Role-playing games come in many forms whether that is tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons or open-world video games built for adventure. The common factor you will always see is that you take on a character of some form, either one of your creation or one that exists in the world already. Role-playing games are known for exploration, advancement, and combat, offering unique experiences.
For fans of video games or TTRPGs board games are another avenue to experience adventurous fun. Great games with character advancement or assuming a role are many, with a majority involving combat encounters of some kind. These are the best RPG-like games in tabletop to play.
The Red Dragon Inn
For Tavern Loving Fun See at AmazonGloomhaven
The Full RPG Experience $199 at WalmartBag Of Dungeon
To Have A Quick Adventure See at AmazonThe Dwarves: Big Box
For Co-op Gameplay See at Amazon- via Amazon
Claustrophobia
Asymmetrical Dungeon Crawl $230 at Amazon - See More
Unbroken
To Play An RPG Solo See at Amazon
The Best Board Games For RPG Fans
For Tavern Loving FunThe Red Dragon Inn
Be part of the adventuring party as they make merry
Walk away with the most gold as you play through the tavern escapades that happen after the adventure is over.
Pros & Cons- Fun and simple gameplay
- Leans to playing a role
- No advancement or exploration
For the social aspects of a roleplay adventure, you can look to The Red Dragon Inn. You choose a character in the adventuring party to play as and go through their after-adventure tavern visit, with plenty of drinking, gambling, and gold-nabbing.
Each character has a different approach to the game, with abilities to match their story and class. Nothing in Red Dragon Inn is too complicated, meaning even those who are not familiar with RPG systems can enjoy it.
It plays great as a group and gets you acting in the spirit of a band of unruly adventurers. Really hamming it up and immersing yourself will be the best experience. Ordering your friend's drink cards in funny voices and yelling chants always seems to crop up by the end of the game.
The Full RPG ExperienceGloomhaven
Delve dungeons and get out alive to do it again
Original Release Date June-00-00 Player Count 1-4 players Age Recommendation 14+ Length per Game 60-120 minutes per session Franchise Name GloomhavenEnter a hex-based dungeon crawl for one to four players as you choose a mercenary to brave dangers for great reward. You will empower and level your character as you complete enough delves to challenge tougher foes.
Pros & Cons- Wide array of RPG mechanics and gameplay
- Leveling and character advancement
- High cost investment
Gloomhaven is the pinnacle RPG experience in tabletop form. There are multiple classes with character advancement and plenty of looting and combat to be had. It feels close to a TTRPG in its gameplay, and has you completing quests in dingy dungeons.
When first trying Gloomhaven it can seem completely unapproachable, there are deep mechanics and each character will play differently to some extent. Given time you'll find it is easier to play than you might think once the process of the game loop is understood.
If you desire a true-to-form RPG experience in a board game then Gloomhaven is a great choice. Just be ready to offer it an investment of cost and time to reap its benefits.
To Have A Quick AdventureBag Of Dungeon
Seek out your prize amidst unknown dangers
Explore dungeons that are dynamic and different in every game as you search for the Ring of Creation. Bag of Dungeon is a quick-to-set-up adventure for one to four of dungeon crawler fun.
Pros & Cons- Dynamic tile board brings variety
- Fast to play vs other games
- Can feel like it lacks progression
Want to get in a fun dungeon crawl but without so much setup? Bag Of Dungeon has everything you need for a quick delve below and can be ready to play in just minutes. Pick your character, grab your tokens, and start laying tiles.
The board is created and explored out of tiles as you play, making it highly replayable. Each time you choose to adventure your path and foes will change keeping things fresh. There is no grand character advancement like that of Gloomhaven or other titles, although, the simple but engaging systems earn their merit.
For Co-op GameplayThe Dwarves: Big Box
Battle orcs, trolls, and Élfar, to claim victory for the dwarves
From the works of Markus Heitz The Dwarves: Big Box brings the base game and expansions into one ultimate package. Players fight together against savage enemies who threaten their lands in this cooperative board game.
Pros & Cons- Multiple hero characters to play
- Includes all the best expansions
- Deep story-rich fantasy setting
- Games can last a long time
Experience an extensive fantasy series through tabletop play with The Dwarves: Big Box. The release of the popular board game with the greatest expansions all in one package. Gather your friends and grab your axe to face off against the forces of evil.
The Dwarves is a cooperative strategy game where you take the roles of hero characters fighting orcs and other creatures for control of the Sheltered Land. There are 12 heroes to choose from with unique powers for each.
RelatedThe Best Cooperative Board Games In 2024
You don't always have to compete with one another, cooperative board games are their own kind of fun.
PostsYou can play through the stories of the novels as you collect equipment, fight battles, and push back evil. If you wish to succeed solid teamwork is a necessity, as the game is lost should any hero fall.
The number of heroes available and the collection of equipment offer a variety of play and a sense of progression as you destroy opposing armies. To secure victory, you'll need to do more than just fight armies, as the scenarios require deeper strategy to complete.
Asymmetrical Dungeon CrawlClaustrophobia
Choose a side and summon all your might to win
Enter Hell Doraldo as a group of adventurers and hope to escape with your lives. This asymmetric classic pits two players against each other as either a spirited group of humans or an endless horde of demons.
Pros & Cons- Awesome hero vs demon gameplay
- Incredibly detailed miniatures
- High cost investment
Claustrophobia is a great dungeon crawler, with one player controlling a group of heroes, and the other a hellish horde. All the RPG elements you'd expect are here, with characters who have unique statistics and abilities.
You roll dice to access your actions and abilities, with the demon player making constant rolls to decide the actions of the devilish horde. For the hell aligned player they will be deciding what dice to assign where and when an ability is best used. Because certain hell abilities may only be used once in a scenario both sides must exhibit a great deal of strategy. The endless nature of the demons alone will not be enough to overcome the heroes.
There are multiple ways to play, using different scenarios or setups, and, due to a modular board design where you explore the layout every run, Claustrophobia is highly replayable. Fans of asymmetric games or one-on-one gameplay will be glad they picked this up.
To Play An RPG SoloUnbroken
Enter the depths of the dungeon and extract revenge
Unbroken is a single-player card game of dungeon crawling and resource management. Explore dark delves and face perilous threats as you seek vengeance and hope for survival.
Pros & Cons- Immersive gameplay and design
- Engaging combat and exploration
- Purely for solo-play
For most RPG video games, the experience is a single-player one which is not as easy to replicate in tabletop form. While most games require additional players, there are excellent solo games available as well, such as Unbroken.
You are the final survivor of an adventuring group, carrying on through the dungeon in hopes of survival and vengeance. There are resource management elements to this dungeon crawl, with requirements for effort or other tokens.
You can make many significant choices when playing, as what you choose to do during exploration and in battle can have strong effects on your chances of survival. Careful planning and preparation will be the best hope for a successful run.
FAQ
What Are RPGs And What Are They Like?
An RPG, or roleplaying game, is usually a character experience involving combat and story elements. In the digital space, the traditional meaning of RPG is not as common, often RPG is instead used to refer to any character progression or story system.
For example, many games are said to have "RPG-like" elements due to the nature of their tiered or leveled progression tracks. If you are choosing perks or increasing stats then it is likely considered an RPG video game.
What's The Difference Between RPGs And TTRPGs?
Typically when we say RPG the first thing that comes to mind are video games. Many types of RPGs exist in the digital space, with open-world RPGs, action RPGs, and more. TTRPGs, or Tabletop Roleplaying Games are game systems such as Dungeons & Dragons that you play physically or online.
TTRPGs contain more of the traditional elements of roleplaying games, while they have combat in most cases there is more freedom to the story and player choice. Because tabletop games usually have a Dungeon Master or Narrator they can do many things digital games cannot.
The Dungeon Master, or DM, of a TTRPG like Dungeons & Dragons, can improvise characters and dialogue on the fly. As opposed to video games TTRPGs can rely on the creative power of the DM to create content at the table, digital games can only offer what has already been coded and designed.
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