Recommend a good fantasy boardgame?

[Particle_Man]

Oh, there is a fantasy train-track building game called Steel Dragon, if you want to go that way (at least I think it was called Steel Dragon).

 

[Fast Learner]

Here's a good BoardGameGeek GeekList of fantasy adventure type games:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=3651

And a little broader list of fantasy-themed games:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=4616

And about a jillon fantasy themed games, most every one ever made:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/catbrowse.php3?id=10

Click on the game's name (in every case) for more information, pictures, reviews, etc.

Love the 'geek!

 

[Dougal DeKree]

Board Favourite

We liked to play "Titan" by Avalon Hill Games, but it surely is out of print now.

 

[CCamfield]

Try Dungeoneer.... granted, it's technically a card game, but it's NON-collectable (there are two versions you can get and combine if you wish). Plus, it plays like a board game, the cards create the board.

Seconded.

There are actually these sets now:

Two 4-player sets:

Tomb of the Lich Lord - undead-themed crypt dungeon
Vault of the Fiends - dungeon with a sort of "mad magician/scientist inventor" theme

and two 2-player sets (half the number of cards):

The Haunted Woods of Malthorin - self-explanatory
The Den of the Wererats - city/sewers

But you can combine whatever sets you want to. I've got only the first two, and would like the rest, as it seems like there are some new and interesting card ideas in them.

 

[Mercule]

It's not fantasy but Settlers of Cattan is a classic and one of the best games ever created. That's what my group plays when not RP-ing.

Excellent game. Carcasonne has replaced Catan as the boardgame-of-choice in my group. It plays a bit faster and is slightly lower impact, which is good for the couple of spouses who play with us.

 

[Kaledor]

My brother and sister in laws like to get together to play fantasy games all the time. They don't like rpgs, nor do they like strategic/conquest games. So, I've had to develop a small cache of low-conflict, low-rpg, high fantasy games.

These aren't really board games (they're more like card games... but they're not collectable cards games... no other expansions to buy).

*King of Elves
*Guillotine (hope I spelled that right... the french execution device that lopps off heads).
*Apples to Apples (okay not a fantasy game... but still interesting to a group that doesn't want to roleplay).
*The Great Dalmutee (not really THAT fantasy... in fact the first time I saw this game, it was a drinking game in college called President and Pee-on)
*Castle (not really my favorite... too easy)

*RoboRally (the only board game they like... but it is a bit too much strategy for them)

Anyways, I guess it really depends on the use of the game in question. I'm always looking for new games that are a "good mix" of strategy, fantasy, and chance... It's got to have enough strategy to keep me (and my brother) happy, but enough chance and strategy that you can ignore to keep the wives and the brother-in-laws happy... It be so much easier if they just played DnD

(if you're looking for a good fantasy game that is an rpg in disguise and you don't mind sacrificing a few hours to learn and teach the rules AND then a few more hours to play the game... then Magic Realm is a good fantasy game with lots of rpg elements and lots of strategy, but enough random exploration that anyone would be happy).

 

[Kaledor]

i have talisman 3rd edition and love it (why are those expansions so hard to find and so expensive??), and was hoping to find something similar yet different.

Does anybody know where I can pick up Talisman (any edition) or Talisman Dungeon? I used to love the original game (ed 1 I assume) and really think that it might work for my strangely mixed group.

I've also been thinking of picking up Settlers of Catan. For those that have played and liked it (sounds like there's quite a few) Can it be played with 2 people? Is it a fun game for 4? About how long is the average game?

 

[John Crichton]

It can but it is best with 4. You can also buy the 2 player version.

The average game can last anywhere from one hour to much longer. Ours average about 90 minutes (give or take 10), depending on the amount of table talk/food/beer being consumed.

 

[DMScott]

any good recommendations? older games are fine too, as i'll most likely try to pick something up on ebay.

Divine Right would be my pick if money was no object - fantastic game, but it'll probably set you back a fair amount since it's a collector's item nowadays. I keep hearing about plans to republish it, but none of them have come to fruition so far.

Another blast from the past that I've seen on some game store shelves is "the Best of Dragon Magazine Games". It was a compilation of games published in Dragon way back when (80s and early 90s, IIRC), you get something like 5 games at a pretty reasonable price. One of them is "File 13", a classic Tom Wham game that's worth the price of admission on its own.

A more current recommendation is anything by Cheapass Games (http://www.cheapass.com/). The cost is low enough that they're basically disposable if you get one you don't like, but that's generally not a problem since they're pretty darn good games.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I believe the 2 player version of Settlers is more played with cards than a board. I may be wrong.