Dogs in the Vineyard
Groundbreaking, revolutionary, a whole lot of fun – all of these describe Dogs in the Vineyard, an iconic small press game created by Vincent Baker. “The game of Faith and Sin” takes place in an alternate Old West rife with corruption, deceit, and greed. Players take on the roll of teenaged quasi-Mormon cowboy/paladins who travel from town to town dispensing justice with words, fists, and guns.
This game deserves its place amongst the top small press games in the industry. There is truly something for everyone in Dogs in the Vineyard. Baker has blended together many different game elements – a captivating concept, a cool dice mechanic, and several tools for telling fantastic stories – all into one fantastic game. Everyone should give the game a try, even if it’s only for one session, just to experience the game’s depth.
There is a lot that goes into making Dogs in the Vineyard fun, but three things stand out. The first is how every player character, or “Dog”, has a code of ethics. When you sign on to play Dogs, you accept that you are playing a character that has sworn to uphold the Faith (which is the only true Faith). All other Faiths are corrupt or just outright lies. You also accept that you could, in some situations, be called on to execute sinners who have strayed too far from the Faith.
In Dogs in the Vineyard, the Faith is based on Judeo-Christian ethics, which may not sound that interesting. However, when the Faith is put to the test in game, it forces players to make tough decisions. For instance, a husband leaves his wife for cheating on him and takes the family fortune. Now, she is starving. Whose sin is greater? The man’s because he stole or the woman’s because she cheated? Should both be sent to God? These are the types of questions the Dogs have to answer.
The second thing that makes the game fun is the dice mechanic. The game uses multiple types of dice, rolled as a pool. Once the dice are rolled, players then use them to bid against one another. To determine how many dice to roll, players take two of their Stats (which are measured as numbers and types of dice, such as 2d4 or 3d6) and roll the appropriate number of dice. Then, instead of adding them up or counting successes, the dice remain on display.
Next, each player figures out the highest number they can make by adding two dice together. Whoever has the largest total goes first by Raising, or picking two dice (say a 6 and a 1 = 7) and then doing some role playing. Everyone else has to See that Raise by choosing dice which equal or beat that total (say a 3 + 4.) Then the next person Raises, and so on.
Things get interesting because as you start to use multiple dice to See a Raise, bad things will happen to your character. However, you can call in Things, Traits and Relationships to get more dice. Raises and Sees continue until one player has no more dice. At this point, the player either loses the conflict or she can escalate from words to fists, from fists to guns and so on. In the end, this system mimics the back and forth of an argument, a fistfight, or a gun fight in a way that’s fast and fun.
The final thing that makes the game so enjoyable is character generation. Making a character involves setting dice pool amounts for the Stats, Traits, Relationships, Things, and other parts of your character. The last step is called Accomplishment, a short role playing session between one player and the GM. During this role playing session, the player sets a goal for her character (either how she was in the past or how she hopes to be) and the GM takes on the role of the opposition. Then there is a roll using the rules for dice listed above. Win or lose, the player gains a Trait which will shape how the character is played. It’s a nice touch and a good way to get players used to the dice rolling system before gaming beings in earnest.
There are a few things Dogs in the Vineyard is not. It’s not a tactical game with a map and detailed movement. It does feature quasi-Mormon paladins and all the violence that entails, but the way fighting is carried out is not what many gamers are used to. Also, the dice rolling mechanics, while amazing, can take a little while to get used to.
Still, despite these things, Dogs in the Vineyard is a fantastic game. It’s great at putting players into sticky moral situations and tempting them to shoot their way out, and has some very innovative mechanics. Anyone who wants something new or is just a fan of great role playing games must check out Dogs in the Vineyard and give it a try. The Faith demands it!
Want to learn more about Dogs in the Vineyard? Read on…
- Atomic Array: Dogs in the Vineyard (Atomic Array 026)
- Game Cryer: Review by Chris Perrin
- Gnome Stew: A look at Dogs in the Vineyard
- Ninja vs Pirates: Interview with Vincent Baker
Drop by Lumpley Games and order Dogs in the Vineyard today!
July 3rd, 2009 at 21:21
I like your review and take on it– I think people will come away understand the die mechanics well from your example. It’s nice to see other fans and their experiences with the game!
July 3rd, 2009 at 21:28
Thank you very much! I struggled with that part of the review because those dice mechanics are very central to the game, but at the same time they’re so complex.
I appreciate the kind words.