In our Board Game Horoscope series on Meeple Mountain we cover the twelve signs of the zodiac and filter their unique characteristics through a board gamer’s lens. This month we look at Sagittarius!
- Sagittarius (November 22 – December 20)
- Symbol: The Archer
- Element: Fire
- Colors: Blue, Purple
Sagittarius – An Astrological Overview
Sagittarius is represented by The Archer. Imagine as they aim and fire an arrow at a closed door. The arrow travels at great speed until it strikes the door. The arrow marks the Sagittarius’ interest in discovering what is behind that door and the door itself represents a life experience. It’s the Archer’s quest to open as many doors as possible with their full quiver of arrows.
Sagittarius is known to possess an adventurous spirit and yen for endless questing. Not only will they be one of your most-traveled friends, they will be your friend that is the most knowledgeable about the widest range of topics. There isn’t a subject they won’t want to learn about or a realm they won’t be willing to explore.
The hardest thing to do if there’s a Sagittarius in your board game group is schedule a game night when they aren’t already busy. Sagittarius is always on the go and their calendars are packed eight days a week with trips and activities. They are perpetual motion machines and need to constantly think, theorize about, and explore fresh ideas as well as new environments.
Sagittarius is also the camp counselor or cheerleader of the zodiac. Their excitement for everything they see and learn is genuine and infectious, so kindling interest and boosting morale comes easily to them. They make game nights bubble and sing with their verve and positivity.
Sagittarius passion will be self-evident at the table. They are animated and demonstrative while telling stories and playing games, using their entire body to react to a big combo or plot twist. They won’t be able to sit still and may stand or bounce in place during the entire game.
Sagittarius will always have their eye on the horizon or at the map’s edges. They are mindful of the unvisited areas of the board and the roads less travelled on them. In fact, one of their favorite moments during any game is the moment before it starts, before the first turn is taken, when the game is a blank slate of numerous possibilities and outcomes.
The Sagittarius Board Gamer
- Because Sagittarius is enthusiastic they are adept at winning people over and often excel at negotiation games. And players won’t feel manipulated, either; joining their side will feel like “buying in” to a noble cause.
- Since Sagittarius has natural wanderlust instincts, games featuring exploration, questing, and travel themes are in their wheelhouse. Huge maps are a bonus.
- Sagittarius craves freedom and favors sandbox games with copious amounts of choices or pathways, as well as games with multiple strategies to victory.
- Their need for freedom translates literally. They won’t like feeling “cooped up” indoors or seated for too long. So skip longer games and all-day events. Dexterity games or party games with large groups better suit their tastes. And unconventional games or events such as escape rooms, life-sized Kingdomino, or Live Action Role Playing (LARP) in the park will appeal for their uniqueness and providing an opportunity to roam.
- Sagittarius loves winning but aren’t sore losers. They will not just root for their own good fortune, but for anyone who’s doing well or winning. Sagittarius are good sports and enjoy themselves most when everyone is enjoying themselves.
How a Sagittarius Wins (and Loses)
- Sagittarius loves games where strategies evolve or change. Repeating the same actions to victory (such as engine builders or pickup-and-deliver games) will bore them. If they find themselves in a game’s rut they may change things up for its own sake and at the risk of losing the game just to stay interested.
- Sagittarius Kryptonite is games with social deduction or secret information. This is because 1) they are honest to a fault and thus are terrible bluffers, and 2) they can’t keep secrets or give good poker faces to conceal what they know.
- Role playing games are tailor-made for Sagittarius. Quests? Exploration? Imagination and mental gymnastics? Check, check, check, check.
- Games with downtime are never fun but for Sagittarius waiting is interminable. Games where everyone is constantly engaged such as negotiation games, dexterity games, cooperative games, or RPG’s will prevent them from checking their phone at the table.
- Sagittarius relies on intuition and often prioritizes the journey over the victory. So look for them to employ out-of-the-box strategies that don’t follow dominant winning trends. And because they defy conventional wisdom their wildcard tactics may exasperate more mathy, cerebral gamers (or sore losers) that could view Sagittarius’ unpredictable turns as trolling.
Games That Sagittarius Play
Exploration games: Gloomhaven, Cartographers, Ecos: First Continent, Chronicles of Crime
Quest-based games: D&D and other RPG’s, Time of Legends: Destinies
Sandbox games: Twilight Imperium, Scythe, Fields of Arle, Arkham Horror
Journey/travel games: PARKS, Tokaido, Carcassonne
Games with multiple pathways to victory: Castles of Burgundy, Merlin, A Feast for Odin
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