The Unofficial House Rules For
Taboo
DRINKING RULES & PENALTIESReady to ruin the game?
Full List of House Rules
EncyclopediaUpdated: January 2026
The ultimate collection of adult house rules and drinking penalties for Taboo. We’ve curated the best ways to fix boring gameplay using mechanics from the world’s rudest card game.
- Buzzer Beater
- Get buzzed? Drink.
- Skipper's Remorse
- Skip a card? Sip.
- The Mute
- Use a gesture? Sit on hands for next round.
- Panic Sip
- If timer runs out mid-clue, drink.
- Purple Card
- Hard cards require double drink penalties.
- Name Drop
- Say a proper noun (illegal)? Drink.
- Double Down
- Guesser gets it on first clue? Clue-giver assigns drink.
- The Stutter
- Stutter or say 'Uhhh'? Opponents yell 'DRINK'.
- Singing
- Sing a clue? If it works, everyone drinks. If not, you drink.
- Zero Score
- Team gets 0 points in a round? Both finish drinks.
How To Play
- Setup: Arrange the game of Taboo as normal.
- Inject: Press the "Spice It Up" button whenever the game gets boring or someone takes a turn.
- Obey: Perform the rule or drink the penalty.
- Repeat: Continue until there is a clear winner or everyone forgets the rules.
FAQ
What are the best drinking rules for Taboo?
Common rules include: "Buzzer Beater" and "Skipper's Remorse". Check the full list above for more chaos.
Is this official?
No. This is an unofficial add-on to make Taboo more adult-oriented.