Best Fantasy Board Games

We love fantasy. The genre has occupied a fair amount of our lives in all its iterations. Books, movies, comics, TV shows, board games, and video games — on all counts, fantasy wins out for us. As such, we are naturally drawn to fantasy board games and we’ve played lots.

Today we’re diving into the best fantasy board games out there.

Our Top Picks for Best Fantasy Board Games

In a hurry? Check out our favorites below.

06/06/2023 01:30 pm GMT

Fantasy and board games work extremely well together. Who doesn’t want to fight some dragons, cast some spells, or face down ancient horrors?

Nobody, that’s who.

We’ve broken down the fantasy genre into some of the best fantasy board games you can shake a wand at. Some are classics, and some are newer, but all will be awesome.

Sword & Sorcery

Players: 1-5
Playing time: 60-90 minutes
Ages: 12+

Theme

Evil has descended upon the land, and heroes are needed. The legendary heroes have been resurrected to once again fight and save the land from darkness, but the spell is still new and the heroes will need time to restore themselves to their former glory.

Sword & Sorcery is a cooperative board game in which you will play as one of the legendary heroes. As you progress through the campaign, the heroes will regain their strength and level up throughout the campaign.

Major Mechanics

Sword & Sorcery is relatively simple to learn and comes with some fantastic cheat sheets in the game for when you get lost. During the course of the game, players will work through a scenario and fight their way through a dungeon.

The rules are fairly standard and easy to pick up. Each monster will have a card-based AI that they will perform based on their location and how far or close they are to a character. Player equipment will allow you to roll more dice in combat, or negate damage entirely.

One of the more interesting aspects of the game is how it handles resurrection and character deaths. When a character dies, they’re not out of the game but instead become a ghost.

Ghost characters can revive themselves by backtracking through the dungeon and getting to a respawn point at the entrance, and then having to retrace their steps back to where the action is.

What we liked

Sword & Sorcery has a lot going for it. Relatively easy to learn and engaging to play, it offers a great gaming experience for beginners and pros alike. For beginners there are cheat sheets that help you along the way and, even if you die, you can come back as a ghost. This is great for keeping all players engaged for the whole game. 

What could be better

Once you’ve played through the core game a few times, replayability is limited. Compared with something like Gloomhaven there just isn’t much material here to work with.

Final Thoughts

The resurrection mechanic is one of the better ones I’ve seen and keeps players occupied and in the game. Instead of dying and leaving the table they’ll try and rush back into the fight as soon as possible, or try and revive themselves before the entire party is killed.

If everyone in the party is a ghost, the game ends in a loss.

Sword & Sorcery is a solid addition to any board game collection and an all-around great dungeon-crawl board game. This would be an excellent introduction for new players to the genre, and it’s still interesting and challenging enough for hardcore fans.

Some Versions & Expansions

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

Players: 1-4
Playing time: 30-120 minutes 
Ages: 14+

Theme

A band of mercenaries battling through a gloomy land where evil stalks. Sound familiar? Welcome back to the murky world of Gloomhaven where you and your fellow players need to explore and uncover the hidden secrets present everywhere. But challenges and enemies lurk around every corner.

Major Mechanics

Gloomhaven has staked its claim as one of the best board games ever made — and with good reason. It packs an epic punch. So, what does Jaws of the Lion offer over its predecessor? It’s a cooperative dungeon-crawler for up to 4 players. There are over 25 scenarios to choose from and they take about two hours to complete. 

So, it’s shorter than its predecessor. And that makes sense because it’s marketed towards a more general audience. But it’s still not a short game by any stretch of the imagination and still offers tons of content for those who are willing to commit.  

What we liked

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion has a few key differences from the original which might encourage you to buy it. First, it’s easier to learn and easier to play. You can just jump right in and learn as you play. Second, it’s cheaper than the original.

Though the original is ultimately better value if you play the entire campaign, Jaws of the Lion offers a much cheaper way of being able to experience Gloomhaven. 

What could be better

It needs to be mentioned that the gameplay has polarized fans. Specifically, some fans think the combat system leaves a lot to be desired. This is a matter of personal preference, but something to be aware of. 

Final Thoughts

Jaws of the Lion tries to balance a tightrope and walk the middle ground between accessibility and an immersive gaming experience. Does it achieve this? I would say yes — but with caveats.

It still steers much more toward a time-consuming epic. But it’s easier to learn and quicker to play, so can work as a great introduction to the original.

Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of Ashardalon

Players: 1-5
Playing time: 60 minutes
Ages: 12+

Theme

Another Dungeons and Dragons entry that packs a punch in an hour or less, welcome to Dungeons and Dragons: Wrath of Ashardalon. The dragon Ashardalon has taken over the mountain of Firestone Peak, and the dwarves, humans, and elves live under his tyranny. All hope rests upon the shoulders of you and your companions. 

Major Mechanics

Wrath of Ashardalon is a cooperative dungeon-crawler where you and your companions must work together to defeat evil monsters, overcome challenges and defeat the ultimate enemy Ashardalon. The production levels are also excellent, with great components.

For a Dungeons and Dragons-themed game, this all sounds like pretty familiar stuff so far.

But the fact it’s packed into an hour’s action means you can dabble without committing to a whole evening. The gameplay itself is very cooperative. You win together and lose together. Throughout the game you can also level up your hero, increasing their abilities, but this is quite limited.

For a game that only lasts an hour, that’s to be expected. 

What we liked

Wrath of Ashardalon is a very accessible board game rendition of the role-playing classic. It can work as a gateway for players who are interested in trying out something in the dungeons and dragons universe. There’s also a huge amount of content in the game so players can keep finding new adventures without getting bored. 

What could be better

Two key drawbacks relate to the complexity of the game. If you’re looking for a more complex gaming experience, this is going to seem too simplistic to really engage you. Also, if you are looking for a character-driven game where you can develop your character that’s also very limited in Wrath of Ashardalon. 

Final Thoughts

Wrath of Ashardalon is a great addition to the genre. There’s actually quite a lot of content included too. You can choose between 12 different missions and take on a different challenge every time you play, so there’s plenty to keep you engaged. 

Legends of Andor

Players: 2-4
Playing time: 60-90 minutes
Ages: 10+

Theme

Andor’s borders are under threat, and the enemies are at the gates. Welcome to Legends of Andor where you and your teammates need to tackle and defeat these invading hordes. Players will need to work together and take on dangerous quests in order to banish these enemies from the realm. 

Major Mechanics

The key thread tying Legends of Andor together is the narrative. It links different scenarios together to create an overarching story that will keep players immersed right until the end.

As players move through the narrative, new cards, and new actions become available. Actions exhaust your hero, so you need to choose what to do wisely and cooperate effectively with your teammates. 

The combat mechanic is very easy to learn. You just need to roll higher dice than the enemy. This may sound a bit random, but you choose whether to fight them or not in the first place. Legends of Andor is all about choices, and working with your teammates to make the best ones and ensure victory. 

What we liked

One of the best parts of the gaming experience in Legends of Andor is the high level of cooperation required. You need to communicate effectively with your teammates to win the game. Designating tasks and executing them in a logical sequence is really rewarding. 

What could be better

A key drawback in Legends of Andor relates to its replayability. Once you’ve played through a few times it becomes clear there isn’t much else to offer. There just aren’t enough scenarios to provide new experiences for players. 

Final Thoughts

I don’t want to give too much away but the narrative that holds everything together is executed excellently. You need to make tough choices throughout but will be rewarded handsomely by making the right ones. 

Mansions of Madness

Players: 1-5
Playing time: 120-180 minutes
Ages: 14+

Theme

In Mansion of Madness, players explore the cursed mansions of Arkham with the guidance of an app that provides narration and musical ambiance. This intense and immersive adventure involves solving puzzles, fighting monsters, and collecting weapons, tools, and information to succeed.

Inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft, the game is set in the same universe as Eldritch Horror and Elder Sign.

Fantasy Flight Games has a bit of a monopoly on Lovecraftian Board Games. If you’ve played any of their other games, a lot of the artwork, themes, and mechanics will start to look familiar.

Major Mechanics

One of the more interesting aspects of Mansions of Madness is the companion app. The companion app streamlines the whole process of the game. It’ll play some background music for ambiance, and it simplifies the setup and combat by walking players through the game and guides them through the rules.

One of the interesting things about the game is its insanity mechanic. This differs from some of the other Fantasy Flight games like Arkham Horror. In Arkham Horror, if you go insane, you end up at the hospital or your character dies.

Here in Mansions of Madness, if you go insane, it changes that particular player’s win condition, so you never really know what their new goal is.

What we liked

Incorporating apps into board games can be a make-or-break situation. In this case, it works really well. It doesn’t take over everything and it doesn’t dominate proceedings. It just keeps track of the game and provides an immersive atmosphere so you can get on with the gameplay. 

What could be better

This is a great improvement on the first edition so it’s hard to point out many flaws with the game. But one thing that is lacking is content. This problem can be solved by purchasing some of the expansions, but the base game only provides a certain amount of replayability. 

Final Thoughts

Mansions of Madness is a compelling addition to the Lovecraft board game scene. The mechanics have vastly improved and the exploration and storytelling have become much better in the newest addition. If you’ve played the first edition and weren’t impressed, it may be worth your time to take another look.

Versions & Expansions

Defenders of the Realm

Players: 1-4
Playing time: 90 minutes
Ages: 13+

Theme

Defenders of the Realm is a cooperative fantasy board game in which players must answer the king’s call to defend against a Darkness that engulfs the land.

You’ll be facing four different armies that are converging on your capital city, and it’s up to the heroes to stop the tide of orcs, zombies, dragons, and demons. All of them have one goal in mind: your complete destruction.

Major Mechanics

Defenders of the Realm uses a sort of “outbreak” mechanic, similar to what you’ll find in Pandemic. Hero players must slow the tide of enemies advancing on the city before the outbreak floods new enemies onto the board.

Additionally, you’ll see a bit of mixing and matching with other very easy-to-learn mechanics, such as dice rolling, variable player powers, and hand management.

What we liked

All of the heroes are unique and it’s great trying to beat the generals with a different mix of heroes and strategies. It also means that there is a lot of meaningful player cooperation in Defenders of the Realm. Players need to work together to combine their abilities and win. 

What could be better

One of the more disappointing aspects of Defenders of the Realm is the quality of the components. The main board is drab and cramped. The general miniatures don’t stand up properly and fall over easily. The cards are hard to shuffle and stick together. This all detracts from an otherwise excellent gaming experience. 

Final Thoughts

Defenders of the Realm is a great gateway game, especially since it is cooperative. It’s also a fun option if you have young kids who are interested in fantasy.

Players get to choose from characters like a Cleric, Dwarf, Eagle Rider, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, or Wizard, each with their own special abilities.

Gloomhaven

Players: 1-4
Playing time: 60-120 minutes
Ages: 14+

Theme

Gloomhaven is a cooperative dungeon-crawler board game where your table will form a band of mercenaries for an epic campaign. I honestly think the word “epic” is thrown around far too often, but once you see the massive box this comes in and almost 100 different scenarios, it’s hard to come up with a different word.

* GameCows Recommendation: Best for Solo Gameplay *

Major Mechanics

Gloomhaven’s campaign is styled after the legacy system with persistent changes the longer you play. That does not mean you can’t reset it and play it from the beginning. You don’t destroy anything in Gloomhaven (like you do in some Legacy games).

All cards remain intact and you’re never instructed to break your game. You place stickers on maps to indicate how the world changes around you, so many players have been able to successfully “reset” Gloomhaven’s legacy system and start from scratch.

Some of the thematic and story elements will remain the same, but just know that the changes can be undone (with a little effort).

What we liked

This is board gaming on a vast scale. Gloomhaven is essentially a legacy game and includes over 70 different missions. Unlike other legacy games, you can actually reset the game at the end and begin all over again. Basically, you get a lot of bang for your buck with Gloomhaven.  

What could be better

Although it is ultimately worth the price tag, that doesn’t mean everyone will want to fork out the cash for Gloomhaven. It’s a pricey investment so it’s definitely not a casual purchase. Just make sure you really want to play Gloomhaven and that you have a solid crew who will play with you.

Final Thoughts

It’s hard to search for a fantasy dungeon-crawler board game and not stumble upon Gloomhaven. It’s probably one of the biggest games out there and not just in box size. It has a huge group campaign, a separate solo campaign, vast stores of lore, and an insane level of replayability.

It does come with a hefty price tag, but don’t let that deter you. If you played a game every day for a year, I can guarantee you’d still find ways the game can surprise you.

War of the Ring

Players: 2-4
Playing time: 150-180 minutes
Ages: 13+

Out of doubt, out of dark to the day’s rising
I came singing in the sun, sword unsheathing.
To hope’s end I rode and to heart’s breaking:
Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red nightfall!

—EOMER ÉADIG, King of Rohan, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields

* GameCows Recommendation: Best Epic Wargame *

Theme

Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy spans generations of lore into one of the most epic stories ever written.

War of the Ring places you in control of the fate of Middle Earth. One player will control the armies of Free People, and the other will control the Shadow Armies of Sauron. 

While the Shadow Armies fight the Free People and search for the One Ring, the Free People are divided between fighting Sauron and protecting the Ringbearer while he tries to get to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring.

Major Mechanics

War of the Ring at its core is a war game, but in the same way that The Lord of the Rings is just a collection of books. Of course, you can classify it as such… but it’s so much more.

Each force can win in two ways, through a military victory or through a ring victory. The Shadow armies need to conquer strongholds equalling 10+ victory points. This thematically shows such utter destruction to the Free People that even if Frodo was to destroy the Ring there would be nothing left to save.

If the Free People’s armies control strongholds equalling 4+ victory points they win. This thematically shows that the armies of Sauron have been beaten so badly that Frodo’s journey to Mt. Doom would be much easier.

Then there are the Ring victories. If the shadow army finds and completely destroys the fellowship, then they immediately win. If the Fellowship completes the journey and destroys the ring before the Shadow destroys everything then the Free People Win.

Complexity and Balance

The game is incredibly complex and balanced at first glance. The armies of Sauron vastly outnumber the Free Peoples and are for all intents and purposes unlimited. When the Free Armies run out of reinforcements they are gone. There is no way to replenish them.

Sauron’s armies although unlimited all originate from Mordor and must spend valuable resources and time to recreate and move all across the board into position to attack.

The Shadow also must conquer much more than the Free People to win and must divide all their resources into fighting, reinforcing, and searching for the Fellowship. The Free People need to defend and help hide the Fellowship.

What we liked

War of the Ring captures the atmosphere and emotion of Lord of the Rings perfectly. It’s the whole of Middle Earth encapsulated in a board game. It captures all of the emotions that the novels and movies do, from triumph to tragedy. It’s a gaming masterpiece and will keep you engaged from start to finish. 

What could be better

The only real criticism that can be made is that there is a steep learning curve. It can be difficult to track everything that’s going on, so beginner players can easily feel overwhelmed by the trajectory of events. 

Final Thoughts

The War of the Ring is so full of subtle balances and shifts in power that after one game, you’ll be sitting around talking about it for days to come.

It’s not without its flaws, however. A war game on this grand of a scale is bound to come with some confusion. The dice icons and multiple moving tracks of the game can be tricky to keep count of during the game, which will have you referencing the rulebook often on your first game.

With that being said, I have never seen a game that has captured the tension and tragedy of the novels as well as War of the Ring. You’ll be sacrificing the last armies of great nations to simply buy time slowing down the hordes of orcs and armies of Sauron.

You’ll watch as the Fellowship is slowly whittled away as they die protecting Frodo. And, if you manage to deliver him safely to Mt. Doom, it’s completely out of your hands whether he succeeds or not.

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

Players: 3-6
Playing time: 120-240 minutes
Ages: 14+

Theme

“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”  ― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

* GameCows Recommendation: Best TV Series Fantasy Game *

Major Mechanics

In A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, players will issue secret orders to troops before executing commands and movements. Players are free to create alliances and gang up on other players, and players are also free to immediately turn around and break those alliances. In that regard, this game is hugely story-driven, and the fun part is you are in complete control of how it plays out.

What we liked

The player interaction in this game is fantastic. Whether it’s making alliances or waging war on enemies, every turn is going to have some tense drama. The potential for backstabbing is always there and so players need to pay close attention to what everyone is plotting at all times. 

What could be better

Something to be aware of is that there is a strong focus on military prowess in the game. If you’d rather focus on other elements like technological development or cultural prestige, you might be better off playing a game that incorporates more variety in this regard.

Final Thoughts

I’ve never hated my friends more than in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (except maybe Monopoly). The game is designed for political intrigue and war, just like the novel and the show. It’s not called, “A Game of Friends” for a reason.

Alliances in the game only last for as long as they are mutually beneficial. At the end of the day, it’s designed for players to betray and murder each other, and it is a hell of a lot of fun, even on the receiving end. It’s a game that lets you create your own stories in an incredible setting.

So you too can experience what it’s like to watch friends and family abandon each other for political gain… but seriously though, it’s an incredible experience. Just make sure your “friends” don’t hold grudges.

If you love A Song of Ice & Fire or the Game of Thrones TV show, be sure to check out our rundown of the best Game of Thrones board games to get your fantasy fix.

Versions & Expansions

Mice and Mystics

Players: 1-4
Playing time: 60-90 minutes
Ages: 7+

Theme

The king and his followers have been turned into mice!

Mice and Mystics is like stepping into a fairy tale or reliving one of Brian Jacques Redwall Novels. The king and his loyal followers have all been turned into mice, and his rule has been overthrown. The first scenario has you fleeing the castle and attempting to find refuge.

You’ll face off against insects, spiders, rat-men, and the most horrifying enemy of all, the dreaded kitty.

* GameCows Recommendation: Best Fantasy Adventure Board Game for Kids *

Major Mechanics

Each scenario is presented as a story in a children’s book and each offers its own challenges and usually some kind of bonus objective that will help later in the game or campaign.

The game has a timer and scenario-builder built into the game based on pages in a storybook. Whenever the timer reaches zero, the game ends. How far along you are in the timer also determines how many enemies (and what type) spawn in the rooms.

The game is very simple to learn and uses a set of custom dice to resolve most actions. Players will be playing against the board, but someone will need to roll dice for the enemies.

The game tiles are all beautifully done and because you’re mice, you’ll sometimes go underground to explore the sewers or underneath the floorboards. When tiles are flipped, they represent the players moving from below ground to above ground, and vice versa.

What we liked

Mice and Mystics just works so great as a family game. The theme and components are geared toward children but the great thing about Mice and Mystics is that the whole family can enjoy it. There isn’t much downtime between turns and the storytelling is really engaging, which means there’ll be a bit of something for everyone. 

What could be better

One major area of improvement that would make the game easier to play is the rulebook. Given the game is geared toward kids, it would be pretty tough for them to decipher the rules by themselves. It’s just unnecessarily complex, considering the gameplay mechanics are pretty simple. 

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed playing Mice and Mystics. The storytelling was phenomenal and reminded me of the Redwall novels from when I was a kid. The thematic elements all revolve around being a mouse, which is super cute.

For example, in order to cast a spell/ability like “thundersqueak,” players will need to spend cheese points (mana) in order to successfully use a player’s special ability.

Feel like giving Mice and Mystics a try? Make sure to check out our in-depth review first!

Massive Darkness

Players: 1-6
Playing time: 90-180 minutes
Ages: 14+

Massive Darkness is one of the best dungeon-crawl board games on the scene that has blown up on Kickstarter with 22,361 backers who pledged $3,560,642 to bring this project to life.

Major Mechanics

In Massive Darkness, players will need to take the dark very seriously. The darkness mechanic is something that I haven’t seen in any other game. Certain board locations will be lit by torches or other light sources on the board and depending on whether players are in darkness or in the light, they may be able to use special abilities.

The game comes with 2 play modes. The first is a campaign-style mode where players would gain persistent experience and abilities. The downside of this is slow game progression because the characters will be leveling and upgrading throughout multiple games.

The second play mode is a one-shot style. Players will level up and gain power much more quickly, but you can play a new character in every game. For your first few playthroughs, it’s probably best to play a one-shot game to get the rules down and see what kind of character you’d like to play for the longer campaign mode.

What we liked

The theme and production levels are excellent. The miniatures are awesome and the character boards are great. It totally immerses you in the game. The shadow system also fits in really well with the overall theme, and really helps throughout the game. 

What could be better

With more players, the difficulty increases exponentially. This is great if you want a seriously tough challenge. However, it does slow down some of the cooler features of the game. Your character development will slow to a crawl as you need to spend more time working together and overcoming obstacles. 

Final Thoughts

For a really in-depth look at Massive Darkness, you can check out our review here.

The miniatures of Massive Darkness are some of the best I’ve seen, and as the name suggests the box comes with a massive amount of options. If you ever truly get bored with the base game, there are a lot of expansions that each add even more miniatures, characters, and scenarios.

Versions & Expansions

Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

Players: 1-2
Playing time: 30-60 minutes
Ages: 13+

“And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge.”

―J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

In Lord of the Rings: The Card Game, players choose three heroes and a deck of allies to combine forces and fight against Sauron, represented by an “encounter deck”.

Players can also choose between completing quests to advance through the scenario in a more aggressive campaign or to stay in defensive mode and defeat enemies as they come.

Theme

If you haven’t noticed, we’re both Lord of the Rings nerds and love all things LOTR. The LOTR card game is no exception. Similar to Pathfinder, Lord of the Rings: The Card Game has players drafting a deck of cards and completing quests found in Tolkien’s lore.

Major Mechanics

Players will choose 3 heroes to create their deck from 4 categories: Leadership, Lore, Spirit, and Tactics.

You pick your favorite characters or you can try and combine hero categories to try and min/max your deck.

You need to be careful when choosing your heroes and creating your decks, however. Stronger players will have a higher “threat” number on their cards and during quests, if your threat gets to 50, you’ll lose the game.

What we liked

As we mentioned, the artwork is gorgeous. All the cards have unique designs and illustrations. One of the coolest elements of the game is deck customization. Not only does it look awesome, but you can create your own deck based on your own preferences and strategies.  

What could be better

It can be frustratingly difficult to win. The first quest doesn’t pose too much of a problem, but beyond that, you need to rely on a fine balance of luck and skill to pull off a victory. An unlucky draw or a bad move almost definitely means you will fail.

Final Thoughts

The artwork is phenomenal. All of the cards all illustrated beautifully in fantasy style. These aren’t just stills from the movies and I really appreciate the effort that went into that.

The game is surprisingly hard, but it has such an amazing feel to the game. Attacking and completing objectives is very straightforward, but the game itself is a ton of fun especially if you love Tolkien’s work.

Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Wrath of the Righteous

Players: 1-4
Playing time: 120 minutes
Ages: 13+

Theme

Pathfinder was a traditional pen-and-paper role-playing game inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and an open-sourced rule system that was spawned after the ill-received 4th edition set of rules for D&D.

It has since become a powerhouse of an RPG with its own lore and settings loved by many, and it’s own set of diehard fans.

Major Mechanics

The Pathfinder card game attempts to recreate the feel of playing an old-school pen-and-paper RPG.

Each player will choose a character, that comes with their own character sheet (you can download printable ones off their website if you like writing on them), and they level up between games and gain new abilities, very much like a pen and paper role-playing game.

The game also allows you to build a deck that is persistent between playthroughs. As you play through the game you’ll find upgraded weapons, items, and spells that will replace your starter deck.

The box even has a space to hold your character’s deck in between games, so you’re not shuffling through a massive pile of cards trying to rebuild it before every game.

What we liked

Deck-building and card management are absolutely essential in this game. It’s a lot of fun to build the perfect deck and then play your cards at the opportune moment. The artwork on these cards is also great, which is important as you spend a lot of time looking at them. 

What could be better

The rulebook leaves a lot to be desired. It’s not easy to decipher and could leave you feeling quite confused after trying to read it. This is a real shame as the game is excellent and being let down by a rulebook seems easily avoidable.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this game. I’m a huge fan of upgrade mechanics and I like seeing my characters become stronger over time.

The game can be quite pricey, however. The base game comes with the first scenario which can be completed in about 6-10 playthroughs, lots more if you try multiple characters, and each scenario expansion adds new monsters, weapons, and about the same number of scenarios.

So although pricey, I still think I’ve gotten my money’s worth out of it.

It does take quite a bit to set up, so we usually find ourselves playing several games in a row after we’ve gone through all of the trouble of setting everything up.

Versions & Expansions

Clank! A Deck-Building Adventure

Players: 2-4
Playing time: 30-60 minutes
Ages: 12+

Theme

Steal everything. There’s treasure hidden in that dungeon and all we have to do is take it! It’s just behind several locked doors, a few traps, a horde of monsters in the dark, and one… dragon. What could be easier?

Major Mechanics

Clank! is an interesting mix of dungeon-delver, press-your-luck, and deck-builder. Movement, sneaking, mercenaries, and any other ability you can find will come from a personal deck of cards you’ve drafted before you entered the dungeon.

Do you suck at picking locks? Hire a burglar (it worked for the dwarves in The Hobbit).
Does going toe-to-toe with an Orc sound like a terrible idea? Hire a mercenary (aka meat shield).

In Clank! players will be going into a dragon’s lair (her name is Nicki) to steal her stuff. Artifacts and items that can be easily reached close to the entrance of the dungeon aren’t going to be worth much, but you can’t spend money if you’re dead.

Nicki isn’t just going to sleep through a home invasion. She’ll be stalking through the dungeon looking for intruders, and she has the home-field advantage.

You’ll have to be quiet if you plan on leaving the dungeon alive. If you make too much noise then Nicki the dragon will know exactly where you are, and she will eat you.

If you manage to swipe some loot and make it out alive, well then, congratulations! You’ve successfully stolen from a dragon.

What we liked

Clank combines a few different mechanics for an excellent gaming experience. It works great as a deck-builder, and that in itself is really fun. It’s also a really cool dungeon-crawler game and includes press-your-luck elements. Clank combines these different aspects expertly to create a deeply immersive experience. 

What could be better

The game does include player elimination. If you’re unlucky, this can be especially frustrating as there’s very little you could have done about it. Then you just have to sit on the sidelines watching everyone else play. This can happen long before the game is over.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoy the deck-building mechanic and Clank! deals with it in a fun way. The theme of the game is so well done and such a blast to play. I usually end up going too far into the dungeon because I’m greedy (and curious), but the game can offer some incredibly heroic and tragic moments as well.

Very often I’ve had players at the table who make it steps away from escaping the dungeon, only to be taken down at the last second due to slightly too much noise, and it’s a blast.

Check out our full review of Clank! before you buy! And the MANY Clank! expansions too!

Versions & Expansions

Dominion

Players: 2-4
Playing time: 30 minutes
Ages: 14+

Theme

Dominion is the original deck-builder game, and we go into a specific detailed review here. Although not a purely fantasy-driven game, there are many expansions where you can heroically quest into a fantastical realm.

Dominion Adventures: Because you can’t have fantasy without going on a quest.
Dominion Nocturne: You’ll need some monsters to fight.

Major Mechanics

Dominion is a deck-building game, which means that players will all start with their own identical deck of cards and throughout the game draft cards from a shared pool. By the end of the game, each player’s deck will be completely different.

You can buy several different types of cards in the game, but the basics are:

Action: Gives you some kind of bonus like extra money, extra actions, or cards.
Attack: Gives you a bonus, but hurts other players. Excellent for gaining the advantage, not so much for making friends.
Treasure: Cards in the supply pool cost money, so without it, you’re never going to win.
Victory: This is how you actually win the game. At the end of the game, all your victory cards will be tallied up and the player with the most victory points wins. The base game has 3 types: Estates (1 point), Duchy (3 points), and Provinces (6 points).

The game ends when 3 piles in the supply are empty or when the last Province has been bought. The victory points are tallied and the player with the most wins.

None of the other cards in your deck matter, unless a victory card explicitly says otherwise, so all of your awesome cards that you have don’t mean squat unless you have victory points.

This adds a crucial strategic element to the game. If you buy victory points too early your deck gets filled up with cards you can’t do anything with, hindering your late-game progress. However, if you buy too late, all the high-value cards might be taken and you won’t be able to catch up.

What we liked

Dominion shaped a whole genre of board games, and it is still great all these years later. It has excellent replayability, it’s easy to understand and there are a lot of different cards players can choose from. A lot of games also wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Dominion, so that’s quite an achievement. 

What could be better

One critique of Dominion relates to the artwork on the cards. This is fair but not across the board. Some cards just look better than others. Some capture the theme better than others. Some are more attractive and just seem easier to read and understand. But there are a lot of cards so you should find some that you like. 

Final Thoughts

We love Dominion. It’s been a table staple ever since we first played it. The game has a huge amount of replayability and there’s no one right way to approach building your deck.

There have been times when players at our table have won by simply picking cards they thought looked interesting. I’ve also managed to do ridiculous combos where my turn lasts a few minutes and mills through my deck.

Versions & Expansions

• Lots. For more info, check out our in-depth article on the Best Dominion Expansions!

Small World

Players: 2-5
Playing time: 40-80 minutes
Ages: 8+

The tagline is, “…It’s a world of Slaughter, after all!” and Small World really lives up to it.

Theme

In Small World, every player will select a fantasy race to play that’s teamed up with a random ability, giving it a very high level of replayability. You could have Seafaring Dwarves (weird), Berzerker Hobbits (funny), or Flying Orcs (horrifying).

Everybody will fight to control space on the board, but guess what? It’s not big enough for everyone to have their own space! Players will immediately find out that the world is too small…

* GameCows Recommendation: Best Family Fantasy Board Game *

Major Mechanics

The randomized race and ability combos are what makes this game really shine. Its goofy artwork and ridiculous abilities had us laughing, and then furious about constantly getting attacked. The game is designed so that all players will be struggling for area control of the board.

At the end of a player’s turn, they’ll tally up the number of territories they control and any extra bonuses they get from racial abilities. Players receive 1 coin for every territory plus bonuses. The object of the game is to be the one with the most money at the end of the game.

Every time your territory is taken over, 1 race token is put back in the box. After a few losses, it’s going to be very difficult to sustain any kind of momentum or points. The solution is to put your race in “decline”.

Your species will die out and any territories you controlled will have all race tokens removed (except 1), which is then flipped to the grey side. They still count for scoring, but on your next turn, you get a brand new race and special ability to start rampaging through the world.

What we liked

The concept and theme of Small World are really cool. The idea of growth and decay over time is incorporated in an intriguing way in this game. It also includes loads of fantasy races to choose from and, coupled with the artwork, Small World offers an immersive, fascinating gaming experience. 

What could be better

The only real drawback with Small World is replayability. It’s a lot of fun but once you’ve played it through several times it loses its initial novelty. You’ll become overly familiar with each race and each strategy. But, if you take a break and come back with fresh eyes it can become fun once more.

Final Thoughts

Small World is uniquely adorable. The artwork is goofy and cartoonish but behind it is a serious tactical game. When you choose to go into decline and what race/ability you pick all have a huge impact on the final score.

If you get lucky, you sometimes get a complimentary race and ability that can rake in some serious points, but usually, when that happens, you become the target of everyone at the table.

Versions & Expansions

It’s a fantastic game that doesn’t take itself too seriously while simultaneously offering a ton of options and strategy, especially if you dive into the numerous expansions.

Castle Panic

Players: 1-6
Playing time: 60 minutes
Ages: 10+

Castle Panic is one of those games that falls squarely into (at least) two categories: cooperative and fighting. We decided to put it in the fighting category because that’s 99% of the action in the game.

Theme

Goblins, Orcs, and Trolls! Oh my!

In Castle Panic, you and your fellow players will be besieged on all sides by a very large, and very angry army of goblins, orcs, and trolls who are doing everything they can to tear down your castle walls and eat you.

Major Mechanics

The board is divided into 3 sections: Red, Blue, and Green. At its center is the player’s castle, which consists of 6 towers with 6 outer walls. The game ends when all of the towers are destroyed or all of the monster tokens in the game have been destroyed.

Each turn, players will pull tokens out of a hat that spawns monsters in the forest. As they move closer to the center of the board, they will come into range of the castle defenders and can be attacked.

The outer ring of the board is the forest, where the monsters are completely immune. At the beginning of every turn, they will move one space closer until they hit the center and start destroying your castle.

The next ring in brings the monsters in range of the Archers. The middle ring will allow you to attack with Knights. The closest ring to your castle walls allows you to play Swordsmen. There’s 1 final unit called the Hero that can attack monsters in any ring other than the forest and can save your collective butts if you run out of options.

There are fewer cards to attack the closer the monsters get to your castle, so it’s in your best interest to kill them before they reach your walls.

What we liked

Castle Panic involves a lot of cooperation between players. As long as players communicate effectively and work together, great things can be achieved and huge obstacles can be overcome. The social element of the game really appeals to me because victory is shared which makes it just that bit sweeter. 

What could be better

Castle Panic suffers from a lack of variety. All of the monsters are pretty much the same and this can become tiresome. Beating hordes of goblins and orcs is all well and good, but surely there are other fantasy-themed monsters out there that the game could have included.

Final Thoughts

This is one of the few cooperative games in which I never really get frustrated with my fellow players. The design is simple and the rules are very easy, especially for newbie players, and it still manages to be a lot of fun.

This is an excellent game for players who enjoy working together, and as an icebreaker or intro game for new players.

Epic Spellwars of the Battle Wizards

Players: 2-6
Playing time: 30 minutes
Ages: 15+

Theme

I have never seen an angrier, more testosterone-fueled nightmare in any board game… and I love it.

Epic Spell Wars is a duel between immortal wizards.

Nux from Mad Max best describes the overall story of the game: “I LIVE, I DIE, I LIVE AGAIN!”

Major Mechanics

As a battle wizard, you’ll draw a handful of component spell cards and then play them together to form a 3-layered spell.

Each spell initially can have up to 3 parts: Source + Quality + Delivery

All spells will have a spell type as well, such as Elemental or Arcane. If you play the same spell types together on one spell you can potentially make them stronger.

Each section of the spell can target different opponents, and will usually have you roll dice to determine the effects. If you have multiple spell types you get to roll more dice.

For example, if your spell consists of a Source, Quality, and Delivery that are all Arcane cards and you need to make a roll to determine effects, you would roll 3 dice because you have 3 Arcane cards in your spell.

What we liked

This game is frantic, frenetic, and fantastic. The artwork is incredible and unique. It’s easy to learn and easy to play. Gameplay is fast-paced and a whole game can be done and dusted in 30 minutes. It’s not a serious game at all, but it’s a seriously fun game. 

What could be better

While it doesn’t matter that much in a game as quick and unserious as this one, it’s got to be said that the randomness can be frustrating. It’s just such a prevalent force in the game.

The consequences can be fairly dire. For example, through no fault of your own you could be eliminated in the first round and just have to watch and wait until the end of the game.

Final Thoughts

First off, it’s hard to take this game seriously. Second, it should never ever be taken seriously.

Epic Spell Wars artwork is all done by a man named Nick Edwards, and it’s some of the craziest-looking imagery you’ll see ever, let alone in board games.

The ridiculous artwork combined with the crazy names of spells creates a completely surreal experience where you can cast spells with mutant chickens or disco balls. Where else are you going to be able to cast: SCORCHIA’S DELICIOUS TESTIKILL as a legitimate spell?

Ready to cast some stupid-sounding spells? Get the lowdown with our in-depth review here!

Lords of Waterdeep

Players: 2-5
Playing time: 60-120 minutes
Ages: 12+

Theme

Dungeons & Dragons is synonymous with fantasy. In Lords of Waterdeep, players will become the leaders of various factions in the fictional city of Waterdeep, set in the Forgotten Realms universe of D&D.

As the head of a faction, you’ll be the one hiring adventurers to go forth and slay monsters, complete quests, save the city, and obviously, spread your influence.

Major Mechanics

Lords of Waterdeep is a resource-management game. Each player will take turns placing their meeples around the city and hiring adventurers for their faction to raise money or to build new facilities in the city.

To gain victory points, players will send the adventurers they’ve hired out on quests. Each lord will also have a hidden character that will give them bonus victory points at the end of the game.

Usually, they give points for completing a specific type of quest. Characters that get points for completing Arcane quests will want to try and snatch them up before a rival lord can complete them.

There’s also the option to build in Lords of Waterdeep. You’ll spend your money and a meeple to put a new building out that everyone can use. The victory points aren’t usually stellar, but every time someone uses that new building, as the owner, you’ll get a bonus as well.

For example, one of the buildings will give whoever places a meeple on it, 2 rogues, to add to their adventurer pool. If you build it you’ll gain the victory points, and every time someone else uses it you’ll also gain a rogue adventurer for free.

What we liked

Lords of Waterdeep combines a great theme with awesome mechanics. Even if you’re not a huge fan of the theme, the actual gameplay should provide enough entertainment to make up for this. But if you are a fan of the theme, then this game is going to tick a lot of boxes. 

What could be better

While the game is great, the box could be better on multiple fronts. First, the artwork is not inspiring at all. The artwork on the cards is great, so why is it so bad on the box? Second, it’s quite a task to store everything in the box. It all just doesn’t quite seem to fit. 

Final Thoughts

Lords of Waterdeep is a fantastic example of a worker placement game done right. The game involves plenty of options that require strategic thinking and, overall, it doesn’t overcomplicate the rules.

I’ve played this several times with groups who have never played D&D and weren’t heavily into fantasy and they loved the game. It’s a great segue for complete newbies into more complex board games.

Intrigued? Get the complete Lords of Waterdeep experience with our full review and board game guide!

Versions & Expansions

Red Dragon Inn

Players: 2-4
Playing time: 45 minutes
Ages: 13+

Theme

Tired of playing serious board games? Lucky for you, The Red Dragon Inn is here! You’ll jump in as one of four fantasy characters back from their most recent adventure. It’s time to relax, gamble, and drink too much at a local inn. Gamble, drink, fight, tip the bar wench and try to be the last one standing at the end of the night.

Almost every fantasy role-playing game starts your adventurers off in a tavern hunched over a mug of ale. It’s a place to meet and greet before setting off on a journey.

In Red Dragon Inn, however, you enter the game after the quests are all done. The monsters are slain, the bugbears tamed, and all that’s left is to celebrate your loot around a nice mug of ale… or seven.

Major Mechanics

The object of the game is to get drunk, but not too drunk. (I’m sensing some good life lessons here.) The last person standing wins the game. If you get too drunk and pass out, you’re out of the game. Or if you run out of money, you’re kicked out of the tavern and out of the game.

At the end of every round, you’ll have to take a drink. PEER PRESSURE. If your alcohol level ever matches or exceeds your fortitude, just like in the real world, you end up on the floor.

If you need more money, then you can gamble. There are several cards in the game that you can play while gambling.

You can play a “winning hand” card to win a gambling round, but there’s also a “cheat” card that trumps a “winning hand”. You don’t actually gamble in the game, you use cards from your hand to determine who wins.

There are several types of cards in the game. Each character you’ll be playing will have their own deck of cards. You’ll find “Anytime” cards, which as you might have guessed, can be played at any time. Likewise, the “Sometimes” cards can only be played after the conditions on the card have been met.

For example, one “Sometimes” card triggers whenever you are about to lose money, and instead of it coming from your purse, you can take money from the bank instead. If only real life were like that.

You’ll also need to spend your gold on drinks from the bar.

What we liked

If you enjoy drinking, this is an excellent board game. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and so it doesn’t really matter who wins as long as everyone has a good time. Which you definitely will. It’s still fun without drinking, but it’s a perfect game to combine with a few drinks with friends. 

What could be better

While the overall game is pretty easy to follow, some cards can seem confusing and unfinished. They require you to do things that are unclear and that make little sense. You can adapt to these cards but it’s a bit jolting to read them. 

Final Thoughts

Red Dragon Inn plays with many of the classic adventuring party tropes. It’s light-hearted and a lot of fun. For you adventurous types (adults), you can try and turn it into an actual drinking game.

Need to know more? Check out our in-depth review of The Red Dragon Inn here.

Some Expansions

Legacy of Dragonholt

Players: 1-6
Playing time: 60-999 minutes
Ages: 14+

Legacy of Dragonholt is an interactive story unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. It’s very similar to the old-school “choose your own adventure” books I read as a kid. Legacy of Dragonholt is a hybrid mixture of tabletop RPG and modern-day board games.

The story is told from recurring readings in the included storybook.

• Do you attempt to fight the bandits? Read page ###
• Do you sneak around? Read page ###

There’s more to it than that, though. Each player can create and customize their character with variable stats and abilities. Some will be able to accomplish certain tasks easier than others but depending upon turn order, they may not be available to complete the task.

It’s an incredible rabbit hole to get lost in and is one of my favorites.

What we liked

Legacy of Dragonholt offers a very unique gaming experience. When opening the box, you may be surprised at the total lack of components. That’s because the game is entirely propelled by its story. As the game goes on the story will emerge and all becomes clear. It really is a special gaming experience. 

What could be better

There isn’t much replayability in this game. Once you’ve played through it once that will be enough because you will have seen everything the game has to offer.

Intrigued? Check out our full review of Legacy of Dragonholt here!

Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition

Players: 1-5
Playing time: 150 minutes
Ages: 14+

Theme

Mage Knight Ultimate Edition combines different elements of role-playing games, tabletop games, and card games to create a really unique gaming experience. Players must choose one of the four mage knights in order to explore and conquer the lands that lie under the control of the Atlantean Empire.

Epic Rulebook

Mage Knight is known for its tome-like rulebook and overly complicated ruleset. I’m here to tell you it isn’t as bad as you might think. They’ve redone the beginner scenarios which makes it much easier (but still kinda tricky) to figure out the game… but it’s soooo worth the effort.

What we liked

There is so much content included in Mage Knight. In scale, it’s comparable to Gloomhaven. So, if you’re a fan of fantasy board games, it’s going to be hard to get bored. You could play every day for a year and still find new things in the game. 

What could be better

While Mage Knight is definitely worth the money, it doesn’t mean it’s worth it for everyone. It’s a pricey game so you’ll want to make sure that you’re committed to actually playing it. If you are, you will have a year’s worth of gaming in one box. If not, it’s going to be an expensive mistake. 

Final Thoughts

The Mage Knight board game is the successor of the collectible miniatures games of the same name and takes you deep into its world.

The game offers so much depth and replayability that it infuriates me that so many people take one look at the size of the rulebook and pass. This is one game that completely fulfills my expectations.

Versions & Expansions

We recommend Ultimate Edition if you haven’t tried Mage Knight yet. It comes with 3 of the expansions and is the best bang for your buck as far as Mage Knight goes. Check out our full review of Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition here.

Descent: Journeys in the Dark

Players: 1-5
Playing time: 120 minutes
Ages: 14+

* GameCows Recommendation: Best Fantasy Dungeon-Crawl Board Game *

Descent is one of the best dungeon-crawl board games, and I love its “1 vs. all” mechanics.

In Descent, one player takes on the role of the dungeon lord. That player is in control of all of the monsters and baddies inside the actual dungeon. There isn’t any tricky card AI. It’s one player, one of your mates, trying their hardest to kill you.

Luckily for the rest of the players, they have each other. They must work together as a team to overcome all the obstacles that the dungeon lord throws at them. They’ll even be able to upgrade their characters after each game. A word of warning, however… the dungeon lord will also be strengthening his/her own forces.

This is one of my favorite board games and offers an intelligent adversary to test your skills.

What we liked

Descent: Journeys in the Dark offers a great mix of cooperative teamwork and direct competition. The dungeon lord actually has to make a lot of decisions, and players need to work together to beat the game. So, if you’ve got a mixed group who like a combination of cooperation and competition, Descent is an excellent choice. 

What could be better

There really isn’t a lot to critique here, because there’s just so much to love about the game. The main drawback of Descent is the unavoidable fact that someone needs to commit to being the dungeon lord. This could result in a stalemate or a less-than-satisfied player who takes one for the team. 

Curious about Descent? Read more here where we give you our top dungeon-crawler picks.

Honorable Mentions

We had a really hard time narrowing our fantasy list down to only 20 board games, so there were a few others that made the “honorable mention” list. They tend to fall into the Abstract Strategy category.

We’ll talk more about them in the future, but would be remiss if we didn’t at least give them a shout-out in this article.

Terra Mystica

Players: 2-5
Playing time: 60-150 minutes
Ages: 12+

Terra Mystica is a complex strategy game, where players control one of fourteen groups spread through seven landscapes. The group must exploit neighboring lands in order to grow and develop their skills. Success comes with carefully-crafted strategy and subtle influence.

This one is awesome. We wrote a monster walkthrough of this challenging and highly-analytical perfect information game. You should check it out.

What we liked

Terra Mystica is a heavy Eurogame. If you’re into Eurogames, this has so much to offer. It’s huge, it’s complex, and it involves a lot of decision-making.

You need to think a lot about the permutations of every turn. You need to constantly analyze your strategy. You also need to stay one step ahead of your opponents. As a Eurogame, this is a phenomenal experience. 

What could be better

There are two main points that could put players off. There’s a steep learning curve and there’s limited player interaction. If you want something simple and interactive, this isn’t it. It’s deeply complex and requires a lot of focus.

Ethnos

Players: 2-6
Playing time: 45-60 minutes
Ages: 14+

At the end of three ages, who controls the mythical land of Ethnos?

You must take on the role of diplomat as well as warrior to unite the fragmented tribes of Ethnos who have been long without a ruler. Can you convince the tribes to take up arms, side-by-side and fight to conquer the six kingdoms?

In Ethnos, players choose from different tribes of fantasy races such as giants, merfolk, halflings, and minotaurs to aid them in their fight for glory on the map. The game uses a card drafting/set collection mechanic to augment the gameplay.

It didn’t make it to the top of this list but it’s definitely worth checking out.

What we liked

Ethnos is a great social experience. It’s easy to learn and quick to play so setting up a game isn’t complicated. There’s also a lot of player interaction as the map is quite small. Scoring is pretty tight and you’ll want to control the most valuable areas, which means you’ll be in direct competition with your opponents 

What could be better

One key drawback of Ethnos is the quality of the components. The artwork is bland and the materials are cheap. This means they don’t look good and they don’t feel good. They don’t play well either, as you should be able to stack them but can’t. 

Spirit Island

Players: 1-4
Playing time: 90-120 minutes
Ages: 13+

Spirit Island is both a cooperative and complex strategy board game that is set in an alternate-history world around the year 1700. There’s a bit of a colonial vs. indigenous twist as players embody different spirits of the land, each with their own unique elemental powers. The goal is to defend your island from the destructive colonizing Invaders.

I’ve never played this game, but I really want to. I’ve heard it described as a “bizarro-world version of Settlers of Catan,” a description which only intrigues me more.

What we liked

There’s a lot packed into Spirit Island. The theme is excellent and ever-present. But it doesn’t take away from the gameplay. Instead, strategy and story combine expertly to keep players engaged game after game. This makes it highly replayable as there’s so much to see and so many different ways to see it. 

What could be better

Spirit Island is a very tough game to learn. You’ll need to have a good teacher or be a quick learner to actually enjoy this game the first time around. Coupled with this is the high degree of randomness in the game. If you’re unlucky and inexperienced, Spirit Island is going to be pretty much impossible to win.

Wrap-Up

The fantasy genre lends itself very well to board games. There’s nothing quite like dungeon-delving, and shooting off magic missiles with friends. Because of that, it’s also a very popular genre, and there’s no shortage of games willing to help you scratch that itch.

Because of the wealth of board games in this extensive category, it’s very possible that your favorites did not make it on our list. That doesn’t mean we didn’t like it. It means that I can only write so much before my eyes start to bleed.

We hope you enjoyed our list of the best fantasy board games. If your favorite game didn’t make it on the list, or you just want to talk board games, leave a comment below. We’d love to hear from you.