Hello,
In order to avoid 3 builders, 1 builder or 2 players in the same strategy (other than build) in 4 players games, I have some suggestions after discussions with some Tzolk'in players. Moreover, sometimes some players claims startegies in chat. For me the right way to claim a strategy is to have the right tiles and to place correctly in day 1 and day 3.
1 To display the 4 starting tiles for each player. In 4 players games, the first player often build but for other players it can be intersting to see if another player has a tech for skull or corn startegy for example. Even if in rules it is written that start tiles have to be choosen secretly..
2 I don't know it but Great Western Trail players says that there is a system of victory points to sacrify in order to choose a strategy. I copy-paste the suggestion from CrunchyPB: "you display all starting tiles paired with seat positions, then you bid vp for which seat you want. so you can see if it is likely to be a three builder game you can sacrifice vp to play skull if only one has skull tech. Great Western Trail has that exact variant available."
3 To have at least one temple monument in order to have corn or tikal-5 strategy in each game. In this case, there are 2 builders, 1 skull player and 1 corn or tikal-5. Even if who do what is not clear before choosing starting tiles, after the 2 first players have placed their workers, it can be clear for the 3rd player to choose his strategy. The risk is that the last player will be often the second builder. But this is already often the case if he doesn't have tech on his tiles.
Let me know what you think about that. In any case, this should be an option to be choosen at the game creation.
Amau
In order to avoid 3 builders, 1 builder or 2 players in the same strategy (other than build) in 4 players games, I have some suggestions after discussions with some Tzolk'in players. Moreover, sometimes some players claims startegies in chat. For me the right way to claim a strategy is to have the right tiles and to place correctly in day 1 and day 3.
1 To display the 4 starting tiles for each player. In 4 players games, the first player often build but for other players it can be intersting to see if another player has a tech for skull or corn startegy for example. Even if in rules it is written that start tiles have to be choosen secretly..
2 I don't know it but Great Western Trail players says that there is a system of victory points to sacrify in order to choose a strategy. I copy-paste the suggestion from CrunchyPB: "you display all starting tiles paired with seat positions, then you bid vp for which seat you want. so you can see if it is likely to be a three builder game you can sacrifice vp to play skull if only one has skull tech. Great Western Trail has that exact variant available."
3 To have at least one temple monument in order to have corn or tikal-5 strategy in each game. In this case, there are 2 builders, 1 skull player and 1 corn or tikal-5. Even if who do what is not clear before choosing starting tiles, after the 2 first players have placed their workers, it can be clear for the 3rd player to choose his strategy. The risk is that the last player will be often the second builder. But this is already often the case if he doesn't have tech on his tiles.
Let me know what you think about that. In any case, this should be an option to be choosen at the game creation.
Amau