Runebound

Runebound is a fantasy adventure board game series published by Fantasy Flight Games. The original Runebound was released in 2004, with a second edition released in 2015.

Overview:

Runebound is a game of exploration, combat, and character development set in the Terrinoth universe, also featured in other Fantasy Flight Games products such as Descent: Journeys in the Dark and Runewars. Players take on the roles of heroes embarking on quests and battling monsters in a fantasy landscape. The game emphasizes narrative, with branching storylines and a focus on player choice.

Gameplay:

Runebound gameplay involves navigating a modular game board, encountering challenges, and engaging in combat. Players move their heroes using a unique skill token system, allowing for strategic movement and resource management. Combat utilizes dice rolling and card play to resolve attacks and defenses. Heroes can gain experience, acquire skills, and obtain equipment to improve their abilities. The overall goal varies depending on the scenario or campaign being played, typically involving defeating a powerful enemy or completing a series of objectives.

Editions:

• First Edition (2004): The initial release of Runebound. Gameplay focused on dice-based combat and a more sprawling, less guided narrative experience.
• Second Edition (2015): A redesigned version of Runebound featuring significant changes to the core mechanics. The second edition introduced the skill token movement system, a streamlined combat system, and a more focused narrative structure. This edition also saw the release of several expansions that added new heroes, scenarios, and mechanics.

Key Features:

• Fantasy Adventure: Explores classic fantasy tropes of heroic journeys, monster slaying, and quest completion.
• Narrative Focus: Emphasizes storytelling and player choice through branching storylines and scenario objectives.
• Character Development: Allows players to customize their heroes with skills, equipment, and abilities.
• Skill Token Movement: Utilizes a unique movement system based on matching skill tokens to terrain types.
• Modular Game Board: Features a variable game board that can be configured differently for each scenario.