30 Tabletop Games that Break the Rules

Published: Sun 4th May

In today's video I discuss 30 tabletop games that break a common rule of game design.

Panelists

Heavy Gamer (Kari): Obsession - being able to "buy" a worker back sooner (using reputation) gives you a chance to skirt a waiting system that worker placement typically does not allow.

Solo Gamer (Aryn): Too Many Bones - During combat you roll dice for attacks, skills, and defense. Each die has a varying chance of being Bones, which is a miss. But in Too Many Bones you slot any rolled Bones into a track which can later be spent to activate powerful actions. Thus, turning a miss into a potential boon! I have many a time rolled dice purposefully to roll Bones in order to get those boons. As an added incentive the only way to unlock your character's ultimate skill is to spend 6 Bones during one combat engagement. A feat I've only been able to pull off a handful of times!

Family Gamer (Skiler): Earth - This game doesn't limit the number of cards in your hand. It can be a lot to balance, but it makes for very fun memorable moments when you get it all to work together!

30 Games
Scythe: resources are all on the map

Hanabi: you can't see your own cards

The Crew: cooperative trick-taking

Raiders of the North Sea: your workers are my workers

The Reckoners/Magic Maze: no turns or turn order

Risk Legacy: permanent changes

Rising Sun: multiple players can win together

Between Two Cities: partnership in a competitive game

Skull and Ra: player elimination

Don't Get Got: move seats

Forest Shuffle: more than one card on each card

Architects of the West Kingdom: start with all workers

Cat in the Box: no suits until you declare it

Finspan: face-up hands and personal discard (Magic)

Bohnanza/Scout: can't rearrange cards in hand

Dominion/7 Wonders: resources renew

Gloom/Mystic Vale: clear cards

So Clover: holes in cards

Shadows Over Camelot: traitor

Cheating Moth/Cockroach Poker: you can cheat

Tapestry: build outside city limits

QE: no bit limits

High Society: condition or threshold that says you're not eligible to win

A Feast for Odin: overwhelming quantity of worker placement spaces

Aeon's End: deckbuilding without shuffling

Challengers: your deck plays itself

Hamlet: resources anyone generates are for all players to use

Keyflower/Ora et Labora: use other players' buildings

Keyforge: play all cards for free (but with a limit)

Palm Island: no table needed

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podcast link: https://stonemaiergames.com/about/podcast
Intro animation by Jeff Payne https://vimeo.com/jaaronpayne