We think 5+ is the best player count for this game. We really don’t like this game at 3 players, there are no hidden roles at this player count. 4 is fun but there is no deputy. At 5+ all roles are in play and there is more tension as it is harder to tell who is who. Whilst there are games I would rather play with 4 players there is no other game I want to play more than bang the dice game with 8 players. This is by far my most played game. With 4 role playing cards combined with numerous characters (special abilities) cards which add massive replayability keep this game enjoyable no matter how many times it's played.

Shuffle these three roles: Deputy, Outlaw, and Renegade. Give one of them randomly to each player, but place them face up on the table. Everyone knows the role of all three players. The goal of each player is determined by his role: What will Bang! The Dice Game teach my kids?Like other social deductiongames, Bang! The Dice Game will teach your kids to be alert to what other players are doing during their turn to enable them to guess their true role. The dice element also helps with understanding basic probability when they are deciding whether to re-roll. Bulls Eye 2:Choose one of the players sitting two spaces from you. That player loses one life. If there are only two or three players remaining treat this the same as a Bulls Eye 1

What's in the box?

The game overall is a bunch of fun and fast moving. Even in the larger 7 player games I haven’t noticed any of my players getting bored while waiting for their turn to roll. Everyone is invested what the others are doing, and trying to determine who is what role.

Having the Renegade in the game nicely muddies everyone’s motivations. The Renegade will want to keep the Sheriff alive, but not too alive. So can be mistaken for a loyal Deputy, which will anger the real Deputies.

The game ends immediately if the Sheriff is eliminated or all the Outlaws and Renegades are eliminated. If the Sheriff is eliminated and the Renegade is the only one alive, the Renegade wins. Otherwise, the Outlaws win. If all the Outlaws and Renegades are eliminated the Sheriff and the Deputies win. Thoughts from the Wild West Shuff e the characters and give one face up to each player. Each player now announces the name of his character and reads his ability aloud. Each character has some special abilities, which make him unique. Bang is a social deduction game where your ability to impose your will on the game state is mediated through dice rolls. The Sheriff has a publicly disclosed role, and their job is to defeat the wrong ‘uns around the table. Everyone else has a secret role. Outlaws want to eliminate the sheriff. Renegades want to be the last person standing. Deputies want to keep the sheriff alive. Everyone gets an identity card that gives them a special power, and everything else is deduction and dice. Special powers might include heals, the ability to extend the range of your bullets and so on. Each character also gets a number of health points represented by bullets they can fit into their body before there’s no room left. Lose all your health, and you’re done. You’re out of the game. The bullet tokens represent your hp (hit points/health) and each roll gives you chances to damage others or other effects like Native American Indians invading, dealing damage to all players or yourself and regaining health. Avid board gamer here, most of my collection actually consists of bluff & deduction games, big fan of those. Recently a friend brought Bang! The Dice game in our group and we tried it out (group of 7 players). Played a dozen games or so. Every single one of these games, the sheriff + deputies very easily won without so much of a sweat.

The game resolves around 'shooting' each other. Sometimes the right person, but often the wrong one. Grudges can happen. With the right mindset, this is a lot of fun but could be seen as overly confrontational to some. I like it myself. 4/5 After investing in BANG! the dice game, I decided that I should get a hold of the expansion Old Saloon.

Components

The Sheriff is eliminated: If a Renegade is the only one alive, he wins. Otherwise, all Outlaws win as a team. There are 16 different character cards and each character has a unique special ability they can use during the game. Your character also determines the number of life points you start the game with. Some of the special abilities include: