Because I do not do anything in gaming just a little bit, I went all in on the new version of 7TV. In addition to the rule book, I picked up al the accessory sets. I would like to say I just did that to review them for you on this blog…. However, we know that answer would not stand up if I took a lie detector! In truth, I like the game and wanted the accessories to replace my older versions.
The sets come as consolidated sets, which is what I got. In addition, a number of them come as individual selections. Crooked Dice pricing is on the premium side, so some could probably be passed on to save a few shekels. That really gives you different options to fill out your set.
The first set here are the unit cards. The set comes in a small box and has the cards included. Each card represents one of the characters (cast) listed in the game. All the cards are double sided with the stat info on the front and the special rules on the back. All are nicely done. The new format for these color codes the character type (red = star, blue = co-star and yellow = extras). I would have preferred that they color coded good bad and neutral. However, I guess this will help players see the character type more clearly from across the table, when seeing your opponent generate plot points. They are nicely done and the cards are a must have. With that said, the cards are in the book and could be copied (if you have a copier). Alternatively, they can be printed from the website (if you have a printer). So, if you want to save, you can use one of the latter options (depending how much your printer ink costs). It is also helpful if you have players that want to get into the game make their own cast and just need a few cards.
The token and templates set comes in an old VHS cassette case (like a number of their expansion sets). This is a unique and nice way to keep your stuff together. I kind of wish they did this with the character cards… I suppose that many of us have old VHS cases that we can take the cover out of and use for a new purpose!
This is actually a multi set item. It includes the game tokens, the templates, glass plot point tokens and some dice. The tokens and templates are done in mdf and are similar to the ones that came in the older fantasy set. They have full color front and backs (done in laminated paper). All are nice. I kind of prefer the original clear plastic template of the earlier games, but these work well. As these have sheets in the rules, it would not be hard to print these yourself on card stock. Like really like the glass beads, as they are smaller than the ones you find in a craft store and still have some heft. However, you can use anything for this.
The accessory card set is another that you can get in separate purchases, if you prefer. It also comes in the VHS box. The set includes cards for the maguffin deck, prop deck, script deck, genre deck and magic lore references. The small decks are a must to play the game, so probably a must buy. In theory, you can make these yourself from the rules too. In either case, I would recommend using card sleeves, as these get a lot of use! The genre cards are new to the game and an optional rule. As such, you can skip them. However, they add a new layer to the game and I think are a nice add. I think it is best to have two sets of these, to cover both sides that might use the same genre. The magic cards are not to support an optional rule. However, it only applies to a few characters, so is not mandatory. You can of course also copy these out of the rule book or print from website.
With the release of version two and the consolidated rule book, Crooked Dice has provided a full offering of accessory items. By offering them for sale, in the rule book and on the website for free, Crooked Dice has given players options to get into the game and different price points. Players can use older versions of tokens and templates also. In theory, you could use the older cards, but then you miss out on the cleaned up and improved versions. Players can decide for themselves what fits their wallet!
- Manteuffel