The 10 Best Fantasy Board Games

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This wiki has been updated 11 times since it was first published in September of 2020. Ideal for gatherings with friends, these fantasy-themed board games will make your evening a night to remember. Our carefully curated collection features adventures suitable for beginner and advanced players, as well as satisfying mid-level options. Whether your idea of fun is setting out on a heroes' quest or a rogue-like mission of thievery, one of these choices is sure to tickle your fancy. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.

1. Cephalofair's Gloomhaven

2. Lords of Waterdeep

3. Starling: Everdell

Editor's Notes

September 30, 2020:

Whether you are an experienced gamer or are new to the scene, this list contains a fantasy board game that will appeal to you. Cephalofair's Gloomhaven is a fantastic option for serious players who want to challenge themselves in an immersive setting. It is a legacy-style game that does not reset from one playthrough to the next and holds the potential to run for a 100+ hour campaign. Each session builds on the last, giving players the experience of creating their own extensive story within its world.

Lords of Waterdeep is an exciting worker placement-style adventure. The goal of the game is to collect as many resources as possible and use them to complete quests and gain points that contribute towards your ultimate victory. The rulebook is very concise, which means you and your friends can get to actually playing much faster than you would with most games. It's simple enough for newbies to learn and engaging enough for seasoned players to enjoy.

Starling: Everdell is an intricately illustrated work featuring many lovable forest creatures as its main characters. It's simple to learn and a great entry-level game that will hold the interest of a wide demographic. The gameplay spans over a course of seasons in a charming fictional universe. The physical components of the game are crafted in detail, consisting not only of a game board and cards, but also a giant tree and player figures that are shaped like turtles, squirrels, hedgehogs, and mice. Its visual appeal will likely attract friends and family members who are more on the reluctant side when it comes to joining board games, making this a great option for family gatherings.

Special Honors

7th Sea Similar to traditional tabletop roleplay games, 7th Sea is a series that allows for elaborate character and storyline customization and holds a lot of replay value. Your personalized events occur in a world inspired by renaissance-era Europe, with each fantasy nation having its own culture, language, and current affairs. chaosium.com

4. Stonemaier's Scythe

5. The Rise of Queensdale

6. Small World: Underground

7. Call to Adventure

8. Legacy of Dragonholt

9. Winter Tales

10. Near and Far


Brett Dvoretz
Last updated by Brett Dvoretz

A wandering writer who spends as much time on the road as in front of a laptop screen, Brett can either be found hacking away furiously at the keyboard or, perhaps, enjoying a whiskey and coke on some exotic beach, sometimes both simultaneously, usually with a four-legged companion by his side. He has been a professional chef, a dog trainer, and a travel correspondent for a well-known Southeast Asian guidebook. He also holds a business degree and has spent more time than he cares to admit in boring office jobs. He has an odd obsession for playing with the latest gadgets and working on motorcycles and old Jeeps. His expertise, honed over years of experience, is in the areas of computers, electronics, travel gear, pet products, and kitchen, office and automotive equipment.


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