Got them a while back and totally agree with you on the collectors box. The designer could’ve put a bit more thought into the insert to make it more than just “able to store everything”. Cannot wait to try them out with my group!
I agree with everything you said. Insert could be better, but the gameplay is fantastic. These are both expansions I would never play without. My favourite part is the ability to add more heroes to your deck.
I have to say I very quickly ditched the insert. I place a premium of setup time for an insert. and it really didn't help with setup. Played both expansion with 4 player and it was quite fun pushing for spaces/cards / building...ect I agree I will always teach this as a the full game with gamers. Loved them both. Shem said a New addition of Shipwrights will be comming soon... 😊
I thought the Raiders insert was the best so far. Architects or Paladins worst. I really wish the manuscript storage was bigger and deeper. For the record i did put the player pieces in those cubbies......getting them out on the other hand.... 🤬
One of these days, I will wrap my head around the rules and gameplay of Viscounts. Today is not that day. On a side note, my condolences on the loss of your nation's beloved Queen yesterday.
I prefer Paladins over Viscounts (yeah, I know, it seems most people would disagree with me), but definitely going to pick these up after watching your review. Thanks for the video.
Great review Luke! I've been looking forward to getting these to the table. And shout out to Mackenzie Franklin for that fantastic idea for the insert!
Having played these expansions to my favourite game only once, I wanna dive back in and explore other strategies. Definitely wanna use the outsider cards more. A good outsider could be worth having a weak King's Order on my board or might as well use rearrange abilities. I won't teach those expansions to new players as it just gives them so many options. I love how many more heroes we got now.
I reckon if I'm teaching this game to anyone it's those who have seen this kind of game before so I can include the expansions in. Certainly with Architects I include everything if I can.
I did only buy one, Keeper of Keys, as I felt it added more and was on offer. Gates of Gold was more expensive and seems to add very little so I'll wait till that is on a good discount somewhere.
I love Viscount, have not picked the expansions yet and I was worried a bit that it would be a bit too much, there is already quite a bit to keep track of in the base game, but your video really reassured me and I cannot wait for them to hit retail now !
Agree with most of the review. I don't see myself ever playing without using the expansion. Using more than one hero...genius. Makes you feel super powerful...until you see your opponents doing super powerful stuff too!
I plan to get the Gates of Gold expansion as I think it should fit nicely in the base box. I have no interest in the thicker cardboard player boards and that seems like the one part that won't fit in the base box, so Keeper of Keys doesn't really interest me
Oddly it's keeper of the keys that appeals more to me, spicing up the choice of card placement and the additional heroes (that are in both expansions) also appeals. I don't tend to mind paper boards, as I typically laminate them. The thicker boards a bonus, but not a meaningful reason for me to get it. Overall this feels like an expansion I could easily teach without adding much to the base teach. Gates of Gold feels like it might add complexity to teach / learning, albeit for those who have played Paladins, less so. FWIW I bought the wooden 'lifted base' from Dicetroyers, that give a bit more room in the base box. Although listed for Viscounts, I used it for Paladins, and might get another now for Viscounts.
Yeah wish this was just a single box expansion, feels like this was a way to charge more money. Getting both expansions at retail ends up being more expensive than the base game.
Well, if you say so, I will try and teach the game with expansions to my group. They are pretty seasoned and if it doesn't add too much shouldn't be an issue.
Brilliant game, best of the series for me. And also doesn't have the colour blindness issues of the other two games. Rondel combined with deck building is a thing of beauty. You do need to consider price as part of the equation, so I'll probably start with keeper of the keys tbh
I highly rate viscounts and recently got the Keeper of Keys expansion which I agree is a great addition. I too wish they'd come as one expansion, there is not that much content in KoK and the boxes seem wasteful. Personally I'm not sure I'd teach someone new to it (especially if it were their first garphill) with the KoK expansion, there is already a decent bit to get your head around and I've found new players had enough decisions/ AP to deal with.. I can't imagine teaching them with both expansions!!
Would You player Viscounts only as a two player game? Do one of these expansions would help for two payer experience? I am thinking also to add bot as an option.
Great and informative video, thanks a lot! If my only motivation to buy an expansion would be to balance out the pathes to victory and l do not have an interest to add new mechanisms just for having a more varying game play, would you say Gates of Gold alone does the job or in percentage how much do the two expansions contribute to that aim ? Due to the price I am willing to only buy one of them.
Gates of Gold is the best of the two but they are both great. In terms of balance, having them in the game does generally boost manuscripts and buildings while keeping castles about the same.
I think the "Gold" one? The one that gives you the leaders primarily. The one that gives you chests which I think is "Keys" you can get second or omit if need be.
I enjoyed playing these expansions at a friend's house and noted that the beautiful new box didn't quite help us put everything away. I left that game night feeling glad I'd not invested in the new content which, I believe this is what you are saying, should have come together in one expansion. I like the base game just fine, and while this added fun elements, it was not enough for me to feel it was worth obtaining. Excellent description and review! And, as promised...the first video of my own top 100 ua-cam.com/video/U1soutfvbsA/v-deo.html
Explorers is a really good game. Shipwrights is a take it or leave it, but Explorers is really good. My wife's North sea favourite. Viscounts is great though. Had the expansions for ages but only getting them to the table tomorrow! But slack for sure 🤣 looking forward to playing them though.
I like all the new content, but none of it feels as "big" as the Architects expansions. More like a bunch of mini modules. The best thing by far are the new player boards.
The one for paladins is perhaps the worst. Garphill kind of admitted it by releasing 3Dprintable containers that fit inside the wells of coins, meeples, and resources so they can be set out for use during the game. And don't forget those awful card wells that need diy crafting to use ...
Got them a while back and totally agree with you on the collectors box. The designer could’ve put a bit more thought into the insert to make it more than just “able to store everything”. Cannot wait to try them out with my group!
Which is weird because the inserts for Chaos Order and Circadians First Light were spot on and from the same company.
I agree with everything you said. Insert could be better, but the gameplay is fantastic. These are both expansions I would never play without. My favourite part is the ability to add more heroes to your deck.
More heroes to have and to acquire!
I have to say I very quickly ditched the insert. I place a premium of setup time for an insert. and it really didn't help with setup.
Played both expansion with 4 player and it was quite fun pushing for spaces/cards / building...ect I agree I will always teach this as a the full game with gamers.
Loved them both.
Shem said a New addition of Shipwrights will be comming soon... 😊
Oh.........interesting! Well that's one of their less liked titles so I'm down for a second edition to improve it.
I thought the Raiders insert was the best so far. Architects or Paladins worst. I really wish the manuscript storage was bigger and deeper. For the record i did put the player pieces in those cubbies......getting them out on the other hand.... 🤬
One of these days, I will wrap my head around the rules and gameplay of Viscounts. Today is not that day. On a side note, my condolences on the loss of your nation's beloved Queen yesterday.
Thanks but honestly not being a Royalist, it really doesn't affect me.
I have to admit it too LLC videos saved so much of my space and also setup time for me
I prefer Paladins over Viscounts (yeah, I know, it seems most people would disagree with me), but definitely going to pick these up after watching your review. Thanks for the video.
Fair enough!
The two are neck and neck in popularity.
Great review Luke! I've been looking forward to getting these to the table.
And shout out to Mackenzie Franklin for that fantastic idea for the insert!
Indeed!
Having played these expansions to my favourite game only once, I wanna dive back in and explore other strategies. Definitely wanna use the outsider cards more. A good outsider could be worth having a weak King's Order on my board or might as well use rearrange abilities. I won't teach those expansions to new players as it just gives them so many options. I love how many more heroes we got now.
I reckon if I'm teaching this game to anyone it's those who have seen this kind of game before so I can include the expansions in. Certainly with Architects I include everything if I can.
I did only buy one, Keeper of Keys, as I felt it added more and was on offer. Gates of Gold was more expensive and seems to add very little so I'll wait till that is on a good discount somewhere.
I love Viscount, have not picked the expansions yet and I was worried a bit that it would be a bit too much, there is already quite a bit to keep track of in the base game, but your video really reassured me and I cannot wait for them to hit retail now !
It's not a lot of extra complexity!
I agree with everything you pointed out, great game, great expansions.
Agree with most of the review. I don't see myself ever playing without using the expansion. Using more than one hero...genius. Makes you feel super powerful...until you see your opponents doing super powerful stuff too!
More options is always good!
I plan to get the Gates of Gold expansion as I think it should fit nicely in the base box. I have no interest in the thicker cardboard player boards and that seems like the one part that won't fit in the base box, so Keeper of Keys doesn't really interest me
Oddly it's keeper of the keys that appeals more to me, spicing up the choice of card placement and the additional heroes (that are in both expansions) also appeals. I don't tend to mind paper boards, as I typically laminate them. The thicker boards a bonus, but not a meaningful reason for me to get it. Overall this feels like an expansion I could easily teach without adding much to the base teach. Gates of Gold feels like it might add complexity to teach / learning, albeit for those who have played Paladins, less so.
FWIW I bought the wooden 'lifted base' from Dicetroyers, that give a bit more room in the base box. Although listed for Viscounts, I used it for Paladins, and might get another now for Viscounts.
Packing them separately was such a dumb thing to do I feel.
Yeah wish this was just a single box expansion, feels like this was a way to charge more money. Getting both expansions at retail ends up being more expensive than the base game.
Well, if you say so, I will try and teach the game with expansions to my group. They are pretty seasoned and if it doesn't add too much shouldn't be an issue.
Seasoned gamers should be just fine.
Brilliant game, best of the series for me. And also doesn't have the colour blindness issues of the other two games. Rondel combined with deck building is a thing of beauty. You do need to consider price as part of the equation, so I'll probably start with keeper of the keys tbh
I do hate that it's two separate boxes.
I highly rate viscounts and recently got the Keeper of Keys expansion which I agree is a great addition. I too wish they'd come as one expansion, there is not that much content in KoK and the boxes seem wasteful.
Personally I'm not sure I'd teach someone new to it (especially if it were their first garphill) with the KoK expansion, there is already a decent bit to get your head around and I've found new players had enough decisions/ AP to deal with.. I can't imagine teaching them with both expansions!!
I've done it before, but yeah it's a decent amount of information!
I just got this all out 2 days ago and set up to learn the new rules...
I love these expansions. Glad you did too.
Wouldn't suprise me if folded space figure something out for the big box.
They don't tend to do things for the collector boxes.
Would You player Viscounts only as a two player game? Do one of these expansions would help for two payer experience? I am thinking also to add bot as an option.
Great and informative video, thanks a lot!
If my only motivation to buy an expansion would be to balance out the pathes to victory and l do not have an interest to add new mechanisms just for having a more varying game play, would you say Gates of Gold alone does the job or in percentage how much do the two expansions contribute to that aim ? Due to the price I am willing to only buy one of them.
Gates of Gold is the best of the two but they are both great. In terms of balance, having them in the game does generally boost manuscripts and buildings while keeping castles about the same.
I just want to buy one expansion. Which of the two you would recommend if you were to only choose one?
Thanks! :)
I think the "Gold" one? The one that gives you the leaders primarily. The one that gives you chests which I think is "Keys" you can get second or omit if need be.
I enjoyed playing these expansions at a friend's house and noted that the beautiful new box didn't quite help us put everything away. I left that game night feeling glad I'd not invested in the new content which, I believe this is what you are saying, should have come together in one expansion. I like the base game just fine, and while this added fun elements, it was not enough for me to feel it was worth obtaining. Excellent description and review! And, as promised...the first video of my own top 100
ua-cam.com/video/U1soutfvbsA/v-deo.html
Looking at the components I feel that if you're not sleeve crazy and play 2p the original box should be enough to keep everything.
But all those cards with constant use, I want sleeves!
@@TheBrokenMeeple why? I have played Dominion over a 100 times without sleeves and the cards are fine.
It's everyone else I worry about 😂
I’m surprised the castle is strong. In the games I’ve played if two players go for it they both lose from bumping each other out.
Bumping out doesn't happen often enough and isn't usually a massive detriment.
I tried Viscounts base game. Did not really work out for me. It does not have enough player interaction, and the game was not easy to teach.
I find it easy enough to teach but yeah the interaction varies. But then honestly Paladins of the West Kingdom has much less interaction.
@@TheBrokenMeeple That is why I only keep Architect.
Everyone has a fav.
Can I ask what sleeves you're using with these games?
Sleeve King's
Explorers is a really good game. Shipwrights is a take it or leave it, but Explorers is really good. My wife's North sea favourite. Viscounts is great though. Had the expansions for ages but only getting them to the table tomorrow! But slack for sure 🤣 looking forward to playing them though.
They really do boost Viscounts - I'll have to look into Explorers at some point.
Yeah about your top 100..... GET ON WITH IT
Ha ha a lot of other content to do also but I intend to get a move on during September.
I like all the new content, but none of it feels as "big" as the Architects expansions. More like a bunch of mini modules. The best thing by far are the new player boards.
Agreed on modules front, hence why it should have just been one big box.
@12:12... I thought you were an accountant? :)
I was learning the solo with the new rules from scratch, brain was fizzled. 😁
All three inserts are so bad. The company ripped off all backers with this crappy quality "big box" 2 out of 10 and that is being generous.
The one for paladins is perhaps the worst. Garphill kind of admitted it by releasing 3Dprintable containers that fit inside the wells of coins, meeples, and resources so they can be set out for use during the game.
And don't forget those awful card wells that need diy crafting to use ...