The Big Book of Madness (2015) Board Game

The Big Book of Madness is a cooperative deck-building game designed by Maxime Rambourg and published by IELLO in in 2015. The game is set in a world where students of magic accidentally unleash monsters from the forbidden Big Book of Madness, and must work together to defeat them before it’s too late.

Game Components of The Big Book of Madness

Grimoire board: Represents the magical book from which monsters emerge.

Player cards: Small “Konieczka” variety, including basic spells, unique starting decks, and special abilities for each character.

Monster cards: Each representing a page in the Grimoire, with various curses and elements.

Element cards: Used to deal with curses and upgrade decks.

Spell cards: Upgradable spells to enhance gameplay.

Madness cards: Dead weight cards that clog players’ decks and risk eliminating them.

Wooden pieces: Includes a spell book to track turns and other charming components.

Token system: For managing elements and curses.

How To Setup The Big Book of Madness

Setup involves choosing student characters, each with their own starting decks and special abilities. Players begin with the same four basic spells but have unique starting cards. The Grimoire board is set up to reveal the sequence of monsters and curses. Each round, a new monster is revealed, and players must use their elements and spells to mitigate the curses.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Cooperative gameplay: Players work together to defeat monsters emerging from the Grimoire.

Deck building: Players upgrade their decks with higher-valued elements and better spells.

Element management: Using element cards to deal with curses.

Support pool: Players can add cards to a shared pool to cooperate in destroying curses or removing madness cards.

Madness system: Accumulating madness cards can eliminate players from the game.

Objective: The goal is to destroy all curses of the final monster to win the game.

Failure conditions: Players can lose by running out of madness cards, all players going mad, or failing to defeat the final monster.

Player Experience

The Big Book of Madness offers a challenging and dynamic experience, requiring constant strategy adjustments as new monsters and curses are revealed. The game’s theme of magical students battling horrors from a forbidden book is enhanced by its vibrant artwork and engaging mechanics. Players must balance their deck upgrades with the need to clear curses and manage madness, making each game session unique and demanding.

Pros

Dynamic strategy: Constant adjustments needed as the game progresses.

Unique characters: Each student has special abilities and starting decks.

Cooperative focus: Encourages team play through the support pool mechanic.

High replayability: Random selection of monsters and curses ensures varied gameplay.

Fantastic artwork: Xavier Gueniffey Durin’s illustrations bring the game to life.

Cons

Randomness and imbalance: Certain card orders can significantly impact difficulty.

Madness system challenges: Managing madness cards can be frustrating.

Setup time: Initial setup can be lengthy.

Card shuffling: Frequent shuffling required due to small card size.

Personal Thoughts on The Big Book of Madness

The Big Book of Madness is ideal for fans of cooperative games and deck-building mechanics. It serves well as a gateway game for those new to cooperative board games, thanks to its engaging theme and challenging gameplay. Despite its complexities and occasional frustrations, the game offers a fun and addictive experience that encourages teamwork and strategic thinking. It’s a great addition to any board game collection, especially for those who enjoy a mix of horror and magic themes.

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