Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids to Share (7 page)

When you draw a large-scale board, it’s a good idea to do everything in pencil first, using rulers and water-bottle caps for most of the lines and shapes. Then go back over everything with a black Sharpie/Biro, and finally color the spaces in per the directions. If you print it out, it’s just a matter of lining things up and taping the pages together. Another cool idea is to use cloth pens and draw the board on a white bedsheet that can be folded up and reused.

A token for each player—may be a toy, minifig, action figure

One six-sided die

A bowl of assorted LEGO pieces (using all smaller pieces will make for a longer, more challenging game) that will be used to build the Bridges to carry you Home

High roll on the die for first player. Play continues to the left.

Each player starts in a corner and travels down his own Path toward the Outer Trail, based on die rolls.

Once at the Outer Trail, pieces move clockwise around the ring.

1. Player declares his Buildr action—the player may take a LEGO piece from the bowl, add a piece to a current build, set a complete bridge if he is on a Toll Space, or add a piece to repair an already set bridge. He may also choose to pass on his Buildr action.

2. Player may play a Buildr card from his hand, if desired. Only one card may be played per turn. If a card is played, either for the player or against another player, its instructions are now followed.

3. Player rolls the die, then moves the number of spaces indicated, either up his Path toward the Outer Trail, or clockwise around the Outer or Inner Trail. Player takes a Buildr card if he lands on a Card Space, and adds it to his hand.

4. Player may play a Buildr card from his hand, if he did not do so in step 2. If a card is played, its instructions are now followed.

4. Turn ends, and play moves to the player on the left.

Buildr cards may be played either before the die roll or after the player moves in a turn.

Buildr cards may be played for the player himself or played on another player.

The instructions on a Buildr card must be immediately followed by the player who draws it.

Buildr cards that indicate “Move Forward” or “Move Back” will work at any time.

The “Take an Extra Turn” card causes the card recipient to take another turn immediately following the end of his current active turn (if one is active) or at the end of his next turn (if he is not in the middle of a turn when the card is played).

The “Move to the Next # Space” card works only on players who are still on their Trails.

The “Move to the Previous # Space” card works on any player at any time. Players on the Outer or Inner Path will be sent back to the #1 space at the end of their Trails.

The “Pick/Add a Build Piece” card effectively grants an additional, immediate Buildr phase for the recipient. He may pick another piece from the pot, add a piece to a current bridge build, or add a piece to an already set bridge. He may not set a bridge.

The “Lose/Remove a Build Piece” card may have one of the following three effects, determined by the player using it: He must put a loose Buildr piece from his collection back in the pot; he must remove a piece from a current bridge build; or he must remove a piece from a currently set bridge, thereby damaging it and making it uncrossable until repaired.

The Roll Cards will work at any time, on any recipient (including the player who plays it). The recipient must immediately roll the die and move to that number space on his Trail.