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How many themes can you add to a tabletop game before it gets messy. I think: - 1: standard and straightforward, not as interesting but let's something else take centre stage - 2: more interesting, I think most should sit here - 3: unique and interesting, but may alienate - 4+: may too much?

Oh, I thought you meant themes such as “the individual versus the group”, “can evil ever be redeemed?”, or “hope overcomes all”. I’d call your list genres and/or tropes, and I think it’s probably fine to combine any number if they are properly syncretised and not just thrown together.

I was debating what term to use, but I generally feel board gamers use theme in the same way genre is used in literature. If I asked what theme is Western Legends, I feel like people would say western not individualism. Maybe themes has different connotations to theme? Language is weird sometimes