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Monastery: Game-play notes and hints at strategies
Steve of ‘Clifton Road Games’ asked me if we knew of anything that had been written to help first-time players of Monastery. His point is that it takes several plays before a good understanding of the game is developed and players may sometimes struggle in early visits to the table. At the moment we haven’t come across anything that specifically deals with this, so it seems a good idea to in-house this ourselves. I hope that some sub-headings and bullet points will keep this fairly brief and clear.
Choosing from the Letter grid – OK so this is the last thing you do in your turn, but here it needs to be first; this is where the ‘winning’ is done.
Generally a player should look to take a letter tile or monk each turn. Taking two letter tiles / monks is a strong play. Taking a letter / tile every turn is not essential, but too many turns of this will make winning difficult.
Collecting several blessings using a feature tile and getting another from under-spending may balance not taking a tile / monk
It should go without saying that you should study the grid carefully to decide which letter best advantages you and most disadvantages others.
Choosing another player’s letter will damage that player’s chances of winning, but may also be a brake on your own chances (despite the one blessing you receive). Remember that a player completing his phrase will then be able to choose other players’ letters at reduced costs.
Spending one less point than needed (and thereby gaining a blessing) is another ‘standard’ play. Occasionally, it may pay to be selective with a letter choice (and pay the exact amount) in order to make gains in a future turn. Overspending by more than one point is sometimes inevitable, but careful planning might enable those points to be better used next turn.
The overspends of 5-9, 10-14 and 15+ are principally used on the last turn of the game when the final letter has already been taken. Three blessings (10-14) may give three testament points at game end and options in game-play, but a letter (3 points) and an overspend blessing (1 point) is better. Remember if you don’t choose the letter, someone else may benefit by so doing.
Taking monks early may be necessary if the tiles in your hand are more valuable (3+ points). However, other players may then have opportunity to ‘hoover up’ your cheaper letters.
It isn’t necessary to take all five monks, but they do make a powerful team.
This is more involved than I imagined. Lots of elements to think about. Anyhow, moving quickly on to …..
Tile placement and construction – the core of the game and where most points can be earned.
Constructing tiles from out of your hand will give you more control in the game; most players will be comfortable if they can methodically place and construct their own tiles. However this isn’t always possible and sometimes you may need to garner points some other way.
One pitfall is having a number of high value tiles in your hand. Early on in the game you will not be able to construct these without assistance from someone else. If you are playing early in the turn, then you can leave a higher value box (or boxes) empty and perhaps a blessing as further encouragement. Don’t be too greedy as you could find yourself not scoring at all. Playing later in the turn reduces your chance of other players helping to construct this turn, so set it up for next turn.
Placing brown tiles can be tricky, especially early on in the game. If your hand is made up entirely of brown tiles, you may need to exchange a tile. Otherwise, look for opportunities provided by paths and dual purpose tiles, and don’t be put out if the tile you place remains unconstructed.
Exchanging – don’t panic!
If players were allowed to choose any tile from the mix, they would definitely score more successfully than in the draw system used. Monastery however, is a ‘slings and arrows’ game; that is, players have to negotiate their way through a game that has luck in it. An experienced and able player will be able to use their hand to better advantage and in so doing will be able to compete even if the draw doesn’t obviously favour them.
Should it be necessary a player must be prepared to forsake placing a tile and take the exchange option instead. This might not make any difference, but chances are that it will help. The extra tile ‘in hand’ can be placed if the Stables icon is used.
Remember that a Feature tile in hand at the end of the game will count zero points against your final score. Fields and paths are valued at 1 point, so leaving these unplaced is also no great penalty.
Praying – where more points can be earned.
Praying in the turn before a Service round is a fairly standard play if a monk isn’t constructing. However, there is much to be said for praying prior to this as it enables a player to capitalise the higher value tiles.
At the start of the second day, a player having only low value tiles would be well-advised to pray on each of the three turns prior to Sext. Such action should see the player being able to select a letter every turn.
A well timed pray can see a praying monk immediately replaced by a new monk from the grid – so there is no apparent loss.
Praying can be a way to quickly move monks that have become isolated at the extremities of the Monastery.
The next Abbot will generally be the player who has most monks praying.
On the other hand, beware of tying up too many monks praying – it reduces options as well as the movement potential. The gains from praying must be worth the loss – it is a fool who prays for the odd blessing.
Working – is it worth it?
First time players are often mesmerized by the Hours Dial as it moves between Study and Toil. Despite frequent reminders some players still try to place grey tiles on Study days and brown tiles on Toil days! But don’t allow players to undervalue the significance of the points on offer: very often this makes the difference between taking a letter or not, or at the very least provides a blessing.
On the first turn of the game a player should Study if unable to construct. This guarantees the 1 point needed to take the first monk. If there is nowhere else available, then stay in the Abbey.
The Abbot – how important is he?
Certainly it is good to be first player when it comes to choosing from the letter grid; your options are greater, your costs are lower.
In terms of Placement and Movement, going first can be more or less advantageous, depending on your hand and the play of others.
The one time that can be of crucial importance is at the start of the second day. With all your monks assembled in the Abbey, this can be a moment when a large tile is placed close to the Abbey and the monks move like a gang of navvies to construct it. Thereafter, there may be opportunity to continue rolling out constructions whilst monks hang back to do a spot of praying.
Secret Ways –a deep strategy in the game.
Positioning your Secret Way can be of real importance. Essentially it provides a speedy access to an area where you will benefit. Usually it is used to get monks out to a construction area. This is particularly important if you have a brown Secret Way tile, as these tiles will be at a greater distance from the Abbey.
Alternatively the Secret Way can be used for quick and relatively exclusive access to an icon tile, for example The Chapel.
Building a Study tile adjacent to the Abbey allows that player to return quickly to the centre of the Monastery and thereafter to wherever else the player so chooses. This can be a useful saving of a few movement points.
All the Secret Way tiles are a guaranteed ‘significant’ size of building to have in your hand at the start of the game. Even if built with the help of another player, the tile will earn enough points to afford the third monk should you so choose.
The Prison tile – can be very significant
If this tile comes into play you must be alert to its potential. If possible, try to become Abbot so that you can hinder the chances of another player. If you don’t become Abbot, then being in the Abbey in a Service round is a risk. This has the knock on effect on praying and possibly choosing a new monk. Remember that after the night round all monks will be in the Abbey unless someone has made use of the Brewhouse icon.
Icon tiles – just a few more things to throw into the equation.
These vary in importance partly because of their effectiveness and partly because some will only tend to be constructed later in the game. The order below reflects my preference.
The Chapel – a great way to get big points. Don’t be the player to miss out in the four-player game.
The Almonry – those blessings make all the difference in the final count up.
The Workshop – don’t underestimate the benefit of exchanging.
The Stables – can be vital in saving points at game end.
The Library - the earlier it is used, the greater the impact it makes to letter values on the grid. It can easily make a 4-point shift and an 8-point difference.
The Scriptum – an easy way to bump up points in a study round.
The Farm – a great way to bump up points in a toil round, but usually gets constructed late in the game.
The Abbot’s House – can be very effective in conjunction with the Prison Cell
The Brewhouse – presents a good defence to the Prison tile.
Psychology – have fun and influence people.
There is a strong co-operative element to the game and players need to make sure they don’t become isolated. A player who constructs a succession of larger buildings will tend to be seen as tall poppy and may find players playing against him. A player who appears too aggressive may find others not helping him when he needs it. This is not peculiar to Monastery,
but in this game players can use humour to aid their cause (whether targeting another or being disingenuous) in a quite unique way. The language of the cloister is easily translated into gaming significance and rarely a game is played when players fail to call each other ‘Brother’, ‘Lord Abbot’ or some such. Add to that the disciplines expected of a monk and players have rods with which to verbally beat each other. Many games are won by players moaning their way to victory; we hope Monastery provides a more enlightened route.
I hope these ideas will help you in playing the game. One last thing – the game plays better if players try to conduct their turns at a good pace.
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