This guide is meant to go over the different characters and abilities in Party House, and give some basic info that might not occur to everyone - especially those not familiar with certain deckbuilding game tropes. ("Why would I want to kick out a guest? What a useless ability...")

Knowing how to use your abilities effectively is key to winning the game. Good luck!

Most characters don't have abilities. All that they do is gain (or lose) popularity and cash.

Old Friend
Costs 2
+1 Pop

Rich Pal
Costs 3
+1 Cash

Ticket Tkr (Ticket Taker)
Costs 4
-1 Pop
+2 Cash

Caterer:
Costs 5
+4 Pop
-1 Cash

Auctioneer
Costs 9
+3 Cash

Trouble

Characters that cause, or cancel out, trouble.

If you ever have 3 or more trouble in the party, you end that round immediately, score no points, and have to ban a character for one round.

When you have two trouble symbols in the party, you get a text and visual warning (the cat on the roof becomes alert). Inviting people in at that point could cause you to lose the round, you may want to think whether risking it is worthwhile especially if your party is already full of high-value guests.


Wild Buddy
(cannot be bought)
+1 Trouble
+2 Pop

Monkey
Costs 3
+1 Trouble
+4 Pop

Hippy
Costs 4
-1 Trouble
+1 Pop

Rock Star
Costs 5
+1 Trouble
+3 Pop
+2 Cash

Gangster
Costs 6
+1 Trouble
+4 Cash

Cute Dog
Costs 7
-1 Trouble
+2 Pop

Gambler
Costs 7
+1 Trouble
+2 Pop
+3 Cash

Werewolf
Costs 5
+0 or +1 Trouble (alternates each time he appears)
+4 Pop

Dinosaur
Costs 25
+1 Trouble
+1 Star

Unicorn
Costs 45
-1 Trouble
+1 Star

When activated, you can select one invited guest and kick them out of the party, freeing up a spot for another guest.

Some guests you may want to boot:

• Guests causing trouble you can't handle
  
• Guests with actions who have already used their action (especially if they cost you cash at the end of round)
  
• Star guests if you're not going for a win that round
  
• Non-star guests if you are going for a win that round
  
• Guests who cost cash if you're low on cash

Note: guests with a Boot action can target themselves if desired.

Security
Costs 4
A: Boot

Wrestler
Costs 9
A: Boot
+2 Pop

Ghost
Costs 45
A: Boot
+1 Star

The Peek action lets you see whats the next [s]card[/s] character in your [s]deck[/s] rolodex.

When used, you can then press primary action to invite them in, or secondary action to kick them out.

Peek is *very* good for safely checking to see if the next guest will cause you to go over the trouble cap or guest cap, but even in normal situations you can squeeze out a few points by checking for and booting out low-scoring Old Friends or other characters you don't need, freeing up a slot for someone potentially more useful.


Watch Dog
Costs 2
A: Peek
+2 Pop

Spy
Costs 2
A: Peek
+2 Cash

Using Fetch will let you get a specific guest. It will only work if you have enough room for that guest, so use it before your party fills up.

Some good Fetch targets:

• Star-giving characters when you're going for a win
  
• Climbers
  
• Guests that cancel trouble
  
• Whatever will get you the most Pop or Cash in that situation

Driver
Costs 3
A: Fetch

Private I. (Private Eye)
Costs 4
A: Fetch
+2 Pop
-1 Cash

Genie
Costs 55
A: Fetch
+1 Star

The Clear action kicks everyone out of the party (including that guest), basically letting you start the round anew. Note: Clear does not refresh used-up actions, and this includes the guest who used Clear (so you can't infinitely cycle it, for example).

Use it as a safety button if you get too much trouble too early, or if you didn't invite the guests you really need for that round. (Hint: It's really useful when you're trying to get all four of your star-giving guests into a single party.)



Grillmaster
Costs 5
A: Clear
+2 Pop

Athlete
Costs 6
A: Clear
+1 Pop
+1 Cash

When invited in, a guest with Bring immediately invites 1 or 2 more guests, as though you've opened the door that many more times. If one of those guests has Bring, it can chain.

If more guests are invited than there is room for in the house, the fire marshall shuts down your party (you lose immediately, similar to having 3 trouble, but you don't get to ban a guest)

Make no mistake, Bring is all downside, meant to offset the otherwise great value you get from certain characters. Be careful when a character with Bring is in your rolodex, as it can cause you to lose without warning.




Mr Popular (Mr. Popular)
Costs 5
Brings 1
+3 Pop

Celebrity
Costs 11
Brings 2
+2 Pop
+3 Cash

Mermaid
Costs 35
Brings 1
+1 Star

Combo characters gain bonuses during scoring when certain other conditions are met.


Comedian
Costs 5
-1 Cash
Combos if there are no empty spaces (+5 Pop)

Dancer
Costs 5
Combos with other dancers (+1/4/9/16 Pop in total between all Dancers)
Note: If scored via photographer or greeter gives the total bonus again

Introvert
Costs 4
Combos with empty space (if you end the party early) (+1 pop each)
+1 Pop

Mascot
Cost 5
Combos with Old Friends (+1 Pop each)
+1 Pop

Writer
Costs 8
Combos with Trouble (+2 pop each, even if cancelled)
+1 Pop

Bartender
Costs 11
Combos with Trouble (+2 cash each, even if cancelled)
+1 Pop

Here's guests with unique actions not shared by any other guest.

Note that Climber and Stylist give permanent bonuses that persist from round to round.

Climber (Social Climber)
Costs 12
Every time a Climber enters (for the first time that round), that Climber permanently gains +1 Pop, capping at +9.

Photogrphr (Photographer)
A: Score a guest (immediately gain their +-pop and +-cash values once).
+1 Pop
-1 Cash

Cheerleadr (Cheerleader)
A: Resets all other actions.
+1 Pop

Stylist
Costs 7
A: Permanently grant a guest +1 Pop, capping at +9.
-1 Cash

Counselor
Costs 7
A: Clears all trouble symbols. (They no longer count for combos.)

Greeter
Costs 5
A: Open door and score guest (immediately gain their +-pop and +-cash values once)

Magician
Costs 5
A: Swap a star-giving guest for a random non-star-giving guest, or vice versa.
+1 Pop

Cupid
Costs 8
A: Boots 2 adjacent guests.
+1 Pop

Lastly, here are the guests that give stars when scored.

The only use for stars is collecting 4 in order to win, stars do not give any other bonuses. (Some characters give bonuses or actions in addition to stars, but stars themselves give no other benefits.)

Alien
Costs 40
+1 Star

Mermaid
Costs 35
Brings 1
+1 Star

Superhero
Costs 50
+3 Pop
+1 Star

Dinosaur
Costs 25
+1 Trouble
+1 Star

Genie
Costs 55
A: Fetch
+1 Star

Dragon
Costs 30
+1 Star
-3 Cash

Leprechaun
Costs 50
+1 Star
+3 Cash

Unicorn
Costs 45
-1 Trouble
+1 Star

Ghost
Costs 45
A: Boot
+1 Star