Dwarf (2017) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Dwarf is a solo or cooperative worker placement game designed by Lars Munck and published by Dragon Dawn Productions in in 2017. The game is set in a fantasy world where players take on the roles of dwarves managing their own mining operations.

Game Components of Dwarf

Dynamic board consisting of a 3×3 grid of cards

Three small decks of special actions

Dwarf worker tokens

Resource tokens (iron, gold, steel)

Item cards

Monster cards

Medals

Special action cards

How To Setup Dwarf

To set up the game, players arrange the mountain grid with nine cards, each having a specific action such as mining iron or smelting iron into steel. Three small decks of special actions are placed below the grid. Each player selects a set of dwarf workers and starts with a minimal amount of resources.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Dynamic Board: The board changes every turn as two new cards are drawn and placed on the grid, covering previous actions.

Worker Placement: Players place their dwarf workers on the cards to perform actions like mining, smelting, and forging.

Resource Management: Players manage resources (iron, gold, steel) to forge items.

Monster Defense: Players can place dwarfs on monster cards to prevent damage to all players.

Special Actions: Players can use special actions to manipulate the grid or gain extra resources, but these come at a cost.

Game Objective: The game ends when one player gathers four items. Victory is determined by having the most of two out of the three key resources: gold, steel, and items.

Player Experience

In Dwarf, players must adapt their strategies to the constantly changing board. Each turn requires careful planning to optimize resource collection, item forging, and monster defense. The game encourages a mix of competition and cooperation, as players must balance their own goals with the need to protect the mountain from monsters that can harm everyone. The help action, which allows a player to place extra dwarfs, is highly contested and adds a layer of strategy.

Pros

Dynamic Gameplay: The changing board ensures every game is unique.

Strategic Depth: Players need to balance resource collection, item forging, and monster defense.

Cooperative Elements: Players must sometimes cooperate to protect against common threats.

Quick Playtime: Games last 30-40 minutes.

Cons

Randomness: The random draw of cards can sometimes lead to unbalanced game states.

Limited Player Count: Ideally designed for 1-3 players; playing with 4-5 players requires two copies of the game.

Special Actions Cost: Special actions can be costly and may not always be beneficial.

Personal Thoughts on Dwarf

Dwarf is ideal for players who enjoy tactical strategy and dynamic gameplay. It is particularly suited for fans of worker placement and resource management games who are looking for a game that combines competitive and cooperative elements. The game’s short playtime and high replayability make it a great addition to any board game collection. However, players who prefer more predictable game states or games with a higher player count may find Dwarf less appealing.

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