Hi,

I'm interested in buying this game. I own Descent and enjoy it a lot but I'm looking for a lighter board game that offers more of a "story" feel - it doesn't have to be a roleplaying game, I'm already knee-deep in RPGs as it is Just a fun, adventurous boardgame with a strong fantasy story theme.

One of the things that appeal to me about Runebound is the fact that it can apparently be played solo. Often I feel like playing a good (non-computer/Xbox) game on an ordinary night when there's no one available to play with.

How well would Runebound scratch this particular itch?

Runebound is exactly what you are looking for. It also uses the same setting , Terrinoth, and artwork/characters/items that Descent uses so you will feel right at home.

It has a metric-ton of expansions so it has a lot of possibilities.

Sounds like Runebound is exactly what you're after. I've never been fond of solo-playing any board game, but that's just me. I have heard from several people that it works well solo with however many heroes you care to use.

I picked up RB for its solo play value,although it's easy enough to play Solo using the basic rules,there are also some good Solo rules & varients over on BGG.I do find it more than an evening game,I leave it set up & play a few rounds each night until the Hero wins or the Game wins.

OD

That's good news, for me whose first game that attracted me to FFG was Runebound, and which in the end I never bought !

The thing that kept me from buying it ? the idea that you had to buy many tiny stuff, a marketing move I never liked. Sure you can proove me wrong ? Because if it is like Descent I'm ok then : in the idea that you buy the original, and then you have the choice to buy some big boxes that add a lot of content - exactly like in Descent, where I bought everything. But if it really is like you buy the original box, and then many tiny 10$ boxes in a geeky-gamesworkshop place and you have to buy fifty of them to have real content, then it does not suit me.

So ! Am I wrong ? Is it more like Descent ? Or even, should I squarely be waiting for the third edition ?!

Well, I'm definitely still interested (if not more so) now!

I don't know how "necessary" the expansions are but I think I'd like to buy the "Sands of..." eventually, because the "Arabian Nights" feel appeals to me.

In theory, the Frozen Wastes would appeal to me even more but I've heard that expansion introduces spaceships, which is just too much of a breach in style for me to appreciate.

Hem said:

The expansions to Runebound are entirely optional. If all you want is big box expansions that give you lots of stuff at once, then only buy the big box RB expansions and leave the little ones alone. If you feel your base game is getting a bit stale and want a quick injection of new cards or maybe a variant adventure on the same map, well that's what the small expansions do.

I wouldn't recommend the character expansions if you're looking at solo play, since as far as I can tell those are exclusively aimed at increasing PvP between heroes - to the point that each hero MUST have one if any of them are to be used.

Do also note that the big box expansions are not really combined with the original game like Descent expansions are. The RB big boxes provide a new map, new encounter decks and lots of other new mechanics which end up replacing the majority of the base game rather than adding to it. Playing multiple (big box) expansions at the same time would require a house rule system to combine them which the game itself does not provide.

If you want to wait for 3rd edition, you might be waiting a long time. Then again you've waited this long so maybe that's not so hard, for you

To Ludlov: Sands of Al-Kalim is widely considered the best of the big boxes, so you're definitely off on the right foot with that choice. =)

Hey, thanks a lot, Steve, nice and interesting post, as usual from you I never play alone, usually 2 to 4 or 5. This game could be good then.

Ok, so you made my wallet scared to death... I think I ll buy that one, forget it if I dislike it, and buy the big boxes only if I like it. Man, my wishlist is gettin bigger and never drops a title... and I just failed a job interview... and my laptop literaly toasted yesterday... oh, pooh

Bought it

Hopefully, won't come back here too soon to ask for rules questions

I have been looking this game over as well. I have Talisman and Descent and enjoy both.

Well, now I have the three of them. I might come back here to tell you if we enjoyed our first game or not

I am also interested to buy The Frozen Wastes and The Sands of Al-Kalim.

The thing I don't understand is why are these two called "expansions". Do I need to have the Runebound Second Edition in order to play them? I have Runebound Second Edition already but I want something different, like new boards, etc. So my question is: how dependable on the Runebound Second Edition Starter are the two mentioned expansions? From what I've understand, both The Frozen Wastes and The Sands of Al-Kalim introduce new boards, new cards, new miniatures. So why should I need Runebound Second Edition in order to play the expansions?

Thank you!

Ludlov, spaceships in The Frozen Wastes?!? Is this true? No, really! I will love to see a picture or something.

Orientalist said:

Well the big box expansions do add new encounter decks, a new map and a few new minis, but they don't provide any equipment cards (or at least not many) so your heroes wouldn't have much gear to use. The 2d10 you need for combat are probably easily procured for a gamer but the 5 unique movement dice can't be easily substituted by anything else. The big thing you'd be hurting for are the tokens. Wound tokens, fatigue tokens, experience tokens and the gems you need to put on encounter hexes. And money tokens. I suppose you could track most of that stuff on paper if you really wanted to.

It might be playable without the base game, but it wouldn't be the same since half of it would be scratch pad. And you'd have to come up with new rules for movement.

Orientalist said:

Frozen Wastes introduces some alien colonists and their wonderful artefacts. The setting is in a frozen region of Terrinoth, where old monstrosities and tribes used to the cold climate survive better than the Heroes, who have to face the Freeze and White Death mechanic. Moreover, they will find some strange Enemies that resemble robots, but mix magic and technology in the end.

Usually I don't like such mixes, but in this case I think that the balance between new material, new mechanics and the great feeling from the cold climate balance the disappointment for some undesired technology. Frozen Wastes is definitely worth buying, it's far better than Island of Dread.

Thank you gentleman!

I think I will give The Frozen Wastes a try. The sci-fi meet fantasy scenario might be an interesting twist after all. I remember that even World of Warcraft had some sci-fi tricks and gadgets at one moment. It was weird but well, interesting.

Another question, if I may. As I have stated on another thread, the artwork on certain Adventure / Challenge Runebound cards were a pain to look upon. I don't quite understand why FFG gone for an .... anime, almost manga artwork for those cards. Every time I wanted to play the game, my eyes felt on those cards and I could not continue. Too much of an anti-climax.

Now, I know about the different Runebound packs and various small cards expansions. Can someone tell me if the artwork for these cards is better than the artwork for the original game? Or are they still in the same anime style? If they are done by different artist/artists, I'll go ahead and buy them. And replace the original cards with those from the pack expansions.

The same question for The Frozen Wastes. How is the artwork on the Adventure / Challenge cards? Better than in the original game or by the same artist?

Many thanks!

Orientalist said:

I wouldn't call it "anime-style" personally, but I suppose that's a matter of opinion. I don't know if it's all the same artist or not, but it certainly all looks the same to me. Then again I'm not that discerning when it comes to pretty pictures. I have yet to see a professionally produced board game that turns me off just because of the artwork. There may be subtle details that make a world of difference to you, but to me all the art for RB looks the same (and I like it, but that's just me.)

Edit: You could try looking up Frozen Wastes (and any other expansion material you're interested in) on BGG. There should be at least a small sampling of card scans there to give you an idea of whether you'd like the art or not.

Thank you Steve-O.

Then I guess I will not buy any of the Runebound expansions.

Take a look at the card called RAZORWING RAIDERS from the Runebound Second Edition core game.

There is a man in freaking blue jeans there! Is that fantasy too?

How can I play such a game? Lovely, flavorful artwork on the box of the game and then you open the box and find all kind of manga, kitsch artwork within.

Sorry, I know it is a matter of personal taste but the artwork for some Runebound cards is the quintessence of the anti-climax.

Aaaaarg, still haven't received it !!! Can't talk about it ! Can't enjoy it ! **** it !