Looking for gifts for tabletop gamers? Here are some of my suggestions based on games I've enjoyed this year… and games I would love to see under my tree this year.
What were some of your favorite games of 2024? Let us know in the comments.
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Appendix N: Weird Tales from the Roots of Dungeons & Dragons, Peter Bebergal (Strange Attractor Press, $23 Paperback)
Peter Bebergal's revised and expanded edition of Appendix N: Weird Tales from the Roots of Dungeons & Dragons is a masterfully curated collection of some of the fiction that served as starter culture for the creation of D&D. Through its collection of weird tales, sword and sorcery, and other dark fantasy fiction, this volume gives modern players and game masters a peek into the origins of some of D&D's original aesthetics and most iconic tropes. A must-have for fantasy fiction enthusiasts and RPGers wanting to gain insights into what inspired Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in creating this culture-changing game. Copies of the gorgeous limited edition hardcover of Appendix N are still available, direct from Strange Attractor Press (with a new cover by Arik Roper). [Here's a Boing Boing interview with Peter.]
Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook 2024 (Wizards of the Coast, $45)
A new chapter in the history of D&D begins with this core Player's Handbook. The 2024 edition modernizes the rules, adds many new options, and gives new players an accessible introduction while offering plenty of D&D deep geekery for serious, long-time players. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the new direction for D&D has been fraught with controversy. Many fans are apprehensive about the increased virtualizing of the game, concerns over simplified worlds and mechanics, and an increasing departure from the game's darker, eldritch roots. And, as YouTuber Bob the Builder points out, you don't even really need this new book. The rules of 2024 D&D are not that far from 5e and WotC will be releasing free beginner's rules in early 2025. All that said, this is a lovely, hefty game tome that most completests are going to want in their library regardless. That makes it a great gift to put on your Krampus list.
Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide 2024 (Wizards of the Coast, $60)
The Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Dungeon Masters Guide is a revamped toolkit for creating adventures in the world's most popular roleplaying game. Spanning some 385 pages, this hefty hardcover book is packed with tools for new Dungeon Masters, offering practical advice on creating campaigns, managing encounters, and balancing magic. New features like Bastions—personal fortresses for adventurers—add a fresh twist for players who enjoy resource management. However, seasoned DMs may find it surprisingly lacking in innovation, rehashing many elements from previous editions. While cross-genre mechanics and mass combat rules do expand gameplay possibilities, "cutesy" design choices and sparse map inclusion might not appeal to those accustomed to the grittier, denser content of previous DM guides. If you're shopping for a DM that wants everything, or someone wanting to get into running D&D games for the first time, this guide is a fantastic gift. For veterans, it might even be more thoughtful to get them something more OSR.
Blade Runner RPG – Fiery Angels Case File (Free League, $26)
A new adventure for the Blade Runner RPG, Fiery Angels impressively captures that bleak, neon-lit streets of a future, dystopian Los Angeles that we all know and love. Like the core game, this boxed case file is deeply steeped in moral gray areas and philosophical questions. The case file features an award-winning design and plenty of inspiration for adding tension and cinematic feel to your campaigns. The set includes a investigative scenario, 11 in-world handouts, maps and more (Esper photos!). You also get a beautifully-illustrated scenario book with locations, characters, events, and leads to follow, a manila envelope for players to keep their evidence in, and 7 full-color maps. [See previous Boing Boing coverage of the Blade Runner RPG here and here.]
BattleTech Clan Invasion (Catalyst Game Labs, $41)
Nostalgic for 'Mechs? The Clan Invasion boxed set is a perfect jumping-off point (death from above!) for those wanting to stomp through the future battlefields of BattleTech. This set is loaded with 5 OmniMechs, 2 stands of Elementals, 2 18" x 22" 2-sided maps, cardboard terrain and additional 'Mechs, a digestible 32-page Rulebook and Clan Invasion Primer, dice, character sheets, and more—everything you need to take those first bounding steps toward giant robot carnage. And, if you're a long-time fan, Clan Invasion is a satisfying trip back to one of the franchise's most pivotal eras. [See my previous Boing Boing coverage of the BattleTech renaissance.]
Lorcana: Trading Card Game Gateway (Ravensburger, $12.50, 2 players, Ages: 8+)
My 7-year-old granddaughter (a huge Disney fan) and I have made several attempts at warming up to Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game. We've enjoyed it well enough, but honestly, with all of the games we're interested in playing, we're not all that enthused about reaching for it. There's a bit of a learning curve in getting used to its mechanics and game flow. The Gateway starter set was obviously designed to give players like us a smoother, more guided entry into the game. The set includes two 30-card starter decks, four 18-card reward packs, a game board, character movers, and a guidebook to ease you into play. As you progress, you unlock new cards and mechanics, gradually building up to two complete 60-card decks. If you're interested in the game, especially in introducing younger children, and are not already familiar with the mechanics of games like Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh!, then this is your Gateway, for sure. And Amazon currently has it on sale for half price (only $12.50!).
NecroMolds (NecroMolds LLC, $60 Starter Set, 2 players, Ages: 9+)
NecroMolds combines the molding of magic-animated golems from Play-Doh-like clay with a basic tabletop wargame. You "cast" your armies out of "spell clay" and then combat another wizard's golems. When you defeat a golem, you get to squish it into the board with your wizard's "caster ring." It's as silly and fun as it sounds. It's charming, it's tactile, and it's a perfect way to introduce younger children into the basic wargame mechanics of basic wargaming mechanics of measured movement, melee and ranged combat, attack and defense, different forece abilities, line of sight, cover, etc. I haven't heard of anyone who's played this game and didn't enjoy it. [Read my full review here.]
The Wizard of Oz Adventure Book Game (Ravensberger, $25)
This is not a new game, but it's one my granddaughter and I played through this year and loved. We loved the adventure book design, where every "chapter" page spread is a game board and each chapter board has the victory conditions on the side and different mechanics and challenges. A co-op game for all ages, The Wizard of Oz Adventure Book Game lets you journey from Dorothy's Kansas farm to the Yellow Brick Road, across the poppy fields, the haunted forest, Emerald City, and the Wicked Witch's castle, all the while helping Dorothy and friends face challenges as you tell their story. The lovely miniatures, illustrated components, and simple rules make it accessible for younger players, but there's enough strategy to keep adults engaged. Ideal for family game night or Wizard of Oz fans who want to climb inside of the story.
Blaster Magazine (Electi Studio, $20 per issue)
Blaster is a gorgeous designed and thoughtfully produced magazine from indie game designers obviously extremely passionate about what they do. It is "your source for exciting new miniature games, from up-and-coming game designers, artists, and writers, to hobby heroes. Blaster is a collaborative game development environment for miniature game visionaries." [See my previous review here.]
Senet Magazine (Senet, $37/year)
It's hard to overstate how beautiful and well-design Senet magazine is. Each digest-sized, quarterly issue looks at board games, game art, and game culture. This is a deep and thoughtful magazine for game enthusiasts looking to gain a better understanding of what goes into a truly great and memorable game. Articles explore game design, the artists who bring games to life, interviews with industry leaders, designers, and illustrators, and coverage of niche games that deserve a brighter spotlight. Every issue is a love letter to the culture and craft of tabletop gaming.
This Quar's War: Clash of Rhyfles (Wargames Atlantic, $80, 2 players, Ages: 14+)
For those looking for a unique, fun, oddball game with awesome miniatures, This Quar's War: Clash of Rhyfles is a skirmish miniatures game featuring the quirky, charming Quar. Are they humanoid ant eaters? Anthropomorphized earth worms? Who knows, but they sure look cute in their Tommy helmets. This Quar's War is easy to learn and its lore is surprisingly developed, giving players the chance to battle in a world that's part pastoral fable, part gritty, eye-deep in hell conflict. Plus, the miniatures are beautifully sculpted, with lots of cool details. You'll want to paint them even if you never roll a single bone. You get 24 adorable little bug-munchers in the starter set, along with activation cards and a 48-page rulebook. The inside of the box even has cardboard terrain you can cut out and assemble. Check out this interview with Joshua Qualtieri, the design of This Quar's War.
Making a Tabletop RPG for YOUR Particular Kid (Print $15, PDF $8)
Last year, I was sitting around with my then 6-year-old granddaughter, Ocean. I was explaining to her what an RPG was. As soon as she heard the basics, she blurted out: "I wanna make one." OK. What kind of world do you want to create? "An undersea world, with mermaids." Great. When I was showing her the RPG dice, she was enchanted by all of the shapes and cool colors. She was especially drawn to the d20 (aren't we all?). "I want our game to use this one. And health is 15." And that's how "Sea of Dreams" was born, an "undersea adventure game for precocious minnows." And yes, as per her request, it's d20-based. And health is 15.
We didn't have this little Steph Campbell guide when we designed most of Sea of Dreams, so it was interesting to read it to see what we did right in co-designing our game. We did pretty well in creating a simple, rules-lite, adventure-rich, largely non-violent game designed to give Ocean and other young (and young at heart) players agency and control of their characters and the decisions they make in a make-pretend world. But there were a number of things that Steph covers that we'll be considering going forward, like using art-based 3×5 cards to make lists of spells, potions, and equip easier to grasp than tables. And, creating a "Lines and Veils list" for players (lines being things not to address in the game and veils being things that can be spoken of, but not actvely encountered — e.g. "You can tell me that this used to be the lair of a giant spider (veil), but I'm way too scared of spide4rs to fight a giant one (line). Steph and several other creators of kid RPGs also give advice on dealing with fidgety players, players hellbent on destruction ("Villain Mode"), and moving beyond cookie-cutter "bad guys."
Heroes' Feast: The Deck of Many Morsels (Wizards of the Coast, $22.30)
If you were a fan of the Heroes' Feast cookbook, I bet you'll love this convenient recipe cards version even more. Each card features a different recipe inspired by the world of Dungeons & Dragons, along with beautiful illustrations and fun trivia. The food photography is as impressive as the recipe selection. The deck includes 10 recipes not found in the cookbook. Perfect for whipping up some appropriate game night snacks or just bringing a little culinary magic to your cooking.
Puncheons and Flagons: The Official Dungeons & Dragons Cocktail Book (Andrew Wheeler, $23)
Elevate (and hopefully not obliterate) your next game night with this impressive collection of 75 Dungeons & Dragons-themed cocktails and table snacks. Authored by Andrew Wheeler, Puncheons and Flagons offers a range of recipes inspired by D&D lore, including adventurous cocktails with names like the Necromancer and Hand of Vecna, batch drinks like Candlekeep Tea and Faerie Fire, and nonalcoholic options like Mourning Cup and Baldurian Tonic. There are also tasty morsels like Luiric Rarebit and High Sun Florentines. Each recipe is accompanied by beautiful food and beverage photography and fun game lore, immersing you in the D&D universe while you're conjuring up some pre-game spirits.
