Search for the Emperor’s Treasure

SFET_Cover

Game Summary:
In this charming, tongue-in-cheek fantasy boardgame (often considered a boardgame version of “classic” Dungeons & Dragons), two to eight players take the role of a fighter, elf, cleric, or magician, then wander around the board collecting arms, treasure, and resolving encounters (which can be good or bad). The game ends when a certain number of Imperial Treasures has been found (depending on how many players are playing) at which point the player with the most treasures wins. Gameplay is competitive (half the fun is throwing nasty encounters on the other players).

Estimated Playing Time:
1 to 2 hours (use of VOIP is highly recommended for online games)

Complexity Level: Easy

About the Game:
This game, designed by Tom Wham, was originally included in the center of issue #51 of Dragon magazine, in July of 1981, and is generally considered to be the best game ever published in Dragon magazine. In 1990, it was republished as part of a boxed set called “The Best of Dragon Magazine Games”. The game is republished here for use in BGE with the designer’s permission.

Below is a screenshot of what the game looks like.

Overview:

SFET_Promo_Graphic
Click to enlarge

The following quotes are what some gamers on boardgamegeek.com had to say about this game (in reference to the original printed game, of course):

“This has to be the coolest game I ever got out of a magazine.”

“This is one of the only D&D-like games which my non-RPG-playing, non-wargame-playing relatives will play — and even request. A lot of fun, complicated enough to be interesting, simple enough to learn quickly.”

“This crushes Runebound into the dirt.”

“Great way to package epic-scale quests into a little and unassuming package. Curiously, despite its quaint graphics and jokey humour, probably the best quick game to deliver an RPG experience of a fantasy world adventure.”

“A fun, lighthearted fantasy adventure board game. Great for younger players, or to introduce new players to the genre. But there’s also plenty to keep an experienced gamer entertained as well.”

“One of the best adventure boardgames out there. Despite being a light “beer and pretzels” game, it included *many* RPG elements missing in most adventure boardgames: player interaction, surprises, themes, chits representing weapons and spells.”