Ranked and reviewed the best fantasy board games
Ranked and reviewed the best fantasy board games
We love fantasy. The genre has occupied a considerable part of our lives in all its repetitions. books , movies, comics, TV shows , board games and video games - fantasy wins us at all points. As such, we are naturally attracted to fantasy board games and have played a lot.
Today we dive into the best fantasy board games.
Our best selections for the best fantasy board game
Are you in a hurry? Check out our favorites below.
Best in depth
The best adult humor
Best overall
Fantastic and board games work extremely well together. Who doesn’t want to fight some dragons, enchant or face ancient horrors?
Nobody, that's who.
We have divided the fantasy genre into some of the best fantasy board games where you can shake the stick. Some are classic and some are newer, but all will be great.
1. Sword and Witchcraft
topic
Evil has descended on the land and heroes are needed. Legendary heroes have risen to fight again and save the country from darkness, but the spell is still new and the heroes will need time to regain their former glory.
Sword and Witchcraft is a cooperative board game in which you will play as one of the legendary heroes. As you progress through the campaign, the heroes will regain strength and rise through the campaign.
Main mechanics
Sword & Sorcery is relatively easy to learn and has some fantastic cheats in the game when you get lost. During the game, players will rework the script and break through a dungeon .
The rules are fairly standard and easy to pick up. Each monster will have artificial intelligence based on maps, which it will perform depending on its location and how far or close to the sign. The player's equipment will allow you to roll more dice in the fight or completely eliminate the damage.
One of the more interesting aspects of the game is how it deals with the resurrection and death of persons. When a character dies, he is not out of the game, but becomes a ghost.
The characters of the ghosts can be revived by returning through the dungeon and reaching the point of re-ascent at the entrance and then taking the steps back to where the action is.
- The legend begins! Play epic heroes against forces ...
- Box dimensions: 40.7 x 27.8 x 8.9 cm
The final thoughts
The Resurrection Mechanic is one of the best I’ve seen, and the players are worried and in the game. Instead of dying and leaving the table, they will try to get back into the fight as soon as possible, or they will try to revive themselves before the whole party is murdered. If everyone in the party is a ghost, the game ends in a loss.
Sword and Witchcraft is a good addition to any collection of board games and a great versatile dungeon-crawling board game . This would be a great introduction for new players in this genre, but it is still interesting and demanding enough for fans of hard music.
Some versions and extensions
2. Castles of Madness
topic
In Mansion of Madness, players explore the cursed mansions of Arkham with the guidance of an app that provides narrative and musical ambience. This intense and in-depth adventure involves solving puzzles, fighting monsters, and gathering weapons, tools, and information for success. Inspired by parts of HP Lovecraft, the game is set in the same Eldritch horror universe and older character.
Fantasy Flight Games has a bit of a monopoly on Board Games Lovecraftian . If you’ve played any other game, a lot of the artwork, themes and mechanics will start to look familiar to you.
Main mechanics
One of the more interesting aspects of Mansions of Madness is the accompanying app. The accompanying application streamlines the entire gameplay. It will play some background music and simplify setup and combat by walking players through the game and guiding them through the rules.
One of the highlights of the game is the madness mechanic. This is different from some others like the Fantasy Flight Arkham Horror game . In Arkham Horror, if you go crazy, you end up in the hospital or your character dies. Here at Mansions of Madness, if you go crazy, it changes the condition for a particular player to win, so you never know what their new goal is.
- HORROR GAME: This fully collaborative horror board game and ...
- Mystery Game: Players take part in investigators and enter ...
- COOPERATIVE GAME With high variability: The game contains four ...
The final thoughts
Mansions of Madness is a compelling addition to the Lovecraft board game scene. The mechanics have greatly improved and the research and storytelling has gotten much better in the latest addition. If you’ve played the first edition and weren’t thrilled, it’s worth a look again.
Variations and extensions
# 3. Proponents of the Kingdom
topic
Defenders of the Realm is a co-op fantasy board game in which players must respond to the king’s call to defend against a theme that covers the country. You will face four different armies approaching in your capital, and it is up to the heroes to stop the tide of orcs, zombies, dragons and demons. Everyone has one goal in mind: your complete destruction.
Main mechanics
Defenders of the Realm uses a kind of “outbreak” mechanics, similar to the Pandemic in it . The protagonists must slow down the tide of enemies advancing through the city before the outbreak overwhelms new enemies. In addition, you will see some mixing and matching with other very simple mechanics such as rolling dice, variable player power and hand control.
- Great strategy game for 1-4 players
- The game lasts about 90 minutes
- Tons of top components
The final thoughts
Defenders of the Realm is a great transition game, especially since it’s cooperative. A fun option is also if you have young children who are interested in fantasy. Players can choose from characters such as Priest, Dwarf, Eagle Rider, Paladin, Ranger, Thief, Wizard or Wizard, each with their own special abilities.
If the artwork and style look a bit old, don’t worry. A whole new relaunch is coming in 2020.
Some versions and extensions
4. Gloomhaven
topic
Gloomhaven is a cooperative dungeon-spider board game where your table will form a group of mercenaries for an epic campaign. I honestly think the word “epic” is thrown away too often, but once you see a massive box and almost 100 different scenarios, it’s hard to find another word.
* GameCows Recommendation: Best for Standalone Play *
Main mechanics
Gloomhaven’s campaign is shaped by a legacy system with constant change the longer you play. That doesn’t mean you can’t reset and play it from the beginning. Don't destroy anything in Gloomhaven (as in some Abandoned Games ). All cards remain intact and you are never instructed to stop the game. Labels are placed on the maps indicating how the world is changing around you, so many players have been able to successfully “reset” Gloomhaven’s legacy system and start from scratch. Some thematic and story elements will remain the same, but just know that changes can be undone (with little effort).
- For 1-4 players
- 60-120 minutes of play
- The cooperative plays a tactical battle inspired by the euro
The final thoughts
It’s hard to look for a fantasy board-caterpillar board game and not run into Gloomhaven. It’s probably one of the biggest games out there and not just box-sized. It has a huge group campaign, a separate stand-alone campaign , huge stockpiles of knowledge and an insane level of repeatability.
It comes at a considerable price, but don’t let that deter you. If you’ve been playing the game every day for a year, I can guarantee you’ll still find ways the game can surprise you.
Variations and extensions
5. War Rings
From doubt, from darkness to a rising day
I came to sing in the sun, without a sword.
To hope the end, I drove off and my heart broke:
Now for anger, now for ruin and red night!
EOMER ÉADIG, King of Rohan, Battle of the Fields of Pelennor
* GameCows Recommendation: Best Epic Wargame *
topic
Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy covers generations of science in one of the most epic stories they have ever written.
The Ring of War gives you control over the fate of Middle-earth. One player will control the armies of the free people and the other will control the Sauron army of Sauron. While the Shadow Armies fight the Free People and seek the One Ring, the Free People are divided between fighting Sauron and protecting the Ringer while trying to get to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring.
Main mechanics
The War of the Rings is essentially a war game , but in the same way as the Lord of the Rings is just a collection of books. Of course, you can classify it as such ... but that's much more.
Each force can win in two ways, by military victory or by a ring. Shadow armies must conquer fortresses equal to 10+ victory points. This thematically shows such complete destruction to the Free People that even if Frodo destroyed the Ring, there would be nothing left to save.
If armies of free people control fortresses equal to 4+ winning points, they win. This thematically shows that Sauron’s armies were so heavily defeated that Frodo’s journey to Mount Doom would have been much easier.
Then there are the victories in the ring. If the army finds in the shadows and completely destroys the fellowship, then they immediately win. If the Society completes the journey and destroys the ring before the Shadow destroys everything, then free people win.
Complexity and balance
Despite the first glance, the game is incredibly complex and balanced. The armies of Sauron far surpass the free nations and are unlimited for all purposes. When the Free Army runs out of reinforcements, they are gone. We can't fill them. Sauron’s armies, though unlimited, all originate from Mordor and must expend valuable resources and time to re-create themselves and move around the deck to the position of attack.
Even the Shadow must conquer much more than the Free People in order to win, and it must divide all its resources to fight, strengthen, and seek the Society. Free people must defend themselves and help hide the Society.
- For 2 4 players
- Playing takes about 2 hours
- Massive game board measuring 70 x 100 cm in two sections, 16 action cubes, ...
The final thoughts
The War of the Rings is so full of subtle balances and shifts in power that you’ll be sitting and talking about it for a few more days after one match.
However, it is not without its drawbacks. But a war game on this large scale will certainly cause some confusion. Icons of dice and multiple moving tracks in the game can be complicated if you want to count them during the game, which is why you’ll often refer to the policy in your first game.
That said, I’ve never seen a game that captures the tension and tragedy of novels as well as The Ring War. You will sacrifice the last armies of the great powers to simply buy time to slow down hordes of orcs and Sauron’s armies.
You will watch the Fellowship slowly calm down as they die and protect Frodo. And if you manage to deliver it safely to Mt. Doom, it’s completely in your hands whether he succeeds or not.
Variations and extensions
- Warriors of Middle-Earth, a new extension for War of the Ring ...
- This is not a perfect game. Copy of the Military Ring - other ...
- Number of players: 2-4
6. Game of Thrones: A board game
topic
“When you play Game of Thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground. «- George RR Martin, Game of Thrones
* GameCows Recommendation: Best Fantasy Game TV Series *
Main mechanics
And Game of Thrones: A social game , players will issue secret orders to soldiers before carrying out orders and moves. Players are free to form alliances and unite other players, and players can also immediately turn around and break those alliances. In that regard, this game is heavily story-oriented and it’s fun to have complete control over its course.
- A board game based on the novel Game of Thrones, which is now adapted ...
- 3-6 players take command of the Great Houses of Westeros
- The updated second edition includes elements of past extensions
The final thoughts
I’ve never hated my friends more than in Game of Thrones: Board Game (except maybe Monopoly ). The play is intended for political intrigue and war, just like the novel and the show. It is not called the "Game of Friends" for a reason. Alliances in the game only last as long as they are mutually beneficial. In the end, it’s meant for players to betray and kill each other, which is fun, even in the end he receives. This is a game that allows you to create your own stories in an amazing environment.
So you too can experience what it’s like to watch friends and family leave for political gain ... but seriously it’s an amazing experience. Just make sure your “friends” don’t take offense.
If you like a song about ice and fire or a TV show Game of Thrones, check out our presentation of the best board game Game of Thrones to fix your imagination.
Variations and extensions
# 7. Mice and Mysticism
topic
The king and his followers have become mice!
Mice and Mysticism is like entering a fairy tale or reliving Brian Jacques ' Red Wall Novels. The king and his loyal followers were all turned into mice and his reign was overthrown. According to the first scenario, you escaped from the castle and tried to find refuge.
You will face insects, spiders, rats and the most terrible enemy of all, a terrible cat.
* GameCows Recommendation: The Best Fantasy Adventure Board Game for Kids *
Main mechanics
Each scenario is presented as a story in a children’s book and each offers its own challenges and usually some sort of bonus goal that will help in the game or campaign later.
The game has a built-in timer and a script builder based on the pages in the storybook. Whenever the timer reaches zero, the game ends. How far you are in the timer also determines how many enemies (and what type) are spawning in the rooms.
The game is very easy to learn and uses a series of custom dice to solve most actions. Players will play against the board, and someone will have to play dice for enemies.
All the tiles are beautifully made and because you are a mouse, you will sometimes go underground to explore the sewers or under the floor tiles. When the tiles are turned, they represent players moving from floor to floor and vice versa.
- ADVENTURE GAME WITH STORIES: In Mice & Mystics players progress ...
- COOPERATION STRATEGY: Players work together to solve ...
- FUN FOR FAMILY GAMES NIGHT: Mice & Mystics is the perfect game for ...
The final thoughts
I really enjoyed playing Mice and Mystics. The storytelling was phenomenal and reminded me of Red Wall novels when I was a kid. All the themed elements revolve around becoming a mouse, which is very cute. For example, for a spell / ability such as "thundersqueak", players will need to spend cheese points (mana) in order to successfully use the player's special ability.
Feels like giving Misha and the mystique a try? Check out our in-depth review first!
Variations and extensions
8. Huge topic
Massive Darkness is one of the newest board game games on the scene, which blew up Kickstarter with 22,361 supporters promising $ 3,560,642 for the project.
Main mechanics
And a huge topic , players have to take the topic very seriously. The Dark Mechanic is something I haven’t seen in any other game. Certain places on the board will be lit with torches or other light sources on the board, depending on whether the players are in the dark or in the light, they may be able to use special abilities.
The game has two play modes. The first is a way of campaigning in which players would gain persistent experience and skills. The downside of this is the slow progress of the game as the characters will level out and upgrade over multiple games.
The second way of playing is unique. Players will equalize faster and gain strength, but you can play a new character in each game. For the first few presentations, it’s probably best to play the game with a single shot to set the rules and see what kind of character you want to play in the longer campaign mode.
- For 1 to 6 players
- The whole campaign: story mode There are 10 unique tasks in ...
- Amazing numbers: a huge theme comes with six detailed ...
The final thoughts
For a really in-depth look at Massive Darkness, you can check out our review here .
About Miniature of Huge Theme are some of the best I've seen, and as the name suggests, the box has a lot of options. If you’re ever really bored with the basic game, there are plenty of extensions, each adding even more Miniatures , Characters, and Scenarios.
Variations and extensions
9. Lord of the Rings: A card game
“And some things we shouldn’t have forgotten have been lost. History has become a legend. The legend has become a myth . And in two and a half years the ring has disappeared from all knowledge. "
―JRR Tolkien, Lord of the Rings
In Lord of the Rings: The Card Game, players choose three heroes and a circle of allies to join forces and fight Sauron, represented by the "meeting deck". Players can also choose between completing tasks to advance under a scenario in a more aggressive campaign or to maintain a defensive mode and defeat enemies when they arrive.
topic
In case you haven’t noticed, we’re both Lord of the Rings nerds and we love LOTR. The LOTR card game is no exception. Similar to Pathfinder, Lord of the Rings: The Card Game has players who prepare a deck of cards and complete tasks found in Tolkien’s knowledge.
Main mechanics
Players will choose 3 heroes who will create their deck from four categories: Leadership, Lore, Spirit and Tactics.
Choose your favorite characters or try to combine categories of heroes to try min / max.
However, you need to be careful in choosing your heroes and creating your decks. Stronger players will have a higher number of "threats" on their cards, and you will lose the game during missions if your threat reaches 50.
- COOPERATIVE ADVENTURE GAME: This epic card game puts players in ...
- START YOUR JOURNEY: The core contains 226 cards that you can ...
- DESIGN YOUR WISH: Build a party from a set of 12 hero cards ...
The final thoughts
The artwork is phenomenal. All the cards were beautifully illustrated in a fantasy style. It’s not just footage from the movies and I really appreciate the effort I put into it.
The game is surprisingly difficult, but it has such an amazing feel. Attacking and meeting targets is very easy, but the game itself is fun, especially if you love Tolkien’s work.
Some extensions
10. Game Pathfinder Adventure Card: Wrath of the Righteous
topic
Pathfinder was a traditional pen and paper role-playing game inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and an open source rule system that emerged after improperly receiving a set of rules for development and development of the 4th edition.
Since then, it has become an RPG powerhouse with its own knowledge and settings, which are liked by many, and its own set of solid fans.
Main mechanics
The Pathfinder card game tries to recreate the feel of playing pen and paper from an old school RPG .
Each player will choose a character attached to their own character sheet (the ones you can print can be downloaded from their website if you want to write to them), and align between games and gain new skills, similar to pen and paper - playing the game.
The game also allows you to make a deck that is persistent during playback. While playing the game, you will find upgraded weapons, items and spells to replace your starting deck. There’s even a space in the box where you can keep your character’s deck during games so you don’t shuffle around a huge pile of cards before each game.
- The product is intended for use as a Pathfinder
- Product number: PZO 6020
- The abyss is waiting! When the city of Kenabres is destroyed ...
The final thoughts
I really enjoyed this game. I’m a big fan of upgrade mechanics and I love seeing how my characters get stronger over time.
But the game can be quite expensive. The base game comes with a first script that can be completed in about 6-10 plays, much more if you try more characters, and each scenario extension adds new monsters, weapons, and about the same number of scenarios, so although still dear, I got my money out of it.
Setup takes quite a while, so we usually find ourselves playing multiple games in a row after we’ve gone through all the difficulty of setting everything up.
Variations and extensions
11. Empty!
topic
Steal everything. There is a treasure hidden in this dungeon and all we have to do is take it! Just behind several locked doors are some traps, a horde of monsters in the dark and one ... dragon. What could be easier?
Main mechanics
Empty! is an interesting mix of dungeon-brother- in-law , press your luck and umbrella builder . Moving, sneaking, mercenaries and all the other skills you find come from the personal deck of cards you put together before entering the dungeon.
Do you suck at reading locks? Hiring a burglar (the dwarves succeeded in The Hobbit ).
Sounds like going toe to toe with Orc, awful? Hire a mercenary (aka meat shield).
In the Article! the players will go to the dragon's lair (her name is Nicki) to steal her things. Artifacts and items that are easy to get near the entrance to the dungeon won’t be worth much, but you can’t waste money if you’re dead.
Nicki will not only sleep through the domestic invasion. She will lurk around the dungeon and look for intruders and has an advantage at home. You will have to be quiet if you plan to leave the dungeon alive. If you make too much noise, the dragon Nicki will know exactly where you are and will eat you.
If you manage to pull some prey and figure it out alive, well, congratulations! You successfully stole the dragon.
- For 2-4 players
- Fast and intense dungeon deepening experience!
- Push your luck to collect more treasure, but watch out for ...
The final thoughts
I really enjoy building decks Mechanic and Clank! deals with it in a fun way. The theme of the game is so well done and so explosive. I usually go too far into jail because I’m greedy (and curious), but the game can also offer some incredibly heroic and tragic moments. Very often I have players at the table moving away from the dungeon, only to be removed at the last second because of a bit too much noise, and that’s an explosion.
Check out our Full Article Review ! before buying!
Variations and extensions
12. Lordship
topic
Dominion is the original deck builder game, so let’s take a closer look here . While this isn’t exactly a fantasy game, there are many extensions where you can heroically search for a fantastic kingdom.
Dominion Adventures: Because you can’t have fantasies without embarking on a quest.
Dominion Nocturne: You will need some monsters to fight.
Main mechanics
Dominion is a deck-building game , which means that all players will start with their same deck of cards and draft cards from the common pool throughout the game. By the end of the game, each player’s deck will be completely different.
You can buy several different types of cards in the game, but the basics are:
Action: It gives you some kind of bonus, such as extra money, extra actions or cards.
Attack: Gives you a bonus but harms other players. Great for gaining an advantage, not so much for making friends.
Treasure: Tickets in the offer warehouse cost money, so without them you will never win.
Win: So you actually win the game. At the end of the game, all your winning cards will be added up and the player with the most winning points will win. The basic game has 3 types: real estate (1 point), duchy (3 points) and province (6 points).
The game ends when 3 piles in stock are empty or when the last province is purchased. Winning points are added up and the player with the most wins.
None of the other cards on your deck are important unless the winning card is explicitly different, so all of your beautiful cards you have don’t mean a squat unless you have winning points. This adds a key strategic element to the game. If you buy winning points too early, your deck is filled with cards that you can’t do anything that hinders your late progress in the game. However, if you buy too late, you may take all the high-value tickets and not be able to make up for them.
- The 2nd edition contains updated cards, artwork and simplified rules
- Tactical game for 2-4 players
- 30 minute playing time
The final thoughts
We love the Dominion . Ever since we first played it, it’s been a table clip. The game has a huge potential for replay and there is no real way to approach building your deck. Sometimes the players at our table won by simply picking up the cards they found interesting. I also managed to make funny combinations where my turn takes a few minutes and grinds through my deck.
Variations and extensions
- Lots. For more information, check out our in-depth article on Best Dominion Extensions !
13. A small world
The slogan is: "... This is the world with laughter, after all!" And the Little World really suits him.
topic
In Small World, each player will choose a fantasy race to play, combined with random abilities, giving him a very high level of repeatability. You could have dwarfs (weird), Berzerker hobbits (funny) or Flying Orcs (horrible).
Everyone will fight to control the space on the board, but guess what? It’s not big enough for everyone to have their own space! Players will immediately realize that the world is too small ...
* GameCows Recommendation: The best social fantasy board game *
Main mechanics
Random races and combinations of abilities are what make this game really great. His silly artwork and funny abilities made us laugh and then raged over the constant attack. The game is designed so that all players will fight for area control of the board.
At the end of the player's turn, they will add up the number of territories they control and any additional bonuses they receive due to racial abilities. Players receive 1 coin for each territory and bonuses. The goal of the game is to be the one who has the most money at the end of the game.
Each time you take over your territory, 1 racing token is returned to the field. After a few losses, it will be very difficult to maintain any momentum or points. The solution is to put your race in “decline”. Your species will become extinct and all race tokens (except 1) will be removed in all the territories you have controlled, which will then be turned to the gray side. They still count for scoring, but at the next turn you get a whole new race and a special ability to start raging around the world.
The final thoughts
The small world is uniquely beautiful. The artwork is goofy and cartoonish, with a serious tactical game in the background. When you decide to fall, and which race / ability you choose, it has a big impact on the end result. If you’re lucky, you sometimes get a free race and an ability that can score some serious points, but usually when that happens, you become everyone’s target at the table.
This is a fantastic game that is not taken too seriously, but at the same time offers a huge range of options and strategies, especially if you dive into many extensions .
Variations and extensions
14. Castle Panic
Castle Panic is one of those games that falls into (at least) two categories: cooperative and combat. We decided to put it in the combat category because it is 99% of the action in the game.
topic
Goblins, orcs and trolls! Oops!
In Castle Panic, you and your teammates are surrounded on all sides by a very large and very angry army of dwarves, orcs and trolls, who do everything to tear down your castle walls and eat you.
Main mechanics
The board is divided into 3 sections: red, blue and green. In the center is the player's castle, which consists of 6 towers with 6 outer walls. The game ends when all the towers are destroyed or all the monster tokens in the game are destroyed.
With each move, players will pull chips out of their hats to give birth to monsters in the woods. As they approach the center of the board, they will come within range of the castle defenders and will be able to attack.
The outer ring of the board is a forest where the monsters are completely immune. At the beginning of each bend, they will get one space closer until they hit the center and start destroying your castle. The next ring brings monsters within reach of archers. The middle ring will allow you to attack with knights. The closest ring to your castle walls allows you to play Swordsmen. There is one last unit called Hero that can attack monsters in any ring except in the woods, and can save your collective buttocks if you run out of options.
There are fewer attackers as monsters approach your castle, so it's in your best interest to kill them before they reach your walls.
- It supports 1 to 6 players aged 10 and over for 60 minutes ...
- Great game "gateway" for people who have not yet played board games ...
- Fun for people who enjoy a less competitive experience
The final thoughts
It’s one of the few joint games where I’ve never been really disappointed with my fellow players. The design is simple, the rules are very simple, especially for beginner players, and it can still be a lot of fun.
This is a great game for players who enjoy working together, and as an icebreaker or introductory game for new players.
Variations and extensions
# 15. Epic spells of war wizards
topic
I’ve never seen a stronger testosterone-induced nightmare in any board game ... and I love it.
The Epic Wizarding Wars is a duel between immortal wizards.
Nux from Mad Max best describes the whole story of the game: "I LIVE, I DIE, I LIVE AGAIN!"
Main mechanics
As a battle wizard, you will draw a handful of component cards by spelling and then play them together to create a three-layer spell.
Each spell can initially contain up to 3 parts: Source + Quality + Delivery
All spells will also have a spelling type, such as Elementar or Arcane. If you play the same types of spells together on one spell, you can reinforce them.
Each section of the spell can target different opponents and you will usually need to gamble to determine the effects. If you have multiple spelling types, you can roll more dice.
For example, if your spell consists of source, quality, and delivery, which are all mystery cards, and you need to make a roll to determine the effects, you would roll 3 dice because you have 3 mystery cards in the spell.
- Explosive spell card game for 2-6 players aged 15 or over, ...
- A box bursting at the seams with super cool works of art - playing cards ...
- A cheerful mechanic who combines spells, creates endless playing ...
The final thoughts
It’s hard to take this game seriously at first. Second, it should never be taken seriously.
The artwork of Epic Spell Wars is done by a man named Nick Edwards and these are some of the craziest images you’ll ever see, let alone in board games.
Funny artwork combined with crazy spell names creates a completely surreal experience in which you can enchant with mutated chickens or disco balls. Where else will you be able to submit: DELICIOUS SCORCHY TESTIC as a legitimate spell?
Are you ready for stupid-sounding spells? Take a deeper look at the bottom here !
Variations and extensions
16. Lords of Waterdeep
topic
Dungeons & Dragons is synonymous with fantasy. In Water Lords , players will become leaders of various factions in the fictional city of Waterdeep, set in the universe of the forgotten kings of D&D.
As a faction leader, you will hire adventurers to kill monsters, perform tasks, save the city, and apparently expand your influence.
Main mechanics
Watercourse Masters is a resource management game. Each player will alternately place their people around the city and hire adventurers for their faction to raise money or to build new facilities in the city.
To earn points, players will send adventurers they have hired for quests. Each master will also have a hidden character who will receive bonus points for winning at the end of the game. They usually give points to perform a certain type of search. Characters who receive points for completing mystery tasks will want to grab them before the opposing master can complete them.
There is also the possibility of building Lords of Waterdeep. You will waste your money and people to put up a new building that everyone can use. Winning points aren’t usually stellar, but every time someone uses this new building as the owner, you also get a bonus.
For example, one of the buildings will give anyone who puts a mip on it 2 thieves to add to their adventure pool. If you build it, you will win winning points and every time someone else uses it, you will also gain a cheater for free.
- An exciting European-style board game set in Waterdeep, the largest ...
- This exceptional game players play as Lords of Waterdeep who hire ...
- Game: 1 hour
The final thoughts
Lords of Waterdeep is a fantastic example of a game to deploy workers done correctly. The game includes many options that require strategic thinking and generally do not overly complicate the rules.
I’ve played this many times with bands that have never played D&D before and didn’t have a lot of imagination and loved the game. This is a great game for complete beginners to more complex board games.
Interesting? Get the complete Lords of Waterdeep experience with our Complete Review and Guide to Board Games!
Variations and extensions
- For 2-6 players
- 60 minute playing time
- Scoundrels of Skull Harbor adds brand new content for owners ...
17. Red Dragon Guesthouse
topic
Tired of playing serious board games? Good luck to you, the Red Dragon Inn is here! You will jump like one of four fantasy characters back from their latest adventure. It’s time to relax, play and drink too much at a local inn. Gamble, drink, fight, tip and try to be the last one standing at the end of the night.
Almost every fantasy role-playing game starts your adventurers in an inn locked over a mug of beer. This is a place to meet and say hello before setting off. However , enter the Red Dragon Guesthouse after completing the tasks. The monsters are killed, the bugbars tamed and all that’s left is to celebrate your prey around a nice mug of ale ... or seven.
Main mechanics
The goal of the game is to get drunk, but not too drunk. (I sense some good life lessons here.) The last person wins the game. If you get too drunk and pass out, you are out of the game. Or if you run out of money, they kick you out of the inn and out of the game.
You will need to have a drink at the end of each round. HEAT PRESSURE. If your alcohol level ever matches or exceeds your strength, just like in the real world, you end up on the floor.
If you need more money, you can gamble. There are several cards in the game that you can play while gambling. You can play a card with a “winning hand” to win the gaming round, and there is also a “cheating” card that takes precedence over a “winning hand”. You don’t actually play games in the game, you use cards from your hand to determine who will win.
There are several types of cards in the game. Each character you play will have their own deck of cards. You’ll find “Anytime” cards that, as you’ve already guessed, you can play at any time. "Sometimes" cards can only be played when the conditions on the card are met. For example, one “Sometimes” card is triggered every time you lose money, and instead of coming out of your purse, you can take money from the bank. If only real life were like that.
You will also need to spend the gold on drinks from the bar.
- Playing time 30-60 minutes for 2-4 players
- Basic game in the expandable series of the Red Dragon Inn
- With the game you get 4 unique cards for players with 40 cards, one card 30 ...
The final thoughts
The Red Dragon Inn plays with many classic adventure parties. It’s easy and a lot of fun. For you adventurous species (adults) , you can try to turn it into an actual drinking game .
Want to know more? Check out our in-depth review of The Red Dragon Inn here .
Some extensions
# 18. The legacy of Dragonholt
Dragonholt’s Legacy is an interactive story unlike any other I’ve ever seen. It’s very similar to the old school books “Choose Your Adventure,” which I read as a child. Legacy of Dragonholt is a hybrid mix of desktop RPGs and modern board games.
The story is taken from repeated readings in the attached book of stories.
- Are you trying to fight the bandits? Read page ###
- Are you sneaking around? Read page ###
But there is more to it than that. Each player can create and customize their character with variable stats and abilities. Some will be able to complete some tasks more easily than others, but depending on the order, they may not be available to complete the task.
This is an amazing rabbit hole I can get lost in and it is one of my favorites.
- PREPARE FOR THE DESERT: Gather your group of heroes and go to ...
- INTRODUCING THE ORACLE GAME SYSTEM: This narrative adventure game ...
- ROLE PLAY: Play as one of six humanoid races residing ...
Interesting? See the full Legacy of Dragonholt review here !
19. Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition
topic
Mage Knight Ultimate Edition combines various elements of role-playing , board games and card games to create a truly unique gaming experience. Players must choose one of four Knight Wizards to be able to explore and conquer lands under the control of the Atlantean Empire.
Epic Rules
Mage Knight is known for this similar policy and overly complicated policy. I’m here to tell you that it’s not as bad as you might think. They’ve revamped the beginner scenarios, making it a lot easier (but still kind of complicated) to figure out the game ... but it’s worth the effort.
- Critical award-winning board game Mage Knight ...
- Now that they have impressed solo players and groups up to 5, this ...
- Ultimate Edition includes the original basic game and all ...
The final thoughts
The board game Mage Knight is the successor to the collector's miniature game of the same name and takes you deep into his world. The game offers so much depth and repeatability that it pisses me off that so many people look at the size of the policy once and give. This is one game that perfectly meets my expectations.
Variations and extensions
We recommend Ultimate Edition if you haven't tried Mage Knight yet. It comes with 3 extensions and is the best profession for your money when it comes to Mage Knight. See our full review of Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition here .
20. Descent: Traveling in the Dark
* GameCows Recommendation: Best Fantasy Dungeon-Crawl Board Game *
Descent is one of the best board games for crawling dungeons and I love its “1 against all” mechanics.
In Descent, one actor takes on the role of dungeon master. This player controls all the monsters and villains inside the actual dungeon. There is no complicated AI card. One player, one of your teammates, is doing his best to kill you.
Luckily the other players have each other. Together, they must work together to overcome any obstacles posed to them by the dungeon master. They will even be able to upgrade their characters after each game. A word of warning, as well as Mr. Prison strengthens his forces.
This is one of my favorite board games and offers an intelligent opponent to test your skills.
- This is a board game in which one player takes on the role ...
- During each game, the heroes embark on missions and go to ...
- With double-sided modular pieces of boards, countless heroes and ...
Are you interested in downhill? Read more here where we offer you our best choices for spider dungeons.
Some extensions
Venerable mentions
We had a really hard time narrowing down our list of fantasies to just 20 board games, so there were a few others that came on the “honorable mention” list. They usually fall into the Strategy Summary Category . We will talk about them in the future, but we would be rejected if we didn’t at least tell them in this article.
Terra Mystica
Terra Mystica is a complex strategy game where players control one of fourteen groups spread over seven provinces. The group must take advantage of neighboring countries to grow and develop its capabilities. Success comes with a carefully crafted strategy and subtle impact.
- A fun strategy game with a simple principle of the game and very little ...
- Manage one of 14 factions trying to change the landscape on ...
- A large number of possible games entertain you every time
This one is great. We wrote a monstrous walk of this challenging and highly analytical complete information game. You should check.
Variations and extensions
- Over 14 years old
- For two to five players
- Play in about 100 minutes per game
Ethnos
Who controls the mythical land of Ethnos at the end of three periods?
You need to take on the role of diplomat and warrior to unite the fragmented ethnic tribes that have long been without a ruler. Can you persuade the tribes to take up arms and fight to conquer the six kingdoms?
In Ethnos, players choose from a variety of tribes of fantasy races, such as giants, merfolks, halflings, minotaurs, to help them fight for glory on the map. The game uses mechanics to prepare / collect cards to increase gameplay.
It did not rank at the top of this list, but it is definitely worth checking out.
- Twelve tribes - from skeletons to giants to Merfolk, all ...
- Immersive World - contains original works of art of a fantasy legend ...
- Political Battle - Up to six players fight to control ...
Ghost Island
Ghost Island is both a cooperative and a complex strategic board game set in a world of alternate history around 1700. There is something of a colonial and indigenous twist when players embody the different spirits of the land, each with their own unique elemental powers. The goal is to defend your island from destructive settlers.
I’ve never played this game, but I really want to. I’ve heard it described as “a bizarre world version of Katana Settlers ,” a description that just interests me more.
- Suitable for 1 to 4 players
- Playing time is from 90 to 120 minutes
- A complex and thematic collaborative game
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