The 20 Best DnD Board Games Ever Made
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While Dungeons & Dragons first began as a tabletop roleplaying game, over the years countless DnD board games have been created, many borrowing the creatures, settings, characters and even the rules of the popular RPG.
We’ve sifted through all the miniatures, dice and cardboard counters to find ones that truly stand out. So without any further ado, grab you sword and spellbook and prepare to dungeon crawl into… the 20 best DnD board games ever made.
20. Dungeon
First released in the late 1970s, Dungeon! is a classic board game that continues to be published to this day. The game is essentially a simplified version of DnD, with players exploring a dungeon where they must battle monsters and gain treasure. As players venture deeper into the dungeon, the monsters become more difficult and the treasure more valuable. While probably a little too simplistic for most hardcore RPG fans, Dungeon! has introduced countless new players to DnD over the decades, making it a gateway board game we had to include on this list.
19. Dungeons & Dragons: Adventure Begins
A co-operative board game that also introduces many of the core elements of DnD, Adventure Begins has each player choose a unique DnD class and explore the world of Neverwinter, working together to overcome traps and battle monsters. The role of the Dungeon Master passes from player to player with each turn. While again, hardcore DnD fans might turn their noses up at Adventure Begins, it’s a great introductory board game for kids or new players looking to pick up the basics of what Dungeons & Dragons is all about.
18. Warriors of Krynn
Released in conjunction with the Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen book, Warriors of Krynn is a DnD board game that also fits into the actual campaign, allowing players to engage in massive military battles that pit armies of Draconian soldiers against the noble Knights of Solamnia, in between their pen and paper RPG adventures. It’s a unique concept that hopefully Wizards of the Coast will explore with future DnD board games that tie in to larger campaigns.
17. Rock Paper Wizard
A surprisingly fun card game steeped in DnD lore, in Rock Paper Wizard, players take on the role of duelling sorcerers fighting over a slain dragon’s treasure hoard. Players share a “spellbook” of unique cards based on existing DnD spells. As players cast spells they move closer or further away from the dragons’ treasure, with the first player to snag 25 gold pieces from the hoard declared the winner. It’s a fun, simple card game that even longtime DnD fans will likely appreciate.
16. Vault of Dragons
Inspired by the Waterdeep: Dragon Heist campaign book, in Vault of Dragons, players take on the role of various Waterdeep criminal factions and must try and find a hidden treasure located somewhere under the city. To do this, players send followers to various locations on the board in order to find rumors and collect treasure. Along the way they can battle other players, uncover clues and explore dungeons. It’s a simple but satisfying board game experience that longtime Forgotten Realms fans will likely enjoy.
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15. Assault of the Giants
Based on the Storm King’s Thunder fifth edition DnD campaign book, in Assault of the Giant players take command of armies of powerful giants and must lay waste to various villages and cities in order to score points and secure resources such as food, artifacts, ore and runes. Each player issues orders to their giants in the form of command cards, with each of the various giant races possessing certain attributes and goals. It’s a fun and surprisingly deep board game that manages to perfectly capture the spirit of one of DnD’s biggest monsters.
14. Dungeon Mayhem
In this fast and polished card game, players take on the role of one of four classic DnD classes: barbarian, paladin, rogue or wizard. They then must explore a sprawling dungeon while collecting treasure and battling one another. The gameplay is easy to learn but deep enough to keep players coming back for me. It’s really the art that sells this game though, which was created by illustrator Kyle Ferrin (who also created the art for the popular board game Root), making it one game we had to include on this list.
13. Castle Ravenloft
Using the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure System of rules (which has appeared in several other DnD board games over the years), Castle Ravenloft is a cooperative game designed for 1-5 players. The action takes place in the popular horror-inspired land of Barovia. Players take on the role of either a ranger, rogue, warrior, cleric or wizard and must then explore parts of the castle by flipping over tiles and battling monsters using a series of miniatures. After defeating foes, players collect treasure and experience points, allowing them to level up. The game actually features multiple scenarios, each with different goals and monsters. Sadly, Castle Ravenloft is no longer produced, but if you are able to find a used copy of this game it’s definitely worth picking up.
12. Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate
Based on the award-winning Betrayal at House on the Hill board game, in this DnD version, players explore the mysterious city of Baldur’s Gate of Forgotten Realms and video game fame, flipping over tiles to reveal dark alleyways and deadly dungeons. One of the players, however, is secretly plotting against the others, adding a unique social aspect to the game. It’s a fun and fast paced game that adds some impressive DnD details to a classic board game experience.
11. Wrath of Ashardalon
A cooperative game for 1-5 people, players assume the role of either a rogue, thief, warrior, cleric of wizard. On their turn, each player turns over a tile, revealing part of a massive dungeon with various monsters and treasure. Like other titles that make up the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure System, Wrath of Ashardalon also includes a number of different scenarios and remains a solid outing that blends the best of RPGs and board games.
10. Ghosts of Saltmarsh
An expansion that can be used with any board game that’s part of the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure System (which includes titles like Castle Ravenloft, Wrath of Ashardalon and The Legend of Drizzt), Ghosts of Saltmarsh introduces a number of new characters, skills, scenarios, tiles and cards that tie in with the larger DnD fifth edition campaign of the same name. While it might not be a standalone product, it’s none the less a solid outing that offers more playability for fans of some of the best DnD board games.
9. Trials of Tempus
A competitive and co-operative team-based skirmish game designed for 2-8 players, in Trials of Tempus players take control of rival adventuring parties and battle it out in a randomized arena, which is ruled over by the god of war Tempus from the Forgotten Realms. The goal of the game is to earn points by completing scenario-specific challenges, while gaining loot, and defeating enemies. Once a player has earned 10 points, a powerful end boss is spawned and must be defeated. The player or team with the most points when that happens is then declared the winner. It’s a fast and fun game that shows just how far DnD board games have come over the decades.
8. Dragonfire
A cooperative deck-building game, players choose both a classic DnD race and class and equip their character with a variety of weapons, spells and magic items. Players then form a party and complete quests, exploring areas of the Forgotten Realms setting and levelling up as they acquire additional equipment and feats. The rules system is simple to master, yet surprisingly deep, making this an under appreciated gem of DnD gaming.
7. The Legend of Drizzt
Another board game that uses the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure System of rules, The Legend of Drizzt board game is designed for 1-5 players and offers multiple scenarios, quests, and cooperative game play. Players explore the game world by laying tiles, using pre-made characters (including the legendary Drizzt himself) and battling enemies with miniatures. Encounters are generated by drawing cards and resolved by rolling a D20. Sadly, this game has also been discontinued, but is an absolute classic of DnD board game that’s worth adding to any collection.
6. Temple of Elemental Evil
Based on the popular campaign book of the same name, Temple of Elemental Evil also leverages the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure System, allowing for 1-5 players to explore dungeons, battle monsters and level up their characters. As with other board games in the DnD Adventure System series, Temple of Elemental Evil uses tiles and miniatures to resolve exploration and combat. It’s the unique scenarios that game offers, however, that really makes it stand out, making this an incredibly satisfying dungeon crawling experience.
5. Tomb of Annihilation
Another classic DnD board game based on an existing campaign book and leveraging the DnD Adventure System, Tomb of Annihilation lets 2-5 players explore the monster-infested ruins of the jungles of Chult in the Forgotten Realms world. This game is particularly polished, with solid production value and design that definitely makes it stand out from other titles in the series. Sadly, this is another out-of-print edition that can be hard to find, but is worth picking up if you can grab it on the cheap.
4. Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Yet another board game that leverages the DnD Adventure System, in this outing players explore the mysterious realm of Undermountain, a sprawling network of mazes located far beneath the streets of the city of Waterdeep in the Forgotten REalms. Borrowing heavily from the fifth edition campaign sourcebook of the same name, the end result is an incredible dungeon crawl truly worth of the DnD name.
3. Lords of Waterdeep
This unique strategy game for 2-5 players remains a fan favorite years after it was first released. In the game, players take on the role of one of rulers of the city of Waterdeep and must recruit agents, take on quests, construct buildings and expand their influence over the city. It’s a smart and satisfying game that fans of strategy both board games and the Forgotten Realms will absolutely love.
2. Dungeons & Dragons Onslaught
One of the newer title on this list, D&D Onslaught is a two-player competitive skirmish game in which each player controls an adventuring party in the Forgotten Realms. Players must help their parties navigate dungeons, take on monsters, battle other parties and collect treasure. The game uses scenario-based combat game with action resolved by dice rolls and a combat dial system. The rules are fast and easy-to-learn and the production value on this game is outstanding, making it easily one of the best DnD board games ever made.
1. Tyrants of the Underdark
A territory control game with a deck-building element, players taken on the role of a Drow House battling for dominance of the Underdark. Each player creates an 80-card deck comprised of dark elves and a variety of servant monsters. Players then battle one another and place troops on the game board, gaining points by controlling key areas and recruiting new forces. It’s a game that literally stands out both because of how incredibly fun it is and how it makes use of one of DnD’s most beloved settings.
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Paige Stuart is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where she majored in English Literature at Northwestern University. She’s relatively new to Dungeons & Dragons having started playing 5th edition several years ago. Her favorite D&D campaign setting so far is the Forgotten Realms and her favorite character to play is a Wizard named Felician who hurls both bad puns and fireballs with equal ease.
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