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You may have noticed after a while of playing board games with your family and friends some traits and behaviours begin to rise to the surface when game night begins. For better and for worse the below archetypes help spice up board game night and if want some suggestions on how to appease your groups Loot Goblin or Snack Monster then have a look at the list below:
The Backseat Board-gamer
For the backseat board-gamer this isn’t their first rodeo… The game on the table has been played several times and they have meticulously memorised the best strategy and tactics to help attain victory, which is fantastic and can elevate the experience…until you’ve played the wrong card or moved to the wrong tile. The Backseat Board-gamer tries to, subtly at first, encourage other players to take their turns in the most optimum way (according to them) and the frustration begins to show when this doesn’t according to “the plan.”
The best way to appease and counter a Backseat Board-gamer is to play a game where randomness plays a big part in how turns play out. Our suggestion would be Gloomhaven, as players turn order and actions are hidden until everyone’s cards are revealed (including the bad guys!) making it very tricky to Backseat when you can’t predict what happens next! It also encourages tactical discussion which appeases a Backseat Board-gamer’s desire to pre-plan but helps keep it fun for everyone.
The Loot Goblin
You’ll know who your Loot Goblin is as soon as a treasure token lands on the board, as the Loot Goblins eyes’ light up as all things shiny must belong to the Loot Goblin! They love the pursuit of loot, sometimes to the detriment of the overall goal but it means they will always have a bountiful treasure trove of items or cards to trade with other players (if they can be suitably tempted to do so) and can be relied upon to make sure no shiny is left behind.
The best way to appease a Loot Goblin? Play a game where loot is in abundance! Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape would be the recommendation here as it doesn’t take long for your adventurers’ backpack to be overflowing with weapons and items which would make even the most seasoned Loot Goblin squeal with glee.
The Loremaster
The Loremaster is the knowledgeable sage of the board gaming table. They have read the rulebook cover to cover, delved into the intricacies of the World, and researched the characters and monsters which inhabit it. They are your guide to understanding why your hurling dice or slamming down card in aid of securing victory against a great evil. Whilst the Loremaster’s knowledge can greatly enrich the gaming experience, they can sometimes get lost in it and may spend a chunk of their turn deliberating the “lore friendly” way to play their character.
So how do you appease someone who loves to dive into a deep and enriching boardgame World? Well, Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood is a fantastic place to start, with its engaging choice driven narrative woven throughout the campaign which can also be refined and delivered through a fully voice acted (by the brilliant James Cosmo no less) downloadable app meaning the Loremaster can get their fill of diving into a large and engrossing fantasy World with the rest of the party able to come along for the ride via an easy to navigate app.
The Rulebook Co-dependent
It’s quite easy to identify the Rulebook Co-dependent in your board gaming party once the game is afoot and dice are flying. As whilst the rulebook may naturally float around the table for general queries (especially when it’s a new game being tabled) it will eventually settle and find it’s home with the Rulebook Co-dependent. The Rulebook Co-dependent loves to have the trusty tome of knowledge by their side and can be seen regularly perusing it during downtime between turns, they enjoy the safety and comfort of having the rules close by but also act as a helpful guide when the party encounter situations where the rules need to be referenced.
The best way to appease a Rulebook Co-dependent and ensure you don’t lose them entirely to a tome of rules and instructions, is to play a boardgame that simplifies a lot of rules but still offers some meat to its gameplay such as Keep the Heroes Out! which uses icons on all it’s cards rather than any text which means anyone can quickly determine what each card does and how it affects the little Monsters you are helping defend against the over valiant Heroes trying to invade your dungeon. It also helps that Keep the Heroes Out distils all this information over a couple of pages making leafing through the rules a quick and straightforward process.
The Snack Monster
Every good board game session has snacks; therefore, every good board game group has a Snack Monster, and you will recognise them quickly once play unfolds. The Snack Monster just loves to graze during downtime, and as long as you take the necessary steps to prepare for Snackageddon (choosing the appropriate snacks to minimize greasy meeples and crumb coated decks of cards is a must) they have a relatively low impact on your gameplay as long as snacks are within arm’s reach.
But how would you appease someone who wants food and board games? Well, give them a board game about food! Sushi Go! Especially the Party edition, offers a quick and fun sushi themed set collection game where you “grab” dishes from a conveyer belt to try and make the highest scoring sushi plates and attain victory but it appeals to your groups Snack Monster on several levels; One it’s about yummy food and two it doesn’t take up a lot of table space so more room for snacks and three, each game can be played in 20 minutes which means….more time for snacks!
Now you know some fun archetypes that may be in your board game group, which one do you fall under? If you party doesn’t have one of them, it might mean that it’s you. Or maybe you are a blend of several or even switch up your role depending on your group? Whichever archetype you fall under, they all add a bit of variety and fun to board game night and each one helps compliment another to help keep your board game nights fun and entertaining…Although I’d dread to think of the chaos a full group of Loot Goblins would cause…Some things are best left unknown…
