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Tyrant
Senior Scribe
USA
586 Posts |
 Posted - 03 May 2012 : 13:24:42
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| I got the game when it came out, but it was a little while before I was able to play it. I've played it twice with my neice and nephew (my nephew won both times) and I thought it was a decent enough game. They seemed to enjoy it as much as they enjoy Settlers of Catan and Talisman, though the second game of this went by quite a bit faster. I liked the details that have been put into the game and I believe one of my other friends will appreciate them more than my neice and nephew as he has played a few Realms video games and used to play the D&D minis game. |
Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.
-The Sith Code
Teenage Sith zombies, Tulkh thought-how in the moons of Bogden had it all started? Every so often, the universe must just get bored and decide to really cut loose. -Star Wars: Red Harvest |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6646 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2012 : 00:35:23
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Went to my FLGS and saw they had it. But not in a friendly way. $110 - youch!!! Even I baulked at that. A bit of online searching found a far saner price. Should have it in a week or two.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2012 : 00:48:53
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Personally, I would like to see a Greyhawk Wars boxed set.
Instead of chits...having actual pieces like Axis and Allies. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2012 : 05:05:30
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I haven't heard anyone comment on the game since shortly after it's release. I bought it, was quite impressed with it's quality, and have played it 1 on 1, 4 player, and 5 player on numerous occasions. It's really quite good. Come from behind victories after the close of formal play are the rule, and it is very hard for any one player (absent incredible luck - good or bad) to get way ahead or way behind. Best of all, the lore is QUITE tight. There isn't a quest or building that doesn't fit the theme.
I will admit I am a little surprised though at the fact that I have seen no formal demos or play ops at GenCon! You think they'd take the opportunity to fly copies off the shelves (or debut that sixth expansion faction...). What gives? |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Kilvan
Senior Scribe
Canada
894 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2012 : 13:35:03
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Indeed that is surprising, they missed a great opportunity. For my part, I'll admit that my interest for game has diminished over the past few months, basically for the reasons I explained in this scroll. Then again, I had about 4 new boardgames since, so I rarely remain on the same game for very long.
I still recommend it for players new to the genre. |
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smerwin29
Acolyte
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2012 : 13:53:15
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I've played it several times since getting it last month with a variety of different players. I've enjoyed it very much. The play has been different depending on the number of players, the Lords that are in play, and the buildings that come into play.
I heard that Wizards would be running demos and such, but I haven't seen anything official on the GenCon site. If I hear something further, I will post here. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
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Caolin
Senior Scribe
768 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2012 : 18:59:44
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| This has become the default game for my group to play. It's a very fun game and it is very well balanced. The only thing I would change about it is to spice up the Lords cards a bit. |
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Kilvan
Senior Scribe
Canada
894 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2012 : 19:05:34
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Being the player with the most experience (and, ahem, talent) with euro-styled game, especially ressource-managing games, I'm usually the sole target when an opportunity to hinder someone appears. That happens even when I'm not currently in the lead. So in a game with attack cards, I've had games completely stuck for complete rounds. I've had 3 mandatory quests stacked once, try to recover from that against competent players.
I prefer low-luck/high strategy type games, though they cause more headaches (the good kind). |
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smerwin29
Acolyte
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2012 : 20:18:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
I will admit I am a little surprised though at the fact that I have seen no formal demos or play ops at GenCon! You think they'd take the opportunity to fly copies off the shelves (or debut that sixth expansion faction...). What gives?
Just found the answer. There will be demos and "learn to plays" for Lords of Waterdeep (and all of the other WotC board games released in the last couple years) in the Board Game Hall. There is also going to be a full Lords of Waterdeep tournament. If you go to the GenCon Event system and type in Lords of Waterdeep in the Keyword field, you'll see all of it. |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2012 : 21:00:57
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Excellent! I was hoping for a Tournament. Thank you for the information - we just signed up.
I'm glad to see they are hyping the product, it's worth it. |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jun 2012 : 21:03:39
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Smerwin,
By the by, since it seems you might be attending, did you see my thread here: http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16681 ?
;)
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Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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smerwin29
Acolyte
USA
32 Posts |
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Gabrielle_H
Acolyte
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2012 : 22:49:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
I haven't heard anyone comment on the game since shortly after it's release. I bought it, was quite impressed with it's quality, and have played it 1 on 1, 4 player, and 5 player on numerous occasions. It's really quite good. Come from behind victories after the close of formal play are the rule, and it is very hard for any one player (absent incredible luck - good or bad) to get way ahead or way behind. Best of all, the lore is QUITE tight. There isn't a quest or building that doesn't fit the theme.
I have also been enjoying it, and am surprised that it hasn't been mentioned more around here. In my house, it's quickly beat Talisman as the Game To Play. Actually, my assistant has run off with my copy, muttering something about wanting All The Purple Guys, and lures me up to her house to play it with her husband and (9-year-old) daughter. She was "holding it for me while I moved." Yeah, that's it. ;)
The dynamics definitely change between 1 on 1 and multiplayer. I always bristle at first at having so few agents per turn when there are more players, but I do like the way it makes the game move fast, and the fact that it can make the choices about where to move REALLY hard sometimes.
I haven't worked it into my GenCon schedule, but I'm looking forward to playing it with 5 when I get home.
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Gabrielle Harbowy, scribe and editrix
http://www.gabrielle-edits.com
twitter: @gabrielle_h |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2012 : 01:23:03
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I finally got a chance to play the game at my local game store. Besides D&D, my favorite games have been Shadows Over Camelot and Munchkin. This game already had a soft spot in my heart due to the fact it was:
1) Set in Faerûn
2) In Waterdeep
3) Had my favorite wizard as a playable Lord.
The gameplay was quite enjoyable. It wasn't too complicated, and competitive enough to be fun. |
- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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Tarlyn
Learned Scribe
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2012 : 01:29:34
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| Lords of Waterdeep has become a hit with my playtest group. |
Tarlyn Embersun |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2012 : 01:46:12
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Gabrielle,
There are a healthy number of spots left in the GenCon tournament sessions (running throughout the weekend) if you are still interested. If it's a paucity of remaining free time you are facing then, sadly I cannot help you with that! Lol. |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Gabrielle_H
Acolyte
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2012 : 16:49:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
There are a healthy number of spots left in the GenCon tournament sessions (running throughout the weekend) if you are still interested. If it's a paucity of remaining free time you are facing then, sadly I cannot help you with that! Lol.
Yes, it's the free time issue, as is the way with cons. I'm already booked 8am-10pm Thursday and Friday, and the rest of the time always manages to fill itself -- either with me or despite me. :)
Thanks for the heads-up, though! If I find myself with some spare time on Saturday, I'll definitely go hunt it down.
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Gabrielle Harbowy, scribe and editrix
http://www.gabrielle-edits.com
twitter: @gabrielle_h |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2012 : 16:58:51
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I finally found two stores in Santa Cruz (California) that have this game.
Now I need to save up my pennies and then spring the game on my regular D&D players before I transition our campaign from Cormyr to Waterdeep, so they hopefully get some idea of what Waterdeep is about.
Speaking of which: for those of you that have played the board game, would you say it can serve reasonably well as an introduction to Waterdeep for a group of D&D players that don't know anything about Waterdeep? |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 09 Aug 2012 17:12:31 |
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Gabrielle_H
Acolyte
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2012 : 01:01:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
Speaking of which: for those of you that have played the board game, would you say it can serve reasonably well as an introduction to Waterdeep for a group of D&D players that don't know anything about Waterdeep?
I would say a very provisional yes. It doesn't give you a sense of where everything is, since some buildings are in different locations from game to game, but you definitely come away with a few solid impressions:
* shady things happen at the harbor
* many things are...negotiable...at the inn
* the names of the city factions become familiar
* the overall flavor of the quests on the quest cards is a good representation of the dynamics and objectives you might see in town
* the lords with their different bonuses give a strong impression of the shadowy political undercurrent. The silent benefactors behind the scenes can have significant sway on the final outcome of the game
It's not enough background to enable you to leap into the world and act as if you belong there, but it does give a good sense of the overall atmosphere, for those who pay attention to more than just the numbers on the board.
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Gabrielle Harbowy, scribe and editrix
http://www.gabrielle-edits.com
twitter: @gabrielle_h |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2012 : 03:11:28
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Thank you Gabrielle. 
That sounds just about right then. I hope to pair the game with some of my old 2E Realms material, just to show the players how immense Waterdeep is. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2012 : 21:30:43
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Jeremy,
One of the things I liked best about the game is it's faithfulness to Waterdeep lore. It does mix and match some events from various eras, but it is largely set in the 1370 to 1372 timeframe (close of 2E to start of 3E - basically it dove-tails nicely with the lore in the 3E Waterdeep hardback supplement) in it's selection of Lords, events, factions and the like. The buildings (while not always quite where you'd expect them to be) are all pretty much out of established lore, the quests (and NPCs and factions mentioned therein) are all faithful to the things you might find in the city. I was VERY impressed.
It is so faithful that I invented a 'bonus trivia game' the first half dozen or so times I played it with my gaming group where if they told me a bit of lore about a quest, card, building (like what ward it should be built in, what street it is on, something about who lives there or runs it, etc) when it came into play I'd toss them a minor boon (like 50 to 100 xp) in our game to test their knowledge of the city/Realms (my campaign started in the city and thus they had reasons to know about it).
Good stuff indeed! |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2012 : 23:10:03
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Right on Kris. That's what I was looking for in terms of info about the game, as well hoping for.
Ideally I'd like for my players to get familiar with Waterdeep to where I can lore-test them as well. I'd like to use that knowledge during play for more intrigue/mystery style games. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Kiaransalyn
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
762 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2012 : 13:24:52
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This looks interesting. I'm currently considering whether to buy it or not. Amazon has kindly reminded me that it's available. The reviews on BoardGameGeek are positive. As a game how is its repeat playability like? normally, with a new board game you play it a few times to get a good understanding of rules and strategies then you stop once you realise you're using the same strategy over and over.
From what I've seen, it looks detailed and the artwork is very nice.
Oh, and another question, can you use D&D miniatures instead of cubes for the adventuring characters? |
Death is Life
Love is Hate
Revenge is Forgiveness
Ken: You from the States?
Jimmy: Yeah. But don't hold it against me.
Ken: I'll try not to... Just try not to say anything too loud or crass. |
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Gabrielle_H
Acolyte
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2012 : 15:10:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Kiaransalyn
As a game how is its repeat playability like? normally, with a new board game you play it a few times to get a good understanding of rules and strategies then you stop once you realise you're using the same strategy over and over.
From what I've seen, it looks detailed and the artwork is very nice.
Oh, and another question, can you use D&D miniatures instead of cubes for the adventuring characters?
I think it stands up to repetition well, because there are only a limited number of slots for adding buildings, and each building has its own bonuses, so you'll likely see a different skew to the board every time. Game play also really varies considerably depending on how many players you have. Playing with two is a different gameplay experience than playing with four.
To replace the cubes with minis you'd need a LOT of miniatures, but if you have lots of fighter/rogue/cleric/mage minis already, I don't see why you couldn't use them. They don't actually come into play on the board, they're just counters that are acquired and turned in.
That's a fun idea, actually. And I've just gotten into mini painting. Hmmmm....
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Gabrielle Harbowy, scribe and editrix
http://www.gabrielle-edits.com
twitter: @gabrielle_h |
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Kiaransalyn
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
762 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2012 : 15:27:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Gabrielle_H
To replace the cubes with minis you'd need a LOT of miniatures, but if you have lots of fighter/rogue/cleric/mage minis already, I don't see why you couldn't use them. They don't actually come into play on the board, they're just counters that are acquired and turned in.
That's a fun idea, actually. And I've just gotten into mini painting. Hmmmm....
Back in the day, I bought lots of the D&D pre-painted mini's, so there are lots of Evoker's Apprentices, Tordeks, Jozans, Mialees and Lidas to use. The idea actually came from a comment I saw by someone about Agricola, where instead of using cubes to represent livestock they used animal models.
Continuing the idea, and after enough plays, you could may be have a bit of a bidding war some sort of advantage for certain characters. But that's far in the future. |
Death is Life
Love is Hate
Revenge is Forgiveness
Ken: You from the States?
Jimmy: Yeah. But don't hold it against me.
Ken: I'll try not to... Just try not to say anything too loud or crass. |
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Lord Snowblood
Acolyte
Australia
25 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2012 : 15:52:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Lord Snowblood
I wonder will this game be on-sale online so I can order a copy? Where will it be sold?
Amazon has it for a reasonable price. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Kilvan
Senior Scribe
Canada
894 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2012 : 16:15:16
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Changing the cubes for miniatures would requires about 20-25 for each classes, but it can be done. I'm not sure id it will actually improve the game experience, but if you don't have to invest anything for it, give it a shot.
I saw the set for Agricola using animal models, it was awesome! But in that case, space will probably become a problem at some point. |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2012 : 17:09:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Kilvan
Changing the cubes for miniatures would requires about 20-25 for each classes, but it can be done. I'm not sure id it will actually improve the game experience, but if you don't have to invest anything for it, give it a shot.
I saw the set for Agricola using animal models, it was awesome! But in that case, space will probably become a problem at some point.
I think miniatures would actually slow down gameplay. The cubes are easy to identify, some miniatures might be ambiguous. Plus I think you need a pretty big play space for each player. There are times your tavern can be pretty well stocked.
Lords of Waterdeep is an excellent game. |
A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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Lords of Waterdeep Board Game
