Fast Wins

[ZenVee]

Some games are literally 4 turns.

Proof:
https://boardgamearena.com/gamereview?table=398536998

Could have been 3 turns if he decided to stay in Tokyo, which probably he should have, being on such a high health.

This makes the cards completely pointless. Now of course, many of the games will take longer, but not by a ton. Probably average is about 8 turns. The expansions make it easier to get to 20 by costumes and cultist powerups and wickedness tiles.

Can we have a game mode that plays until 25 stars? These games could actually be fun if you are able to use the cards, it's what separates the game from just rolling for 3's and doing the same stinking thing every game.

[Dravid83]

Watched your replay and no one applied any pressure to the guy after he took Tokyo, sometimes you have to abandon points to get him low on health so he can't score so high

[LBHahaha]

Agree with the reply above - some games the cooperative aspect doesn't kick in to prevent a fast win.

That said, I've been wishing for a longer game modes as well, especially with the expansions, to give some of the cards/effects time to ripen. Higher stars is one possibility, but I'd also like to see a Battle Royale mode - no stars, only health. More of those breathless escapes when the cooperation does work out

[ZenVee]

Watched your replay and no one applied any pressure to the guy after he took Tokyo, sometimes you have to abandon points to get him low on health so he can't score so high

This would be great if everyone cooperated, but in arena people go for placement. If I sacrifice points and lower the leaders health, then other players can go after points more comfortably and I've effectively wasted my turn picking on 1 of 3 opponents and missing points. It's a prisoner's dilemma of sorts. It's not a positive expected value play in the long run because you bear a greater risk of placing last than the odds you do get a win by hitting.

[dthowe]

https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=472177693

3 turn game earlier today. Penguin got Complete Destruction on first turn using Deep Dive and then hit it twice.

I swear the RNG isn't so random when that card or the Panda one that grants 2 stars and another turn are in play. The game prior to the 3 turn one, Panda hit that three times in 5 turns.

[zippzip]

An 'extended' option would be very fun. You could even bump both win conditions up -- 30 stars and 15 hearts at the start of a game.

[William Oilaven]

The issue is the way ELO or arena points are rewarded. As pointed out before, players will rather secure second place instead of risking to ending up the only one attacking the king of Tokyo, not gaining stars and ending last.

The game is designed to have only one winner, the other players lose. BGA is supposed to implement the exact game rules, but due to the way points are rewarded it messes up the game mechanics in 3+ player games.

Maybe we should keep pointing that out to BGA and ask to update the ELO / arena points system to match the board game. Instead of suggesting to change even more features to be different from the board game.

Anyway, this is exactly why I only play two player games as long as this isn’t fixed.

[pbreads]

I had a two turn game the other day when curse card landed on False Blessing, was pretty cool.

[JustAnItch]

If you like salt, here's a 3 turn game. 2 points T1, 11(!) points T2 and 7+ points turn 3. There's a reason freeze time and solar powered were nerfed in future sets.
https://boardgamearena.com/gamereview?table=615802584

[JustAnItch]

A new record for the salt mines! 18+ points in a single turn. Or at least it would've been, had I taken Have it All and BGA would let you go over 20. I didn't bother getting max point potential, since the game was over anyways and I wanted to end it as fast possible (I respect other's time). The freeze time sequence starts at move 82.
https://boardgamearena.com/gamereview?table=617931346