This week a look at recently released boxed sets along with some classics. Options range from starter sets and entire RPGs in a box. GMs can offer adventures to PCs in a variety of settings and using different game systems. PCs could explore the North Downs of Middle-earth, travel to the Woods, venture into the worlds of Warhammer including WH40K and Age of Sigmar, experience classic fantasy D20 adventures, go into space where no one can hear them scream, or follow in the footsteps and slime trail of Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo.
Over Hill and Under Hill Starter Set | The Lord of the Rings Starter Set by Free League Publishing
Cairn Second Edition Boxed Set by Space Penguin Ink
Castles & Crusades Starter Set by Troll Lord Games
Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay: Imperium Maledictum Starter Set | Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound Starter Set by Cubicle 7
Land of Eem Deluxe Box Set by Exalted Funeral
Mothership First Edition Deluxe Set by Tuesday Knight Games
Over Hill and Under Hill Starter Set | The Lord of the Rings Starter Set by Free League Publishing
- SYSTEM: The One Ring/Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Edition
- RETAIL PRICE: $31.14 each
- DESCRIPTION: The PCs are members of a Company whose self-appointed duty is to learn about the bone-chilling dangers that might emerge from the houseless hills beyond the borders of Bree. The Company is enjoying a quiet evening at the Prancing Pony when a hunter joins them to share a tale about a dark threat looming over the North Downs. Includes condensed rules for action resolution, combat, councils and journeys along with an adventure that calls the heroes deep into the wild lands of northern Eriador to face a dark threat. Also comes with; a large full-color map of Eriador with a combat diagram on the back, cardboard stand-up figures for Player-heroes and adversaries, five pre-generated and illustrated Player-heroes and dice (for The One Ring two D12 Feat Dice and six D6 Success Dice all engraved with custom symbols and for Dungeons & Dragons a full set of transparent polyhedral dice including two d20s engraved with the Rune of Gandalf and the Eye of Sauron).
Cairn Second Edition Boxed Set by Space Penguin Ink
- SYSTEM: OSR
- RETAIL PRICE: $60
- DESCRIPTION: This boxed monster contains everything an experienced GM and up to three players might need except dice. The PCs are fantasy adventurers gathering treasure and overcoming monsters and other challenges. The GM is provided with dozens of tables and prompts to build a world and supporting adventures with a few die rolls and provided map making procedures. This second edition includes an expanded Player’s Guide, a brand new Warden’s Guide, and new adventures. Inside the box: three copies of the Player’s Guide along with the Warden’s Guide, a zine adventure, Adventure Anthology Volume 1 with three adventures, a Warden’s screen, and a character sheet pad.
Castles & Crusades Starter Set by Troll Lord Games
- SYSTEM: Castles & Crusades
- RETAIL PRICE: $29.99
- DESCRIPTION: PCs are rangers and wizards exploring the wilds and dungeons seeking treasure and attempting to outwit or outfight monsters like orcs and dragons. Includes three booklets, character sheets, and dice. Book 1 covers character creation and provides a detailed example of play. PCs can be taken all the way from first to sixth level. Book 2 tells the GM how to run the game, how to build a fantasy world, and how to handle various situations in a fantasy RPG. Finally, in Book 3, is an adventure for three to eight first level PCs. The PCs go on a quest and test their mettle against a hideous giant and his goblin minions.
Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay: Imperium Maledictum Starter Set | Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound Starter Set by Cubicle 7
- SYSTEM: Imperium Maledictum RPG/Soulbound RPG
- RETAIL PRICE: $39.99/$29.99
- DESCRIPTION: Heresy and corruption have taken root in the Macharian Sector. The PCs vie for control against dark cults, traitors, daemons and vile xenos who lurk shrouded in the ever-encroaching darkness. The box set includes: learn rules as the PCs navigate a dark and dangerous Inquisitorial adventure, a setting guide to a fully mapped-out Hive City complete with a variety of intriguing locations and mysterious characters, six pre-generated PCs, rules reference sheets, tokens to resources, and a set of ten-sided dice. For the Soulbound Starter Set: see the Soulbound Starter Set Unboxing and Overview article. It is an outstanding value for under 30 bucks.
Land of Eem Deluxe Box Set by Exalted Funeral
- SYSTEM: unique d12 chart
- RETAIL PRICE: $150
- DESCRIPTION: Nominated for five Ennie Awards for Product of the Year, Best Family Game/Product , Best Production Values , Best Monster/ Adversary, and Best Cartography. “The Lord of the Rings meets The Muppets”. In this lighthearted fantasy setting, PCs might be a Mushrum Dungeoneer exploring the ruins of a lost civilization, or a Goblin Rascal planning a heist against a river baron. PCs are drawn from 16 Folk species (like the Gelatinous Goo and Skeleton) and six character classes, each with 20 unique Abilities, like the Knight-Errant and the Rascal. Hex crawling is handled on a world map displayed on boardgame quality cardboard, roleplaying is encouraged with a cast of dozens of NPCs, and there are plenty of adventures to help the GM. This massive set includes three hardbound volumes: the Land of Eem Core Rulebook, the Mucklands Sandbox Campaign Setting, and the Land of Eem Bestiary Volume 1. Also comes with the Mucklands hex crawl 25.5" x 22" foldout gameboard map, GM screen, Gelatinous Goo dice, and Land of Eem meeples.
Mothership First Edition Deluxe Set by Tuesday Knight Games
- SYSTEM: unique d100
- PRODUCT TYPE: light unique d6 dice pool
- RETAIL PRICE: $10
- DESCRIPTION: Set in the future when humanity has traveled to interstellar space and found it extremely horrific and hostile. What's in the box? An entire RPG system including dice. This is not one big connected universe but different takes on possible worlds, so experienced GMs will need to decide exactly what sort of universe to run. Player’s Survival Guide, Warden’s Operation Manual, Unconfirmed Contact Reports, Shipbreaker’s Toolkit, D100 dice set and panic die, over 12 punchboard pawns, double-sided full color poster map, Warden’s Screen, and four adventures: Another Bug Hunt, Dead Planet, A Pound of Flesh, and Gradient Descent.
