Locking Up the Last of the Loot with Goblin Vaults
Build a collection of loot and follow a variety of unique objectives to claim the most valuable possessions in Goblin Vaults.
One of the boxes I sometimes overlook on my shelves is the Swindler’s Chest, which I finally noticed the other day! Definitely time to return to Goblin Vaults, an interesting bidding and set collection combination. I had some fun with it a few years ago, yet it had been ages since I stacked up the loot! Onward to the shadows to fill up my hidden vault!
Game Overview
Game Name: Goblin Vaults
Publication Year: 2023
Designers: Keith Matejka & Eric Schlautman
Artists: V. Fedorova, R. Petter, L. Ribeiro, & D. Sá
Publisher: Thunderworks Games
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Several objectives provide guidance on how to build out a vault of 10 cards within a 3×4 grid. Bidding for cards can be risky, yet is also useful for setting up ways to place cards in hand within a vault. A pair of solo opponents offer a challenge around collecting these interesting loot types!
First Play
June 2, 2025
Complexity
2
Latest Play
October 24, 2026
Expansions
1
Setup Time
5 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
10
Play Time
15 Minutes
High Score
66
Game Area
32" x 20"
Low Score
33
Colorful Goblins
Part of gameplay is tied to symbols, which correspond to the various goblins. So very colorful! These cards are more for player color reminders, yet they add lots of personality.
The solo mode uses a pair of these goblins to award potential victory points. It becomes a balance of bidding on cards to keep, and blocking the solo opponent in some ways.
However, getting back into this one was a little tricky for me. Auctions and bids in a solo mode can be a challenge.
I played a lot of short card games since I last spent time with this one, and I was a little unsure if it offered enough.
Interesting Goals
One part of setup that took a little time but was actually rather fun was the deck. Only a few suits are used during a solo play, and these are tied to the various goals.
Having a bit of guidance made my decisions more intriguing. There were some cards that seemed worth it, and others that were probably best left alone.
I appreciated the examples that helped clarify exactly what was going on. Most weren’t all that complex, though.
It was the bidding process that felt a bit mechanical and repetitive. There were choices… And not a lot of enjoyment.
Placing Bids
Building up my vault was fun with the cards I had in hand that often turned into the cards I could bid on in future rounds. Underbidding or being beaten had their perks, too!
I thought the solo opponent was competitive in a random sort of way. With 2 bids per round, there was usually a good chance the card I wanted would be bid on. Sold!
It worked. I saw the fun in taking risks and bidding on cards that would reduce the solo opponent’s final score.
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that the core gameplay loop wasn’t something that drew me back, even for a few plays.
A Beautiful Final Vault
Success! A hand of cards tracks the rounds, and a vault will always end up with a total of 10 cards. There are some options around how to build in a 3×4 grid, which is neat.
Placing cards in their designated spots is worth extra victory points, and I was pretty happy when I built this out rather nicely. Look at all of those tiers that matched up!
Alas, I felt like the solo experience was rather hollow. I liked some of the choices, but would prefer many other games.
Solo auctions can be difficult, and I appreciate that this one works! Just another game I finished my time with.
The Tricky Nature of Smaller Card Games
I will say that I enjoyed this for a handful of plays a few years ago, so it was worth it! Yet I’m finding that I seem to have settled on a lot of my favorite smaller card games. This is the category I feel like I have filled out the most, and my collection spans many titles I love. It’s the heavier titles I’m still testing out to figure out what works best for me.
Perhaps I’m also in that space where I’m getting more comfortable parting with solo games I’m done with. Rarely have I come across any games that have failed so spectacularly that I feel disdain towards them. It’s mostly about getting all I’ll get out of it, or otherwise sensing that I’ll struggle to bring it back to my table. But the small card games? I’m pretty set!
Session Overview
Play Number: 9 & 10
Expansion: Goblin Vaults: Gundur Pack
Accessory: Swindler’s Chest
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Medium Difficulty Level
Outcome: 45-41, 51-47 (2 Wins)
The card artwork looked awesome and I could keep my vault in a compact space near the stitched play mat! I forgot about moving up to the highest difficulty level, although this still felt competitive enough to close out my time with the game. Some nice concepts that I’m sure others will like!
%
10 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
7
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
7
Originality
Design & Theme
5
Quality
Components & Rules
9
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
4
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
7
+ Pros (Positives)
- The artwork is limited but excellent, with expressive goblins and illustrated suits that are easy to identify.
- Gameplay is quick and doesn’t take too much effort to identify the ideal choices and ways to build up a vault.
- Only 10 of 12 positions are filled with cards by the end, which adds some decisions about how to score.
- Different goals can change each play quite a bit, sometimes by balancing them all or focusing on the best option.
- Managing the solo opponent is quick and provides a competitive challenge that often results in close final scores.
- It’s easy to keep the play space compact with the fixed size of a vault collection and central market section.
– Cons (Negatives)
- Although the solo opponent is competitive, it doesn’t always feel like it’s making the optimal moves every round.
- Goals add variety, yet overall gameplay feels repetitive with the same sorts of decisions made over and over.
- Setup involves separating the cards by suit, which works and makes sense, but takes a noticeable amount of time.
- The solo mode is one that functions well, yet doesn’t necessarily offer a lot of interesting and unique experiences.
Victory Conditions
Score the Most Points
- Overall Goal Progress 100%
Goals and Milestones
Win at least 1 game at the medium difficulty level.
Win at least 1 game at the hard difficulty level.
Continue the Conversation
What do you like about Goblin Vaults? Have you created a particularly noteworthy collection of loot in a vault? I liked certain aspects of gameplay, and could see this one being an interesting choice to explore auctions and bidding. Perhaps the lesson for myself is that I’m terrible at putting together a decent assortment of loot. I’ll leave that to the goblins! Ha ha!
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