I will admit that I am no stranger to the social deduction game Avalon, which is a sequel to The Resistance. It is often the board game I recommend to novice board game players who are interested in light improvisation and simple gameplay mechanics. And, oftentimes, I hope to teach them how to play the game…the hard way. Some people have Mario Kart. Katelyn has Avalon.
This game is designed for mid-sized groups (5-10 players) and consists of very few pieces (all made of thick cardboard). While I’ve found it difficult to find 4 other players willing to play what seems to be a “simple” game (the objective is simple, and the replay value depends not on the game itself, but on the arrangement of players). One of the aspects of Avalon that I found most effective were the windows of opportunity to embody a character baked into the gameplay. These fleeting moments of improvisation occur as players attempt to convince and betray one another. The fun of the challenge is quick thinking to defend one’s position to further their allegiant agenda, and also inform secret.
The game has a series of rounds, each of which is driven by the players’ actions and decisions. The goal of the game is to determine which players are loyal to the forces of good (the loyal servants of Arthur) and which are loyal to the forces of evil (the minions of Mordred). Past the standard roles in Avalon are the special characters: Merlin, Morgana, Percival, the Assassin, and Oberon. The simplicity of having ‘good’ versus ‘evil’—rather, loyal servants of King Arthur or minions of Mordred—allows for each special character to add a unique ability that can be used to help or hinder the players’ progress. These abilities add an extra layer of strategy to the game, as players must carefully choose which characters to use and when to use them.
Avalon is a game that is quick to learn and require careful observation, strategic thinking, and an appreciation for quick and snappy improvisation. I would say its replay value suffers in similar ways that Mafia and Werewolf do (setup simplicity limit cases). It’s also for those who enjoy the games that “destroy friendships” (now, this I will never understand). For me, it’s all about the ability to trick people into thinking I’m evil, because I think that’s funny, and the fact that my way of playing is a completely valid way to play Avalon makes me enjoy it more.
