Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'm used to playing in a group that RPs heavily and will spend 8+ hours in a session playing RPGs (generally Pathfinder). Unfortunately, my normal group and I can't always be on the same schedule and I'm looking to break my girlfriend and some others into the world of pen-and-paper, albeit slowly. That said, I'm looking for a game that allows for possible campaign play with dungeons-delving, monster-slaying, etc. that would come with an RPG-lite game.

As a kid I played Dragon Strike with my older brothers quite often and it's essentially what got me into pen-and-paper gaming and eventually wargaming. I'd like to get a game that's similar to this, but readily available new and more capable of easily adding in campaigns (perhaps with the small bits of growth and such as in Gorkamorka or Mordheim, though I only want each player to have one character at a time) and/or some small bits of role-playing. I've looked into Castle Ravenloft and played at a con, but it seems too simple for what I'm looking for and I'd like something with a GM.

As it stands I'm looking mostly at Descent, since I don't particularly care to pay for HeroQuest. I already have lots of minis (from Warhammer Fantasy, D&D, Reaper and other places), so that's not really an issue if there's a game that better suits my needs with less minis, etc.

Suggestions?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, as a little addendum, has anyone tried using Descent or similar games with WWG terrain? Is this even possible (I haven't completed my reading of the Descent rules)?

Well I was going to say heroquest but you don't seem into that.
Warhammer Quest is similar, a good intro game.

Descent sounds perfect for you, if I understand what you're asking. Keep in mind that Descent is a stark hack-n-slash competition of GM versus players. RPing is not really involved but you can add it in, I guess.

If you're looking for more RP, you could try the new(ish) D&D boardgames. There's one set in Ravenloft and another involving a dragon. I don't think those are really any simpler than Descent.

Frankly, RP-heavy games that are more rules-lite tend to be better for introducing folks to tabletop RPGs. In that light, I would suggest Mouse Guard. Hope this helps!

snurl wrote:Well I was going to say heroquest but you don't seem into that.
Warhammer Quest is similar, a good intro game.

I've played WQ in the past and it's great fun, the only issue with that and HeroQuest is that they're quite expensive for me to get a hold of these days.

Manchu wrote:Descent sounds perfect for you, if I understand what you're asking. Keep in mind that Descent is a stark hack-n-slash competition of GM versus players. RPing is not really involved but you can add it in, I guess.

If you're looking for more RP, you could try the new(ish) D&D boardgames. There's one set in Ravenloft and another involving a dragon. I don't think those are really any simpler than Descent.

Frankly, RP-heavy games that are more rules-lite tend to be better for introducing folks to tabletop RPGs. In that light, I would suggest Mouse Guard. Hope this helps!

Essentially I'm looking more for something with the loot and general dungeon crawl themes. Something about building character skills and getting loot that fits your character so they have a general idea for what's to come in a full-on RPG. I may look into Mouse Guard as I've read some of the comics and they seem pretty interesting and I think it may be something my girlfriend would like more than a pure dungeon crawl. What are the mechanics like?

The mechanics of Mouse Guard are a more basic version Luke Crane's Burning Wheel system. I mean much, much more basic. Most resolution is handled in a system analogous to rock-paper-scissors. The game is almost entirely RPing, however. For what you're looking for -- mechanics without a lot of RP but some theme -- Descent or the D&D boardgames are the probably best. Descent is a hard game, however. It basically requires minmaxing and tight inter-party cooperation. Unless the GM is incompetent, of course. For this reason, I would suggest the D&D boardgames.

Have you tried Descent with the campaign rules from "Road to Legend"? I haven't been able to read them or get much more info about them beyond that it has a campaign system in the expansion.

No, I haven't. I understand that Sea of Blood has something similar, however. Regular Descent has no such rules and you start almost completely fresh between dungeons. I think there is a shoestring story that connects the dungeons but you have to character build anew through each one.

Castle Ravenloft

There is also the newer Wrath of Ashardalon

Both are fairly decent beginner games and 100% co-op, though some of the tweeks in WoA need to be used in CR. D6 generation had a bit about this when WoA was released.

Have you played WoA, Ahtfriend?

Manchu wrote:Have you played WoA, Ahtfriend?

No, it came out after I left for my Alaskan adventure. Sounded interesting on the podcast, as far as the changes go. More monsters on the board, more character options, some crossover with Castle Ravenloft, ect ect.

The main change that they mentioned that is for both is that when you draw for an item you keep drawing until you actually get a starting item. Forgetting that rule in CR was really ridiculous.

There are various boardgames with an RPG style to them, such as the ones mentioned above, and Runebound, and probably others too. They don't really offer long term campaign development.

You might like to look at a fast playing combat oriented RPG such as Savage Worlds. You have characters with traits and abilities like in other RPGs. The skills and task resolution rules are stripped down to let things move quickly. Fast, Furious and Fun is the game's motto.