Monthly Rambling: Beta Testing Required
I struggled to find a topic for this month’s rambling when a random video about how good Dominion still is today got me thinking about why I could not quite agree since I had quit Dominion. The reason I had done so was because the expansion I was playing had a ridiculously overpowered card called the 'Shanty Town'. So this month’s rambling is going to be about boardgames with broken combos or strategies, hence the title.
DOMINION: INTRIGUE (Shanty Town)Man did I hate Shanty Town with a vengeance. Load your deck with Shanty Towns, play the first Shanty Town to get +2 Actions, keep playing other actions then play Shanty Town as your last action, +2 Cards then play actions and +2 Cards again. As an expansion, Dominion: Intrigue had a lot of 'take that' interaction in its cards but ironically it also had the ultimate 'take another turn' card to take all the fun out of life.
RISK (Australia)Growing up playing Risk, everybody’s first target would be Australia. It was the easiest continent to fortify since it had only one entry point through Siam, and generated a 2 army bonus to boot. It was a slow but sure way to build an army that will pour out from South East Asia into both Asia and Africa. Whilst this didn’t stop us from playing Risk, most games were given up once someone had their tenterhooks into the land down under.
CAVERNA (Infinite Ore)So Spare Part Storage allows you to sell Wood + Stone + Ore to get 2 Coins and Trader allows you to buy back the exact same thing for 2 Coins. If you also happen to have the Seam, you get 1 free Ore every time you gain 1 Stone. Tadah, infinite Ore. This has since been fixed in the later edition rulebooks by allowing Players to own either the Spare Part Storage or Trader individually and not together.
DWELLINGS OF ELDERVALE (Calculation + Mass of Tentacles)Calculation works great with many Chaotic cards but with Mass of Tentacles, you guarantee yourself 3 resources on each activation. If you also happen to be the Wardens of Evenmarch, your Warrior unit is nigh invincible since it will either be a Warrior with 5 + 6 or 6 +6 in battle.
SEASONS (Naria + Igramul)This is less of an overpowered combo and more of a mean and nasty one. You play Naria the Prophetess and give something sweet to your opponent. They sing praises of your generosity, promising to name their firstborn after you and then you drop Igramul the Banisher, naming the card you just gave them, destroying your friendship and causing flipped tables all around the world.
These were some of the experiences I’ve had in boardgames that made me question if some of these combos didn’t go through the beta testing needed OR were intentionally left in to destroy friendships.
Until next time, keep calm and play better.
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