Recommendations for minis board games

[jonfreeman]

So this is a narrow-focus type of question ...

 

Is there a fantasy miniatures game that DOESN'T have spiders in it?

 

A player in the house is open to the idea of minis board games ... but is also an arachnophobe.  So ... that eliminates some games like Mice and Mystics (where spiders are common threats).

 

 

If anyone has other ideas to try out, would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[Glitterwolf]

20 minutes ago, jonfreeman said:

So this is a narrow-focus type of question ...

 

Is there a fantasy miniatures game that DOESN'T have spiders in it?

 

A player in the house is open to the idea of minis board games ... but is also an arachnophobe.  So ... that eliminates some games like Mice and Mystics (where spiders are common threats).

 

 

If anyone has other ideas to try out, would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

Does this only apply to Spiders?

I mean, use the same rules for the spiders but change the minis with plastic flies or something like that?

[Corsair]

Starfinder doesn't have spiders per se, lots of creepy things though. Also try Heroclix.

[BlazingTornado]

The official D&D miniatures board games count?

Castle Ravenloft has spiders and Legend of Drizzt has a lone Drider but otherwise they're spider-free.

 

There's also the old Magic The Gathering Arena of the Planeswalkers board game and expansions, no spiders there either.

[ratsmitglied]

Tail Feathers - the flying game based in the Mice and Mystics world doesn't have spiders in it

um...Super Dungeon Explore does have spiders, but you can leave them out of the game easily enough

 

I haven't really played many Fantasy board games, and I'm pretty sure both Warhammer Quest and Descent both have spiders

[strawhat]

3 hours ago, jonfreeman said:

A player in the house is open to the idea of minis board games ... but is also an arachnophobe.  So ... that eliminates some games like Mice and Mystics (where spiders are common threats).

 

A bit of a silly question, but phobias are irrational, after all: Would it help if you chopped a couple legs off (making them six or four-legged) or gave them a suitably unusual paint job?

 

I guess what I'm trying to ask is how far do you have to go to break the mini away from "spider"?

 

Descent has spiders, yes.  And a boss that's very spider-like in one of the expansions.  But lots of things could be subbed in if you've got a supply of minis.  I would probably look at using the Dreadmere leeches, toads, or maggots.

[jonfreeman]

14 minutes ago, strawhat said:

 

A bit of a silly question, but phobias are irrational, after all: Would it help if you chopped a couple legs off (making them six or four-legged) or gave them a suitably unusual paint job?

 

I guess what I'm trying to ask is how far do you have to go to break the mini away from "spider"?

 

Descent has spiders, yes.  And a boss that's very spider-like in one of the expansions.  But lots of things could be subbed in if you've got a supply of minis.  I would probably look at using the Dreadmere leeches, toads, or maggots.

hmmmm...

she didn't seem to mind the spiders that I painted previously from my descent collection as much.  (those I actually painted ghost-white/gray and she could stand them rather than looking away).  So maybe if I painted some spiders up non-spider-like she'd be able to handle it better.

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Heroquest has no spiders (if you can find a copy). You might be able to find a copy of the The Banner Saga boardgame. Vikings and sort of metal robot zombie things. No spiders there. Also no dice used in combat. It's very tactical from what I can remember. The Dark Souls board game has no spiders. Claustrophobia 1642 (the old one, 2nd hand copies may be available)/Claustrophobia 1643 (new one, limited edition) is spider free. 

 

Legends of Signum kind of plays like a cross between Magic: The Gathering and a small scale fantasy skirmish game (you add buildings to your city (land cards) and then use them to summon warriors onto the battlefield). Beautiful miniatures but some assembly required. Godtear is a good starter game. Easy to learn, hard to master. Small scale fantasy skirmish as aspiring mortals seek out fragments of divine essence that have fallen to earth after a war in the heavens and they squabble over who gets to absorb the divine essence.

 

Darklight: Memento Mori is definitely spider free bu and is generally hailed as being very similar to Warhammer Quest. It does have some small crawling monsters that look a bit like spiders 'though so you probably want to avoid that one.

 

Nova Aetas: Dark Renaissance is a small scale fantasy skirmish game set in an alternate history version of the Italian renaissance where the players are pawns in the war between the Pope and the Doge. The Mediccis might be involved as well. The fantasy elements (fawns, satyrs, centaurs etc) are beginning to recede from the world as mankind drives them to extinction. it's a fun mission based game designed for campaign play. It's got a nice initiative system based on a clock face and the monsters/enemies never roll dice. You roll the dice to hit if you attack them. You roll the dice to defend yourself if they attack you.

 

Oh and Talisman's always popular. Nice low model count. You only use miniatures for the players.

Edited March 18, 2020 by Balgin Stondraeg

[cmorse]

Zombicide: Black Plague and Sword & Sorcery are both spider free I think.