Now that ROME: CITY OF MARBLE has been announced by R&R Games, I can start talking about it a bit. Over the next few months I’ll post more about the game but for now, I’ll begin at the beginning: start player rules.
I love when games have humorous start player rules, especially when they’re evocative of the game’s theme. Some of the more memorable examples include:
- MUNCHKIN
- “Decide who goes first by rolling the dice and arguing about the results and the meaning of this sentence and whether the fact that a word seems to be missing any effect.”
PANDEMIC
“The player who was most recently sick goes first.”
GLOOM
“The player who has had the worst day goes first”
I wanted a thematic start player rule for ROME: CITY OF MARBLE that would make people smile and break the ice, and maybe establish a little lighthearted rivalry to get players in the right frame of mind. To that end, I didn’t have to look much further than the foundation myths of Ancient Rome.
As legend has it, Rome was founded by the twin brothers Remus and Romulus who had been set adrift on the Tiber river to die, were saved by a series of miraculous interventions, and were famously found and suckled by a she-wolf.
So, there I had it! The first citizens of Rome had been raised by a wolf, and the first player in ROME: CITY OF MARBLE would be the player “most likely to have been raised by wolves.” That ought to elicit chuckles (or groans).
I had a little fun with this rule this morning, with game designer and graphic designer extraordinaire, Adam McIver, who has created a tumblr of fun and silly start player rules called F1rst Player. Here’s his take on the ROME: CITY OF MARBLE first player rule:
What is your favorite Start Player rule?
play without fear 