by jholliday
Using ideas for a couple other solo variants already posted, here’s what I came up with. Admittedly not particularly strategic and a lot of dice rolling, but it has proven to be a fun way to run around the island on your own.You control three players, playing each player independently, each one trying his/her best to win. That is, for example, you always do your best to hit an opponent with an ember or the tiger. You get to the chopper when you think you can win.
I have the tiger/bees expansion, so have included rules for those components. Just ignore if you only have the base game.
Set up
As normal for a 3-player game, except do not deal action cards to the players.
Gameplay
As normal, but instead of playing an action card from your hand, you draw a card from the deck. That is the action the player must take.
After Player-3’s turn, Vul-Kar takes a turn. Draw an action card. The only actions Vul-Kar takes is:
• Rotate Vul-Kar
• Drop Fireballs
• Launch an ember marble
• Send the bees
All other text on the action cards is ignored.
Action modifications
• Any time Vul-Kar is rotated (by a player or Vul-Kar) roll the die. 1=Rotate clockwise (1 or 2 spaces, depending on card). 2 = Rotate counterclockwise (1 or 2 spaces). 3 = Reroll the die
• If you choose to turn a tree, you must turn a root to protect yourself, not intentionally harm an opponent.
•Any time a player does something against another player (e.g. Launch an ember marble or tiger, Move another player, Give another player a bee sting, etc.), roll the die. 1=Target opponent A. 2=Target opponent B. 3=Reroll. (Decide before rolling who is A and who is B.)
Exception: If action involves trying to knock an opponent down (e.g. Ember marble or Tiger), if one opponent is already knocked down, target the other opponent.
• Use “mean” souvenirs (i.e. Those impacting other players, generally “Hangry” souvenirs) as soon as possible per the text on a card.
• Snares: When triggered, roll the die. 1=Snare worked, follow direction on the card. 2=Snare malfunctioned. Opponent continues move. Keep the card. 3=Reroll.
That’s it. All other game play is the same. Player with highest points at end of game wins.
I found this to be a lot of fun. Game ebbs and flows, just like a multiplayer game. I had no idea who would end up the winner.