Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile is a groundbreaking board game that revolutionizes the concept of political strategy and legacy gameplay. Designed by Cole Wehrle, the mastermind behind Root, this game offers a unique experience where each playthrough shapes the narrative and mechanics of future sessions, creating a truly immersive and ever-changing world.
Key Takeaways:
- Designed for 1-6 players, focusing on political machinations and generational conflict
- Features a dynamic chronicling system that alters gameplay based on previous outcomes
- Utilizes a three-phase turn structure: Wake, Act, and Rest
- Offers multiple winning conditions, including fulfilling the Oath, Visions, or specific goals
- Requires a significant learning curve but rewards players with deep strategic gameplay
Immersive World-Building and Political Intrigue
Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile transports players into a vibrant, fictional world teeming with political intrigue and military conflict. The game’s artwork, crafted by the talented Ferrin, brings this world to life with colorful and detailed illustrations. Players will find themselves embroiled in military campaigns, uprisings, rebellions, and shifting political eras, all of which contribute to the rich tapestry of the game’s narrative.
As one of the latest trends in board game design, Oath incorporates legacy elements that create a unique campaign experience. The game’s open-ended nature allows for countless possibilities, ensuring that no two playthroughs are alike. This innovative approach to world-building and storytelling sets Oath apart from traditional board games, offering players a truly immersive experience.

Dynamic Gameplay and Strategic Depth
At its core, Oath features a three-phase turn structure: Wake, Act, and Rest. During the Act phase, players can choose from a variety of major actions, including search, trade, travel, recover, muster, and campaign. These actions form the backbone of the game’s strategic depth, allowing players to pursue different paths to victory.
Combat in Oath involves a mix of dice rolling, battle plans, and attack resolution, adding an element of chance to the game’s strategic framework. Players can take on different roles within the game, such as the Chancellor (the ruling power), Exiles (the opposition), or potentially a Citizen (a successor to the Chancellor). These roles further enhance the game’s political dynamics and strategic options.
Oath offers multiple winning conditions, including:
- Claiming the Oath Keeper tile
- Fulfilling specific Visions
- Achieving unique goals based on the current game state
This variety of victory conditions ensures that players must remain adaptable and vigilant throughout the game, as the path to success can change rapidly based on the actions of other players and the evolving game state.
Evolving Legacy and Campaign System
One of Oath’s most innovative features is its chronicling mechanic. This system ensures that each game’s outcome directly affects the next, creating a unique and evolving campaign experience. The World Deck, which contains the game’s events and opportunities, changes with each playthrough, altered by the actions and decisions of the winning player.
This legacy system extends beyond just the deck, as the map and available resources also evolve based on previous game outcomes. This creates a sense of continuity and consequence that is rare in board games, making each session feel like part of a larger, ongoing narrative.
The game comes with a variety of high-quality components, including:
- A neoprene play mat
- Wooden pawns
- Favor tokens
- Secret tokens
- War bands
- Player boards
- Various cards
These components not only enhance the game’s visual appeal but also support its complex mechanics and evolving nature. For those interested in customizing their game experience, 3D printing characters for board games could add an extra layer of personalization to Oath.
Learning Curve and Setup
It’s important to note that Oath has a significant learning curve due to its multiple game mechanics and evolving nature. New players should expect to invest considerable time in learning the rules and strategies. I recommend using how-to-play videos and online forums to help grasp the game’s intricacies.
The setup process for Oath is equally involved, requiring players to place favor tokens, set up player boards, choose the Chancellor, and distribute initial resources and war bands. While this setup may seem daunting at first, it becomes smoother with practice and contributes to the game’s depth and replayability.
Despite its complexity, Oath offers a rewarding experience for those willing to invest the time to learn its systems. The game’s strategic depth and evolving narrative make it a standout title in the world of board games. For those looking to create their own game experiences, exploring blank board game options could be an interesting next step after mastering Oath’s intricate systems.
Sources:
Above Board Games
Leder Games
There Will Be Games
Oath: Chronicles of Empire & Exile Review – It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Blurst of Times