Best Quick Table Top Game?

dizarillo · November 2006

I'm familiar with DnD and D20, however, I am finding myself with less and less free time. Is there another system or a modified DnD/D20 system that is table top friendly, not unreasonably priced, a single game can be played between 1 and 3 hours, and is still fun.

Skitoria · November 2006

Some of the modules from Wizards website are fun and quick. Best of all free! Or buy one of the campaign books and just play for a few hours a night so you won't have to spend a bunch of time preparing and just can show up with the book and pick up where you left off.

Xieflow · November 2006

While not technically a tabletop game like D&D, you might want to look into Runebound and the like (Descent, Battlestations, etc). I've only played Runebound out of these, so I'll comment on that.

Runebound is a tabletop board game that plays a lot like an RPG. Without any expansions, it's a pretty dull game that feels like each player is playing their own game with a like 5 minute wait between games. With the Midnight expansion, it becomes a team game instead of competitive, and some rules are introduced to speed the game up (the biggest one is they fix movement). Games fall upon the upper end of your time limit, especially when people aren't familiar with the game. A few other notes, it's more of a roll playing game than a role playing game, with little RPing involved, and more straight up leveling / combat / item aquisition. There is also no carry-over of characters / skills between sessions, which is good for some groups (more volatile groups where you never know who / how many people will show up at each session). Being a board game, there is also quite a bit of setup, but it doesn't take too long, especially once you are familiar with it.

The store price for Runebound (second edition is the one you want for the base version) is $50, although most online retailers offer it for $30. I'm not sure what the store price is for the Midnight expansion, but you can get it online for less than $30. There a bajillion other expansions, from $5 to $30, so if you want an expandable game that you can change up when you are bored of the quests you have, you will have options... however if you're the kind of person put off by what appears to be a game attempting to nickel and dime you, or you can't help but want to pick up every expansion for everything you buy, then avoid.

this game matches the requirements you listed (table top friendly, reasonably priced, less than 3 hours to play, and still fun), however, it's not for everyone (if you are more into the RPing part of an RPG, or you want a persistent game world).

Eliot Dubois · November 2006

If not for the unreasonably price part, I'd say track down Talisman. One of the best, most expensive board games ever.

Squashua · November 2006

I'd just like to thank you guys for not recommending FUDGE.

I remember back in the day someone would ask this question and some numbnuts would always answer, "Play FUDGE RPG" because it uses coins or someshit.

Just... thank you.

Munchkin is a good quickie.