OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Moderators: The Preacher, $iljanus, Zaxxon
- Moat_Man
- Posts: 1653
- Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:44 am
- Location: Burnaby, BC
Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Dominion has also had problems with differences in shading on the card backs. It started with Adventures. I could easily tell the difference between that set and all the others. For some games it doesn't matter as much but with Dominion sets mixed together and you know that top card of your desk is from a certain set then you probably know what card it is. I had to actively ignore it. Also sucked with shuffling because after the shuffle is a lighter card was on top then it was hard not shuffle again so it would be different.
End of line
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- YellowKing
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
I started JOURNEYS IN MIDDLE EARTH over again, this time going with 2 characters instead of 3 which was a little too much upkeep for my taste.
Did much better this go-round, playing smarter with readied cards and making sure I always had inspiration tokens.
The major thing I learned is that just like Mansions of Madness, you rarely have the luxury to explore every nook and cranny, or kill every enemy. However, I like the strategic decisions you have to make. Every round is a choice between aggressively pursuing a goal or gambling on some other activity. The tension of impending doom is there, but at least you now have some control over it.
Did much better this go-round, playing smarter with readied cards and making sure I always had inspiration tokens.
The major thing I learned is that just like Mansions of Madness, you rarely have the luxury to explore every nook and cranny, or kill every enemy. However, I like the strategic decisions you have to make. Every round is a choice between aggressively pursuing a goal or gambling on some other activity. The tension of impending doom is there, but at least you now have some control over it.
- $iljanus
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
So the Zeds have arrived in Lexington earlier than expected! Now having decision paralysis as I try to decide which hero to choose. Map is nice and so are the larger counters. Going to start at the Apocalypse level first to get reacquainted with the game and hopefully I won't die quick. I don't think I've won a game yet but it's fun to play!
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- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
I've struggled with that a bit, as I felt like I was leaving so many search tokens on the board (by necessity to survive) that I would never be able to advance to stronger weapons and armor throughout the game.YellowKing wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 10:08 pm The major thing I learned is that just like Mansions of Madness, you rarely have the luxury to explore every nook and cranny, or kill every enemy. However, I like the strategic decisions you have to make. Every round is a choice between aggressively pursuing a goal or gambling on some other activity. The tension of impending doom is there, but at least you now have some control over it.
I don't have enough lore to upgrade anything yet. Is it a pool that depletes once you spend it on a specific item (i.e. if I have 30 lore and spend 25 on new armor, I now have 5 left and have to build it back up), or if you can buy multiple upgrades once you hit a lore threshold (i.e. if I have 30 lore, I can buy multiple upgrades that each cost 25)?
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
- wonderpug
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Once you hit 30 lore, every item your entire party has that's got a 30 or less upgrade cost gets upgraded.Skinypupy wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 9:26 am I don't have enough lore to upgrade anything yet. Is it a pool that depletes once you spend it on a specific item (i.e. if I have 30 lore and spend 25 on new armor, I now have 5 left and have to build it back up), or if you can buy multiple upgrades once you hit a lore threshold (i.e. if I have 30 lore, I can buy multiple upgrades that each cost 25)?
- YellowKing
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
I'm about 1/3 of the way through the campaign now, and I've had to change my thinking a bit. I've been playing very aggressively to try to hit goals before hitting the shorter threat thresholds, but that can lead to you winning a scenario much faster than you need to which leaves loot and Lore on the table. (I even finished one before the threat track was halfway full!)
I've had to revise my playstyle to not worry so much about the shorter threat thresholds, and pay more attention to the overall track. While it's still good to make progress towards the primary goal (since it often reduces threat), you don't want to pass up the chance to gain Lore by completing a scenario too early. Tricky balance.
I will say, however, that I'm enjoying the game more now that I'm starting to level up a bit and get some item upgrades. I'm starting to form a little more attachment to the characters and learning their decks a bit better, which greatly enhances the enjoyment of the game.
I think the game suffers from the same problem as Mansions of Madness in that individual scenario difficulty/fun can be a bit swingy, but unlike Mansions having thosse scenarios as part of an overall campaign helps smooth out the bumps over the long haul.
I've had to revise my playstyle to not worry so much about the shorter threat thresholds, and pay more attention to the overall track. While it's still good to make progress towards the primary goal (since it often reduces threat), you don't want to pass up the chance to gain Lore by completing a scenario too early. Tricky balance.
I will say, however, that I'm enjoying the game more now that I'm starting to level up a bit and get some item upgrades. I'm starting to form a little more attachment to the characters and learning their decks a bit better, which greatly enhances the enjoyment of the game.
I think the game suffers from the same problem as Mansions of Madness in that individual scenario difficulty/fun can be a bit swingy, but unlike Mansions having thosse scenarios as part of an overall campaign helps smooth out the bumps over the long haul.
- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
LOTR scenario had me clearing a few threat tokens while fighting off a bunch of mobs to complete it. I was stoked because I used all my tricks to wipe out the mobs and beat the Agility test to clear the final token with only 2 threat left on the counter. Whew! But once I cleared it, the scenario didn't end. WTF? Thought it was a bug at first, but nope.
Pro tip: When the app deploys threat tokens on a battle map, make sure you rotate the map to make sure you've seen them all. They markers are invisible behind walls unless you rotate it around. I ran out of time, scenario failed.
I'm starting to think that games with timers like this might not really be my thing.
Pro tip: When the app deploys threat tokens on a battle map, make sure you rotate the map to make sure you've seen them all. They markers are invisible behind walls unless you rotate it around. I ran out of time, scenario failed.
I'm starting to think that games with timers like this might not really be my thing.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
- YellowKing
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
The game's biggest weakness for me so far is combat. I wish it had a bit more depth other than "input number of hits." Mansions of Madness made combat interesting because it randomized the types of skill checks you would roll, had tons of flavor text, and randomized the penalties (or rewards) for failure or success. This also made enemies feel varied.
Journeys strips combat to the bare minimum. No flavor text, always use the same skill test mechanic, you're essentially just counting successes and then inputting a number against another number. It gets kind of bland.
Journeys strips combat to the bare minimum. No flavor text, always use the same skill test mechanic, you're essentially just counting successes and then inputting a number against another number. It gets kind of bland.
- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
I’ve spent the last 2 hours reading and watching reviews for Gloomhaven, and am still on the fence. It looks really cool, but Im also a bit worried about getting lost in its complexity and massive amount of...stuff. I’m kinda torn between giving this behemoth a go, or grabbing a couple of the expansions for Imperial Assault (a game I know for certain that I enjoy) instead.
What to do...what to do...
What to do...what to do...
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
- Pyperkub
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
You can try gloomhaven on tabletop simulator. There's a free 10 mission campaign.
Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!
Also: There are three ways to not tell the truth: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
Also: There are three ways to not tell the truth: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
- Smoove_B
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
If you have time and space limitations, skip it. I've had my copy for almost a year and I can't get myself to play it because of the amount of time it takes to dig out all the bits - it's beyond monsterous. Ideally, I'd leave it out and setup somewhere, but I'd need a dedicated table to do it. If you're willing to do that, it's probably worth it. My buddy plays with some type of app that keeps track of all the bits, but that pushes my limits of how I'll play board games. I don't mind using an app to handle AI or story elements, but if I need to use an app to keep track of all the moving parts? Interest drops.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
That was exactly my concern Smoove. The only place I have to play is the kitchen table, which means I need dedicated takedown and setup ever time I want to play. I can’t leave anything out for sessions that go go a bit longer than expected. Maybe I’ll just look at using the $$ to buy some sort of dedicated gaming table for the spare room instead
Never considered that option. Will give it a look, thx.
Last edited by Skinypupy on Sat May 18, 2019 10:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
- YellowKing
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Gloomhaven is a fantastic game, and I bought a copy for myself even though my gaming group bought a copy. However, I'm now considering selling mine because I can't see going through it solo. While it provides a perfectly fine solo experience, the setup/takedown is an enormous time sink. And having played both solo and group, the group play is much more compelling since you don't really know how other players' actions will impact your decisions until after everyone has committed to a plan of action. This leads to a really fun uncertainty factor that is simply absent in the solo game.
- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Thanks YK.
I think I’m gonna pass on it for now, at least until I can get a dedicated space set up.
I think I’m gonna pass on it for now, at least until I can get a dedicated space set up.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
It's definitely worth it to play solo BUT you really need to buy an insert. It makes setting the game up take only 10-15 minutes at most.YellowKing wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 10:26 am Gloomhaven is a fantastic game, and I bought a copy for myself even though my gaming group bought a copy. However, I'm now considering selling mine because I can't see going through it solo. While it provides a perfectly fine solo experience, the setup/takedown is an enormous time sink. And having played both solo and group, the group play is much more compelling since you don't really know how other players' actions will impact your decisions until after everyone has committed to a plan of action. This leads to a really fun uncertainty factor that is simply absent in the solo game.
I honestly wouldn't play without it.
You can also download the Gloomhaven Helper app to cut down on even more time since it can take care of the battle administration (when monsters move, the damage they do, effects etc etc).
It's definitely 1000% worth it if you ask me. I always love bringing it to the table even though I rarely do these days because of family life ^^.
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Bear in mind that the inserts can be quite pricey...
https://www.thebrokentoken.com/gloomhaven-organizer
But in retrospect it was worth every penny.
https://www.thebrokentoken.com/gloomhaven-organizer
But in retrospect it was worth every penny.
For whoever likes chillout downtempo music (or HipHop) ->
- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Neat, but I can’t see myself paying for an accessory that’s nearly the cost of the game just so I can play it effectively.EzeKieL wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 12:58 pm Bear in mind that the inserts can be quite pricey...
https://www.thebrokentoken.com/gloomhaven-organizer
But in retrospect it was worth every penny.
I’m curious how much setup experience plays a factor. I know that the first few times I played IA, ToEE, or LotR, it felt like it took forever to set up. Now that I know what I’m doing, what I need, and how I like it organized, it only takes about 5-10 minutes.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
- YellowKing
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
You can replicate the insert sorting with some inexpensive Plano boxes, which is what I did. There are several good threads on BGG that walk you through the exact model numbers to get to fit inside the box.
As EzeKieL pointed out, I would HIGHLY recommend the Gloomhaven helper app. We use it even with our group sessions, because it cuts out all the monster deck prep, removes the constant shuffling, tracks all the statuses and elements for you, etc. It shaves a significant amount of time off of the upkeep.
While experience certainly helps speed up setup time, a lot of Gloomhaven's setup length is just in the sheer number of components, tiles, etc. And those are going to vary per map. That's where having a good organization method is absolutely critical.
I don't want to imply that GH is not worth playing if you can't play it with a group. I prefer group, but if you can only play it solo, it's still the best dungeon crawler out there IMO. You just have to know what you're getting into.
As EzeKieL pointed out, I would HIGHLY recommend the Gloomhaven helper app. We use it even with our group sessions, because it cuts out all the monster deck prep, removes the constant shuffling, tracks all the statuses and elements for you, etc. It shaves a significant amount of time off of the upkeep.
While experience certainly helps speed up setup time, a lot of Gloomhaven's setup length is just in the sheer number of components, tiles, etc. And those are going to vary per map. That's where having a good organization method is absolutely critical.
I don't want to imply that GH is not worth playing if you can't play it with a group. I prefer group, but if you can only play it solo, it's still the best dungeon crawler out there IMO. You just have to know what you're getting into.
- TheMix
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
First, MAJOR word of warning on the Gloomhaven Helper app, it got an update "recently" that has screwed it up. At least we ran into our problems on Friday. For the first batch of one of the mobs it used the level 0 version despite having level 2 selected. Then, they screwed up something with the interface, so now we weren't getting the base cards. Which would have been fine except we didn't find out until most of the way through the scenario that one of the mobs should have had armor.
I'd definitely advise pulling out the cards for the mobs to make sure everything is right.
Second, anyone with the game can use the Tabletop simulator version to play through the complete campaign (not just their separate 10 mission one). I generally have a fair bit of free time, so if someone really wants to play it, let me know and we can try and find a good time.
I'd definitely advise pulling out the cards for the mobs to make sure everything is right.
Second, anyone with the game can use the Tabletop simulator version to play through the complete campaign (not just their separate 10 mission one). I generally have a fair bit of free time, so if someone really wants to play it, let me know and we can try and find a good time.
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- YellowKing
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Thanks for the warning, TheMix. I'll make sure we check it this week before we play.
- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
After selling LotR: JiME, I picked up Aeon's End Legacy on Saturday. I was absolutely blown away by this game. The whole idea of not just progressing a character, but making changes to the entire game the further you go was incredible to me. I know it's silly, but adding stickers to the rulebook and opening the boxes that contain new tokens and elements was absolutely brilliant. I'm not particularly good at it (I may have added a couple house rules to make it a bit easier. ), but am having a blast. The only thing I'm not crazy about is not shuffling the deck. It feels like you always end up with hands that nearly all spells (because you have to discard those in order as they're cast), then hands that are nearly all gems. Other than that and a bit of confusion about the rules (setting up the Nemesis deck is very poorly explained in the manual), the game is incredibly fun.
I feel a bit like when I got my first real gaming PC, and this whole possibility of new games and genres that I didn't even know existed suddenly opened up. I'm sure I'll become a cranky, jaded old boardgamer at some point (like I am with PC & console these days), but this feeling of discovery as I work through some of these games is simply wonderful.
I've also been spending a ton of time with the iPad version of Shards of Infinity. It's is the new deckbuilder by the same folks who did Ascension, and it's a blast. The cyber-fantasy setting really clicks with me, and it streamlines some of the stuff that really frustrated me with Ascension. Namely the "Surprise!" factor at the end of a game that you think you're doing really well in, then the AI suddenly reveals a bajillion victory points that they had been squirreling away. The 'Mercenary" mechanic (allows you to immediately use a cards ability but not put it in your hand) completely changes the flow of the game and adds a whole level of strategy. Two big thumbs up for it so far.
I feel a bit like when I got my first real gaming PC, and this whole possibility of new games and genres that I didn't even know existed suddenly opened up. I'm sure I'll become a cranky, jaded old boardgamer at some point (like I am with PC & console these days), but this feeling of discovery as I work through some of these games is simply wonderful.
I've also been spending a ton of time with the iPad version of Shards of Infinity. It's is the new deckbuilder by the same folks who did Ascension, and it's a blast. The cyber-fantasy setting really clicks with me, and it streamlines some of the stuff that really frustrated me with Ascension. Namely the "Surprise!" factor at the end of a game that you think you're doing really well in, then the AI suddenly reveals a bajillion victory points that they had been squirreling away. The 'Mercenary" mechanic (allows you to immediately use a cards ability but not put it in your hand) completely changes the flow of the game and adds a whole level of strategy. Two big thumbs up for it so far.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
- Smoove_B
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
That really is the great part of board gaming - you'll find a mechanic you like and then you get to dial in the 37 different games that take that basic idea and modify it slightly. It's also why it can get expensive, because you're potentially cycling through games to try and find the one that sticks. By way of example, I didn't like Aeon's End at all. I have a theory it's big with people that were heavy into Magic The Gathering, but it's just a theory. It just didn't grab me - mechanically or thematically. But it's a solo game people rave about. You just never know.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
- hepcat
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
After reading a glowing review of Champions of Hara on Quarter to Three from Chick, I ordered a copy from miniature market. I played a 3 player game of the versus mode on Saturday, and then tried a scenario in solo mode from the coop version on Sunday.
It plays very much like a simpler version of Mage Knight, but with the added twist that the cards you have are played in a way that's closer to Gloomhaven. Cards have two different abilities on each end of one side of the card. When you have them in your hand, you play the ability on the "In Hand" end; but when you play it, you put it on the table and you can play it for its "On Board" end ability the next turn, putting it back into your hand when you do. Abilities are just like Gloomhaven in that it will say something like "move 1 and attack 2", but most of the abilities are a bit more complex than that.
You roam around a HUGE (it really could have been reduced in size without hurting the game, in many people's opinion) board comprised of about a half dozen hex tiles. Each hex tile is a "world" with its own deck with monsters and events. You face these things in order to gain energy in the three realms (blue, green and red). When you get 5 in one of those groups, you gain a new card from your level up pile that matches that color. Since you start with only 4 cards, the most you'll really add is about 3 more, then a couple of "Ultimate" cards that are one use. Although some of the scenarios unlock additional cards that are used only for that story arc.
Every character (there are 6 in the core game) has its own unique resource and/or play mechanic. For example, one of them uses runes to power his abilities, while another uses stances that he has to choose each turn.
I think the artwork is fantastic, although it may not be to everyone's liking as it's a very stylized attempt at Asian mythology.
I like it quite a bit so far. The suggested way to play is to run a versus game between multiple players and then pursue the story arc for the winner through a series of coop scenarios. But you can easily just skip the versus mode and play the story arcs solo with a couple of characters. Each character also has a unique solo scenario though, so if you prefer to play single handed that's also doable.
In my two handed solo game yesterday, I lost quickly. But much like Mage Knight, City of Kings and Star Trek Frontiers, I think I see a strategy that would help me win the scenario I was playing in future plays. So it can be punishingly difficult at first.
The learning curve on this one is small. Although the turn order is a little convoluted. Each day consists of a dawn and dusk. During both dawn and dusk, each player takes a turn consisting of 3 activations. After a player does that, he activates any monsters or Corrupted (the game's big bads that only exist in scenario games) that might be within range of him to attack. At the start of the dawn phase, you draw new cards for each world's deck, and at the start of each dusk, you draw cards from a dusk deck. After a full day ends, you draw from a world shift deck that moves a couple of tiles around...along with your character if he's standing on it at the time.
The only two things I found a little fiddly were the way cards are handled and the world shift. The cards because it's tough to figure out what you played from in hand and from on board at times, although if you "tap" the cards in the way they tell you to, there's a bit of text to help your remember what to do at the end of your turn. The world shift because while it's very cool, it's also really easy to knock around stuff while picking up and moving entire world tiles with cards and (potentially) characters on them.
But overall, the pros outweigh the cons by a great deal. I wholeheartedly recommend this for both solo and multiplayer fans alike. It's easy to learn, has a ton of theme and gives you some truly unique characters with interesting, thematic abilities.
It plays very much like a simpler version of Mage Knight, but with the added twist that the cards you have are played in a way that's closer to Gloomhaven. Cards have two different abilities on each end of one side of the card. When you have them in your hand, you play the ability on the "In Hand" end; but when you play it, you put it on the table and you can play it for its "On Board" end ability the next turn, putting it back into your hand when you do. Abilities are just like Gloomhaven in that it will say something like "move 1 and attack 2", but most of the abilities are a bit more complex than that.
You roam around a HUGE (it really could have been reduced in size without hurting the game, in many people's opinion) board comprised of about a half dozen hex tiles. Each hex tile is a "world" with its own deck with monsters and events. You face these things in order to gain energy in the three realms (blue, green and red). When you get 5 in one of those groups, you gain a new card from your level up pile that matches that color. Since you start with only 4 cards, the most you'll really add is about 3 more, then a couple of "Ultimate" cards that are one use. Although some of the scenarios unlock additional cards that are used only for that story arc.
Every character (there are 6 in the core game) has its own unique resource and/or play mechanic. For example, one of them uses runes to power his abilities, while another uses stances that he has to choose each turn.
I think the artwork is fantastic, although it may not be to everyone's liking as it's a very stylized attempt at Asian mythology.
I like it quite a bit so far. The suggested way to play is to run a versus game between multiple players and then pursue the story arc for the winner through a series of coop scenarios. But you can easily just skip the versus mode and play the story arcs solo with a couple of characters. Each character also has a unique solo scenario though, so if you prefer to play single handed that's also doable.
In my two handed solo game yesterday, I lost quickly. But much like Mage Knight, City of Kings and Star Trek Frontiers, I think I see a strategy that would help me win the scenario I was playing in future plays. So it can be punishingly difficult at first.
The learning curve on this one is small. Although the turn order is a little convoluted. Each day consists of a dawn and dusk. During both dawn and dusk, each player takes a turn consisting of 3 activations. After a player does that, he activates any monsters or Corrupted (the game's big bads that only exist in scenario games) that might be within range of him to attack. At the start of the dawn phase, you draw new cards for each world's deck, and at the start of each dusk, you draw cards from a dusk deck. After a full day ends, you draw from a world shift deck that moves a couple of tiles around...along with your character if he's standing on it at the time.
The only two things I found a little fiddly were the way cards are handled and the world shift. The cards because it's tough to figure out what you played from in hand and from on board at times, although if you "tap" the cards in the way they tell you to, there's a bit of text to help your remember what to do at the end of your turn. The world shift because while it's very cool, it's also really easy to knock around stuff while picking up and moving entire world tiles with cards and (potentially) characters on them.
But overall, the pros outweigh the cons by a great deal. I wholeheartedly recommend this for both solo and multiplayer fans alike. It's easy to learn, has a ton of theme and gives you some truly unique characters with interesting, thematic abilities.
Lord of His Pants
- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
I'm finding that I'm not crazy about CCG's, but really enjoy deckbuilders. Little B 10.3 and I have made a couple attempts to get into MtG, but it's never really stuck. I usually just end up feeling completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options when trying to create a usable deck in a CCG.Smoove_B wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2019 10:27 am That really is the great part of board gaming - you'll find a mechanic you like and then you get to dial in the 37 different games that take that basic idea and modify it slightly. It's also why it can get expensive, because you're potentially cycling through games to try and find the one that sticks. By way of example, I didn't like Aeon's End at all. I have a theory it's big with people that were heavy into Magic The Gathering, but it's just a theory. It just didn't grab me - mechanically or thematically. But it's a solo game people rave about. You just never know.
They always make me feel like I'm losing because I don't fully understand the best card synergy options. I like the more streamlined nature of a deckbuilder where success is more about strategically using a shared set of resources, rather than having bought or found a more powerful set of cards.
At the risk of adding even more games at this point, I'd be interested to hear what deckbuilders are at the top of people's lists.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
- hepcat
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Aeon's End
Legendary Encounters (any of them)
Clank! (deck building with a more pressing purpose)
Core Worlds (from the maker of Star Trek Frontiers)
Dungeon Alliance (a hybrid minis and deck builder game from...you guessed it...the maker of Star Trek Frontiers)
Puzzle Strike (technically a "chip builder" since you use chips, a very unique game)
Legendary Encounters (any of them)
Clank! (deck building with a more pressing purpose)
Core Worlds (from the maker of Star Trek Frontiers)
Dungeon Alliance (a hybrid minis and deck builder game from...you guessed it...the maker of Star Trek Frontiers)
Puzzle Strike (technically a "chip builder" since you use chips, a very unique game)
Last edited by hepcat on Mon May 20, 2019 11:20 am, edited 2 times in total.
Lord of His Pants
- Isgrimnur
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Nightfall, Nightfall, and Nightfall.
Guaranteed player conflict, color-coded synergies, every player is involved in every turn, and in addition to a common pool, you also have a couple decks that are yours alone through a game-starting draft mechanic.
Guaranteed player conflict, color-coded synergies, every player is involved in every turn, and in addition to a common pool, you also have a couple decks that are yours alone through a game-starting draft mechanic.
It's almost as if people are the problem.
- Smoove_B
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Hadn't heard of Champions of Hara - I'll add it to my list of things to watch for!
Regarding deck builders, I think my two favorites are Aventuria and The Arkham Horror card game, probably both because of the stories that emerge from the game play. I'm guessing the appeal is won or lost on theme - high fantasy and Lovecraft are polarizing, apparently.
That being said, the thing to remember about the Arkham Horror card game is that it is difficult and you *can* play it like an insane deck builder where you custom create loadouts that require the purchase of multiple core sets. Here, you're absolutely looking to increase difficulty and create all kinds of crazy synergy with cards. If those themes aren't your bag, I really like the Legendary Encounters games. I own X-Files, but I've played Alien. I have Firefly but I'm waiting for my buddy to finish updating all the cards with show and movie art, not the abominations they shipped the game with. The mechanics once again seem to really fit the themes of the show or movies they're coming from.
I'm working on Shadowrift, but don't have an opinion yet. For a lighter, quicker game, After the Virus is quite fun.
And then there are games that are deck builders (maybe this is more of a "hand builder"?) but use miniatures (like Street Masters) for combat positioning, and now you're broke.
Regarding deck builders, I think my two favorites are Aventuria and The Arkham Horror card game, probably both because of the stories that emerge from the game play. I'm guessing the appeal is won or lost on theme - high fantasy and Lovecraft are polarizing, apparently.
That being said, the thing to remember about the Arkham Horror card game is that it is difficult and you *can* play it like an insane deck builder where you custom create loadouts that require the purchase of multiple core sets. Here, you're absolutely looking to increase difficulty and create all kinds of crazy synergy with cards. If those themes aren't your bag, I really like the Legendary Encounters games. I own X-Files, but I've played Alien. I have Firefly but I'm waiting for my buddy to finish updating all the cards with show and movie art, not the abominations they shipped the game with. The mechanics once again seem to really fit the themes of the show or movies they're coming from.
I'm working on Shadowrift, but don't have an opinion yet. For a lighter, quicker game, After the Virus is quite fun.
And then there are games that are deck builders (maybe this is more of a "hand builder"?) but use miniatures (like Street Masters) for combat positioning, and now you're broke.
Last edited by Smoove_B on Mon May 20, 2019 11:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
- hepcat
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
I don't really consider Aventuria and Arkham Horror deck builders though as I always thought that genre relied on you building your deck as you played by purchasing cards from a common market. But if we are including those two, then yeah, they're fantastic.
Lord of His Pants
- Smoove_B
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Yeah, I guess the definitions are "squishy" and I know people debate the finer details. I consider them deckbuilders in the sense that you create characters either by using a pre-constructed deck or by making a deck using a set of rules prior to starting the game. There are opportunities to add other cards, but it's not a core mechanic or something that happens every turn. There's definitely a difference then in the Legendary Encounters mechanic (potentially buying more cards every round) than in either of the games I like. It all depends on what you're looking for. I liked THUNDERSTONE back in the day but haven't tried the new implementation. I guess that would be more of a true deck builder (instead of Aventuria).
Maybe next year, maybe no go
- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
I almost picked up the Legendary Marvel game instead of Aeon's End on Saturday. It's likely to be next on the list, as I think Little B would love it. I showed her Shards of Infinity on the iPad, and she had it figured out in about 10 minutes.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
- Smoove_B
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Legendary Marvel is the original, the Legendary Encounters system is a slightly modified version of it (and I don't think there's a Marvel version). I haven't played anything other than the original but I think expansions (Dark City?) and add-ons really improved the core game. Someone else would have to chime in. It's a beast to setup but once you have it all sorted and organized i didn't find it to be too problematic. It's on my list of games to re-purchase - it's one I sold off years ago because no one would play it with me, but now that I "get" solo gaming, I think it makes more sense to add it back in.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
- hepcat
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
You chose wisely. Aeon's End edges out Legendary Encounters in my opinion. It's just a great, great system.
But definitely pick up Legendary Encounters. It's also a blast. I'd start with Alien. Although Firefly adds some neat twists to the franchise (managing your ship's damage being the biggest one). However, be warned that Firefly has the single worst art in the entire line. Not a single character even looks remotely like their counterpart on the show.
But that's purely cosmetic. The game itself is stellar.
And yeah, Legendary Encounters is the coop line within the Legendary franchise. I much prefer it to the head to head Legendary games. Games like Marvel Legendary and Big Trouble in Little China Legendary are just too simplistic and stale for my tastes.
But definitely pick up Legendary Encounters. It's also a blast. I'd start with Alien. Although Firefly adds some neat twists to the franchise (managing your ship's damage being the biggest one). However, be warned that Firefly has the single worst art in the entire line. Not a single character even looks remotely like their counterpart on the show.
But that's purely cosmetic. The game itself is stellar.
And yeah, Legendary Encounters is the coop line within the Legendary franchise. I much prefer it to the head to head Legendary games. Games like Marvel Legendary and Big Trouble in Little China Legendary are just too simplistic and stale for my tastes.
Lord of His Pants
- Smoove_B
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
My buddy gave me permission to share his PDF of all the updated Firefly cards when he's finished - just print, cut and slip into sleeves. I'll be sure to show pictures when I finally get my hands on it next month or so.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
- hepcat
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
But I'm used to Jayne looking like Tucker Carlson at this point! And I don't know if I can play without "creepy smiling Kaylee" looking at me from her card with an expression that seems to say, "I could kill a kitten without a single shred of remorse".
Lord of His Pants
- coopasonic
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Note that Legendary Marvel is also co-op, it is just co-op with a winner. You can totally ignore the "with a winner" part especially with the kids. Legendary Villains adds some direct player interference, but as long as you skip that and the Fear Itself expansion, you can play it pure co-op. Encounters games add the cooperate keyword making it more interactively cooperative as opposed to the "independent" cooperation of Marvel.
Regardless, Aeon's End is better. Also, the not shuffling is a key piece of the game and you need to learn how to use that to your advantage. A tip that Legacy taught me: If you leave the spark in the breach it isn't cluttering up your hand in those early turns where you need to be improving your deck, not dealing 1 point of damage.
-Coop
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter
- hepcat
- Posts: 53842
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Ah yeah, it's been so long since I played a Legendary game that I forgot that you actually fight a mastermind and not each other. Although you still declare a single winner.
I need to sell off my Legendary Marvel core and expansions at Gencon this year. They're just cluttering up my closet.
And great tip for Aeon's End. I hadn't thought of that.
I need to sell off my Legendary Marvel core and expansions at Gencon this year. They're just cluttering up my closet.
And great tip for Aeon's End. I hadn't thought of that.
Lord of His Pants
- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
OK, now I'm confused. So "Legendary" is a different game system from "Legendary Encounters"? They're all just sort of jumbled up together on Amazon, so I can't really tell where to start.Smoove_B wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2019 11:52 am Legendary Marvel is the original, the Legendary Encounters system is a slightly modified version of it (and I don't think there's a Marvel version). I haven't played anything other than the original but I think expansions (Dark City?) and add-ons really improved the core game. Someone else would have to chime in. It's a beast to setup but once you have it all sorted and organized i didn't find it to be too problematic. It's on my list of games to re-purchase - it's one I sold off years ago because no one would play it with me, but now that I "get" solo gaming, I think it makes more sense to add it back in.
This is the one I almost bought on Saturday, and it looks like it has a shit-ton of expansion(?) decks as well. Deadpool, Civil War, X-Men, Secret Wars, etc. Or maybe those are for a different system...?
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
- AWS260
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Those are all expansions for what you bought. There is no "Marvel Legendary Encounters" -- the "Legendary Encounters" name is used for different games set in other universes.
I enjoy Marvel Legendary. It's a straightforward deck-builder with a satisfying power curve. Not innovative or complex, but well-executed with a fun theme (if you like pretending to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. executive who treats superheroes like Pokemon, which I do).
- Smoove_B
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Yeah, the Marvel stuff is all just vanilla Legendary mechanics. It's co-op game play, no hidden agendas or traitors or additional story mechanics (at least in core set). Encounters adds more story, adversarial play, hidden traitor elements, etc... it's a whole additional set of layers on top of the basic Legendary mechanic. If you're going to play solo, I prefer the Encounter system. If you're going to play with your kid(s), I'd imagine the Marvel Legendary set is what you want. If they have familiarity with the movies, there's also this.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
- Skinypupy
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Re: OO Solo Board Gamers Guild
Got it, thanks.
While I'll likely play mostly with Little B, I assume Marvel Legendary is solo-able as well?
While I'll likely play mostly with Little B, I assume Marvel Legendary is solo-able as well?
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.