By Jim Johnson, Star Trek Adventures Project Manager
Art by Carlos Cabrera
With the “Buffer Time” card game now available (either through the Modiphius webstores or via Asmodee), you’ve likely played it with friends and have enjoyed it so much that you want to play it again and again, and perhaps even play it by yourself! While the game was designed to be played with one or more friends, just as Starfleet lower deckers work in teams to solve problems, sometimes you end up floating out in space by yourself or get stuck in a malfunctioning holodeck with only your resources available to resolve the mission.
Following are some suggestions on how to play “Buffer Time” solo. These are by no means the only ways to play with yourself; devise your own techniques and share them online with other players!
Play Solo with Multiple Hands
The simplest solution is to deal out multiple hands to yourself, as if you were two or more players, such as Badgey and Goodgey playing together, or Boimler and Rutherford taking some roomie time to rock out a few play-throughs.
Deal yourself two or more hands, following all the rules in the game, and play toward a Leisure Goal based on how many hands you dealt yourself. For example, if you’re running two hands, your goal should be 18; if three hands, the goal is 20, etc.
Lower the Leisure Goal
If you decide to play with just one hand, consider lowering the point value needed to win the game. If two players need 18 points to win, try a target of 16. If that feels too daunting without any other adjustments to game play, try aiming for 14 points.
Modify the Alpha Shift Ability Deck
When playing solo, you may want to remove two cards from the Alpha Shift Ability deck, Boimler’s Rank Pip and Ancient Mask. These cards were designed to be used with multiple players, and they’ll just get in the way and limit the chances you’ll get a more useful card when playing solo.
Add More Cards to Your Hand
Given the importance of having multiple Alpha Shift Ability cards available to play, consider dealing yourself an extra Alpha Shift Ability card at the beginning of the game if you’re using just one hand, and gaining an additional card each time you score out. This’ll help offset the missing players and enable you to better manage gameplay as those pesky senior officers poke their noses into your business.
Also consider dealing yourself an extra Side Project at the start of the game and when you score out. This’ll give you more options each round if you’re feeling bold.
As you play the game, you’ll discover the various levers built into the game. You are encouraged to devise more ways to adjust the solo game experience to your taste. In the meantime, I hope these ideas help you to play “Buffer Time” by yourself. Have fun and watch out for Captain Freeman. She will mess you up!
Order your copy of the Star Trek: Lower Decks “Buffer Time” card game now!
Thanks for reading this article, and thank you for your interest and support of Star Trek Adventures! Keep frequencies open for news about other upcoming Star Trek Adventures product releases. Live long and prosper!
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