Game Tips for Incan Gold

10

Andy {Avid Gamer}

Oct 8th, 2011| Strategy

22 of 23 gamers found this helpful

“Don't leave yourself well behind going into the fifth round”

Incan Gold allows for a player to be victorious by accumulating moderate points every round, or by having a big round to pull ahead. Much of the fun is to push your luck late in a round and go for big points once your opponents have left. One time you don’t want to be in this position aiming for big points by pushing deeper in the temple: the final round.

Even with opponents that don’t keep track over every player’s score, people have a feeling of where they stand in points. Players that feel they are behind are going to stay in as long as possible in the final round. As the player count goes up, the number of players trying to make up for low scoring rounds at the end of the game will rise. This makes it nearly impossible to make up major ground in the final round, as you’ll be sharing gems with many players.

If you’re feeling like you’re behind in points and want to go for a risky deep run, try it in an earlier round. You want to be in a position where you can leave with a decent number of gems in the final round and let the other players keep each other’s scores down.

The final round is a great time to make a quick run to grab an artifact, taking advantage of multiple players aiming for a long risky run.

If the only way you can win is to gain a lot of points in the final round, by all means go for it. Avoiding this situation will increase your likelihood of claiming victory.

5

Alex {Casual Gamer}

Jan 7th, 2015| Tip

9 of 9 gamers found this helpful

“Make sure all the players are invested”

This is actually a very important step before you play the game. Whenever I get together with my gaming group, everyone there actually is here to play games.

However, if it is just a social gathering and a break out the board games, say for example Incan Gold, their purpose of being there is not necessarily to play games.

For Incan Gold, it is absolutely imperative that every player actually wants to play. While this is of course necessary for all games, it is the worst when there is one player who is always “all-in” at every turn because they just don’t care. You can read people’s lack of enthusiasm based on their lack of being vocal or their body language.

I played 2 separate games of Incan Gold where 1 person from each game just didn’t care but also didn’t want to be excluded either. She just went all in every single time, not because that was her true strategy but based on her body language and lack of any expression of excitement or enthusiasm, you can tell that she didn’t care about actually playing.

This made the gaming experience suck. And actually it screws up the gameplay for everyone in a very indirect way. Sure it doesn’t hurt people directly but the experience itself just doesn’t feel right.

So in the future, before starting up the game, make sure everyone understands the rules and also emphasize that we are all here to play and if anyone actually doesn’t want to play, please sit out because it will make the game much more fun for everyone else.

10

Andy {Avid Gamer}

Oct 8th, 2011| Tip

21 of 23 gamers found this helpful

“When Teaching - Include Zero Score Note”

When first playing Incan Gold, some players will play this risk/reward game very conservatively, and leave with money every round. Other players will risk too much, and end up with nothing. In my experience, this latter group is more prevalent.

I’ve found players will get discouraged when they end the game with a score of zero. These players are least likely to request a second playing.

I have found it helpful to add a comment at the end of my rules explanation that it is common for at least one player in a large game to end with a zero score.

Since I started doing this, new players do not seem to get as upset with a zero score, knowing they’re not alone. In fact, I’ve noticed a different reaction; players are less likely to end with a zero score. It seems that when telling a new player other people end with a zero score, they have a “target” to beat. Even if they don’t win, they seem to feel it a partial victory that they didn’t get shutout.

Try adding a comment about a zero score when teaching new players, I think you (and they) will be happier in the end that you did!

6

sevs {Family Gamer}

Jul 8th, 2014| Strategy

8 of 9 gamers found this helpful

“Go big or go home”

In the early rounds I always try to go big, staying as long as possible before the traps do me in. The benefit is worth the risk because often after a few traps come out people grab their few gems and scatter back to camp. Now you are alone in the tunnels and you don’t have to split your loot with others. Usually I aim for 15-25 gems in the first 2 rounds before heading home.

6

sevs {Family Gamer}

Jul 8th, 2014| Strategy

8 of 9 gamers found this helpful

“Early Artifacts aren't worth your time”

I ignore artifacts in the first 3 rounds as they are only worth 5 points but I do play up their importance to others. Usually if people get excited about an artifact turning up I try to get multiple people to want to leave the temple together so no one gets the treasure. This leaves them with nothing to show for leaving early and it gives me fewer people to share the loot with.

Now if I feel like I am winning going into rounds 4-5 and the artifacts are worth 10 instead of 5 I might consider ducking out early to safety knowing those I leave behind will likely get themselves snared in a trap and leave empty handed.

10

Andy {Avid Gamer}

Oct 8th, 2011| Strategy

18 of 22 gamers found this helpful

“Factor in removed creatures when deciding to run”

When making decisions in later rounds of the game, always factor in hazards that have been removed from the game in previous rounds.

Anytime a round ends due to two hazards of the same type coming up, one of them will be removed from the deck. If this happens once, there are only two in the deck. If one is part of the card row, there will only be one left in the deck.

Often when I play, people will forget or disregard this information. This is compounded more on the rare occasion two of the same hazard are removed from the game, making it a certainty that it won’t happen a third time.

Remember those hazards that have been removed from the game, and proceed with greater confidence in later rounds when one appears. Let your opponents be scared off and grab those gems/artifacts for yourself.

6

renee {Power Gamer}

Dec 5th, 2011| Rule

13 of 16 gamers found this helpful

“"White Elephant" Gift Variation Game”

This is a variation to the game that I made up for a holiday party. It’s a way to have a “white elephant” gift party but with a little more excitement and press your luck. It turned out to be a big hit.

The Rules:
Set up a standard Incan Gold game. Add all of the treasures into the deck immediately. When a treasure is won, that treasure is actually a present. The winner of the treasure gets a gift from the pile. They can chose to open the gift or leave it wrapped. That treasure card is placed back into the deck (so there are many chances to get presents).

When the next treasure is won, that person can take a new present or steal one.

The gems are not worthless, they are still counted like in the regular game. The first and second place winners (based on highest gem count) get the final present steal or get the final presents.

———————
You may have to say that the 15 and 17 gems cards represent treasure if you have a lot of presents/players.

6

renee {Power Gamer}

Oct 15th, 2011| Strategy

15 of 19 gamers found this helpful

“Special Treasures”

The first few Unique Treasures are not worth that much, do not get side-tracked when they come up and let other players worry about them.
(Make a big deal when they come up, this makes people think that they shouldn’t risk letting you have it to yourself and will get them to leave the temple early).

Why is this important:
You want to go for the “big money” in the earlier rounds as most players who had bad scores will be going for glory in the latter rounds which means you will have to share with them or die with them.

4

Dr. Cheesesteak {Casual Gamer}

Dec 13th, 2016| Strategy

“After the 2nd round, play it safe.”

Really, you can play it safe/conservatively from round 1. But I suggest after round 2 just to get a feel for the other players.

But essentially, if there are some big treasures still available and it’s still fairly early in the round, if you get a feel for your opponents, you can know if leaving early to get that 14-, 17-gem card is a safe choice.

I’ve played w/ ppl who always wanted to be the last one in the temple and they pretty much have always lost.

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