Bloodstones is a fantasy wargame for 1-6 players featuring six different races, each with its own specific powers and its own mix of units, represented by domino-shaped tiles. Some of these units will be unique to that race, such as dragons to the Dragon Riders and giants to the Hill Folk.
The aim of the game is to have the most victory points, which can be gained by building your own villages and raiding those of other players and by winning battles.
At the start of the game, players arrange their tiles in stacks. From these, they draw a starting hand of nine. Players then decide where to place their citadel and which tiles will be placed with it. The tiles are multi-use. When placed on the board, they become units, with the type indicated by the symbol in the center. In your hand, tiles can be used to build other units, move units, improve your combat strength, build villages, and raid villages.
The main part of the game proceeds with player turns. On your turn, you can perform as many actions as you wish, although some actions have restrictions as to when you can perform them. After you have completed your actions, draw back to your hand size of six tiles. If you exhaust your stock of tiles, then shuffle your discarded ones to make a new draw stock. You also score victory points for villages you have on the board.
The game ends when each player has scored points a number of times. With two players, this will be three times; for three or more players, two times.
—description from the publisher
- Visual and component quality described as solid; robust race diversity
- Aesthetics described as dull by the host; unclear core loop from the Kickstarter page; niche appeal toward war-game audiences
- war strategy with fantasy races and territory control
- fantasy war with multiple races on a map with tiles
- race-driven powers on a modular map
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete to control villages and territories on a map using race-specific powers.
- combat resolution — Battles determine control and bonus points, shaping strategic play.
- tile-based components — Domino-shaped tiles represent different races and powers, used for actions and interactions.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this is basically a fantasy war game for one to six players featuring six different races each with their own powers
- three hundred dollars for this it's ridiculous
- it's not cheap
- this is insane
- dinosaurs are cool
- it's basically pandemic vibe with the dice game
- it's a Mario Kart–style racing game that just had cards and wacky abilities
- beige dungeon crawler you do not want beige to be a name associated with your dungeon crawler
- amygdala i think is how you pronounce this this is uh was it game brewer
References (from this video)
- Charming production
- Accessible for family play
- Not staying in the collection for the current purge
- patterning seashell-esque gem collection (thematic framing)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- pattern-packing — Pattern collection with approachable family-friendly design.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
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- Leaders is replacing Pillars of Fate. Pillars of Fate is my favorite from the Fate series, but Leaders offers a different two-player experience.
- Recall is subject to more plays. The review still hasn't gone up.
- Galactic Cruise is great, but I feel a little guided by what the game asks you to do.