Last Updated on April 15, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Master Dater is a fast-paced, NSFW party game of absurd dating profiles and outrageous matchmaking. From the makers of Unstable Unicorns and Here to Slay, this game lets players create wild character combos and pitch them as the perfect date.

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How to Play Master Dater

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Components

• 150 Trait Cards (75 Head, 75 Body)
• 30 Perk Cards
• 30 Problem Cards
• 1 Rulebook

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Objective

Create the most hilarious, ridiculous, or appealing date possible using Trait and Perk cards, then win over the Dater to score a point. First player to 5 points wins.

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Setup

1. Shuffle the Head and Body Trait cards into two separate decks.
2. Shuffle the Perk and Problem cards into their own decks.
3. Choose the first Dater (the judge). The role rotates clockwise each round.
4. Each player (except the Dater) draws 3 Head and 3 Body cards and keeps them secret.
5. Place the Perk and Problem decks face-down in the center of the table.

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Gameplay

Each round consists of three phases: Build, Sabotage, and Pitch.

1. Build a Date

All players (except the Dater) choose one Head and one Body card from their hand to create a complete character. Place them face up in front of you.

2. Add a Perk

Draw one Perk card from the deck and add it to your character to give them an extra “positive” trait.

3. Sabotage with a Problem

After everyone has created their date + perk combo, pass your creation to the player on your left. Then draw one Problem card and add it to the date you just received to sabotage it.

Now, each player presents a complete date made by someone else—but sabotaged by you.

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Pitch Phase

Players take turns pitching the date in front of them to the Dater, trying to convince them why this person would be the best match. You can lean into the chaos, spin the negatives, or just go full absurdity.

Once all players have pitched, the Dater chooses their favorite date.

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Scoring

• The player who originally built the winning date earns 1 point.
• The first player to reach 5 points wins the game.

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House Rules (Optional)

Audience Vote: If you’re playing with a big group, let the group vote instead of a single Dater.

Rapid Dater: Set a timer for 30 seconds per pitch to keep the game moving.

Double Trouble: Add two Perks and two Problems per date for even more chaos.