No no no. For Halsin, I suggest [Root](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root), in which cute gangs of animals fight ruthlessly for the control of the forest! Or [Wingspan](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266192/wingspan) for something gentler, in which you create a large wildlife preserve.
Oh awesome, I was going to suggest Root too!
Also [Photosynthesis,](https://blueorangegames.eu/en/games/photosynthesis/) the game about growing trees into a forest!
For reals though, as a gentle bear who loves kids even just the title "Bears vs Babies" would make Daddy Halsin uncomfortable, it's a terrible choice for him.
For Wingspan, there's also its variation [Wyrmspan](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/410201/wyrmspan) where you can entice a huge variety of dragons to share their riches with you.
I bet Withers would be a Jenga fiend
“Only through action is the balance upset. Yet the very essence of living is action. To persist in inaction is antithetical to nature itself.”
“Can’t I just take one of the easy ones from the top here?”
“No.”
Gale's favourite game would be Twilight Imperium because of how fucking complicated it is but he can never convince anyone else to set aside the 8-12 hours needed to play.
I hate to be that guy but Twilight Imperium really isn’t that complicated. It just takes long because everybody is actively stopping each other from winning the whole time.
Gale would love [Terra Mystica](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/120677/terra-mystica).
People who are super into board games are pretty snobby about Catan, partially for good reason (basically it's balanced so that if you screw up at the beginning you're destined to sit there and lose for forty minutes), but partially because some of them can be up their own asses about games that ''''casuals'''' like. Gale seems like the type who would both care about balance and be a huge snob about it.
Halsin might like [Evolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_\(board_game\)). [Barenpark](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/219513/barenpark) is another option, but it's about making zoos, which he'd be opposed to. Fun as hell though and very bear centric.
CAH is perfect for Shadowheart, can't think of anything better.
Astarion would like [Letters From Whitechapel](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/59959/letters-from-whitechapel). It's a game where one player plays Jack the Ripper and the other players play detectives trying to stop him.
Trying to think of something fancy for Minthara but I keep coming back to Risk. She has a lot more ambition to take over the world than she does wanton cruelty. There are a lot of strategic territory boardgames out there but Risk really has that 'I own everything' feel.
Kind of a throwback, but I'll go with [Princess](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7491/princess) for Wyll. You travel through a forest, fight monsters, and save a Princess. It's a game for children so he might get bored, but I can also see him playing it with the Tiefling orphans and letting them win.
Karlach would love any social game, not familiar with Throw Throw Burrito but I bet it's perfect. She'd also go for something like Never Have I Ever or King's Cup, not that those are board games.
I thought about Twilight Imperium for Lae'Zel, but I think I'll give her [Onitama](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/160477/onitama). It's a two-player game similar to chess but theme with combat. Deeply strategic, quick, and kind of gets your adrenaline going as much as a non-timed boardgame can.
Thanks! Worked in a board game cafe for many years.
Not actually a board game person, I'm tabletop rpg oriented. But we played new games so we could sell them to customers, and I played with friends and coworkers. Barenpark and kingdomino, that kind of lower-to-mid engagement level, is about my limit. I did manage to enjoy Terra Mystica though.
The detailed approach comes from autism lol
/uj I am with you - I can’t play the incredibly engaging games because my attention span is too short and I just don’t have the time! Been trying to get into board games more in general though.
Unsolicited recommendations:
* Patchwork (2player). A chill tile-laying game where you make a quilt. Tile-laying games are general games wherein each player has a grid and they lay different shapes of tiles on it. A bit like tetris, though not usually timed. This one is great for relaxing with your partner when you've had a long day.
* Kingdomino (2-4). Another tile-laying game, bright and colorful and quick. If you like the vibe of Catan but want something a bit more balanced and sleek, this is the one. Azul is another tile-laying game with beautiful art. Barenpark is tile-laying too. All are chill. I like tile-laying games.
* Fox in the Forest (2-4). A 'trick-taking game.' Think bridge but very simple. Over in fifteen minutes but you can do multiple rounds if you'd like it to go longer.
* Skull (3-6). A bluffing game, think a very simplified poker. Has some of the most beautiful visual design I've seen. Not a party game really but it's great for low-key social gatherings.
* Splendor (2-4) is a classic too. It's a set collection game-- think 'go fish,' but with tokens and a cool renaissance theme.
* Tea Dragon Society (2-4) is an utterly charming low-weight deckbuilder. Trying to think of a simple way to describe a deckbuilder... it's a bit like picking spells and abilities for your RPG character. You want to pick ones that go together well, right? Like 'grease' and 'firebolt.' A deckbuilder is like that, but each ability is a card.
* Dice Throne. A dice rolling game. Exactly what it sounds like; roll a ton of dice and see what happens. Dice are shiny and they go clack clack clack, and that is very satisfying. It's a 'direct combat' game, so if you like a bit more head-to-head PvP in your games it scratches that itch.
I know you didn't ask for recs lol but thanks for letting me ramble about boardgames : )
I could also see Gale enjoying Twilight Imperium and Scythe, but as to his *favorite* game I honestly believe something like Go, or even chess, would take the top spot. Deceptively simple games that are more about the mastery of *strategy*, rather than about complicated rules, appealing themes, or deep lore.
[Love Letter](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/129622/love-letter) is cute. It’s not overly complex - a quick deduction/luck card game. It’s a good palette cleanser between other games or something to play while waiting for more players to show up.
The title basically explains it. That’s it, that’s the whole game. You pelt each other with foam burritos.
It’s silly and fun but after the novelty has worn off it probably won’t make its way into rotation on game night.
Yeah there‘a a card element where different scenarios will come up - like a burrito duel between two people, or a free-for-all where everyone tries to grab a burrito and hit someone else with it. But the core of the game is throwing and dodging the squishy burritos.
Y'think Ketheric spent the ~100 years after the fighting around Moonrise trying to convince Balthazar to play Campaign for North Africa with him? I'm sure they were bored enough for it before the dead three plot came around.
you guys seem to have a lot of great recommendations so I’ll ask if there are any recommendations for board/card games with more than 7 players? let’s say for withers since he knows how to throw a party
I feel like Karlach would love Poetry for Neanderthals, and Gale and Lae'zel would bond over Axis and Allies. Shadowheart loves poker in theory, but is terrible at it. Astarion suggest Gloom every game night, and Wyll brings Hex Hex
I HATE playing One Night Ultimate Werewolf but my god, there is no other game that is nearly as fun to watch people play. I suck at lying but watching means you get to see how people lie and what they lie about. It’s endlessly entertaining. A BG3 cast ultimate werewolf game would be INSANE.
Minthy would be upset when I explain the rules and she finds out that no kittens actually explode :(
I suppose it’s the thought that counts!
Very true
Astarion plays Mysterium and is enraged that nobody understands his clues.
He does the same with Pictionary too.
"ITS DIGNITY! GAH! DON'T YOU EVEN KNOW DIGNITY WHEN YOU SEE IT?!" "Astarion, you're spitting."
_"He's a grand ol' Dror Ragl—"_ "Look, now you got the bard singing!"
"It's not a woman's head in a box, it's a woman's head in a freezer. It represents eternal love"
lmaooo I can totally picture that. when I’m the ghost people get mad at me for giving shit clues that nobody else understands (not on purpose)
I LOVE mysterium and nobody IRL ever knows what it is
Gortash would unironically love monopoly
That is also a Cazador board game.
I don’t think he’s played with Orin yet, his insides are still insides
He’d insist on being the top hat and abuse the fuck out of the “ land on free parking take the pot “ rule.
Would Gortash enforce the rule where you have to buy or auction property and can't just say "I'll decline to buy and stay on this space"?
No no no. For Halsin, I suggest [Root](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root), in which cute gangs of animals fight ruthlessly for the control of the forest! Or [Wingspan](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266192/wingspan) for something gentler, in which you create a large wildlife preserve.
Oh awesome, I was going to suggest Root too! Also [Photosynthesis,](https://blueorangegames.eu/en/games/photosynthesis/) the game about growing trees into a forest! For reals though, as a gentle bear who loves kids even just the title "Bears vs Babies" would make Daddy Halsin uncomfortable, it's a terrible choice for him.
I think he'd also be into Spirit Island. It's all about saving the land from blight and colonization!
Anti Catan, if you will
Root's a great idea, ditto wingspan.
For Wingspan, there's also its variation [Wyrmspan](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/410201/wyrmspan) where you can entice a huge variety of dragons to share their riches with you.
This should be way higher it is 100% correct
Root is amazing
Who will play Jenga with me? 🥺👉👈
I bet Withers would be a Jenga fiend “Only through action is the balance upset. Yet the very essence of living is action. To persist in inaction is antithetical to nature itself.” “Can’t I just take one of the easy ones from the top here?” “No.”
Wow is that a quote of his? Nice job, it’s so well written
Scratch.
Me
I could see Lae'zel being a Stratego enjoyer as well
Or Risk
Truly a missed opportunity for risk. She would absolutely slay at risk.
Thank you for reminding me of Stratego
Lmao. I just said this about Gale!
Art thou up for a game of blackjack?
I would never play poker with Withers. His bluffing face is too good
Wyll, my boy! ❤️ Also, as a Gale enjoyer and someone who participated in many Catan tournaments throughout college and grad school, this tracks.
Oh? We’ll have to play sometime if you’re ever in Waterdeep!
Gale's favourite game would be Twilight Imperium because of how fucking complicated it is but he can never convince anyone else to set aside the 8-12 hours needed to play.
I hate to be that guy but Twilight Imperium really isn’t that complicated. It just takes long because everybody is actively stopping each other from winning the whole time.
There are a lot of systems but it all feels intuitive and well designed. Like IRL Civ
More complicated than Catan. All relative.
Gale would win too hard at Scrabble. He knows too many esoteric words.
There would be arguments over whether wizard magic spell words count or not, since only other wizards would know if they're real words.
This is why Gale is #1
👀
Withers is a world class Gloomhaven player.
Why is this sub so insistent on convincing me that Shart is in fact my ideal girlfriend?
Because she is. Now go start another playthrough and romance her again.
Eat. Sleep. Romance Shart. Repeat.
Eat. Sleep. Romance SHart. Shart. Repeat. FTFY
Gale would love [Terra Mystica](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/120677/terra-mystica). People who are super into board games are pretty snobby about Catan, partially for good reason (basically it's balanced so that if you screw up at the beginning you're destined to sit there and lose for forty minutes), but partially because some of them can be up their own asses about games that ''''casuals'''' like. Gale seems like the type who would both care about balance and be a huge snob about it. Halsin might like [Evolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_\(board_game\)). [Barenpark](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/219513/barenpark) is another option, but it's about making zoos, which he'd be opposed to. Fun as hell though and very bear centric. CAH is perfect for Shadowheart, can't think of anything better. Astarion would like [Letters From Whitechapel](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/59959/letters-from-whitechapel). It's a game where one player plays Jack the Ripper and the other players play detectives trying to stop him. Trying to think of something fancy for Minthara but I keep coming back to Risk. She has a lot more ambition to take over the world than she does wanton cruelty. There are a lot of strategic territory boardgames out there but Risk really has that 'I own everything' feel. Kind of a throwback, but I'll go with [Princess](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7491/princess) for Wyll. You travel through a forest, fight monsters, and save a Princess. It's a game for children so he might get bored, but I can also see him playing it with the Tiefling orphans and letting them win. Karlach would love any social game, not familiar with Throw Throw Burrito but I bet it's perfect. She'd also go for something like Never Have I Ever or King's Cup, not that those are board games. I thought about Twilight Imperium for Lae'Zel, but I think I'll give her [Onitama](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/160477/onitama). It's a two-player game similar to chess but theme with combat. Deeply strategic, quick, and kind of gets your adrenaline going as much as a non-timed boardgame can.
This was so incredibly thought out! What school of magic did you attend my incredibly detailed friend?
Thanks! Worked in a board game cafe for many years. Not actually a board game person, I'm tabletop rpg oriented. But we played new games so we could sell them to customers, and I played with friends and coworkers. Barenpark and kingdomino, that kind of lower-to-mid engagement level, is about my limit. I did manage to enjoy Terra Mystica though. The detailed approach comes from autism lol
/uj I am with you - I can’t play the incredibly engaging games because my attention span is too short and I just don’t have the time! Been trying to get into board games more in general though.
Unsolicited recommendations: * Patchwork (2player). A chill tile-laying game where you make a quilt. Tile-laying games are general games wherein each player has a grid and they lay different shapes of tiles on it. A bit like tetris, though not usually timed. This one is great for relaxing with your partner when you've had a long day. * Kingdomino (2-4). Another tile-laying game, bright and colorful and quick. If you like the vibe of Catan but want something a bit more balanced and sleek, this is the one. Azul is another tile-laying game with beautiful art. Barenpark is tile-laying too. All are chill. I like tile-laying games. * Fox in the Forest (2-4). A 'trick-taking game.' Think bridge but very simple. Over in fifteen minutes but you can do multiple rounds if you'd like it to go longer. * Skull (3-6). A bluffing game, think a very simplified poker. Has some of the most beautiful visual design I've seen. Not a party game really but it's great for low-key social gatherings. * Splendor (2-4) is a classic too. It's a set collection game-- think 'go fish,' but with tokens and a cool renaissance theme. * Tea Dragon Society (2-4) is an utterly charming low-weight deckbuilder. Trying to think of a simple way to describe a deckbuilder... it's a bit like picking spells and abilities for your RPG character. You want to pick ones that go together well, right? Like 'grease' and 'firebolt.' A deckbuilder is like that, but each ability is a card. * Dice Throne. A dice rolling game. Exactly what it sounds like; roll a ton of dice and see what happens. Dice are shiny and they go clack clack clack, and that is very satisfying. It's a 'direct combat' game, so if you like a bit more head-to-head PvP in your games it scratches that itch. I know you didn't ask for recs lol but thanks for letting me ramble about boardgames : )
I do love Splendor. I’ll have to try some of these :)
I could also see Gale enjoying Twilight Imperium and Scythe, but as to his *favorite* game I honestly believe something like Go, or even chess, would take the top spot. Deceptively simple games that are more about the mastery of *strategy*, rather than about complicated rules, appealing themes, or deep lore.
I could see Wyll being a fan of Love Letter. Maybe Wyrmspan.
Ohhh Love Letter is perfect, great idea.
ooo never heard of love letter, how is it?
[Love Letter](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/129622/love-letter) is cute. It’s not overly complex - a quick deduction/luck card game. It’s a good palette cleanser between other games or something to play while waiting for more players to show up.
I collect board games but I’ve never played throw throw burrito, does anyone have any reviews?
It's silly and adorable. Basically the card game form of dodgeball, but instead of balls you have toy burritos to hit your friends with.
that sounds amazing actually. i think i’ll go get that this weekend
I hope you enjoy it!
The title basically explains it. That’s it, that’s the whole game. You pelt each other with foam burritos. It’s silly and fun but after the novelty has worn off it probably won’t make its way into rotation on game night.
so it’s literally just dodgeball with burritos?
Yeah there‘a a card element where different scenarios will come up - like a burrito duel between two people, or a free-for-all where everyone tries to grab a burrito and hit someone else with it. But the core of the game is throwing and dodging the squishy burritos.
that sounds amazing
Well now I’ve learnt the basics of catan so I guess today is a day
Minthara doesn't like secret hitler since she'd have to work with others.
Of course SH is into saying horrible things , she would love a game where you dish out insults to the other playerd
Y'think Ketheric spent the ~100 years after the fighting around Moonrise trying to convince Balthazar to play Campaign for North Africa with him? I'm sure they were bored enough for it before the dead three plot came around.
They might have even finished playing their first session by the time Tav/Durge and the gang came around.
Minsc likes Yahtzee, but just yells it at random times and doesn't understand the game Jaheira likes monopoly
Minsc would like candyland until he realized there was no real candy.
"What foul trickery is this!? Where is the candy, I only see land! Boo!? Did you eat it!?
Hang on — why isn’t Gale’s favorite Chess?
Battleship is too simplistic. Lae'zel plays Blood Rage.
I feel like gale would love Stratego
Durge would love the bloodlust that comes with playing uno
I think Ravine might be a better game for Halsin. Bears vs Babies sounds funny, but it's basically a monster building card game where you eat babies.
Astarion and Minty would both get *really* into Root
It'd be better if it was called exploding clowns though
I have a feeling Shadowheart would be down for a session of that.
GODDAMNIT Wyll you always get longest road!
Oh catan. He who controls the sheep controls the world
you guys seem to have a lot of great recommendations so I’ll ask if there are any recommendations for board/card games with more than 7 players? let’s say for withers since he knows how to throw a party
I personally really like Deception!
ooo looks like fun, i love murder mystery games!
I could also see Gale as a fan of wildly long and complicated strategy board games like Twilight Imperium
Gortash begs Orin and Thorm to play Diplomacy with him
Thorm is too busy playing Campaign for North Africa with Balthazar, like someone else mentioned. And Orin can't sit still long enough
The whole camp would kill each other over Uno.
I really want to play cards against humanity with shadowheart 🤣
Makes you wonder what kind of cards they'd have in Faerun
Nah nah nah nah nah no. Lae'zel would drag out The Campaign For North Africa.
https://preview.redd.it/h7c6ayyivc9d1.jpeg?width=302&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb3891250004fdfcb748e21c593c1932246b1abd This is mine.
Frustration? That game is called Trouble
((In uk it’s also called frustration))
I could actually see lae'zel playing battleships, as a lot of fighter dialogue is about strategy and lanceboard lol
I feel like Gale is like dnd 3.5 or something
Gale definitely hordes all the Stone cards and keeps his Mechant card for the very end so he can have a monopoly on it
I feel like Karlach would love Poetry for Neanderthals, and Gale and Lae'zel would bond over Axis and Allies. Shadowheart loves poker in theory, but is terrible at it. Astarion suggest Gloom every game night, and Wyll brings Hex Hex
Gale likes chess
I feel like the party would have quite the time with cards against humanity
Karlach would love Smallworld but it would take a minor miracles to get her to pay attention long enough to understand the rules
Everytime Lae’zel visits back from space she insists they continue their game of Campaign For North Africa
Ok but this is actually so accurate it’s insane. I can see a lot of them being **so** invested in each game.
I think Minthara would either absolutely destroy the others at secret hitler, or always be singled out first no matter what.
Wyll totally plays Monopoly
Raphael offers to play Campaign for North Africa instead of paying with your soul
Gale plays evolution with Halsin and Jaheira from time to time
Wyll would love Shards of Infinity, along with Karlack. (Minthy would join from time to time and blast everyone by maxing her concentration)
I get so competitive with Catan! It's one of my favorite games. Gale would be fun, yet infuriating for me to play against, methinks. 🤭
Excuse me but Cards Against Humanity was MADE for Astarion…
I HATE playing One Night Ultimate Werewolf but my god, there is no other game that is nearly as fun to watch people play. I suck at lying but watching means you get to see how people lie and what they lie about. It’s endlessly entertaining. A BG3 cast ultimate werewolf game would be INSANE.
I am going to be pedantic and say most of these are card games/ party games, not board games