Scallywags Dice – A Micro Expansion for Younger Players


One of my greatest inspirations in my life is my two little girls. I look to them for support and nurture just as much as they look to me for the same. While they depend on me for food, shelter, and knowledge, I depend on them for motivation, inspiration, and a renewed sense of wonder. They make me think about things in ways I would not otherwise. They ask questions of me that allow me a brief glimpse of the world from their perspective. Those are magical moments.

Ever since the production copies of Scallywags arrived in my house, my three year old has begged to play. This is exciting for me mostly because for once, she doesn’t want to play Candyland or Wild Horses. She wants to play daddy’s game. The problem is, she cannot read and she cannot understand the strategies involved in playing the card-based version of the game. She gets jealous when the rest of the family plays, and I had to resolve the situation. I needed to find a way to make the game playable for her. That’s where the dice come in.

Scallywags Dice

This micro expansion is really just a variant way to play the game. Instead of using the cards, players roll dice on their turn and follow the actions. It’s even possible to mix it all together and allow some players to use the cards and others to use the dice. It works pretty well mixed like that. It does take a bit longer when played with the dice, so I’d suggest only allowing half or so use the dice or it may drag on a bit.

You’ll need some sticker sheets and blank dice to print the sides. One die will have the six coin icons and the other will have the pirate icons that determine the action. It’s fairly simple to make and maybe someday I’ll find a way to distribute it on-demand, but for now, you can find all the files below:

Scallywags Dice files: scallywags-dice.zip (95.9 kB)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.