i am still pretty new, are there any must have expansions?

Don't worry about which is better, cause eventually you'll get 'em all

@ATM2100

1. Heirs of Blood campaign book (highest content/price ratio)
2. Shadow Of Nerekhall (well-balanced, high content/price ratio)
3. Bonds Of The Wild (Kobolds!)

> Heirs of Blood campaign book (highest concent/cost ratio)

Only if you have an old printing that doesn't include this in the base box.

> Bonds Of The Wild (Kobolds!)

I know some people like them but I find all of the boxed packs (except perhaps Mists of Bilehall) to be better value than any of the H&M packs. And by the time you have them all you have so many monsters you really need to think about which (if any) H&M packs are appropriate.

My List:

> Shadows of Nerekhall

> Heirs of Blood (If you don't have it)

> Labyrinth of Ruin

> The Trollfens/Lair of the Wyrm

> The Chains That Rust

> Mists of Bilehall/Any Hero & Monster pack

i don't know any abbreviations that you used

Question, why wouldnt anyone have HOB (Heirs of Blood)? Dosnt it come with the game?

ATM2100: Fixed.

VAYASAN: Because it has only come with the game for a couple of years, before that a different campaign (Shadow Rune) was included.

Ok thanks Bruce.

Expanding on the original posters question (as im about to buy my first box expansion), any reason why SON is the best? Does it give a lot of scope for better play on the app for example?

It gives a whole extra campaign in the app, plus one side quest. It also contains 4 Heroes, 4 classes, lots of items, 4 monster groups, 1 condition and lots of tiles with two new area types (no other expansion has this).

It also has a well regarded full campaign for paying without the app.

The Conversion Kit.
Even if you don't have all the figurines, it gives the heroes a lot more options to play different heroes.
Simply use one of the hero figurines you have when using a different hero sheet.

Few reasons why I didn't list it:

1: Not supported by the app. You can hack around this, but it isn't great.

2: The updated H&M versions are rebalanced and fixed.

3: If you do go for boxed expansions (lots of reasons to) then you will probably find you don't need to fill out your monsters with older cards that you don't have minis for, you will have lots of current, supported monster groups with nice minis.

Here is how i would prioritize. Be aware that i do not have it all and have not played it all, i have just researched it.

1. Nerekhall

Great atmosphere, great classes, great heroes, lots of items, lots of tiles

2. Labyrinth of Ruin

Lots of content, great classes + overlord basic deck 2

3. Heirs of blood (can be bought whenever one needs a new campaign)

I am yet to get this, but i will. It is generally very well spoken of and campaigns is what keeps you in the game.

4.+5. Mist of Bilehall + Chains that rust

If you have the above, i think you have enough heroes and classes to go with, then the fact that these to can be combined into one campaign with, I think, a great atmosphere + the fact you get the possibility to combine classes with the in CtR included hybrid classes, gives a lot of new possibilities. Be aware that you dont get heroes and regular classes in any of these. The monsters of these are really awesome.

If you are really hero-class hungry i would rank the small boxes with these included as such

1. Manor of ravens OR Lair of the Wyrm (Like the classes and heroes of LotW best, but the theme and monters of MoR better)

Then Trollfens

Actually i would maybe buy MoR together with nerekhall because i think the themes, monsters and such works well together thematicly.

Lastly: Adding liethenants alters the compllexity of the game. I have not yet tried playing with these since i think they are too expensive compared to what a small boxes costs. Yet, this could be a good way to spice the game up when you get into it.

Just ordered Shadow of Nerekhall.

Can the Item cards be used in line with playing Heirs of Blood? Just slot em in alongside original deck etc?

Many components of expansion boxes add to the pool of available game components and are are used in all subsequent games: Travel Event cards, Item cards, conditions, Rumor cards, OL cards etc. etc.

Question. I have just bought Shadow of Narekhall.

Me and the wife have not yet properly started the Hiers of Blood Core campaign ( a few tests of the first mission for rules and also I am nearly done painting the core set)

With that in mind, should we just play with the core set or do you add the Item Cards/travel Cards/Monster Cards etc etc to the decks to flesh out the core campaign?

I think Mists of Bilehall and Chains that Rust are pretty good, despite the lack of extra heroes, for the very different campaign style it brings.
If you want something more focused on the overlord trying to defeat the heroes instead of racing for objectives, it really fills a niche.
Hybrid classes are also very nice to give you extra options and the monsters are interesting and useful, though very focused in terms of theme.

Though I would say Nerekhall, which also offers a slightly different campaign style with some secret information (with some interesting guessing games when it comes to strategy) is likely the best for more campaign material. Plus, Nerekhall has good heroes, a nice new overlord class, okay monsters (though let me be frank: none of them are regular favourites outside their mandatory missions in our group, so I would not say that they are outstanding) and quite some interesting items.

In terms of small boxes, I would say Manor of Ravens is by far the best for the overlord. Both new monsters are really good, it has two very strong and relatively unique overlord classes and a fun, though maybe a bit too overlord leaning mini campaign. I think Marshall in return can be a rather strong class, but NOT one for new players. If you do not know what you are doing with the Marshall, you may very well end up wasting your potential and fail to actually hinder the overlord at all, which is the big focus of this class. Bounty hunter seems okay to me, but I have not seen him in action properly...

I think Labyrinth of Ruin is a bit lackluster for the overlord (None of the monsters is really that outstanding, the Arachyura is pretty close to the Merriod, better in some cases, worse in others, the Carrion Drake mostly seems to be good for being a slightly tougher monster for fulfilling objectives and carrying tokens with its five speed and flying and lackluster attackpower while the Goblin Witchers are highly depended on whether Curse is actually useful against the heroes and mostly shine when they can be paired with some other monster which allows the overlord to actually make propr use of their ability to move heroes), Basic II is interesting, but not really that big of a factor and I think the campaign is not really that well balanced, with missions like Fury of the Tempest being extremely slanted. The allies are interesting, but they can easily fall behind in power and can only be used here...
The hero classes are almost all pretty strong though (Logan lashley is the only Hero though which is really popular, it seems), with only the Hexer not being seen as above average.

Trollfens selling point are mainly the relatively good infector deck and the new classes, the monsters are weak and the campaign tends to be too easy for the heroes.

Lair of the Wyrm has the great hybrid sentinels, the interesting but maybe overshadowed punisher deck, two solid heroes and classes, but a mini campaign / rumors that are the least balanced and thought out.

Hero and monster packs honestly are a matter of taste, they do not offer as much content as other products, but they are very nice to round out options.

last time i tried to switch subjects it didn't work so here it goes: which ones have the best class decks? why do you think so? I would love to know of a box with a better type of necromancer.

On 19.5.2017 at 3:59 PM, ATM2100 said:

last time i tried to switch subjects it didn't work so here it goes: which ones have the best class decks? why do you think so? I would love to know of a box with a better type of necromancer.

Best class decks, I would say Labyrinth of Ruin.

Labyrinth of Ruin has a very good healer, the apothecary, who gets to provide "mini potions" that can be stored for later use, he can remove conditions, buff heroes and he also is a prety good attacker.

The Beastmaster is actually the kind of "better necromancer" to a degree. A warrior with a wolf familiar, which is more mobile and can support heroes close to him.
The wolf does not have the multi target capacities of the Necromancer though, so it is not like he is better in every regard. Though it is the only other hero class that behaves pretty much like the Necromancer.

The Treasurehunter is very strong, almost too strong. He is the best scout in terms of searching and he has a very high single target damage output. Some of his skills depend on him keeping all the search cards for himself though, which is pretty much his only rather minor flaw.

The Hexer is interesting, a mage focussing on cursing the monsters with disadvantageous effects, but this makes him slower than heroes like the Runemaster.
I still would say that he is at least as good as the other two non core mage classes.

Shadows of Nerekhall is a pretty close second though. The Bard is possibly the best healer of them all, the Shadow Walker is also very strong (my favourite scout class), though I would say the Skirmisher (pretty much a more speed and finesse versus strength and endurance focussed version of the Berserker, specializing in fighting with two melee weapons) and the COnjurer (a mage that uses illusionary doubles) are okay but more average.

I would say, Shadows of Nerekhall is better overall, so I would maybe recommend it more.

3 hours ago, Unknown X said:

The Beastmaster is actually the kind of "better necromancer" to a degree. A warrior with a wolf familiar, which is more mobile and can support heroes close to him.
The wolf does not have the multi target capacities of the Necromancer though, so it is not like he is better in every regard. Though it is the only other hero class that behaves pretty much like the Necromancer.

sorry, I was thinking people who could conger a familiar in general.

I love the Geomancer from Lair of the Wyrm. Adds another tactical layer to the game that really appeals to me.

The Geomancer has Summoned Stones, starting with 1 and going up to 3 with the right Class cards.
They move and one can attack with the Hero's weapon, plus other benefits as you add Class cards.
Just really cool thematically.

Edit : I prioritized my purchases for the Classes, then Monsters that expansions added. This is mostly due to the fact that so far I'm only playing solo with Road to Legend, and Class choice is important to me. I play 3 Heroes. To that end, Ryno's Class Selection Guide is indispensable, a fantastic aid.

On May 19, 2017 at 5:32 AM, Unknown X said:

Lair of the Wyrm has the great hybrid sentinels, the interesting but maybe overshadowed punisher deck, two solid heroes and classes, but a mini campaign / rumors that are the least balanced and thought out.

Thank-you for proving I'm not the only who thought that! I played this Campaign as the OL and got steamrolled. No reinforcements in Valyndra's Lair!?!

On May 20, 2017 at 1:21 PM, Unknown X said:

The Beastmaster is actually the kind of "better necromancer" to a degree. A warrior with a wolf familiar, which is more mobile and can support heroes close to him.
The wolf does not have the multi target capacities of the Necromancer though, so it is not like he is better in every regard. Though it is the only other hero class that behaves pretty much like the Necromancer.

I tried both in Rise of the Goblins (Lost by the way ) They both seem to have their own advantages/disadvantages. Hint play the Necromancer with Challara & have the Beastmaster. You'll have three additional "Heroes"!