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Board Game and Gaming Accessory Suggestions

susansusan Registered User regular
edited December 2009 in Critical Failures
Hello Forumers!

Here's the pleasant but perplexing situation: Through a strange set of circumstances, I have recently come into possession of $100 worth of Gift Certificates to a fine local business known as Comic Book Ink, your basic FLGS/Comic/Boardgame/Nerd Haven. And I... am drawing a total blank on what to purchase. My comic book supplies are fine, my RPG Library is full, so I'm leaning towards expanding my lackluster Board Game and Gaming Accessory Supplies. And so, your advice is needed. What I am looking for fall into these categories:

-Board Games
-Tabletop and RPG Accessories
-Other

What would you buy, and advise a friend to buy? The manager swears he can special order pretty much anything, so go absolutely crazy here. Thanks!

2010 PAX DM Challenge Grand Champion
2011 PAX Warmachine/Hordes Champion
susan on

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    DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Well, there are a hell of a lot of great board games out there... are there any kind of games you care for more than others? How many people do you usually play games with?

    DarkPrimus on
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    RyadicRyadic Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Give us an idea what you like and there are plenty of people that can suggest a number of games for you.

    Check out this thread.

    Ryadic on
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    DarianDarian Yellow Wizard The PitRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    We also need to know about how many players/what ages you're buying for. An adult group of 6 needs very different games than a husband/wife pair or parents with three elementary age children.

    But in addition to the general Boardgame thread that Ryadic linked, you could check out this gift guide on BoardGameGeek and see if any of those whet your fancy.

    Darian on
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    streeverstreever Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Get LOOT! It's not much fun at 2 people, but becomes very strategic at 3. I've played with 2 decks and up to 6 people before. I really enjoy it, and it's cheap.

    streever on
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    SkyCaptainSkyCaptain IndianaRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Formula De/D (French/American versions) (Formula One racing) are both very fun games. The rules for the American version are much better though and includes a much easier way to handle crash, brake, fuel, and more for newbies.

    SkyCaptain on
    The RPG Bestiary - Dangerous foes and legendary monsters for D&D 4th Edition
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    streeverstreever Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Oh man skycaptain, you should try Miles Borne, the original french racing card game:
    http://thehouseofcards.com/retail/millebornes.html

    streever on
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    SkyCaptainSkyCaptain IndianaRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Can't look at it at work. Will check it out when I get home.

    SkyCaptain on
    The RPG Bestiary - Dangerous foes and legendary monsters for D&D 4th Edition
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    streeverstreever Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Formula D looks cool too--I'll have to play that sometime.

    streever on
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    Kevin R BrownKevin R Brown __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2009
    If you don't already own it, Arkham Horror is a great thing to have on your shelf.

    Kevin R Brown on
    ' As always when their class interests are at stake, the capitalists can dispense with noble sentiments like the right to free speech or the struggle against tyranny.'
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    DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Actually, since it is exactly $100... if they have a copy of Space Hulk, get Space Hulk.

    DarkPrimus on
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    DarianDarian Yellow Wizard The PitRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    Actually, since it is exactly $100... if they have a copy of Space Hulk, get Space Hulk.

    Seriously? No, that's not the best use of $100 for board games, when she could get Chaos in the Old World, Puerto Rico, and Race for the Galaxy for that. If she already had a solid collection of standard games in various genres, maybe, but she said it is lackluster.

    Darian on
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    RyadicRyadic Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Darian wrote: »
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    Actually, since it is exactly $100... if they have a copy of Space Hulk, get Space Hulk.

    Seriously? No, that's not the best use of $100 for board games, when she could get Chaos in the Old World, Puerto Rico, and Race for the Galaxy for that. If she already had a solid collection of standard games in various genres, maybe, but she said it is lackluster.

    I wouldn't suggest getting both Puerto Rico and Race for the Galaxy at the same time. They are both very similar in their mechanics. If you're looking for variety I would definitely go for something else.

    Personally I like Race for the Galaxy more than PR, but PR is the more popular game. I'd say go with your preference of card game or board.

    Ryadic on
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    UtsanomikoUtsanomiko Bros before Does Rollin' in the thlayRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Darian wrote: »
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    Actually, since it is exactly $100... if they have a copy of Space Hulk, get Space Hulk.

    Seriously? No, that's not the best use of $100 for board games, when she could get Chaos in the Old World, Puerto Rico, and Race for the Galaxy for that. If she already had a solid collection of standard games in various genres, maybe, but she said it is lackluster.

    1) Buy Space Hulk,
    2) Sell Space Hulk,
    3) Buy more games.

    Really, it's all win-win if the chance to get it arises.

    Utsanomiko on
    hmm.gif
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    Edith UpwardsEdith Upwards Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Edith Upwards on
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    susansusan Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Thank you for the comments! I'm definitely looking at some of the games suggested and contacting the store to see if he can make them happen.

    It was requested for me to be more specific with what I have/what I'm looking for, so I'll list out the games I have in my collection currently:
    • Risk
    • Order of the Stick
    • Munchkin (Classic/SciFi)
    • Poker Set
    • Go/Chess/Checkers
    • Upwords
    • Loaded Questions (Best party game EVER)

    ...and that's pretty much it. Like I said, lackluster. As for the audience, I'm looking for both Party Games for Adults (4+ people with a few drinks in them) and more nerd-targeted strategy or conquest or adventure games.

    susan on
    2010 PAX DM Challenge Grand Champion
    2011 PAX Warmachine/Hordes Champion
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    DarianDarian Yellow Wizard The PitRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Apples to Apples is a solid party game, as is Wits and Wagers. I also think that "Are You the Traitor" from Looney Labs would be a good one to look at, for 4-10 players. It's kind of like werewolf, but with roles changing after each accusation and no player elimination.

    Chaos in the Old World is a great area control/strategy game for 4 players, using the Warhammer gods of Chaos. Dungeon Twister is good times for 2p strategy, like a wizards chess. Arkham Horror is a cooperative game that has you attempting to stop on of the Great Old Ones coming into the world, for 1-6 players (with less than three, each player controls multiple characters).

    If any of those sound interesting, I can find some links or give more information about them.

    Darian on
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    Kevin R BrownKevin R Brown __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2009
    and more nerd-targeted strategy or conquest or adventure games.

    Middle Earth Quest, World of Warcraft: The Board Game (NOT, I repeat, NOT the adventure game!), Fury of Dracula, Battlestar Galactica and Prophecy are all of the adventure games that make my own desert island list. You can check out Scott Nicholson's review of Prophecy on YouTube (I'd link to it, but Shockwave is being a motherfucker right now and won't run without crashing my browser. :( )

    Kevin R Brown on
    ' As always when their class interests are at stake, the capitalists can dispense with noble sentiments like the right to free speech or the struggle against tyranny.'
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    UtsanomikoUtsanomiko Bros before Does Rollin' in the thlayRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    I always like to recommend the Red Dragon Inn card game for a light party-style game. The premise is you each play as one of four (or more with the expansion added) fantasy adventure-style characters, after they've returned to town to sell their treasure, and now they're at the inn to drink and gamble and roughhouse. When you run out of gold, become too drunk, or pass out from exhaustion, you're out of the game. You get a deck of action cards for your character and each has a unique piece of art and some antic to perform to get the other players out of the party before you.

    As long as you start with at least 3-4 players and make sure not to dogpile on one person (it's a better strategy to whittle everyone down more subtly and then start knocking ones out within minutes of eachother, anyway), I have found it to be a repeatedly fun game.

    I just need to get my group to take the time away from all the long strategy games for it again.

    Utsanomiko on
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    DarianDarian Yellow Wizard The PitRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    susan wrote: »
    Dang... Is it too early to start jockeying for seats on the Next [CitOW] Game (if not, Nurgle me some squishy goodness)? And Damn you Darian for getting me hooked on this one! My friends/family have been doing nothing but bathing in blood for the past few nights!

    Just as planned!

    Darian on
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    INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    I've been playing Settlers of Catan and it's awesome.

    I also picked up Pandemic and it was lots of fun (but it doesn't seem to have a ton of replay value?)

    INeedNoSalt on
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    DarianDarian Yellow Wizard The PitRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    I've been playing Settlers of Catan and it's awesome.

    I also picked up Pandemic and it was lots of fun (but it doesn't seem to have a ton of replay value?)

    It has as much replay value as any solitaire or co-operative puzzle. Why would you say it doesn't? You can tune the difficulty level if you're winning too easily, or pick up the expansion for new roles/special actions/modes of play.

    Darian on
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    INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    I didn't even know there was an expansion (although I would argue that including an expansion to increase replay value isn't really an argument in favor of having lots of replay value.)

    Basically, after we won our first few games, it seemed like we could never lose. We haven't tried with all the epidemic cards though ... I guess we need to give that a shot.

    INeedNoSalt on
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    Kevin R BrownKevin R Brown __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2009
    Pandemic doesn't have a lot of randomization, so that can hurt it's replayability to some degree as a solitaire enterprise - though I don't see how it would hinder the cooperative experience (which, to me, is much more about socializing with friends and working together to create an effective strategy than simply winning the game).

    There's also no 'Arkham Horror Factor' in Pandemic, where some games you just flat out get massacred due to bad draws and bad rolls, so there's a trade-off in what adding layers of randomness will do for a game.

    Kevin R Brown on
    ' As always when their class interests are at stake, the capitalists can dispense with noble sentiments like the right to free speech or the struggle against tyranny.'
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