Killer Darts Rules: How to Play Killer | Oche

Killer is the ultimate multiplayer darts party game — chaotic, social and brutal. Everyone gets their own number to defend, and once you “become a killer” your job is to knock the lives out of everyone else. The last player standing wins. It works best with three or more players.

Setting up

First, every player claims a number. To keep it fair, each throws one dart with their non-dominant hand — the number it lands in is theirs for the rest of the game. If two players land the same number, the second player throws again.

Every player then starts with a set number of lives — three is standard. Write them up on the scoreboard next to each player’s number.

Becoming a killer

You cannot attack anyone yet. First you must become a killer by hitting the double of your own number. Until you do, your darts are just warming up — you can’t take anyone’s lives.

Once you hit your double, you are armed: you are now a killer.

Taking lives

As a killer, you take lives by hitting the double of an opponent’s number. Each successful hit removes one life from that player. Lose all your lives and you are out of the game.

The catch: being a killer doesn’t protect you. Other killers can still strip your lives away, so you are both hunter and target. Alliances form, grudges are settled, and the lead changes constantly.

The last player with lives remaining wins.

House-rule variations

• Self-kill — miss and hit your own double while already a killer, and some groups make you lose a life.
• Singles count — for a faster game, allow single hits (not just doubles) to take lives.
• More lives — bump everyone to five lives for a longer, more forgiving game.

Agree the rules before the first dart. Because every life-taking shot is a double, Killer is also sneaky double practice — you sharpen your finishing while having fun.

The Killer scorer assigns each player’s number, tracks who has become a killer and counts down everyone’s lives — so the only thing you have to remember is who you’re after.