Top RPG Board Games to Play in 2025

A lot of modern board games are highly strategic, often involving conquering lands for resources or building economic engines to secure victory. However, if you find these themes dry and prefer the thrill of exploration and adventure, role-playing board games (RPGs) are perfect for you. These games, inspired by their pen-and-paper counterparts, immerse you in fantastical settings where you can either compete or cooperate with other players to overcome quests and challenges. Despite their narrative focus, these games still offer deep strategic gameplay. Here are our top picks for the best RPG board games, promising endless hours of fun in 2025 and beyond.

Top Role-Playing Board Games at a Glance

### Gloomhaven: Jaws of The Lion

6See it at Amazon### WizKids Dungeons & Dragons: Temple of Elemental Evil

1See it at Amazon### The Witcher: Old World

3See it at Amazon### Star Wars: Imperial Assault

6See it at Amazon### HeroQuest

4See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game

2See it at Amazon### The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth

2See it at Amazon### This War of Mine: The Board Game

0See it at Amazon### Descent: Legends of the Dark

3See it at Amazon### Mice & Mystics

1See it at Amazon### Tainted Grail The Fall of Avalon

5See it at AmazonDon't have time for reading blurbs? Scroll sideways to see all the games featured on the list above.

Gloomhaven / Jaws of The Lion / Frosthaven

### Gloomhaven: Jaws of The Lion

6See it at AmazonThe Gloomhaven series is renowned as one of the best board games ever created, particularly in the RPG genre. In this game, you step into the roles of adventurers navigating a complex campaign where characters can retire or meet their demise. The game's tactical combat system involves building a deck of multi-use ability cards, creating a tense experience as your deck depletes. While the original Gloomhaven is currently out of stock, its prequel, Jaws of the Lion, offers a similar experience in a more accessible and affordable format. Meanwhile, Frosthaven (see it at Amazon) expands the gameplay with an explorable town. These games are also excellent for solo play.

Dungeons & Dragons: Temple of Elemental Evil

### WizKids Dungeons & Dragons: Temple of Elemental Evil

1See it at AmazonThe cooperative adventure system of Dungeons & Dragons board games perfectly blends role-playing with board gaming. Each box includes tiles that you draw randomly to build the dungeon, filled with traps and monsters that follow simple flowchart routines. This dynamic setup creates a thrilling experience akin to exploring a labyrinth controlled by a dungeon master. The included narrative campaign adds depth to the gameplay. Among the series, Temple of Elemental Evil, based on a classic D&D scenario, stands out as a top choice.

Check out our beginner's guide to Dungeons and Dragons if you're interested in classic D&D gameplay instead.

The Witcher: Old World

### The Witcher: Old World

3See it at AmazonThe Witcher: Old World is a board game adaptation set before the events of the video games and novels. Players take on the roles of Witchers, competing to earn coin and glory by hunting monsters. The game features a compelling deck-building mechanic where players create card combos and strategies to enhance their power. It also offers a solo mode for those who wish to explore the fantasy world independently. See our The Witcher: Old World board game review for more information.

Star Wars: Imperial Assault

### Star Wars: Imperial Assault

6See it at AmazonFor sci-fi enthusiasts, Star Wars: Imperial Assault offers a thrilling RPG experience. Set post the original Star Wars film, one player controls the Empire while others collaborate as Rebel operatives. The tactical combat system supports both one-off scenarios and a campaign that weaves battles into a cinematic narrative, featuring iconic characters like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. The game's extensive range of expansion packs introduces more beloved characters from the franchise.

You can check out our guide to the best Star Wars board games overall for more like this one.

HeroQuest

### HeroQuest

4See it at AmazonOriginally released in 1989, HeroQuest has been reintroduced with enhanced miniatures. This dungeon-crawling game features a games master who guides the scenario while other players explore the dungeon, fight monsters, and collect treasure. It offers a true role-playing experience with family-friendly rules and tactical gameplay. Additional expansions provide new adventures once the base campaign is completed.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game

2See it at AmazonArkham Horror: The Card Game blends horror and role-playing, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's works. Players collaborate to solve mysteries linked to alien worlds, facing challenging difficulty and bleak narratives. The game's strategy revolves around deck-building and managing the chaos bag's probabilities. It's one of the best trading card games currently available.

The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth

### The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth

2See it at AmazonSet in Tolkien's Middle-earth, this game allows players to feel part of the epic fantasy world without altering the original narrative. Players build card decks to represent their abilities, supported by innovative mechanics like tile scale-flipping for exploration and an app that enhances the narrative experience.

You can also check out our review of The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying board game, which we also loved.

This War of Mine: The Board Game

### This War of Mine: The Board Game

0See it at AmazonThis War of Mine offers a unique RPG setting in a war-torn city where survival is the ultimate goal. Players scavenge resources during the day and defend their hideout at night. The game's mechanics, combined with narrative text, create a powerful experience that highlights the horrors of conflict.

Descent: Legends of the Dark

### Descent: Legends of the Dark

3See it at AmazonDescent: Legends of the Dark stands out with its high-quality miniatures and detailed terrain. The game's engine, supported by a mobile app, guides players through quests with narrative links, allowing them to gain new powers and equipment. See our Descent: Legends of the Dark review for more info.

Mice & Mystics

### Mice & Mystics

1See it at AmazonMice & Mystics is designed to appeal to younger players with its whimsical story of adventurers turned into mice. The game features simple tactical mechanics and a compelling narrative, making it enjoyable for all ages.

Tainted Grail The Fall of Avalon

### Tainted Grail The Fall of Avalon

5See it at AmazonTainted Grail focuses on storytelling, blending Celtic legends with Arthurian lore. Players manage resources and navigate a branching narrative campaign, offering multiple playthroughs with different outcomes.

How Do RPG Board Games Relate to Tabletop RPGs and Video Game RPGs?

The term "role-playing game" (RPG) originated with Dungeons & Dragons, the first published ruleset for narrative character-based stories using wargame rules. These games, known as pen-and-paper RPGs, emphasize creativity and imagination. However, players also enjoy the strategic elements like skill checks and character advancement. The need for a Games Master in these games led to the development of board and video game RPGs, where the board, cards, or computer take on the role of the Games Master.

While video games have established sub-genres like JRPGs and Rogue-likes, board games often use terms like adventure or quest games. This can be confusing, especially with the cross-pollination between board and video game RPGs. Dungeons & Dragons has inspired both, with adaptations flowing back and forth between the mediums, creating a rich ecosystem of role-playing experiences.