So there you are, in the cavernous deeps of the Lady Teradyne's slave mines. You've vanquished the Keeper of the Keys, destroyed Slavemaster Grobulus, beaten down the Doors of Penance, and set thousands of slaves free to go back to the cool night air of the surface world.
All that lays before you is the final, deepest, darkest pit of the whole mine system. The stench of brimstone and the foul refuse of failed alchemical experiments trigger your gag reflex with nearly every breath. As the gorge rises in your throat, you can just make out the far wall of the pits. Rising against the blood-red light of the coal fires at the pit's heart, the shadow of the great evil herself at last reveals her true form as her massive wings spread from edge to edge of the pit. You grip the hilt of Metonidest, the cleaving bane-sword of Pendroth the Unholy from whose dead fingers you prized it, tightly in your hands while your two companions prepare their spells of warding and destruction. Wait, only two companions? Shouldn't we have a Ranger here somewhere?
Oh yeah, Gary can't make it this week.
I know, you were all primed for adventure and now everything has to wait a week because you can't go on without Gary. It wouldn't be fair. He's been here for all the other sessions and this is last one. You have to wait.
So, what do you do in the meantime? Well, for the properly prepared gamer, this doesn't have to disrupt the evening you had planned to spend playing your favorite RPG. No, sir. You don't even have to roll up characters to get started. All it takes is the right box of goodies. Board game goodies, of course.
Today, we're going to take a look at board game versions of popular RPGs. Of necessity, I'm actually going to skip all the D&D options. There are so many, and they are reasonably well known enough, that going over them here and now wouldn't get us very far. Let's begin:
Let's say you were itching to run around Alpha Complex in the service of Friend Computer. Four clones down and not having left R&D yet, you need a bit of a breather from Paranoia. That is, of course, the perfect moment to pull out the Paranoia Mandatory Bonus Fun! Card Game. The PMBF!CG makes no bones about it, you will be a troubleshooter and it will be your job to eliminate commies, mutants and other traitors. These, of course, being all the other players at the table. A session of PMBF!CG takes about an hour and 'serves' anywhere from 3-8 players. It is also a pretty decent introduction to the way Paranoia itself is supposed to work and can be used to get people up to speed on the game rules if they haven't played before. It was good enough to win a 2005 Origin Award, so don't be shy about checking it out. It is mandatory after all.
If you tend more to the Weird West and Deadlands, I've got good news for you. Well, good news if things like Hangin' Judges and Tumblebleeds make you all giddy with excitement. You might think I'm about to mention the Doomtown CCG, or the Great Rail Wars miniatures game, or even the Doomtown Range Wars disk flippin' game. Well, I just did. However, I am also going to mention Deadlands: The Battle for Slaughter Gulch. Released in 2009 by Twilight Creations (Zombies!!!) in conjunction with Pinnacle Entertainment, the Battle for Slaughter Gulch works in a similar way, unsurprisingly, to Zombies!!!!. Players lay out a town which is then populated with the weird things out of Deadlands and then proceed to shoot the place up something fierce. Two to six players take on the roles of one of the settings factions, there's a bit of Worker Placement mechanics, and more flying lead, dead guys and strange events than a ghost rock mine. Also, did I mention, Zomibies!!!!!
If Exalted is more your cup of tea, then you are in luck. Exalted: War for the Throne came out in 2007 for 2 to 5 players and will have you fighting faction to faction for the Scarlet Throne with your armies and resources in your attempt to become emperor of The Realm. If you are familiar with Risk, this is, in some ways, similar with the addition of events cards and unique player powers to mix things up a bit.
Now, I know what you are thinking, you're thinking, “Dang it, Fiddleback! That's cool and all, but I like my games old school and space-y.” Hey buddy, I'm right there with you, and as soon as I get done rolling on all these charts, we can sit down and talk about the Traveller inspired war game, Imperium: 3rd Millenium. Two players go head to head as the Terrans and the Vilani trying to either take over or protect the sector of space that just so happens to contain our big blue marble. It's a hex and counter wargame, but is regarded as highly tactical and very deep. Everyone gets lot of ships, planetary exploration opportunities and, of course, several scenarios to play out.
While we're talking about things GDW use to do, let's take a quick look at Last Battle: Twilight 2000. Meant to be a sort of faster combat resolution for the Twilight 2000 RPG, it plays equally well as a stand alone board / war game for vehicular combat in a post holocaust world. Think pre-Mad Max but post bomb drop. Cool, eh?
While we're talking about things GDW use to do, let's take a quick look at Minion Hunter. Based on GDWs Dark Conspiracy game, players take on the role of...wait for it...Minion Hunters tasked with preventing the evil horrors from beyond building up enough presence and fear to take over the, by comparison, sane world. Curiously, it works as a lighter, faster version of Arkham Horror, before Arkham Horror. If you can grab it, do so and while you are at it, grab the Minion Nation expansion. Then put them in a box and mail them to me. Thanks!
If you prefer your dark Sci-Fi future horror to be Shadowrun flavored, there is always... you could check out... an excellent choice is...Shadowrun Duelshahahaha. No, sorry, couldn't do it with a straight face. Avoid Shadowrun Duels. Instead, you could probably check out, with mixed success, Shadowrun: DMZ Downtown Militarized Zone. Yes, so well thought out they gave you the acronym AND its explanation right there in the title. The Boardgamegeek description is literally just this:
While we're talking about things GDW use to do, let's take a quick look...oh never mind. Look, Sky Galleons of Mars, set in the Space:1889 RPG universe. And a lovely Victorian Steampunk sort of universe it is, too. For those of you who don't know what it is all about: What is wrong with you? Think John Carter of Mars except with a full British expeditionary force and sailing ships that fly and martians and colonialism and the Great British Empire stretched into space and then go grab of copy and play. The board game itself, according to BGG, plays a lot like Star Fleet Battles. There is not one word of that sentence that sounds bad to me.
Did someone here say 'Vampire'? You, there in the back. Yes, the moody one with the cloak, was it you? It was? Excellent. You've been very helpful in segueing to this paragraph, thanks. Fans of all things White Wolf and Vampire (and now don't they all look reasonable and well adjusted when compared to Twilight fans? Hale and well met, brother gamer! Come, sit at the non-sparkly table with Captain Neckbeard and the Grognard twins. Yes, we know. It used to be so much better back in the day) can take comfort in the knowledge that they have Vampire: Dark Influences. A combination area control and set collection game, players take on one of five factions and attempt to influence various kindred in order to win the game.
If that wasn't enough influence / control / favor / sneakiness / double dealing / etc. for you, there is also Vampire: Prince of the City. In which, playing one of five factions, players attempt to become...yeah, Prince of the City. Not totally unexpected. Fortunately this one does rely a bit more on partnerships and trading to accomplish your goals as well as some actual role play, just to keep your hand in. It feels more like a Euro-game than the more traditional American style, but even that boundary isn't as clear as it once was.
Now, to be honest, one or two of these are going to require you to exercise a certain amount of E-Bay or Amazon-fu to track down. However, it shouldn't be too difficult to do.
If you know of other games based on or set in your favorite RPG, tell us about them down in the comments.
Meanwhile...
Chykosrax's atomizer beam cracked across the open space between the banks of computers. Ozone filled the air and the tang of burnt metal told more about how angry Chykosrax was than his marksmanship.
Private Gary T. Pennywhistle of the 7th Space Corps crouched down even further behind the heavy machinery designed to calculate the exact moment to engage the Crisis-space jump drive to 1/1000th of a second's accuracy and looked around him. The massive fleet ship's calcutonometers were already destroyed in the opening assault. They'd never be getting back to Home Sector R-/14a^ now. Not without some serious repairs and more good luck than the Paltornius Nebula had so far shown them. Fortunately, Grand Lord Chykosrax didn't know that Cadets Bellifo and Membleton were creeping up behind him with their recidivist beamers fully charged. Wait, only two cadets...?
Son of a bi--
All that lays before you is the final, deepest, darkest pit of the whole mine system. The stench of brimstone and the foul refuse of failed alchemical experiments trigger your gag reflex with nearly every breath. As the gorge rises in your throat, you can just make out the far wall of the pits. Rising against the blood-red light of the coal fires at the pit's heart, the shadow of the great evil herself at last reveals her true form as her massive wings spread from edge to edge of the pit. You grip the hilt of Metonidest, the cleaving bane-sword of Pendroth the Unholy from whose dead fingers you prized it, tightly in your hands while your two companions prepare their spells of warding and destruction. Wait, only two companions? Shouldn't we have a Ranger here somewhere?
Oh yeah, Gary can't make it this week.
I know, you were all primed for adventure and now everything has to wait a week because you can't go on without Gary. It wouldn't be fair. He's been here for all the other sessions and this is last one. You have to wait.
So, what do you do in the meantime? Well, for the properly prepared gamer, this doesn't have to disrupt the evening you had planned to spend playing your favorite RPG. No, sir. You don't even have to roll up characters to get started. All it takes is the right box of goodies. Board game goodies, of course.
Today, we're going to take a look at board game versions of popular RPGs. Of necessity, I'm actually going to skip all the D&D options. There are so many, and they are reasonably well known enough, that going over them here and now wouldn't get us very far. Let's begin:
Let's say you were itching to run around Alpha Complex in the service of Friend Computer. Four clones down and not having left R&D yet, you need a bit of a breather from Paranoia. That is, of course, the perfect moment to pull out the Paranoia Mandatory Bonus Fun! Card Game. The PMBF!CG makes no bones about it, you will be a troubleshooter and it will be your job to eliminate commies, mutants and other traitors. These, of course, being all the other players at the table. A session of PMBF!CG takes about an hour and 'serves' anywhere from 3-8 players. It is also a pretty decent introduction to the way Paranoia itself is supposed to work and can be used to get people up to speed on the game rules if they haven't played before. It was good enough to win a 2005 Origin Award, so don't be shy about checking it out. It is mandatory after all.
If you tend more to the Weird West and Deadlands, I've got good news for you. Well, good news if things like Hangin' Judges and Tumblebleeds make you all giddy with excitement. You might think I'm about to mention the Doomtown CCG, or the Great Rail Wars miniatures game, or even the Doomtown Range Wars disk flippin' game. Well, I just did. However, I am also going to mention Deadlands: The Battle for Slaughter Gulch. Released in 2009 by Twilight Creations (Zombies!!!) in conjunction with Pinnacle Entertainment, the Battle for Slaughter Gulch works in a similar way, unsurprisingly, to Zombies!!!!. Players lay out a town which is then populated with the weird things out of Deadlands and then proceed to shoot the place up something fierce. Two to six players take on the roles of one of the settings factions, there's a bit of Worker Placement mechanics, and more flying lead, dead guys and strange events than a ghost rock mine. Also, did I mention, Zomibies!!!!!
If Exalted is more your cup of tea, then you are in luck. Exalted: War for the Throne came out in 2007 for 2 to 5 players and will have you fighting faction to faction for the Scarlet Throne with your armies and resources in your attempt to become emperor of The Realm. If you are familiar with Risk, this is, in some ways, similar with the addition of events cards and unique player powers to mix things up a bit.
Now, I know what you are thinking, you're thinking, “Dang it, Fiddleback! That's cool and all, but I like my games old school and space-y.” Hey buddy, I'm right there with you, and as soon as I get done rolling on all these charts, we can sit down and talk about the Traveller inspired war game, Imperium: 3rd Millenium. Two players go head to head as the Terrans and the Vilani trying to either take over or protect the sector of space that just so happens to contain our big blue marble. It's a hex and counter wargame, but is regarded as highly tactical and very deep. Everyone gets lot of ships, planetary exploration opportunities and, of course, several scenarios to play out.
While we're talking about things GDW use to do, let's take a quick look at Last Battle: Twilight 2000. Meant to be a sort of faster combat resolution for the Twilight 2000 RPG, it plays equally well as a stand alone board / war game for vehicular combat in a post holocaust world. Think pre-Mad Max but post bomb drop. Cool, eh?
While we're talking about things GDW use to do, let's take a quick look at Minion Hunter. Based on GDWs Dark Conspiracy game, players take on the role of...wait for it...Minion Hunters tasked with preventing the evil horrors from beyond building up enough presence and fear to take over the, by comparison, sane world. Curiously, it works as a lighter, faster version of Arkham Horror, before Arkham Horror. If you can grab it, do so and while you are at it, grab the Minion Nation expansion. Then put them in a box and mail them to me. Thanks!
If you prefer your dark Sci-Fi future horror to be Shadowrun flavored, there is always... you could check out... an excellent choice is...Shadowrun Duelshahahaha. No, sorry, couldn't do it with a straight face. Avoid Shadowrun Duels. Instead, you could probably check out, with mixed success, Shadowrun: DMZ Downtown Militarized Zone. Yes, so well thought out they gave you the acronym AND its explanation right there in the title. The Boardgamegeek description is literally just this:
I have no idea. Just wait six months until the new cooperative constructable deck game and Sprawl Gangers miniatures game come out. You'll be better off.Shadowrun: Downtown Militarized Zone is a 3D game with cardboard miniatures inspired by the homonym role-playing game.
While we're talking about things GDW use to do, let's take a quick look...oh never mind. Look, Sky Galleons of Mars, set in the Space:1889 RPG universe. And a lovely Victorian Steampunk sort of universe it is, too. For those of you who don't know what it is all about: What is wrong with you? Think John Carter of Mars except with a full British expeditionary force and sailing ships that fly and martians and colonialism and the Great British Empire stretched into space and then go grab of copy and play. The board game itself, according to BGG, plays a lot like Star Fleet Battles. There is not one word of that sentence that sounds bad to me.
Did someone here say 'Vampire'? You, there in the back. Yes, the moody one with the cloak, was it you? It was? Excellent. You've been very helpful in segueing to this paragraph, thanks. Fans of all things White Wolf and Vampire (and now don't they all look reasonable and well adjusted when compared to Twilight fans? Hale and well met, brother gamer! Come, sit at the non-sparkly table with Captain Neckbeard and the Grognard twins. Yes, we know. It used to be so much better back in the day) can take comfort in the knowledge that they have Vampire: Dark Influences. A combination area control and set collection game, players take on one of five factions and attempt to influence various kindred in order to win the game.
If that wasn't enough influence / control / favor / sneakiness / double dealing / etc. for you, there is also Vampire: Prince of the City. In which, playing one of five factions, players attempt to become...yeah, Prince of the City. Not totally unexpected. Fortunately this one does rely a bit more on partnerships and trading to accomplish your goals as well as some actual role play, just to keep your hand in. It feels more like a Euro-game than the more traditional American style, but even that boundary isn't as clear as it once was.
Now, to be honest, one or two of these are going to require you to exercise a certain amount of E-Bay or Amazon-fu to track down. However, it shouldn't be too difficult to do.
If you know of other games based on or set in your favorite RPG, tell us about them down in the comments.
Meanwhile...
Chykosrax's atomizer beam cracked across the open space between the banks of computers. Ozone filled the air and the tang of burnt metal told more about how angry Chykosrax was than his marksmanship.
Private Gary T. Pennywhistle of the 7th Space Corps crouched down even further behind the heavy machinery designed to calculate the exact moment to engage the Crisis-space jump drive to 1/1000th of a second's accuracy and looked around him. The massive fleet ship's calcutonometers were already destroyed in the opening assault. They'd never be getting back to Home Sector R-/14a^ now. Not without some serious repairs and more good luck than the Paltornius Nebula had so far shown them. Fortunately, Grand Lord Chykosrax didn't know that Cadets Bellifo and Membleton were creeping up behind him with their recidivist beamers fully charged. Wait, only two cadets...?
Son of a bi--
