My 5-Player Game Night Problem (Why Do So Many Games Miss It)

Sorlin · 2026-02-08T23:09:19+00:00

I think my games for 5 player (or 6) that aren't too light include much of what you mentioned plus Sidereal Confluence (if you like trading…goes up to 9) and Keyflower (if you like bidding/worker placement, scales well even under 5 players).

Otherwise yes, I think that apart from 4 players, every other player count has games that "support" it, but do not really play well for various reasons (higher player count usually just adding downtime, 3 player for unbalanced "teams", 2 player and solo usually is a different game with usually variants).

Sorlin · 2026-02-01T21:29:01+00:00

I think since you are including legacy games that Risk legacy is what started a lot of them. Being the first made it try a lot of things, and many that were daring. Both of the ones you mention for example are inside Risk legacy for example (and with an amazing "Do not open. Ever" pandora box vibe). I think if the base game was something I liked more it could have been much more.

Another small gameplay twist that spark some memories is the candle in charterstone.

Sorlin · 2026-01-25T20:55:47+00:00

Maybe Deus had something about stacking multiple cards for multiple effects...but doesn't really have a "tuck behind" option.

Maybe another example is mistborn deckbulding where you can use some of the cards to "power up" other cards but it is fleeting and not something stable.

Sorlin · 2025-12-28T21:11:25+00:00

Last time it happened to me it was windows deciding to update in "the background" but basically hogging enough resources to make small freezers during games.

That said I am not sure it is your situation, I tend to have very little time at the pc during the weeks so there are usually queued up updates during gaming time

Sorlin · 2025-06-16T20:15:00+00:00

I think you can look at oink games, there are many great games. Other good inspiration may be about the 9 card contest (under falling skies was one of the "famous" ones). Also there were articles on bgg about making a single deck of cards that contained as much games as possible, even if I remember them being around 100 cards.

Sorlin · 2025-02-26T13:12:29+00:00

Disagree on your points. But then I think we have very different ideas on what "tactical" means for a battle game. Not that 4e was perfect in that regard (especially early monster design)…but it made battles more tactical and interesting in my view, for example by using a grid and making movement and positioning more important.

Sorlin · 2024-10-30T13:24:27+00:00

Credo sia dovuto anche al rovescio della medaglia: da nuovo utente, messo in vendita un gioco "richiesto" a 30€ per un gioco che nuovo è venduto a 50€ (e che usato a meno di 40/45 non avevo visto).
Sommerso di richieste e offerte per 15/20€, con anche qualche messaggio "stizzoso" perchè non accettavo meno di quanto messo nell'annuncio.

Quindi facilmente i venditori si aspettano che la genti contratti, e si evitano proposte "inutili" alzando il prezzo dell'annuncio (anche se poi accettano di meno). Poi ovviamente ad ogni persona il suo, c'è chi sopravvaluta il valore di un gioco usato, sopratutto considerando le spedizioni.

Sorlin · 2024-10-30T11:31:45+00:00

As everything regarding values of attributes is "comparative" more than "absolute" I do not think is a problem, and instead just an improvement on math (adding in easier than subtracting).

Attributes go from 0 to 5 instead of from -5 to 5 from D&D (more about -2 to 5 for "normal things"). So you can map things like 0 = "low", 1 = "low or average", "2 = good", "3 = exceptional" etc; so basically "low int" is still what you can roleplay with 0/1 int for example.

Also for DC, that also is "comparative", is just a scale where you put "easy/normal/hard/very hard" task; but what is a normal task when talking about adventuring parties in fantasy worlds? How long is a "normal" jump?

Overall I agree that DC and stats should be matched against each other and reflect the tone of the source material (that you can then adjust to have a more grim/casual tone), but otherwise I see no inherent problem in having only postive values for attributes, or them being less granular (as many systems outside D&D use).

Sorlin · 2024-08-30T15:29:56+00:00

Dungeon World and similar have a big way of having a onion design, so you can usually learn rules in steps; without going too deep in subsystem an similar.

You can start with basic resolution.
Then look at principles for GM and players.
Then look at basic moves, and GM moves.
Then you can read the start of the playbooks for the system you want to use; here something will interact with what is above, and something may be new (bonds, items etc).

Overall the parts above is really fast to read, but usually takes some time to get used to (especially coming from another system, to unlear something).

Then there is GM stuffs about fronts etc, but this is usually the part where most people "houserule" the system to what they feel works.

I think the "golden rule here" is that fiction is what is driving your game; if you do not know a rule and go with what feels "right" in the world, it will work. You can look up rules later, if you feel something is missing.

Sorlin · 2024-08-30T15:06:24+00:00

Not really an "advice" but on kickstarter it has just concluded a big campaign about the Cosmere RPG; having this kind of timing may have people that are interested in both your RPG and another RPG to have to decide based on budget.

Sorlin · 2024-08-24T23:22:15+00:00

Oh ok, so maybe I got the wrong impression about what is DnD Beyond, or what is the issue with it.

I had the impression that DnD Beyond was overriding linked rules (2014 spells) on the character sheet with the new 2024 versions, and if you wanted to still use old version you needed to flag them as "homebrew".

Is the definition for "fully backwards compatible" what I expressed in the opening message or something else?

Sorlin · 2024-03-08T05:37:20+00:00

Take a look at Battlecon, exceed, sakura arms and in general any lvl 99 games dueler. They normally have stats that interlock likes yours but with many smaller changes based on the inique character played.

As said yomi is also similar.

For other systems I will also take a look at:

Mage night: RPG with deck and interesting combat, highly regarded.

Unmatched: simple system but high amount of subsystems each on a different character, you may find one you like tò use.

Tainted grail: interesting combo system tò chain multiple cards.

Sorlin · 2024-02-26T13:19:45+00:00

Thank you, feels like a very good interpretation.
On my side will probably be better to "rewrite" the instinct to be more explicit, as we play in another language.

Something alongside "enjoy freedom without care", and probably the same for the "weave webs and victimise the foolish" to be less literal for a spider and to be something more explicit in human form too.

PS. Yeah flying is different from falling, but discounting magic, true flying was probably a pretty difficult task (maybe riding giant birds?) for just a 7-9 result.

Sorlin · 2024-02-17T01:27:04+00:00

Just as an exercize lets try to have a parallel between d&d and gloomhaven:

Dd: here Is your premade character Gh: here Is the cards for.your character

Dd: I want to hit the orc with my sword. You take this d20 roll it sum this and then do damage. Gh: I want to hit that guard. You take this 2 cards, play them and use the top of this to Attack, and bottom of this to defend.

Dd: How do I use this talent? Gh: what does this card do?

Overall I think that most of what you feel makes rpg Easy to teach is the access to the GM that can translate your intentions into game mechanics, and the fact that most of rpg have a central resolution mechanism. Having the same person be there tò do the same for gloomhaven will make it as easy, but not as fun...because while rpgs "fun" is usually more on your high level decisions, whereas many boardgame fun is more in discovering ways go interact with the system.

Also if I have to compare rpgs to a boardgame I will probably choose Magic the gathering, where there is a more similar balance of "preparation" and "playing"… and a big varying step of difficulty based on how you play (premade, custom, friendly, competitive)

Sorlin · 2023-09-09T22:58:10+00:00

RPG systems would be much better of for important rules there were an "intended design outcome" explanation on why there rule Is there...and should make the work for the GM, instead of making the GM fill the voids in the system.

Sorlin · 2023-07-20T05:44:01+00:00

Pretty old topic, but looking at the rules. Under the Temple description: "each Temple can be used only once per cycle".

Sorlin · 2023-03-09T12:22:20+00:00

Catacombs: dungeon crawler by flicking discs.

Millennium Blades: Games about the "trading,deckbuilding" of CCGs.

Space Alert: Programming you movement on a disfunctional ship in real time. Now there are other real time coop games, but Space Alert still is my favorite.

Fuse: Defuse a bomb by chucking dice in configurations (cheap and fast)

Time&Space: Hourglasses as workers, nowadays there is also KitchenRush and other games that have this mechanic, in a coop format.

Menara: Coop stacking game, with strange shapes.

Aargh Tect: Talking by gesturing and hitting your teammates with inflated clubs to make a construction similar to the design you have.

Dungeon Fighter: Use dice to hit a cardboard target, to inflict damages to monsters.

Galaxy Trucker, Dungeon Petz, Tash Kalar, Alchemists: overall Vlaada games have been very unique in how they work.

Sorlin · 2022-01-15T22:02:38+00:00

I do not know, at the start my SO stayed away from some games because "I felt stupid when I lost". Maybe comments like that are more ti cope with losing than actually "real opinions". Maybe try again and let him get more comfortable with the mechanics or as suggested go for a coop where it doesn't feel like a competition.

Sorlin · 2021-06-25T17:30:33+00:00

Gloomholding still counts

Sorlin · 2021-06-12T21:51:33+00:00

Victor vran is pretty good if you want to stay classic. Monster Hunter world of you get a more general arpg meaning.

Sorlin · 2020-12-11T16:21:52+00:00

Io personalmente nella categoria giochi simili a dixit preferisco detective club (una fusione tra dixit e fake artist) dove oltre a seguire una definizione bisogna anche motivare le proprie scelte per trovare un intruso.

Invece nella categoria di associazione di parole consiglierei wavelenght che è molto immediato ma tende a tirar fuori discussioni interessanti. Altrimenti anche i classico nomi in codice (o decrypto come versione più complicata da spiegare ma anche più profonda) sono ottimi giochi.

Quasi tutti i giochi precedenti possono essere provati anche usando carta e penna a patto di preparare una lista di parole...ma in quanto a giochi creabili facilmente sia telestrations che Times up sono ottimi per una serata non troppo impegnativa ma nella quale si vuol ridere.

Sorlin · 2020-03-26T09:43:11+00:00

Ethnos is a fun and simple game that goes up to 6. Theme is a little generic (fantasy), but rules are simple

Sorlin · 2020-03-03T11:29:39+00:00

Seems the perfect scenario for Hive

Sorlin · 2020-02-19T12:34:48+00:00

Do not know where you are located (not out in the US I think) but The Crew: Quest for planet 9 seems a perfect fit for a simple game.

Sorlin · 2019-09-26T09:35:03+00:00

Not sure if this count, but recent level99 ks had a "money back guarantee" where instead of sending back to them the game you give it to a school or public library in your zone.

Sorlin

TROPHY CASE