12 Best Role Playing Board Games to Try in 2026
Love role playing? We picked the best board games for new players. Gather friends, make choices, and start your own story!
12 Best Role Playing Board Games for New Adventurers
When we pick the best role playing board games, we look for games that spark stories, let players shape their own characters, and bring friends together for epic adventures. Our group loves games where you can laugh, argue, and maybe even save the world—sometimes all in one night. We focus on games that are easy to learn, have great replay value, and really put you into the action. If you’re looking for the best role playing board games to start your journey, this list will guide you through our tried-and-tested favorites!
On this list:
12 Gloomhaven
Gloomhaven is a beefy box of monsters, quests, and role playing. We had to clear a table just to fit the thing. It’s a legacy game, so we stuck stickers and tore cards and felt like real adventurers. Every player takes on a unique hero, and the story feels like a choose-your-own-adventure book crashed into a tactical dungeon crawler. We found ourselves arguing over whether to loot the gold or save the villagers, and sometimes our best-laid plans just fell apart. If you want a campaign with loads of character development and a world that changes with your choices, this is the way to go.
11 Mice and Mystics
Mice and Mystics mixes role playing and cheese. You’re mice, which means you fight rats, spiders, and even the family cat. We laughed a lot because one friend always rolled poorly and kept falling in cracks. The story is cute, and the challenges are just tough enough to make you think. It feels like a fairy tale, and we found ourselves talking in squeaky voices without even planning it. Perfect if you want a lighter adventure with a story that hooks kids and grownups alike.
10 Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)
Descent delivers classic dungeon crawling with role playing flair. One player is the evil overlord, and the rest are heroes. We always argued over who got to be the baddie, and the battles got intense when traps or big boss monsters showed up. There’s a bunch of unique scenarios and the upgrade system lets you customize your hero. Even our friend who can’t keep track of his car keys could manage the campaign between games. A great pick for a classic fantasy board game night.
9 T.I.M.E Stories
T.I.M.E Stories is a wild ride. Each game is a mission in a different time and place, and you get to play as unique characters with special skills. Our group failed the first mission because we spent too much time arguing over which door to open. It’s a cooperative puzzle with heavy role playing, and the story changes with your choices. Like a board game version of Groundhog Day, you go back and try again if you mess up. It kept us coming back for one more try.
8 Betrayal at House on the Hill
Betrayal at House on the Hill starts as a friendly haunted house role playing romp and then, BAM, one of your friends turns out to be the traitor. Every game felt different for us, and there was always a lot of laughter and groaning when someone fell through a floor or got cursed. The 50 different scenarios meant we never played the same story twice. This is fantastic for groups who love surprises and horror, but not too much rules overhead.
7 Stuffed Fables
Stuffed Fables makes you heroes in the form of stuffed animals battling nightmares. We loved the creative storybook board, and every chapter felt like a bedtime story with a twist. There’s lots of role playing chances as you work together to keep your child safe through wild dreams. It’s great for families, but our adult group had a blast too. Easy to learn but still clever enough to keep us on our toes, especially when the pillow monster showed up.
6 Legends of Andor
Legends of Andor puts you in the center of a classic fantasy world under siege. We got swept up in defending castles, racing across the board, and shouting at each other to hurry up before the monsters overran us. The story book gives you a campaign to work through, and every new legend brings a twist. There’s not a lot of acting, but the strategy and fantasy role playing comes across strong. It’s a great way to start a journey without a million rules.
5 Star Wars: Imperial Assault
If you’ve ever wanted to role play as a Jedi, bounty hunter, or stormtrooper, this is it. Star Wars: Imperial Assault mixes campaign stories, big Star Wars drama, and tactical fights. We had to resist quoting the movies every five seconds. The app adds fun solo play, and the campaign system means lots of replay. Strategic and full of surprises, we got way too invested in our rebel’s story arcs. It’s a blast for any Star Wars fan looking for deep role playing.
4 Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Arkham Horror: The Card Game brings that Lovecraftian terror to your table. You build a deck for your investigator and jump into twisting horror stories. We were constantly low on sanity and arguing about the best plan. Every choice matters, and the scenarios kept us guessing. The campaign system means your character changes (and maybe survives) over many sessions. We loved the tense role playing and the way the game made us feel like doomed detectives. Best for players who love spooky stories.
3 Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
This one is all about group role playing as Victorian detectives. We had our own red string and corkboard, but still ended up chasing the wrong clues more than once. The game is mostly reading, arguing, and piecing together wild theories. It’s a lot of fun if you like stories and don’t mind using your brain more than your dice. Perfect for players who love mysteries and getting into character. Our group got way too competitive over who could solve the case first.
2 Forgotten Waters
Forgotten Waters is pirate role playing with a ton of personality. We laughed so much at the madcap stories and our friend’s attempts at pirate voices (they were bad, really bad). The storybook app adds scenes and jokes and makes it easy to learn and play. There’s a bit of everything: battles, treasure, ship upgrades, and choices that stick with you. The story is light-hearted, but the gameplay is smart, so it works for all skill levels. Our crew wanted to play it again as soon as we finished.
1 Mansions of Madness: Second Edition
Mansions of Madness: Second Edition wins for the best role playing board game because it nails story, mystery, and teamwork. The app handles all the spooky surprises and lets us focus on exploring haunted houses and arguing over who has to open the door next. Every game feels like a horror movie where you get to be the star. The puzzles, characters, and replay value are all top notch. We always got nervous when we heard weird noises from the app, so the theme really comes alive. If you want a full story experience with role playing, this is the one we come back to every time.
