# Roll Player: Monsters & Minions ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2018 - **BGG Rating**: 8.0 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 1-5 (Best with: 3) - **Duration**: 60-120 min - **Weight**: 2.78 / 5 - **Designers**: Keith Matejka - **Artists**: JJ Ariosa, Lucas Ribeiro - **Publishers**: Thunderworks Games, Banana Games, CrowD Games, Gen-X Games (GenX), Intrafin Games, Ogry Games, Pegasus Spiele, Raven Distribution, Rexhry - **Categories**: Dice, Expansion for Base-game, Fantasy - **Mechanics**: Closed Drafting, Dice Rolling, Role Playing, Set Collection, Variable Player Powers ## Verdict If you love crafting heroes in Roll Player and crave more challenge, this expansion delivers an epic monster hunt! It's more strategy and less pure luck.Even deeper hero creationEngaging hunt elementMore strategic decision-makingExpands the Roll Player universeRequires the base Roll Player gameModerate language dependencyCan increase playtimeHIGHLY RECOMMENDED ## Description Answer the call to arms in Roll Player: Monsters & Minions! A monstrous abomination is wreaking havoc across the kingdom, and it's up to brave adventurers to unite and stop it. But it's not just about crafting the most epic hero; you also need to arm yourself with crucial intel about this looming threat. Rumors about the beast's lair, the dangers along the path, and its next moves could be the difference between glory and failure. Gathering these whispers and preparing for the final showdown will cost resources, so think carefully about how you spend your dice and actions. All the while, you'll continue to hone your character, seeking the perfect combination of stats and abilities to stand out. The player who crafts the most impressive hero and earns the most Reputation Stars by confronting the monster and its minions will be crowned the heir to the kingdom! This expansion for the base Roll Player game adds a strategic layer of investigation and combat, elevating the experience with new decisions and challenges. It's your chance to prove you're not just a skilled adventurer, but also a shrewd leader and a top-tier monster hunter. Adventure awaits, and glory will be yours! ## How to Play Objective of the Game In Roll Player: Monsters & Minions, players compete to build the ultimate fantasy hero while gathering intel about a looming Monster terrorizing the kingdom. During the Character Creation phase, draft dice, buy Market cards, and hunt Minions to earn rewards. In the final Monster Combat, use gathered intel to maximize damage and earn Reputation Stars. The player with the most Reputation Stars wins, becoming the kingdom’s heir! Preparation (Setup) Basic Setup Dice and Dice Bag: Add the 11 Boost Dice and 7 Attribute Dice to the base game dice. Set aside the 25 Combat Dice. Starting Gold: In a 5-player game, all players start with 5 Gold (no extra Gold for 3rd/4th players). Character Sheets and Class Cards: Choose from all available sheets. Draw dice for Class color—redraw if a Boost Die or gold die is drawn. Each Class color has 4 options (no duplicates). Market Deck: Shuffle single-dot and double-dot Market cards separately, then discard cards based on player count: 2 players: Discard 18 from each pile (36 total). 3 players: Discard 14 from each (28 total). 4 players: Discard 12 from each (24 total). 5 players: Discard 7 from each (14 total). Stack single-dot cards atop double-dot to form the deck. Initiative Cards: Replace base game cards with expansion versions. For 5 players, use "4," "5," and "6" cards, placing 1 Gold on "2," "3," "4," and "5." Monster Setup Choose a Monster card (from "2P+" set) that doesn’t match any player’s Class color. Select 1 random Location, Obstacle, and Attack Adventure card for the Monster; place face down. Shuffle single-dot and double-dot Minion cards separately, stack them, and discard the top 7 cards. Reveal the top card of the deck. Flow of the Game Each round follows this sequence: Roll Phase: Start Player draws and rolls dice, placing them on Initiative cards. Dice Phase: Players choose Initiative cards in turn order, place dice on Character Sheets, and take optional Attribute Actions. Market Phase: In Initiative order, players either: Buy a Market card (immediately using Scrolls/Skills), Discard a card for 2 Gold, or Go on a Hunt (battle a Minion). Cleanup Phase: Refresh Skill cards, discard unused Market cards, replenish the Market (number of players + 2 cards), and pass the Start Player token left. Actions and How to Play Going on a Hunt During the Market Phase, a player may: Pay 3 Gold to cycle the top Minion card (repeatable). Take 1 Combat Die + bonuses from Minion weaknesses. Hire mercenaries (Combat Dice) for 3 XP or 5 Gold each (no limit). Roll Combat Dice, spending 1 XP per reroll (unlimited). Earn rewards (XP, Gold, Honor/Injury tokens) based on the roll. If the Minion is killed (trophy symbol), take it as a Trophy and: 1st Trophy: Peek at Location card + take Location token. 2nd Trophy: Peek at Obstacle card + take Obstacle token. 3rd Trophy: Peek at Attack card + take Attack token. Spending XP 1 XP: Reroll a Combat Die (Hunt or Monster Combat). 2 XP: Discard an Injury token. 3 XP: Hire a mercenary. 5 XP: Take any Attribute Action. End of Game and Scoring Monster Combat Reveal Adventure cards in order (Location → Obstacle → Attack). Players with matching tokens gain bonuses. Roll Combat Dice (including mercenaries). Apply Monster’s ability, spend XP for rerolls, and adjust for Honor/Injury tokens. Compare final roll to Monster’s Strength: Fail: 0 Reputation Stars. Succeed: Earn Reputation Stars based on roll excess (see Monster card). Final Scoring Score Reputation Stars for: Attribute Goals, Class color dice, Alignment, Backstory, Armor, and Trait cards. Tiebreaker: Most Gold → fewest Class color dice. Tips to Win Prioritize Hunts: Early Trophies reveal Adventure cards, boosting Monster Combat bonuses. Balance XP Spending: Save XP for rerolls in Monster Combat, but use it early to remove Injury tokens. Watch the Monster’s Ability: Some Monsters penalize rerolls or Injury tokens more harshly. ## FAQ ### Do I need the base Roll Player game to play Monsters & Minions? Yes, absolutely! Monsters & Minions is an expansion and relies entirely on the base Roll Player game to function. ### How many players can participate? The expansion maintains the original player count, allowing for 1 to 5 players. It even adds a 5-player mode that wasn't in the base game. ### Does the game get much longer with this expansion? It can. The addition of the hunt phase and the need to gather information can extend the playtime, especially in the first few games as everyone gets used to the new rules. ### Does the complexity increase significantly? The complexity increases slightly. The core character-building mechanics remain the same, but the new investigation and combat phase adds more layers of decision-making. ### Do I need to translate anything? Yes, the game has moderate language dependency. It's recommended to have the cards translated or use a reference for the text, as there's important information on the monster and rumor cards. ### Is it good for solo players? Yes! The expansion adds more options and challenges for the solo mode, making the experience even richer for those who play alone. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 33.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4887066&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 34.96 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4673451&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 34.97 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4819394&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 34.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=1040415&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 34.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4801541&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 39.08 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=1605695&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 39.08 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=1713664&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 39.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=1055181&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 42.10 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6723300&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 42.10 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=1664772&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/21503/roll-player-monsters-minions?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com