Variable Player Powers in Board Games
Variable Player Powers is a game mechanic where players control characters or factions with unique abilities. This adds asymmetry, encouraging diverse strategies and replayability.
Purpose
Variable Player Powers create dynamic interactions, as each player's unique abilities can significantly influence their approach to the game.
Impact on Gameplay
- Strategic Depth: Differing powers require players to develop individual strategies, tailoring their play to their character's strengths.
- Balance: Designers must ensure that powers are balanced, preventing any one player from having an overwhelming advantage.
- Replayability: With each character offering a new experience, this mechanic can greatly enhance a game's replay value.
Game Design Considerations
- Playtesting: It's essential to thoroughly test the game to balance the Variable Player Powers adequately.
- Complexity: Introducing unique powers can increase complexity, possibly making the game less accessible to new players.
- Interaction: Designers should consider how different powers interact to maintain a coherent and enjoyable gameplay experience.
Dice Game with Variable Player Powers
Variable Player Powers games developed by Michael Mulvihill

In Star Wars Villainous: Power of the Dark Side, each player takes control of one of five Star Wars characters: Darth Vader, Asajj Ventress, Kylo Ren, Moff Gideon, or General Grievous. Each player has their own villain deck, fate deck, player board, ...
Star Wars Villainous: Power of the Dark Side
$47.99
$15.00

Meet your destiny as Star Wars' Boba Fett, Seventh Sister, or Cad Bane in this strategy card game. Wield your sinister influence and unique abilities to manipulate events in your favor. Are you powerful and clever enough to fulfill your dark destiny...
Disney Villainous: Star Wars Villainous - Scum and Villainy
$29.99
$28.95
Variable Player Powers and Worker Placement games
Variable Player Powers games illustrated by Cyrille Daujean
Monsters themed games with Variable Player Powers
Variable Player Powers and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building games
Miniatures themed games with Variable Player Powers
Variable Player Powers games published by Leder Games
Horror themed games with Variable Player Powers
Variable Player Powers games published by Level 99 Games
Variable Player Powers games published by Grok Games
Family Game with Variable Player Powers
Variable Player Powers games illustrated by Franz Vohwinkel

Blue Moon: Flit, The
-50%
$29.95
$15.00
This expansion to Reiner Knizia's Blue Moon adds 30 new cards. The Flit feature many retrievable characters and the ability to pair up boosters to create powerful attacks.
mixed, 68%
10 y/o +
2 players
30 minutes
Relaxed
Card Game
Fantasy
Hand Management
Variable Player Powers
Variable Player Powers games published by Upper Deck Entertainment

Aliens - Bug Hunt
$76.79
The Aliens Bug Hunt: An Alien Battle Game is an Action-packed, Co-Op die rolling combat game for 1 to 4 players. Play as your favorite characters from the popular movie Aliens! Each character has its own unique ability, enhancing their fighting characteristic...
mostly positive, 74%
17 y/o +
1 to 4 players
60 minutes
Relaxed
Card Game
Aliens
Movies / TV / Radio theme
Dice Rolling
Map Addition
Variable Player Powers
Variable Player Powers games published by Nauvoo Games

Stockpile: Illicit Investments Expansion (Clearance)
-33%
$14.99
$9.99
Illicit Investments, the second expansion for Stockpile, contains a deck of Investment Strategies. Investment Strategy Cards give each player the ability to perform a unique action every round.Engage in Corporate Espionage, Rogue Trading, Vulture Capitalism...
mostly positive, 78%
13 y/o +
2 to 5 players
45 minutes
Relaxed
Strategy Game
Economic
Auction/Bidding
Set Collection
Stock Holding
Variable Player Powers
Variable Player Powers games illustrated by Nina (イラスト)

Tricktakers
$45.00
TRICKTAKERs features numerous characters that players will draft each round after receiving and assessing their hand of cards. Each character offers unique asymmetric gameplay opportunities, mechanisms, and victory opportunities. With numerous victory...
mostly positive, 72%
10 y/o +
2 to 5 players
30 minutes
Involved
Card Game
Hand Management
Open Drafting
Trick-taking
Variable Player Powers
Team-Based Game with Variable Player Powers
Variable Player Powers games published by JJ Board game

Tournament at Avalon
-12%
$24.99
$21.99
The Denizens of Avalon Call King Arthur to Tournament!Play an Arthurian hero and compete using your wits, weapon card arsenal, and unique powers in this dynamic trick-taking game. Win the Tourney with the most health, while inflicting injury upon your...
mostly positive, 73%
14 y/o +
3 to 6 players
45 minutes
Relaxed
Card Game
Alternate History
Medieval
Take That
Trick-taking
Variable Player Powers
Strategy Game with Variable Player Powers

Expand your crew!Bring special powers to your crew with Sea Dogs, hardened sailors that can give powerful boosts and unlock new abilities. Each Sea Dog is unique so no two ships will ever be the same!
Dead Reckoning: Sea Dogs Expansion 1
$0.00

Add new challenges and puzzles to Santa Maria, including Cocoa, the Specialists, the Governor, and the proud Mayan City, in which one player takes on an asymmetrical role with its own unique goals and strategies.
Santa Maria: American Kingdoms Expansion
$60.00
$33.99
Variable Player Powers games published by Hasbro

Marvel Mayhem
$12.00
It's a super-fun, super-exciting Super Hero showdown! In this fast and furious, easy-to-learn game for families and kids 8+, players choose a character deck and play cards that feature unique super powers and allies. Harness Black Panther's speed, learn...
mixed, 59%
8 y/o +
2 to 4 players
30 minutes
Light
Card Game
Comic Book / Strip
Fighting
Hand Management
Player Elimination
Take That
Variable Player Powers
Science Fiction themed games with Variable Player Powers

This expansion adds two new factions, the CHOAM and the Richese, to Dune: The Board Game, along with 2 new variants.The Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles (CHOAM) controls much of the economic affairs across the cosmos, and has a keen interest...
Dune: The Board Game - CHOAM & Richese House Expansion
$25.00
$18.00

Deep Shelf is a game of deep-sea exploration, engine building, and area majority scoring. Control one of four highly asymmetric factions and lead them to victory by building the most efficient resource extraction engine and researching powerful new ...
Deep Shelf (Kickstarter Edition)
$129.95