# Nidavellir ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2020 - **BGG Rating**: 7.6 - **BGG Rank**: #255 - **Players**: 2-5 (Best with: 3) - **Duration**: 45 min - **Weight**: 2.12 / 5 - **Designers**: Serge Laget - **Artists**: Jean-Marie Minguez - **Publishers**: GRRRE Games, Blackrock Games, Evrikus, Fantasmagoria, Galakta, Grok Games - **Categories**: Card Game, Fantasy, Mythology - **Mechanics**: Auction / Bidding, Auction: Multiple Lot, Auction: Sealed Bid, Constrained Bidding, End Game Bonuses, Selection Order Bid ## Verdict If you enjoy clever bidding with a touch of set collection, Nidavellir is a fantastic choice! It's a game that challenges you to think about your coins and the dwarves you truly need.Innovative coin biddingAddictive set collectionSatisfying coin progressionEngaging Norse themeEasy to learn rulesCan have some analysis paralysisIndirect interaction, personal focusRequires attention to others' bidsRECOMMENDED ## Description In Nidavellir, the Dwarf Kingdom faces a dire threat! The fearsome dragon Fafnir looms, and the King has appointed you, a venerable Elvaland, to save the day. Your mission is straightforward (but not quite): scour every tavern in the kingdom, recruit the most skilled dwarves and prestigious heroes to assemble the finest battalion possible, and send Fafnir back to where he belongs. Each round, here's the deal: you'll bid with your coins at three different taverns. After everyone reveals their bids, in descending order (highest bidder chooses first, and so on), you select a character from one of the taverns and add them to your army. But it's not just about grabbing anyone, mind you! Each dwarf class – blacksmith, hunter, warrior, explorer, and miner – scores in a unique way. So, the trick is to build strategic sets to optimize your points. And there's more! Clever recruitment might earn you the chance to attract powerful heroes to your side, who bring extra abilities and points. Oh, and your coins aren't static: a super cool 'coin-building' system allows you to increase their value throughout the game, which is crucial for making higher bids and securing the best dwarves before your rival Elvalands. It's a strategic race to see who can assemble the toughest army and save Nidavellir! ## How to Play Game Objective: Lead the Dwarves to Glory! Hey there, Elvaland! Prepare for an epic adventure in the realm of Nidavellir! The relentless dragon Fafnir has awakened and is thirsty for gold and destruction. Your mission, war chiefs of the Dwarf King, is clear: assemble the most valuable and courageous army to face this threat! In Nidavellir, the objective is simple yet challenging: the Elvaland who gathers the army with the highest final bravery value will win the game and have the honor of leading the troops against the dragon. Spend without counting, recruit the best dwarves and heroes, and show the king who the true leader is! Preparation (Setup): Assembling Your Battalion Let's set up the table for battle! Preparation is a crucial step to ensure everything is ready to recruit your army: Each Elvaland receives their individual board, with the cavity (upper section) for the gem and the pouch (lower area) for unbet coins. The Taverns (Laughing Goblin, Dancing Dragon, and Shining Horse) are represented by plaques on the table and by tablets on the individual boards. The Gem Exchange Markers are available to remind players to exchange their gems in case of a tie. At the beginning of each round, place X cards from the current Era face up in each Tavern, where X is equal to the number of Elvalands playing. The Game Turn: Recruiting and Conquering A turn in Nidavellir is a sequence of strategic decisions to strengthen your army. It works like this: 1. Round Preparation Dwarves' Entry: As mentioned in the setup, place the correct number of cards from the current Era in each Tavern. Bids: Each Elvaland secretly chooses one of their coins to bid on each of the Taverns, placing them face down in the corresponding Tavern Spot on their individual board. 2. Tavern Resolution Taverns are resolved one by one, from left to right (or as indicated by the setup rules for the number of players). Bid Revelation: All Elvalands reveal their coins in the Tavern Spot being resolved. The coin with the highest value determines the active Elvaland, who will play first. In case of a tie, the gems determine the order of play (the gem with the highest value plays first). Active Elvaland's Turn: The active player performs the following actions, in order: Choose a card: Choose a card in the Tavern being resolved. It can be a Dwarf Card to add to your army or a Royal Offer to resolve immediately (transforming a coin). Placing a Dwarf Card: When choosing a Dwarf Card, immediately place it in your army. If you do not have a card of that class, create a new column. If you already have one, add it to the existing column. The Ranks must always be visible. Recruiting a Hero: If, when placing a Dwarf Card, you create a row composed of one rank of each class (Warrior, Hunter, Miner, Blacksmith, Explorer), you must immediately choose an available Hero Card. Class-Specific Heroes: Place them in the corresponding column in your army. Neutral Heroes: Place them in the Command Zone to the left of your individual board, unless the hero's power states otherwise. Remember: To recruit a new Hero, the number of complete rows in your army must always be equal to your number of recruited Hero Cards +1. Exchanging Coins: If you played your 0-value coin, you can perform a coin exchange. Reveal the two coins in your pouch, sum their values, discard the higher value one, and take a coin with the sum value from the Royal Treasury, placing it face down in the pouch. Gem Exchange: After each Elvaland has played their turn in the current tavern, the Elvalands who tied with the same coin value exchange their gems. Tie between 2: They exchange gems with each other. Tie between 3: The lowest value gem and the highest value gem are exchanged; the middle one is not. Tie between 4: The lowest value gem and the highest value gem are exchanged; the other two exchange with each other. Tie between 5: Exchange as for 4, and the middle gem is not exchanged. Attention: The special value 6 gem (Miner's Distinction) cannot be traded and does not count towards the number of players in the exchange. After the gem exchange, proceed to the resolution of the next tavern, returning to the Bid Revelation. 3. Next Turn When all Taverns have been resolved, all Elvalands take their coins back, and the game advances to the next turn. End of Game and Scoring: The Great Bravery Count The game ends at the end of the turn in which the 2nd Era deck is exhausted. It's time to sum up your army's final bravery value! To determine the winner, each Elvaland calculates their final bravery value as follows: Bravery Value of each Class: Calculate the bravery value for each class in your army, according to their specific rules: Warrior: Sum of Bravery Points. The Elvaland with the highest number of ranks in the Warrior column adds their highest value coin to their Warrior Bravery Value. In case of a tie, all tied players add their highest value coin. Hunter: The number of Hunters squared. Miner: Sum of Bravery Points multiplied by the number of ranks in their column. Blacksmith: A mathematical sequence (+3, +4, +5, +6, ...). Refer to the box on your individual board. Explorer: Sum of their Bravery Points. Bravery Value of Neutral Heroes: Sum the bravery value of your Neutral Hero Cards present in your Command Zone. Total Gold Coin Value: Sum the value of all your gold coins. Special Bonus: The Elvaland who possesses the special value 6 gem adds 3 Bravery Points to the total value of their gold coins. The Elvaland with the highest final bravery value wins the game! In case of a tie, the tied Elvalands share the victory and the privilege of facing Fafnir together. May bravery be with you! Tips for Winning: Strategies of a Wise Elvaland To become the most respected Elvaland in Nidavellir, some tactics can make all the difference: Master the "Dance of 5" with the Dwerg Brothers: If you manage to recruit at least 3 of the Dwerg brothers (who form the "dance of 5"), you will mobilize 3 sets of 5 dwarves, which can yield many points. To do this, try to be the first to bid in the taverns in the first rounds, using your strongest coins to secure the dwarves you need and block your opponents. Leverage the Seer's Power (Uline): Recruiting Uline, the Seer, as early as possible can be a decisive advantage. Her ability to keep coins in hand and play them at the last moment allows you to react to other players' bids, giving you significant control over the bids and the ability to use the "exchange" coin at the right time. Pay Attention to Strategic Heroes: Heroes like Thrud, the Unpredictable, or Tarah, the Headhunter, offer flexibility and important bonuses. Thrud, for example, can change class, facilitating the recruitment of other dwarves and the filling of rows for new heroes. Tarah, although not having exceptional bravery value, can be crucial for securing majority bonuses in the Warrior class. Plan your hero recruitments in advance to maximize their effects. ## FAQ ### What is the ideal number of players for Nidavellir? Nidavellir plays great with 3 to 4 players, where the competition for cards in the taverns becomes more intense and strategic. With 2, it's good, but the auction really shines with more people. With 5, it might take a little longer, but it's still fun! ### Is Nidavellir a complex game for beginners? Not at all! It has a light-medium complexity (BGG weight 2.1175), making it accessible for beginners, yet with enough depth to satisfy more experienced players. The rules are easy to pick up, but the bidding and set collection strategy keeps you engaged. ### How long does a game of Nidavellir last? A game typically takes about 45 minutes, which is perfect for a quick and fun session. It's a game that flows well, so you won't even notice the time passing as you recruit your dwarves! ### What are the main components of the game? The game is primarily card-based! You'll have dwarf cards, hero cards, and, of course, the coins which are essential for the auctions. Additionally, it comes with a scoring pad to make tallying points easier. ### What makes Nidavellir's bidding system unique? The big twist is the 'coin-building' system. You don't just use your coins for bids, but you can also exchange them for higher-value coins, which completely changes your bidding strategy throughout the game. It's a dynamic and super interesting auction! ### Is there much player interaction in Nidavellir? Interaction is indirect but constant! You're always watching your opponents' bids and the cards they're taking, trying to anticipate their moves to secure the dwarves you need. It's a silent but intense competition. ### Are there any expansions for Nidavellir? Yes! The 'Thingvellir' expansion adds a new type of dwarf (the Völur), new coins, and a new exploration board, bringing even more variety and strategic options to the base game. It's worth checking out if you enjoy the core game! ## Price Comparison ### Best Offers in Brazil - **Nerdev**: R$ 180,41 (https://www.nerdev.com.br/produtos/nidavellir/?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Overrun Geek Store**: R$ 269,91 (https://overrungeek.com.br/produtos/nidavellir/?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Brechó Lúdico**: R$ 271,62 (https://brecholudico.com.br/produto/nidavellir/?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Cangaia Jogos**: R$ 274,34 (https://www.cangaiajogos.com.br/jogos/jogos-para-a-familia/nidavellir?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Tschüss**: R$ 281,91 (https://www.tschuss.com.br/jogos-de-cartas/nidavellir?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Dalaran Games**: R$ 284,90 (https://www.dalaran.com.br/nidavellir?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on Compara Jogos: https://www.comparajogos.com.br/item/nidavellir ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 40.01 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=2436645&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/32044/nidavellir?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com