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Dungeon ON! RPGMP3 is the great great granddaddy of Actual Play Gaming. We were one of the first...
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Europa Universalis
2.0
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Tabletop Game
In this monster game of diplomacy, territorial expansion, trade, military technology, economic...
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War of the Ring (First Edition)
7.0
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Tabletop Game
War of the Ring is an area control strategy war game based on the events of Lord of the Rings. The...
Samueljhague (1250 KP) rated The Castles of Burgundy in Tabletop Games
Mar 23, 2022
Building a better board game.
The Castles of Burgundy looks like a typical Euro- board game from the early 2000's it looks boring. It also looks more complicated than it ends up being. The amount of brain power use in this game has a good balance between cerebral and mindless. At the end of the game you have something in front of you that you have built and it feels good in that respect even if you haven't won the game. It can be played casually, and with your full attention. My wife and I enjoy playing this as two players. We have played this many times more as a two player game than any other game in our collection. This game gets top marks, and is as close to a perfect game as I have experienced.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Fray: Champions of the Everyverse in Tabletop Games
Jul 1, 2020
Welcome to the Grand Center – an arena of elite combat. As a Watcher, it is your job to bring forth Champions to fight in the ultimate battle royale of the every-verse. It matters not from what time-period your Champion hails, or what fighting styles they possess – if their realm exists, they are viable candidates. Can your Champions collect valuable loot and knock opponents out of the running? Or will they fail to rise above the Fray? The last team standing wins, so put your Champions to the test and claim glory for yourself!
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the pending Kickstarter campaign, purchase it from your FLGS, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -L
Fray: Champions of the Every-Verse (referred to as just Fray from now on) is a game of dice rolling, grid movement, and fighting in which players are trying to eliminate all opponents and be the last remaining player in the arena. Before setting up to play, you must first determine how many Champions each player will control. Controlling only 1 Champion is considered “Single Mode” and makes for a quicker play-time. Players can control up to 3 Champions in a single game. After determining how many Champions each player will control, set up the game as described in the rulebook. You are now ready to begin!
A game of Fray is divided into a number of rounds, and to begin each round, all players must select one of their Champions to be the round leader, then roll a d6, and add the appropriate Initiative modifier. This determines the turn order for the round – the highest Initiative gets to go first, and so on in descending numerical order. It is important to note that in future rounds when determining Initiative, you may not select the same Champion to lead for consecutive rounds. After Initiative has been determined, player turns begin. On your turn, you will perform 2 Phases: an Item Phase and a Champion Phase. During the Item Phase, you have the opportunity to play as many Item cards from your hand as you wish. Item cards can give you special abilities or buffs for future turns, or can be played as reactions to opponent’s actions, depending on the card.
Once your Item Phase is done, you move to the Champion Phase. To begin your Champion Phase, choose which Champion you are using and roll the 3 Battle Dice. These dice help activate abilities on your turn. The chosen Champion may now move a number of squares as stated on their card. After movement, your Champion can now activate 1 action from the following: Attack, Defend, or Champion Ability. All actions require you to spend a number of resources in order to perform them, so this is where the Battle Dice come into play. Once you have performed your action, resolve abilities as needed (rolling a save against an attack, rolling the damage die, etc.). If, after resolving abilities, you still have unused Battle Dice, you can choose to store up to 2 of them for use on your next turn. You then repeat the entire Champion Phase with your next available Champion. Once you have used all of your Champions, your turn ends.
After all players have had their turns in a round, you move to the Loot Phase. Any player with any Champion within 3 spaces of the Loot Marker on the board gets to draw 1 Loot card. The first player then rolls a d6 and the Scatter die, and moves the Loot Marker appropriately for the next round. The new round is ready to begin, with all players rolling for Initiative once again. During play, if a Champion is reduced to 0 hit points, that Champion leaves the game. The player with the last remaining Champion on the board is the winner!
Ok, I know that seems like a lot, but the gameplay is actually pretty intuitive and streamlined. Here’s how a turn breaks down: play Item cards, roll Battle Dice, move Champion, perform 1 action, resolve, repeat with your other Champions, turn ends. That’s it! After going through the steps with my first Champion, the process just clicked and the gameplay flowed pretty seamlessly. It admittedly seemed pretty daunting at first when I was reading through the rules, but in the actual game, it is easy to pick up.
With the purpose of this game being knocking out all your opponents, obviously strategy is a pretty big aspect of the gameplay. All Champions have special abilities, attack combos, and types of attacks. Some Champions are only melee fighters and can interact with opponents 1 square away, others are only short- or long-ranged and must be at a distance to attack, and some have the option to be either melee or ranged. Each Champion requires a bit of a different strategy to be played successfully, and you’ve got to be able to adapt on the fly. That being said, this is a competitive combat game, so some players might not like being pitted directly against opponents and being targeted by others. The other strategic aspect to consider is the location of the Loot Marker on the board. The only way you ever get to draw Item cards is if you are within 3 squares of the Loot Marker at the end of the round. Are you willing to risk combat for a chance to gain an Item card? Or are you content with skirting the battlefield and letting your opponents take each other out? All things to consider when playing Fray.
The biggest drawback of Fray for me has to do with some components, or lack thereof. But as I stated earlier, this is only a prototype copy of the game, and I am sure that these things will be addressed in the final production copies! For starters, I’d like to see Turn Order Markers. Since the turn order varies each round based on Initiative, it would be nice to have some numbered markers to help players keep track of the order for the round. Along those lines, maybe a Turn Order Reference card for players could be added as well. The turn steps are generally pretty straightforward, but just having a reminder of the different types of movement, or what resources are required for which actions would be nice. And my final consideration for edits would be to include on each Champion card whether that Champion is a melee, short-ranged, or long-ranged fighter. That breakdown is in the rulebook, but having it on the card would be beneficial as well! Besides those three notes, the components of this prototype copy are phenomenal. The board, cards, and chits are all nice and sturdy. All of the game dice are high quality and easy to read. I know Brain Sandwich Games has plans for sculpted minis for the Champions, but even the simple standees in this copy are easily identifiable and will withstand many plays. The art of the cards is very detailed and awesome to look at. All in all, already a pretty great quality game!
Ultimately, I think Fray is a great game. It may need a little polishing up with some components, but the current gameplay is ready for production. I am not typically someone who enjoys directly competitive games, but Fray was one that I thoroughly loved. It has enough elements of strategy, combat, and luck of the dice rolls that it doesn’t feel targeting or confrontational. I am eager to follow the Kickstarter campaign and see what else Brain Sandwich Games has in store for an already awesome game! I would definitely recommend checking this one out – it’s a unique twist on a standard arena combat game.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the pending Kickstarter campaign, purchase it from your FLGS, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -L
Fray: Champions of the Every-Verse (referred to as just Fray from now on) is a game of dice rolling, grid movement, and fighting in which players are trying to eliminate all opponents and be the last remaining player in the arena. Before setting up to play, you must first determine how many Champions each player will control. Controlling only 1 Champion is considered “Single Mode” and makes for a quicker play-time. Players can control up to 3 Champions in a single game. After determining how many Champions each player will control, set up the game as described in the rulebook. You are now ready to begin!
A game of Fray is divided into a number of rounds, and to begin each round, all players must select one of their Champions to be the round leader, then roll a d6, and add the appropriate Initiative modifier. This determines the turn order for the round – the highest Initiative gets to go first, and so on in descending numerical order. It is important to note that in future rounds when determining Initiative, you may not select the same Champion to lead for consecutive rounds. After Initiative has been determined, player turns begin. On your turn, you will perform 2 Phases: an Item Phase and a Champion Phase. During the Item Phase, you have the opportunity to play as many Item cards from your hand as you wish. Item cards can give you special abilities or buffs for future turns, or can be played as reactions to opponent’s actions, depending on the card.
Once your Item Phase is done, you move to the Champion Phase. To begin your Champion Phase, choose which Champion you are using and roll the 3 Battle Dice. These dice help activate abilities on your turn. The chosen Champion may now move a number of squares as stated on their card. After movement, your Champion can now activate 1 action from the following: Attack, Defend, or Champion Ability. All actions require you to spend a number of resources in order to perform them, so this is where the Battle Dice come into play. Once you have performed your action, resolve abilities as needed (rolling a save against an attack, rolling the damage die, etc.). If, after resolving abilities, you still have unused Battle Dice, you can choose to store up to 2 of them for use on your next turn. You then repeat the entire Champion Phase with your next available Champion. Once you have used all of your Champions, your turn ends.
After all players have had their turns in a round, you move to the Loot Phase. Any player with any Champion within 3 spaces of the Loot Marker on the board gets to draw 1 Loot card. The first player then rolls a d6 and the Scatter die, and moves the Loot Marker appropriately for the next round. The new round is ready to begin, with all players rolling for Initiative once again. During play, if a Champion is reduced to 0 hit points, that Champion leaves the game. The player with the last remaining Champion on the board is the winner!
Ok, I know that seems like a lot, but the gameplay is actually pretty intuitive and streamlined. Here’s how a turn breaks down: play Item cards, roll Battle Dice, move Champion, perform 1 action, resolve, repeat with your other Champions, turn ends. That’s it! After going through the steps with my first Champion, the process just clicked and the gameplay flowed pretty seamlessly. It admittedly seemed pretty daunting at first when I was reading through the rules, but in the actual game, it is easy to pick up.
With the purpose of this game being knocking out all your opponents, obviously strategy is a pretty big aspect of the gameplay. All Champions have special abilities, attack combos, and types of attacks. Some Champions are only melee fighters and can interact with opponents 1 square away, others are only short- or long-ranged and must be at a distance to attack, and some have the option to be either melee or ranged. Each Champion requires a bit of a different strategy to be played successfully, and you’ve got to be able to adapt on the fly. That being said, this is a competitive combat game, so some players might not like being pitted directly against opponents and being targeted by others. The other strategic aspect to consider is the location of the Loot Marker on the board. The only way you ever get to draw Item cards is if you are within 3 squares of the Loot Marker at the end of the round. Are you willing to risk combat for a chance to gain an Item card? Or are you content with skirting the battlefield and letting your opponents take each other out? All things to consider when playing Fray.
The biggest drawback of Fray for me has to do with some components, or lack thereof. But as I stated earlier, this is only a prototype copy of the game, and I am sure that these things will be addressed in the final production copies! For starters, I’d like to see Turn Order Markers. Since the turn order varies each round based on Initiative, it would be nice to have some numbered markers to help players keep track of the order for the round. Along those lines, maybe a Turn Order Reference card for players could be added as well. The turn steps are generally pretty straightforward, but just having a reminder of the different types of movement, or what resources are required for which actions would be nice. And my final consideration for edits would be to include on each Champion card whether that Champion is a melee, short-ranged, or long-ranged fighter. That breakdown is in the rulebook, but having it on the card would be beneficial as well! Besides those three notes, the components of this prototype copy are phenomenal. The board, cards, and chits are all nice and sturdy. All of the game dice are high quality and easy to read. I know Brain Sandwich Games has plans for sculpted minis for the Champions, but even the simple standees in this copy are easily identifiable and will withstand many plays. The art of the cards is very detailed and awesome to look at. All in all, already a pretty great quality game!
Ultimately, I think Fray is a great game. It may need a little polishing up with some components, but the current gameplay is ready for production. I am not typically someone who enjoys directly competitive games, but Fray was one that I thoroughly loved. It has enough elements of strategy, combat, and luck of the dice rolls that it doesn’t feel targeting or confrontational. I am eager to follow the Kickstarter campaign and see what else Brain Sandwich Games has in store for an already awesome game! I would definitely recommend checking this one out – it’s a unique twist on a standard arena combat game.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Divinus in Tabletop Games
Aug 10, 2021
Bragi. Hercules. Percy Jackson. All excellent examples of successful demigods. As you well know, demigods are offspring of a god and a mortal. Of all the things I have conjured in my lifetime to answer the old, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” question, I never really answered, “a demigod.” Well, that’s because I KNOW my parents and have a hard time believing I could be a son of a god or goddess. Unless it was some weird NPCs (novel series by Drew Hayes) universe with Grumble as my patron/parent. In any case, my new dream of becoming the greatest demigod alive must be played out in today’s preview: Divinus.
Divinus is a competitive tile placement, campaign, drafting, dice game in which players assume the roles of upcoming demigods fighting over the one last spot at the table. By appeasing the gods of the warring ancient Roman and Norse cultures players will earn their place among them. This game uses some interesting hybrid app-driven story mechanics along with legacy-style component alterations to create this world that is constantly under refurbishment and ripe for the claiming of the future Divinus.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Gamefound campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, place the main board on the table, sort out the Map tiles by player count, and populate the board per the rulebook. Each player chooses their Demigod box and takes all components contained within. As Divinus is intended to be played either as a scenario session or its Eternal Mode, which is infinitely replayable using the board and components already altered by previously-played scenarios, open the chosen Scenario Box to be played and allow the app to instruct on how to setup with these components. All players roll their dice and place them in the “ready” pile to be used on their first turn. The first player takes the token (a black meeple in the prototype version) and the game is ready to be played!
Divinus is played in turns starting with the first player and continuing around the table until one player places their final Map tile signaling the end of the game. On a turn, players will have a choice of using an Explore action or a Rest action. More actions may be available in future scenarios, but for the prototype scenarios, these are the two available choices. During an Explore action, the active player will choose any number of their rolled dice in order to create a mathematical equation that matches with one of the Map tiles on the main board. These spaces range from 1-12 in value, so an appropriate dice combination could be 5 + 4 – 1 = 8 in order to claim the Map tile on the 8 spot. Any number of dice can be used to claim tiles, and once a tile is claimed, it must be placed within the player’s personal play area map. In order to add these tiles, the edges will need to match up by terrain type with tiles already presently in play (see below), or may also be placed atop an existing tile. Map tiles may or may not contain symbols for factions, locations, and also Sacred Places. These will all be used in scenarios for different purposes.
Once a player decides they do not wish to (or cannot) take more Explore actions, they must Rest. To Rest, the active player reclaims all spent (and unspent ready) dice and rerolls them for the next turn, replacing empty spaces on the board with new Map tiles.
Play continues in this fashion of Exploring and Resting until one player places their 16th tile, thus completing their 4×4 personal map. Players will consult the app for scoring instructions and the winner will be announced. Should the players wish to play another scenario (or many, as we would have liked), they simply use the same Demigods and open a new Scenario Box. Inside these boxes are different gods to appease, new quests to fulfill (more on these later), and stickers to be applied to game components to improve their usefulness.
Components. Again, this is a prototype version of the game, and it includes two introductory scenarios, a bunch of sticker sheets, and a developmental app. That said, I really enjoyed my plays of the scenarios and they felt like great first steps to lure me into what I just know is going to be somewhat of a lifestyle game (assuming more and more expansions are in the plans). The sticker sheets are all fine, and as I understand it, the stickers that are placed on the Map tiles will have non-removable glue, but the stickers placed on the dice faces will have removable glue. As I am not a glue expert, I can’t really vouch for either. The app is somewhat similar to those that are used in the Chronicles of Crime series, but Divinus promises to deliver an app that can scan the components WITHOUT the use of QR codes. For those gamers who think the QRs are an eye-sore, then Divinus is taking a promising first step for you! I haven’t even touched on the artwork yet, and that’s usually my favorite aspect of a game’s components. The visual style and art on Divinus really make the game pop on the table, and just draw you into the lore and setting. I love it!
So while initially Divinus is a simple roll-and-draft game of building a 4×4 grid akin to Kingdomino, the addition and usage of the Quests and, later, the Charge Actions, morph this into something quite a bit meatier. Each Scenario Box (at least in this version) contains two god cards (that affect how the end of the scenario is scored) and some Quest cards (that are side-quests players can follow to earn some extra VP and other goodies). I imagine as the game progresses through Scenario Boxes that Quests will get more difficult and the god cards more interesting as well.
All in all Divinus has roped me in, and I am very much looking forward to all the other great things that Lucky Duck Games has planned for it. I can foresee soooooo many expansions being built on this excellent chassis, and I am very eager to finish the entire legacy aspect in order to play through the Eternal Mode a bunch of times. Can I divulge a little dirty secret of mine here? I have never before played any type of legacy board game, and if this is what they are like, then I will be breaking out my copy of Betrayal Legacy way sooner than I originally planned.
I believe that the theming here is great, the gameplay is relatively simple to grasp, and the hybrid app-driven story really adds to the entire experience. If you are someone who, like me, has yet to delve into legacy-style games where the components are constantly changing due to choices made at the table, and you have a penchant for dice games with a splash of ACTUAL math skills used, I urge you to take a look at backing Divinus on Gamefound ASAP. With just the initial two scenarios included, I am already addicted to the game and cannot wait to sink my teeth into more scenarios and more crucial decisions that will alter the landscape of my copy of the game. I know that as of the publish date of this preview, the campaign is already about 1000% funded and so many stretch goals have already been unlocked. It is a great time to hop on board and grab a big ol’ chunk of goodies for this one. You may have a preference for Roman or Norse mythology before playing, but be warned: your loyalties may change as a result of playing Divinus… or maybe you will learn to accept both at the harmonious center of activity in your own little section of the world.
Divinus is a competitive tile placement, campaign, drafting, dice game in which players assume the roles of upcoming demigods fighting over the one last spot at the table. By appeasing the gods of the warring ancient Roman and Norse cultures players will earn their place among them. This game uses some interesting hybrid app-driven story mechanics along with legacy-style component alterations to create this world that is constantly under refurbishment and ripe for the claiming of the future Divinus.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Gamefound campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, place the main board on the table, sort out the Map tiles by player count, and populate the board per the rulebook. Each player chooses their Demigod box and takes all components contained within. As Divinus is intended to be played either as a scenario session or its Eternal Mode, which is infinitely replayable using the board and components already altered by previously-played scenarios, open the chosen Scenario Box to be played and allow the app to instruct on how to setup with these components. All players roll their dice and place them in the “ready” pile to be used on their first turn. The first player takes the token (a black meeple in the prototype version) and the game is ready to be played!
Divinus is played in turns starting with the first player and continuing around the table until one player places their final Map tile signaling the end of the game. On a turn, players will have a choice of using an Explore action or a Rest action. More actions may be available in future scenarios, but for the prototype scenarios, these are the two available choices. During an Explore action, the active player will choose any number of their rolled dice in order to create a mathematical equation that matches with one of the Map tiles on the main board. These spaces range from 1-12 in value, so an appropriate dice combination could be 5 + 4 – 1 = 8 in order to claim the Map tile on the 8 spot. Any number of dice can be used to claim tiles, and once a tile is claimed, it must be placed within the player’s personal play area map. In order to add these tiles, the edges will need to match up by terrain type with tiles already presently in play (see below), or may also be placed atop an existing tile. Map tiles may or may not contain symbols for factions, locations, and also Sacred Places. These will all be used in scenarios for different purposes.
Once a player decides they do not wish to (or cannot) take more Explore actions, they must Rest. To Rest, the active player reclaims all spent (and unspent ready) dice and rerolls them for the next turn, replacing empty spaces on the board with new Map tiles.
Play continues in this fashion of Exploring and Resting until one player places their 16th tile, thus completing their 4×4 personal map. Players will consult the app for scoring instructions and the winner will be announced. Should the players wish to play another scenario (or many, as we would have liked), they simply use the same Demigods and open a new Scenario Box. Inside these boxes are different gods to appease, new quests to fulfill (more on these later), and stickers to be applied to game components to improve their usefulness.
Components. Again, this is a prototype version of the game, and it includes two introductory scenarios, a bunch of sticker sheets, and a developmental app. That said, I really enjoyed my plays of the scenarios and they felt like great first steps to lure me into what I just know is going to be somewhat of a lifestyle game (assuming more and more expansions are in the plans). The sticker sheets are all fine, and as I understand it, the stickers that are placed on the Map tiles will have non-removable glue, but the stickers placed on the dice faces will have removable glue. As I am not a glue expert, I can’t really vouch for either. The app is somewhat similar to those that are used in the Chronicles of Crime series, but Divinus promises to deliver an app that can scan the components WITHOUT the use of QR codes. For those gamers who think the QRs are an eye-sore, then Divinus is taking a promising first step for you! I haven’t even touched on the artwork yet, and that’s usually my favorite aspect of a game’s components. The visual style and art on Divinus really make the game pop on the table, and just draw you into the lore and setting. I love it!
So while initially Divinus is a simple roll-and-draft game of building a 4×4 grid akin to Kingdomino, the addition and usage of the Quests and, later, the Charge Actions, morph this into something quite a bit meatier. Each Scenario Box (at least in this version) contains two god cards (that affect how the end of the scenario is scored) and some Quest cards (that are side-quests players can follow to earn some extra VP and other goodies). I imagine as the game progresses through Scenario Boxes that Quests will get more difficult and the god cards more interesting as well.
All in all Divinus has roped me in, and I am very much looking forward to all the other great things that Lucky Duck Games has planned for it. I can foresee soooooo many expansions being built on this excellent chassis, and I am very eager to finish the entire legacy aspect in order to play through the Eternal Mode a bunch of times. Can I divulge a little dirty secret of mine here? I have never before played any type of legacy board game, and if this is what they are like, then I will be breaking out my copy of Betrayal Legacy way sooner than I originally planned.
I believe that the theming here is great, the gameplay is relatively simple to grasp, and the hybrid app-driven story really adds to the entire experience. If you are someone who, like me, has yet to delve into legacy-style games where the components are constantly changing due to choices made at the table, and you have a penchant for dice games with a splash of ACTUAL math skills used, I urge you to take a look at backing Divinus on Gamefound ASAP. With just the initial two scenarios included, I am already addicted to the game and cannot wait to sink my teeth into more scenarios and more crucial decisions that will alter the landscape of my copy of the game. I know that as of the publish date of this preview, the campaign is already about 1000% funded and so many stretch goals have already been unlocked. It is a great time to hop on board and grab a big ol’ chunk of goodies for this one. You may have a preference for Roman or Norse mythology before playing, but be warned: your loyalties may change as a result of playing Divinus… or maybe you will learn to accept both at the harmonious center of activity in your own little section of the world.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Seasons in Tabletop Games
Jul 6, 2019 (Updated Nov 4, 2021)
I have mentioned before that I have a bad habit. Well several, but this one pertains to board games. You see, I once had a collection of games that I loved, but was pulled into the BGG Auctions and would engage in auctioning off many of games that I deemed of good return value. But then I would start to miss them. And then I would start to reacquire them. Then my wife stepped in and made me see how foolish I was to rid myself of them in the first place. Well, next up in this line is a game I recently reacquired and never should have let go in the first place – Seasons!
Seasons is a fantastical dice rolling, card drafting, hand management game for two to four players. In it, players are sorcerers competing in a legendary magical tournament that spans three years in an attempt to be crowned the next Archmage of the kingdom. As the seasons change, sorcerers may draw power from changing mana sources, and utilizing these sources most efficiently and effectively will earn victory over all. So tighten up your belt and get to casting, young mage!
To setup, follow the rules in the rulebook (there are many steps, and I have feeble and weak fingers) until the table looks somewhat similar to the photo below – except for the obvious oversight in placing the orange cube on the zero space of bonus actions. The main areas of interest are the main game board where the years and seasons are tracked, the Crystal score track, and player board/tableau area. Players will be dealt a hand of nine cards to start, and then draft one card at a time, passing to their neighbor each time, and deciding which three cards they would like to start the game with, and assigning three more cards each into the Library for rounds two and three. The game begins in Winter, and the black cube is placed on the number 1 of the seasons board. The game is now setup and ready to begin with the first player!
Each turn the active player will roll all dice in the current season (this game is setup for two players, so three total dice are used each turn). They will choose one die to use for the turn, and other players will choose theirs. The players then gather the resources present on the die face. These could be element tokens, crystals (VP), summon gauge stars, cards drawn from the deck, or even transmutation powers. Once resources are gained, the active player may then choose to play a card from their hand to their personal tableau, given they have adequate summoning power (the number of cards that can be played) available on their board. The cost to play the card is found under the illustration, and is usually paid in crystals, element tokens, or a combination of both. These Power Cards may allow the player immediate benefits, ongoing benefits, or benefits that may be activated at certain times during the game.
Another option players have from their chosen die is the ability to transmutate. When a player chooses a die with this option, they are able to consult the current season on the main board and exchange element tokens for crystals, depending on the provided exchange system. For example, a player wishing to exchange earth tokens (the green plant) during Winter will be provided with three crystals each, while attempting the same transmutation during Spring will only provide one crystal each.
Once each player has taken their turn to collect their resources, complete their turn actions, and pass onto the next player, the unchosen die is resolved. Each die face also shows a number of dotted pips at the bottom. The number of pips shown on the unchosen die refers to the number of spaces the cube on the main board season tracker is to be moved forward around the board. One pip, one space forward. This could result in the current season continuing or progressing into the next season. When the cube progresses from Fall to Winter, players will collect their cards set aside for year two or three, respectively. These cards are added to their hand and available to be used immediately on their turn. If, however, on their turn a player has little they can do, or simply wish to boost their turn, they may use one of four bonus actions, as printed on their player board. These actions allow the player to trade two element tokens from their reserves for any other two element tokens from the main supply, allow transmutation if the symbol is not present on their chosen die face, increase their summoning gauge by one, or draw two power cards from the deck and choose one to add to their hand instead of drawing one, per their die face. Each player can use three total bonus actions for each game at a cost of crystals for each usage. Certainly a trade-off.
Play continues in this fashion of choosing and resolving dice, playing cards, and transmuting tokens for crystals until the cube has completed its three year journey around the main board. At that time crystals are scored from cards and added to the tracker, with five points deducted for each card remaining in hand and points deducted for the usage of bonus actions. The player with the most crystals at the end of the game is the winner!
Components. I have a lot to say here, but will attempt to be as succinct as I can. The components in Seasons are simply phenomenal. Yes, the boards, cards, and cubes are all fine quality and unimpressive. However, the art style throughout the game and those big chunky dice are the real standouts to me. I mean, who DOESN’T like to roll big, chunky dice? And the player colors? Oh man, I love them! Players can choose orange, purple, gray, or lime green. Those are some great color options, and such a simple upgrade from primary colors used on many other games. The dice are primary colors, but I still enjoy them and I will let it slide. No real complaints on components from me. I have heard complaints about people not vibing on the color choices associate with the elements/energy, but I applaud the mold-breaking here. Why can’t Fall be red and associated with a feather? Why can’t Summer be yellow and associated with a flame? Fire doesn’t always have to be red. Go on, Seasons! Be you!
Our thoughts on each game should never be a surprise. I will say this for Seasons – I believe that when I auctioned it off the first time, part of the reasoning was because I did not fully understand the rules. I was a newer gamer at the time and was lured in by colors and art style (which are still stunning). More than likely I thought I was smarter than I truly am and included all the cards in my first plays instead of heeding the suggestions given by the rulebook for easier first games. Now, being a more seasoned (I couldn’t resist) gamer, I can better appreciate what is in this box. The unique card play, the dice drafting for resources and actions, the progression of time as a result of the rejected die, all come together to make a very solid and different game. I am trying to think my way through my collection to find a parallel that uses all these mechanics together as well as Seasons does and I am finding it difficult. It is so easy to just throw mechanics into a blender and see the goo that results, but everything with Seasons feels right and I am just in love.
Why did I ever get rid of Seasons? I will claim young and dumb, though I wasn’t very young. Do not emulate my decision to shed this one out of your collection. You don’t have a copy? I would recommend visiting your FLGS to see if they might have a copy in stock. It’s a great one, and one that I will treasure from here on out. Purple Phoenix Games officially gives this one an amazingly colorful 5 / 6. I know the others will enjoy it too, but until they play it, I will be giddy with excitement each time I am able to play my copy. Why are you still here? Go get Seasons!
Seasons is a fantastical dice rolling, card drafting, hand management game for two to four players. In it, players are sorcerers competing in a legendary magical tournament that spans three years in an attempt to be crowned the next Archmage of the kingdom. As the seasons change, sorcerers may draw power from changing mana sources, and utilizing these sources most efficiently and effectively will earn victory over all. So tighten up your belt and get to casting, young mage!
To setup, follow the rules in the rulebook (there are many steps, and I have feeble and weak fingers) until the table looks somewhat similar to the photo below – except for the obvious oversight in placing the orange cube on the zero space of bonus actions. The main areas of interest are the main game board where the years and seasons are tracked, the Crystal score track, and player board/tableau area. Players will be dealt a hand of nine cards to start, and then draft one card at a time, passing to their neighbor each time, and deciding which three cards they would like to start the game with, and assigning three more cards each into the Library for rounds two and three. The game begins in Winter, and the black cube is placed on the number 1 of the seasons board. The game is now setup and ready to begin with the first player!
Each turn the active player will roll all dice in the current season (this game is setup for two players, so three total dice are used each turn). They will choose one die to use for the turn, and other players will choose theirs. The players then gather the resources present on the die face. These could be element tokens, crystals (VP), summon gauge stars, cards drawn from the deck, or even transmutation powers. Once resources are gained, the active player may then choose to play a card from their hand to their personal tableau, given they have adequate summoning power (the number of cards that can be played) available on their board. The cost to play the card is found under the illustration, and is usually paid in crystals, element tokens, or a combination of both. These Power Cards may allow the player immediate benefits, ongoing benefits, or benefits that may be activated at certain times during the game.
Another option players have from their chosen die is the ability to transmutate. When a player chooses a die with this option, they are able to consult the current season on the main board and exchange element tokens for crystals, depending on the provided exchange system. For example, a player wishing to exchange earth tokens (the green plant) during Winter will be provided with three crystals each, while attempting the same transmutation during Spring will only provide one crystal each.
Once each player has taken their turn to collect their resources, complete their turn actions, and pass onto the next player, the unchosen die is resolved. Each die face also shows a number of dotted pips at the bottom. The number of pips shown on the unchosen die refers to the number of spaces the cube on the main board season tracker is to be moved forward around the board. One pip, one space forward. This could result in the current season continuing or progressing into the next season. When the cube progresses from Fall to Winter, players will collect their cards set aside for year two or three, respectively. These cards are added to their hand and available to be used immediately on their turn. If, however, on their turn a player has little they can do, or simply wish to boost their turn, they may use one of four bonus actions, as printed on their player board. These actions allow the player to trade two element tokens from their reserves for any other two element tokens from the main supply, allow transmutation if the symbol is not present on their chosen die face, increase their summoning gauge by one, or draw two power cards from the deck and choose one to add to their hand instead of drawing one, per their die face. Each player can use three total bonus actions for each game at a cost of crystals for each usage. Certainly a trade-off.
Play continues in this fashion of choosing and resolving dice, playing cards, and transmuting tokens for crystals until the cube has completed its three year journey around the main board. At that time crystals are scored from cards and added to the tracker, with five points deducted for each card remaining in hand and points deducted for the usage of bonus actions. The player with the most crystals at the end of the game is the winner!
Components. I have a lot to say here, but will attempt to be as succinct as I can. The components in Seasons are simply phenomenal. Yes, the boards, cards, and cubes are all fine quality and unimpressive. However, the art style throughout the game and those big chunky dice are the real standouts to me. I mean, who DOESN’T like to roll big, chunky dice? And the player colors? Oh man, I love them! Players can choose orange, purple, gray, or lime green. Those are some great color options, and such a simple upgrade from primary colors used on many other games. The dice are primary colors, but I still enjoy them and I will let it slide. No real complaints on components from me. I have heard complaints about people not vibing on the color choices associate with the elements/energy, but I applaud the mold-breaking here. Why can’t Fall be red and associated with a feather? Why can’t Summer be yellow and associated with a flame? Fire doesn’t always have to be red. Go on, Seasons! Be you!
Our thoughts on each game should never be a surprise. I will say this for Seasons – I believe that when I auctioned it off the first time, part of the reasoning was because I did not fully understand the rules. I was a newer gamer at the time and was lured in by colors and art style (which are still stunning). More than likely I thought I was smarter than I truly am and included all the cards in my first plays instead of heeding the suggestions given by the rulebook for easier first games. Now, being a more seasoned (I couldn’t resist) gamer, I can better appreciate what is in this box. The unique card play, the dice drafting for resources and actions, the progression of time as a result of the rejected die, all come together to make a very solid and different game. I am trying to think my way through my collection to find a parallel that uses all these mechanics together as well as Seasons does and I am finding it difficult. It is so easy to just throw mechanics into a blender and see the goo that results, but everything with Seasons feels right and I am just in love.
Why did I ever get rid of Seasons? I will claim young and dumb, though I wasn’t very young. Do not emulate my decision to shed this one out of your collection. You don’t have a copy? I would recommend visiting your FLGS to see if they might have a copy in stock. It’s a great one, and one that I will treasure from here on out. Purple Phoenix Games officially gives this one an amazingly colorful 5 / 6. I know the others will enjoy it too, but until they play it, I will be giddy with excitement each time I am able to play my copy. Why are you still here? Go get Seasons!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated 13 Monsters in Tabletop Games
Dec 5, 2019
Guys and gals, I have a confession. I am not good at memory games. I already surmised it is due to my increasing age, as my 3-year-old son tore through our plays of Farm Rescue, so I am not above resigning myself to the fact that it may be age. In any case, 13 Monsters starts out as a memory game then quickly transforms into a punish-thy-neighbor-into-oblivion monster battle game. Intrigued? We were too…
As I mentioned in the intro, and as you can see in the first photo below, 13 Monsters starts out as a memory tile-flipping game and then becomes a bash-em’-up for domination. The goal of 13 Monsters is to end the game holding the monsters with the highest total Hit Points (HP). Now how you get there is another matter entirely.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, purchase the game through the Kickstarter campaign running until December 20, 2019, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup 13 Monsters, a randomized 9×9 grid of monster tiles are spread across the play surface with the longer title tile placed square in the middle (see what I did there?). Place the five d6 on the table to be used by any player. Determine the first player (whomever is the most beastly) and you are ready to play!
Turns are played in phases where you will initially be hunting the playing field trying to find matching monstersets to build a complete monster. Monstersets are horizontally matching tiles belonging to the same monster. So the top set is the head, the middle is the eyes, and the bottom is the body of the monster. This phase will continue in turns until multiple players have at least one monsterset. Things now start getting interesting.
Once you have at least one monsterset you can, before hunting from the field, offer to trade monstersets with other players. You may also use an ability named “Sacrifice,” which allows you to rearrange your monstersets to create a more powerful monster. Why would you want to rearrange? Monsters come in five elemental flavors – fire, water, earth, air, and ghost. Monsters with matching elemental monstersets are more powerful than those with mismatched elemental monstersets. This will come into play later when the monsters battle for supremacy.
Battles. Once you have a complete monster (head, eyes, body) you can, on your turn and before hunting, attack another monster. When attacking, both the attacker and defender will be throwing the five dice in hopes of ending with the highest total of pips of a matching set (like five 6s on the d6). The winner will then claim a monsterset from the involved monster (or separate monsterset) and add it to their collection. Monsters with more elementally-matching sets will be able to throw the dice more times versus a completed monster with mismatched elemental sets, so THAT is why using Sacrifice can make or break a battle.
There are other special abilities that are unlocked with different combinations of monsters: “Permafrost” allows the player to place a die on a tile that other players will not be able to flip on their hunting turn. However, once a battle is initiated all Permafrost dice are removed from the board to be used in the battle, so it is not a long-term tactic to be used. “Prophet” allows the player to flip over three tiles instead of the normal two tiles and can be very powerful when used correctly – you need to have a “Monster O.G.” which is a monster with all matching tiles belonging to the same completed monster. The final ability is “Supernova” and can only be used by a completed 13th Monster (the only Ghost-element monster, shown below). Supernova allows the player to sacrifice the 13th Monster in order to absorb (steal) a complete monster from any player and add it to their personal collection. The 13th Monster then leaves the game, but the controlling player will still receive the HP points for having collected and used it.
Play continues in this fashion until all tiles have been collected from the playing field. Once the final pair is taken, players are then allowed to declare one final battle against any opponent in hopes to bolster their final score. The player with the most HP shared among their completed monsters is the winner and ultimate Beast Master!
Components. Again, we were provided a prototype copy of the game, but from what I understand, the final production copy of the game will be very similar to this version if not exactly the same. What comprises the game is a ton of monster tiles and five dice. That doesn’t sound like a lot, and it’s not. But these are great quality tiles and normal quality dice (which I am hoping will become pink to match the main color found throughout the game). I love the overall art style. The art is what really pops out at you because the monsters are all uniquely weird and intriguing and kinda cute at the same time. I also very much appreciate that the team thought to include little bubbles next to the element icon on the tiles to indicate to which layer the tile belongs: head, eyes, body. Excellent touch. Overall the components are great, and the rulebook is killer. Outstanding work went into making this game visually stunning.
Is it a good game? It is certainly a very cool spin on Memory and adds modular monster building and player vs player battles where you can win each others’ components. I love it! Even though I am horrible at memory games, this gives me options once I do find a monsterset. I can trade and attack my way to building more and better monsters – but the dice have to be on my side, and I’m cool with that. If you are looking for something to add to your collection that is a brilliant hybrid of many different mechanics and looks absolutely incredible on the table, then please check out 13 Monsters. It rewards tactics, but also has that element of luck to help balance everything out. I’m a big fan!
As I mentioned in the intro, and as you can see in the first photo below, 13 Monsters starts out as a memory tile-flipping game and then becomes a bash-em’-up for domination. The goal of 13 Monsters is to end the game holding the monsters with the highest total Hit Points (HP). Now how you get there is another matter entirely.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, purchase the game through the Kickstarter campaign running until December 20, 2019, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup 13 Monsters, a randomized 9×9 grid of monster tiles are spread across the play surface with the longer title tile placed square in the middle (see what I did there?). Place the five d6 on the table to be used by any player. Determine the first player (whomever is the most beastly) and you are ready to play!
Turns are played in phases where you will initially be hunting the playing field trying to find matching monstersets to build a complete monster. Monstersets are horizontally matching tiles belonging to the same monster. So the top set is the head, the middle is the eyes, and the bottom is the body of the monster. This phase will continue in turns until multiple players have at least one monsterset. Things now start getting interesting.
Once you have at least one monsterset you can, before hunting from the field, offer to trade monstersets with other players. You may also use an ability named “Sacrifice,” which allows you to rearrange your monstersets to create a more powerful monster. Why would you want to rearrange? Monsters come in five elemental flavors – fire, water, earth, air, and ghost. Monsters with matching elemental monstersets are more powerful than those with mismatched elemental monstersets. This will come into play later when the monsters battle for supremacy.
Battles. Once you have a complete monster (head, eyes, body) you can, on your turn and before hunting, attack another monster. When attacking, both the attacker and defender will be throwing the five dice in hopes of ending with the highest total of pips of a matching set (like five 6s on the d6). The winner will then claim a monsterset from the involved monster (or separate monsterset) and add it to their collection. Monsters with more elementally-matching sets will be able to throw the dice more times versus a completed monster with mismatched elemental sets, so THAT is why using Sacrifice can make or break a battle.
There are other special abilities that are unlocked with different combinations of monsters: “Permafrost” allows the player to place a die on a tile that other players will not be able to flip on their hunting turn. However, once a battle is initiated all Permafrost dice are removed from the board to be used in the battle, so it is not a long-term tactic to be used. “Prophet” allows the player to flip over three tiles instead of the normal two tiles and can be very powerful when used correctly – you need to have a “Monster O.G.” which is a monster with all matching tiles belonging to the same completed monster. The final ability is “Supernova” and can only be used by a completed 13th Monster (the only Ghost-element monster, shown below). Supernova allows the player to sacrifice the 13th Monster in order to absorb (steal) a complete monster from any player and add it to their personal collection. The 13th Monster then leaves the game, but the controlling player will still receive the HP points for having collected and used it.
Play continues in this fashion until all tiles have been collected from the playing field. Once the final pair is taken, players are then allowed to declare one final battle against any opponent in hopes to bolster their final score. The player with the most HP shared among their completed monsters is the winner and ultimate Beast Master!
Components. Again, we were provided a prototype copy of the game, but from what I understand, the final production copy of the game will be very similar to this version if not exactly the same. What comprises the game is a ton of monster tiles and five dice. That doesn’t sound like a lot, and it’s not. But these are great quality tiles and normal quality dice (which I am hoping will become pink to match the main color found throughout the game). I love the overall art style. The art is what really pops out at you because the monsters are all uniquely weird and intriguing and kinda cute at the same time. I also very much appreciate that the team thought to include little bubbles next to the element icon on the tiles to indicate to which layer the tile belongs: head, eyes, body. Excellent touch. Overall the components are great, and the rulebook is killer. Outstanding work went into making this game visually stunning.
Is it a good game? It is certainly a very cool spin on Memory and adds modular monster building and player vs player battles where you can win each others’ components. I love it! Even though I am horrible at memory games, this gives me options once I do find a monsterset. I can trade and attack my way to building more and better monsters – but the dice have to be on my side, and I’m cool with that. If you are looking for something to add to your collection that is a brilliant hybrid of many different mechanics and looks absolutely incredible on the table, then please check out 13 Monsters. It rewards tactics, but also has that element of luck to help balance everything out. I’m a big fan!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated 13 Monsters Armed to the Teeth in Tabletop Games
Sep 22, 2020 (Updated Sep 22, 2020)
Let’s talk expansions. Some expansions are absolutely worth everything to have in with the base game, and some expansions just take up space on your shelves because either you A) love the base game so much that you can’t imagine anything adding to the experience, or B) just can’t seem to pull the trigger to try them out. What about when expansions completely change the game? And those that merely give you more of the same? And where does this expansion for 13 Monsters land? So many questions!
13 Monsters Armed to the Teeth (which I will call “the expansion” from here) is a big expansion to the successful 13 Monsters that recently fulfilled their Kickstarter campaign rewards. I was lucky enough to be able to preview OG 13 Monsters, and I suggest you take a look there before continuing on if you aren’t familiar with the base game. 13 Monsters can be summed up as, “a game of Memory where you use the pieces you’ve matched to battle your opponents.” Once you add in the expansion, though, the description takes on new veribiage, “a game of Memory where you use the pieces you matched along with enhancement items like weapons, shields, new abilities, and a new elemental species to decimate your opponents.” Intrigued?
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
Setup will be the same as base 13 Monsters but with added components to lay on the table. These include a big mini (is that a thing?) of a new character named Trall, new black dice, weapon tiles, shield tiles, Metal monster tiles, and durability counters for the weapons and shields. Once all these items are added the base tile grid the game may begin!
Now, I won’t go into detail how to play base 13 Monsters, but rather give an idea of what the expansion adds. Trall is a smithy who is intrigued by new monstersets matched and added to a player’s tableau, so he will come visit that player once a match is made. On one’s turn, if Trall is visiting, he will allow the player to Forge an item (weapon, shield, or Metal monster tile) by rolling the black dice and taking a tile from the specific pile, or Steal an item from another player by winning a roll-off of the new black dice.
The new abilities given to players are numerous and include names like All Seeing Eye and Oopsie Poopsie. I will leave you to the rulebook to discover all the new abilities.
Obviously, when players attach weapons to a monster they will be able to increase their attack power, but will also have to account for hits in durability using the small counters. Similarly, durability counters are included for the shield tiles that assist in deflecting portions of attacks from opponents.
The Metal monsters are part of a new elemental species of monster and are helpful, but worth less VP at the end of the game.
Components. If you have or know of the component quality in base 13 Monsters, then you will be glad to know that the components in the expansion are just as good if not better. When I opened the box the first thing I grabbed for was the Trall mini. He’s a big guy and while the prototype version is a 3D printed mini, I have seen photos of a cardboard standee in a box (however, my money is on a resin mini of Trall as a stretch goal). The weapon, shield, and Metal monster tiles are the same quality as the base tiles so it’s a match there. The new dice are black with white print, which contrast nicely with the base game’s pink dice and white pips. All in all the production quality is great, even in the prototype!
So is this expansion good or necessary or bad or what? Well, let me state the obvious first: if you are happy with how base 13 Monsters plays, then you do not need this expansion. If you want a lot more meat from your game, then this expansion is absolutely necessary. It adds so many more layers of complexity onto a somewhat harmless base game. Yes, there is battle in the base game and stealing of monstersets, but to me it seems it hurts way more using the expansion because you can spend lots more time buffing up your monsters with the extra battle accessories and such to have them just pilfered away.
That still doesn’t answer if I think 13 Monsters Armed to the Teeth is good. Here are my negative points off first. Adding in the expansion content will most certainly add length to the gameplay as well, especially with higher play counts. Players have a ton of options available on a turn now and though some events will be triggered via dice rolls, the new abilities will adjust how players play this versus just the base. A game can now be well over two hours depending on how players play and which type of players are playing. To help combat this, the rulebook advises ways of reducing game time by 50% and I highly suggest you take that advice. I did and games are still around 90 minutes with players who know how to play.
On the positive side, though, there’s more 13 Monsters goodness in this box! And while I do not classify this as “more of the same,” I enjoy more 13 Monsters goodies. This definitely amps up the pressure for each turn and players are involved at all times. Now, I will not be using the expansion when pulling out the game with new players or when I might use 13 Monsters as a gateway game. The expansion just adds too much complexity. But, after a couple plays of the base game, go ahead. Throw it in and watch the eyes widen in anticipation.
So yes, 13 Monsters Armed to the Teeth is a great expansion to a great game. If you like 13 Monsters and want to add more complexity and options, then definitely pick up this expansion. If you missed out on backing 13 Monsters last time, maybe the team at Twisted Stranger will offer them during the next campaign for this expansion. I am quite happy to be adding this to my collection and I know it will see lots of table time for me. Good job team! Now go obliterate your friends! I mean, their monsters.
13 Monsters Armed to the Teeth (which I will call “the expansion” from here) is a big expansion to the successful 13 Monsters that recently fulfilled their Kickstarter campaign rewards. I was lucky enough to be able to preview OG 13 Monsters, and I suggest you take a look there before continuing on if you aren’t familiar with the base game. 13 Monsters can be summed up as, “a game of Memory where you use the pieces you’ve matched to battle your opponents.” Once you add in the expansion, though, the description takes on new veribiage, “a game of Memory where you use the pieces you matched along with enhancement items like weapons, shields, new abilities, and a new elemental species to decimate your opponents.” Intrigued?
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
Setup will be the same as base 13 Monsters but with added components to lay on the table. These include a big mini (is that a thing?) of a new character named Trall, new black dice, weapon tiles, shield tiles, Metal monster tiles, and durability counters for the weapons and shields. Once all these items are added the base tile grid the game may begin!
Now, I won’t go into detail how to play base 13 Monsters, but rather give an idea of what the expansion adds. Trall is a smithy who is intrigued by new monstersets matched and added to a player’s tableau, so he will come visit that player once a match is made. On one’s turn, if Trall is visiting, he will allow the player to Forge an item (weapon, shield, or Metal monster tile) by rolling the black dice and taking a tile from the specific pile, or Steal an item from another player by winning a roll-off of the new black dice.
The new abilities given to players are numerous and include names like All Seeing Eye and Oopsie Poopsie. I will leave you to the rulebook to discover all the new abilities.
Obviously, when players attach weapons to a monster they will be able to increase their attack power, but will also have to account for hits in durability using the small counters. Similarly, durability counters are included for the shield tiles that assist in deflecting portions of attacks from opponents.
The Metal monsters are part of a new elemental species of monster and are helpful, but worth less VP at the end of the game.
Components. If you have or know of the component quality in base 13 Monsters, then you will be glad to know that the components in the expansion are just as good if not better. When I opened the box the first thing I grabbed for was the Trall mini. He’s a big guy and while the prototype version is a 3D printed mini, I have seen photos of a cardboard standee in a box (however, my money is on a resin mini of Trall as a stretch goal). The weapon, shield, and Metal monster tiles are the same quality as the base tiles so it’s a match there. The new dice are black with white print, which contrast nicely with the base game’s pink dice and white pips. All in all the production quality is great, even in the prototype!
So is this expansion good or necessary or bad or what? Well, let me state the obvious first: if you are happy with how base 13 Monsters plays, then you do not need this expansion. If you want a lot more meat from your game, then this expansion is absolutely necessary. It adds so many more layers of complexity onto a somewhat harmless base game. Yes, there is battle in the base game and stealing of monstersets, but to me it seems it hurts way more using the expansion because you can spend lots more time buffing up your monsters with the extra battle accessories and such to have them just pilfered away.
That still doesn’t answer if I think 13 Monsters Armed to the Teeth is good. Here are my negative points off first. Adding in the expansion content will most certainly add length to the gameplay as well, especially with higher play counts. Players have a ton of options available on a turn now and though some events will be triggered via dice rolls, the new abilities will adjust how players play this versus just the base. A game can now be well over two hours depending on how players play and which type of players are playing. To help combat this, the rulebook advises ways of reducing game time by 50% and I highly suggest you take that advice. I did and games are still around 90 minutes with players who know how to play.
On the positive side, though, there’s more 13 Monsters goodness in this box! And while I do not classify this as “more of the same,” I enjoy more 13 Monsters goodies. This definitely amps up the pressure for each turn and players are involved at all times. Now, I will not be using the expansion when pulling out the game with new players or when I might use 13 Monsters as a gateway game. The expansion just adds too much complexity. But, after a couple plays of the base game, go ahead. Throw it in and watch the eyes widen in anticipation.
So yes, 13 Monsters Armed to the Teeth is a great expansion to a great game. If you like 13 Monsters and want to add more complexity and options, then definitely pick up this expansion. If you missed out on backing 13 Monsters last time, maybe the team at Twisted Stranger will offer them during the next campaign for this expansion. I am quite happy to be adding this to my collection and I know it will see lots of table time for me. Good job team! Now go obliterate your friends! I mean, their monsters.
