Tag: Dice Rolling

Dice Rolling is a common mechanic in games where players roll one or more die to decide an outcome.

The Siege of Runedar

| T3d-1978
The Siege of Runedar

The Siege of Runedar

Since time immemorial, the mines of Runedar have supplied gold to generations of dwarves. Today, only a handful of them remain, guarding the fortress surrounding the entrance to the old, depleted mine… or so it was thought. This group of dwarves have been fortunate enough to accidently stumble upon a new vein of the purest gold and have managed to extract a small treasure. Unfortunately, just as they were about to set off to the safety of the nearest stronghold, they discover that the old fortress of Runedar is surrounded by orcs who are willing to do anything to get their hands on the precious metal. Now, the dwarves not only need to defend the fortress, they also must dig a tunnel under the mountain to escape and get their hard-earned gold to safety.

The Siege of Runedar is a co-operative game for 1-4 players who take on the role of dwarves charged with defending the walls of Runedar and the treasure they keep within. They will have to face orcs, goblins, and trolls, fighting in hand-to-hand combat against those who manage to get past the walls and shooting from a distance at those who try to enter. A deck-building system allows players to upgrade their weapons and tools as they must hold off the raiders long enough to build a tunnel to escape the terrible siege they have been subjected to and get the treasure to safety.

Game Mechanics:

  • Area Movement
  • Cooperative
  • Deck Building
  • Dice Rolling
  • Open Drafting

Game Specifications:

  • 1 – 4 Players
  • 60 – 90 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.33

The Shores of Tripoli

| T3d-1978
The Shores of Tripoli

The Shores of Tripoli

From the end of the American Revolution, commercial vessels of the young United States republic were easy prey for the pirates of the Barbary coast. In 1801, newly inaugurated President Thomas Jefferson was eager to put an end to this threat and sent a “squadron of observation” to the Mediterranean. As the squadron arrived in Gibraltar, they learned that the bashaw of Tripoli had already declared WAR!

The Shores of Tripoli plays out this exciting episode of Early American military history. As the United States, one player will pressure Tripolitania to allow the free movement of American merchant vessels – or face the consequences. As the bashaw of Tripoli, the other player will continue the lucrative piracy of the fearsome corsairs while countering the American threat on land and sea.

Beautiful and informative cards represent historical events and leaders from the First Barbary War. Players can move ships, start battles, go on pirate raids, engage in diplomacy and receive reinforcements. Includes over 80 wooden playing pieces, 24 dice and a premium mounted map.

Game Mechanics:

  • Campaign
  • Dice Rolling
  • Hand Management
  • Wargame

Game Specifications:

  • 1 – 2 Players
  • 45 – 60 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.11

Shelfie Stacker

| T3d-1978
Shelfie Stacker

Shelfie Stacker

So you’ve picked up a new game, eh? Or did you finally get your eager hands on that expansion you’ve been waiting on for the past year? Well now the real game begins — how on Earth will you fit it into your alphabetized, colour coordinated and divinely crafted new board game shelf? Well, what does it really matter? It’s probably going to just sit there in shrink for the next six months anyway — sorry, too real? Let’s just move on then…

In Shelfie Stacker, players compete to accumulate the most illustrious board game collection, by carefully filling their shelf with their most recent purchases.

The game is played over the course of 7 rounds. Each round, groups of 3 dice are randomly rolled and placed into piles. These dice represent groups of board games. From their hand of 8 action cards, players must select 1 card to play facedown. These cards will not only determine turn order, but also provide a one-time ability to help players better stack their shelf.

There are specific rules around how dice can be placed into players’ shelves, so careful planning is required. At the end of 7 rounds, the player with the best shelfie wins!

Game Mechanics:

  • Deck Building
  • Dice Rolling
  • Hand Management
  • Pattern Building

Game Specifications:

  • 1 – 4 Players
  • 20 – 40 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.10

Shaolia

| T3d-1978
Shaolia

Shaolia

Shaolia is a board game filled with deadly strategy and countless possibilities to build your own kingdom.

  • Build your very own kingdom with various building & character cards
  • Utilize creative tactics to take the lead with highly dynamic game play
  • Dive into the world of Shaolia through fantastic artwork and storylines

There are two ways to win in Shaolia. You can either deal 12 damage to your opponent’s palace and destroy it, or you can achieve 18 culture score.

The game is played through multiple rounds.
A round consists of 3 different phases.

  • Purchase Phase: Purchase cards and resources.
  • Building Phase: Build the purchased cards on the territory board.
  • Action Phase:  Roll the dice and activate cards built on the territory board, using dice.

Game Mechanics:

  • City Building
  • Dice Rolling
  • Open Drafting
  • Worker Placement

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 4 Players
  • 30 – 60 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.43

Shadows over Camelot

| T3d-1978
Shadows over Camelot

Shadows over Camelot

Shadows over Camelot is a cooperative/semi-cooperative hand-management and deduction-based board game for 3–7 players.

Each player represents a knight of the Round Table and they must collaborate to overcome a number of quests, ranging from defeating the Black Knight to the search for the Holy Grail. Completed quests place white swords on the Round Table; failed quests add black swords and/or siege engines around Camelot. The knights are trying to build a majority of white swords on the Table before Camelot falls.

On each knight’s turn, the knight takes a “heroic action”, such as moving to a new quest, building his hand, or playing cards to advance the forces of good. However, he must also choose one of three evil actions, each of which will bring Camelot closer to defeat.

Moreover, one of the knights may be a traitor, pretending to be a loyal member of the party but secretly hindering his fellow knights in subtle ways, biding his time, waiting to strike at the worst possible moment…

But enough words… don your cloak, climb astride your warhorse, and gallop into the Shadows to join us in Camelot!

Game Mechanics:

  • Bluffing
  • Cooperative
  • Deduction
  • Hand Management
  • Limited Communication
  • Player Elimination
  • Set Collection
  • Team Based

Game Specifications:

  • 3 – 7 Players
  • 60 – 80 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.57

Shadowgate

| T3d-1978
Shadowgate

Shadowgate

“Five to find, three are one. One gives access, the Bladed Sun.
The Silver Orb, to banish below. The Staff of Ages, to vanquish the foe. Joining two, the Golden Thorn. The last to invoke, the Platinum Horn.”

You have heard this prophecy many times – one regarding the chosen hero that will save the Westland from a great and rising darkness. Those days are now before you, for Talimar the Starless – the Warlock Lord – is once again moving in this world. He has descended far below Castle Shadowgate, ready to release a creature of immense power upon the world and bring it into chaos!

Shadowgate: The Living Castle is a 2-4 player board game based on the Macventure, Kemco NES and 2014 remake video game, Shadowgate. In it you’ll explore Shadowgate, the Living Castle, discovering relics and spells and completing legendary quests. Players can choose between eight characters that have their own unique class, traits, and abilities, then use these characters to compete for XP (experience points). For each item you equip, each quest you complete, each djinn riddle you answer, and each monster you defeat, you gain XP. Compete against other players to piece together the fabled Staff of Ages – It is only then will you be able to confront the Warlock Lord, fulfill the prophecy, and be crowned High Lord of the Westland!

Game Mechanics:

  • Cooperative
  • Dice Rolling

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 4 Players
  • 30 – 60 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.00

Shadow Kingdoms of Valeria

| T3d-1978
Shadow Kingdoms of Valeria

Shadow Kingdoms of Valeria

For years the humans, elves, and dwarves have been slowly encroaching on your territories and slaying your kind in the name of progress. They’ve built their citadels, keeps, and villages as they push you further into the darkness. Now is the time to rally your troops and lay waste to their kind and bring forth the reign of the Shadow Kingdoms!

You are a Warden hungry for the destruction of Valeria. You must outwit the other Wardens to earn the right to command an army for the Shadow Kingdoms. Visit dark Shrines to gain minions, magic, gems, and gold to fuel your war machine. Command monsters into battle to conquer the lands and earn Victory Points. The player with the most Victory Points at the end of the game will be declared the winner.

On your turn, you must move your Warden from its current location to a new location. When your Warden enters one of the 5 Shrines, you first take any available die from the Shrine and place it on your player board, then perform the Shrine action associated with the Shrine.

There are 5 troop types (die colors) in the game: Goblin (green), Orc (red), Skeleton (white), Gargoyle (purple), and Gnoll (brown). Send your Warden to the Camp on your player board to use your minion dice to resolve battle plans and place Victory tokens on your Campaign board.

Game Mechanics:

  • Dice Rolling
  • Open Drafting
  • Worker Placement

Game Specifications:

  • 1 – 5 Players
  • 30 – 75 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.56

Sagrada

| T3d-1978
Sagrada

Sagrada

Draft dice and use the tools-of-the-trade in Sagrada to carefully construct your stained glass window masterpiece.

In more detail, each player builds a stained glass window by building up a grid of dice on their player board. Each board has some restrictions on which color or shade (value) of die can be placed there. Dice of the same shade or color may never be placed next to each other. Dice are drafted in player order, with the start player rotating each round, snaking back around after the last player drafts two dice. Scoring is variable per game based on achieving various patterns and varieties of placement…as well as bonus points for dark shades of a particular hidden goal color.

Special tools can be used to help you break the rules by spending skill tokens; once a tool is used, it then requires more skill tokens for the other players to use them.

The highest scoring window artisan wins!

Game Mechanics:

  • Dice Rolling
  • Grid Coverage
  • Open Drafting
  • Pattern Building
  • Puzzle
  • Set Collection

Game Specifications:

  • 1 – 4 Players
  • 30 – 45 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.92

Rune Stones

| T3d-1978
Rune Stones

Rune Stones

Rune Stones is a deck-building, hand management game by acclaimed designer Rüdiger Dorn. In Rune Stones, every card has a unique number on it. Two cards are always played together, and the higher numbered card is removed from the player’s deck. You have to be careful which cards you buy and how you play them to not lose your best cards. Players will use their cards to gather gems, forge them into Artifacts, then combine those into Rune Stones, which grants a special ability for the rest of the game. The more artifacts used in making a Rune Stone, the more points it scores, so players must decide whether it is best to gain abilities early or save to score more points.

On your turn, you may choose from one of three options:

1. Summon Creatures: Take new creature cards from the display by playing the appropriate amount of spell power from cards in your hand.

2. Play Cards: Play two cards from your hand, which will give you resources, new cards, or points. However, every card has a unique number, and the higher numbered card of the two is removed from the game (the other is placed in the player’s discard pile).

3. Forge Artifacts: Players spend gems at the 6 different Dwarf forges to make an artifacts. Once they have at least two artifacts of different colors, these may be made into a Rune Stone, which grants a special ability and a significant number of points.

The first player to 65 points triggers the end of the game, and then the player with the most points at the end of the round is the winner.

Game Mechanics:

  • Deck Building
  • Dice Rolling
  • Hand Management
  • Set Collection

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 4 Players
  • ~60 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.35

Rolling Realms

| T3d-1978
Rolling Realms

Rolling Realms

In the early days of the coronavirus, a time of self-isolation for many people, Jamey decided to create an infinitely scaling roll-and-write game to teach and play with people around the world via Facebook Live.

In Rolling Realms, players compete to earn the most stars in a series of minigames over 3 rounds. This is a roll-and-write game, meaning that players will write on the game components using dry-erase markers.

Each turn, one player rolls 2 dice, and all players use the dice results on their realm cards to generate resources and earn stars. After 3 rounds, the player with the most stars wins!

Game Mechanics:

  • Bingo
  • Dice Rolling
  • Paper and Pencil

Game Specifications:

  • 1 – 6 Players
  • ~30 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.93