Game Overview

Game Name: Roll Player
Publication Year: 2016
Designer: Keith Matejka
Artist: JJ Ariosa and Luis Francisco
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game

Dice provide the basis for the creation process, yet it’s much more in-depth than simple placements. There are goals for types, values, locations, and sometimes more. Cards provide special bonuses, although the market isn’t exactly cheap! At the heart of it all, of course, is the final battle against a lurking monster that threatens all.

A Bit of Resilience

This human rogue was of interest from the start when I read the flavor text for his backstory. This mysterious plague had to come from somewhere or something…

Throughout the course of play, I wove a tale of how the giant troll was behind the demise of the village. Awful!

I’m someone who often prefers solo board games that offer narrative potential. There were some surprising moments when these little stories made sense.

But in the end, the monster was dispatched and this human became the hero of his new village. Hurray!

Bitter Bard Tales

With just a few steps to reshuffle and reset, I found myself wanting to complete another play. This time, it was the curious case of an aristocrat dark elf bard.

He was most intriguing. Traits piled up early on to paint the picture of someone properly labeled a truth seeker.

But what was this truth he was after? The backstory text didn’t quite match up. It seemed like he doubted his origins and wanted to learn more about himself.

That was where he made his mistake, though. There was absolutely no focus on the prowling monsters.

Collecting Scrolls

Another element of the expansion that changes the market is the scroll cards. These provide immediate benefits, but at the cost of coins.

My dark elf used many of these, though it seemed like a dangerous gamble. These short-term effects would not last, and the kingdom was in serious trouble.

Indeed, I had a feeling that he was in serious danger when the final battle loomed around the corner.

Revealed information was only partial, and the bonuses were certainly not in the bard’s favor.

A Bad Combination

Although traits typically don’t interact, being both confident and weak just sounded like a disaster! This was how he headed off into the final battle. Good luck.

With his bard skills, I could just picture him playing a jaunty tune to hide those tiny arms incapable of wielding a weapon. Oh, dark elf, you best be careful…

I had a couple of very frustrating turns along the way. The right minions kept getting shuffled out at the wrong time!

But it wasn’t just luck. I love the strategic decisions that go into crafting each character. This one seemed… Doomed.

Session Overview

Play Number: 6 and 7
Expansion: Roll Player: Monsters & Minions
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Required Play Space: 26″ x 20″
Setup Time: 5 Minutes
Play Time: 30 Minutes per Play
Outcome: 30 and 0 (2 Losses)

My word! The dark elf only managed to do 19 damage, even with a reroll in the mix. The Kraken devoured the rather foolish character in my first utter and complete loss. It was bad… But is it bad to admit it was exciting? Ha!

Affordability

Price & Value

10

Functionality

Challenges & Mechanics

10

Originality

Design & Theme

8

Quality

Components & Rules

9