Designer: Josh J. Carlson (Cloudspire, Too Many Bones, Too Many Bones: Undertow), Adam Carlson (Cloudspire, Too Many Bones, Too Many Bones: Undertow)

Artist: Anthony LeTourneau (Cloudspire, Too Many Bones, Too Many Bones: Undertow)

Publisher: Chip Theory Games (Cloudspire, Too Many Bones, Too Many Bones: Undertow)

Genre/Mechanisms: cooperative play, deck building, dice placement, dice rolling, hand management, role playing, variable player powers

Funding Status: At the time of this posting, Too Many Bones: Splice & Dice + Series Reprint is already fully-funded.  In fact, pledges currently total 18x the initial funding goal.

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: heavy

Risk: low

What It’s About: A second expansion to Chip Theory’s chip-stacking, dice placement, and character-modding dungeon crawler.

How It Works: Too Many Bones is a fantasy-themed, dice-building RPG, with over 100+ unique skill dice and 4-7 classes to choose from, that can be played solo or with up to 4 players as a co-op, and features plenty of strategic and tactical choices. Narrative, story-based decisions will add a little risk and reward to the adventure, but the central focus of each game is the 8-12 battles fought on the road to that adventure’s Tyrant (boss). Along the way you’ll gain more dice, and depending on how and where you slot them, more character abilities. Splice and Dice adds in new Tyrants, encounters, dual-type baddies, but most importantly implements a new tyrant creation system for you to muck about in the lab, creating your own Tyrants for increased end-game variability.

Comparisons There really isn’t another game out there like Too Many Bones. It’s a dungeon crawler at heart, but there’s no real dungeon you’re exploring, just battling stacks of chips on a square combat board. It’s the way that the combat system is designed around those tactile stacks of chunky chips that makes all the difference. And the dice placement mechanics. And the neoprene mats with holes cut for easy dice placement and dice locking. And the overall production quality of those neoprene mats, knitted around the edges for extra durability. And the fantastic production quality of every component and element of the game, really. The easiest comparison may simply be Chip Theory Games’ own Cloudspire, because that also features their signature poker chip-based gameplay, but that game hasn’t been delivered yet.

What Should I Pledge?:
$40 Too Many Bones: Splice & Dice: just the new expansion, plus all unlocked stretch goals.
$165 All New Things Bundle: the Splice & Dice pledge level, plus TMB Character: Dart and the TMB Character: Gearloc Council Internship Program, and the Trove Chest.
$190 Base Game Bundle: Too Many Bones base game plus Undertow.
$530 TMB: Complete Collection + S&D Bundle: it’s the All New Things Bundle plus Too Many Bones base game; Undertow; 40 Days Add-on; Age of Tyranny Add-on; TMB Characters: Ghillie, Tink, Nugget, and Gasket; Premium Health; Adventure Map 2.0; and the Ally Pack.

Add-Ons:
None.

KS Exclusives:
Essentially, all of Chip Theory Games’ products are Kickstarter exclusives. They can always be purchased over at Chip Theory Games’ website, at least when they’re in stock. They are often out of stock between Kickstarter campaigns. But none of their products are sold at retail, unless a retailer buys from them directly.

All-In Total: In the continental U.S., you’re looking at $530 for the TMB: Complete Collection + S&B Bundle plus $46 in shipping for a total of $576!

If you’re new to the Too Many Bones world, perhaps try the $190 Base Game Bundle plus $23 in shipping, for a total of $213. It’s $30 less than what you’ll be able to buy it for at Chip Theory Games’ own website, where Undertow is sold out for North America anyway.

Too Many Bones: Splice & Dice + Series Reprint completes its Kickstarter on Friday, June 14th and tentatively ships in December 2019.