Libertalia

Libertalia

Libertalia is a role selection game where every player gets the same roles at the start of each round. The crews then go on three campaigns and the ship that makes the most money is the winner.

Unlike most other role selection games every player will have the same characters to pick from though the order they use them is up to them. The game takes place over three campaigns each lasting six days. Each player starts off with 9 role cards and they can use one of these on each day during the campaign. At the end of the campaign they have three left over with different players keeping different ones and then each player will get the same 6 roles taking them back up to 9 for the next campaign.

On each day of a campaign players there is one bit of booty available for each player in the game, some are worth more than others while items like curses are not wanted at all. Everyone picks the role they want to use based on the booty available and what they feel everyone else will pick. They are placed on the ship in rank order and then abilities are used. Each role will have a different ability and also the timing when it can be used. First all the day abilities are used in rank order (lowest first), then the dusk abilities in reverse order are used along with taking the piece of booty they want. After all those have been done any night abilities are used. At the end of the campaign (all six days) the end of campaign abilities are used. Income is calculated and scored and the new roles are selected before starting on the next campaign.

Some of the booty and abilities will mean some role cards end up getting killed before their ability can be used, this further mixes up which roles you will want to use and when. Do you forgo trying to get the most valuable booty on one day to be in a better position in another? Which roles are the other players going to play? Libertalia is a fantastic game of deduction where the most wiliest Pirate Captain will emerge with the most booty!