8 Best Role Playing Board Games to Try in 2025
If you love role playing and board games, our list brings you the top games for fun, easy adventures with friends.
Looking for a board game that lets you slip into another character’s shoes? We love role playing games that give you choices, great stories, and a chance to act a bit silly with friends. When picking the top 8 role playing board games for this list, we focused on clear rules, fun stories, and all the ways you can shape the adventure. No arcane rulebooks or boring turns allowed here. Whether you want epic quests or haunted mansions, our picks let you unleash your inner actor without ever leaving your table. Let’s see which role playing games made the cut!
On this list:
8 Gloomhaven
We picked Gloomhaven because it chucks you in a gritty world packed with monsters, twists, and big choices. Each player takes on a unique character and gets to grow them over time. If you’re new to role playing, don’t worry: we found the story easy to follow and the combat system feels just challenging enough. Our group kept coming back for more, and it always delivered new surprises. The game does take up a fair bit of table space—just ask my cat, who tried to nap on the map (she lost). But for a memorable mix of strategy and role playing, Gloomhaven nails it.
7 Betrayal at House on the Hill
Why do we keep coming back to Betrayal at House on the Hill? Because who wouldn’t want to play Scooby-Doo with extra ghosts and occasional backstabbing? The role playing theme is strong since you choose from quirky characters and then get thrown wild scenarios—sometimes you’re the hero, sometimes the traitor. As our friend Dave once found, it’s all fun and games until you turn into a werewolf and chase everyone around. The rules are easy to grasp, so even first-timers don’t get lost for long.
6 Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)
Descent delivers classic role playing where one player is the villain and the rest try to save the day. This always leads to epic moments in our game nights—especially when someone trips a trap and we all pretend it was on purpose. The game offers loads of characters and ways to build your party. We love the modular dungeon, which means no two games feel the same. It’s a great starter for those who want to experience classic fantasy adventure without thick rulebooks.
5 Mice and Mystics
Mice and Mystics puts you in the furry shoes of brave mice fighting to save their kingdom. You’d think playing a mouse wouldn’t be cool, but trust us, we spent hours squeaking around and had a blast. The role playing is simple but rich, perfect for families or folks new to this theme. Our group loved making up cheesy jokes (pun intended) and getting creative with the story. Fun fact: you can even ride a cockroach. If you want a lighter fantasy game that’s still loaded with story, this is it.
4 Arkham Horror: The Card Game
If you like a bit of mystery and spooky feels, Arkham Horror: The Card Game will keep you guessing. This game lets you play as investigators battling eldritch horrors and their own bad luck. There’s loads of role playing in how you pick your choices and manage your sanity—something my group runs out of fast. The story changes depending on what you do, so every playthrough feels new. It’s card-based, so it’s pretty portable, and we love how invested everyone gets in their characters’ fates.
3 Forgotten Waters
Arr matey! Forgotten Waters sends you sailing, swashbuckling, and laughing like fools as pirate misfits. It’s packed with silly storytelling and quirky characters, making the role playing easy for newbies and hilarious for groups that like to get loud (we do). The game uses an app for narration, so even reading-averse pals can join the fun. Every adventure is different, and we couldn’t stop giggling at some of the wild predicaments we found ourselves in. If you want rollicking laughs and a clear role playing theme, this is a top pick.
2 Stuffed Fables
Stuffed Fables is perfect for folks who want story and adventure but with a kid-friendly (or just adorable) twist. You play as stuffed toys protecting their human from nightmares, and it’s cute without being boring. The role playing side shines as you make choices together and get hopelessly attached to your plush heroes. We really enjoyed the storybook style, and our group spent half the time cheering on the brave bear. It’s a great way to get kids in on role playing, but adults will enjoy the heart and humor too.
1 Mansions of Madness: Second Edition
This is our pick for the best role playing board game because it scares and charms in equal measure. Mansions of Madness: Second Edition blends puzzles, exploration, and heart-pounding surprises with an app that takes care of the rules. We spent hours tiptoeing through haunted halls, solving mysteries, and trying not to shout at the jump scares (spoiler: we failed). The app-driven story means you always get something fresh, and the role playing is top notch—it really feels like you’re part of a tense movie. Even our more skeptical friends got hooked. For new players, it’s easy to join and unforgettable to play. That’s why it’s the best in our book.
