The best games with players having different skills 2023

Looking for a board game where everyone has different powers? Then we have just the thing: The 30 best games with "Variable Player Powers".

What are Variable Player Powers?

Games where each player has different abilities are called "Variable Player Powers". Each player has special actions that only he can perform or modify his standard actions.

Examples of different powers

Zombie Kidz Evolution](/zombie-kidz-evolution) uses the principle of "Variable Player Powers". Here there are up to four heroes from which each player can choose one. Each of these heroes has its own abilities that only he can do:

  • Heroine 1: Zombies that enter the same room as Heroine 1 are immediately removed from the playing field.
  • Heroine 2: If there is no zombie in the room, she can shoot zombies from one to an adjacent room.
  • Hero 3: If there is no zombie in the space, he can remove up to 2 zombies in adjacent spaces from the board.
  • Hero 4:He can go two spaces (all others only one space).

Other games with different abilities for each player are for example the Pandemic series, Terraforming Mars or Santorini.

List of best games 2023 where players have different skills

This list was last updated on February 21, 2023. We compared 5097 board games for this list and selected the top 30. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. 7 Wonders Duel

    All details for the board game 7 Wonders Duel and similar games

    Nominated for 16 awards and won 9.

    More details for 7 Wonders Duel
    • 2 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!21€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for 7 Wonders Duel

    • YouTube Review for the game "7 Wonders Duel" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  2. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1

    All details for the board game Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 and similar games

    Nominated for 21 awards and won 12.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2016

    More details for Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
    👍 Good price!61€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Pandemic Legacy: Season 1

    • YouTube Review for the game "Pandemic Legacy: Season 1" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Pandemic Legacy: Season 1" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Pandemic Legacy: Season 1" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Pandemic Legacy: Season 1" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  3. Zombie Kidz Evolution

    All details for the board game Zombie Kidz Evolution and similar games

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 3.

    More details for Zombie Kidz Evolution
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 5 - 15 Minutes
    • 7+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  4. Unmatched: Cobble & Fog

    All details for the board game Unmatched: Cobble & Fog and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 9+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!34€ atAmazon.de
  5. Clank!: Legacy – Acquisitions Incorporated

    All details for the board game Clank!: Legacy – Acquisitions Incorporated and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 90 - 120 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  6. The Resistance: Avalon

    All details for the board game The Resistance: Avalon and similar games

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.

    More details for The Resistance: Avalon
    • 5 - 10 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  7. Unmatched: Battle of Legends, Volume One

    All details for the board game Unmatched: Battle of Legends, Volume One and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 9+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  8. Cthulhu: Death May Die

    All details for the board game Cthulhu: Death May Die and similar games

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 1.

    More details for Cthulhu: Death May Die
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 90 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!83€ atAmazon.de
  9. One Night Ultimate Werewolf: Daybreak

    All details for the board game One Night Ultimate Werewolf: Daybreak and similar games
    • 3 - 7 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    👍 Good price!11€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for One Night Ultimate Werewolf: Daybreak

    • YouTube Review for the game "One Night Ultimate Werewolf: Daybreak" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "One Night Ultimate Werewolf: Daybreak" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  10. Werewords

    All details for the board game Werewords and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2019

    More details for Werewords
    • 4 - 10 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  11. Unmatched: Robin Hood vs. Bigfoot

    All details for the board game Unmatched: Robin Hood vs. Bigfoot and similar games
    • 2 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 9+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  12. Santorini

    All details for the board game Santorini and similar games

    Nominated for 7 awards.

    More details for Santorini
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  13. Marvel United

    All details for the board game Marvel United and similar games

    Nominated for 6 awards.

    More details for Marvel United
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 40 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  14. Radlands

    All details for the board game Radlands and similar games

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 2.

    More details for Radlands
    • 2 Players
    • 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  15. 5-Minute Dungeon

    All details for the board game 5-Minute Dungeon and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for 5-Minute Dungeon
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 5 - 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  16. Horrified

    All details for the board game Horrified and similar games

    Nominated for 5 awards.

    More details for Horrified
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Horrified

    • YouTube Review for the game "Horrified" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  17. One Night Ultimate Werewolf

    All details for the board game One Night Ultimate Werewolf and similar games
    • 3 - 10 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    👍 Good price!9€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for One Night Ultimate Werewolf

    • YouTube Review for the game "One Night Ultimate Werewolf" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "One Night Ultimate Werewolf" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  18. Unmatched: Jurassic Park – InGen vs Raptors

    All details for the board game Unmatched: Jurassic Park – InGen vs Raptors and similar games
    • 2 Players
    • 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  19. Dune: Imperium

    All details for the board game Dune: Imperium and similar games

    Nominated for 16 awards and won 5.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2022

    More details for Dune: Imperium
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
    🔥 Great price!40€ atAmazon.de
  20. Marvel United: X-Men

    All details for the board game Marvel United: X-Men and similar games
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 40 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  21. 7 Wonders

    All details for the board game 7 Wonders and similar games

    Nominated for 33 awards and won 19.

    ⭐️ Kennerspiel des Jahres 2011

    More details for 7 Wonders
    • 2 - 7 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  22. War Chest

    All details for the board game War Chest and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for War Chest
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for War Chest

    • YouTube Review for the game "War Chest" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "War Chest" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  23. BANG! The Dice Game

    All details for the board game BANG! The Dice Game and similar games
    • 3 - 8 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    👍 Good price!15€ atAmazon.de
  24. Downforce

    All details for the board game Downforce and similar games

    Nominated for 3 awards.

    More details for Downforce
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  25. 7 Wonders (Second Edition)

    All details for the board game 7 Wonders (Second Edition) and similar games
    • 3 - 7 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!36€ atAmazon.de
  26. Chronicles of Crime: 1900

    All details for the board game Chronicles of Crime: 1900 and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!30€ atAmazon.de
  27. 7 Wonders: Architects

    All details for the board game 7 Wonders: Architects and similar games

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 1.

    🔥 Deal: 13% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!

    More details for 7 Wonders: Architects
    • 2 - 7 Players
    • 25 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    🔥 Great price!29€ atAmazon.de
  28. Coup

    All details for the board game Coup and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Coup
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Coup

    • YouTube Review for the game "Coup" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  29. It's a Wonderful World

    All details for the board game It's a Wonderful World and similar games

    Nominated for 14 awards and won 5.

    More details for It's a Wonderful World
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  30. Mansions of Madness: Second Edition

    All details for the board game Mansions of Madness: Second Edition and similar games
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 120 - 180 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

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