OO Solo Board Gamers Guild

MonkeyFinger · Post by **MonkeyFinger** » Sun Nov 17, 2019 7:41 pm

Nice, thanks for the write-ups Smooth.

I've got Crowbar!, Pavlov's House and Castle Itter here with Crowbar taking up almost all of my gaming table right now. In "portrait" mode it hangs just under an inch over the back my 34" square table, leaving 6" open down both sides. However, between work, family and taking the time to rebuild my Xbox One X twice (HD issues) I've not had time to try any of them as of yet.

Archinerd · Post by **Archinerd** » Fri Nov 22, 2019 10:10 am

Yes, thanks.

My wishlist grows.

MonkeyFinger · Post by **MonkeyFinger** » Fri Nov 22, 2019 4:18 pm

Just got caught up on my plethora of KS emails and found out the wooden cubes in Castle Itter are from Pavlov's House, a mistake by the fulfiller. I think they've rectified it for later shipments but now DVG has to get everyone who has bad cubes, good cubes i.e. cubes of the proper colors. And a coupon for $5 off your next purchase to get you to spend even more money!

Had no clue as they're not listed in the manual, only on the KS page as replacements for the cardboard markers or some such. Might have figured it out if I'd played the damn thing yet.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Dec 06, 2019 10:09 am

Been playing a lot of Marvel Champions over the last week, and I think it's a winner.

For reference, I didn't like Lord of the Rings LCG but I do like the Arkham LCG. This is clearly a variant of the two games and mechanically shares similarities. So far, it doesn't tilt as hard towards actual deck construction (in comparison to the other two), but I think in exchange it plays much faster. No worries about it getting old (without construction) because each hero can be customized with different theme decks (Justice, Aggression, etc...) that tweak your options and change the flow.

Additionally, this feels (at least in the intro scenario) like you can play it true solo. I know Arkham allegedly supports true solo, but in practice I never found it to work. As a true solo game, it really feels like you're reading a comic or watching a cartoon. I'm enjoying this more than I thought. I think the last few FFG have been off, so it was a nice surprise to get this and enjoy it right out of the gate. If you're a fan of card games and the basic mechanics of the other games I mentioned, this seems like a no-brainer for anyone interested in a Marvel theme. Would recommend.

Also, if you're worried that it's a LCG and that there are tons of expansions planned, that is true, however this feels very robust for a core box with 5 heroes included, each potentially using 4 different themes.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Fri Dec 06, 2019 11:05 am

I've had this sitting on my shelf is shrink-wrap since release. I need to break it out soon.

But Crisis Protocol has me really intrigued right now...

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Dec 06, 2019 12:15 pm

It's really quick to play, though it desperately needs dividers. Grab the user-created ones off of BGG and have them printed and laminated - makes setup and cleanup even faster.

There's a tutorial book provided that's well done and the starting combination is a Justice Spider-Man against Rhino, which I think is a great way to learn. If you're already familiar with how these types of games play (paying for cards, exhausting abilities, interrupting effects, etc...) then this won't be an issue at all to learn. The one thing that's really cool is that the hero can flip between hero and alter-ego side, depending on what you want done and/or whether or not you want to rest/heal. It's just this one little extra game play tweak, but it definitely changes the flow and overall strategy.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:01 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 12:15 pm It's really quick to play, though it desperately needs dividers. Grab the user-created ones off of BGG and have them printed and laminated - makes setup and cleanup even faster.

There's a tutorial book provided that's well done and the starting combination is a Justice Spider-Man against Rhino, which I think is a great way to learn. If you're already familiar with how these types of games play (paying for cards, exhausting abilities, interrupting effects, etc...) then this won't be an issue at all to learn. The one thing that's really cool is that the hero can flip between hero and alter-ego side, depending on what you want done and/or whether or not you want to rest/heal. It's just this one little extra game play tweak, but it definitely changes the flow and overall strategy.

I have a Boy Scout lock-in tonight, you think I could break it out and get up to speed with a couple of other players as I read?

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:14 pm

Probably, yeah. The tutorial assumes a 2 player game vs Rhino. They even include pre-sorted decks to help speed up that first play. But I'd need to issue you a warning for pretending to be a solo gamer.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:30 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:14 pm Probably, yeah. The tutorial assumes a 2 player game vs Rhino. They even include pre-sorted decks to help speed up that first play. But I'd need to issue you a warning for pretending to be a solo gamer.

Yeah, I ventured out afield from the introverted halls of solo land. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:36 pm

Hey, we all make mistakes.

I think the character interactions with this will be quite interesting, playing two handed or with multiple people. I don't have a sense though for whether or not it would bog down in any way with a particular player count but it (generally) feels faster than Arkham or LotR solo (so far).

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:42 pm

I put Marvel Champions on my Christmas list due to the good word of mouth. I don't *quite* see what the fuss is about based on the playthroughs I've watched, but I think I'll enjoy it once I get to experience it for myself.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:47 pm

The theme and how the mechanics make you feel like you're really playing as a superhero are what I'm enjoying most. There's also just enough thinking - where you need to come up with your best option for a particular turn, anticipating what might happen or planning on how you're going to respond if what you fear will happen, does. The integration of side characters and various personalities from the Marvel universe into the various decks (outside of your hero deck) is another layer.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 1:02 pm

If there's anything I learned from my 3 absolute disastrous attempts at Chapter 1 of Tainted Grail, it's DON'T FRIGGIN' TRY TO TAKE ON EVERY ENCOUNTER YOU GET! Seriously, run away if the loot is like 1 food and an autographed picture of Ben Folds or something. I lost 3 different battles to highwaymen, a witch, and I think a Girl Scout troop at one point. You start off weak for a reason...you need to build up your combat and diplomacy decks, craft some gear and increase your skills. The first 2 or 3 chapters should be mostly about exploration.

I'm going to give it a 4th go around this week, methinks.

Ah well, I'm getting my money's worth I guess. I'm betting it'll take me almost double the reported 30 to 32 hours to complete the base game. Also, it really does appear that there's some replayability due to the branching paths and the different characters to try.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 1:10 pm

Wow, I hadn't heard it was that punishing. I unpacked everything yesterday and sorted (best I could) the components and I'll probably give it a go later this week. I have about 6 KS projects delivering or being delivered in the next few weeks (allegedly), so I'm on overload right now. I spent yesterday afternoon and evening just opening boxes, sorting components and then boxing it all back up for like 3 different games. I need to condense a few others (Street Masters, Deep Madness, Apocrypha) and likely do another round of keep it/sell it.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 1:23 pm

Meanwhile, I haven't even received a shipping notification.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 1:24 pm

Play the included tutorial. It does a fantastic job of painlessly teaching you the rules with an interactive step by step. You'll find it on a separate 4 page booklet.

However, the combat they walk you through makes it seem almost like you'll have a chance to win encounters early in the game...this was not my experience once I left the confines of the tutorial chapter. The fact that as part of the enemy attack step, you often LOSE the cubes you need to defeat the enemy in a combat encounter really knocked the winds out of my sail. Especially since many of them include a "run away" option when they take too much damage. But the downside of the player running away is often minimal early on (lose a food, discard a card, etc.).

The biggest issue I've had with the game so far though has been trying to figure out what cards belong to what character. They TELL you to go back the color or the text on the bottom right of the cards, but neither make much sense. I had to find the cards that include the character name at the top of the banner in order to figure out what color matches what player board, as well as what letter matches a player board (they don't go the obvious route of matching B with the Beor character, they go with U for Beor, for example). I found it all very annoying.

The other thing that annoyed me about the game is that the time dials you put in a Menhir base or that you use for numerous other game mechanics are almost impossible to read unless you look at them VERY closely. And even then I had to look at the surrounding numbers to see what it's supposed to be.

But once you get going, it's 7th Continent with a fun combat mini game. And the story is top notch so far. It really is 7th Continent on steroids.

Isgrimnur wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2019 1:23 pm Meanwhile, I haven't even received a shipping notification.

For TG? I know they're still shipping, so you must have unfortunately got the back luck of the draw.

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2019 1:10 pm I need to condense a few others (Street Masters, Deep Madness, Apocrypha) and likely do another round of keep it/sell it.

I condensed my copy of Apocrypha by selling the damn thing after my first two tries.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 1:33 pm

I went looking for details. I opted for single shipment, and went all-in, so I won't get anything until Phase 2 drops.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 1:34 pm

Ouch, yeah. I just assumed you had split shipping. I was too weak to wait.

However, on the plus side, you'll be able to play with ALL the goodies when you get it. All the characters, all the backstory stuff, etc.. You'll be immersed for hundreds of hours with the game.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 1:53 pm

I went same shipment because I know my issues. If I get the game, I'll mess with it until I burn myself out, and then the second wave shipment will never get touched.

It's why I don't generally buy EA games and getting the season passes for online shooters was generally a waste.

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 2:04 pm

I was going to ask if you went with one shipment. I did partially because I know I'll probably not play it when the expansion/extras come in. And partially because I probably won't have managed to get the base game on the table before the 2nd shipment arrives.

Funny that hep mentions Apocrypha. I know that he is very much not a fan, but I still like it. I have a friend in town, and we are currently playing it. We've played through 2 games so far and are enjoying it. But this makes the 3rd and 4th times that I've played it... since I got it. It's nice to actually have the characters develop. I'm hoping we can get in 3-4 more games before he leaves. I think we are going to focus on just playing one game for the visit instead of trying to play multiple different games and have to go through the learning phase for each one.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 2:31 pm

As always, if you enjoy something, don't let my personal criticisms stop you from doing so. I know a LOT of people who don't like many of the game I enjoy. So take my little quips with a grain of salt at all times.

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 2:33 pm

hepcat wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2019 2:31 pm As always, if you enjoy something, don't let my personal criticisms stop you from doing so. I know a LOT of people who don't like many of the game I enjoy. So take my little quips with a grain of salt at all times.

I did. As I recall, your main issue was the artwork. I, however, like the artwork.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 2:35 pm

It was definitely more than just the artwork.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Mon Dec 16, 2019 11:06 am

I tried the solo mode of Era: Medieval Age over the weekend. It's a straightforward score-chase using almost all of the multiplayer rules, with two exceptions: instead of ending the game by exhausting a building supply, you simply play 8 rounds; and there's a pseudo-opponent who can steal resources from you during the "extort" phase.

Overall, solo Era has much more relaxed feel than the multiplayer version. You're racing the clock, not other people, so it's easier to plan ahead. As a result, I ended up building a pretty decent city, as opposed to my usual semi-crap city (I have yet to win a game of Era). Two monasteries! Two markets! A hospital!

I was feeling pretty good about myself, until I checked my score against the chart in the rules. 60 points = "peasant," the second-worst ranking. I guess I still have yet to win a game of Era.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Dec 17, 2019 3:34 pm

I acquired a copy of Nightfighter through the BGG market, and there are solo rules available, so I look forward to setting this up on the dining room table that was mostly cleared for the Thanksgiving that we ended up not having to host. Although I may wait until after Christmas, as that's prime wrapping real estate.

MonkeyFinger · Post by **MonkeyFinger** » Wed Dec 18, 2019 10:03 am

Isgrimnur wrote: Tue Dec 17, 2019 3:34 pm I acquired a copy of Nightfighter through the BGG market, and there are solo rules available, so I look forward to setting this up on the dining room table that was mostly cleared for the Thanksgiving that we ended up not having to host. Although I may wait until after Christmas, as that's prime wrapping real estate.

Be curious what you think! The first model I recall my dad "helping" me build was a P-61 Black Widow.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Thu Dec 19, 2019 12:07 am

Mrs Skinypupy didn’t do a good job of hiding the presents, so I now know I’m getting Mage Knight Ultimate Edition for Christmas.

I wasn’t snooping...she asked me to get something out of her car, and the game was sitting right underneath that package

I’ve been putting off buying it for myself because it looked rather intimidating. Getting it as a present takes away that excuse.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Dec 19, 2019 12:17 am

I'm assuming the updated version still includes the how-to-play guide. Probably one of the best I've ever used for a game. I remember thinking the same thing, but it's not really as complicated as you might think.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Thu Dec 19, 2019 12:24 am

Smoove_B wrote: Thu Dec 19, 2019 12:17 am I'm assuming the updated version still includes the how-to-play guide. Probably one of the best I've ever used for a game. I remember thinking the same thing, but it's not really as complicated as you might think.

Maybe...?

Now, after wowing solo game players and groups of up to 5, this Ultimate Edition brings it all together in a self-contained gaming experience. The Ultimate Edition includes the original base game plus all three expansions: The Lost Legion, Krang, and Shades of Tezla. It features comprehensive integrated rules text, 5 all-new cards, alternate paint jobs, and a great price that cant be beat!

EzeKieL · Post by **EzeKieL** » Thu Dec 19, 2019 1:25 am

It's an awesome game

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Thu Dec 19, 2019 4:22 pm

YellowKing wrote: Sun Aug 05, 2018 12:00 am Next we played a prototype of ONE DECK GALAXY. If you were afraid this would be a simple re-skin of ONE DECK DUNGEON, you needn’t worry. While the basic mechanics of dice placement are still there, the “fight through the dungeon and beat the boss” mechanism is gone. Now it’s a points race to accumulate 50 points of “stuff” before the ever-increasingly strong boss alien race consumes 6 planets and wins the game. The strategy is a bit deeper in regards to burning through the deck (no more time mechanic) - the cards you get as rewards are now also shortening your deck, so there’s a trade-off mechanic you have to think about. Also low dice now serve more purpose, so a “bad” roll can have unexpected benefits. It’s a lot of fun and I personally enjoyed it MORE than ODD.

I played a solo game of One Deck Galaxy ("version 0.95"), which I picked up at PAX Unplugged. At least in this iteration, it's significantly fiddlier, longer, and more complex than One Deck Dungeon. I haven't figured out yet if I like that more or less.

The core One Deck Dungeon mechanics are still here: use dice to acquire cards, tuck cards under your character sheet for extra dice or special abilities that let you manipulate dice, rinse and repeat. In Galaxy, the cards are planets instead of monsters.

One Deck Galaxy introduces several new mechanics and resources:

"Tech discs" are required to activate special abilities.

"Science" is a resource you can expend to gain certain upgrades and colonize certain planets. You gain Science by placing dice in your Research Lab. Dice in the Research Lab must be in ascending order; color doesn't matter (for example, a three-die set of 2-3-4 would generate two Science).

"Fleets" are very similar to Science, in both how they are used and how they are gained.

"Influence" is a tracking mechanism that's used in several different ways, including tracking your Adversary's growing strength and your progress in colonizing planets.

"Federation discs" are another tracking mechanism, used to mark your progress against the Adversary and against milestones.

"Milestones" are basically achievements that require you to meet a certain goal and then expend specific resources. For example, in my game last night one milestone was "have at least 14 dice, and then spend 4 fleets." Achieving milestones unlocks new special abilities and prevents you from falling too far behind the Adversary.

Balancing all of these systems is very engaging moment-to-moment. The overall experience is more cerebral and less visceral than One Deck Dungeon, which could be a plus or a minus depending on what you're looking for.

It will be interesting to see how One Deck Galaxy evolves before its release next year. At a minimum, the manual needs some work, and the character sheet layout could be clarified in some important ways. I'm planning to try it at least one more time and send some feedback to the designer.

WYBaugh · Post by **WYBaugh** » Wed Dec 25, 2019 1:11 pm

Hey guys!

I've been perusing this awesome thread and would like to get a recommendation from the experts:

Board Game noob looking for a fun and engaging solo experience. Which would you recommend from the following?

The 7th Continent
Star Trek Frontiers
Street Masters
Star Wars Outer Rim
Target for Today
Mage Knight

Thanks guys and Merry Christmas!

Tao · Post by **Tao** » Wed Dec 25, 2019 4:01 pm

I am having a blast with Street Masters, even just the core game, which is about all you can get at the moment but it is on sale, should have a lot of content and replay value.

Mage Knight has been on my short list for a while now. With the new Ultimate release you can get a ton of content for a very reasonable price.

Not sure what criteria you used for your list but I will throw in a few other recommendations;

Too Many Bones - I think this is a fantastic game and again, even just the core set will provide a good amount of content and replay ability and there are a good number of add-ons now. This is probably the priciest of my list. If you have Tabletop Simulator you can try Too Many Bones for free.

Sword and Sorcery: Immortal Souls - I find it a lot of fun, has a progressive campaign and is pretty economical. The core game isn't as robust with only 7 quests but there are probably a dozen additional heroes you can get and I think 3 expansions if you like the game.

Pathfinder Adventure Card Game - Paizo just re-released this game in a more streamlined and slightly less expensive model. Another game I thoroughly enjoy with a lot of content and replay value. You can get the new core set plus expansion for under $100 at the moment. Another candidate for Tabletop Simulator.

Gloomhaven - Tons of information on this game, just about everyone who plays loves it, you can sink many many hours in to the campaign and the price has dropped considerably. You can purchase new for about $100 right now. Also available for Tabletop Simulator.

Anonymous Bosch · Post by **Anonymous Bosch** » Wed Dec 25, 2019 4:23 pm

WYBaugh wrote: Wed Dec 25, 2019 1:11 pm Hey guys!

I've been perusing this awesome thread and would like to get a recommendation from the experts:

Board Game noob looking for a fun and engaging solo experience. Which would you recommend from the following?

The 7th Continent
Star Trek Frontiers
Street Masters
Star Wars Outer Rim
Target for Today
Mage Knight

Thanks guys and Merry Christmas!

My vote would go to The 7th Continent, just for the sheer sense of discovery and vast amount of rewarding gameplay it provides; it's the top-ranked solo game on BGG for very good reason. Don't forget to keep the core loop of gameplay in mind while playing (i.e. explore, hunt, explore). It's easy to overlook that it's a survival-exploration game first and foremost, as you'll discover so many fascinating aspects to explore.

Depending on which theme most appeals to you though, Star Trek: Frontiers/Mage Knight also makes for an immensely enjoyable solo experience. Personally, I find the theme for Star Trek: Frontiers to be a much more suitable and enjoyable fit for the underlying mechanics than the clunky fantasy theme of Mage Knight, but YMMV. I suggest watching Ricky Royal's Box of Delights Star Trek: Frontiers playthroughs to develop a solid overall feel for how the game plays, and grabbing this handy quick reference guide from BGG. Between the two, you should find it a whole lot easier just to refer to the rulebook to fill in the gaps in your knowledge and get up and running in fairly short order.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Wed Dec 25, 2019 5:41 pm

In a crazy surprise move, my wife got me FOLKLORE: THE AFFLICTION for Christmas. I think it's one I'd had on my wishlist a long time ago and had completely forgotten about.

It seems to be one of those love it/hate it games among the solo community. The chief complaint I've seen is that it can be very fiddly, but we'll see how it goes. I always enjoy a good dungeon crawl so It will at least be something fun to mess around with over the holiday break.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Wed Dec 25, 2019 5:45 pm

Good lord, I'm gonna need more sleep before I can even begin to wrap my head around Mage Knight.

This thing is...big.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Dec 25, 2019 7:03 pm

YellowKing wrote: Wed Dec 25, 2019 5:41 pmIt seems to be one of those love it/hate it games among the solo community. The chief complaint I've seen is that it can be very fiddly, but we'll see how it goes. I always enjoy a good dungeon crawl so It will at least be something fun to mess around with over the holiday break.

It was the closest thing to playing a Pen-n-Paper RPG I've ever encountered, and its ties to games like D&D are pretty strong. More specifically, I didn't find it to be balanced at all for 2 characters. Instead, you always needed to have 4 of the "core" character archetypes represented or you were going to die. I think people worked on custom/house tweaks for solo play with 2 characters, but I moved on long before that happened. I was sad to leave it behind as I really enjoyed the overall presentation, theme and basic mechanics.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Thu Dec 26, 2019 4:07 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Wed Dec 25, 2019 5:45 pm Good lord, I'm gonna need more sleep before I can even begin to wrap my head around Mage Knight.

This thing is...big.

Ricky Royal is the solo Mage Knight king...

i personally am not much of a fan, but many swear by his play-throughs.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:26 pm

coopasonic wrote: Thu Dec 26, 2019 4:07 pm
Skinypupy wrote: Wed Dec 25, 2019 5:45 pm Good lord, I'm gonna need more sleep before I can even begin to wrap my head around Mage Knight.

This thing is...big.
Ricky Royal is the solo Mage Knight king...

i personally am not much of a fan, but many swear by his play-throughs.

Yup, working my way through those.

It’s a little different with the Ultimate edition though, since expansion content now figures in.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Dec 30, 2019 11:48 am

I'm about halfway through the first FOLKLORE: THE AFFLICTION scenario so I thought I'd give some quick impressions:

- I can see why some people would love this and some would not. It's VERY much an old-school dungeon crawl in the D&D vein, where difficulty can come down to a roll of the dice. I personally don't mind the luck - I grew up on D&D so it was a fun return to those days. The only downside is that it's like playing D&D with an unforgiving and ruthless DM who won't fudge the numbers or give the players an out. I've survived thus far - barely - but as a starting character there's almost nothing I can do to mitigate bad dice rolls. Particularly in Skirmishes where you have no tactical options - it's either hit or miss.

- I'm playing four characters and so far haven't found it to be overly difficult to manage. While you do have to pay careful attention to what powers and items each character has, I've just gotten in the habit of reviewing all that info at that start of each turn to make sure I'm not missing anything.

- Replayability appears to be pretty low given that there are branching choices you must make throughout, and knowing the outcomes could sway how you play. However, I have so many games to play that zipping through a one and done campaign is perfectly fine with me.

Tentative thumbs up for me so far. I haven't yet gotten into any advanced combat, nor have I seen how leveling works, so I'll reserve final judgment until I figure all that out. However, for a solo D&D-like experience, it's a lot of fun.