules of each round to increase the pool and take the round's points... grow the pool as much as possible to maximize your points, but make sure they don't beat you to it!

Gameplay

This game takes place over 7 rounds. In each round, players take turns submitting strings. Strings are defined as a series of English letters (uppercase or lowercase), numbers, and spaces, of length at most 30 characters.

Each round has a scoring criterion, which will give a number of points. For instance, Round 1's scoring criterion was "number of vowels (aeiou) that appear exactly once". When a player submits a string, it is revealed how many points that string earned. Then, that number of points is added to the pool.

Once a player believes they understand the requirement, they may buzz in. Then, they will be tested. The other player will supply two challenge strings, and there will be two strings given by the host as well. The player must (publicly) respond to each of the challenge strings with the correct number of points for that string.

If the player is correct on all challenges, the player wins the round, and receives all pooled points. Otherwise, the player is unable to buzz in during their next round.

Each round goes on for at most 15 submissions. If 15 submissions pass with no correct buzzes, then there is one final guessing phase (as if both players buzzed in). Both players will provide one challenge string, and the host will provide two challenge strings. If only one player solves all correctly, they receive as many points as were in the pool after 15 submissions. Otherwise, neither player receives points for the round. (This is changed by the Final Guesses Priority item.)

Timing

Players have 60 seconds per string submission.

If a player buzzes in, the other player has 60 seconds to write two challenge strings. Then, the buzzer has 60 seconds to respond correctly to them. In the case of a final guess, both players have 60 seconds to provide a string and then 60 seconds to answer to all four strings.

Items

Private String Test (2x): At any point, privately submit a string. I will privately respond with the number of points that string would receive if it were to be submitted next. The points will not be added to the pool. You may use this twice.

Misbuzz Failsafe (2x): If you buzz and are incorrect, you reflexively use this, and don't receive the one-turn penalty. This failsafe occurs twice.

Final Guesses Priority (1x): If the final guess is reached, you may use this item once. If both players have a correct response, then you will receive the points for that round instead of it being nullified. (You must declare this before strings are provided.)

Advantage: The player with the Advantage decides who goes first in Round 1. Additionally, they win in the event of a tied score at the end of 7 rounds.