Tale as Old as Time and the Wrong Long-Lost Heir in Oath
See how a world ages and changes through history in a series of eras and various chancellors through a campaign of Oath.
Part of me often apologizes for posting about a single solo game for weeks, yet Oath deserves its place in the spotlight. I love it! The history of this little world has evolved over just a few plays, and I find the stories to be entirely endearing. Multi-handed solo may not be my preferred way to play, but this is the wonderful exception that keeps getting better!
Game Overview
Game Name: Oath
Publication Year: 2021
Designer: Cole Wehrle
Artist: Kyle Ferrin
Publisher: Leder Games
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game or Multi-Handed
A lone play only lasts a handful of rounds, but it is the ongoing campaign that brings the game to life. Exiles vie for power. The chancellorship often shifts, although the heart is with the stories as the world remembers and forms its own unique sort of history. Such a cool premise!
First Play
April 2, 2022
Complexity
4
Latest Play
March 1, 2025
Expansions
0
Setup Time
10 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
10
Play Time
2 Hours
High Score
N/A
Game Area
50" x 26"
Low Score
N/A
Back to the Salt Flats
A stable regime victory kept Chancellor Amphillis on the throne, and she remained a beloved ruler. Only small pockets of the hinterland fell outside of her influence.
It was not long after the ancient forge fell for the second time that Edgar Berdwell considered his options. He was in a spot where he might wrest control with magic.
No more would he rely on the forged relics… This time, the broken forge was swept away in the incessant floods.
He would garner favor from the quiet, unimportant part of the land, where the chancellor rarely ventured.
Chancellor Amphillis
The House of Brudenell was not one to be trifled with. Still as ageless as ever, the chancellor stood for stability and prosperous sites. Her rule was steady and as fair as ever.
Over time, the heavy favor of the discord faction often led to unexpected outcomes and a general sense of upheaval.
Chancellor Amphillis was ever loyal to the denizens, and she garnered goodwill wherever she went.
Faithful friends aided her protection of the cradle and provinces. Regrettably, though, it looked like she would be forced to leave the cradle if she was to maintain her power.
At the Standing Stones
Edgar made a run for the chancellorship with his steady rise in the hinterland, which brought him into the provinces. It seemed that his hat was quite admirable.
Unfortunately for him, the chancellor kept a close eye on her rule with an ongoing garrison. Any progress would be minimal and terribly slow. Edgar had to reconsider.
He knew of the other exile lurking near the drowned city. If they worked together, perhaps one would rise to power.
Alas, Edgar did little more than stand about like a standing stone. The chancellor was much too beloved to unseat.
The Wrong Heir
Meanwhile, Frances and Duncan Petley continued their conquest of the flooded regions. Along the way, Frances uncovered a book of records with alarming information.
Without hesitation, she presented her nephew to the chancellor as someone most important… A long-lost heir!
This ushered in a short period of chaos. Chancellor Amphillis knew of no such heir, and carefully schemed to exile Duncan before his citizenship threatened her rule.
Indeed, Frances had uncovered the wrong book of records in her hasty research. The chancellor held onto the throne.
Unexpected Strategies and Underhanded Allies
Whoa! The storytelling side of this era was a little light, only because it came down to a lot more strategic play than I expected. For a good portion of play, the chancellor was the clear winner. The visions weren’t particularly helpful when there was no way to take away some of the banners. Well done to me for setting up a powerful chancellor. Ha ha!
Playing multi-handed solo means that I try to play against myself in many ways, which can sometimes lead to a few dead ends when I set up a character for a dominating victory. Yet partway through, the long-lost heir card came out again. I’ve seen it in many eras, but making a character a citizen never really felt like the right move. Until now.
Since the rounds with dice rolls and immediate endings were already happening, there was a path for Duncan to win by being the successor. It was all set up for him! Actually, he met the criteria when I rolled once, and if luck had been on his side, he would have stolen the chancellorship in a most interesting sort of way. Alas, the chancellor was onto him!
The very next round, I saw a way to both exile him and steal back a banner. Most embarrassing! Yet with such a powerful chancellor, that short glimmer of hope was the only opportunity. It was exciting, though, and gave me my first experience with citizenship. That’s a whole element that isn’t as prominent in solo, yet it’s so very intriguing.
Session Overview
Play Number: 7
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game or Multi-Handed
Play Details: 3-Handed Solo
Outcome: Stable Regime Victory (Nomad Faction Focus)
This play also saw the faction favor banks start to run out, which shifted my strategies a bit. It was interesting when the gambling hall came out, as that turned into the only way to gather favor at certain points! A lot of surprises came up during this era, although I don’t think I can top someone claiming to be a long-lost heir only to be exiled immediately. “Nope… Wrong heir.” Ha ha! Love it!
%
10 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
10
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
9
Originality
Design & Theme
10
Quality
Components & Rules
8
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
9
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
9
+ Pros (Positives)
- Even the most powerful chancellor is never guaranteed a victory with the many surprising and clever strategies.
- The world deck changes with each era as cards are added and removed, introducing entirely new actions.
- Characters might take the center stage, but the history and stories very much revolve around the world itself.
- Manipulating the faction favor banks is another fascinating element that can have major consequences.
- All of the components are bright and colorful, almost creating a storybook appearance for the whole play space.
- Stories form the backbone of gameplay, yet there can still be very nuanced and complex actions to carry out.
– Cons (Negatives)
- Playing multi-handed solo takes away a little bit, particularly with citizenship or teaming up against others.
- Some of the rules can be hard to follow, and a few small rules are easy to forget when following a chained action.
- Iconography on the sites can be easy to miss, but some card ability icons don’t always clearly stand out.
- Although it’s rare, it can be difficult to see any possible way to improve a character’s position during a round.
Victory Conditions
None
- Overall Goal Progress 75%
Goals and Milestones
Achieve an Oathkeeper victory.
Achieve a Usurper victory.
Achieve a Vision victory.
Achieve a Successor victory.
Continue the Conversation
Are there any particularly memorable eras from your plays of Oath? What other interesting solo experiences blend strategy and storytelling? I’m still not done with this one yet, although I can see a general end point coming up in the relatively near future. Not that I want to close it out… I’m having so much fun, and each era is full of surprises!
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