Trogdor!! The Board Game

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"Trogdor!! The Board Game" logo
The box and its contents
This article is about the board game. For other uses, see Trogdor (disambiguation).

Trogdor!! The Board Game (shortened to Trogdor!!) is a board game featuring Trogdor rampaging across Peasantry. Described as a "board game adaptation of the video game adaptation of the song from the cartoon", Trogdor!! is a cooperative puzzle area control game in which the players work together to burninate the countryside, peasants, and thatched-roof cottages. Each assuming the role of a Keeper of Trogdor, making use of unique powers and items to guide Trogdor around the board to accomplish this goal while avoiding knights and archers. The game is for one to six players, and play time is estimated at 30 minutes. The recommended age is 14+, and difficulty can vary based on player-chosen level layouts.

The game is made by The Brothers Chaps (Boardelectrix) and James Ernest (Cheapass Games). The box art, game tiles, character cards, and item cards feature art by Chris Schweizer. The rulebook was written with Loneshark Games. The plastic miniatures were sculpted by Rick Van Velsor, who had previously sculpted the collectible figurines. Production funds for the game were raised via a Kickstarter campaign in the summer of 2018, collecting over $1.4 million in pledges from over 20,000 supporters. Shipping to these backers began in early July 2019, followed by a retail version released in the fall of 2020 to stores. In spring 2022, the "Magicks and 'Mergencies Expando Deck" was released which added new gameplay elements to the board game.

Contents

[edit] History

The idea first came up after The Brothers Chaps developed an interest in playing more advanced board games with their kids and friends. Playing games like Ticket to Ride, Kill Doctor Lucky, and legacy games like Pandemic Season 1 and Risk Legacy prompted the idea of making their own game. Centered around Trogdor, the concept drew influence from many aspects of the character (computer game, song, cartoon, etc.) to design "a game of burnination, cooperation, and peasant-tation" (as described by Matt's daughter).

Initial prototypes were made with 3D-printed pieces and handmade cards, before the Chaps reached out to other collaborators. Patrick Rothfuss introduced them to James Ernest of Cheapass Games, who refined the gameplay systems. Illustrator Chris Schweizer drew the artwork for the cards, tiles, and packaging (additional drawings by Mike Chapman, purportedly from Strong Bad, appear in the margins of the instruction booklet). The game pieces were sculpted by Rick Van Velsor.

[edit] Pre-release Promotion

The first pre-release image of the game board

The game was first teased through several Instagram posts in 2017. On September 29, a video of a thatched-roof cottage being 3D-printed was posted. On October 16, a video of a CG model of Trogdor designed for 3D-printing was shared. Heavily-filtered and obscured pictures of the prototype game board were shared on October 20 and November 17, with neither being clear enough to see well. A single action card was revealed on January 24, 2018, in The Deleteheads Download Vol. 1, purportedly leaked from the Boardelectrix offices.

The first announcement, featuring the game board.

The game was officially announced on March 19, 2018, by both an Index Page footer message and a post on the @StrongBadActual Twitter account. Both promoted that a "janky prototype" of the game would be playable at PAX East 2018, April 5–8. The Brothers Chaps also held a panel at PAX East, revealing more information about the game and mentioning that a "Kickcheater" was forthcoming.

An advertisement video was posted on @StrongBadActual on June 12, 2018, announcing that the Kickstarter would launch in July. A dedicated webpage was made for the game on June 29, 2018. Dedicated Twitter and Facebook pages were created the same day; both social media accounts have since been closed.

Later playtests took place at Gen Con on August 2–3, 2018 and on the JoCo Cruise in March 2019.

[edit] Kickstarter Campaign

Pledge it out!
See also Trogdor!! The Board Game (video)

The Kickstarter "Trogdor!! The Board Game" campaign was launched on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 with an initial goal of $75,000 — which was surpassed within the first few hours.

Several reward levels were available, with higher levels made in partnership with Wyrmwood Gaming:

  • $40: Wingaling Level — The full game with screen-printed wooden meeple game pieces.
  • $60: Burninator Level — The full game with screen-printed wooden meeple game pieces as well as a set of painted high quality plastic miniature game pieces.
  • $200: Wyrmwood Beefy Level — Everything from the Burninator Level plus a handcrafted wooden gameboard made of cherry by the artisans at Wyrmwood Gaming.
  • $500: Wyrmwood Majesty Level — Everything from the Burninator Level plus an engraved, handcrafted Wyrmwood gameboard, box, and accessories made of cherry.
  • $1,800: Wyrmwood Consummate Level — Everything from the Burninator Level plus the handcrafted Wyrmwood gameboard, box, and accessories made from even more luxurious wood and materials PLUS a built in Lazy-Susan!

[edit] Stretch Goals

Once the initial $75,000 goal was reached, several additional backing goals were met that allowed for improvements to the quality of the base game:

  1. $150,000 — Repeated tiles have unique art. Spot UV printing used on burninated tile backs.
  2. $250,000 — A "Stack 'Em To The Heavens" mini-game for the wooden meeples, including a drawstring bag and rules card, was added. A soundboard website was made available. A backer-submitted email (parenting) would be answered.
  3. 5,000 backersReally Cool Boat
  4. 10,000 backers — Card material upgraded to linen. Spot UV printing used on box.
  5. 12,000 backersSix-Sadded, Die. - Don't Make Daddy P.O.'d. Strong Bad's Keepers and Items added to the game.
  6. 15,000 backers — Alternate Trogdor meeples of The S is for Sucks Dragon, Strong Bad's original Trogdor drawing, Strong Mad's "DAGRON" attempt, Wormdingler, and Strong Sad's chiaroscuro dragon.

[edit] Bingo

The completed bingo board.

A "Backer Burnination Bingo" was also completed, in which backers could submit their Trogdor fanstuff to complete a 3×3 bingo board:

  • 20 works of Trogdor poetry
  • 5 Trogdor or Peasant cosplays
  • 20 ratty old Trogdor t-shirts
  • 5 "Six-Sadded, Die" 3D prints
  • 10 Trogdor tattoos
  • 10 'Dagron' carvings
  • 5 "Trogdor" ukulele covers
  • 15 chiaroscuro Trogdor fan drawings
  • 20 inanimate objects that look like Trogdor

In the style of the board game, once the nine tiles were "burninated" an additional task was required to burninate the central cottage:

  • 1 video of 25 people screaming 'TROGDOR!'

Completing the bingo unlocked a live stream of Matt Chapman playing and voicing Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People episode Homestar Ruiner.

[edit] Conclusion

The campaign ended on Wednesday, August 15, 2018, with a total of $1,421,903 raised (nearly 20 times the goal) and 23,338 backers.

Preorders were available on Backerkit from September 17 to October 31 (originally October 15). Extra items, such as character meeples, enamel pins, and shirts, were also available with preorders. A rulebook album, consisting of thirteen songs explaining rules and mechanics of the game, was released April 15, 2019.

Shipping to backers began in early July 2019.

[edit] Retail

A "Retail Edition" of the game was released in Fall 2020, after the Kickstarter concluded. This version does not include the wooden meeples or "Stack 'Em To The Heavens!" minigame, but is otherwise identical, and is sold in the Shopify and Teespring Stores. A print-and-play version can be made here.

[edit] Post-Release

In Spring 2020, the "Book of Haldo" beta rulebook was posted on the website and Twitter, giving the Archer a more complex ruleset.

In Spring 2022, the "Magicks and 'Mergencies Expando Deck" was released which adds new gameplay elements to the board game. A toon was made to explain and promote the expansion.

[edit] Instructions

For complete instructions, see the official rulebook.

[edit] General

The objective of the game, as outlined in Trogdor's song, is to:

  • Burninate the countryside: flip all twenty-five tiles to the burninated side.
  • Burninate the peasants: remove all peasants from the board, whether by chomping or burninating them.
  • Burninate the thatched-roof cottages: set all three cottages aflame.

Once all three conditions have been met, the game ends in victory.

[edit] Setup

See Trogdor!! The Board Game Items for complete descriptions of game components.
The map, cards, pieces, and Trog-Meter

[edit] Game Board

Place the twenty-five countryside tiles, unburninated side up, in a five-by-five grid. Players may use the board presets listed in the instruction booklet or come up with their own configurations. For easier play, place cottage and lake tiles on edges, and place the two tunnels far from each other. Once the board has been arranged, place one cottage and one peasant on each cottage tile. Place Trogdor on the center tile, and place the two knights and the archer on different tiles.

Place the Trog-Meter, action deck, movement deck, and Void card next to the board, with space for two discard piles. Place the Troghammer and the flame helmet in their spaces on the Trog-Meter. Fill the Trog-Meter with the remaining four peasants.

[edit] Keepers of Trogdor

Each player will assume the role of one of the Keepers of Trogdor, granting them special abilities as described on the card. These abilities do not need to be recharged, and may be used only on the player's turn unless specified otherwise. Deal each player a Keeper card, either chosen or at random.

[edit] Items of Trogdor

Each player will have an item that may be used to perform a special action as described on the card. These actions may be used only on the player's turn, and must be recharged by satisfying the condition on the card before they can be used again. A player's item may only be recharged on their turn, and may not be used more than once per turn, regardless of recharge (though it may be used and recharged, or recharged and used, in the same turn). The Disk of Healing does not recharge and may only be used once per game. Deal each player an item card, either chosen or at random.

[edit] Action and Movement Deck

Players will draw from the action deck on their turn to determine the actions they can take. Seven of the action cards are Troghammer cards. Remove these from the action deck and set them aside; they will be shuffled in the first time Trogdor takes damage. Shuffle the action deck and deal one action card to each player.

Movement cards will be used to specify the movements of peasants, knights, and the archer during the countryside phase. Shuffle the movement deck and place it where players can reach.

Any method may be used to determine who takes the first turn.

[edit] Turns

A turn being played with meeples

Each turn consists of two phases: one where the player controls Trogdor, and one where the countryside takes actions. Note that the countryside phase is still considered part of the turn of the player who just moved Trogdor.

[edit] Phase 1: Trogdor's Actions

Draw an action card. The player should now have two action cards in hand, and must choose one to play and one to "bank" for a future turn. Each action card should specify a number of action points (AP) and a special action or ability that Trogdor is allowed for that turn. Note that these abilities are optional and do not need to be used. If the player doesn't like either of their action cards, they may discard one to gain 5 AP with no special ability. Once an action card is chosen, it may be discarded.

If a Troghammer card is drawn:

  • If the Troghammer is not yet in play, place it on the center tile.
  • If the Troghammer is in play, draw a movement card, and, ignoring all other information on the card, move the Troghammer along the movement path (damaging Trogdor and repairing cottages as in a normal knight movement).

If at any time the Troghammer lands on a tile occupied by a knight or archer, draw another movement card and move it again. After a Troghammer card has been drawn, discard it and draw a new action card. Note that the Troghammer is a knight, and if he is in play, all rules applying to knights apply to him as well.

Trogdor burninating a cottage

Once an action card has been chosen for play, Trogdor may take actions—up to the number of action points specified on that card. These are the actions that players can do:

  • Move Trogdor one tile to the north, south, east or west. Trogdor does not have diagonal movement or wraparound movement unless granted by a Keeper or an action card.
    • Trogdor takes damage if he moves onto a knight's tile.
  • Chomp a peasant on the tile Trogdor occupies. Remove the peasant from the board and add it to the Trog-Meter (Trogdor's health).
  • Hide on a mountain tile, rendering Trogdor invulnerable to the knights and archer during the next phase. Set Trogdor on his side to represent his hidden status. This action will end the turn.
  • Burrow from one tunnel tile to the other.
  • Burninate a tile, a peasant, or an eligible cottage.
    • Burninate a tile: Flip the tile Trogdor occupies to the burninated side. This does not affect any other pieces occupying the tile. Note that burninated tiles retain any special function they had previously.
      • The lake tile must be surrounded by burninated tiles on all four sides before it may be burninated. (This condition does not wrap around if the lake is on the edge of the board.)
      • Cards that let players burninate a tile other than the one where Trogdor is standing ignore the usual burninating restrictions; for example, the lake tile can be burninated regardless of the condition of its neighbors.
    • Burninate a peasant on the tile Trogdor occupies: Crown the peasant with the flame helmet. Then draw a movement card, and, ignoring all other information on the card, move the peasant along the movement path, burninating each tile the peasant visits (including its starting tile). If the peasant reaches the end of its path without being saved by the lake (see below), it is removed from the board and placed in the Void, not on the Trog-Meter.
      • If the peasant visits an eligible cottage, the cottage is ignited. If the peasant's path ends on a burninated cottage, the peasant is re-ignited with a fresh movement card.
      • If the peasant visits another peasant, the other peasant is ignited—complete the current peasant's movement and then draw a fresh movement card for the other one.
      • If the peasant visits the lake, the peasant is extinguished and the lake is left unharmed, regardless of its burnination status. (There is, therefore, no point in burninating a peasant who is already at the lake, as it will be extinguished instantly.)
    • Burninate a cottage on the tile Trogdor occupies: In order to be eligible, a cottage's tile must be burninated, as well as the eight tiles surrounding it. As with the lake, this condition does not wrap around. If the cottage is eligible, it may be burninated by flipping the piece to its burninated side.
      • Note: cottages may be repaired by knights. If the tiles around a burninated cottage are repaired by peasants, the cottage is not automatically repaired, but it will make it more difficult to re-burninate if it does get repaired.
  • Pass and forfeit any remaining action points.

[edit] Phase 2: The Countryside's Movements

It's time for the countryside to fight back. Draw a movement card. All peasants, knights, and the archer have wraparound movement: if they move off the edge of the board on one side, they reappear on the opposite side.

  • Observe the number of peasants (zero to four) in the top left of the card. Spawn peasants from the Trog-Meter until the number of peasants on the board is greater than or equal to the number of peasants on the card. Note that health lost due to peasant spawning is not considered damage, and thus Trogdor cannot be killed by peasant spawning. Peasants may be placed on any cottage tile, given the following rules:
    • A cottage that is already occupied by a peasant cannot spawn peasants.
    • A burninated cottage cannot spawn peasants.
    • If there is no cottage that can spawn a peasant, or if the Trog-Meter is empty, no more peasants can be spawned. Peasants never spawn from the Void.
  • Move all peasants on the board one tile in the direction specified on the arrow. If the arrow is green, peasants repair the tiles they step onto. Peasants do not repair cottages—if a peasant steps onto the tile of a burninated cottage, the peasant is burninated.
  • Move the knights (including the Troghammer if he is in play) and the archer along the movement path.
    • If a knight visits Trogdor's tile, Trogdor takes damage; move one peasant from the Trog-Meter to the Void. If a knight visits a burninated cottage, that cottage is repaired.
    • At the end of the archer's movement, it fires arrows along its row (if it last moved horizontally) or column (if it last moved vertically). If Trogdor is in this row or column, he takes damage. Note that arrows do not touch the archer's tile; if the archer is on Trogdor's tile when he shoots, Trogdor is not harmed.
  • Remember to shuffle the Troghammer cards into the action deck the first time Trogdor takes damage.

It is now the next player's turn. Turns move clockwise.

[edit] Trogdor's Fiery Rage

If Trogdor takes damage while the Trog-Meter is at zero, he dies—or rather, he "rage-quits". Trogdor's Fiery Rage is a special endgame phase in which Trogdor has one last chance to beat the game in a blaze of glory.

Draw five movement cards, and, ignoring all other information on the card, move Trogdor along each movement path sequentially. Trogdor gains wraparound movement for this phase. Including his starting tile, Trogdor lays waste to everything he touches: tiles and cottages are burninated regardless of eligibility, peasants are removed (without triggering peasant burnination), and knights are killed (although the archer lives). If, by the end of the five movements, the win conditions have been met, Trogdor has achieved a "total table-flip victory". If not, "Trogdor [retires] in defeat, to burninate another day."

Strong Bad encourages players to end each game, regardless of the outcome, with a rousing "IT'S OVER!"

[edit] Book of Haldo

A summary of the Book of Haldo rules
For complete instructions, see the Book of Haldo Rulebook.

In a tweet from April 13, 2020, Strong Bad introduced a new set of rules for Trogdor!! The Board Game that affects how arrows shot by the archers affect other game pieces.

If playing with Book of Haldo rules, the game board must be set up so two cottages are placed on any of the eight tiles surrounding the center.

The archers now shoot arrows in all four cardinal directions (north, south, east and west) from wherever the archers land at the end of their movement path. Be sure to track the path of each arrow, as it will impact tiles and game pieces in new and chaotic ways. If more than one element occupies a tile touched by an arrow, resolve in the order listed below.

  1. Flaming cottage: The arrow flies through the cottage and catches fire, making it a flaming arrow. Flaming arrows burninate every tile they pass through (including the lake), in addition to the effects described below.
  2. Peasant: The peasant is shot and rendered "immobilized". Arrowed peasants do not move and do not count in the peasant spawning tally. However, Trogdor can—and must in order to win—still eat these peasants. Arrow path ends.
    1. If the arrow is flaming, the peasant is burninated instead.
  3. Tunnel: The arrow flies into the tunnel and out the other end, continuing in its original direction. Trogdor is hit by the arrow if he is standing on the "out" tunnel, but not if he is standing on the "in" tunnel.
  4. Knight: The shot is deflected in the direction of the peasant movement on the movement card. The arrow continues flying until it hits something or reaches the edge of the board. If the arrow hits a second knight, the arrow is deflected again in the original direction that the archers shot it.
  5. Unburninated cottage: The cottage blocks the shot. If Trogdor is on the same tile as the cottage, he hides behind the cottage and does not take any damage. Arrow path ends.
    1. If the arrow is flaming and the cottage is eligible, the cottage is burninated.
  6. Troghammer: He protects himself by performing a spin attack, damaging Trogdor if he is on any of the eight adjacent tiles (but not the tile on which the Troghammer stands). The spin attack does not affect peasants, knights, or archers, and does not wrap around. Arrow path ends.
  7. Trogdor: Trogdor is arrowed as normal.

If the archers end their movement path on the same tile that Trogdor occupies, Trogdor sets all four arrows on fire before they are shot.

[edit] Magicks and 'Mergencies Expando Deck

"It's like new cards that they didn't think of the first time they made the game."
See also Trogdor!! The Board Game Items#Magicks and 'Mergencies Expando Deck

The deck includes 46 cards, Action and Emergency cards intended to mix with the existing Action deck and Spell Cards to form a new deck for play.

  • 21 new Action Cards
  • 10 Emergency Cards
  • 10 Spell Cards
  • 2 Rule Cards
  • 3 additional Troghammer Cards

[edit] Stack 'Em to the Heavens

"Now you can play a game called Stack 'Em to the Heavens!"

Stack 'Em to the Heavens is a competitive meeple-stacking minigame. A small white drawstring canvas bag comes free inside every board game box. The bag has an image of Marshie on fire, with the text "STACK EM TO THE HEAVENS!" and the rules on it. According to the Kickstarter page, the bag is intended to be used for keeping meeples in, so the game can be played anywhere. The title (and Marshie's presence on the bag and in the commercial) is a reference to Marshie's song in Malloween Commercial, when advertising that Fluffy Puff Malloweens fit on top of each other.

Start by putting the peasant, knight, and Troghammer meeples in a bag, shake the bag, and roll the meeples onto a surface. The two players take turns stacking meeples on top of each other. Meeples that land face-up or on their edge are stacked upright and can be rotated however the player chooses, and face-down meeples are stacked flat. The objective is to make the tower as precarious as possible, making the other player topple the stack down, or to force the other player into placing a third consecutive peasant. If all the meeples are successfully stacked, the game ends in a draw.

Originally, there was an animated GIF on the board game's Kickstarter page, depicting meeples being stacked. The GIF's caption jokingly mentioned that the reader could make up a minigame called "Stack Em To The Heavens". On July 17th, the day the Kickstarter campaign began, the second stretch goal was announced. It was stated that upon reaching $250,000, that joke would be turned into a real game, and a companion soundboard website would be created for the board game. The goal was achieved the next day. On August 15, 2018, Puppet Strong Bad, Mike Chapman, and Lucky Yates played the game live during the Final Hours Playthrough. According to Strong Bad, the rules were made up the day before in five minutes. At this point, the archer was also included. On October 25, 2018, a commercial was released on YouTube.

[edit] Credits

Game design: The Brothers Chaps and James Ernest

Development and editing: Mike Selinker, Chad Brown, and Aviva Schecterson

Producer: Missy Palmer

Miniature Sculptor: Rick Van Velsor

Box art, Keeper cards, and terrain tiles: Chris Schweizer

Graphic design: Liz Spain and Skylar Woodies

Additional artwork: Mike Chapman

Kickstarter thanks: Everyone at Kickstarter! Anya Combs, Luke Crane, Trin Garritano. Everyone who helped with the Kickstarter! Maya Coleman, Carol Monahan, Cassidy Werner, Lane Skye. Everyone who supported the Kickstarter! Best fans in the world!

Special thanks: Our patient and supportive families, Pat Rothfuss, Cheapass Games, Greater Than Games, Lay Waste Games, Lone Shark Games, Rooster Teeth, Jonathan Ritter, Tommy Maranges, Max Temkin, Karlee Esmailli, Lucky Yates, Shane Steed, Sean Molley, Keith Richmond, Gaby Weidling, Jef Sewell, Paul & Storm, Pen Ward, Henry Linnell, Daniel Charanis and everyone at 3d-printingtech.com for 3D prototyping help, Allen Kim at Edwin Jarvis, Hugh Connelly, Panda Game Manufacturing, and Derek Guder & Tom Croom at Gen Con.

Playtesting thanks: Cheapass Games, David Cornwell, Will & Charles, Kate Stark, Christopher Badell, Alex Hirsch, Ryan North, Burnie Burns, Matt Hullum, Chris Schweizer, Maya Coleman, Brian Friedrich, David Kiker, Jenny Ross, Rival Guy, Blue Island Gamers and Slackers Society, The Old Birch Tree, and everyone who played at PAX East and Gen Con!

[edit] Magicks & 'Mergencies Expando Deck Thanks

Thanks! To these people! Thanks to these people: Christopher Baddell, John Raven, Jonathon Borowski, Tony DeJohn, Rocco Del Giudice, Ed Diaz, Robert Frizzell, Nick King, Missy Palmer, Colin McInerney

[edit] Fun Facts

[edit] Trivia

  • Several cards and mechanics were altered or replaced during the pre-production of the game.
    • Items of Trogdor:
      • "That Dog Tennis Ball Thing, 'cept with Fireballs" was originally called "Ball of Fire".
      • "Pauldrons of Greg" had the ability to prevent Trogdor from taking one damage, recharging when Trogdor devours a peasant. In the final game, "Shield of Cumberdale" and "Super Trinket" provide similar functions, albeit from only one source of damage each.
      • "Bones of Luckman" gave the player an extra Action point. This was replaced by "Two Gross Beans", which gives the player two additional AP.
    • Action cards:
      • "High Energy" was originally called "Trog-Burst", and before that, "Extra Actions".
      • "Jhonka Help" originally provided 6 action points, and one of those could be used to eat a peasant on any tile on Trogdor's turn. The final card instead provides 5, but gives the peasant chomp for free.
      • Peasants could originally only be eaten on burninated tiles.
      • The original circumstances for summoning the Troghammer were different: Troghammer cards are always in the deck, and the Troghammer is summoned after three are drawn.
  • Naked Ned is visible on one of the forest tiles, hiding behind a tree.

[edit] Remarks

  • The rulebook and the bonus Keeper and Item cards use a different font for Strong Bad's handwriting than the usual AhnbergHand.

[edit] Inside References

[edit] Gallery

[edit] Social Media

[edit] PAX East

[edit] Other

[edit] Appearances

[edit] See Also

[edit] External Links


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