# Best "Dungeon Crawl" Board Game(s)?



## CrimsonReaver

Descent?
Talisman?
Arkham Horror?
Something else entirely?

Which dungeon crawl/RPG-lite board games are your favorites and why?

I've actually never played any of those board games - for shame, I know - and the impending release of Ravenloft has me itching to try out more of those style board games.  So I'm really curious about which ones are the best or most enjoyable, especially for cooperative play, based on experiences of those who've spent more time with them.  (I was always put off by Descent on account of one person having to play the role of Overlord, when I'd much rather be on the same team as my friends.)

So...which ones do you love?  Which would you eagerly recommend?  And what do you feel are the pros and cons of each, aspects you feel really make the game or might potentially turn someone off?


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## Jhaelen

Well, from the ones you mentioned, I have played Talisman and Arkham Horror.

I love Arkham Horror, but I wouldn't call it a "Dungeon Crawl" game.

Talisman is way too random and luck-based for my taste.

I've heard mixed things about Decent. Apparently it's fun but takes a lot of time and effort to set up. It also requires a GM.

Other Dungeon Crawlers, I've played:

- Dungeon!: Simple, but fun, imho.
- Hero's Quest: I assume this is something like 'Decent light', quite simple but also requires a GM.
- Fantasy Forest: Eh, I don't really remember a lot about the game. I thought it was fun, but not at all balanced.

Ravenloft looks quite good to me. I'm probably going to get it.


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## CrimsonReaver

I lumped Arkham Horror in there because it was among the glut of other FFG games.  Plus, I love me some Lovecraft and just hoped to hear more about it from people who've spent extensive time playing it.



Jhaelen said:


> Ravenloft looks quite good to me. I'm probably going to get it.




Yeah, my quibbles aside, I'm really stoked for Ravenloft.  I've already got it and Wrath of Ashardalon preordered.  My hope is that, if there are future releases, they'll continue to release more 'hero' types and even find a way to link the various games together where players can carry over leveled up heroes and their items in sort of a campaign style of play.


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## darjr

Betrayal at House on the Hill | Board Game | BoardGameGeek

It isn't a 'dungeon' crawl, more a haunted house crawl, but some of the betrayers are cthuluesk and the game is very fun. It's going to be reprinted.

It's main influence, Chill: Black Morn Manor | Board Game | BoardGameGeek, which is sadly long out of print and is hard to find, is also a blast and a 'haunted house crawl'.


both, I think, have been stated as influences of the Ravenloft boardgame.


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## Holy Bovine

Descent with the Road to Legend expansion is easily the best dungeon crawl boardgame, imo.  I've played all the ones on the OPs list and Descent w/Road to Legend is head and shoulders above them in this regard.  They really should just repackage the base game to include RtL - it makes the game so much better I wouldn't play Descent without it.


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## Philotomy Jurament

CrimsonReaver said:


> Which dungeon crawl/RPG-lite board games are your favorites and why?



If you go with "RPG-lite" (i.e. you have a "PC" with stats/abilities/items) rather than pure dungeon-crawl, then I'd probably go with _Fury of Dracula_ or _Arkham Horror_.  Both of those manage to hold my interest better than most RPG-lite board games (although AH can go on too long).  

Try as I might, I can't seem to get into dungeon-crawl board games.  They inevitably make me wonder why I'm not playing D&D, instead.  That said, out of the ones that I've played, I think _Dungeon Twister_ probably holds up the best.


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## Agamon

Well, the best game involving dungeons is Dungeon Lords, though, it isn't a crawl, it's a "build the dungeon and kill the adventurers" resource gathering game.

I'm not really a big fan of RPG style of games.  They feel too much like very simplistic versions of D&D, and like PJ, I wonder why I'm not just playing D&D.  I do like Last Night On Earth, but that's more survival horror.


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## CrimsonReaver

Philotomy Jurament said:


> Try as I might, I can't seem to get into dungeon-crawl board games.  They inevitably make me wonder why I'm not playing D&D, instead.






Agamon said:


> I'm not really a big fan of RPG style of games.  They feel too much like very simplistic versions of D&D, and like PJ, I wonder why I'm not just playing D&D.




Playing an actual RPG is almost always preferable, but sometimes it really isn't feasible.  It's hard to have a really good game with just 3 people (with one of them having to be DM), because either the DM needs to run a character or the players have to take on double duty by running two characters each.  Or if you can't establish a proper schedule because of conflicting work shifts, family obligations, or other responsibilities.  Or sometimes everyone wants to be a player because no one is really in the mood to do the heavy lifting of creating a campaign, running all the monsters, etc.  Dungeon crawl/RPG-style board games - provided they're done well - could really help to fill that niche.  That's my interest in them, anyway.

It's not that I'd rather play a board game, anymore than I'd rather play a video/PC game in lieu of an actual pen-n-paper, dice rollin' RPG.  Rather, when you've got the itch to get your geek on, sometimes a taste is better than nothing at all.


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## John Crichton

Jhaelen said:


> I love Arkham Horror, but I wouldn't call it a "Dungeon Crawl" game.



Me either.  It's a great co-op game but doesn't lend itself to campaign play.  FF does have the Arkham League Seasons on their website and they are a sorta "campaign" but not in the traditional sense as none of the characters level up.



Jhaelen said:


> I've heard mixed things about Decent. Apparently it's fun but takes a lot of time and effort to set up. It also requires a GM.



That's not exactly right.  The "GM" role is the Overload and is simply another player that is trying to defeat the other players.  The Overlord doesn't do nearly the amount of work a GM does, including designing the dungeons, encounters, etc.

Any any dungeon crawl kind of game is gonna have a high degree of set-up time.  Goes with the territory of all the fiddly bits, minis and such. 



CrimsonReaver said:


> I lumped Arkham Horror in there because it was among the glut of other FFG games.  Plus, I love me some Lovecraft and just hoped to hear more about it from people who've spent extensive time playing it.



You can check out the Arkham Horror thread that's been going on here and then I'd pop over to boardgamegeek.com to see more.  You'll get a better idea of things from that.  Honestly, if you are a big Lovecraft fan and you don't mind dropping the $40 somewhat blind, it is a TERRIFIC game.  And you can have a ton of fun playing it solo.  Big bonus there.  And the game has enough expansions to keep ya going for a long time.

Bottom line is that I think we're all going to like the two new games WotC is releasing as they sound exactly like the Hero Quest and Warhammer Quest games that served as the template.


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## Agamon

CrimsonReaver said:


> Playing an actual RPG is almost always preferable, but sometimes it really isn't feasible.  It's hard to have a really good game with just 3 people (with one of them having to be DM), because either the DM needs to run a character or the players have to take on double duty by running two characters each.  Or if you can't establish a proper schedule because of conflicting work shifts, family obligations, or other responsibilities.  Or sometimes everyone wants to be a player because no one is really in the mood to do the heavy lifting of creating a campaign, running all the monsters, etc.  Dungeon crawl/RPG-style board games - provided they're done well - could really help to fill that niche.  That's my interest in them, anyway.
> 
> It's not that I'd rather play a board game, anymore than I'd rather play a video/PC game in lieu of an actual pen-n-paper, dice rollin' RPG.  Rather, when you've got the itch to get your geek on, sometimes a taste is better than nothing at all.





I get that.  I can see how these kinds of games would be great for people that don't have time or the right group for RPGs.  It certainly is better than nothing.  Just speaking personally, I'd rather play something more board-gamey than an RPG-lite (if that makes sense).

There are a lot of really great board games, dungeon crawl games don't even crack my top 30.  That said, RPGs are my first love.  Kind of a double-wammy against those kind of games fo rme.


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## Thanee

Warhammer Quest is by far and wide the best dungeon crawling board game ever! 

Just hope that GW will rerelease it like they did with Space Hulk, because it's prohibitively expensive these days.

Bye
Thanee


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## GlassJaw

HeroQuest!  Old-school but still my favorite, for both fun and sentimental value.  The expansion packs are great too if you can land them on ebay.

I do like Descent and Doom as well but for quick setup, teaching beginners, and instant out-of-the-box fun, HeroQuest is still the best.


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## MerricB

Castle Ravenloft. It is quite possibly the best ever released.

Cheers!


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## Holy Bovine

MerricB said:


> Castle Ravenloft. It is quite possibly the best ever released.
> 
> Cheers!




Oh I dearly have to get this game.  You have very similar tastes in boardgames to me I've noticed MerricB.  I'm glad Castle Ravenloft has hit a high note it seems.


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## Felon

MerricB said:


> Castle Ravenloft. It is quite possibly the best ever released.
> 
> Cheers!



In what venue did you get to play this? And how many times?

Amazon should be shipping these babies out any time now. Descent without all the overhead. Seems like a four-bagger concept to me.


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## Agamon

MerricB said:


> Castle Ravenloft. It is quite possibly the best ever released.




Really?  As far as board games go, it's a good game?  Looks a lot like DDM: the board game, with some Decent thrown in for good measure.  The next one, Wrath of Somethingorother, looks like more of the same.

I thought when I first heard WotC was going to start doing D&D-themed board games, there'd be a little more creativity, like what FF has done with the Warhammer license....


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## MerricB

Felon said:


> In what venue did you get to play this? And how many times?




At my FLGS during the Dark Sun Game Day. Wizards Australia gave us permission to demo it. We played it four times.

Now that it's out, I've played it more. 

Here are some pictorial session reports you may find interesting:

Game 1: To find the Icon of Ravenloft! (pictorial) | Dungeons & Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game | BoardGameGeek

Game 2: Hunt the kobold! (pictorial) | Dungeons & Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game | BoardGameGeek

Game 3: Doom of the Dracolich (pictorial) | Dungeons & Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game | BoardGameGeek

Game 4: Daylight Assault (pictorial) | Dungeons & Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game | BoardGameGeek

Game 5: A Brief Report from the Castle (non-pictorial) | Dungeons & Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game | BoardGameGeek

Game 6: A Dragonborn is Strahd's Guest! (solo, pictorial) | Dungeons & Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game | BoardGameGeek

Game 7: The Fastest Wizzard of them all! (solo, pictorial) | Dungeons & Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game | BoardGameGeek

Cheers!


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## Festivus

I have Talisman, and it's fun to play with my family when we get together, but it takes a LONG time to play.  This is my fall back game when we don't have enough players for D&D.

I have played House on Haunted Hill and found it enjoyable, but the rules were a little confusing and it ran a little longish too.

Ravenloft will probably take a seat as the leader of the pack for two reasons:

1. It's easy to play and understand (I can at least explain how to play it)
2. It's FAST.  My wife complains about games that take more than an hour... and I tend to agree with her that a shorter game will get more play... and replay.


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## Rolflyn

Warhammer Quest.


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## jimmifett

I haven't played the others, but i really want to, esp Arkham. I can however tell you that Ravenloft is tons of fun. Best $45 i've spent in a long time.


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## Holy Bovine

Rolflyn said:


> Warhammer Quest.




Whoa, whoa, whoa!!  While Warhammer Quest (and its predecessor Advanced Heroquest) are excellent, even outstanding games, most people I know are unwilling to either take out that second mortgage or sell vital body organs in order to afford them.

*hoping Warhammer Quest is the next game GW brings out for an anniversary special edition*


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## Odhanan

Yeah. Milton Bradley's HeroQuest here too.


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## SteveC

Thanee said:


> Warhammer Quest is by far and wide the best dungeon crawling board game ever!
> 
> Just hope that GW will rerelease it like they did with Space Hulk, because it's prohibitively expensive these days.
> 
> Bye
> Thanee




This. If there was a limited release of Warhammer Quest, I'd say it would disappear overnight. My FLGS has a standing order for three sets for me alone. It would be glorious.


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## Thanee

Yeah, if I ever hear about WHQ being re-released I will preorder it from 20 different vendors all over the world or something like that, just to be sure. 

Bye
Thanee


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## MerricB

I'd be very surprised if WHQ gets released in the short term. Mainly because FFG would have the rights, and it would seem odd to release a game that competes with their major product of Descent.

That said, it might still happen. 

Cheers!


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## SteveC

MerricB said:


> I'd be very surprised if WHQ gets released in the short term. Mainly because FFG would have the rights, and it would seem odd to release a game that competes with their major product of Descent.
> 
> That said, it might still happen.
> 
> Cheers!



That's a very good point. I'd expect it would be a one-shot release with a set number of copies. It would sell out almost instantly and I don't think anyone would expect further support. Just like with Space Hulk, actually. I don't think it would compete with Descent at all, and could really be a quick cash grab for FFG. I wouldn't mind if they took advantage of me, mind you... it would be that good to get a copy of the game again.

I can dream, can't I?

--Steve


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## Thanee

MerricB said:


> I'd be very surprised if WHQ gets released in the short term. Mainly because FFG would have the rights, and it would seem odd to release a game that competes with their major product of Descent.




Well, it's not like they are not doing this in other areas (yay for double negation), they have a pretty huge selection there. 

Bye
Thanee

P.S. Shiny new buttons!


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## Agamon

Wow, I traded my WQ game for a second Blood Bowl board for the league I was in 15 years ago.  Never really played it much, either.  Had no idea it'd turn into a Space Hulk (now, that game I had fun with).


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## Celisasu

I've played Descent, Arkham Horror, and Castle Ravenloft at this point.

I find Descent the most enjoyable.  I've only played the Overlord so far, but I have a lot of fun doing so.  

Castle Ravenloft I'm undecided on.  It's fun, but so far it seems a bit easy once you know how to game the system. 

Arkham Horror is a very loose definition of dungeon crawl but I can see how some would interpet it that way.  If you imagine each location as a different room of the dungeon and your investigators as adventurers it has a lot of the elements including wandering monsters and loot and a big bad.  It's fun but very random.  You also need the expansions as the core game is way too easy.


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## grizzo

SPI's Deathmaze.


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## Dannyalcatraz

Metagames' The Fantasy Trip grew out of 2 great, simple games, _Melee_ and _Wizard_.

Technically speaking, they may be fantasy wargames, but they're so simple, they're on the borderline.


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## Kanegrundar

Here's my favorites (in no real order):
1. Warhammer Quest.  It's the best hands down.  It's easy to play, doesn't take itself seriously, and deadly as hell.  Surviving level by level in WQ is a badge of honor.

2. Castle Ravenloft.  Quick and easy to play dungeons with rules that are by and large already familiar.  If a robust campaign option ever came out for this (and the other D&D boardgames), I'd likely play this instead of D&D in a heartbeat.  

3. Hero Quest.  This is the game that got me into RPG's many years ago.  It still gets pulled out from time to time.  

4. Descent.  I wish this one played quicker.  It could easily be my favorite.  Road to Legend makes it easier to digest, but it's still a game that I'm the only one that wants to play it.  

5. Dungeons and Dragons the Boardgame.  It took me a while to get my hand on this and the two expansions, and while it's mostly just a reskinning of Hero Quest with more options, it's still enjoyable, just not as much as the other games on the list.  

6. Dungeon.  I still bring this out from time to time and it'll likely be one of the first games I pull out of the stack when/if my son becomes interested in gaming.  It's pretty simplistic, but that's part of it's charm.  

7. DungeonQuest.  A race against time in dungeons so deadly that they can make some WQ adventures look like a cakewalk.  I picked up the new edition by FFG, and it's still deadly as hell.  It's a lot of fun, but if you're someone that doesn't like games in which the game wins most of the time, pass on by.  

8.  Drakon.  This is an easy to play hard to master dungeon crawler.  The players lay out the dungeon room by room. Rooms have different effects, both good and bad.  The goal is to be the first player to collect 10 coins to win.  It's really easy to play and it plays really quick as well.  

9. Dark World.  This is a goofy little dungeon crawler that came out around the time of Hero Quest's peak in popularity.  It's not a good game that relies heavily on gimmicky props.  The monster minis are cool, and worth the price of finding a cheap copy.  The rest of the game is pretty forgettable.  

10. Mutant Chronicles: Siege of the Citadel.  It's sci-fi and plays similar to HQ.  The stats for players and monsters don't match up very well, making some monsters virtually impossible to kill.  Get passed that, and it's a solid, classic crawler that can still be found at a decent price.


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## darjr

That list is fantastic, thank you.

Makes me pine for a coop ruleset for space hulk.


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## Kanegrundar

darjr said:


> That list is fantastic, thank you.
> 
> Makes me pine for a coop ruleset for space hulk.



Check out Space Hulk's BoardGameGeek's entry.  I'd be surprised if someone hasn't developed a co-op or solo play variant ruleset.


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