Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords
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Product Feature
- Base Set
- Age range: 8 and up / Number of players: 1 to 4 / Play time: 90+ minutes
- Manufacturer: Paizo
Product Description
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game is a cooperative, deck-building card game based on the popular RPG of the same name. In this game players take the part of a fantasy character such as a rogue or wizard, each with varying skills and proficiencies that are represented by the cards in their deck. The classic ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, etc.) are assigned with different sized dice. Players can acquire allies, spells, weapons, and other items. The goal is to find and defeat a villain before a certain number of turns pass, with the villain being represented by its own deck of cards complete with challenges and foes that must be overcome.Pathfinder Adventure Card Game is an expandable game, with the first set containing 400+ cards and being based on the Rise of the Runelords adventure path. The Base Set supports 1 to 4 players; a 110-card add-on deck will expand the number of players to 5 or 6 and add more character options for any number of players. The game will be expanded with bimonthly 110-card adventure decks.Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords Review
First, the basics. This game fills a niche that other games have tried to fill: a game with a sense of progression. The difference from something like Descent: Journeys in the Dark or the D&D board games is a little less complexity, while still maintaining the sense that your adventures are building up to a climactic battle.My wife and I enjoy this game, as it takes us about an hour to play--give or take. It's hard to find a cooperative game that fits nicely into that timeframe. Granted, we could (and would) keep going and play more scenarios, but usually our time is limited as gamer parents.
As to the game's components, the game consists of cards and dice, and as such, card sleeves are a must. Penny sleeves work fine, but the cards get shuffled a lot. I think the cards are about as durable as cards get--so no complaints there. Plus, cards are easier to store than miniatures or plastic figurines, so that's a plus if you put a premium on storage space. The illustrations are vivid enough that you are immersed in the game's world.
As to genre of game, even the rule book seems confused (it shies away from calling the game an RPG). This isn't entirely a deck building game--but it comes close. It has aspects of a living card game, where installments of the game come out to expand the scope of the game.
That's the deck building aspect: you can acquire new cards from the ever-growing collection by exploring locations and rolling high enough on dice. It's not entirely random as you and your allies can choose when it's worth using cards and powers to affect dice roles. At the end of a successful game, you can customize a character's deck with cards in quantities the character can legally use.
Each character can keep 15 cards to start, and only cards of certain types. This gives the game high stakes, seeing as your character can die and have to start over, losing all the cards you worked to accumulate.
Once these cards are used up, if a character would be required to draw a card, they have been defeated. Between the 15 card deck for each character and the 30 card countdown timer (1card is discarded per turn), you or you and friends must race against time to corner and defeat a bad guy or achieve another win condition.
The pros:
Nice concept that captures the RPG elements of character development and adventuring cooperatively.
Mechanics are easier and less time intensive than regular RPGs
A variety of characters and scenarios, as well as a variety of cards keep the adventures interesting
The sense of progression, instead of playing a single game session and being done, is a welcome change
You can design your own scenarios, if you wish, which increases replay value for those with the patience and creativity (not that there isn't lots to do)
Cons
May still be technical for people who don't routinely play games (but not unlearnable).
Eventually, your group will complete the adventures, and want more. The next set is in October 2013, but it depends on how fast your group moves as to whether there is downtime or not between releases.
Bottom line: go ahead and get the game. If you love cooperative play, this is not to be missed!
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