Thornwatch (2018) Board Game

Thornwatch is a tabletop role-playing game that was released in in 2018. It was designed by a team of creators including Dabe Alan, Ben Caldwell, Lar DeSouza, and Garrett Hanna. The game is set in the world of Eyrewood, a dark and mysterious forest filled with danger and adventure. Players take on the roles of members of the Thornwatch, a supernatural group of guardians who protect the people of the forest.

Game Components of Thornwatch

Branching storycards for campaign creation

Modular boards for terrain effects and custom scenarios

Terrain cards to enhance scenarios

Hero cards with unique abilities and powers

Monster cards with unique attacks and powers

Initiative track that also acts as monster health

Graphic novel panels for scene setting

Judge player materials for controlling monsters and storytelling

How To Setup Thornwatch

Setting up Thornwatch involves preparing the modular board, selecting the appropriate storycards and objectives, and distributing hero and monster cards. The game includes a graphic novel panel to brief players on the scene. While the setup can be straightforward, the rulebook can be somewhat challenging to navigate, requiring careful reading and possibly a practice game to fully understand the mechanics.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Turn Structure: Players can slot in cards from their hand to power special abilities, take one move, and perform one action.

Initiative Track: Serves as both the initiative order and monster health tracker.

Combat Mechanics: Changes based on the monsters and heroes in play.

Story Integration: The Judge controls monsters and helps advance the story.

Objective-Based: Each chapter has unique objectives that players must achieve.

Modular Setup: Allows for custom scenarios and terrain effects.

Player Experience

Thornwatch offers a dynamic and thematic experience, encouraging players to add narrative elements to their actions. The game rewards creative storytelling and provides prompts on special action cards to help players develop their narratives. The fluid and fun combat, combined with the ability to play through multiple chapters in one night, makes it a great addition to game nights.

Pros

Accessible Storytelling: Encourages creative narration and storytelling.

Modular Setup: Allows for a high degree of customizability.

Tactical Combat: Engaging and changing based on the scenario.

Thematic Experience: Integrates storytelling into gameplay mechanics.

Inclusive Design: Allows players to choose their hero’s gender.

Cons

Challenging Rulebook: Requires careful reading and possibly practice games to understand fully.

Learning Curve: Initial setup and rules can be cumbersome.

Personal Thoughts on Thornwatch

Thornwatch is ideal for those looking for a mix of quick-playing, objective-based dungeon crawling and light RPG elements. It is particularly suited for groups who enjoy collaborative storytelling and tactical combat. While the initial learning curve can be steep, the game’s rewards make it well worth the effort. It is a great fit for fans of Penny Arcade’s artwork and anyone seeking a game that combines strategy with creative storytelling.

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