Want to play the best Dungeons and Dragons board games? You’re not alone. That’s why I created this page. I’ll be giving a look at what I think are the top D&D board games you can play for a quick one-shot adventure. Be sure to check out all the other D&D content we have on the site after you’re done reading. For now, though, prepare to be enlightened.
Best D&D Board Games in 2023
Here’s our take of the best D&D board games in 2023.
- Lords of Waterdeep
- Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate
- Dungeons and Dragons: Castle Ravenloft
- D&D: Wrath of Ashardalon
- D&D: Legend of Drizzt
- Assault of the Giants
- Dungeon!
- Conquest of Nerath
Lords of Waterdeep
Lords of Waterdeep is a D&D board game for 2-5 players that plays in about 60-90 minutes. The games plays great with 2 players but also plays quite well with 4 or 5 players. The goal of this game is to amass the most points. Players earn points primarily by completing quests. Quests can be completed through the use of adventurers or through purchasing buildings for the city.
The Quest cards are the heart of the game. The Quest cards are what direct players to complete actions in order to complete quests. Quest cards are also the primary way in which the players acquire buildings for the city. Some of the better quests include Diplomatic Mission to Suzerain, Explore Ahghairon’s Tower, and Seize the Citadel of the Bloody Hand.
Overall, this board game really brings the world of D&D to life and gives you a peek into the intrigue and power-broking that is the everyday life of Waterdeep. The artwork and components are top notch, especially for a board game made by Wizards of the Coast. While it may not be perfect, it is definitely one of the best fantasy board games out there.
Pros:
- Beautiful artwork
- Beautiful components that really bring you into the world of Waterdeep
- The Quest cards really give you a feel for how the city is built and how its power dynamics plays out
- You get to be a Lord of Waterdeep
- Simple, but fun, gameplay
- Great replay value
Cons:
- Some of the quests can be a bit boring/safe
- The Intrigue cards have a high luck of the draw factor
- It can sometimes be very easy for one player to win the game
Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate
From Wizards of the Coast:
Never Split the Party… Unless Someone is the Traitor!
The shadow of Bhaal has come over Baldur’s Gate, summoning monsters and other horrors from the darkness!
As you build and explore the iconic city’s dark alleys and deadly catacombs, you must work with your fellow adventurers to survive the terrors ahead. That is, until some horrific evil turns one—or possibly more—of you against each other.
Source: WotC
This board game is a fun, fresh take on the Betrayal at House on the Hill board game. Here’s a few tweaks made.
- A minor tweak of when the haunt is triggered,
- Player characters have built-in special abilities,
- You play in a two-story city with catacombs below.
More info on Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate board game
- For 3-6 Players
- 60 minute playing time
- Age: 12+
Do check it out if you’re a fan of Baldur’s Gate or D&D in general.
Dungeons and Dragons: Castle Ravenloft
Castle Ravenloft board game was created by Bill Slavicsek, Mike Mearls, and Peter Lee
The master of Ravenloft is having guests for dinner – and you are invited!
Evil lurks in the towers and dungeons of Castle Ravenloft, and only heroes of exceptional bravery can survive the horrors within. Designed for 1-5 players, this boardgame features multiple scenarios, challenging quests, and cooperative gameplay.
Source: WotC
Choose from the Dragonborn Fighter, Human Rogue, Dwarf Cleric, Eladrin Wizard, and Human Ranger. Heroes explore the dungeons beneath the castle, solve mysteries, fight Monsters, and uncover magic treasure. Overall, a very fun time with rules that are somewhat easier than normal Dungeons and Dragons which means you can jump right into an adventure. It’s still fun, though! Read our full guide to Castle Ravenloft board game!
D&D: Wrath of Ashardalon
Here’s what Wizards of the Coast has to say about their game…
A cooperative game of adventure for 1-5 players set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons.
A heavy shadow falls across the land, cast by a dark spire that belches smoke and oozes fiery lava. A cave mouth leads to a maze of tunnels and chambers, and deep within this monster-infested labyrinth lurks the most terrifying creature of all: a red dragon!
Designed for 1-5 players, this boardgame features multiple scenarios, challenging quests, and cooperative game play.
WotC
YA game of Wrath of Ashardalon might take some time (even up to 2+ hours), but this is a good thing! As you get into it and become your character, you’re not going to want it to end too soon. Don’t worry, there’s a satisfying payoff at the end.
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D&D: Legend of Drizzt
From Wizards of the Coast…
A cooperative game for 1–5 players based on the New York Times best-selling adventures of Drizzt Do’Urden.
The adventures of Drizzt Do’Urden, as told in the New York Times best-selling Forgotten Realms novels by R.A. Salvatore, come to life in this thrilling board game. Take on the role of the legendary drow ranger or one of his famous adventuring companions, battle fearsome foes, and win treasure and glory.
Designed for 1–5 players, this board game features multiple scenarios, challenging quests, and cooperative game play. The contents of this game can also be combined with other D&D Adventure System Cooperative Play board games, including Castle Ravenloft and Wrath of Ashardalon, to create an even more exciting experience.
Source: WotC
Legend of Drizzt board game comes with 40 plastic miniatures, 200 playing cards, more than 30 cardboard tiles and even more tokens. The quality of the playing pieces are top notch and really make it easy to get immersed in the game. There have been some changes to the game over the years, but the current edition is proof positive that game-play testing and revisions work! If you’re looking for a fun D&D board game for an afternoon or evening of fun, check out Legend of Drizzt.
Assault of the Giants
Released in 2017, Assault of the Giants is still a fan favorite.
Assault of the Giants is a Dungeons & Dragons board game designed by Andrew Parks that challenges players to command one of six types of giants and claim the right to rule over all giantkind.
Command giants and assault settlements to score points and secure important resources, including food, treasure, ore, and runes.
Each player issues commands to his or her giants in the form of command cards (recruit, move, attack, pillage, and so on). This allows players to recruit new giants, send them out to attack settlements and other giants, and also to pursue special agendas based upon their race. For example, the Storm Giants seek to restore their lost monarch, King Hekaton. The Cloud Giants seek an ancient dragon treasure trove, and the Hill Giants seek an abundance of food with which to feed their massive monarch, Chief Guh.
Source: WotC
One thing to note is that the miniatures are a bit smaller than normal D&D minis, but this shouldn’t take away from your enjoyment of the board game. The mechanics are solid and the game will be a great way to spend a couple hours with your friends and family.
Dungeon!
Released back in 2014, this game is a remake of an even older game from the 1970s. It’s still great.
Dungeon! is a fast-paced game where you and your friends can decide which way to go in the hunt for bigger and better treasure.
Will you stick to level 1 and clear out the Goblins and Kobolds? Or will you delve deep into level 6 and set your sights on the Purple Worm or the Red Dragon? Along the way, you’ll have to face off against such iconic monsters as the Black Pudding, the Drow, and even the Owlbear!
Featuring simple, straightforward rules that are easy to learn, Dungeon! is perfect for a fantasy game night, or a warm-up before your next epic game of D&D! This version also allows players to use D&D-branded KRE-O figures as playing pieces (sold separately).
Source: WotC
While the board is smaller than the 1981 version, the gameplay is the same which is what most players care about. The art has also been updated a bit which is a good thing. Overall, this board game is a great introduction into the world of Dungeons and Dragons.
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Conquest of Nerath
Released back in 2011, this is not a cheap game, but it’s high quality and a lot of fun.
Wage war in the Dungeons & Dragons world.
War has come to the Dungeons & Dragons world! In the north, the undead legions of the Dark Empire of Karkoth march against the fragile League of Nerath, determined to sweep away the human kingdoms forever. To the south, the infernal Iron Circle launches its own goblin hordes in a campaign of conquest against the elves and corsairs of Vailin. From the snowy expanse of the Winterbole Forest to the sun-warmed coasts of ancient Vailin, four great powers struggle for survival.
Muster armies of footsoldiers, siege engines, monsters, and dragons to attack your enemies. Fight across the waves with fleets of warships and raging elementals. Plunder ancient dungeons with bands of mighty heroes, searching for magical artifacts and awesome treasures that might tip the scales of battle in your favor. The fate of empires is in your hands!
Source: WotC
Some more thoughts from a serious board game geek...
Unlike the Adventure System games, Conquest of Nerath isn’t self-consciously genre-shattering. In fact it’s a delightfully old-school conquest game which offers a simple rules set that allows the players to build up armies from a variety of unit types, clash with other player’s troops to steal their territory and then use that new territory to collect more income for more troops and so on. Whilst it certainly harks back to the dudes-on-a-map games of yesteryear it doesn’t entirely bypass the intervening twenty years of game design, and the designers have clearly tried to use the innovations built up over that time to try and make this the best old-fashioned conquest game that they can.
Matt Thrower at There Will be Games
Overall, it’s a simple game, but it’s still a great way to get a quick D&D experience in without a lot of time investment.
Your Best D&D Board Games?
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