Use of Bonus die

[Nansquee]

I am really having trouble understanding how the bonus die works.

First of all - any time you have dice you haven't used to claim cards, they go down to where your claimed cards are, at least briefly. Then do they automatically (in BGA) go up next to the white die?

Then the next time it is your turn to roll, the bonus die shows up with your five dice for rolling. Is that right? So in BGA any time you can "claim" it, the computer does it for you? But if an opponent's dice are already with it, you can't get it?

So does BGA's electronic version basically take care of when you get to claim it?

And how do you know who has it at the end that would have the opportunity to use it to add to their score?

I do understand that if you "have" it and roll it, then when it comes to claiming cards you have to select one of your regular die to substitute for the bonus die -- it is not a sixth die that you can use on cards.

BTW - I did try doing the tutorial but it stopped working part way through and says "you have to take the turn" which I have done and it is locked.

[RicardoRix]

From my very extensive 1 finished game played, this is how I see it works.

All the claiming of cards and bonus die is done automatically for you at the start of your turn.

The term "bonus" die is a huge exaggeration. You don't get to use it like an extra die.
When you use it, you can change 1 die to the same value as the white bonus die - that's it. You can re-roll it before you use it.

You can try and claim it, much like a card. Simply if you have more total value of dice here. So you need to have not been bumped before your next turn to get to use it. Essentially you normally put all the dice you can't really use on cards here instead. So if you have a bad roll, at least you might be compensated with the white bonus die for next turn.

[Louard]

Hello! Designer of Roll'n Bump here!
I'll basically be reframing what Ricardo already said in the hopes of clarifying.

So, you can think of the bonus die as just another spot where you can set your dice, just like the cards on the board.
If someone is already staking a claim on the die, the total on your dice needs to exceed the total on their dice in order to bump them.
Just like the cards, you will claim (actually pick up) the bonus die at the start of your turn if your dice are on it.
When the game end is triggered, if you are the one staking a claim on the bonus die, you will roll it and add the result to your score.

All of this is handled automatically (and rather invisibly IMO) on BGA.

Hope this clarifies things ^_^

[Nansquee]

Thank you! What a helpful way to understand it!

[cigma]

I think there is one more point to add: "The bonus die cannot be thrown and claimed during the same turn." This means, if you used the white die this turn, you can't claim it now and your personal dice which don't go on cards this turn are good for nothing.