How does Three of a Kind work in Exploding Kittens?
Play 3 cards with the same title and name a card you want from another player (Defuse included). If they have it, you take it; if not, you get nothing. Like a pair, any matching titles work, and you ignore what the cards normally do.
The rule:
In Exploding Kittens, Three of a Kind means playing 3 cards with the same title and naming any card you want from another player, Defuse included: if they have it, you take it, and if not, you get nothing.
Step by step:
- Play 3 cards with the same title.
- Pick another player and name the card you want.
- If they have it, you take it. If they don’t, you get nothing.
Can you ask for a Defuse? Yes. Any card can be named, and a Defuse is a popular choice.
Pair or three?
| Combo | What you get |
|---|---|
| Pair | A random card |
| Three of a Kind | The card you named, or nothing |
It can be Noped: a Nope can cancel the combo before it takes effect.
Five different cards? Some older printings had a five-card combo. This edition’s rules sheet doesn’t include it.
Example:
Tomás plays three Shuffle cards, picks Jo and asks for a Skip. Jo doesn't have one, so Tomás gets nothing, and his three Shuffles stay in the discard pile.
Why players argue about it:
Players argue over whether it has to be three Cat Cards, whether you can ask for a Defuse, and what happens when you guess wrong.