The Red Dragon Inn 8: Pub Crawl (2022) Board Game

The Red Dragon Inn series is a popular line of tabletop games that simulate the experience of fantasy adventurers winding down after a long day of questing with a drink and some good-natured competition. The Red Dragon Inn 8: Pub Crawl is the latest installment in this series, designed by Erin Wong and published by SlugFest Games.

Game Components of The Red Dragon Inn 8: Pub Crawl

5 new Character Decks

Samantha’s Brawl Deck and Brawl Tracker

Father Farai’s 12 Brew Cards

Nerodia’s Boss Deck

Lucky’s Heat Tracker

Drink Deck

5 Tavern Decks

6 oversized Tavern cards

2 Prize Cards

Gold Coins and other Tokens

Player mats and deck dividers compatible with The Red Dragon Inn 5: The Character Trove

Exclusive promo cards and Coins of the World sheets in certain editions.

How To Setup The Red Dragon Inn 8: Pub Crawl

To set up the game, each player chooses a character and takes their player card, 40-card main deck, any unique mini decks or trackers, ten gold, and one red and one white glass bead as tracker tokens. Health is set at 20, represented by a red bead, and alcohol intake is set to zero. Players shuffle their decks, draw a starting hand of seven cards, and receive a face-down drink card. The drink deck is also shuffled and placed within each player’s ‘Drink Me’ area.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Player Turn: Discard cards, draw back up to a full hand, play action cards (including starting gambling minigames), buy a drink for another player, and drink from their own ‘Drink Me’ pile.

Drink Effects: Resolve the effects of consumed drinks.

Pub Crawl Variant: Players start and end the night at the Red Dragon Inn, moving to different taverns each round, with each tavern having its own effects on players’ resources.

Objective: Be the last player standing, avoiding passing out or going broke.

Player Experience

The Red Dragon Inn 8: Pub Crawl offers a fun and dynamic experience with new characters and the innovative Pub Crawl variant. Players navigate through different taverns, each with unique drinks and challenges, adding a fresh layer of strategy and excitement to the game. The game maintains the core mechanics of the series but introduces enough new content to keep it engaging for both new and veteran players.

Pros

New Characters: Five new characters with unique abilities and taverns.

Pub Crawl Variant: A new game mode that allows players to explore different taverns.

Compatibility: Can be combined with all other Red Dragon Inn releases.

Variety: Includes various components like brawl decks, brew cards, and prize cards.

Fun Theme: Reflects the fun and chaos of a real pub crawl.

Cons

Complex Rulebook: Some card effects and rules may require additional guidance.

Components Overload: The game includes a lot of components, which can be overwhelming for new players.

Personal Thoughts on The Red Dragon Inn 8: Pub Crawl

The Red Dragon Inn 8: Pub Crawl is ideal for fans of social deduction and party games who are looking to add some variety to their gaming sessions. It is a great entry point for new players due to its standalone nature, while also offering enough new content to keep veteran players engaged. The game’s theme and mechanics make it perfect for those who enjoy a mix of strategy, social interaction, and a bit of chaos.

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