Content Roadmap / Expansion Value

By fieldeffect, in Road to Legend

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I own the Descent base game but I never bought any expansions because my group didn't like the game balance (playing as the overlord was no fun for us, especially with the heroes using the ridiculously overpowered reanimate and one of the other player abilities that managed to keep large monsters in pretty much a constant state of stun). We decided to give Descent another go with Road to Legend and we are loving it *sooooo* much I can't even put it into words! :D We are very shortly going to run out of app campaign content, so...

1. Is there a roadmap for the release of new app campaigns? Even a vague idea (i.e. every month?, every quarter?, a couple of times a year?, annually?)

and semi-related:

2. Given that buying physical expansions doesn't add campaigns, only side quests, and given that our dislike of the balance in the cardboard-only version means that we're probably only going to be playing with the app, does anyone have opinions on whether the big box expansions are worth the money purely to enhance the app playing experience ? If people think yes then I'm very happy to go out and buy them all, but at the moment I'm not sure that they add so much to the app experience that you'd buy them just for the app.

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Can't say for number 1.

However, concerning number 2, I would say for us it is a resounding yes . For those which much more experience than I this will sound like a no brainer, but what I have discovered from expanding Descent from the base game has been this: it has gone from an definitely enjoyable experience to one far more thematic, adventurous and tactical. No sure why 'more stuff equals more fun' didn't quite register with me before, but I have sort of begun to think that this was the way Descent was meant to be played from the get go. Moving on.

First, by the inclusion of new monsters the App sings; when we first played the tutorial I had only the base set marked as owned. The Unique you face at the end used the (somewhat tired) Ettin for this Unique's base stats, etc. Going through again, with more marked as owned, it used the Master Giant instead. The fight went from quick (with the Ettin), to a an epic fight for survival with much enjoyable debate about how we were going to take it down, and just simply survive. Much selfless action followed as one held the door against the Flesh Moulders and three tried to bring down the monstrosity that had smashed its way into our midst. This is just one example of how the app uses what it is given (like new Conditions, and everything else) so well to further challenge players.

Second, do not underestimate the Side Quests. They are ridiculously fun and well done. In example, we braved a Haunted Mansion, effectively, last game. It was wonderful. They are adding new side quests for each expansion you own as they add campaigns to the app, at least this look like the pattern. I can't wait.

LASTLY. One of our Road to Legend party couldn't make it. So, with nothing to do, we decided to play 'Vanilla Descent' as my boys call it (why, I dont know); they mean of course the standard game with Overlord vs Players..

With all our new stuff.

It was unbelievably great . Like we were seeing the game for the first time .

My two cents then: You will never regret adding to your collection for the app, ever, but also you might want to get your friends back to the table for the campaigns that come with the boxed sets themselves.

In others words, win/win. ;)

Have fun.

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I bought Labyrinth of Ruin to use with Road to Legend and I like the additional variation in monsters and side quests.

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I would suggest to content yourself with the heroes and monsters packs then. It won't add any standard game content but you ll have more heroes and even more important in a DC mode : MONSTERS.

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I think Boxed Expansions give too many things to RtL that they are worth the cost, and I’m not saying the stuff the "Collection" info panel shows you (side quest, items, etc.). I’m talking about “Monster Activations” and “Perils” too.


For example, if you get the Lair of the Wyrm expansion (besides having more heroes, classes, items, monsters, conditions, etc) now you have a peril in which Fire Imps will appear from nowhere. Additionally, your Elementals (or any fire-like creature...Merrick *coff* *coff*) receive more activations in which they use the Burn condition (you know, because it is logical that an attack from a fire creature would leave you burning ). Or, if you buy the Shadow of Nerekhall expansion, you could see some monsters that deal pierce will also do Bleed your heroes.


I mean, I think they are worth the cost, not only because it increases RtL replayability, but also, because as Cotgrave said, you could some time return and try playing the traditional aspect of this game with the new campaigns and their mechanics (believe me that with more expansions that “unbalance” feeling is lost).


Anyway, if that doesn’t convince you, I think the order of purchase will be:

1) Lair of the Wyrm : Why this specific expansion above all the rest? Well, as I mentioned, expansions add more than the “normal” content to this App, but, specifically this expansion will add a great change to the Kindred Fire campaign. As I mentioned, any fire creature receives a nice monster activation set that fits thematically with the lore of the campaign. Now the next problem is that between the base game and LotW there aren’t too many fire creatures (just Elementals, Fire Imps and Merrick hahahaha). But you can solve that with buying more H&M Collections :rolleyes:

2) Big Box Expansion : Either Labyrinth of Ruin or Shadow of Nerekhall. Because of what I said before, but also because, it adds too many things: items, monsters, relics, classes, etc. that the replayability of the unique campaign makes it worth the cost.

3) H&M Collections : I think they are better than a small expansion because the monster diversity in RtL is more used and fun than some items and a side quest from a small expansion.

4) Small Expansion : well, as I said, it would be good to have more items, classes and the condition, but I might not consider worth the cost if you have low budget for the game. H&M collections give more diversity to the APP.

5) Lieutenant packs : I consider that if you don’t have any plan on playing the traditional game, don’t even consider buying this packs. The probability for an agent to appear during a quest is really low, and if they appear, it’s because you are already losing the quest anyway. You don’t get the feeling of a real fight against an honorable foe.


One last thing. If you are still unsure of what you will get and you are not afraid of spoilers :ph34r: , you can add everything in the collection and fake a play through to see what it feels like with new with monsters, activations, perils, etc. Then, the next time you play with your friends, they will be like “wow, that’s new, I didn’t know that monsters could do that”. :D

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So having base-game only, currently, and primarily playing RTL, if I were to add one big-box and one H&M pack, which would be recommended?

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Labyrinth of Ruin and Treaty of Champions.

The classes from LoR are really fun to play with, and heroes from Treaty of Champions combo well with them. Also, Treaty of Champions brings thematic groups to the table, and LoR is just real good.