Monday I posted about a fantastic new animation, The Legend of Vox Machina, that is based on the DnD campaign created by a group of voice actors. It seems only natural that I stay on theme and make today’s game a role playing game of sorts; Pathfinder. Now, there are loads of versions of Pathfinder, today’s post is about the Adventure Card Game, The Mummy's Mask.
Theme: You are a member of a band of heroes in a land called Osirion, trying to stop an accent tyrant from being reborn.
Specs: 1-4 Players, though there are character add on decks that allow for up to six. This is a campaign game, but it is played over several scenarios. Scenario game play suggestion time is around 2 hours. You can definitely get through some scenarios faster, but this is a fair guesstimate.
Recommended for ages 13+. This is a mid-level difficulty game, and I think 12 or 13 is a fair age, due to all of the details and the ongoing factor.
Mechanics: Cooperative game, deck building, hand management, dice rolling, role playing, campaign (aka scenario or mission), and variable player powers.
Designed by Chad Brown, Tanis O'Connor, Paul Peterson, Keith Richmond, Mike Slinkier, Liz Spain, and Gabby Weidling
Art by Jay Epperson and Tyler Jacobson
Published by Paizo Games
So how does this all play out? Well first, everyone picks a hero to be. The characters a pre-created, but there are dozens to choose from.
There's an Oracle, Alchemist, Rogue, Slayer, and more to choose from. They are each proficient in at least one area, such as armor, weapons, arcane magic, alchemy, and so on. Then they each have varying powers like diplomacy, wisdom, constitution, charisma, etc etc. It’s a good idea to choose characters with different strengths so your team is well rounded. There are other versions of Pathfinder where you can create your own characters as well.
After selecting heroes you build your character’s starting deck and then set up the first scenarios. All of the characters and scenarios have what is called “flavor text” and I encourage you to read it! Every character has a backstory and every campaign is a quest. Learn who you are and what you are fighting for. And if you’re like the VAs of Vox Machina, really get into and give your character a voice that you maintain for game play.
Once your characters are selected and decks built, you set up the first scenario and follow the instructions. My husband and I have a campaign going with four friends who live in Florida. We are on scenario three or four now. Each scenario has multiple “levels”. Each level takes maybe an hour or two tops and you can easily walk away from the game after each one. Usually it's only four of us playing; my sister in law, her husband, my husband, and myself. That’s another neat part. The other two jump in when they can, but we can keep playing without them.
As you beat cards and levels you gain new cards, new feats (powers), and get stronger.
This is a great intro to campaign style games and roleplaying games (RPGs) for anyone who finds them intimidating or is unsure if they will like them. And it’s a fun and challenging game for the any gamer. As a cooperative game it's great because you really do have to work together and make sacrifices to help each other beat monsters and villains, but there isn't any alpha gaming (one person calling all the shots). As a matter of fact, I love it so much that we got our own Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Core Set, so that my husband and I could play our own campaign. It has a whole different set of characters and scenarios and some of the mechanics are different, but we love it just as much!
Have you tried any role playing games lately? What's your favorite?