Deck, Bag, and Pool Building
ClaimedDefinition
Players play cards out of individual decks, seeking to acquire new cards and to play through their decks iteratively, improving them over time through card acquisition or card elimination.
Top games using this mechanism
By BGG bayes rating, top 50.
Frequently combined with
Other mechanisms that show up in the same games. Click to drill in.
Related deep dives
Long-form design analysis on games using this mechanism.
Great Western Trail
Deep Dive for an iOS Roguelite Translation
Project context: Translate the core loop of *Great Western Trail* (Alexander Pfister, eggertspiele, 2016; 2nd ed. 2021) into a single-player iOS roguelite. The "Dominion -> Slay the Spire" pattern, applied to a movement-driven, deck-thinning, multi-track engine builder. Tier-1A u…
Heat: Pedal to the Metal
Deep Dive for an iOS Roguelite Translation
Project context: Translate the core loop of *Heat: Pedal to the Metal* (Asger Harding Granerud & Daniel Skjold Pedersen, Days of Wonder, 2022) into a single-player iOS roguelite. The "Dominion -> Slay the Spire" pattern, but for a racing deckbuilder. No direct digital competitor …
Orléans
Deep Dive for an iOS Roguelite Translation
Project context: Translate the core loop of *Orléans* (Reiner Stockhausen, dlp games, 2014) into a single-player iOS roguelite. The "Dominion -> Slay the Spire" pattern, but for bag-building with action-recipe placement. No standalone digital port exists; the only digital presenc…
The Quest for El Dorado
Deep Dive for an iOS Roguelite Translation
Project context: Translate the core loop of *The Quest for El Dorado* (Reiner Knizia, Ravensburger, 2017) into a single-player iOS roguelite. The "Dominion -> Slay the Spire" pattern, but for a *racing* deckbuilder. No direct digital port exists; the genre slot — deckbuilder race…
Tyrants of the Underdark
Deep Dive for an iOS Roguelite Translation
Project context: Translate the core loop of *Tyrants of the Underdark* (Andrew Veen, Peter Lee, Rodney Thompson; Gale Force Nine, 2016; *Aberrations & Undead* expansion 2017; *Updated Edition* / *Refreshed* re-release with the *Drow & Demons* / *Elemental Evil & Drow Houses* half…