Hey folks,

I just picked up 2nd Ed Descent. I'm loving it so far. It seems easier to play in small chunks. My partner and I are digging it and I'm guessing we'll start diving into expansions and additional content. I'm a bit overwhelmed with options. This is mostly a good thing.

Could you all help me prioritize purchases? What are the must-owns for the Descent fan? What are your top picks? What order would you recommend? Etc.

I'm thinking about starting with the Conversion Kit as it seems like a lot of bang for my buck given that I own the 1st Ed. That said, I'm tentative since it seems like many of those characters and monsters are being re-released in packs that contain additional material. What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

J

They have already re-released a good portion of the monsters and heroes from first edition in packs. It's more expensive than the conversion kit for sure, but it's also including minis, 2 quests, and new artwork (and some new stats) that you won't find in the CK.

You mentioned you're playing with your partner. Do you have a full group? Are you looking to play the game in campaign mode, or as a cooperative experience?

I'm a completionist so I would say get it all, but this is the order I would suggest.

Heirs of Blood - campaign book that only uses the base game. Way better then the base game campaign.

* start grabbing base game lieutenants here and there.

Labyrinth of Ruin - Big box with a new campaign.

* Get lieutenants from Labyrinth of Ruin

The Trollfens - small box

* get lieutenants

Manor of Ravens - small box

* get lieutenants

Lair of the Wyrm - small box

* get lieutenants

Shadow of Nerekhall - big box with a new campaign

* get lieutenants

Get monster hero collections - each one comes with 2 more Rumour quests to add to your campaign.

I would get the upgrade kit if you plan on collecting slowly over time. It immediately gives you a lot of monsters and heroes to use.

But they do get upgrades. If you plan on buying everything very quickly then don't bother. Just get the Monster hero collections.

Oh ya forgot about the coop ones. Get those for sure if there are only 2 of you

Forgotten Souls and Natures Ire only use the base game

Dark Elements use Lair of the Wyrm as well as the base game.

Yeah, I would go for the small lieutenant packs first. I don't really want to represent them with tokens and feel the figures add more immersion into the actual quests. When you catch up collecting all of them from a set, you can move onto the next box.

So far for me:

-Descent 2nd Edition.

-Lieutenants: Zachareth, Splig, Alric Farrow, Merrick Farrow, Eliza Farrow, Belthir.

-Lair of the Wyrm Small Box Expansion

- Lieutenant: Valyndra

-Labyrinth of Ruin Big box Expansion ( bday present!)

-Lieutenants: Serena

-Forgotten Souls Co-OP

Next on my list is Raythen. So in order of how I want to get them:

- Lieutenants: Raythen, Ariad, Queen Ariad.

-The Trollfens

-Lieutenant: Bolgoreth

(Then Maybe Nature's Ire Co-Op next.)

Then probably Shadows of Nerkenhall, the required lieuts, then Manor of Ravens, etc.

After the boxes I'll probably work on getting the Monster and Hero collections. And the Heirs of Blood book. And the next Co-op. By then.... they'll probably have more products.... maybe.

Zaltyre-- It's mostly my partner and I, but we have access to a good group of gamers for group play. We'll check out the Coop stuff, but are also okay playing head-to-head. Is sounds like the plan will go something like this:

-Conversion Kit

-Heirs of Blood

-Labyrinth of Ruin

-Trollfens

-Manor of Ravens

-Lair of the Wyrm

-Shadow of Nerekhall

Sprinkled in there will be Forgotten Souls, Nature's Ire, and Dark Elements (these are the Coop ones, right?).

I'll prioritize Lts and Monster-Hero Upgrades for a bit later. I'll have the CK to stand in for the Hero-Monster sets and the Lts are mostly cosmetic. I'd like them at some point, but so long as I'm on a budget, I think they can wait.

Any other thoughts about this approach? Would people arrange the priority in anyway?

J

You might just have to check on availability. Older things maybe out of print or waiting for a reprint.

The reason I put Lair of the Wyrm later is because those rumor quests are more unbalanced as far as your rumour deck is concerned. Later ones there are actually consequences if the heroes don't do rumour quests.

Lair of the Wyrm is the oldest expansions so i'm not sure of availability.

just keep an eye on that one deciding.

I also feel LoWyrn should be near the bottom due to balance reasons being massively towards heroes.

Even if on budget I would recommend ONE lieutenant pack earlier. Some that I personally find interesting are Baron Z (possibly to strong for OL), belthir, Tristyan, and skarn. Also would pull Manor of Ravens higher. Very nice one.

I also feel LoWyrn should be near the bottom due to balance reasons being massively towards heroes.

Even if on budget I would recommend ONE lieutenant pack earlier. Some that I personally find interesting are Baron Z (possibly to strong for OL), belthir, Tristyan, and skarn. Also would pull Manor of Ravens higher. Very nice one.

Mostly this!

Start by getting a single Lieutenant pack. That will give give the OL a new world of possibilities. I invite you to browse the forum for discussion about the best Lieutenant pack to buy. I suggest you keep with a Lieutenant from the base game at first. (Zachareth is commonly known has one of the best LT).

Then, you should add an expansion. This is the tricky part. Do you want a full campaign? Or smaller one? See below the order I would buy them:

1. Heirs of Blood (Maximize your investment with an epic campaign that does not require expansions)

2. Shadow of Nerekhall (By far the most thematic of the campaigns. Tiles are beautiful and very different from the other expansions + it introduces a "D&D feeling" to the campaign by adding some unknown to the heroes)

3. Labyrinth of Ruins/Trollfens/Manor of Ravens (The order is really up to you, LoR for a full campaign, the other two for a smaller campaign and new mechanics)

4. Lair of the Wyrm

It seems that you have many monsters from the 1st Edition so getting the conversion kit would be a cheap investment for your money. You might want to compare the monsters/heroes you own with the H&M pack already released for 2nd Edition.

If you end up getting bored of lieutenant tokens, buy more LT packs.

Finally, buy the H&M packs according to the heroes and monsters you are missing from the 1st Edition conversion kit.

Just my 2¢.

This is all really great. Thanks, folks. Several of you are encouraging me to get a LT pack. Do they come with more than just the figure?

This is a really helpful thread for me,too as I've not long since bought the base 2e set and have been debating what to do about expansions.

I spent some time reading into the various expansions and decided to buy all the lieutenants in the base set and all the 4 available H&M packs.

I've decided to get everything painted before launching into the full campaign but I have played through the first encounters from Oath of the Outcast and Guardians of Deephall to give my group a taste of what's to come.

We will start with the base campaign with a lieutenant plot deck (need to have a proper look with the campaign in mind but I'm thinking either Baron Z or Belthir) and maybe at least 2 of the 4 available H&M rumour quests.

I've also downloaded the Call of the Necromancer campaign from here and will have Heirs of Blood arriving in a few weeks, so plenty to go through before I need to think about buying more box expansions. I would like to have the extra choice of hero classes to start with and the secret rooms sound interesting but I need to not spend any more money for a while

for those on a budget, I would recommend NOT buying H&M packs and instead just get conversion kit and other mini expansion. Manor of ravens and trollfens should be higher priority. Only get 1 or 2 lieutenant packs.

Note that I value things that add to game play more than cosmetics although I do like that. If you value cosmetics, you might want to buy the H&M packs with your favorite hero or monster.

for value per $, I would put it like this

Highest value

Conversion kit

Extra set of dice (Do not underestimate how nice that is)

First lieutenant/plot card pack

Quest book(Heirs of blood)

Mini expansion (MoR, Trolfens preferred)

Large expansion.

Heroes & monster packs

More Lieutenant/plot card pack

Lowest value

For those that do not know Lieutenant packs come with something called a plot deck which is kind of like skill cards for the Over Lord.

This is all really great. Thanks, folks. Several of you are encouraging me to get a LT pack. Do they come with more than just the figure?

Lieutenant packs all come with a plastic mini, threat tokens, a plot deck and a rule sheet on how to use the lieutenant.

I invite you to download this rule sheet on FFG website. Use the link below and check under Support > Rule.

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/descent-journeys-in-the-dark-second-edition/

You can use the plot deck in a similar way you use the OL deck.

I actually have no earthly idea why people want or keep suggesting to buy the conversion kit. Yes, it's only 25 bucks, but all you are getting is hero and monster sheets. Are the H&M packs a more expensive route? Yes, but with those you are getting the same heroes but with subtle and tweaked abilities designed to play in 2nd Edition, their actual figure bases, the monster figures and some quests. The only reason anyone should get Conversion Kit is if they own the 1st Edition.

I agree with you, but I think jester's said he has !E. I don't own 1E, and if I could undo it, I would not have bought the CK. I've since shelved it completely.

My answer on what to buy first is still that it depends what you like about 2E. I like classes, so I put more value in the big box campaigns. I also play OL mainly, so Labyrinth of Ruin gives the OL a whole new basic deck (but Nerekhall is great). I don't get the hate for Lair of the Wyrm, I think the small boxes are mostly a question of theme preference, even if the geomancer is powerful and the rumors favor heroes.

Heirs of Blood does provide more use for the base game without the need for aything else, but I think you would still benefit from more hero and monster choices.

I am not a huge proponent of the LT packs- they're fine and dandy, but my group has found them rather unnecessary, and new players in my group have been really offput by the way they complicate things sometimes. I have a couple, and may get a couple more.

I actually have no earthly idea why people want or keep suggesting to buy the conversion kit. Yes, it's only 25 bucks, but all you are getting is hero and monster sheets. Are the H&M packs a more expensive route? Yes, but with those you are getting the same heroes but with subtle and tweaked abilities designed to play in 2nd Edition, their actual figure bases, the monster figures and some quests. The only reason anyone should get Conversion Kit is if they own the 1st Edition.

Well, OP did mention that he had some 1E heroes and monsters.

Getting the six H&M packs will cost you over 200$ compared to the 25$ for the conversion kit.

If you don't know yet if you REALLY like the game, I would definitly go with the CK first. I would only go the H&M pack-route from the beginning if you really don't care about how much money you are spending on this game (have a lot of disposable income) or if you know that this is one of your favourite game.

I guess the coop expansions are a really good way to learn the mechanics of the game, maybe even better than losing a few quests because the heroes and OL were thinking different things are allowed until it has to get resolved. These games always feel bad, because more often than not one side loses without making big mistakes.

I highly recommend buying the Nerekhall expansion before Labyrinth, just because it's such a great change in atmosphere and tile-artwork to go from the grassland/dungeon world that both the base game and Labyrinth feature to the city/sewers style of Nerekhall. Playing Base/Heirs->Nerekhall->Heirs/Labyrinth->Nerekhall->Heirs/Labyrinth or something like that will keep the theme as fresh as possible for the longest time imho.

I actually have no earthly idea why people want or keep suggesting to buy the conversion kit. Yes, it's only 25 bucks, but all you are getting is hero and monster sheets. Are the H&M packs a more expensive route? Yes, but with those you are getting the same heroes but with subtle and tweaked abilities designed to play in 2nd Edition, their actual figure bases, the monster figures and some quests. The only reason anyone should get Conversion Kit is if they own the 1st Edition.

As someone who owns the CK, I can say that the main reason is probably because I *DO* own 1st Edition. And because of that, the H&M packs are a huge bloated waste of money for me. I'd be paying $25 for a couple cards and a quest. The minis are a complete redundancy for me, and while I realize the art is updated, I don't think some of the updates are even for the better - some of them look kinda stupid or cartoony compared to the 1E counterparts.

Of course it's all subjective, but I can find the updated stats online (and use the ones I want, and ignore the changes that I thought were poorly thought out, such as New Thorn), and if I look hard enough I can probably find the rumor cards and quests too. If I could spend money ($5-$10) to just get the rumors/quests, I would. But I'm not going to plop down an extra $15 for figures I don't want.

I actually have no earthly idea why people want or keep suggesting to buy the conversion kit. Yes, it's only 25 bucks, but all you are getting is hero and monster sheets. Are the H&M packs a more expensive route? Yes, but with those you are getting the same heroes but with subtle and tweaked abilities designed to play in 2nd Edition, their actual figure bases, the monster figures and some quests. The only reason anyone should get Conversion Kit is if they own the 1st Edition.

As someone who owns the CK, I can say that the main reason is probably because I *DO* own 1st Edition. And because of that, the H&M packs are a huge bloated waste of money for me. I'd be paying $25 for a couple cards and a quest. The minis are a complete redundancy for me, and while I realize the art is updated, I don't think some of the updates are even for the better - some of them look kinda stupid or cartoony compared to the 1E counterparts.

Of course it's all subjective, but I can find the updated stats online (and use the ones I want, and ignore the changes that I thought were poorly thought out, such as New Thorn), and if I look hard enough I can probably find the rumor cards and quests too. If I could spend money ($5-$10) to just get the rumors/quests, I would. But I'm not going to plop down an extra $15 for figures I don't want.

Maybe you have something here!

When all H&M packs will be out, FFG could produce a quest book with all the Rumor quests and cards from those packs. With some additional flavor text and lore.

That would be cool, but as much as I love FFG, I doubt it. I think the rumors were added in there as an incentive to get people like me to switch, although in my case it's thus far a failed incentive.

I actually have no earthly idea why people want or keep suggesting to buy the conversion kit. Yes, it's only 25 bucks, but all you are getting is hero and monster sheets. Are the H&M packs a more expensive route? Yes, but with those you are getting the same heroes but with subtle and tweaked abilities designed to play in 2nd Edition, their actual figure bases, the monster figures and some quests. The only reason anyone should get Conversion Kit is if they own the 1st Edition.

I can't disagree more.

You are not only getting some nice looking sheets, what you get is nearly all the gameplay additions of every H&M pack for a total of 25$.

Imo the only reasons why someone should get the H&M packs over the CK is if they are into painting miniatures, if they value miniatures that excactly mimic their artwork over new gameplay-possibilities, if they are into collecting games or if they have enough disposible income to not care about pricing.

I actually have no earthly idea why people want or keep suggesting to buy the conversion kit. Yes, it's only 25 bucks, but all you are getting is hero and monster sheets. Are the H&M packs a more expensive route? Yes, but with those you are getting the same heroes but with subtle and tweaked abilities designed to play in 2nd Edition, their actual figure bases, the monster figures and some quests. The only reason anyone should get Conversion Kit is if they own the 1st Edition.

I can't disagree more.

You are not only getting some nice looking sheets, what you get is nearly all the gameplay additions of every H&M pack for a total of 25$.

Imo the only reasons why someone should get the H&M packs over the CK is if they are into painting miniatures, if they value miniatures that excactly mimic their artwork over new gameplay-possibilities, if they are into collecting games or if they have enough disposible income to not care about pricing.

And I have to disagree with you. And here is a legitimate reason why: http://descent2e.wikia.com/wiki/Elder_Mok

The H&M packs give you updated Hero Sheets for those heroes who's abilities may be a bit too strong for 2nd edition, or whom might have needed some errata. Some of the monsters have changed stats as well. There are subtle differences and if you buy the conversion kit, you are just wasting your money. And then you'll probably be getting the H&M packs sometime down the line anyway.

I actually have no earthly idea why people want or keep suggesting to buy the conversion kit. Yes, it's only 25 bucks, but all you are getting is hero and monster sheets. Are the H&M packs a more expensive route? Yes, but with those you are getting the same heroes but with subtle and tweaked abilities designed to play in 2nd Edition, their actual figure bases, the monster figures and some quests. The only reason anyone should get Conversion Kit is if they own the 1st Edition.

I can't disagree more.

You are not only getting some nice looking sheets, what you get is nearly all the gameplay additions of every H&M pack for a total of 25$.

Imo the only reasons why someone should get the H&M packs over the CK is if they are into painting miniatures, if they value miniatures that excactly mimic their artwork over new gameplay-possibilities, if they are into collecting games or if they have enough disposible income to not care about pricing.

And I have to disagree with you. And here is a legitimate reason why: http://descent2e.wikia.com/wiki/Elder_Mok

The H&M packs give you updated Hero Sheets for those heroes who's abilities may be a bit too strong for 2nd edition, or whom might have needed some errata. Some of the monsters have changed stats as well. There are subtle differences and if you buy the conversion kit, you are just wasting your money. And then you'll probably be getting the H&M packs sometime down the line anyway.

To be fair, the minimal change to Eldar Mok did not fix him in any way. He is still extremely strong and tends to make games very boring and one sided, so much that I think the game loses alot of its appeal when he is chosen.

So while it's true that a good amount of heroes has been changed slightly, most of them haven't in a significant way. I think all in all we are looking at 10-15 heroes out of 50 in the CK that are problematic and have been alterd slightly (although not necessarly fixed).

On the monster-side it's even more negligible. I think around 7 out of 25 monsters have been changed at all (usually weak monsters have been buffed slightly) whereas only around 4 of them have been changed significantly, the rest is perfectly fine.

In the end Descent 2E base game has one glaring flaw and that is that it features much too few monsters, which leaves the OL with very limited strategical choices which tends to bore the heroes as well. With only the base game the OL can choose between ~2 viable monsters in each quest, the CK usually adds ~5 more, which means you got 3 times as many viable monsterchoices for each quest just by adding the CK.

What's worse is that a lot of H&M packs come with only 1 or 2 good monstergroups, so you need a lot of H&M packs to get to an average of 5-6 viable monsterchoices for each quest.

Long story short, the CK is imo worth it just for the monsters, it's worth it for opening up a strategic aspect of the game for the OL (as well as a large variety of enemies for the heroes) that is otherwise hidden behind quite a large sum of money, you have to spend to expand the monsterselection otherwise. If you don't care about spending this kind of money (because you love the game or you have a large amount of disposable income), the CK probably is a bad choice, otherwise it isn't.

I'd think it would be more confusing to represent different monsters with substituted figure bases. Same with heroes. Elder Mok was just an example, as several other heroes are different as well. And while the changes are minimal, they are still changes. Sure, the CK is a money saver, but if you're going to be playing Descent, to me, it's just a half arsed shortcut that does little to immerse you into the actual game.

Everyone--

Thanks again for all the help. I have a good sense of direction now. HM packs will be a last buy. May snag 1 or 2 LT packs. First, though, I'll be getting the CK. Omnislash, I can appreciate your point, but I've got an entire box of 1st Ed stuff that is wasting away in the basement. For a small investment i can bring every single one of those minis into the fold. I can then postpone the HM packs, well, indefinitly, if I really want. I'm sure there will be a few from the 1st Ed expansions that I don't have and I may snag them down the line.

Buy order:

-Dice

-CK

-Heirs of Blood

-Shadow of Nerekhall (Heard really good things)

-Forgotten Souls (Mix up play style when its just my partner and I)

-Manor of the Ravens (Love the flavor)

Then I'll go from there.

J

Everyone--

Thanks again for all the help. I have a good sense of direction now. HM packs will be a last buy. May snag 1 or 2 LT packs. First, though, I'll be getting the CK. Omnislash, I can appreciate your point, but I've got an entire box of 1st Ed stuff that is wasting away in the basement. For a small investment i can bring every single one of those minis into the fold. I can then postpone the HM packs, well, indefinitly, if I really want. I'm sure there will be a few from the 1st Ed expansions that I don't have and I may snag them down the line.

Buy order:

-Dice

-CK

-Heirs of Blood

-Shadow of Nerekhall (Heard really good things)

-Forgotten Souls (Mix up play style when its just my partner and I)

-Manor of the Ravens (Love the flavor)

Then I'll go from there.

J

Out of curiosity, why the extra dice? (and I am asking everyone)

I've been playing with (only) the original set since... forever! I don't feel like the extra set will accelerate the game much.