Dwellings of Eldervale (2020) Board Game

Dwellings of Eldervale is a fantasy board game released in 2020 by Breaking Games. Designed by Luke Laurie, the game features stunning artwork by Merilliza Chan, Sergio Chaves, Anton Fadeev, and Leesha Hannigan. With a playtime of 60–150 minutes and suitable for 1-5 players, Dwellings of Eldervale has quickly gained popularity among board game enthusiasts for its immersive gameplay and engaging mechanics.

Game Components of Dwellings of Eldervale

Exclusive miniatures, including 2 highly detailed plastic monster figures

Custom wooden meeples

Premium GameTrayz organizers

Double-sided faction boards

Worker meeples, resources, dice, dwellings, and score markers

Magic cards granting spells, quests, and prophecies

Modular board components including realms like the summoning portal, ancient mill, lost fortress, deep dungeons, and crumbling mage tower

Elemental lands of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Light, Dark, Order, and Chaos

How To Setup Dwellings of Eldervale

Setting up **Dwellings of Eldervale** involves organizing the various components into their designated spaces. Each player selects a faction and places their worker meeples, resources, and other elements into their respective GameTrayz organizers. The modular board is assembled by placing the terrain tiles and realm spaces, and the magic cards are shuffled and distributed. The game also includes a detailed rules manual to guide the initial setup and gameplay.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Mechanics

Worker Placement

Area Control

Engine Building

Variable Player Powers

Dice Rolling

Hand Management

Modular Board

Game Objective

The objective is to achieve the most elemental dominance and score the most points. Players do this by:

Placing workers in Eldervale to access different realms and actions

Activating adventure cards on their tableau

Earning glory for combat and elemental points for dwelling in different terrains

Drawing dungeon cards and completing quests

Building dwellings and positioning tiles strategically

Player Experience

**Dwellings of Eldervale** offers a dynamic and engaging experience, blending strategic worker placement with exciting combat and exploration. Players must manage their resources carefully, balance their actions between different realms, and adapt to the random elements introduced by combat and magic cards. The game is designed to be manageable despite its complexity, allowing players to learn as they play.

Pros

High-quality components and beautiful artwork

Multiple paths to victory, ensuring high replayability

Engaging blend of worker placement, area control, and engine building

Optional modules for added depth and complexity

Excellent GameTrayz organizers for component management

Cons

Combat can feel random and sometimes frustrating due to bad luck

Significant game length variability (between 1.5 to 4 hours)

Some players may find the dice rolling mechanic flawed

Large box with considerable empty space in the Standard Edition

Personal Thoughts on Dwellings of Eldervale

**Dwellings of Eldervale** is ideal for fans of fantasy and Euro games who enjoy mid-weight games with a balance of strategy and randomness. It is perfect for those who appreciate detailed components and a rich, immersive theme. However, players who prefer tightly competitive games or are averse to random elements in combat might find this game less appealing. Overall, it offers a fun and engaging experience for groups who enjoy strategic planning and a bit of luck.

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