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Q: Do face-down Keepers still count towards Keeper Limits? What about Keepers hidden under another Keeper?

…for example a Keeper turned face down via Camouflage or, in very early versions, Government Cover-Up or Secret Data.

A: Yes, you must count face-down Keepers when you are counting your Keepers in play. Though they do not count as “in play” for purposes of using powers or winning Goals (though you can usually reveal them at any time) you still own them as generic “Keepers” for the purposes of Limits.

If you have a number of Keepers hidden under another card, however, as with the Treasure Map in Pirate Fluxx (or the Secret Stash, a Stoner Fluxx promo), those are all counted as just “one Keeper” (the one Keeper showing on the top of the other card/s).

Q: The Treasure Map says I can reveal my Booty at any time. Does that mean I can reveal it when someone steals my Map, so that they don’t get the Booty?

A: The bottom of the Treasure Map card says “This card cannot be Plundered, but if it is lost or stolen, the Booty goes with it.” This indicates specifically that you CANNOT save your hidden Booty if the Map is stolen. Being able to “reveal [Booty] at any time” does not include retroactively deciding to have already dug up your treasure when you realize that someone is about to take possession of the map.

Once someone plays Steal A Keeper, the transfer of ownership is considered to take place instantaneously; there’s no time in between playing that card and them owning your Map during which you could reveal those cards. The only thing you might do after Steal A Keeper is played is play the Surprise that prevents Actions. Surprises are the only cards intended to interrupt or retroactively prevent what is normally an instantaneous effect.

Q: When Share The Wealth is played in Pirate Fluxx, does treasure buried under the Treasure Map get mixed in?

A: Yes, all the cards are simply mixed together – it is not necessary to keep the treasure “buried”. Whoever gets the treasure map back after the mixup could choose “bury” any booty keepers he also received, once all the cards were all allocated, of course.

Naturally, if you feel it would be more thematic NOT to dig up your treasure to have it mixed up with the rest, you can institute a house rule whereby you set those cards aside, and give them to whoever gets the treasure map after the mixup. Just remember, as for all house rules, to make sure everyone understands the way you’ll be playing before you start the game. This prevents mid-game arguments.

Q: Can I pile up my Keepers in play in a stack, or do I have to lay them out so they are clearly displayed?

A: While it is not specified in the rules, the intention is that all Keepers and Creepers under your control should be visible to your opponents at all times unless there is some specific situation that lets you stack or hide them. In general, if a Keeper or Creeper is hidden under another card, it is as though it does not exist on the table, and a player may only stack Keepers/Creepers in certain very specific situations.

For example, in Martian Fluxx, you are allowed to hide your Pathetic Humans (Creepers) under your Abduction Chamber (Keeper). They are effectively “not showing on the table” and do not prevent you from winning (though you can release them at any time to meet a win condition).

There is a similar card in Pirate Fluxx that lets you hide your “booty” Keepers under your Treasure Map. They don’t count towards the Keeper limit, and this protects them from being Plundered, (a special Rule in Pirate Fluxx) but if someone uses Steal a Keeper to take your map, they also take the booty you’ve hidden under it.

In Cthulhu Fluxx, one may hide one Creeper under the Elder Sign card, which neutralizes it, much like the Abduction Chamber does for Pathetic Humans, but for only one Creeper.

There may be other cards which allow similar situations, but unless you have any of these special cards that allow you to hide a Keeper or Creeper in front of you, all your Keepers and Creepers need to be showing. If space is an issue, you can overlap them so the name stripe is showing, but you may not simply hide them from the other players.