Beginner Guide

Burglin’ Gnomes is not just “grab everything and scream.” The runs that work are the ones where the team separates mission tasks, loot, danger control, and extraction instead of treating them as the same job.

First Run Plan

1. Read the task list first. Do not start dragging furniture until everyone knows which jobs matter.
2. Assign roles. One caller reads tasks, two players search rooms, one player stages loot near the exit, and one or two players handle danger or rescue.
3. Open routes before carrying bulky items. Doors, stairs, pets, roombas, and clutter are more dangerous when everyone is carrying something.
4. Finish one task cleanly. A completed task is worth more than five half-started disasters.
5. Extract before greed wipes the run. If a player says the route is bad, stop adding chaos and leave.

Good Beginner Roles

Role	What They Do	Why It Helps
Caller	Reads tasks and says the next objective out loud.	Stops six players from doing six random things.
Scout	Finds objective rooms and danger paths.	Saves time before heavy objects move.
Carrier	Moves bulky loot or mission objects.	Keeps item movement predictable.
Safety	Watches homeowner, cat, evil gnomes, or other hazards.	Prevents surprise wipes.
Rescue	Responds when someone is trapped.	Keeps the run alive without every player abandoning their task.

What To Prioritize

Prioritize task completion, then materials, then valuable loot, then funny nonsense. The game is built for chaos, but the best groups create controlled chaos: trigger loud or dangerous tasks when the route is known, not while everyone is trapped in the same hallway.

Read next: Task Objectives, Enemies and Hazards, and Co-op Lobbies.