Dungeon Roll

In my last blog post I wrote that I would talk about the other game I played by Tasty Minstrel Games; Dungeon Roll. I was rather distracted last night from writing as we had a full-on gaming session with new friends, and it was quite epic! We ended up playing Burgoo, Machi Koro, Broom Service, Imperial Settlers (twice), Button Men, Star Wars: Imperial Assault, Hannibal Island and One Night Ultimate Werewolf. I was proud of my performance in the last round of One Night Ultimate Werewolf, as I was the werewolf but pretended to be the troublemaker in a way that finally fooled everyone, I lied for the first time without going bright red or quavering!

But, back to the main event, Dungeon Roll is a dungeon delving dice game designed by Chris Darden, where you push your luck as the adventurous Hero, creeping into dark dungeons to seek fortune and glory with numerous companions to assist you. The game components are plentiful and very attractive; gorgeous custom dice, illustrated cards and counters all rest in the treasure chest. The cards depict the Hero characters, the counters are the treasure and the XP, the white dice are the companions for the adventurer to roll, the black d6 dice are the encounters in the dungeon and the d10 die is to record what level your Hero is at.

The white die faces are the Champion, Fighter, Cleric, Mage, Thief and a scroll that can be used to re-roll dice. Each companion has different abilities that could allow you to defeat a foe, defeat multiple foes or open chests. The black die faces consist of the perils of the dungeon and the spoils; a treasure chest and a potion for quaffing that can be used to revive companions, and perils are goblins, skeletons, oozey creatures and the dreaded dragon.

Before the game begins you choose a Hero card from the stash. The cards are double sided, you start with the novice and you can turn over your card to reveal the master when you level up at 5XP. 

The game starts by the adventurer rolling the white dice to determine who will be accompanying them to the dungeon, whilst the opposing player acts as the Dungeon Lord, setting the ten-sided die to level one then rolling one black die to see what the first encounter will be. For each time you push your luck delving into the dungeon, ascending a new level, the Dungeon Lord will roll that many die for you to tackle. You use your companions to kill the monsters, quaff the potions and open the chests, then the companions are retired for that turn. 

If you roll three dragons on the black dice this means you must fight it with three different types of companions, so knowing when to stop pushing your luck can be a good strategy! You do not want to be facing a dragon with only two or less companions, unless you have a special ability on your card that aids you. Opening the chest allows you to pick up a piece of treasure at random, I like to pour all the counters in the chest and fumble around inside with my eyes closed. The treasure you gain presents the adventurer with abilities that can be used once then returned to the chest, and some count as XP if you still possess them at the end of the game.

After defeating monsters, unlocking chests, looting treasure and possibly evading or slaying a dragon, the Hero flees the dungeon and regroups at a tavern with any leftover survivors. Here, they toast their victory if they have uncovered a fortune, or drown their sorrows if they lost their comrades and return empty handed.   

This is another enjoyable game from TMG, that can be set up quickly and has more to it than some of the other push your luck dice games out there. The Hero cards give you options with their abilities and the treasure you pick up can help you when you are in a jam. The game could be brief or more lengthy, depending on how many players you have. An additional advantage is that it can be played solo, as well as with up to four players. and I think that is handy as I know a few people I would like to keep occupied while I am in the bath! 

Thanks for reading :)

Marisa xx