Imperial Settlers: Roll & Write

A pencil-and-dice version of Imperial Settlers where every building you draw makes your little empire hum a bit faster.

Designer: Ignacy Trzewiczek
Published by: Portal Games
Editions by: IELLO, Pegasus Spiele, Maldito Games, White Goblin Games, Zvezda

Imperial Settlers: Roll & Write (2019) squeezes the card-driven empire builder onto paper: a pencil, a sheet, some dice. You roll, choose your dice and use them to construct buildings on your own sheet, and every finished building hands you a permanent bonus. Early turns are cramped, later turns are a buffet, because each building widens your options and your empire picks up speed. In the standard mode two to four players race for the highest score. The solo adventure brings 48 different sheets, each starting you with other buildings and a fresh puzzle to solve. It is a standalone box, so you do not need the original Imperial Settlers to play it.

Dice drive every round, buildings give lasting bonusesSolo mode with 48 different adventure sheetsStandalone, no original game needed

Who it's for

You like building an engine and want that feeling on paper, either competitively with up to four or alone with a stack of fresh puzzle sheets.

Not for you if…

You want the card-heavy interaction and raiding of the original Imperial Settlers. Here everybody builds on their own sheet.

Vibe's take

Starts tight and ends in a satisfying chain reaction. Each building you add unlocks the next trick, so the last rounds feel like watching your own machine run.