RPG boardgame for younger kids?

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Ralph-Wiggum
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RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Ralph-Wiggum »

Hi guys,
My brother is trying to get his kids into RPGs and asked me for recommendations. My brother's birthday is coming up, so I thought as a bday present I would try to get him something he could play with his kids. His kids are pretty young (6 & 9 (?)), so I was wondering if you guys knew of any boardgames that might introduce them to RPG like elements that isn't too complicated. I now they're young, but they've played some decently complicated games; still, I don't want to give them something overly burdensome (for example, I think the original Pathfinder might be a bit much for them at this stage). Any suggestions? Thanks.
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Smoove_B
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Smoove_B »

My two guesses would be Wrath of Ashardalon and Mice and Mystics.

I don't have any experience with M&M, but it apparently works well with younger kids. At 6 & 9 they might be a bit young for the D&D game, however the cooperative nature might be enough to overcome it. Really, in terms of basic rules it's not that complicated. You'd have to ask someone else with kids in that age range that have tried, but I suspect it could work.
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miltonite
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by miltonite »

I will second Mice and Mystics. While I am not 6 or 9; my gaming group, my sister (who has never played D&D) and I had a lot of fun with the game. The combat is rather simple and there is no math to see if you hit on an attack like in other P&P RPGs. The story is also pretty good.
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by hentzau »

Absolutely Mice and Mystics. Reminds me, need to get back to that one some day.
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Blackhawk
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Blackhawk »

Have you considered Mice & Mystics?
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Boudreaux
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Boudreaux »

I'll fifth it. Mice and Mystics is perfect for that age.
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coopasonic
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by coopasonic »

I'll counter that my son lost interest in mice and mystics within minutes at 6. On the other hand, he really likes the D&D board games. Mice and Mystics is a better game, but it didn't fly with my younger son.
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RMC
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by RMC »

Ralph-Wiggum wrote:Hi guys,
My brother is trying to get his kids into RPGs and asked me for recommendations. My brother's birthday is coming up, so I thought as a bday present I would try to get him something he could play with his kids. His kids are pretty young (6 & 9 (?)), so I was wondering if you guys knew of any boardgames that might introduce them to RPG like elements that isn't too complicated. I now they're young, but they've played some decently complicated games; still, I don't want to give them something overly burdensome (for example, I think the original Pathfinder might be a bit much for them at this stage). Any suggestions? Thanks.
Are they boys or girls? I have three girls, and have had a hard time finding anything to really get their attention for long.

I have a 10,7, and 5 year old daughters. They actually like King of Tokyo (Not an RPG, but a board game), they sometimes hate to 'fight' each other, but love the costumes(in one of the expansions) and the dice rolling. :)
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Ralph-Wiggum
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Ralph-Wiggum »

One boy (the 6 year old), one girl (the 9 year old). I'll check of M&M. Is that a game that would work well with just 2 or 3 players? I assume most of the time it will be my brother playing with his kids.
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Zarathud »

I think it works with 3. If you have 2 players, someone will probably double up.

I played with 4 - me, my sister and her fiance, my 6 year old and the 4 year old. My 4 year old fell in love with Lily the "green one" while I was painting her. Of course, she technically doesn't appear until the second Act! Oops! So she collected the party's cheese (rewards and a catch-up mechanism for bad rolls) and had great fun hoarding it.
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Octavious
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Octavious »

I've played Castle Ravenloft with my 8 year old a few times. She liked it a lot, but my wife and I don't like the game as much as she does. I hate that a lot of the monsters always hit you. For example if you roll x number take two hits. Below x you take 1 hit. There's no option for them totally missing. :P
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Blackhawk »

Octavious wrote: I hate that a lot of the monsters always hit you. For example if you roll x number take two hits. Below x you take 1 hit. There's no option for them totally missing. :P
Those are usually the boardgame translation of what would be, in D&D, 'does 4d6 damage, reflex save for half.'
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Octavious
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Octavious »

I never played the real thing, but I just found the whole thing kind of annoying. We also played Last Night on Earth with her and she LOVES that game. It's very easy to get into as the rules are pretty simple.
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Blackhawk »

Octavious wrote:I never played the real thing, but I just found the whole thing kind of annoying.
Understandable. I find it annoying, too. The idea (in the real thing) is that there is some attack that just does massive damage, usually to a broad area - an exploding ball of fire, for instance. In D&D, everyone in the area gets hit. If you are fast enough and roll well, however, you can dive out of the brunt of it and just get singed. That's what the Ravenloft rule is simulating. Everyone's getting hit, but some manage to avoid most of it (Hit: 3 damage, Miss: 1 damage.)
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Octavious
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Octavious »

I would be fine if that were a fireball I get that. It's even monsters like skeletons attacking. Meh..
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by IceBear »

I'm sure they came up with a game balance reason why it works that way. I can understand why you feel that way but I can think of a narrative explanation for why you take damage regardless depending on the situation
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Re: RPG boardgame for younger kids?

Post by Blackhawk »

Well, if it was Ravenloft, it was probably the Burning Skeletons. Which use fireballs. ;)
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