Dungeonquest
|
Dungeonquest as published by Games Workshop | |
| Designer(s) |
Dan Glimne Jakob Bonds |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) |
Brio AB Games Workshop Schmidt Spiele |
| Players | 1-4 |
| Setup time | 10 minutes |
| Playing time | 1 hour |
| Random chance | High |
| Skill(s) required | Strategic planning |
Dungeonquest (sometimes known as Dungeon Quest) is a fantasy adventure board game, set in a fantasy setting reminiscent of TSR's Dungeons & Dragons or the Warhammer Fantasy universe.
Plot
The object of the game is to explore the ruins of Dragonfire Castle and collect treasure before time expires. Players must try to locate the treasure room at the center of the castle by navigating a labyrinth of ruins leading to it. After locating the treasure room, players collect as much treasure as possible, and then attempt to escape before time runs out.
Gameplay
Play is centered on the game board. Dungeonquest is unusual in that the game board is only revealed as play progresses. The board begins blank except for a grid pattern and the treasure at the center. A set of "room tiles" are arranged randomly near the board, face down. Play progresses in turns as each player, controlling an adventurer, selects a tile at random and sets it down on a grid space on the board. Each tile represents a space and may be one of several different configurations. The space may be a room with several doorways, it may be a turn, a hallway, a dead end, a bottomless pit, a rotating room or several other spaces. In all, the game contains 115 room tiles.
Players may experience cave-ins or encounters with monsters during their quest, which hinders their progress. Since each player begins at a different edge of the board, each player's passageways will be different as well (with interaction between players generally being indirect).
A new version of the game was released by Fantasy Flight Games at the annual gaming convention Gen Con in Indianapolis August 5, 2010.
Expansions
Two expansions were released for the English version of the game, originally released as Drakborgen II (also by Alga AB) as a single expansion for Drakborgen. The first, Heroes for Dungeonquest (1987), adds twelve new heroes and a handful of other additional cards and tokens. The new heroes feature new mechanics and special abilities.
The second expansion, Dungeonquest Catacombs (1988), added another 20 room tiles, as well as other cards for monsters, encounters and objects. In all, it contained an additional 28 cards for the game. This expansion also added the ability for players to travel underneath the main game board, albeit without any accompanying catacombs game board.
The Games Workshop versions included plastic Citadel Miniatures for characters.
History
The game was originally published in Sweden in 1985 as Drakborgen ("Dragon Fortress") by Alga AB (later bought out by Brio AB).
It was first published in English in 1987 by Games Workshop. Fantasy Flight Games now has the rights to publish the game, and has changed the setting to Terrinoth, the setting of their Runebound, Runewars, Rune Age, and Descent games.
The Swedish edition is still being published and maintained by Alga as Drakborgen: Legenden ("Dragon Fortress: The Legend").
See also
- The Sorcerer's Cave, another game where the game map is randomly generated during play.
- Talisman, a game where the game board itself is fixed, but contents are revealed during play.