Hello!

I enjoy the heck out of Descent - and now more recently DungeonQuest (original and new) - and am interested in Runebound - now that I have actually spent more time looking at it and noticed it can be played solo. (I have a group I play with - but I enjoy being able to play solo now and again too...)

The product description page - http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite_sec.asp?eidm=23&esem=1 shows it as a 2-6 player game - which is why I think I overlooked it before...

So who plays it solo? Does it take 2-4 hours solo?

What about all these other small $10 card packs? Those extra adventures?

Would love to hear more!

I looked several pages back and didn't find a thread like this in the forums here - so I thought I'd ask.

(I will be at FFG event center on Friday - and may need to make a purchase)

Oh - and what do you think of the setup time? Does it take a while to setup and get playing? Or 2-3 minutes and you are ready to roll?

I've only played this game solo a few times and It works pretty well. I still had a lot of fun adventuring, by myself gathering equipment and leveling up.

They main problem is that there is no way for you to lose when you play solo because when you get knocked out you just lose your gold and your most expensive item. so when I do play solo if I get knocked out once I just play that I've lost and that the forces of evil (the board game) have won.

They game plays better with friends but I've found it to still be fun and enjoyable to play solo from time to time.

The set up in the game isn't too bad. If you're accustomed to setting up a game of descent runebound has a heck of a lot shorter set up time. It probably takes 10 minutes or so to set up (it takes me longer then most because I take my time when it comes to shuffling cards). It would take less time if you recruit the other players to help you shuffle the cards and place tokens

All those $10 packs are different things but half of them are just for the base runebound game

There are 6 packs that add more adventure cards to the various decks (green, yellow, blue and red adventures) Really only used in the base game

There are 6 packs that add more items allies and other equipment to the item deck.

There are 6 packs that change the victory conditions of the base game (some of the adventure variant packs only slightly change the game and others change the game drastically). Only used in the base game

There are 6 packs that are character decks. these decks just give they players more options for advancement (skills) and ways to effect the board and other players (spells). I don't know a whole lot about the character decks though. I haven't bought any yet I've just read through the rulebook for them.

Hope this answers some of your questions

I really enjoy solo Runebound. Even though it is suggested and designed for 2 or more players Runebound it a game in which you spend most of the time competing against the board so solitaire play is fine.

There are a few quick changes you need to make to the game in order for it to be a truly solo game (don't worry its not a drastic overhaul). The main thing you need to add in order to make the game solo-able is a timer mechanism so that you don't have unlimited turns to power up your character before taking on the final challenges.

When/If you get the game I suggest playing it a few times with a group to get comfortable with the rules and then play it a time or 2 solo for the same reason. Then, feel free to ask and I'll post the simple timing mechanism I use (I didn't create it, I found it on a website) called the "Doom Track".

Setup time is 5-10 minutes once you've got the hang of it.

TheKing did a great job breaking down the $10 decks. I don't think any of them are "necessary" to buy at first since you'll have plenty to learn and experience when you play base game itself. However, they are nice, inexpensive options when you are looking to switch things up.

Solo play isn't really my cup of tea, but I agree the game is well suited to that end if you're of a mind to do so.

The thing I love most about Runebound is the way the challenge cards tell a (semi)-coherent story as you draw them and explore the world. Some fights are random monsters (okay, a lot of fights) but some are also against significant NPCs that are playing a part in the story of the game - The brothers Farrow, for example, whom you might be familiar with from Descent also make an appearance here, helping the villains toward their ultimate goal. Global events manifest as signs that the villains are approaching their goal, and as a kick in the pants to lazy heroes to let them know the world isn't just standing still while they wander around. Of course, the way the game is set up there's really no chance of evil emerging victorious (unless you play with the Doom Track), but the good guys always win in a well-told story anyway - it's just a question of which good guy defeats the Dragon High Lord and gets the most glory, really.

Because of that, my favourite mini-expansions are the adventure variants which change up the story. Introduce new NPCs and villains, alter the end game or victory conditions somehow. It's like you're telling a whole new story with the same game. And of course, the big box expansions not only tell a new story, but do so in a different part of the world with a new map, so they really change things up.

Solo play or not, it's an all around great time. =)

miles601 said:

No need to have to post this. The "Doom Track" variant is now included in the back of the Runebound rulebook

Like I mentioned before I will be at FFG on Friday afternoon and you can check out games there to try before you buy. I will check it out with a buddy of mine on Friday. Looking forward to trying it out.

Obviously I will read the rules before I go there - just to have a feel for it ahead of time.

@King

I should have been more specific. I actually use an alternate Doom Track not found in the rulebook that is based on Midnight Expansion Doom Track. Again, I didn't come up with it and take no credit for it, but I am happy to share with solo-players. The nice thing about the system I use is that it allows you to actually vary the "difficultly" factor so that newer players and players looking for a real challenge can both use the system. I think it works better than the printed Doom variant in the rulebook.