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Q: What happens when I’ll Hold ‘Em Off is played when one player has zombies and a weapon, but another player has zombies, and the Sonic Tranquilizer?

…Does the second player’s Tranquilizer make it so that their zombie doesn’t count, and the first player wins?

A: Well, as it turns out, the zombie-nullifying effects of the Sonic Tranquilizer are optional. It is a device that can be turned off, rendering one’s zombies a threat again. So the logical assumption, gameplay-wise, is that is that the second player would “turn off” the tranquilizer so that their zombies definitely count, preventing the win. So one can’t really win with IHEO at all if anyone else has zombies, even if they have the Tranquilizer.

Thematically, it looks like this:
Despite wanting to survive the zombie apocalypse, the player with the Tranquilizer would secretly resent the other person trying to play the hero, and would refuse to let them face the zombies alone.

They would insist upon standing with them until the bitter end, instead of hiding behind the power of the Tranquilizer. (Oh, and preventing that player from winning the game, but really, it’s about supporting your friends through thick and thin, right?)

Q: Is Larry affected by the Sonic Tranquilizer?

A: Yes. It says on the Sonic Tranquilizer you can ignore any Zombies you have when trying to win, so if you have the Tranquilizer, it’s as if you don’t have Larry. Although it says on Larry that he prevents victory even if the Rules or Goals say otherwise, the Tranquilizer is a Keeper, so it still works. (Unless “It’s Not Working!” is in play, of course.)

Q: Can tranquilized zombies count towards a Goal that requires zombies?

A: Yes. They’re still there, they’re just harmless, so you can still win with any Goal requiring zombies. For example, you can successfully assemble a Zombie Baseball Team, even if they’re all asleep. They’re very easy to manage that way. Though you may not have a very successful season, the Goal is merely to assemble the team.

Then again, the effects of the Sonic Tranquilizer are optional, i.e. you can turn it off if you want to (in case you want to have a better chance to make the playoffs).

Q: Are the effects of the Sonic Tranquilizer optional?

A: Yes. The Sonic Tranquilizer is a device with an off switch, so if you don’t want to ignore your Zombies, you don’t have to. Any card that says “can” or “may” is optional, according to the choice of its owner.