Board games still have so much fun fantasy shenanigans, even without the roleplay elements in focus. I’ve always been tickled by roleplaying in board games that don’t even have mechanics for it. Especially when you encounter those games with such a hilariously TTRPG premise that you just can’t help but play along.
Such as dealing with a very grumpy dragon bereft of their belongings.
The Unheist of Heartburn House by Zero Strategy Games is a board game of competitive casual chaos as players take on the role of kobolds way in over their heads. They must run around returning the “borrowed” goods from Heartburn House, avoiding the dragon’s wrath all the while. Of the DnD races, Kobolds are famously among the most diminutive, and these ones don’t even have the benefit of high-level spells.
It’s simply good game design to have players going for each other’s throats. Nothing is funnier than seeing a player go wild with returning loot, only to be pushed into the path of an errant dragon breath. It really captures the vibe of those chaotic DnD sessions that everyone is canonically fated to have. Except this time, your DnD classes won’t save you with abilities. All you’ve got are fast lil’ feet and slightly less lil’ brains.
The game takes place on a revolving board, keeping the house’s layout in constant flux. Players must return to loot the best spots for even higher points. The player with the most points by the end wins the game, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make temporary alliances. Then again, it might be better to just screw everyone else over in repentance to the dragon overlord. Ultimately, the goal is to have fun and not die of premature combustion.
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Source: Wargamer
