Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)

Fantasy Flight Games, ADC Blackfire Entertainment, Arclight Games · Board game · 2012
1–5 · best 5 Solo 120 min Weight 3.2/5
8.4 rating Ludopedia
7.6 rating BGG
How to Play Buy · from US$ 56.95
8.4 rating Ludopedia
7.6 rating BGG
Our Verdict
RECOMMENDED

If you're looking for a classic dungeon-crawling experience with a strong narrative and engaging asymmetrical gameplay, Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) is an adventure waiting to happen. Its immersive campaign and hero customization truly stand out.

Highlights
  • Engaging asymmetrical Overlord vs. Heroes gameplay
  • Deeply immersive story-driven campaign
  • High replayability with modular boards
  • Rich hero and skill customization
Keep in mind
  • Requires dedicated time for campaigns
  • Overlord role might not suit everyone
Learn How to Play Step by Step Check out our complete step-by-step rules guide.
Access Rules Guide

About the game

What you do in a play session

Get ready for an epic adventure in Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition), a game that casts one player as the treacherous Overlord and up to four others as fearless heroes. In each session, heroes embark on thrilling quests, exploring dangerous caves, ancient ruins, dark dungeons, and cursed forests. The goal? To battle fearsome monsters, collect valuable riches, and, of course, thwart the Overlord's vile schemes. Featuring double-sided modular board pieces, a plethora of hero and skill combinations, and an immersive story-driven campaign, Descent (Second Edition) transports you to a vibrant fantasy realm where the heroes' unity is the only hope against an ancient evil. Danger lurks in every shadow, and combat is inevitable. For these moments, the game uses a unique dice-based system, where players build their dice pools based on their characters' abilities and weapons. Each die contributes differently to the attack, and 'Surges' – special symbols appearing on most dice – allow you to activate special effects to maximize your blows. And believe us, with the horrors awaiting in the depths, you'll need every advantage you can get! Compared to the first edition, this version offers simpler rules for line of sight, faster encounter setup, defense dice to balance attacks, and shorter quests with natural stopping points. Additionally, cards now clearly list statistics and effects, there's a new mechanism for controlling the Overlord's powers, an enhanced hero selection and creation process, an experience system for character development, and an out-of-the-box campaign system.

Expansions

Published additional content

24 items
Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Alric Farrow Lieutenant Pack Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Ardus Ix'Erebus Lieutenant Pack Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Bonds of the Wild Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Crown of Destiny Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Crusade of the Forgotten Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Dark Elements Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Forgotten Souls Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Guardians of Deephall Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Heirs of Blood Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Kyndrithul Lieutenant Pack Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Labyrinth of Ruin Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Lair of the Wyrm Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Manor of Ravens Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Mists of Bilehall Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Oath of the Outcast Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Road to Legend Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Shadow of Nerekhall Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Shards of Everdark Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – The Chains That Rust Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – The Trollfens Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Treaty of Champions Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Valyndra Lieutenant Pack Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Visions of Dawn Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) – Zarihell Lieutenant Pack

Rules videos

Learn by watching before you open the box

12 videos

Rules manual

Official PDF file

Rules manual — Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) English · PDF
Download Manual

Best player count

BGG community vote

1–5 players
1 OK
2 REC
3 REC
4 REC
5 BEST

Where to Buy

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Game details

Mechanics, categories, families and credits

Families

Category: Dungeon Crawler Components: Miniatures Creatures: Monsters Game: Descent – Journeys in the Dark Mechanism: Campaign Games Misc: Watch It Played How To Videos Players: Games with Solitaire Rules Players: One versus Many Setting: The Realms of Terrinoth
Publisher Fantasy Flight Games, ADC Blackfire Entertainment, Arclight Games, Delta Vision Publishing, Edge Entertainment, Galakta
Designer Adam Sadler, Corey Konieczka, Daniel Clark (I), Kevin Wilson
Artist Alex Aparin, Charlène le Scanff, Devon Caddy-Lee, Sylvain Decaux, Thomas Lishman, Tod Gelle

Community

Data from BoardGameGeek

41,608owners
6,575wishlist
619want to play

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers before you buy

6 questions
How many players can participate in Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)?
The game is designed for 1 to 5 players. One player takes on the role of the Overlord, and the others are heroes exploring the dungeons.
What is the average duration of a game session?
A session of Descent typically lasts between 120 and 120 minutes, meaning two hours. It's a game that requires dedicated time!
Is Descent (Second Edition) a complex game to learn?
It has a medium complexity (BGG weight 3.216/5). The rules are simplified compared to the first edition, but there's still plenty of depth to explore, especially with hero abilities and Overlord tactics.
What comes in the game box?
You can expect many detailed miniatures, modular board pieces, custom dice, hero and item cards, and everything you need to dive into the campaign.
Is it possible to play Descent solo?
Yes! While primarily a one-vs-many game, there are solo modes and community-created variants for those who want to adventure without a full group.
Who is this game best suited for?
It's perfect for those who love adventure games with dungeon crawling, tactical combat with miniatures, and an engaging narrative. If you enjoy tabletop RPGs and want something similar in board game format, you'll feel right at home.

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