I love Talisman. I own three different versions and the expansion of it now. I always thought of Runebound as a knock off of Talisman. But now that FFG has the rights to both, will Runebound dry up and Talisman take over?

Not at all. If you look at the BoardGameGeek.com comments on Talisman, many of its players dislike the "roll and move" mechanic. Talisman has it, Runebound doesn't. There's room for plenty of adventure boardgames: Talisman, Runebound, Prophecy, both Warcraft games... the list is endless!

Talisman have nothing to do with Runebound.

Talisman is REALLY easy game VS runebound

they're both the same game really. the only difference is talisman is awesome, and runebound is 'pretty good'.

I played both games, from the original talisman to the present day version and I own and have played all of the runebound expansions and I still can't get why people liken Talisman to Runebound, they are both completley different games that share only one common gaming mechanic, which is the starting abilities of characters can be upgraded.

A game that matches runebound style of play more closely is RETURN OF THE HEROES. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/8170 . I could understand if you was to compare runebound to this game.

I've never played Runebound, and I think I probably should to get a feel for what is different between it and Talisman.

Over the years I have seen the "arguments" for and against both of them. I'm all for the simplicity of Talisman, others seem to think Runebound is overly complicated... it's a Pot AY to - Pot AH to situation I feel.

There is an obvious link now between the two games, given that John Goodenough has contributed to them both (no bad thing imho).

My question would be (and I do not wish to feed the "Talisman is crap" - "No, Runebound is crap" - "No, Talisman is crap" lobby) -

Which parts of Talisman/Runebound can be taken from one game and injected into the other to make them both more than they currently are?

Discuss... NICELY!

talisman does seem to have this, round and round and round, thing where runebound seems more open more oh i dunno spacious. and where things are right now, i mean right now, with the 4th ed. you are very limited to movement. can't wait for the horse and cart.

Well i played the 1st ed Talisman and 2nd ed and i really think that Runebound is the better game buy miles its more open than the limited paths of Talisman and i think it wont dry up but really Talisman is a different game to play so i think its unfair to compare the two i mean look at the old runequest game that GW done like 20+ odd years ago if any one remembers that one are you going to compare that to Descent

I hope Runebound continues.

Its a very different game from Talisman. I have a complete set of 2nd edition Talisman and it hasn't been played in about 5 years. Meanwhile I've played Runebound many times this year.

WELL, they're both fantasy-themed boardgames, but they're quite different past that! There's no reason both can't do quite well! I really enjoy them both and look forward to good futures for both titles...

Both are great games, both deserve to not 'dry up', both are fun.

I personally feel apart from the Fantasy theme, they are very different games.

My small and useless say on the matter.

Having never played Talisman, I can't commet on the pros/cons of one versus the other. All I can say is that I hope Runebound doesn't dry up, considering how much $$ I have invested in all the expansions, class decks, etc. Plus the upcoming Frozen Wastes expansion seems to imply that Runebound will continue (at least for a little while).

...and FFG describes Runebound as "The perfect fantasy adventuring board game"...doesn't that imply that it has secured its place in a never drying well of game production?

If RB "dries up," it won't be because of Talisman. It will be because FFG opts to try to make more money with another product than this one. i for one hope that RB is here for the long haul, because the game is great and has so much room for future expansions.

Martin (Runebounds original designer) lives around here. He taught us to play RB when it was first released. He said he designed it as a replacement for Talisman.

Given that brief, you can see whay people liken the two.

Mr. Wallace games with your group?

I love Talisman (i have 2nd - with all expansions, 3rd and 4th edition), but now I play Runebound.

In my humble opinion, I don't think that Runebound will dry up due to Talisman, or vice versa.

andrew33 said:

Well, isn't that a reason not to release more Runebound expansions.

I haven't played 4th edition Talisman, but I used to play Talisman a lot with all the expansions and enjoyed it, though it could go on interminably. Of the two, I find Runequest more flexible and open-ended. Also, the immersive sense of being in a fantasy world comes alive more for me in the play of Runebound than in the play of Talisman. I've never been a big fan of "track" games like Monopoly or of the roll and move mechanic. Still, in its day, Talisman was one of my favorite games and saw lots of playing time.

I can see the similarities in concept, but the play is very different. I fully intend to purchase every new Runebound expansion that comes out, but I can't say that about Talisman. I doubt I will even get the new 4th edition. However, as others have said, both games have their core audiences, each fills a niche, and that's as it should be. Let them both thrive, live long and prosper!

godfeather said:

Sacrilege!

Someone sic the weasel on the blasphemer, who seeks to deprive us of our precious....Runecrack!

The weasel is on his way, with reinforcements. It seems the weasel is now friends with an escaped pet miniature ferrox from Riverwatch and the two are roaming the countryside (and local taverns).

While they are based off the same concept, I personally view Talisman as good for nostalgia and a good intro level fantasy board-game and Runbound as a more advanced (though still not overly complex) equivilent.

Talisman seems to drag on and end up boring quite often.

I have RB and 3rd edition Talisman; like RB much much more. Unfortunately, my wife will play Talisman but tried RB once and didn't like it. Ditto for my son.

Bah!

Me thinks your wife and son needs to feel the furry of the Mildless One!

Wow... Good discussion. Thanks.

Interesting comments that Talisman is tedious. We played both games in our group, but always found Runebound to be the more tedious one of the two. I don't know if it was because we were more familiar with Talisman, that we never got confortable with the rules, or if the expansion -> 2nd Ed -> expansion that came out so fast, that finally made us give up on it. I pull it out ever once and a while and we give it a go, but we usually end up breaking out Talisman before everyone gets too frustrated.