The Drifter (2019) Board Game

The Drifter is a solo board game that was released in in 2019. It is set in the American West and offers players an adventure-filled experience. Designed by Pixabay, The Drifter incorporates dice rolling, events, and a hexagon grid to create a unique gameplay experience.

Game Components of The Drifter

Game Book: Contains character generation rules, gameplay mechanics, and a vast array of encounter events.

Hex Map: A map with various terrain types, a railroad, and several towns.

Dice: 1d10 dice for skill tests and combat.

Pen and Paper or Text Editor: For record keeping.

Optional: A digital tool like Paint to mark map icons.

How To Setup The Drifter

To set up the game, you start by generating your character, which includes assigning stats such as Finesse, Hunch, Karma, and a Bounty Suit. The starting location is determined, and you initialize your character’s funds and equipment. The game requires minimal setup, with the main components being the game book, the hex map, and some dice.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Character Generation: Stats include Finesse (physical skills), Hunch (mental and social skills), Karma (re-rolls), Bounty Suit (encounter difficulty), and money.

Game Actions: Actions include moving, healing, entering towns, interacting with points of interest, etc.

Event Resolution: Roll on the Event table based on the current Bounty Suit, which can lead to various encounters tied to specific terrain types.

Skill Tests: Roll 1d10 and add relevant stat (Finesse or Hunch) to determine success.

Combat: Initiative determined by Hunch skill test; attacks rolled on 1d10 + attacker’s Finesse – opponent’s Finesse.

Objective: Acquire $300 to leave the outlaw life and buy a ranch.

Player Experience

The Drifter offers a highly variable and immersive solo experience, with 245 different encounter events that can occur. The game is straightforward to learn but involves significant randomness, making each playthrough unique. The lack of illustrations and bare prose may detract from the flavor, but the sheer variety of encounters compensates for this.

Pros

High Replayability: Unique story experiences with each playthrough.

Simple Mechanics: Easy to learn and play.

Variety of Encounters: Staggering number of events tied to different terrain types.

Low Cost: Very affordable.

Minimal Setup: Requires basic tools like dice and a text editor.

Cons

Randomness: High randomness may reduce decision points.

Limited Illustrations: Lack of illustrations and bare prose can make the game feel less engaging.

Mechanical Simplicity: Some players might find the mechanics too simple.

Personal Thoughts on The Drifter

The Drifter is ideal for fans of solo role-playing games and those who enjoy procedural hexcrawling. It’s a great choice for players looking for a low-commitment, high-replayability game that can be played in short sessions. While it may not offer deep mechanical complexity, its unique encounters and straightforward rules make it an enjoyable experience for those who appreciate storytelling and dice-driven gameplay.

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