We all know with the economy it is tough to get a new game. But no worries because I know some methods for you to save money.
1. Have each friend collect a specific game
What I mean by this is each person out of the group of gamers you regularly play with collects one type of game. My friends and I do this all the time. When it comes to playing Dominion we have 1 person who has every set while the rest of us don't have any. I own all the Heroscape so when it comes to miniatures we are set. And we have a friend who owns all sorts of different games that we keep track of so we don't purchase a copy of it ourselves.
This method is very effective when you have a group of friends who have been playing together for years. We all know each other for over a decade so our trust is at its highest. You can also contribute to a friend's collection by donating a game.
Some of the Heroscape figures I own were given to me by my friends just because they wanted to make sure all the Heroscape we've collected is in one spot to rely on. I make sure that when we want to play Heroscape that all of our figures are ready to go.
This method can also be a good way to give someone a great gift. Since each of us knows who likes what we are set to help them out in their collection.
Of course this method isn't for everybody. Some of you don't have friends or friends who don't play games. But don't worry because you should make friends. The games are mostly played with other people so if you can't do this method I highly suggest building a group of friends and trying this out.
2. Online Stores
So I have friends who buy specific games but where do they get them. We mostly shop online because we save money on gas and it is cheaper. There are many great retailers on the web that do free shipping if you purchase enough. If you can't spend enough to get the free shipping deal then make an offer to a friend who is also looking to purchase a game. We do this all the time.
Another way is to find save lots of money is through researching. from different online retailers. It takes some time and effort but in the long run you save a lot even when you have to spend on shipping.
The only flaw of relying on an online retailer is the availability of their products and delayed pre-orders. Most online retailers will be out of stock on a popular product. That is method 3 will come in handy.
Here is a list of online retailers I shop from:
CoolStuffInc - http://www.coolstuffinc.com/
These guys sell everything in the gaming business. Their prices are good and service great. A very good choice to buy from.
Troll and Toad - http://www.trollandtoad.com/
The oldest online retailer I know. I used to buy them when there was no internet. Great service and a wide selection of games.
Fun Again Games - http://www.funagain.com/
These guys are really good. Prices are great. Service even better. I definitely recommend them.
House Mouse Games - http://www.housemousegames.com/
The best retailer for Heroscape. Even as Heroscape discontinued they still have a large selection of figures to sell. And their price and shipping cost is the lowest of all Heroscape dealers.
3. eBay
Although you save a lot of money through online retailers the best online source for inexpensive games is eBay. I have saved so much from eBay and there is an abundance of games to choose from.
When it comes to having products in stock eBay has it available everytime! Because of the many dealers on there you will never find a dealer without a demanding product. And the pricing is great. Actually, it is the best!
The only flaw of eBay is if you are going to save money by purchasing used games. This is a great way to save money and I do it all the time. But there is the chance that the game comes with missing pieces or severely damaged. I have purchased a lot of games off eBay (board games, miniatures, cards, etc) and have never came up with a problem. But I have boughten other products off eBay and a few of them came damaged.
To avoid purchasing damaged products you must make sure to pay for insurance. Most eBay dealers never want to refund their product to you. So you will want to pay an extra dollar for insurance if you are purchasing a product that is $50.00 or more.
Another tip to avoid bad purchases is to be weary of dealers from China. They mostly sell defective products from their warehouses at insanely low prices. So make sure you know who you are purchasing from or else you will be dissapointed!
4. Garage Sales
This method is a great way to save 90% of the retail price on a game. At garage sales the seller really wants to just get rid of his junk. Some of this junk is like treasure to you. I have bougthen a $100 game (World of Warcraft Board Game) for $5 at a yard sale. It came with all pieces and was a blast to play. You can save this much by browsing around your neighborhood or going to garage sale events. But you gotta becareful when purchasing a game. You don't want to ever spend more than 25% of the game's retail price because it might be missing some pieces. This is a common problem when purchasing a game at a garage sale.
It takes experience to get good deals but in the long run your collection of games will grow without breaking your pocket.
5. Trading
This is another great way to save money on a game you want. You can trade games on Board Game Geek or other trading sites. I have never actually traded a board game online but I have done trades at my local game store and that is where I truly recommend trading your game. Trading at your local game store means you make the exchange in person plus build your network of traders. You should try this out by going to your local game store and play some board games with the costumers there. After making friends, you can discuss games that you don't want to keep anymore and maybe that will start the conversation on a trade.
Board Games for the iPhone
I own a lot of apps especially games. In this article I am going to review 3 board game apps that you may want to play on the iPhone.
Catan (Settlers of Catan)
Catan is named slightly different from the actual board game it is based off of but plays just like it. The rules are exactly the same, which I won't go into assuming you know how to play Settlers of Catan. Before you begin, you choose to play against your friends, the A.I. or both. But you can't play online.
For $5.00 this app ain't bad. The A.I. isn't smart enough to give you a challenge which makes solo boring. Since it is a "pass and play" game, you can't see the board and your cards when it's not your turn when playing against your friends. This could make for a longer game than the actual board game. There are no other playing options other than to play the game normally. So that is why Catan deserves an app rating of a D.
Knights of Charlemagne
Knights of Charlemagne plays just like the actual board game. You can play against the A.I. or your friends. The A.I. is a bit challenging at first but as you progress you will eventually overcome the A.I. everytime. Playing with your friends is a little different though. Since it is a "pass and play" game, the screen will go black at the end of each turn so that it gets passed to the next player without revealing the other player's strategy. I actually like this feature on the game and give credits for putting that continuity in because it is a very important element.
Overall, Knights of Charlemagne is a great game for its $2.00 price. Go buy it if you like the board game! But you can't play against online so your only options are the A.I. or the "pass and play" method with your friends. Knights of Charlemagne is worth every penny you spend but still has some minor issues with A.I. and "pass and play" so it gets an app rating of a B.
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is the best out of the board games I have played. Since I am a fan of Carcassonne already I instantly bought the game back when it cost $5.00 instead of what it costs now ($10.00). It plays just like the real game. The A.I. is actually hard but after playing the game so much I am catching up to my A.I. The "pass and play" method to play with friends is kind of slow just like Catan and Knights of Charlemagne. But you have the option of playing against your friends online which is a way better method.
Overall, Carcassonne is a great app. There is another option to play called Solitaire which is quite fun. The game play is very nice and easy to understand especially if you have played the game. I really like Carcassonne especially for $5.00 but at $10.00 it is expensive so that is why it will get an app rating of a B.
Here is the link to the official app page of the Carcassonne game.
Overall
All 3 apps are fun but won't be what you might expect them to be. The real board games are still better than these apps. The best feature these apps have is to teach new players how to play the game or to work on your skills. It is your choice whether you want to spend your money but I'd say all 3 can be worth it.
Veterans of the Last War
The second review of the Warriors of Eberoon set is on the pack Veterans of the Last War. This pack is 1 of 4 packs of the Dungeons and Dragons Wave 3 series of Heroscape. It contains 2 uncommon heroes and 1 common squad.
Werewolf Lord is a 140 point uncommon hero. His base stats are good which is always a factor for high costing figures. At the beginning of the game, Werewolf Lord adds 3 Lycanthropy Markers to its army card. The Lycanthropy ability can add a Lycanthropy Marker to an opponent's unique hero after recieving 1 or more wounds from Werewolf Lord. Then the figure changes its species to Hybrid, class to Hunter, and personality to Tormented. The Moon Frenzy ability lets the Werewolf Lord roll a 20-sided die before taking its turn. If rolled on an 11 or higher you make take a turn with an opponent's hybrid hero. Then after its turn take the Werewolf Lord's turn normally.
At 140 points Werewolf Lord is good but not great. I really don't see muliple Werewolf's being used in an army because of his high point cost. But it is quite possible to run mulitple Werewolves. His Lycanthropy ability along with Moon Frenzy is solid. He might prove to be strong with Death Knights of Valkrill because of his Relentless personality. Overall, Werewolf Lord gets a figure rating of a B.
Mindflayer Mastermind
Mindflayer Mastermind is a 100 point uncommon hero. His base stats are very good and abilities are even better. His Psionic Blast Special Attack has a 3 range and 3 attack value. He does not need line of sight to use this ability and when the figure recieves 1 or more wounds it must remove 1 unrevealed order marker at random from its card. At the end of its turn you may use the Mindflayer's Enslave 17 ability. This ability allows you to choose an opponent's figure within 4 clear sight spaces and roll a 20-sided die. On a 17 or higher you may take a turn with that figure then return all order marker's back to the figure's army card.
Mindflayer Mastermind is a solid figure. Base stats are good and abilities great. At 100 points I see him in many different types of armies. Psionic Blast Special Attack is a great situational type of tactic and you can always have the chance to control an opponent's figure at the end of every turn. That is why I am giving Mindflayer Mastermind a figure rating of an A.
Warforged Soldiers
Warforged Soldiers is an 80 point common squad with 2 abilities. Their first ability, Tactical Switch allows an engaged Soldier to switch spaces with an opponent's figure before making an attack. Neither figures recieve any leaving engagement attacks or take damage from fall. A figure cannot be switched more than once per turn. Their second ability, Warforged Resolve adds 1 defense to the Soldier when defending against a normal or special attack.
Cloak of Invisibility
Cloak of Invisibility is a temporary glyph that allows a hero to use it at any time during its turn. When used the figure recieves no visible hitzones for the duration of the round or until it attacks. Then the glyph is discarded. This is a good glyph if you are targeting a specific figure you need to get in range to attack without being attacked or to escape your opponent's range safely. But since it is temporary Cloak of Invisibility gets a glyph rating of a B.
Werewolf Lord
Werewolf Lord is a 140 point uncommon hero. His base stats are good which is always a factor for high costing figures. At the beginning of the game, Werewolf Lord adds 3 Lycanthropy Markers to its army card. The Lycanthropy ability can add a Lycanthropy Marker to an opponent's unique hero after recieving 1 or more wounds from Werewolf Lord. Then the figure changes its species to Hybrid, class to Hunter, and personality to Tormented. The Moon Frenzy ability lets the Werewolf Lord roll a 20-sided die before taking its turn. If rolled on an 11 or higher you make take a turn with an opponent's hybrid hero. Then after its turn take the Werewolf Lord's turn normally.
At 140 points Werewolf Lord is good but not great. I really don't see muliple Werewolf's being used in an army because of his high point cost. But it is quite possible to run mulitple Werewolves. His Lycanthropy ability along with Moon Frenzy is solid. He might prove to be strong with Death Knights of Valkrill because of his Relentless personality. Overall, Werewolf Lord gets a figure rating of a B.
Mindflayer Mastermind
Mindflayer Mastermind is a 100 point uncommon hero. His base stats are very good and abilities are even better. His Psionic Blast Special Attack has a 3 range and 3 attack value. He does not need line of sight to use this ability and when the figure recieves 1 or more wounds it must remove 1 unrevealed order marker at random from its card. At the end of its turn you may use the Mindflayer's Enslave 17 ability. This ability allows you to choose an opponent's figure within 4 clear sight spaces and roll a 20-sided die. On a 17 or higher you may take a turn with that figure then return all order marker's back to the figure's army card.
Mindflayer Mastermind is a solid figure. Base stats are good and abilities great. At 100 points I see him in many different types of armies. Psionic Blast Special Attack is a great situational type of tactic and you can always have the chance to control an opponent's figure at the end of every turn. That is why I am giving Mindflayer Mastermind a figure rating of an A.
Warforged Soldiers
I really like Warforged Soldiers. Tactical Switch is really, well, tactical. It can be used for many different scenarios. I mostly see it used to mess your opponents strategy or to make your other figures within range to attack. Warforged Resolve is assurance for the Soldiers especially when they have only 2 defense. Overall, Warforged Soldiers is solid and so they get a figure rating of a B.
Cloak of Invisibility
Cloak of Invisibility is a temporary glyph that allows a hero to use it at any time during its turn. When used the figure recieves no visible hitzones for the duration of the round or until it attacks. Then the glyph is discarded. This is a good glyph if you are targeting a specific figure you need to get in range to attack without being attacked or to escape your opponent's range safely. But since it is temporary Cloak of Invisibility gets a glyph rating of a B. Ogre and Goblins
Our first review in the Warriors of Eberron set (Dungeons and Dragons Wave 2) is on the pack Ogre and Goblins! In this pack comes 1 uncommon ogre hero and 1 common squad.
Ogre Warhulk
Ogre Warhulk cost 150 points for a wild ogre hero. Its ability Flail Hurricane is quite interesting. The Warhulk must roll a 20-sided die after every movement before attacking. If rolled 11 or lower he attacks normally but if rolled higher he must attack ALL adjacent figures. This includes friendly figures! That is why I think this ability is interesting. You most likely will use Flail Hurricane against your opponents. Maybe down the road there will be a custom figure that does a unique ability that benefits your friendly figures if killed. But for now you will want to have all friendly figures to not be adjacent to an Ogre Warhulk.
His other ability Mine! fits towards the ogre's character. Ogre's in D&D lore are naturally clumsy so having a -4 to trap rolls on a treasure glyph seems appropiate.
I kind of like Ogre Warhulk. He is situational and Flail Hurricane is a good ability and Mine! is actually a bad ability. Base stats are good but his 150 point cost is what hurts. There are far better 150 point characters out there and so I give Ogre Warhulk a figure rating of a C.
Goblin Cutters
Goblin Cutters cost 50 points for 4 small goblins. These guys are a neat squad with 2 great abilities. This is another squad that you will want to own a multitude of. Their ability Mob Attack subtracts 2 defense dice to an opposing figure's defense if the Goblin Cutter has 2 other Cutters adjacent to said figure. The Scurry ability lets 2 Cutters move up to 4 spaces and hit zones invisible to your oppenent's figures after a Cutter is destroyed. This ability is similar to the Deathreavers Scatter ability except better! And their final ability Scale adds 2 to height value when moving up or down terrain.
Any squad with 3 abilities is a good squad. I personally think Goblin Cutters is a great squad and will work well just like how Deathreavers did. But you must have more than 1 squad of Cutters in your army to make their abilities effective. This is a solid squad and so I give them a figure rating of an A.
Belt of Giant Strength
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