Hi all...since I first got back into gaming, Runebound was on my list.  It is still and didn't make the plunge yet...after 2 years...

Now I think i'm "ready"  to buy Runebound but before doing it, i'd like to know if there's a 3rd edition in the works or a reprint of the packs coming?  There's not much stuff available in Quebec (only the base game and Mist) but found some places that I could order from that still have soome nice expansions (the Desert one).

So, should I buy or wait? hahah!

Thanks!

So I noticed the planned reprint dropped off the "upcoming" page.  Last time that happened, we got an announcement about Descent 2E.  Where are you, Runebound?  I run a game store, and I've got a shelf full of expansions and no core games are available anywhere.

I just bought RB 2nd and lots of expansions...I wouldn't be happy is a 3rd edition would be announced...

But it's part of the game I guess!

Here too the core box is rare.  There's some boxes here and there but the stocks are rarely and slowly renewed.

 I hope their isn't a 3rd edition, to be honest I think game companies that make a further edition are just reselling the same idea with a few adjustments and it would be a lot fairer to the consumer if they release a product that would just adjust the old in a similar way that FFG did for the talisman game (which has had far to many additions anyway).

Considering the amount of products the game Runebound has, it would be out of the question for myself to begin rebuying 3rd edition and I would just leave my collection at 2nd edition. I would even consider adjusting any new 3rd edition content to suit 2nd edition or adjust my 2nd edition to bring in line with 3rd edition depending on the complexity of the change. I think FFG is fair to its consumer and will do the right thing, they always have.

Hi!

I'm in the other camp.

I bought Runebound 1st edition and quit it when second edition was announced. From what I heard, a lot of mistakes were made to runebound 2nd edition, like cardbacks not matching, messy rules and imbalanced.

Personally I'd prefer a 3rd edition making it's way, where all these learned mistakes were corrected. That might entice me to by the game.

Only one caveat exists for me and that is the gameplay itself. One of the problems with the old game, was that "catching up" with the lead player is hard. A condition of me buying a 3rd edition is that this is fixed so that you don't have to play a 3-4 hour game, that was decided in the first 10 minutes, because someone took the lead.

 I'm hoping for a third edition soon, I think the descent 2nd edition release will be the driving force for this.

Descent 2e contains all new monsters, rune age has just had an expansion announced that includes these new monsters plus the new runewars units from the BOW expansion. I fully expect runewars to receive an expansion soon with the new races (orcs and dwarves) from the rune age expansion plus the descent 2e monsters. 

It seems like FFG are trying to keep these games synchronised, which just leaves runebound lagging behind. I'd expect either a new expansion or a new edition of runebound to be announced in the next 6 months to keep it in line with the rest of the runebound universe.

I agree that they probably are coming out with the 3rd edition since everything else is getting a facelift.  I always wanted to play the game, but it seems that it is becoming harder to get a hold of any of the expansions (Well, the ones that I want).  It was hard for me to come to terms with a new edition of Descent, but I think that it is for the better.  I can only hope that they work the same magic on Runebound for all of us who missed out.

I could live with a third edition, even as a player who came late to RB2 only about year ago on two conditions:

1. Don't dumb the game down by making it simpler and more random; it's good enough where it is.
2. Do what's reasonable (and knowing there are limits) to allow some adaptability with RB2 (not RB1) components.

I have no idea about the complaints concerning RB1, since I never played it, but my wife and I and a few others we might play with have never seen a game won in the first ten minutes. The outcome is sometimes set later in the game, but even then we've seen some turnabouts. I was set to win easily in a game of IoD and SoAK and had Barb swoop in and steal the show. And I've done the same to her with some risks.

Complaints about RB1 are fairly irrelevant at this point in the game's history.

 I'm not sure I would buy a 3rd edition, but if done right, I might consider it heavily.

For me, a 3rd ed. would have to have:
1. It would have to have some heavy strategical but thematic elements built into the game. Quests (not the pick up and drop kind). Class cards (simpler without bogging down the game). Helpful or villainous NPCs. Towns with different mechanic and feel (Forge is constantly cranking out weapons and armors, Nerakhall deals with bad mojo, while Vynelvale deals with healing and blessings).
2. Make it less random without losing its variability.
3. Shorter play time. Make it last not more than 2-3 hours.
4. An overarching storyline (several) a la Road to Legends Avatars getting stronger and hatching nefarious plots, but automated of course.
5. Thematic but balanced ruleset.
6. Don't make it BUSY! Took a look at Android while hoping for Fury of Dracula like design, but the business turned me off.

I guess what I'm looking for is a Mage Knight Board Game that's more random. lol.

Thematic settlements that mattered to the game rather than just being "fluff" would be a nice spin.  I have not "played" Descent or "Roads to Legend," but I have read up on it a little.  The differences (minor / mechanical) as they are did seem appealing.

If there were one thing I might change about RB, it's that the environment itself is a bit too generic and homogenous at times. Then again, those pushing for the fastest game possible want all the same options, resources, opportunities available for "purchase" no matter which settlement they end up in.

JCHendee said:

A variant would not be too hard to implement for this.

Last session we played with Frozen Wastes and I thought about something for the base game:

- Only keep Challenges in the Adventure Decks

- Shuffle all the Encounters and Events cards to create a "Settlement Deck"

- Everytime you end your movement in a city you draw a card from the Settlement Deck

That way, I think, it would speed up the game a bit (adventure counters providing only Challenges) and would force you, at one point, to get into cities to replenish adventure counters and create events.  Sure it'd be better if you have some Challenges deck expansions to add more cards in the decks…

Sure it's just a draft and a wild idea and there's some work to do to implemtn it in a game but maube i'll give it a try and see how it feels!

Hey Sol, have you looked up "Cities of Adventure"?  It's a much simpler approach with a limited range of events, but a lot of people have enjoyed it as an addition to the game.  Originally created by Judd "Warbringer25", working with him I created print and play cards for the encounter role tables he authored.

You'll have to look to the separate pages on BoardGameGeek.com to find the ones for the big box expansions as well as the set for the core game. These might be a quick starter to try out for individualizing the settlements. And then maybe they'll provide some food for thought if you want to go further in something new.

I have a project that went fallow for a while in this vein; a central "settlement" deck where a card is draw upon entering a settlement.  Instead of a roll of a die, up to three events are listed on the card for specific settlements by their icon.  If an iconed event / encounter is not listed for the settlement entered, then nothing happens. In this way, an event / encounter only occurs some 30-40% of the time upon entering a settlement. Perhaps someday I'll get around to finishing it.  Or maybe you come up with something that beats me to it.

JCHendee said:

Yeah I saw Cities of Adventure but didn't tried them yet.  Sound cool though and I'll have to print them and try the out!  Thanks for pointing that out, I forgot about those!

Your variant sound cool JC, you most certainly should get back to it :P

Yeah, it is on my list, but work is pretty heavy and hectic right now… and I think I've tilted this off topic enough for now.

Someone I know called FFG for a Runebound parts replacement and they said it was OOP 

So either they're making a 3rd edition, or they're letting it die. 

Hmmm… talk about hopeful and disappointing all at once. I'm not crazy about a 3rd edition after all the money I've invested, but it seems a shame to let RB die. Then again, all games sooner or later run their course. With the glut of online games growing, I suppose maybe board games are becoming a niche in the long run. Don't know what others thing about that, and of course we're jaded on the larger picture in being enthusiasts.