The Best RPG Board Games Worth Playing in 2025

Many modern board games offer deep strategic gameplay, focusing on resource management or economic optimization. But if you crave the thrill of exploration and adventure, role-playing board games are perfect. Like pen-and-paper RPGs, they immerse you in fantastical settings, allowing you to cooperate or compete with others to overcome quests and challenges. However, they also retain the strategic depth inherent in board games.

Here are some top picks for the best RPG board games, promising countless hours of fun in 2025 and beyond.

Top Role-Playing Board Games at a Glance

See it at Amazon (links added for each image)

Short on time? Scroll sideways to view all games.

Gloomhaven: Jaws of The Lion, Frosthaven

The Gloomhaven series is renowned as a top board game, and its RPG elements are exceptional. You play as adventurers, collaborating through a labyrinthine campaign. Characters retire or perish, altering the roster. Tactical combat, driven by a deck-building system, creates escalating tension. While the original is currently unavailable, *Jaws of the Lion* (a prequel) offers a streamlined, affordable experience. *Frosthaven* (the sequel) expands gameplay with an explorable, buildable town. Both are also excellent solo games.

Dungeons & Dragons: Temple of Elemental Evil

This cooperative adventure game, based on the popular pen-and-paper RPG, masterfully blends role-playing and board game mechanics. Randomly drawn tiles create dynamic dungeons with traps and monsters, mimicking a dungeon master's control. *Temple of Elemental Evil*, based on a classic D&D scenario, is a standout in this series.

The Witcher: Old World

This acclaimed board game adaptation of the popular video game series takes place before the events of *The Witcher* games and novels. Players become Witchers, hunting monsters and competing for glory and wealth. Deck-building mechanics add strategic depth, and a solo mode is available.

Star Wars: Imperial Assault

A sci-fi RPG board game, *Imperial Assault* pits the Empire against Rebel operatives in tactical combat. The campaign mode links battles into a cinematic narrative, featuring iconic characters from the Star Wars universe.

HeroQuest

A classic dungeon-crawling game, *HeroQuest* features a game master and heroes exploring a dungeon, battling monsters, and collecting treasure. Its family-friendly rules and tactical gameplay offer a true role-playing experience.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game

This horror RPG board game blends challenging gameplay with bleak narratives inspired by H.P. Lovecraft. Players cooperate to solve mysteries, with deck-building adding strategic depth.

The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth

Set in Middle-earth, this game blends deck-building with innovative mechanics, including tile flipping for overground/underground exploration and app-supported mysteries.

This War of Mine: The Board Game

A unique RPG board game set in a war-torn city, *This War of Mine* challenges players to survive by scavenging resources and defending their hideout. The narrative elements add emotional depth.

Descent: Legends of the Dark

Known for its high-quality miniatures and 3D terrain, *Descent* offers a compelling campaign with narrative and inter-scenario links.

Mice & Mystics

A family-friendly RPG board game with whimsical adventures, *Mice & Mystics* features simple mechanics and a charming story.

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon

This game prioritizes narrative, blending Celtic and Arthurian legends. A branching campaign with rich storytelling is central to its gameplay.

RPG Board Games: A Broader Perspective

The term "role-playing game" originated with Dungeons & Dragons, evolving from wargame rules. Pen-and-paper RPGs emphasize creative storytelling, but also incorporate strategic elements. Board and video games adapted these concepts, often replacing the game master with programmed rules or random factors. While "role-playing" is well-established in video games, the board game genre uses terms like "adventure" or "quest" games. The lines blur considerably, with cross-adaptation between pen-and-paper, board, and video game RPGs.