150: Martian Dice | Magic: The Gathering | Devolution

What this episode covers

Welcome to Which Game First where we boldly explore the hilariously huge world of board games. Did we unearth any hidden treasures you’ve been missing out on? Let’s find out! First: We come in peace or rather shoot to pieces the planet earth in Martian DiceNext: We’re never so happy to spot land in our lives as we build our hodgepodge armies in Magic: the Gathering – Adventures in Forgotten RealmsLastly: We do whatever it takes and we mean whatever it takes to gain popular vote in Devolution: Become a Supreme Leader for Life! Martian Dice Designed by: Scott AlmesPublished by: Tasty Minstrel Games (2011)Players: 2 – 99Ages: 8 & upPlaying time: 10 min In Martian Dice we play martians whose mission is be the first  to fill your earthling abduction quota! Our goal is to collect samples of the Chicken, Cow, and Human to determine which of them is actually in charge. You roll 13 custom dice, after each roll you must first set aside any Tanks, representing the human military coming to fend off your alien invasion. Then you may choose one type of die to set aside as well Chicken, Cow, Human, or Deathray … At the end of your turn, if you have at least as many Death Rays as Tanks, then you may abduct the earthlings you’ve been setting aside. You can’t pick any type of Earthling twice in one turn, but if you manage to abduct at least one of each you’ll score a bonus! Magic: The Gathering | Adventures in Forgotten Realms Designed by: Richard Garfield  Published by: Wizards of the Coast (1993)Players: 2 +Ages: 13 & upPlaying time: 20 min From the official website: In the Magic game, you play the role of a planeswalker—a powerful wizard who fights other planeswalkers for glory, knowledge, and conquest. Your deck of cards represents all the weapons in your arsenal. It contains the spells you know and the creatures you can summon to fight for you. This is the grandfather of the collectible card game (or CCG) genre. Cards are categorized as common, uncommon, rare, and mythic rare. Players collect cards and build decks out of their collection. Players build a deck of cards and duel against an opponent’s deck. Players are wizards attempting to reduce their opponent’s life total to zero. The first player to reduce his opponent’s life to zero (or meet another set win condition) wins the game. An important part of the game is deck construction, which is done prior to the actual game by selecting what cards are included in a particular deck. There are nearly 20,000 different cards from which to build your deck! Cards can be lands, which usually generate mana of various colors, or spells, which require a certain amount of mana to be used. Some cards (creatures, artifacts, and enchantments) stay on the board and continue to affect the game, while others have a one-time effect. Players randomly draw spells to see what they get and can play each turn. Although this limits your choices, there is a lot of strategy in how you play those spells. A robust list of game mechanics, including intricate rules for reactive card play called “the stack,” provide for rich tactics and tough choices each turn. Though traditionally a two-player duel, there are several casual and tournament formats to Magic that allow more players to play. Devolution: Become a Supreme Leader for Life! Designed by: Jason RyePublished by: Taike Games (coming to KS in 21/22)Players: 2 – 8Ages: 18 & upPlaying time: 20 – 50 min

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