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What's broken
in your game?

Every game has problems. Find the house rules that fix yours.

⏱️Game Goes Too Long🎲Too Much Randomness🏃One Player Runs Away😐Too Much Downtime👥Bad at 2 Players🧒Too Complex for Kids🎯No Solo Mode🧠Analysis Paralysis
⏱️

Game Goes Too Long

Your session ran three hours when the box said ninety minutes. These rules trim runtime without gutting the experience.

Speed CatanPandemic time limitsTicket to Ride shortened routes
7 Wonders
1 rules for this problem
Ark Nova
1 rules for this problem
Azul
1 rules for this problem
Betrayal at House on the Hill
1 rules for this problem
Carcassonne
2 rules for this problem
Catan
1 rules for this problem
Codenames
1 rules for this problem
Dominion
1 rules for this problem
Dune: Imperium
1 rules for this problem
Everdell
1 rules for this problem
Gloomhaven
1 rules for this problem
Pandemic
1 rules for this problem
Root
1 rules for this problem
Spirit Island
1 rules for this problem
Splendor
1 rules for this problem
Terraforming Mars
1 rules for this problem
Ticket to Ride
1 rules for this problem
🎲

Too Much Randomness

Dice and cards keep erasing good decisions. These variants make skill matter more than luck.

Drafted starting handsReroll mechanicsMitigation rules
7 Wonders
1 rules for this problem
Azul
1 rules for this problem
Betrayal at House on the Hill
1 rules for this problem
Carcassonne
1 rules for this problem
Catan
1 rules for this problem
Dune: Imperium
1 rules for this problem
Pandemic
2 rules for this problem
Root
1 rules for this problem
Scythe
1 rules for this problem
Splendor
1 rules for this problem
Ticket to Ride
2 rules for this problem
Wingspan
1 rules for this problem
🏃

One Player Runs Away

Someone gets an early lead and nobody can catch up. Catch-up mechanics and anti-snowball rules that actually work.

Catch-up bonusesDiminishing returnsTarget the leader mechanics
Ark Nova
1 rules for this problem
Brass: Birmingham
1 rules for this problem
Everdell
1 rules for this problem
Scythe
1 rules for this problem
Terraforming Mars
1 rules for this problem
Wingspan
1 rules for this problem
😐

Too Much Downtime

Players check their phones between turns. These rules give everyone something to do even when it's not their turn.

Simultaneous action selectionReactive abilitiesSide objectives
7 Wonders
1 rules for this problem
Ark Nova
1 rules for this problem
Codenames
1 rules for this problem
Dominion
1 rules for this problem
Dune: Imperium
1 rules for this problem
Gloomhaven
1 rules for this problem
Pandemic
1 rules for this problem
Terraforming Mars
1 rules for this problem
Ticket to Ride
1 rules for this problem
👥

Bad at 2 Players

The game was designed for four but tonight it's just you two. Adaptations that preserve the feel without the headcount.

Ghost player variantsShared hand rulesScaled resource pools
Dune: Imperium
1 rules for this problem
🧒

Too Complex for Kids

You want to share the hobby but the rulebook is intimidating. Simplified versions that keep what makes the game fun.

Reduced card poolsOpen hand variantsCooperative twists on competitive games
Azul
1 rules for this problem
Carcassonne
1 rules for this problem
Codenames
1 rules for this problem
Spirit Island
1 rules for this problem
Splendor
1 rules for this problem
🎯

No Solo Mode

The game doesn't officially support solo play. Community-designed automa and solo variants that hold up.

Bot opponentsChallenge modesSolitaire scoring variants
Gloomhaven
1 rules for this problem
🧠

Analysis Paralysis

One player thinks for ten minutes every turn. House rules that keep the game moving without ruining deep strategy.

Sand timersSimultaneous planning phasesLimited decision trees
Ark Nova
1 rules for this problem
Codenames
1 rules for this problem
Pandemic
1 rules for this problem
Root
1 rules for this problem
Spirit Island
1 rules for this problem

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