TROLL

About this board game

TROLL is a 3–5-player jewel-stealing game that plays in about 30 minutes. Each player takes the role of a thief, competing to collect the most jewels from a hideous troll.

Every player begins with six numbered tokens, valued from 0 to 5. Each round, the top troll card becomes the target and shows how many jewels are available, with troll values ranging from 3 to 15. One player secretly checks the target before placing a number token face up; the other players may also look and play openly, or commit to a hidden value.

A face-down token comes with a tempting option: its player takes an x2 multiplier token from the pool and places it on the hidden number. This can greatly increase a successful steal, but the concealed value makes it harder to judge how close the group is to waking the troll.

• Choose numbered tokens from 0 to 5.
• Play openly or hide a value with an x2 multiplier.
• Reveal the troll and resolve tokens from lowest to highest.
• Earn jewels when your total remains within the troll’s value.
• Take a penalty point when your play triggers the troll’s rampage.

After all tokens are played, the troll card is revealed. Starting with the lowest number, players add their tokens together. Those whose contributions fit beneath the troll’s value receive jewels equal to their token value, doubled where applicable; the player whose addition pushes the total beyond the troll receives a penalty point of -2.

Play continues for a specified number of rounds, or days, determined by the player count. In TROLL, careful estimation and daring hidden plays compete for attention, and the player with the most jewels at the end wins.