Core Gameplay

The core of the Hex Hoops gameplay is a back-and-forth card game that takes place between the two coaches, decided by luck, strategy, and skill.

Turn Flow

Each Possession follows the same flow:

Coaches arrange their players on the court based on their Scheme

Starting with the coach of the team in possession of the ball, coaches alternate playing Actions onto the Shot Clock. Each card played by the team in possession takes 1 second of the Shot Clock, and can be responded to by the Defensive team in that same second.

Possessions last until a successful Shot Attempt, turnover, dead ball, or Shot Clock Violation.

Coaches go back and forth until an agreed upon target score is reached, typically 21.

Continue to read on for in-depth gameplay and advanced rules

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Pre-Game

Once the Coaches have assembled their Players, Action Deck, and Schemes, you can begin to setup the game.

First, you should set aside the Universal Action cards for Offense and Defense in separate piles, where both coaches can easily access them.

Both coaches begin the game by rolling a single D20 each. The coach with the higher score begins the game with Possession.

Both coaches then select one of their Offensive and Defensive Scheme cards in secret, and places them face down. Then, the coaches each reveal their schemes at the same time. Once the schemes are revealed, both coaches can begin to arrange their player models on the court according to the positions indicated on their respective scheme cards.

Coaches should then arrange the cards of the 5 players on court so their Stat Values are visible for easy reference.

Finally, each coach shuffles their Playbook and draws 8 cards.

Half Court Possession

The half court possession is the default state of the game. When in the half-court, both teams should be arranged according to their respective schemes, and the designated Ball Handler will have the ball token placed on a hex adjacent to their model.

Each possession begins with the Offensive player placing an Action card from their hand or the universal action deck on the 10 second slot of the shot clock. Once the Offensive coach plays an action, the Defensive coach may respond by playing an action of their own on the same slot in the shot clock. Both coaches then complete the actions as written, alternating moving their models and making Skill attempts when applicable.

The possession continues, with coaches playing actions on the next slot in the shot clock, until the possession results in a made basket, turnover, or the Offensive coach runs out of shot clock slots.

Any time a new half court possession begins, both coaches should discard all non-Fundamental actions into a pile, and draw cards from their action deck until they have 8 cards again.

If a coach has no cards left in their playbook when they go to draw, they can only use Fundamentals and what is left in their hand until the next dead ball.

Fast Breaks

If a possession results in a turnover, the Defensive coach that gains possession of the ball can opt to engage in a Fast Break or reset to a half court possession.

If they opt for a Fast Break, both coaches immediately roll a D4 and add the result of the roll to the pace value of their scheme. This becomes the duration of the fast break. Starting with the coach in possession of the ball, alternate playing actions until both players reach their fast break durations or the player in possession opts to reset to a half court possession instead of playing an action.

Once the fast break ends, reset all player models who are not on the half of the court where the basket is to their positions as indicated on their scheme cards. Then, the 10 second shot clock begins as usual.

Basketball IQ

A player’s ability to perform certain actions, react to the game around them, and avoid making mistakes is determined by their Basketball IQ (BBIQ).

Each player has an Offensive and Defensive BBIQ on their profile, and will always use the one that corresponds to the current possession.

When prompted to make a BBIQ roll, simply roll a D20 and add your respective BBIQ value. A score of 20+ passes.

If you fail a BBIQ roll at anytime, that player cannot perform any actions or spend any unspent movement points for that second.

Player Movement & Field of Vision

Players move around the court based on their Movement values and their Field of Vision.

Each model should have a line on their base that indicates the direction they are facing. This line dictates your Field of Vision, which is the hex directly in front of you and the directly adjacent cells to the left and right.

Movement costs 1 Move point per hex within the player’s Field of Vision.

Moving into hexes outside the player’s Field of Vision costs 2 Move per hex.

A player may only play Skills or Reactions that target players or the hoop within their Field of Vision.

Pivoting

To change you Field of Vision, you may pivot your model. Each time you pivot, you may turn your model so the line of vision is on an adjacent hex.

Pivoting can be done before, during, or after your Movement, as long as you have enough Move points remaining to do so.

On Court Positioning

There are a few scenarios where two opposing players being on adjacent hexes cause special statuses, which may be necessary to play certain actions.

The Positioning statuses are:

• Setting a Screen – a Offensive player moves into a hex directly adjacent to a Defender. If the Defender attempts to move into another hex adjacent to the Offensive player, they must make a BBIQ roll. If they fail, their movement is halved.
• Posting Up – if an Offensive player is facing away from the hoop and has an adjacent Defender between them and the hoop, they are Posting Up. That Defender cannot React or move on any of the other hexes adjacent to the Offensive player who is Posting Up.
• Hand Check – if a Defensive player is in the adjacent hex at the center of the Offensive player’s Field of Vision, they may Hand Check. Offensive players being hand-checked must pass a BBIQ roll before moving within their Field of Vision or attempting a Skill.

Actions

There are 3 types of Action cards that can be played:

• All Players may make Movement Actions
• On Offense you can play Skills
• On Defense you can play Reactions

Every second of the Shot Clock you may play 1 Action card from either your Action Deck or the Fundamentals.

Actions

Movement

Coaches have access to 3 Fundamental Movements at all times

• Off Ball Movement allows you to make a Full Move with up to 2 players who do not have the ball
• Keep Possession allows you to make a Full Move with the [🏀Ball Handler]
• Defensive Shift allows you to move every Defender up to 2 hexes. All Defenders must move in the same direction.

There are additional Movement Actions that can be included in your Action deck allowing you to make more advanced movements.

Skills

Skills are the key to running a powerful offense. These Actions let you shoot, pass, dribble past defenders, and so much more.

The [🏀Ball Handler] may always make a Half-Move in addition to whatever is written on the Skill card.

Some Skills may take more than one second on the shot clock. The total number of seconds will be indicated in the rules of the card.

Reactions

Defenders are not helpless when it comes to stopping an Offensive player from attempting a Skill. In response to a Skill, a Defender can attempt to React.

To React, the Defender that will be Reacting must make a Defensive BBIQ roll. If they pass, they may play a Reaction card and resolve it. If they fail, the Defensive player cannot move or play an Action and the second is wasted.

Defenders who successfully React may always make a Half-Move in addition to whatever is written on the Reaction card.

Resolving Skill Attempts

Each Skill Attempt is influenced by it’s Difficulty, Pressure, and Highlights, and follows the same general flow:

1. Determine Difficulty & Pressure
2. Defender may React
3. Both Coaches may play a Highlight
4. Attempt Rolls
5. Use the outcome charts to determine what happened
6. Continue playing!

Difficulty

Each Action card has a Tier that determines how difficult it is to perform. If a Skill or Reaction is of a higher tier than the player’s relevant Stat value, you will receive a negative modifier to your Attempt Roll equal to the difference in tiers.

Pressure

Pressure is a status determined by the location of the [🏀Ball Handler], Defender, and if a Defender has Reacted.

The three levels of Pressure are Open, Guarded, and Contested.

By default, a ball handler is Open. They receive no penalty.

The ball handler is considered Guarded if they are within a defensive player’s Field of Vision and:

• the defender is within the ball handler’s Field of Vision, and is within 2 hexes of from the ball handler
• the defender is outside of the ball handler’s Filed of Vision, but is in a hex directly adjacent to the ball handler

Defensive coaches can raise the level of Pressure to Contested by playing a Reaction that causes the [🏀Ball Handler] to be Guarded

Highlights

Highlights are special action cards that can be played by either player prior to a skill attempt. These powerful actions allow you modify stat values, change skill types, and inflict statuses. The Highlight action card will indicate what types of skills or situations a given Highlight can be used in.

When playing Highlights, either player may opt to place a Highlight face-down on the next second of the shot clock. Once both players have decided if they would like to play a Highlight, they simultaneously reveal their cards. Make any modifications caused by the Highlight and then continue with resolving the Skill.

If one player makes a Highlight and the other does not, they cannot do not place anything in that second of the shot clock. If the possession continues after the Highlighted Action is resolved, that second of the shot clock is skipped over.

Attempt Rolls

Skill Attempts are decided by two different numbers – the attempt score and the target score.

The attempt score is always determined by the offensive coach rolling a single D20 and adding the value of the dice to the appropriate stat value on the ball handler’s profile

The target score is dependent on the Pressure on the [🏀Ball Handler].

If they are Open, the target score is 20

If they are Guarded, the target score is 24

If they are Contested, the target score is the attempt score of the defending player.

Once you know both scores, subtract the target score from the attempt score and compare that number to the appropriate Outcome Chart.

Loose Balls & Rebounds

Some skill outcomes result in the ball leaving possession and being up for grabs for both teams

Loose balls are always determined by the coach who last had possession of the ball rolling 2D6. The first dice indicates the direction of the loose ball, while the second indicates the distance it will travel.

When determining the direction of the loose ball, the ball can go in any of the 6 hexes adjacent to the ball handler. Beginning with the hex they ball handler is facing and moving clockwise, place the ball on the hex equal to your direction roll.

Then, begin moving the ball in a straight line directly away from the ball handler until it reaches a hex directly adjacent to another player, goes out of bounds, or moves the full value of the distance roll.

Any player on a hex adjacent to the path of the ball may attempt to gain possession of the ball by making a Steal, Dribble, or Rebound attempt. If two opposing players are both on hex adjacent to the ball, this attempt will be Contested. Otherwise, it is always considered Open.

If a player fails to grab the loose ball, ignore the outcome chart for the skill and instead continue moving the ball along it’s path until it reaches it’s distance value.

Once the loose ball comes to a rest, coaches take turns moving players towards the ball, starting with the player closest to the hex the ball is on. If two or more opposing players are equidistant from the ball, they each take a BBIQ test and the player with the higher score moves first.

Rebounds are resolved the same way as a Loose Ball, except instead of using the ball handler to determine the direction, you use the hoop, and on a roll of a 6 you get a lucky bounce and the shot goes in as if the initial shot attempt had succeeded.

Mistakes & Fouls

Often when a player fails a skill attempt by a large amount, the outcome chart will indicate they need to roll on the Mistake chart.

To determine the result of the mistake, roll a single D20 and compare the result to the Mistake chart.

If the result causes you to move your player, the direction of that movement is controlled by the opposing coach.

If the result causes you to commit a Foul, the possession comes to an end, and you should record foul on a piece of paper or with a counter on the player’s profile card.

If the foul occurred on a Shot or Drive attempt, the ball handler takes a Free Throw by making a single Open Shot attempt, with +1 to their Shot stat. Otherwise, treat it as a dead ball.

Once a team has accumulated 5 total fouls across their players, all fouls committed by that team result in 2 free throws for the opponent.

Statuses

Over the course of the game, players may acquire statuses that impact their base stat values and influence how coaches utilize them in their strategy. Statuses can be acquired through gameplay or as a result of specific actions or skills. Statuses last until a player is substituted out of the game or the game ends.

There are 3 Positive statuses and 3 Negative statuses that a player can gain:

On Fire: +2 to all Offensive Stat Values

Brick Wall: +2 to all Defensive Stat Values

Locked In: +2 to BBIQ

Ice Cold: -2 to all Offensive Stat Values

Distracted: -2 to BBIQ