So FFG is trying to make it pretty clear that Descent: Legends in the Dark is NOT a descent 3rd edition. (not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing). We already seeing the reaction to the announcement with many having mixed feelings. It also raises the issue if this succeeds what happens to a 3rd edition and if it fails what happens to descent.

All that aside then, what would people be looking for if a 3rd edition was on the cards?

For me it would be

• The still 1 vs many style an overlord with different class styles.
• Smooth dice combat with more focus on tactical positioning. I honestly like the idea to move away from D6s to a more wider variety of dice.
• More engaging out of scenario stuff such as town visits. Narrative beats and choices that happen outside of the game map.
• Gloomhaven legacy aspects if possible. (Unlocking a new hero after saving them from a prison or opening the box to see what the boss monster is)
• Better skill check moments that isn't just check to see if you got higher than the number else try again.

Personnally, I think Descent V2 is already the best experienc ever.

If I would love some addition/changes, I would expect an expansion adding :

• Changing magic system by a special icon , like it was in D1 because it is nothing special in descent to use magic, finally ( my only real addition point in fact)
• World map : Like the D1, a world map where heroes walk trough, with time to acces to some quests, time to achieve the campaign , Town visits could be a great addition too, etc ...
• Fame : A bit like it was in the app, but with more synergize, more consequencies on the game (better or worse item to buy, different types of rumors etc ...)
• Balance : The game needs balance, almost all of us are according to some issues
• NO APP : Even if I'm not against the idea of an "automatized Overlord", all the app brings can be done through cards, and that would be far better this way, since I could play without burning my eyes on my phone, and I could use the stuff (in fact, the POD were good ideas, but far from being exploited the good way)
• Revisited automatized overlord : the way it is, monsters are only brainless and stupid overwhelming the heroes with addition of some random cheated bonus to "simulate" overlord card. If the use of an app, why not adding a cool system to play the overlord cards ? If not, no use of the app, cards are enough

But, in theory, Descent Second Edition could live forever if they just added more campaign expansion books (with only 2 or 3 more, there is plenty of hours of play !) more mini extension with new classes (and there is space for way many of them, I've got some ideas), stuff (same here)
... and sometimes, heroes and monsters boxes, even if I love the expansion box system more but can be of no real money value to FFG

But I wouln't love :

• The change on dice
• The change of class system
• The change of rules
• The change or Art
• The flipping over cards system addition
• The change on Overlord system
• The only coop system

5 hours ago, EpicBubbleSA said:

So FFG is trying to make it pretty clear that Descent: Legends in the Dark is NOT a descent 3rd edition. (not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing). We already seeing the reaction to the announcement with many having mixed feelings. It also raises the issue if this succeeds what happens to a 3rd edition and if it fails what happens to descent.

and Terrinoth/Mennara generally, and indeed what happens to second edition either way

I think a lot of us are feeling/thinking that regardless of our feelings about 'new big box'

Here are a few ideas for creating a 3rd edition of Journeys:

- Focus on overlord vs heroes gameplay with a campaign system.
- Rethink some game mechanics (for example movement) and tighten up the rules to have less exceptions (just think about the immobilized condition and movement points from non regular sources).
- Use a better LOS System.
- Scrap compatibility for 2nd edition (it's just too much stuff), instead incentivise 2nd edition owners to upgrade to 3rd edition by including the 12 missing 1e heroes in the base game and adding 2nd edition hero sheets for them.
- If you plan to add coop play, use a system that is card based similar to the D2E PODs, but expand these in a way that offers the possibility to add future expansion stuff like new enemies. Don't create another app.
- Use a more classic "Terrinoth" like artstyle for characters.
- Use tiles that are at least as detailed as in 2nd edition and include many more tiles in the base game (think 50-75 2 sided tiles) for greater variety in later expansion campaigns
- Rethink the necessity of including 3D tiles.
- Expand dice options for combat.
- Design all systems in a way that allows to add expansion content to base game assets (like conditions for enemies, items and so on).
- Rethink hero KOs to make these more meaningful (think permanent injuries like Bilehall and Chains tainted cards), but don't make KOs the sole overlord win condition like in IA.
- Try to avoid power creep with expansions.
- Keep the flexibility of combining heroes with different classes.
- Avoid the design of hero abilities, that have a major impact on the overlord game mechanics (like completely shutting down overlord cards).
- Give hero players more options at the start of a campaign (at least 3-4 skills per class) and focus more on improving these with upgrades instead of unlocking new skills as level up options.
- Invest time into balance testing.
- Listen to the feedback of your beta testers, even if you don't like what they have to say.

You know what they're doing could be fine for a 3rd edition, I mean I'd prefer if they'd spent a little more time adding color to the tiles and picked a different style of art. But whatever, the art in 2nd edition wasn't my favorite and the core box tiles where so obsessed with light sources that some look downright bizarre.

Those are things I can probably get over, I mean I have before so *shrug* Anyway the thing that would need to be different is content! I'm willing to pay $175, I've payed more than that before but that price bought me the core, 2 big boxes and 1 small box last time.

Now it buys me 16 scenarios !?! I mean I don't actually mind a universal generic tile system but for the price they need to use it. Until then I'll be playing Frosthaven.

You stole my question LOL! Great minds think alike.

Here are some things that I think would like to see for a future version of Descent. I understand the next release is not really a 3rd edition and some of wishes are unrealistic. I am just throwing it out there anyway.

- the dynamic system that was saw with both Descent 2E and IA- you could play it co-op with an Overlord, or with an App.

-less reliance on results of the dice. I love the dice...I just wish that decision making and strategy would play more of an outcome in the end result of the game (I'm not sure if this is possible)

-3D terrain is a nifty idea

- keep the same Terrinoth style artwork

- Make it more streamlined so its easier to get to the table and less cumbersome on the table. Here are some examples:

-lose alot of the tokens...give me a dial for monsters where I can keep track of health and conditions-

- give me a dashboard/dial for my characters with a similar effect

-add the possibility of sinister hidden agendas

-keep the same flow streamlined rules

- it would be great if it was somehow backwards compatible with 2E and 1E

- Give people a reason to play this as a board game as opposed to a video game. I like the RtL ap as an option, but don't make the mechanics of the game totally reliant on technology.

That's my 2 cents.

On 10/23/2020 at 12:29 PM, rugal said:

• Changing magic system by a special icon , like it was in D1 because it is nothing special in descent to use magic, finally ( my only real addition point in fact)

Could you explain on how this system works? I like the idea. Maybe there is a way to produce new kind of dies to implement this concept? (battle dies and magic dies with the same color) so you don't have to mess with the current art for dies on the cards.

- I would like to see a darker artwork than the current 2ed. Don't get me wrong, I really like the current art, but its not real 'descent journey in the dark' style :P. Think about the GW warhammer fantasy 6th edition style.

- Different approach on magic use, heavier damage, expensive to use (maybe 1 attack per round, something like that).

- Get rid of the X on the dice! I heard IA had a better system.

- 2 kind of difficulties, normal/hard with the rules and possibilities for monsters and hero's.

- A tracker for monster health.

- Miniature terrain.

- more indepth character/class narrative. Implement their stories in the main, or make side-quest for them.

1 minute ago, TryFal said:

Could you explain on how this system works? I like the idea. Maybe there is a way to produce new kind of dies to implement this concept? (battle dies and magic dies with the same color) so you don't have to mess with the current art for dies on the cards.

I don't have real idea, it comes from D1, where each attack type has his own attack die (but it was strange a bit complex for nothing really interresting), but maybe another symbol type on the attack die that only mage could use ?

10 hours ago, rugal said:

I don't have real idea, it comes from D1, where each attack type has his own attack die (but it was strange a bit complex for nothing really interresting), but maybe another symbol type on the attack die that only mage could use ?

Something custom for magic could actually be good- then you're specifically casting magic, you could maybe have different interpretations of the dice or find an easily available special dice/die option that would fit well

Just realised I answered from a designing for 2e perspective My head's so in that space now....

A modernization pass would be good. Not sure what that looks like, but I'd want them to keep the 1 vs many aspect.

For me, call me shallow if you will. But the BIGGEST thing I want in an actual 3rd Edition is NOT being cheap on the miniatures.

This means:
- Include Familiar miniatures that are unique from anything similar. Meaning get rid of the cheap cardboard tokens for an actual Reanimate miniature, an actual Wolf miniature, actual Summoned Stone miniatures.

- Include Lieutenant miniatures, this is absolutely ridiculous that you buy a $60+ expansion or a $80+ base game then have to use cardboard tokens as your boss battles. Or you have to go out and buy the miniatures separately.

- Include Civilian and furniture miniatures. Again Civilian tokens and obscure round cardboard "search" tokens really cheapen the experience. If it was good enough for HeroQuest 30 years ago to have physical treasure chests to search then it should be good enough in 2020+ (I know LOTD has 3d furniture).

- Include tactile, proper 3d plastic doors, Again cardboard doors just cheapens the experience.


While I understand that the last two have been rectified in LOTD and I do not believe there are Lieutenants in LOTD. I would certainly hope that in 5-10 years time when it is time for a proper 3rd Edition. They do it properly and get rid of the Milton Bradley cardboard for proper gaming props.

Basically, apart from Character sheets and playing cards - GET RID OF THE CARDBOARD.

- A more serious, dark art work would be great. Something similar we see with Warhammer and most of GW products. This only serves to enhance the immersion for the game play.

- More Lore, really flush out the world, the stories, the factions, the history, the world. Make Terrinoth really feel alive and that you're moving around and adventuring in a living breathing world.

- Keep the 1 v Many play style.

I'll second the lieutenants, it made sense in 1st edition that they were separate as those expansions were entirely plastic free and most of the lieutenants didn't get used.

Cutting a portion of the game out in 2nd edition for me to buy separately is just dumb. Please stop it ffg.

One of the reasons why I originally purchased Descent 2E because I thought it would look good on the table. I loved the tiles, miniatures, and tokens. What kept me interested was the game play and the expandability. I also love terrain. I have 3d doors, treasure chests, barrels, etc. I often found myself placing an objective token under them, because it made them stand out more. According to FFG they are planning to incorperate more 3D game pieces. This would be one of the changes I would be interested in. At the same time, they would have to justify the price (sculptors. production, etc)

I probably stand alone on this but I liked the idea that you got more than a model in the lieutenant packs. You also got decks that could definitely change the strategy as an Overlord. I liked that the expansion packs of various types came with miniatures and tools that would benefit both the Overlord and the players. While this can be seen as an extra expense, I like that I could choose what to buy and incorperate into the game- rather than having it all in one box for a price. I absolutely understand where you're your coming from. I also know that the games FFG needs to produce need to generate $$$. As FFG grew it became clear that if they even suspect they won't make money on a game, they pull it.

At the risk of repeating myself, I would love to see a dashboard/dial system incorporated rather than 3D tokens. Tokens as a whole pose problems for me in setup, bookeeping, and storage. I made my card size health tracker with a dial for health and stamina. I wasn't fond of putting wound and condition tokens on monsters and then having to move them on the board. I think a dashboard and a dial system would increase the visual appeal of the game and keep things streamlined. I'm not sure how much this would cost to produce as opposed to tokens. I think it might be worth a look from FFG. Am I alone in this thinking?

I love Descent and I love FFG. I would like to see them succeed. My relationship with FFG has changed since it got acquired by Asmodee, though. Descent got really quiet for awhile and they pulled Mansions of Madness. Now they are making a new version of Descent that is not related to the 1E and 2E versions we all loved. I am not sure of the rationale. Its really to early to say anything about Legends of the Dark. I'm not as excited as I would be if it was an extension of the first 2 editions.

I also admit that I clearly don't know what the market wants. I still can't understand how Gloomhaven skyrocketed while many people don't even know about Descent. Reading the rules of GH was enough of a turn off for to keep me from buying it. I think we are seeing people paying large sums of money for big box board games. I'm not anxious to join this trend at all. I guess ya gotta do what ya gotta do FFG. I'm still rooting for ya!

On 11/2/2020 at 8:55 AM, TryFal said:

Could you explain on how this system works?

If memory serves, instead of the 2 kinds of attack in 2e there were 3. 2e has the short range high damage attack and the long range low damage attack, there used to be an option in between that did mid range mid damage.

I mean things were actually more complicated in both games because weapons have individual flavor and 2e did end up adding a 3rd sort of attack using the green dice.

But it really did feel different in 1e than ranged attack or other ranged attack.

On 11/2/2020 at 2:58 PM, rugal said:

I don't have real idea, it comes from D1, where each attack type has his own attack die (but it was strange a bit complex for nothing really interresting), but maybe another symbol type on the attack die that only mage could use ?

I agree with you - Magic should be more Magical

But it's the same in many other Boardgames as well, that is magic is just another kind of attack type, and there isn't the feeling of 'Magic' behind. I would except more 'fireballs', scintillating effects, 'wow' factor with magic. Things like only a Wizard can do.

Yea maybe with some sort of stress mechanism. When the stress gets high the wizard will do more damage, but may come with a extra cost to be successful. True magic shouldn’t be a regular attack, that should be done with a wand (which does less damage of course). So that magic feels very powerful for a small moment. Just like the heroic feat or something.

1 minute ago, TryFal said:

Yea maybe with some sort of stress mechanism. When the stress gets high the wizard will do more damage, but may come with a extra cost to be successful. True magic shouldn’t be a regular attack, that should be done with a wand (which does less damage of course). So that magic feels very powerful for a small moment. Just like the heroic feat or something.

feels more mansion of madness magical style to me

7 minutes ago, rugal said:

feels more mansion of madness magical style to me

Not familiar with MoM, I’ll look it up on YT