Board games offer a variety of mechanics that create diverse and engaging experiences for players. In this blog post, we’ll explore three fundamental board game mechanics: dice rolling, card drafting, and set collection. Each section will provide a general explanation of the mechanic and suggest four games that exemplify it. Whether you’re new to board gaming or a seasoned enthusiast, this guide will help you appreciate these mechanics and discover some fantastic games to try.

Dice Rolling

Dice rolling is one of the most iconic and classic mechanics in board gaming. This mechanic involves rolling dice to determine outcomes, adding an element of chance and excitement to the game. Dice rolling can influence a variety of aspects, from combat results and resource generation to movement and special abilities. The thrill of the roll and the strategic decisions that follow make dice rolling a beloved mechanic in many games.

Games featuring dice rolling:

1. King of Tokyo: In this game, players take on the roles of giant monsters battling for control of Tokyo. Dice rolling determines actions like attacking, healing, and earning victory points. The game combines luck with strategic decision-making, offering a fun and chaotic experience.
2. Catan: While primarily a resource management game, Catan uses dice rolling to determine which resources are produced each turn. Players must adapt their strategies based on the outcomes, making every roll impactful and suspenseful.
3. Roll for the Galaxy: This dice-based game has players building space empires by rolling dice to explore, develop, settle, produce, and ship goods. The game combines dice rolling with strategic planning, offering a rich and engaging gameplay experience.
4. Elder Sign: In this cooperative game, players are investigators working to stop ancient evils from awakening. Dice rolling is used to resolve encounters and challenges, with players needing to roll specific symbols to succeed. The game offers a thematic and tense adventure.

Card Drafting

Card drafting is a mechanic where players choose cards from a common pool or hand to add to their own collection. This process continues in rounds until all cards are selected. Card drafting requires players to make strategic decisions, balancing the immediate benefits of a card with long-term strategy and the potential denial of cards to opponents. This mechanic is engaging and offers a blend of choice and chance.

Games featuring card drafting:

1. 7 Wonders: In this game, players draft cards to build their civilizations across three ages. Each card drafted contributes to various aspects of their empire, such as military, science, and commerce. The game is quick, strategic, and highly replayable.
2. Terraforming Mars: While primarily an engine-building game, Terraforming Mars incorporates card drafting to allow players to choose projects that will help them terraform the planet. Drafting adds an extra layer of strategy to the game.
3. Blood Rage: In this Viking-themed game, players draft cards to build their clan’s strategy for battles, quests, and upgrades. The drafting phase is crucial, as it shapes each player’s approach to the game and their interactions with others.
4. Isle of Skye: Players draft tiles to build their own kingdom, aiming to fulfill various scoring conditions. The drafting process involves bidding on tiles, adding a unique twist to the mechanic and requiring careful planning and resource management.

Set Collection

Set collection is a mechanic where players gather specific groups of items, cards, or tokens to achieve goals and score points. The challenge lies in identifying valuable sets, managing resources, and sometimes competing with others for the same items. Set collection games are often accessible and rewarding, offering satisfying moments when players complete their collections.

Games featuring set collection:

1. Ticket to Ride: In this popular game, players collect sets of colored train cards to claim routes on a map. Completing routes and fulfilling destination tickets earns points, making strategic card collection and route planning essential.
2. Splendor: Players collect gem tokens to purchase development cards, which in turn provide more resources and points. The game is about efficiently building an engine and collecting valuable sets of cards.
3. Sushi Go!: This light and fun drafting game has players collecting sets of sushi dishes to score points. The game is quick to learn and play, making it a great introduction to the set collection mechanic.
4. Century: Spice Road: Players collect and trade spices to fulfill orders represented by cards. Set collection is key, as players must efficiently gather the right combinations of spices to score points and win the game.

Conclusion

Board game mechanics like dice rolling, card drafting, and set collection add depth, variety, and excitement to the tabletop experience. Dice rolling brings an element of chance and suspense, card drafting combines strategic choice with player interaction, and set collection rewards careful planning and resource management. By understanding these mechanics, you can better appreciate the games that use them and find new favorites to add to your collection.

We hope this exploration of key board game mechanics has been informative and inspiring. Whether you’re rolling dice, drafting cards, or collecting sets, there’s a world of engaging games waiting for you. Happy gaming!