Oath Review - 2021's Most Exciting Board Game

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[Idekii]

"..these cards create spontaneous narrative and seamless roleplay on the fly..."

So to illustrate this, I recently played my first game on TTS, Supremacy oath with a random setup that caused a lot of Hearth cards to be on the table. For the first portion of the game, it seemed like the Chancellor would be able to maintain a stable realm - I had only one advisor in Arcane, a suit that turned out not to be terribly prevalent - meaning I was getting resources slowly and was mostly nibbling on the edges of the empire - one player played a Vow of Peace card that prevented him from campaigning in exchange for a defensive bonus (?!), and one just kinda seemed to be accumulating resources without doing much of anything.

Then, just as we were getting close to rolling for a stable regime win, two major things happen. First, resource-buildup guy turns full Genghis Khan, revealing a Lancer card in his advisors (doubling his attack roll) and taking every Imperial territory in a single campaign. Desperate, the Chancellor offered me Citizenship, knowing I was the only other military force by that point, and believing that the one relic I had made it so I couldn't get the Successor objective (hold more relics and banners). I got him to offer me my (not his) pick of relics from the reliquary - bad mistake on his part, since one of those relics allowed me to get an additional relic for cheap. So I mass my forces with his, we take back enough territory from Genghis Khan to get the Oathkeeper title back, and I prepare to spend the next turn relic hunting so I can become the successor.

Just then, Vow of Peace dude reveals the Vision of Rebellion, dumps all his favor into getting the People's Favor banner and retreats to the one territory he had taken before taking the Vow of Peace, which, as it turns out, had a Keep and a Shield Wall (translated: lots of defense dice). I spend my resources mustering forces and getting my third relic, hoping for a stable regime; Genghis Khan, however, takes one territory on his turn, taking the Oathkeeper title back and foiling that plan. With no alternative, the Chancellor takes his and my forces to seize the People's Favor back by force.

Now there are two things to remember about campaigning in this game. First, normally the attacker can sacrifice their warbands to add to their attack roll on a one-to-one basis. However, holding the Vow of Peace means your opponents can't do that when they fight you - after all, who's going to lay down their life fighting a guy who isn't going to attack you? Second, because there's a x2 face on the defense dice, a small force can repel a much larger force given enough dice. Between the dice from his denizens and the People's favor, he had nine defense dice. We rolled, and his two warbands generated a roll of 16, whereas the Imperial force got a roll of 9. Normally we'd just sacrifice a bunch of warbands to beat the defense roll, but we couldn't.

And that's the story of how, in the face of invasions, tyranny and bloodshed, a pacifist monk was able to rule the empire by convincing the people to just give peace a chance.

[Hennu_TRM]

This man grew a beard during this review. Incredible game.

[gregorymorrison]

I struggle to believe there used to be an SU&SD without Tom. What a brilliant bloke and addition to the team.

[dplusmodifier]

To anyone worried if they can teach Oath: You just watched a guy talk about it for a half an hour, I believe in you.

[RayknLP]

The amount of work Tom puts into these reviews to make them that bit extra special is insane.
It reached a point where it's like Fight Club, where you can rewatch the thing after knowing the twist and experience a whole different thing.

I really really love it.

(please also get some sleep though, dude)

[brianricks]

With regards to cost, I'm surprised he failed to mention Tabletop Simulator. Definitely give it a try there to see if its for you, before dropping over $100 on a game that may be a dud for you and your group

[charlesmcguffy]

Tom loves the word 'evocative'. It's his 'elegant'.

[Fancymancer]

Oh my god can we talk about the tiny “ah!” That plays when he flicks the mini at 8:44

[dabestofdabest]

So many board games, but no one to play them with

[jordanbeard]

I've never seen a SU&SD review that more deserved the comment: "It's about the cones"

[DrawTimeShow]

You guys struck gold with Tom. Each of his videos betters the last. This was so good. Gotta say your podcast on Oath convinced me to get it- this made me excited for my decision

[WoodlandDrake]

I think one of the main things about Cole Wehrle's game design is that "winning" is never really the objective of the game. Sure, some people want to win, but for the most part a game is an excuse to get friends around a table and spend time together; the game itself, as an activity, is the point of playing. If Cole could design a game that never actually ended, he would; and honestly, I think Oath is his closest attempt yet.

[chochkeys]

Hands down one of the best SU&SD reviews I have ever seen. Went from having never heard of the game to wanting to play it now. Top notch stuff, wish I had a group for it.

[mikkeljustesen]

I have played this multiple times with my girlfriend, just two people, without the Clockwork prince, one playing the chancellor, one playing exile and we found it really enjoyable. As the exile you start at a disadvantage but we found it really cool to try to overcome the existing regime. We have multiple games, which are designed for two players, but for the lasts months this has been our go to game. So good!

[Pludderkal]

Loving the fact that the longer the review goes, the more scruffy Toms beard grows.

[clayhobson]

Something very pleasing about the fullness of Tom's face paint.

[GretSeat]

I have literally no idea how to play this game. Even after watching this review.

But I apparently need this game now?

[lentilstew]

god, I thought the funniest moment would be Tom spitting out a single rogue die like he'd had a tooth punched out, but... ... ... Tom's slow horror movie turn to the camera to say "but" made me immediately click "like, " pause the video, and laugh so deeply that I leaned forward to press my forehead to the keyboard. wonderful. what a treat it is to have Tom on this channel

[josephnewell]

You got me at "Chancellors of Dunshire" with an audible laugh, well done

[strctlykilz]

This is yet another SU&SD reviewed game that sounds like I would absolutely love to play but that I will never, EVER get my own friends on board with lol