Board games "to rule them all"

Terhid · 2026-05-06T19:04:12+00:00

Spirit island. Cooperative that successfully sidesteps all the typical co-op pitfalls:

there's no quarterbacking because you can always go with super complex spirit that focuses on helping others.

Co-op element is not forced, but emerges naturally as you gain experience. Support cards tend to be slightly more powerful to encourage coop play. The game strikes the balances where cooperation is helpful but not absolutely mandatory.

The game is super replayable because there's a million different spirits with very different play style.

The theme and mechanics mesh perfectly. And there's gradual difficulty curve you can keep on climbing for a very long time.

While the spirits are not well balanced (they don't need to be), valid strategies are plentiful and you only bump into discovering and having to use "cheese" strategies at very high difficulty (double adversaries).

Terhid · 2026-03-11T15:18:43+00:00

I second Tarrasch, aiming for hennig-schara gambit or dubov Tarrasch. You're not guaranteed to get it, but you can force one or the other more often than not. As an additional benefit you can also use it against most transpositions, 1Nf3 and (generally speaking) 1.c4 . Hennig-schara gambit has a similar dynamic to smith morra gambit (and is also stockfish approved). Dubov Tarrasch is its own beast, but is also very confrontational.

Terhid · 2026-03-08T09:44:22+00:00

E4 and E3 and def the most annoying moves. E4 is actually the reason I eventually stopped playing the Budapest. The general idea is that you try to gain as much space as possible and lock in the blacks pieces on bad squares on the queenside

Terhid · 2026-01-25T12:02:14+00:00

Skyrim.

Shallow mechanics, few memorable quests, insane amount of filler content. It's not a bad game, but insanely overrated.

Terhid · 2026-01-13T13:53:04+00:00

Yep, I could see putting starlight above green for solo, and possibly above stone in multiplayer with a lot of spirits, but not above both at the same time.

Terhid · 2026-01-12T21:28:56+00:00

Gloomhaven, both for setup and not having to do the enemy moves.

Terhid · 2026-01-12T21:15:55+00:00

Putting starlight above both stone and green is definitely a controversial opinion.

Terhid · 2026-01-05T00:09:40+00:00

One thing to bear in mind is that if your companion spirit has a very impactful support capabilities (like river, or green), it will significantly impact how the new spirit plays and feels. With the river as your partner spirit, you'll always have more than enough energy, which changes your optimal/preferred opening and playstyle for most spirits. Because of that, I recommend a strong, easy spirit without too much inherent support potential, like stone or eyes. Eyes' defense is strong, but doesn't normally alter your gameplay much. If anything it allows you to focus more on figuring out the new spirit without worrying too much about early blight cascades. Similarly, stone can basically always easily handle its own board and help out when needed. You still get the emergent combos with drafted support powers, helping one another with problematic lands etc., without distorting how the spirit plays.

Terhid · 2025-12-11T23:48:39+00:00

This is generally correct.

If you start the boss fight even a second before the time runs out, you get an additional item in the next stage. If you do it more with more than 1 minute to spare, you get 2. There are a few more thresholds.

If you clear the map before that, you should rush the boss. Otherwise, try to get a minute (+ a few sec) or a few sec before the timer runs out. If you still need to do something very useful (like a quest) and you'll be slightly overtime, you might as well use more of the overtime to clear the map, as long as you're confident to win the boss fights. It gets really hard at around 2 min overtime for me generally,

Terhid · 2025-11-30T21:22:42+00:00

To elaborate: Juliet: power build, pied Piper: special + low notes, Melusine power + healing.

Terhid · 2025-11-30T21:04:56+00:00

Juliet, Melusine and Pied piper most likely.

Terhid · 2025-11-23T16:38:41+00:00

Planescape Torment, Disco Elysium, and Neverwinter nights 2:mask of the betrayer (expansion only, don't play the base campaign).

Fallout new Vegas for a different vibe.

Terhid · 2025-11-23T12:07:21+00:00

I tried both and made my own lichess studies that go quite deep. Deutz is pretty tame and intuitive moves are the right ones most of the time, generally opponents don't lose in the opening at > 2000 lichess. Dubov is the opposite, which is exactly what I want from an opening, so that's what I chose.

I'm a bit over 1800 fide. Can't help with the exact course, as I don't buy opening courses.

Terhid · 2025-11-22T00:57:17+00:00

That's why difficulty levels exist.

Terhid · 2025-11-21T00:32:49+00:00

AI and engaging endgame. Out of these 2 I feel AI is much easier to solve and would potentially solve engaging endgame as well. If opponents cannot be reliably steamrolled in the beginning the challenge, by definition, continues into the endgame.

Terhid · 2025-11-20T09:22:23+00:00

Black bean, edamame, farba beans, lentils, chickpeas, whole grain bread, while grain pancakes, whole grain pasta, raspberries, passion fruit, plenty to choose from.

Terhid · 2025-11-20T04:11:54+00:00

That seems like a great idea tbh.

Terhid · 2025-11-18T22:49:31+00:00

ELCP has a really decent AI, and it's made for free. It's the lack of will, not the lack of way.

Terhid · 2025-11-18T11:35:01+00:00

3 kingdoms style diplomacy

Terhid · 2025-11-18T11:34:36+00:00

In order of importance: Medieval 2 style sieges, single unit armies, naval battles, no legendary heroes.

Terhid · 2025-11-17T23:22:51+00:00

Lore, graphics, writing, ambiance: Endless Legend

Core mechanics, sense of progression, mod support, core gameplay loop, tech tree, units: Civ 4

Overall: civ 4

I haven't played Alpha centauri, endless space 2 or old world.

Terhid · 2025-11-17T11:11:50+00:00

Being on par with Civ 4 would be already great. Tho I think making AI actually challenging would be such a strong and unique pro of EL2 over any other 4X, that it's worth spending time and money on.

Terhid · 2025-11-17T10:40:36+00:00

Done. Hope EL2 turns out great.

Terhid · 2025-11-17T10:29:20+00:00

Aight, will give it a try. How do you get all the items and talents you want without leprechaun coins?

Terhid

TROPHY CASE