by rseater
The ProblemsThis game is a lot less random that it looks at first (e.g. despite rolling a die each turn), and I feel it gets a bad reputation. However, it does has some flaws that kill it for most gamers I've shown it to. Namely, if you fight, you and the other player both suffer (at least, on average you both suffer, since at least one of your will lose a token with no consolation prize). So the winner, counter to common believe, is not the person who rolls the best but rather the person who avoids competition altogether. This is not much better, but it can be fixed.
A related problem is that the game is often decided before it is over. Before the Mage Hall goes up for bid, it is common for some players to have no chance of winning the game, even if they got first place at the Mage Hall. Typically, these are the people who fought and lost. The players who fought and won generally have a chance, but not much of one.
However, these problems can be greatly mitigated by slightly reworking how conflicts are adjudicated. With a couple changes, I now find the game a pleasing area control game that is a little light but still satisfying.
Proposed Changes
(1) When a player enters a conflict for control of a vote, do not use the rock-paper-scissors resolution. Instead, both players automatically discard their influence markers from that slot. Then both players receive a consolation prize:
- the attacker (active player) immediately moves clockwise to the next scoring disc. If this happened through the play of a special action, they may continue their turn from that new location. This move is mandatory, but it does not cost anything
- the defender (non-active player) regains one of his/her magic wand spell cards, if he/she has previously expended one. For this reason, it is a good idea to expend at least one on your first turn, so that you have something to gain back.
Both players have essentially gained back the action that they lost by losing their token. The defender can place again. The attacker doesn't have to give up a die roll to move.
(2) The Guild Hall (the 15-point scoring disc) provides points based on players' relative ranking.
1st place: 30 points
2nd place: 15 points
3rd place: 5 points
4th place: 0 points
If you are not present, you always get 0 points.
(3) Players take equal turns. When Maginor moves to the Guild Hall, finish the round so that every player has taken an equal number of turns. Then end the game as normal. This removes the first turn advantage.
(4) If a player's wizard marker is on region when it scores, they are normally sent to the center of the table. Instead, leaves them in the gap created. That way, it is still clear what the next clockwise location is for them, in case they create a conflict via a magic want spell tile before they next move.