Looking for Pre-pacckaged Dungeon Romp

[Luethar]

Hey all,

 

I am looking for recommendations for a pre-packaged Fantasy Dungeon Romp board game. I would like the game to be relatively quick (2-3 hours as opposed to 2-3 days), easy rule set, and attractive to non-D&D gamers. Also, I would need it to be 2-5 players. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

Lue.

[Bumble_B]

I understand there are a few DnD brand labeled board games now (Wrath of Ashardalon and Castle Ravenloft). I also heard Descent is very good in the dungeon romp board game department.

[Dr.Bedlam]

I can think of several.

 

1. Dungeons and Dragons produces board games now that are essentially dungeon crawls without a gamemaster. There are two, currently -- Castle Ravenloft and Wrath of Ashardalon. They play quickly, are pretty simple to learn, and come with lots of miniatures. Originallly designed as a sort of gateway drug to rope people into being interested in D&D, I think. Don't remember if they can manage five players, but I know they can handle four.

 

2. Talisman, from Fantasy Flight Games, is a sort of 'fantasy campaign lite' in the same sense that Monopoly is a game about real estate. Easy to learn, easy to play, loads of fun.

 

3. Descent, also from Fantasy Flight, is a bit heavier, but also more flexible. A game can take all night, depending, and the game does use something like a gamemaster -- monsters are controlled by the Overlord player, who the rest of the players must team up to defeat. Considerably more complex than the first two, though, and not for your lightweight gamer; this is pretty hardcore stuff.

 

4. Munchkin Quest, from Steve Jackson Games; it's quick, it's easy, and it's fun. It is a PARODY of dungeon crawl RPGs, though, and is wild, funny, goofy, and not too serious. It does have the advantage of cheapness, though, since at $35 American, it's about half the price of anything else on this list.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

[Heisler]

And you might take a look at Dungeon Twister although it is a 2 player game with an expansion to go to 4 players.

[Rastl]

And you might take a look at Dungeon Twister although it is a 2 player game with an expansion to go to 4 players.

He specifically said "quick and easy". I really like Dungeon Twister but I wouldn't call it either of those.

[timmy65]

Dungeons and Dragons Castle Ravenloft and Wrath of Ashardalon both handle from 1 to 5 players as the encounter decks control the monster behavior. No Dungeon Master is required. They are both cooperative games. IE, your party of adventurers against the monsters and encounters that the game system attacks you with.

 

A game can easily be played in well under 2 hours with a group that knows and understands the rules. If your into painting the miniatures, there is over 40 in each game if memory serves me correct. I just finished the 5 heroes in Castle Ravenoft and am working on the Rat Swarms currently with lots more miniatures to go.

 

Hope this helps.

[Sergeant_Crunch]

I bought Wrath of Ashardalon this past Saturday and have played it three times with my sons (ages 14, 11, and 7). Rules are fairly straight forward, adults should pick them up quickly. I will say that even without a DM, the crawl is brutal on the players. Characters with healing powers really have to be on their toes.

 

The kids can't get enough of it and I find it quite fun myself. The joys of the dungeon crawl without all that messy roleplaying. The kids are getting the point with regards to cooperative play, but are struggling with the roles of the characters and when the best time to use specific powers. I haven't played proper D&D since 1998 using 2d Ed AD&D, so can't tell you how closely it relates to the latest version of D&D.

 

As far as I'm concerned it was worth the money, even if I weren't in an extended stay hotel foe the next month waiting to close on a house while all my minis are in storage waiting to be delivered.