January 24, 2010

Patrick and I played another game of Farkle today after school. Patrick won this time 10,700 - 4,150. Andrew and I have downloaded a Farkle-like app for our iPod Touches called 10,000 Lite.

We also each played the Sands of Time scenario for Delve the Dice Game. The "chemical formula" for Delve is 95% Yahtzee + 5% Heroquest. The game is free (print and play), with the rules and scenarios available at Boardgamegeek.

The game (which is played solo) starts with a scenario sheet illustrating a path, starting with the first encounter of an adventure and ending with the final encounter -- against a "boss" creature. Each encounter has some number of monsters (e.g., six orcs) for the player's party of four adventurers to battle. The player rolls six dice, keeps what he wants and re-rolls the rest -- keeping what he wants from the second roll and re-rolling one last time. Each member of the party can utilize the dice in different ways. For example the fighter scores one hit for each '6,' but is unable to hit more than twice each turn. The rougue hits on a '1,' has no limit to the number of hits, but can only cause damage to one opponent each round. The wizard and cleric can cast various spells on the opponents and the party by using various dice combinations (such as straights, three of a kind or a full house). Each die can only be used for one attack and/or spell. After marking off the damage to the creatures, any surviving creatures are able to counterattack. Each creature's counter-attack is slightly different, but it is always described on the scenario sheet. Subsequent rounds of attack and counterattack continue -- with damage to each side marked on the sheet --until the creatures die (in which case the party continues along the path to the next encounter) or the last member of the party dies. Some encounters allow the party to collect relics which provide special abilities for subsequent encounters. The game plays very quickly, taking about 15 minutes to complete an adventure (or die trying). I rate it a '6' at Boardgamegeek. I recommended the game to Steve, and I know that he and his son were enjoying it a few weeks ago as well.

In today's game, my entire party died in the sandstorm after being hit hard by the scorpions. Patrick was also hit hard by the scorpions, but survived the sandstorm. Immediately after the sandstorm, however, he was hit by bandits in the abandoned fortress. He decided to retreat his party and give up.