Roll in if you are looking for board games like Dungeons and Dragons and are curious about what similar games to play next. D&D has been around for decades and is embraced by millions as a tremendous medium for storytelling and development. Your only limit is your imagination and then you take a character you created into a world of many dangers, getting stronger as you go so you can take on the even bigger threats.
To determine this list we broke down Dungeons and Dragons to what it is. You have a set of rules and you take fantasy characters inside a world based on those rules to conquer things, which gets you things, which makes you better. Cooperation is key and it is something where your efforts continue on. If you are looking for something similar, you have come to the right place. Storytelling is very important. We took all this into consideration and came up with this list of the 5 board games like Dungeons and Dragons.
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#05 | Shadows of Brimstone
Shadows of Brimstone may be a bit off thematically, but that should speak to its depth of gameplay if it is going to be on the list of board games like dungeons and dragons. Like you will see throughout this list, it is all about that “dungeon crawler” genre and this is a great one. This is a dice rolling action and movement game that goes on for days.
You take on the role of a classic Western Hero (i.e. Law Man, Gunslinger, Saloon Girl). With your crew formed, you will venture down into the dark mines, overrun with all manner of ancient demons and foul creatures. With tactical gameplay, lots of dice, and a robust card-driven exploration system, no two games are ever the same as the heroes explore the mines finding new enemies to fight, new loot to collect, and new dangers to overcome. For 1 – 4 players, games last about 2 hours.
FOR MORE: Buy Shadows of Brimstone on Amazon
#04 | Aeon’s End Legacy
Aeon’s End makes the list of board games like Dungeons & Dragons because it partners you up and has you venturing into dungeons to take on evil fantasy forces relying on your skills, character and inventory. There is a regular version, but the “Legacy” version introduces a campaign that is larger than just one game, putting this deck builder meets dungeon crawler closer to the D&D style.
The survivors of a long-ago invasion have taken refuge in the forgotten underground city. The desperate remnants of society have learned a way to transform the energy used against the into various gems, transforming the malign energies within into beneficial spells and weapons to aid their last line of defense: the breach mages. You and your team use resources to add cards to your deck to propel you through the dungeon and combat victory. For 1 – 4 players, games last about 1 hour.
FOR MORE: Games Like Aeon’s End | Buy Aeons End Legacy on Amazon
#03 | Mice & Mystics
Another great dungeon crawler and user of ampersands on the list of board games like Dungeons and Dragons is Mice & Mystics. The storytelling here is fantastic. If what you are looking for is an immersive trip through the unknown with rich detail and character, this might be for you. Others do character progression and variable powers better, but they make for it in the satisfaction of the journey.
In Mice & Mystics, you will face countless adversaries such as rats, cockroaches, and spiders, and of course the greatest of all horrors: the castle’s housecat, Brodie. Mice and Mystics is a boldly innovative game that thrusts players into an ever-changing, interactive environment, and features a rich storyline. Like Dungeons & Dragons, you gain important things as you go. For 1 – 4 players, games run about 60 – 90 minutes.
FOR MORE: Games Like Mice & Mystics | Buy Mice & Mystics on Amazon
#02 | Descent: Journeys in the Dark
Descent: Journeys in the Dark makes the list of board games like dungeon and dragons because it has the same spirit in terms of thematic and gameplay, You even have someone who takes the dungeon master role in this one. This is another “dungeon crawler” game and a top one in the Fantasy space. This game is basically a slightly lighter version of what you are going to find at the #1 spot but with dice, a human enemy and less long term play.
You and the other heroes embark on quests and venture into dangerous caves, ancient ruins, dark dungeons, and cursed forests to battle monsters, earn riches, and attempt to stop the overlord from carrying out his vile plot. It uses a unique dice-based system where you build your dice pools according to your character’s abilities and weapons, and each die in the pool contributes to an attack in different ways. For 1 – 5 players, games last about 2 hours.
FOR MORE: Buy Descent: Journey Into The Dark on Amazon
#01 | Gloomhaven
Gloomhaven is an easy choice for the top spot on the list of board games like Dungeons and Dragons. First of all, it is a fantasy game that comes equipped with both dungeons and dragons. Second, there is no other board game with as much long term character development or depth of story to explore with a team as Gloomhaven.
This is a game of tactical combat in a persistent world of shifting motives. You take on the role of a wandering adventurer forced to work with other players to clear out menacing dungeons and forgotten ruins. In the process, you will enhance their abilities with experience and loot, discover new locations to explore and plunder, and expand an ever-branching story fueled by the decisions you make. For 1 – 4 players, games last about 1 – 2 hours
