From Dice to Narratives: The Great Story of Roll Player
Read about my first impressions of a fantastic solo game that weaves character stories from dice and more in Roll Player.
I’ve been late to the party with a lot of solo board games. With so many to choose from nowadays, it’s impossible to keep up. However, Roll Player has been recommended to me time and time again. I’ve looked into it, but somehow held back for whatever reason. I’ve been trying to get through my existing games this year, yet today, something happened!
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
Put together an awesome husband and a birthday weekend, and you get this! I was spoiled utterly and thoroughly with all of this. It might not all seem to go together, but rest assured that everything was perfect! So I had to think about what to do about all of this shiny goodness… And abandon my other games for the moment.
First Play
July 26, 2020
Complexity
3
Latest Play
May 18, 2021
Expansions
2
Setup Time
5 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
10
Play Time
30 Minutes
High Score
44
Game Area
26" x 20"
Low Score
0
Decisions, Decisions
This character’s ponderous face matched my own. Where to begin?! I could head off on a standalone tale, or even go way off course with some Golden Girls awesomeness.
Starting off with all of the expansions sounded like a tempting prospect, yet I usually start with the base game.
This way, I feel better able to understand what each new expansion adds to a game. Maybe it isn’t the best method all the time, yet that was my decision here!
Off came the shrinkwrap and I dug into the rulebook. In no time at all, I was ready to craft my first character!
Effortless Stories
As I completed the setup process, my character felt more alive than I expected. She had a rough backstory that was related to her class and alignment. Interesting…
My initial rolls were good in some ways, and horrible in others. I was excited to see where this went!
One of my favorite parts of games involves immersion and the feeling that a character is more than just a collection of numbers. Technically… That’s where I was.
Yet I felt connected to the game world and mechanics. All seemed well to get started and dive right in!
Coin Management
The only main resource to track is the coins. More on how well I did on that in a moment! This currency was very simple, yet I like simplicity in a lot of cases.
I was also impressed with the solo opponent, also dubbed the “enemy” in the rulebook. A single die merely decided what to do with the market each turn. Easy, easy!
The only thing I wished for was a better reminder about when to pick up coins. Luckily, I caught myself each time.
In a way, the coins also felt like a rough gauge of my elf’s wealth. She was never rich, but she still survived.
The Final Dice Set
How much fun did I have? So much! The attribute actions gave me a lot to think about, including how setup might affect my choices in the future. Awesome!
There was a lot of luck involved. Most of the black dice showed up, thereby allowing me to earn even more points.
I failed to complete the requirements for a few attributes. Namely, constitution and charisma. Yet in a way, that felt like it matched up with the character herself.
Also, take a look at all of those matched backstory dice! As I said, luck seemed to be on my side with the dice bag.
Appropriate Skills
Acrobatics was the only skill I had from the very start. Normally, it wouldn’t be that useful. Except… This was a rogue! I kept her alignment just where it was.
There was only a single opportunity to open a lock, and it proved to be extremely useful. I was quite thrilled!
As for pickpocket, the final turn had nothing to really help me out. So this seemed like a relevant addition!
This was one talented elf! I suppose the thief class might have made a little more sense thematically, but this all brought her to life in a unique way.
Collecting Traits
With a horde of coins sitting off to the side, a lock opened to reveal the honorable trait… And I pounced on it!
The others weren’t as useful in the end, although I felt like they added more depth to my character. She wasn’t just a typical rogue. There was something deeper within her.
And maybe that’s the real strength of the game: It has a simple set of mechanics, yet it brings a character to life. A few descriptors give dimension that might not be there.
I know that characters may be saved and used in other ways… And this one was definitely going to stick around!
All the Leather Armor
The small set collection option present with the armor was a secondary priority for me. However, when leather started to show up, I was happy to collect the cards!
Besides the armor, though, one of the most useful acquisitions turned out to be the quarterstaff.
The weapon was one of the first cards I purchased. All in all, it yielded an extra 12 coins over the course of play! I was able to afford some high-value cards with the bonus.
Was she better off with other weapons? Possibly, but I felt like this was a good way to begin and I stuck with it.
The Complete Picture
The final score put me in the top scoring tier, but I tip my hat to some birthday luck! Maybe this was payback for all the times others recommended the game to me before.
There have been some games I seemingly mastered from the start and had no desire to ever play again.
In this case, there were expansions galore! And I didn’t think I could replicate this experience every time. Besides, I had a character I liked. Couldn’t there be others?
I’ll have to come up with a proper name for this elf at some point, yet I took many photos to preserve her!
Giving It Another Whirl
Part of me wanted to call it a day, but it seemed a little disingenuous to go out with such a high score. Besides, I needed to get a better idea of what the base game offered.
Up next was a very interesting sort of mix. Whereas my elf had a coherent selection, this orc was all over the place!
She wasn’t particularly well-equipped to head out into the world of adventuring, but I was there to help in some way! Or so I hoped. My luck has been spotty lately. Ha ha!
The starting dice worked out relatively nicely, and I had a neat ability to use as the monk. Where would this lead?
A Mild Kind of Failure
First, I forgot to count the class dice before I took this photo. Those 5 points weren’t recorded here, but luckily I didn’t forget them before I cleaned up!
Things didn’t go so well. Another honorable character was still something to be proud of, though.
The traits seem to be quite interesting. I didn’t get the bonus from the loyal trait, unfortunately, because I made a few mistakes during the dice placement early on.
All the same, I pictured her crafting the longsword for herself and keeping it with her as a relic of her past.
Session Overview
Play Number: 1 and 2
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Required Play Space: 22″ x 20″
Setup Time: 5 Minutes
Play Time: 30 Minutes per Play
Outcome: 38 and 26 (1 Win and 1 Loss)
Not too bad to start! This also got me thinking about the cover art. Sometimes, heroes are a little hidden in the background, yet they play the greatest role… Or roll. Ha ha! Simply an excellent starting point. I’ll be back soon to create and explore some more fantasy world characters!
%
10 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
10
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
8
Quality
Components & Rules
9
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
9
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
9
Victory Conditions
Score 40+ Points
- Overall Goal Progress 67%
Goals and Milestones
Score at least 35 points.
Score at least 40 points.
Score at least 45 points.
Continue the Conversation
Do you remember what you thought of Roll Player during your first play? What are your opinions about the expansions? I’ll probably play with the base game for just a little longer, and then it’s definitely time to dive into the newer content. I can’t wait! Now is a wonderful time for solo board games, and I’m having such a great time! Thanks again, husband!
I played it first at a 1PG get-together here in the UK, so it has those good associations. It’s a game I enjoy, but not quite a game I love or want to own (in my fairly limited storage space ). The Monsters expansion means you can do something with your character, which I think is a very welcome extension.
Limited storage is definitely starting to get to me… Once upon a time, my games were neatly shelved and organized. Now it looks like a disaster zone. Granted, it’s a very clean and organized sort of disaster zone, but I think I went over the maximum space awhile ago!
I’m looking forward to trying out the first expansion! I’ll have another session report soon about more experiences with the base game. I like it, but I can see how it feels like it ends right when it seems to be starting. Let’s just hope I don’t entice you to exceed your storage space, Roger. Ha ha!
Your elf character appears to be a great effort right out of the chute! Doesn’t work out that was every time, so expect more character flaws like your orc. 🙂
Some games I have a surplus of coins and other games not many. One rule I find myself forgetting is the character class special ability. And I like how the trait cards are limited in use depending on the position of your alignment marker, although you can manipulate if you buy market cards that automatically move the marker or another trait card of the opposite direction. In one my early games, I had two trait cards of opposite directions and was using both each round thinking how easy is this! Then I read the rules again that you can only refresh one trait a round. 🙂
When you add in the M&M expansion, you will have XP cubes as management along with the coins and your choices will become tougher in purchasing market cards or fighting the minion cards.
Have fun and welcome to the Roll Player universe!!
Thanks, Derek! It’s actually kind of fun to see the flawed characters with lower scores. This makes me like the game even more because there are scoring tiers, but the worst-case scenario isn’t a total failure. It’s more like the prelude to a complete underdog story… The tale of the mediocre orc who traveled with her trusty longsword, until the day when she inadvertently saved the castle.
The skill refreshing is very neat! I made sure to remember that rule, or I might have been in your shoes! Sometimes, it seems to pay off to have a single skill to use all the time… When you’re a rogue. How I love that class’s ability!
I’m excited to add in the first expansion very soon! I should get to it before the week is through. Hurray!
When you add the F&F expansion in, then it increases the chances of a flawed character with the introduction of the split dice and fiends. Savor the M&M expansion first though!
Thanks for the great advice! I have to admit I was quite intrigued by the appearance of the split dice. Then I spent a few minutes just looking through the familiars… Sadly, no Stealthy Elephant. Ha ha! I should have a session report about the first expansion in the next few days. I’m trying not to have high hopes, but it’s hard when I simply can’t wait to try it out!
I’ll get to Roll Player in a moment.
Funkoverse! OMG, someone else playing it! I think Sian (shockaday) does too.
I’ve considered the Golden Girls. I did watch some of it when it was on but felt guilty (my family is very conservative). I don’t feel so much, now. I’ve also heard Rose’s cheesecake is quite powerful . . .! I think those girls could give Gotham, Jurassic Park, and Hogwarts a run for their money. I can see any of the girls taking the T Rex by the ear and leading him/her off, scolding it, and it would feel bad, because they are so awesome.
And they wouldn’t put up with any of Joker’s nonsense.
Roll Player . . how awesome! Looks like your other gifts are fun, too. For some reason watching Cartographers, I didn’t think it seemed fun (but a different polyomino drawing one, Second Chance, does). It’s cool how we can all find things that suit us.
I’ll probably have some fun with it my Golden Girls soon enough! They could definitely take down anyone. Those ladies never feared anything. And then in the worst case, I’ll likely have them out near my game table just for some inspiration when I’m losing horribly. I have many episodes memorized, so it’s easy to find a reason to smile!
We’ll see what I think as I start playing everything. It’s been great so far! My husband is amazing…. Although I know part of the reason he picked up some of these was for us to play together. That’s the wonderful thing about getting luck with a board game partner: Every gift is like a shared one!