What is a good 2 player alternative to D&D? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

What is a good 2 player alternative to D&D?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
barryp
Jul 10, 2011 22:13:27 Hi,

   I'm a modestly experienced D&D player and love the game, but don't have the time/commitment to do weekly sessions. I was looking for a possible alternative to D&D that my wife and I could play together. We tried D&D just between the two of us and it was pretty lame.

   We love playing Talisman but would be interested in something a little less repetitive and something a little more complicated. If there was a way we could take actual D&D characters and run them through some sort of system, build levels, etc. that would be really cool.

Thanks for any help.
#2
Tony_Vargas
Jul 10, 2011 22:22:49 You can play Castle Ravenloft with 2 players just fine. The key being that there's no DM. It feels a bit like D&D crossed with a boardgame, more so than Talisman, anyway. And, it's a cooperative game, which is nice.

Leaving behind D&D and RPGs, there are some nice 2-player games out there. Rio Grande games makes several.   My wife and I quite enjoy Hera & Zues, for instance.
#3
greatfrito
Jul 10, 2011 22:24:30 Really? I've run a one-on-one with my wife for a while, and she's had a lot of fun. Granted, I end up playing very fast-and-loose with the rules... but I do that all the time with every RPG at this point.

But, it sounds like you're looking for something more... cooperative? Where the two of you can both "play"? I'm not familiar with any RPGs that offer that kind of experience (because, without a GM, you've lost most of the "RP" of the game). Cooperative boardgames are possible to find though.

Arkham Horror has a pretty big following, and is cooperative. It's a Lovecraft-mythos "survival horror" game. My wife liked it, and her family loves it. I'm on the fence, but I think that's more due to "complete and total burnout" on it more than anything actually having to do with the game.

I understand that two of the three D&D Boardgames (Ravenloft and... the dragon one) are cooperative.

Still, I think you're going to run into the "repetative" aspect preetty quickly. The D&D boardgames have a lot of different scenarios, which should keep them interesting for a long time (I understand - having not played them myself). Arkham Horror can be very different each time, just depending on characters, the main Monster, and other random things.

Aaaaanyways. Maybe more when I get my brain working again.
#4
Gallard
Jul 11, 2011 2:33:30 2-player co-op BGs with an adventure feel. i'll expand on the couple already mentioned:

Castle Ravenloft and Wrath of Ashardalon are great for this, and have alot of 4e dnd 'feel'. as a bonus, can combine the 2 (and eventually the 3rd, Legend of Drizzt) for more 'stuff', and ability to make your own scenarios and/or campaigns. level 2 is the RAW cap, but it's pretty easy to homerule level 3 and 4.

Arkham Horror (and it's 8 expansions) allow for almost infinitely varied replay, but you have to -really- like the lovecraft mythos for full enjoyment. it's absolutely awesome if you do though. can have up to 8 PCs, but it's really tuned around 4; however it's extremely easy for 2 people to each control a pair of investigators.
#5
CCS
Jul 11, 2011 3:32:57 Both the "Tomb" & "Descent" board games are alot of fun.

In Descent 1 player acts as the DM, & 1 or more players runs the party.
Monsters, treasures - both found & bought - lv ups, etc. Mutiple expansions.
The best thing about this game?  All the minitures & dungeon tiles. My own copy has seen far more use as D&D components than the actual board game it is.

Tomb - was described by a few people at the shop as being "More like D&D than D&D is now".
Players each control a party of adventurers looting an underground crypt. They also control the monsters/traps the others encounter.
Lots of customizable characters, lots of loot. And a nice random setup for repeat playability.

Both are more worth your $ than the actual D&D boardgames.
#6
Shiftkitty
Jul 11, 2011 8:49:16 Crystal Star Games' "Chronicles of Arax" is a solitaire game that can be easily adapted to two-player by simply creating a second character and doubling the monsters (or their hit points). It's a great system in that you don't need a DM and the encounters don't happen in a set order so you can't memorize the layout. You don't choose your next room, you roll 1d10 (or 1d6 in some modules) and add the number of encounters you've already had until you reach the final entry, at which point you fight the BBEG. (With some exceptions, you only go through an encounter once, so if you get one twice, re-roll.) The best part about this game is that the core rules are free and the modules cost a whopping 1 dollar each.
#7
Cohen95
Jul 11, 2011 11:20:31 It's a "vs" game, but Conquest of Nerath is two player, and is a load of fun. Can't wait to buy my own.
#8
FFSAA
Jul 11, 2011 11:27:46 I know a few people that play DDO (Dungeons and Dragons Online) with their spouses and they love it. It's free to play.

Really, if you want to play cooperatively instead of competitively your best bet is going to be a computer game as you can play against AI or other players.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 barryp Jul 10, 2011 22:13:27	Hi, I'm a modestly experienced D&D player and love the game, but don't have the time/commitment to do weekly sessions. I was looking for a possible alternative to D&D that my wife and I could play together. We tried D&D just between the two of us and it was pretty lame. We love playing Talisman but would be interested in something a little less repetitive and something a little more complicated. If there was a way we could take actual D&D characters and run them through some sort of system, build levels, etc. that would be really cool. Thanks for any help.
#2 Tony_Vargas Jul 10, 2011 22:22:49	You can play Castle Ravenloft with 2 players just fine. The key being that there's no DM. It feels a bit like D&D crossed with a boardgame, more so than Talisman, anyway. And, it's a cooperative game, which is nice. Leaving behind D&D and RPGs, there are some nice 2-player games out there. Rio Grande games makes several. My wife and I quite enjoy Hera & Zues, for instance.
#3 greatfrito Jul 10, 2011 22:24:30	Really? I've run a one-on-one with my wife for a while, and she's had a lot of fun. Granted, I end up playing very fast-and-loose with the rules... but I do that all the time with every RPG at this point. But, it sounds like you're looking for something more... cooperative? Where the two of you can both "play"? I'm not familiar with any RPGs that offer that kind of experience (because, without a GM, you've lost most of the "RP" of the game). Cooperative boardgames are possible to find though. Arkham Horror has a pretty big following, and is cooperative. It's a Lovecraft-mythos "survival horror" game. My wife liked it, and her family loves it. I'm on the fence, but I think that's more due to "complete and total burnout" on it more than anything actually having to do with the game. I understand that two of the three D&D Boardgames (Ravenloft and... the dragon one) are cooperative. Still, I think you're going to run into the "repetative" aspect preetty quickly. The D&D boardgames have a lot of different scenarios, which should keep them interesting for a long time (I understand - having not played them myself). Arkham Horror can be very different each time, just depending on characters, the main Monster, and other random things. Aaaaanyways. Maybe more when I get my brain working again.
#4 Gallard Jul 11, 2011 2:33:30	2-player co-op BGs with an adventure feel. i'll expand on the couple already mentioned: Castle Ravenloft and Wrath of Ashardalon are great for this, and have alot of 4e dnd 'feel'. as a bonus, can combine the 2 (and eventually the 3rd, Legend of Drizzt) for more 'stuff', and ability to make your own scenarios and/or campaigns. level 2 is the RAW cap, but it's pretty easy to homerule level 3 and 4. Arkham Horror (and it's 8 expansions) allow for almost infinitely varied replay, but you have to -really- like the lovecraft mythos for full enjoyment. it's absolutely awesome if you do though. can have up to 8 PCs, but it's really tuned around 4; however it's extremely easy for 2 people to each control a pair of investigators.
#5 CCS Jul 11, 2011 3:32:57	Both the "Tomb" & "Descent" board games are alot of fun. In Descent 1 player acts as the DM, & 1 or more players runs the party. Monsters, treasures - both found & bought - lv ups, etc. Mutiple expansions. The best thing about this game? All the minitures & dungeon tiles. My own copy has seen far more use as D&D components than the actual board game it is. Tomb - was described by a few people at the shop as being "More like D&D than D&D is now". Players each control a party of adventurers looting an underground crypt. They also control the monsters/traps the others encounter. Lots of customizable characters, lots of loot. And a nice random setup for repeat playability. Both are more worth your $ than the actual D&D boardgames.
#6 Shiftkitty Jul 11, 2011 8:49:16	Crystal Star Games' "Chronicles of Arax" is a solitaire game that can be easily adapted to two-player by simply creating a second character and doubling the monsters (or their hit points). It's a great system in that you don't need a DM and the encounters don't happen in a set order so you can't memorize the layout. You don't choose your next room, you roll 1d10 (or 1d6 in some modules) and add the number of encounters you've already had until you reach the final entry, at which point you fight the BBEG. (With some exceptions, you only go through an encounter once, so if you get one twice, re-roll.) The best part about this game is that the core rules are free and the modules cost a whopping 1 dollar each.
#7 Cohen95 Jul 11, 2011 11:20:31	It's a "vs" game, but Conquest of Nerath is two player, and is a load of fun. Can't wait to buy my own.
#8 FFSAA Jul 11, 2011 11:27:46	I know a few people that play DDO (Dungeons and Dragons Online) with their spouses and they love it. It's free to play. Really, if you want to play cooperatively instead of competitively your best bet is going to be a computer game as you can play against AI or other players.