I am not sure why I waited for a grown man to tell me I could just rip the treasure deck out of my game of Abyss. I always play with it. Sometimes we are definitely annoyed by it. But after this video. Luke told me I could get rid of it! It's out of there! Excellent
I'm glad you followed up with the Kraken expansion. I agree, I would put them all together except for the loot deck and locations and teach it that way.
Kraken expansion arrives tomorrow. Thank you sooo much for showing me how to optimize the experience from the start. Saves me time and more fun will be had!! Great service to the community.
Very good explanation about the loot deck! I think I bought Abyss and the expansions thanks (or because 😉) to you, but I did not follow your advice on the first plays (I tend to trust board designers in their choices). But now I see your explanation again, it really makes sense, and I totally agree with you now ;) Very good series, even if they probably won’t have the same amount of viewers than top ten or base game reviews. It’s nice to have a true opinion with explanations on wether or not an expansion should be added to the base game. Thanks
I get that if I draw a 7 and then another 7, I am granted 0 points for the terrain. However, if I have drawn 5 cards and the 5th card duplicates the first, does this mean my points is permanently the sum of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th cards?
Here is my house rule: For the loot deck, what I do with my group is that you don't gain anything unless you say that you are done. Which means that you lose the bonus if you push too far. Also to balance it out, even if you pick a duplicate people could continue. Say they get a 7 and 7, then all other 7 picked would be removed too, but you still have an opportunity to reach for unique cards. It still makes them some of the better location in the game, but I like the idea of those location because they provide points and utilities, making them safer than a lot of the location from the basic game which requires buying lords or federating allies very specifically.
I personally agree with everything you said regarding the push your luck aspect. I think it is ok but can create balance issues purely based on the luck of the draw. This can be the problem... Two of the people in my playgroup love it, really, really, love it. Both have made comments wishing it was integrated into the game in more ways and more frequently. So I recommend everyone try it and if your group likes it, use it. If not, cut it out.
Herb witch expansion for quacks Any RFTG expansions Targi expansion 7 wonders Duel expansions Orleans expansions Castle Panic expansions Pandemic expansions And yea, love the series even though I've never so much as played Abyss
Targi and 7WD are on the shelves certainly. Others have been voted on in priority but I can look at those at some point. If you want to know more about Agora, the 7WD recent expansion, I talk about it briefly on my podcast th-cam.com/video/8ffTSC1EEiM/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for saying. Certainly isn't going to be a series for high views sadly, but despite that they do get a lot of comments and likes - engagement is more important.
@@TheBrokenMeeple Personally I really haven't seen the person winning take it because they don't have reason to gamble and risk not getting points on it. My thought is that it was intended as a catch-up mechanism. If someone is rushing to finish the game by collecting lords it's very easy for them to have a lead on points because of their amount of lords and the action economy make hard to overturn that advantage without taking a gamble. I have yet to see it overturn the game by someone winning too much, but it has led me to lose the first game I played with the expansion since I went out of my way to try using it and went down to second place after busting. I don't know if it is good to have it in, but I can see it working as giving a chance for someone losing to change the game state, which I know that since BGG skews against luck-based/light-weight mechanics they will of course hate that. Have you played with it and found it was an issue or you just think it's bad design so you skipped it?
wholeheartedly agree on the loot deck- it's terrible. I never house rule games, but I made an exception for Kraken (it's not modular by design, but I've treated loot deck and locations as a module and I keep them in the box).
@@TheBrokenMeeple off topic, was hoping you could clarify a Lord's ability? The Shaman reads, "You are protected against the Powers of Military Lords." If you have more than one lord, are they also protected, or just the Shaman?
I know this is probably not what you asked for, but can you please do a series of your favourite sentinels heroes, villains, environments? Some sentinels expansions introduce new ways to play.
Great series. If I had any constructive criticism.. it would be to try and shorten the length to 10min at the max. However I really like the idea of learning more about some expansions . I own both The Abyss expansions and haven't played with them yet.. as I wanted more Abyss plays under my belt before I threw them in.
Out of your favorite-ish games, I'd love to hear about your favorite expansions for Catan. It may inspire some people to ignore criticism and try the game out. **disclaimer** I have never actually played Catan myself.
I don't get the point, you can get tons of point from them or ... just zero. I'ts all high risk high reward then ? I can't see where it's unbalanced at all.
I am not sure why I waited for a grown man to tell me I could just rip the treasure deck out of my game of Abyss. I always play with it. Sometimes we are definitely annoyed by it. But after this video. Luke told me I could get rid of it! It's out of there! Excellent
I just spotted that video. We played with the loot deck only once and got rid of it immediately after.
It's such a bad inclusion!
I'm glad you followed up with the Kraken expansion. I agree, I would put them all together except for the loot deck and locations and teach it that way.
Can't do one without the other! :P
Kraken expansion arrives tomorrow. Thank you sooo much for showing me how to optimize the experience from the start. Saves me time and more fun will be had!! Great service to the community.
Thank you so much, please share if you can and I'm glad you got a useful aid!
Very good explanation about the loot deck! I think I bought Abyss and the expansions thanks (or because 😉) to you, but I did not follow your advice on the first plays (I tend to trust board designers in their choices). But now I see your explanation again, it really makes sense, and I totally agree with you now ;) Very good series, even if they probably won’t have the same amount of viewers than top ten or base game reviews. It’s nice to have a true opinion with explanations on wether or not an expansion should be added to the base game. Thanks
I get that if I draw a 7 and then another 7, I am granted 0 points for the terrain. However, if I have drawn 5 cards and the 5th card duplicates the first, does this mean my points is permanently the sum of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th cards?
Another great video Luke! I am sold on incorporating Kraken and Leviathan into my Abyss games from now on, sans the loot deck and locations.
Here is my house rule: For the loot deck, what I do with my group is that you don't gain anything unless you say that you are done. Which means that you lose the bonus if you push too far. Also to balance it out, even if you pick a duplicate people could continue. Say they get a 7 and 7, then all other 7 picked would be removed too, but you still have an opportunity to reach for unique cards. It still makes them some of the better location in the game, but I like the idea of those location because they provide points and utilities, making them safer than a lot of the location from the basic game which requires buying lords or federating allies very specifically.
That can work I guess but for something that's rarely seen it just isn't worth the hassle.
cool series! you could do Amber Mines for Near and Far, that’s an essential one for us :)
It goes in my Near & Far games.
I personally agree with everything you said regarding the push your luck aspect. I think it is ok but can create balance issues purely based on the luck of the draw. This can be the problem... Two of the people in my playgroup love it, really, really, love it. Both have made comments wishing it was integrated into the game in more ways and more frequently. So I recommend everyone try it and if your group likes it, use it. If not, cut it out.
Fair enough!
Great video...fiends and familiar would be great. Been on the fence about it.
You'll be happy to see the next two videos I've recorded then ;-)
Yes, that is very useful. Here some suggestions: Flamme Rouge, Gloom, Firefly: the game, lifeform, set a watch, Trickerion and Anachrony
Herb witch expansion for quacks
Any RFTG expansions
Targi expansion
7 wonders Duel expansions
Orleans expansions
Castle Panic expansions
Pandemic expansions
And yea, love the series even though I've never so much as played Abyss
Targi and 7WD are on the shelves certainly. Others have been voted on in priority but I can look at those at some point.
If you want to know more about Agora, the 7WD recent expansion, I talk about it briefly on my podcast th-cam.com/video/8ffTSC1EEiM/w-d-xo.html
@@TheBrokenMeeple I was just looking at my shelf of ~15ish games and seeing which ones I knew had expansions haha.
Great series Luke. Kraken expansion is now ordered, although that loot deck sounds awful!
Thanks for saying. Certainly isn't going to be a series for high views sadly, but despite that they do get a lot of comments and likes - engagement is more important.
I like keeping it in because it gives the person in last place at least a long shot chance of catching up.
But then can also propel the winner even further. The game is short enough that being in last place isn't something you discover for long
@@TheBrokenMeeple Personally I really haven't seen the person winning take it because they don't have reason to gamble and risk not getting points on it.
My thought is that it was intended as a catch-up mechanism. If someone is rushing to finish the game by collecting lords it's very easy for them to have a lead on points because of their amount of lords and the action economy make hard to overturn that advantage without taking a gamble.
I have yet to see it overturn the game by someone winning too much, but it has led me to lose the first game I played with the expansion since I went out of my way to try using it and went down to second place after busting.
I don't know if it is good to have it in, but I can see it working as giving a chance for someone losing to change the game state, which I know that since BGG skews against luck-based/light-weight mechanics they will of course hate that.
Have you played with it and found it was an issue or you just think it's bad design so you skipped it?
Great video, thank you :-)
I just LOVE Abyss, great review
Awesome video, thank you very much,
You are welcome!
Cool ! How about SmallWorld and 7 Wonders expansions?
Don't own Small World any more. 7 Wonders are a possibility although from Patreon votes, they weren't requested much.
wholeheartedly agree on the loot deck- it's terrible. I never house rule games, but I made an exception for Kraken (it's not modular by design, but I've treated loot deck and locations as a module and I keep them in the box).
Maybe vinhos expansions? was your fav lacerda right?
What expansions? It had KS extras but that's it.
There's 3 expansion packs called connoisseur, experts and island. There's also tasting room, but that's only bling
Can one play with both Kraken and Leviathan in the game (sans the loot deck)? I'm thinking, yes!
Yes, that's how I roll all the time!
@@TheBrokenMeeple off topic, was hoping you could clarify a Lord's ability? The Shaman reads, "You are protected against the Powers of Military Lords." If you have more than one lord, are they also protected, or just the Shaman?
@@Daley63 you as a player are protected as long as his ability remains active
Cool! Thanks!
Hi Luke,
You speak so highly on Abyss, can you share your experience with it as a 2 player game?
Thanks!
I think it is better with 3 personally for that bit of extra interaction with the allies but it's still good.
@@TheBrokenMeeple Thanks!
I know this is probably not what you asked for, but can you please do a series of your favourite sentinels heroes, villains, environments? Some sentinels expansions introduce new ways to play.
I remember doing a Top 10 list of heroes on a podcast a long, long time ago. I wouldn't have time to do a full blown series on just Sentinels.
I say do the 2 rollplayer expansions. I love that game and expansions
They're coming next! ;-)
@@TheBrokenMeeple woohoo
For me kraken is essential, it bring spice to the game. I never play without. But I agree for loot deck, it is broken.
Certainly I don't take it out, as I teach with everything.
Great series. If I had any constructive criticism.. it would be to try and shorten the length to 10min at the max. However I really like the idea of learning more about some expansions . I own both The Abyss expansions and haven't played with them yet.. as I wanted more Abyss plays under my belt before I threw them in.
Certainly trying to keep it to 10 (with limited success). Thanks for the constructive criticism.
@@TheBrokenMeeple I get it.. it is one of your favorite games. Hard not to get excited about things. 🤣
Out of your favorite-ish games, I'd love to hear about your favorite expansions for Catan. It may inspire some people to ignore criticism and try the game out. **disclaimer** I have never actually played Catan myself.
I don't get the point, you can get tons of point from them or ... just zero. I'ts all high risk high reward then ? I can't see where it's unbalanced at all.
It's too swingy, it can make or break game end scores purely by luck.