How many players do you need for Killer?

At least 2, but it works best with 3 or more, because then you choose who to attack. Everyone needs a different number, so 20 players is the limit.

How many lives do you get in Killer?

Usually 3. Some groups give more lives for a longer game.

Do you have to hit the double to become a killer?

Under the usual rules, yes. One hit on the double of your own number makes you a killer. Some groups use triples instead, or count any part of the number.

What happens if you hit your own number once you are a killer?

In the usual doubles-only game, hitting your own double after becoming a killer costs you 1 life. A single or triple on your own number does nothing in that version. House rules can change which segments count and what the self-hit penalty is.

Can you get lives back in Killer?

Not under the standard rules. Some house rules let you win lives back by hitting your own number, up to your starting total. DartsOn does not use this rule.

Does the bull count in Killer?

No. Nobody owns the bull, so hitting it does nothing. If you hit it while claiming a number, throw again.

Are there official rules for Killer darts?

Killer has several pub and practice variants, so check the rules your group is using. The usual version gives everyone a different number and 3 lives, requires a hit on your own double to become a killer, then lets you take opponents' lives by hitting their doubles. Versions with any segment, extra lives, or regained lives work differently.

Why play Killer with DartsOn?

DartsOn tracks every player's number, lives, and killer status, so nobody argues about who is still in. Change the lives, target segment, and self-hit penalty to suit your group, and add bots or camera auto-scoring.

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Killer Rules - How to Play

Killer is an elimination game for 2 to 20 players. Everyone owns one number on the board. Hit your own number to become a killer, then hit your opponents’ numbers to take their lives. The last player with a life left wins.

Also known as: Killer Darts or Killers.

Set up the game

Start everyone with the same number of lives, normally 3. Then give each player a different number from 1 to 20.

Agree on the throw order before assigning numbers. Players claim their numbers in that order.

To assign numbers, each player throws 1 dart with their non-dominant hand and claims the number they hit. A miss, the bull, or a number that belongs to someone else means another throw.

The multiplier does not matter while claiming numbers. , , and all claim 18.

How to play

Throw 3 darts on your turn.
Until you are a killer, aim at your own number. Under the usual rules, 1 hit on its double is enough.
Once you are a killer, hit the double of an opponent’s number to take a life.
Stay off your own double once you are a killer. Hitting it costs you a life.
A player with no lives is out. Skip them for the rest of the game.
Stop as soon as only one player is left.

A player who is not a killer cannot take lives, so early hits on an opponent’s number do nothing.

Rules that are easy to miss

The bull cannot belong to a player and has no effect during the game.
An eliminated player’s number stays claimed, but hitting it does nothing.
Killer has no busts. A dart either changes the game or does nothing.
You can eliminate yourself. If only 2 players remain and a self-hit takes your last life, your opponent wins.

Blind Killer keeps player numbers hidden. Other groups play in teams.

Custom rule options

There are many ways to play Killer. If you use DartsOn, you can play with the following options:

Setting	Choices	App Default (Standard)
Lives	1 to 9 per player	3
Number assignment	Throw for it Random Pick your own	Throw for it
Target segment	Doubles Trebles Any segment	Doubles
Start as Killer	Off On When On, attack from the first dart without qualifying.	Off
Hits to become Killer	1, 2, or 3 When Start as Killer is Off.	1
Self-hit penalty	Lose a life Lose killer status Lose both No penalty	Lose a life

If a self-hit costs you killer status, your qualification progress returns to zero. You must earn the status again before you can attack.

The same segment setting applies when you qualify and when you attack. With Doubles or Trebles, only that ring counts, and each hit is worth 1 qualifying hit or 1 life. With Any segment, the whole number counts: a single is worth 1, a double is worth 2, and a triple is worth 3.

With Any segment, DartsOn counts a double or triple one unit at a time. Say your number is 20, you need 2 hits to become a killer, and you hit . The first 2 units make you a killer. The third is a self-hit, so the chosen self-hit penalty applies straight away.

In DartsOn, Killer is a single game with no leg or set settings. Hidden numbers and team play are not supported.

Stats tracked in DartsOn

At the end of the game, DartsOn shows the Standings, with each player's finishing place and number, and these stats for each player:

Stat	What it shows
Darts Thrown	Darts thrown after the numbers were assigned.
Target hits	Qualifying hits on your own number and hits that took an opponent's life once you were a killer.
Hit Rate	Target hits as a share of darts thrown.
Lives taken	Lives you took from opponents.
Lives lost	Lives you lost, including self-hit penalties.
Became killer	Yes or No: whether you reached killer status at any point.
Heat map	Where each player's darts landed. Tap it for a full-screen view of every landing. Shown when darts are scored with the camera or entered by tapping the board.