Runebound -- Out of Print?

By rfox01, in Runebound

The only place I can find this game is either on ebay or Amazon for over MSRP. Even the FFG store has the base game and many expansions as Out of Stock. Is this a dead game?

I'm very interesting in Runebound mostly because of it's a fanasy adventure with strong solo playability. But I'd prefer to a game that has continuing development, or at least strong community support.

Other options I was considering was Talisman, but everyone says Runebound is better for solo play, plus I'd rather play on a map layout than a monopoly-style board. DungeonQuest looks like it could fill my solo dungeon itch, but I don't think I like the idea of dying at the drop of a hat and 90% of the time from what I hear.

If Runebound is a dead end, what do people suggest for a solo game, preferably one that doesn't require 4+ hours to play, like Mage Knight.

although i love FFG as a company and rarely have any complaints about their decisions…this is one area where i just get frustrated. Well this and their decision to let original Battlelore die but thats another forum. I wish they would just let us know what is going on with this game. (yeah i know, first world problems) lol enfadado the weird thing is, FFG is very open about their future plans with most games. but once in a while on a particular title, the silence is deafening. this is one of those occasions.

I see online stores having expansions and no base game thus rendering their stock in runebound expansions practically useless. I'm also annoyed with the despicable gouging thats happening on ebay and amazon by private sellers. really? $70 to $100 for a card expansion?? i am totally for capitalism but it does get out of hand due to greed.

so, if you are looking to get runebound, get it now. because who knows whats up. they could be planning a reprint, or a whole new edition, or they might just let it die. ala battlelore. :(

If you do go the runebound route, find a base game if you can and just get a couple of big box expansions. forget the small expansions unless you are wealthy and have money to burn.

otherwise you can try Defenders of the Realm, Mage Knight or Wrath of Ashardalon. these games arent like Runebound, nothing is. Runebound is a wonderful unique game. but at least those other games are in the same neighborhood that can be played solo. which is one of the best things about Runebound.

anyway hopefully we'll hear something on the status on this title. best of luck.

Just got my self a core set the other day(£29) and a copy of "cult of the rune" for (£10), Luckily the 2 main board exspansions that im after are still available at RRP so I'm praying that there still available by my birthday at the beggining of march. I know what you mean "elfmandude" about the stupid price for the card exspansions. Some one is trying to sell a copy of "Beast and bandits" for £363 on amazon! and crown of the elder kings" for over £600!

Luckily as a designer I'll easily get some PSD templates set up and with the great amount of art work on sites like Deviant art i'll create my own cards to add in (sust print a front and back and stick in a clear wallet).

TBH if the game is dead I think it would be a great idea for FFG to realese pdf copies of the cards for fans to use and print off. That would certainly stick it to these cowboy sellers. Down side would be that this would cause more problems for the retailers with old stock, but like you said there arn't enough core sets around. When I found my copy the seller had 3 left and I was mulling it over next day 2 left, day after that 1 left, so I quickly grabbed the last one!

rfox01 said:

The only place I can find this game is either on ebay or Amazon for over MSRP. Even the FFG store has the base game and many expansions as Out of Stock. Is this a dead game?

I'm not seeing anything for Runebound on the Upcoming page, so it would appear the game is truely OOP. (Or else in the middle of a print run, but you'd think copies would be easier to find in that case.)

rfox01 said:

Other options I was considering was Talisman, but everyone says Runebound is better for solo play, plus I'd rather play on a map layout than a monopoly-style board.

Runebound is indeed better than Talisman for solo play, but Talisman is still a hilariously fun game in its own right. It can be played solo easily enough, although the fact that you know who's going to win is a bit of a downer. =P

rfox01 said:

DungeonQuest looks like it could fill my solo dungeon itch, but I don't think I like the idea of dying at the drop of a hat and 90% of the time from what I hear.

You may be surprised at how much fun you can have in a game where instant death two spaces from the entrance is not an uncommon occurance. I'm just saying is all.

Although, like Talisman, DQ is the kind of fun that is best shared with friends. My wife and I play it two player and we have a ball watching each other get slaughtered. Rarely have we laughed so uproariously at our own misfortunes.

rfox01 said:

If Runebound is a dead end, what do people suggest for a solo game, preferably one that doesn't require 4+ hours to play, like Mage Knight.

I hear good things about Death Angel, as long as the sci-fi setting isn't a deal breaker. It's actually designed to be a solo game and just happens to have multiplayer rules on the side.

I am another fan of this game that finds it sad that FFG does not appear to care about this game anymore. At least I'm lucky and own most of board expansions and a few card expansions. Finally got a group of friends that wanted to try out the class decks, but those are now very hard to find it looks like. I saw the "Print on Demand" stuff for some of their other games, so maybe they will just add their "out of mass print" stuff there eventually? One can hope.

I have everything but the class decks; got one to study and decided it wasn't for me. But a POD approach would be nice, as I do still run into people who would like to give the game a try. I also run into some shop owners who are still sitting on expansions gather dust because the core game cannot be found.