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DnD or Descent for the kids??
So, the kids and I have been playing alot of Star Wars Miniatures games. They are quick to set up and play AND the rules are just simple enough that even Jake knows how to play. Also, both of the boys LOVE the Baldur's gate game for the PS2 that Calvin let us borrow. There are even 2 of Dustin's friends (both are cool kids, but geeks like Dustin and I), who have been coming over just to play with Dustin on Baldur's gate.
I've been thinking of moving on to something else for them. I first looked into the board game, Descent, which looks like a really cool game and if I'm correct, your character evolves as you keep going through adventures. It looks pretty easy to set up and can be played with just two people, plus the GM. The only problem I see with it is the lack of creativity you have with your character. Your only option is to pick a pre-set character.
I've also looked into DnD, which would allow the boys to be more creative with their characters and let their imagination explore more. The problem I have is the amount of effort that I will have to put into it to come up with suitable adventures, create maps of what their doing, and keeping track of stuff.
Price wise, it's about the same investment to do either. DnD would be ther more expensive up front with buying the 3 books needed, but they will take through quite abit of adventuring, while Descent, once you go through the intial box, each new adventure box is another $50 bucks..
Anyone have some good advise or opinions with what I can do?
I would argue for Descent. My potentially controversial take on DnD (and much roleplaying) is that most people treat it as just a dungeon crawling, hack and slash game anyway, so why stick with mechanics not really made for it? At that point you're just playing Descent anyway, but with clunkier, less interesting dungeon crawling rules once you drop the more narrative roleplaying.
I don't know that I'd worry about the price of the expansions a ton. It could take a good long time to work through all of the core campaign.
Just my 2 cents though.
I would probably go for Descent. I think D&D is pretty advanced for kids your age, while I think Dustin could probably handle it, I think it would be too much for Jake. I'm just trying to think back to me at those ages.
You may be able to run a game with Dustin and his buddies, but I would be afraid of Jake getting left out.
Another good option is the Star Wars RPG's if the kids enjoy the mini's game. Since WOtC has decided to discontinue the star wars games, you maybe able to pick up both more minis, which can be used in the RPG and of course the RPG books as well.
DnD is definitely more of an undertaking- you honestly need at least three-ish people (plus a DM) before the game really hits its stride. Also, how old are they? I would argue that younger than 12/13 probably will not get as much out of D&D- not to say they can't play it, as I and other children certainly did at that age, but it might not be an ideal choice.
Descent is a good game; if you can find Heroquest, that is also a nice option for things of that sort of pseudo-roleplaying tabletop game. The expansion (for either Descent of HQ) are not really necessary until you have played through the "main storyline" of both games at least once, I would agree.
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