Try Something New In Tabletop Games

Written by Charlie Pettit – a sneak peak from our January issue of Tabletop Gaming magazine

Want to try… RPGs

Try For the Queen. 

If you’ve never played RPGs before, a great starting point is For The Queen. Now, For the Queen doesn’t bill itself as an RPG – instead, it calls itself a storytelling card game – but as the best part of RPGs are the stories that you create along the way, it’s a really good first foray into the genre, letting you explore the idea of assuming a character and making decisions on their behalf without the need for a Game Master. The game is really simple, you have a Queen that you are on a perilous journey with, and you’re going to be asked questions from the cards about your relationship. You’ll do this until you reach the card that tells you the Queen is under attack and asks, do you defend her? Your answer will be shaped by the story that the previous cards prompted from you – and you may be surprised by your outcome!

Want to try… Painting

Pick up Army Painter Speedpaints

Miniature painting is a really fun way to upgrade your tabletop, but it can feel intimidating to start with. The best way to begin painting, is to just give it a go – which feels like obvious advice, but until you start applying paint to a mini, you’re never going to start the process of getting good at it. Remember that they don’t need to be perfect, and small changes to our generic grey miniatures goes a long way. We’d recommend trying with speed paints, which are a bit more forgiving. You may need to grab a spray can of primer depending on the miniatures you have, or pick up some ready to paint minis to try. If you enjoy Flamecraft, they sell some fabulous dragon minis!

Buy Speedpaints on Amazon

Want to try…To Game MORE

Try Paper App Dungeon

Make life easier by picking up Paper App Dungeon, which is the size of a tiny notebook but contains a whole dungeon to explore. This solo game takes just a pencil and a D6 to play, meaning you can easily pop it into a pocket or a bag and take it with you, with no barriers to delay your starting. Waiting for your coffee? On a train? In a boring meeting? Take yourself through a dungeon instead. 

Buy Paper App Dungeon on Amazon

You could also check out our list of the best games to play in under 20 minutes!

Want to try…Miniature Gaming

Try Star Wars: Shatterpoint

It’s understandable if the price puts you off, because it’s an investment, but it is worth every penny. Inside the box contains all of your terrain, characters, and play, meaning you can create something truly impressive without needing to buy anything much more (though you will need to pick up some glue and snippers if you don’t already own them). It’s a really fun game in a really fun franchise, and a great space to start learning, as it’s well supported by its creators, but also has a vibrancy across the internet and within physical game shops. 

Buy Star Wars Shatterpoint on Amazon

Want to try…Trading Card Games

Try Disney Lorcana Starter Decks

Trading card games offer a lot of fun, and a whole new way to explore your favourite franchises. Indeed, there’s a ton of different games to try, that picking one can be the hardest. We’d recommend choosing one with a topic you’re interested in – eg, if you like Star Wars, try Star Wars: Unlimited, if you like Disney, try Disney Lorcana – but be sure to check you’ve got a fellow player who is similarly interested, or local support, so that you’ve always got someone to play with. Seek out starter decks as pre-made balanced decks to understand how you play, to then be able to construct your own! 

Buy Disney Lorcana on Amazon

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