ThinkFun's Math Path Monster How-to-Play

[@ghyslainabel]

The way I read the rules, the Math Monster moves each time an explorer move. That means that on average: - at 2 explorers, the Math Monster moves twice while each explorer moves once; - at 4 explorers, the Math Monster moves 4 times while each explorer moves once. I played 4 or 5 times alone (I am an adult) with 4 explorers and I was unable to win. The difficulty really seems to go up with the number of explorers (and the number of players since the rules say to use 1 explorer per player). Considering the game is 6+ years old, I am surprised by the difficulty. Did I miss something, was I really unlucky, or am I somehow bad at arithmetic?

[@ThinkFunInc]

I have played alone as well and it can get progressively more challenging. Kids can work together with 1 or 2 explorers and really challenge their math skills with playing all to beat the Math Monster. Stay with it and you'll get more strategic each time!

[@ghyslainabel]

When we play the card Move Twice, what happens when the first move ends on: 1- the start of a bride? Do we cross the bridge before the second move, or do we move pass the start of the bride? 2- a power space with a rope? Do we draw and play a card before the second move, draw and play after the second move, or skip the effect of the space with a rope? 3- the same space as the Math Monster? Do we fight before the Math Monster before do the second move, or do skip the dice battle?

[@ThinkFunInc]

1. Cross the bridge before the second move! 2. Draw and play the card immediately with that first move. So yes if strategic with a little bit of luck, you can move one explorer quite far. 3. A dice battle happens after the full turn so not in the middle of the double move.

[@ghyslainabel]

@@ThinkFunInc Thank you for the 3 answers. I posted the same questions on the Math Path Monster page on boardgamegeek. Could you copy the answers on the 3 posts? I am sure others will have similar questions.

[@ghyslainabel]

The rules say, "If an explorer pawn and the Match Monster land on the same space, a dice battle begins!". 1- Does a dice battle only happens when after both the explorer AND the monster move, of does it happen when an explorer lands on the space of the Math Monster before its move? 2- If there is a boss battle after the explorer move and the Math Monster wins, does it do its move with the remaining dice before drawing 2 power cards, or does it draw first and then move according to the dice? 3- If the Math Monster lands on a case with a rope and an explorer, does the Math Monster draw a power card and skip the dice battle, or does it battle the explorer before drawing a power card (meaning he could draw either 1 card on a lose or 3 cards on a win)? The rules say, "If the Math Monster lands on a space with more than one explorer pawn, each explorer pawn enters the battle with the Math Monster." 4- Is it a 3-way, 4-way, 5-way battle where the winner draws 2 power cards, or does the Math Monster battle each explorer one after the other? 5- If there are multiple one-on-one dice battles and the Math Monster wins the first one, do we do multiple dice battles, or does the Math Monster draw immediately and move away from the remaining dice battles?

[@ThinkFunInc]

1. Dice battle happens after the full turn, so when the explorer and the Math Monster has moved. 2. The dice battle only happens after both the explorer and the Monster moves. It does not happen if the explorer lands on a space and then the Math Monster moves has part of the other dice and the turn is fully over. 3. Math Monster would draw the power card and skip the dice battle as it is still moving. 4 and 5. The Math Monster would go toe to toe with each explorer, however, once it wins and moves, it no longer battles the next explorer. Only if it loses does it continue to battle the other explorers. .