Runewars / Similar games

18 games like Runewars

The best games like Runewars are Shadows of Brimstone City of the Ancients, Star Wars Imperial Assault and Descent Journeys in the Dark — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Shadows of Brimstone City of the Ancients shares adventure, fantasy, fighting with Runewars.

Every alternative below links to its own Runewars-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s adventure / fantasy shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Runewars’s 3.8 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. 1. Shadows of Brimstone City of the Ancients (2014)
   1–4 players · 120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
   Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Grid Movement, Modular Board, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~90 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
   View Shadows of Brimstone City of the Ancients on Amazon →
2. 2. Star Wars Imperial Assault (2014)
   1–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium
   Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fighting, Wargame, Grid Movement, Modular Board · 2 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~120 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
   View Star Wars Imperial Assault on Amazon →
3. 3. Descent Journeys in the Dark (2005)
   2–5 players · 120–240 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium
   Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Grid Movement, Modular Board, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (50%)
   vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~30 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
   View Descent Journeys in the Dark on Amazon →
4. 4. War of the Ring Second Edition (2012)
   2–4 players · 150–180 min · ★ 8.5 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~45 min shorter · +0.4 heavier
5. 5. Duel of Ages II (2013)
   2–8 players · 150 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium
   Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Wargame, Grid Movement, Modular Board · 2 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 8 · ~60 min shorter · 0.4 lighter
6. 6. Mage Knight Board Game (2011)
   1–4 players · 60–240 min · ★ 8.1 · Heavy
   Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Grid Movement · 1 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~60 min shorter · +0.5 heavier
7. 7. The Battle of Five Armies (2014)
   2 players · 90–240 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Wargame, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (17%)
   vs Runewars: both play at 2 · ~45 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
8. 8. Heroes of Land (2018)
   1–4 players · 120–180 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
   Shares with Runewars: Fantasy, Fighting, Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~60 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
9. 9. Time of Legends Joan of Arc (2019)
   2–4 players · 45–90 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium
   Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Wargame, Modular Board, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (33%)
   vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~142 min shorter · 0.3 lighter
10. 10. Arcadia Quest (2014)
    2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
    Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Grid Movement, Modular Board, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~150 min shorter · 1.3 lighter
11. 11. Forbidden Stars (2015)
    2–4 players · 120–180 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Runewars: Fighting, Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Modular Board · 2 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~60 min shorter · same complexity
12. 12. Altar Quest (2020)
    1–4 players · 30–90 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium
    Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Grid Movement, Modular Board · 2 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~150 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
13. 13. Chaos in the Old World (2009)
    3–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium
    Shares with Runewars: Fantasy, Fighting, Wargame, Area Majority / Influence · 1 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Runewars: overlaps at 3–4 players · ~120 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
14. 14. Xia Legends of a Drift System (2014)
    3–5 players · 60–180 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium
    Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fighting, Grid Movement, Modular Board · 2 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Runewars: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · ~90 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
15. 15. Hyperborea (2014)
    2–6 players · 50–150 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
    Shares with Runewars: Fantasy, Fighting, Area Majority / Influence, Grid Movement, Modular Board · 3 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · ~110 min shorter · 0.6 lighter
16. 16. Mordheim City of the Damned (1999)
    2–6 players · 60 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium
    Shares with Runewars: Fantasy, Fighting, Wargame, Modular Board, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (33%)
    vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · ~150 min shorter · 0.7 lighter
17. 17. Sword & Sorcery Immortal Souls (2017)
    1–5 players · 60–90 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium-heavy
    Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Modular Board · 1 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (17%)
    vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~135 min shorter · +0.3 heavier
18. 18. Krosmaster Quest (2015)
    2–6 players · 120–180 min · ★ 6.8 · Medium
    Shares with Runewars: Adventure, Fantasy, Fighting, Grid Movement, Modular Board, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Runewars’s 6 mechanics (50%)
    vs Runewars: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · ~60 min shorter · 0.7 lighter

Looking for the original? See the full Runewars fact page — players, play time, age and complexity.