Asmodee - Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Begins - Board Game

Product Information

The game centres around the path through the middle of the game board. As the players move down the path, the DM for that turn will draw a card, read the scenario or monster and then follow the instructions. Think choose-your-own-adventure books, but on a board game with actions decided by 20-sided dice and you wouldn’t be far off. When you reach the last spot on a board instead of drawing a random encounter card you instead face the boss monster’s henchmen. These are set cards that are different for each boss. There are a mix of both combat and non-combat encounters. Once you get past the Henchen encounter your group will move on to the next map. However, Port Royal has endured. It’s a 2-5 player game and has had a number of expansions/re-releases (Port Royal is a re-implementation of Händler der Karbik, trader of the Caribbean). With a plethora of legacy and campaign games reaching the awareness of the masses, Port Royal has followed suit with a campaign game, Port Royal: An Adventure Begins. Port Royal - The Game Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Begins is a board game with RPG elements that was published by Hasbro Gaming in late 2020. Unfortunately, Hasbro didn’t credit the designer(s) though I do know Allie Jennings worked on it. It features artwork from Henning Ludvigsen and Benjamin Raynal. CHOOSE A JOURNEY FOR YOUR PARTY: Choose a journey and which Boss your party of heroes will fight in the end. Choose from Felbris (Beholder), Orn (Fire Giant), Deathsleep (Green Dragon), and the Kraken.

Combat encounters are a bit more complicated. When facing a monster the encounter starts off with the DM reading a short monster description then having everyone roll initiative. This is a simple D20 roll where the player that rolls highest will get to act first.Due to this fact, I actually do think that D&D Adventure Begins is a good introduction to Dungeons & Dragons. It features a bunch of D&D tropes and monsters and actually encourages improv storytelling and roleplaying elements. It is definitely much easier to learn to play than the full game, with the rules being simple enough that you could probably sit down together and learn to play right out of the box. The thing is that you really do need to engage with the improv elements of Adventure Begins or you miss out on the actual fun that’s in this box. Each of these monsters is associated with one of the four map boards. You find that board and place it on the table with the standee for your foe placed into the last spot on that board. You then build the rest of the map by randomizing the other boards and connecting them in a row to the first. At the end of each map, you will place the Henchmen cards for the boss monster you chose. These are numbered from one to three. You place the one on the first board, the two on the second, etc.

CHOOSE A JOURNEY FOR YOUR PARTY: Choose a journey and which Boss your party of heroes will fight in the end. Choose from Felbris (Beholder), Orn (Fire Giant), Deathsleep (Green Dragon) and The Kraken Creation is simplified in this game. Choices are limited to the pre-created cards included in box. Each member of your party plays as a different hero. There are four classes to choose from: fighter, sorcerer, bard or rouge. In this version of the game, each class is a different race. The fighter is a dwarf by the name of Tak or Ris Strongheart. The bard is an elf and the rogue a red dragonborn. The sorcerer is a human. Each character can be played as either a male or female. The hero tile can be changed depending on your preference, although the personality and combat tiles are not affected by that choice.

FEATURES

There are probably only a handful of people on the planet who have never heard the title Dungeons & Dragons. The words are synonymous with RPG gaming and have recently been brought to the attention of a whole new audience through features in TV and movies. Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Begins provides a simple but charming introduction to the world of fantasy gaming and is the ideal entry point for anyone wanting to start their adventure into D&D. D&D MINIATURE FIGURES: The game includes 4 plastic mini figures that correspond with the heroes featured in gameplay