"Fantasy or adventurer rules for young novices?" Topic

My daughter and her friends suddenly noticed a bunch of painted miniatures in my craft room, and they are interested. Can anyone recommend rules for 12 year olds controlling adventurers or monster hunters, and me controlling the bad guys/monsters? They are novices, so it needs to be reasonably straightforward.

Two Hour Wargames has a dungeon crawlers set of rules. Dungeons and Dragons was always fun. The people that do .45 adventures also have a set of fantasy/adventure rules, they also have a try it before you buy it version.

Start with this boardgame, that has a few painted miniatures: Betrayal at House on the Hill.

link

My girls loved it at that age, and it does exactly what you want, in a fairly short game. It plays like a movie.

Highly, highly recommended.

Two Hour Wargames has a turkey shoot freebie that's two pages. Use that to get the kids heads wrapped around the mechanics: link

I was also going to mention Dungeon Plungin, by Oversoul Games, but it looks like their website is shutting down. You can get the files from boardgamegeek but it might take a little work to get everything you need.

Holmes edition Basic D&D is quick and easy to learn and play
everything you need in one package

You might also look at Darkfast Dungeon by Dave Okum. It's available for download from wargamevault.com. I like it for the grandkids.

Dungeon Plungin'
link

Print and play. Entertaining system!

Holmes or Moldvay Basic D&D are great. All in one book, and the PDF is about $5. USD

The New D&D starter set is great. The rules have been cleaned up a lot and work very well. Tons and tons of support online for D&D is another plus. Both official and unofficial. Lots of videos on youtube to teach how to play. It goes on and on.

Xin

D&D is now available in any flavor or price (even free), and remains the perfect fantasy adventure game for anybody just starting out.
There are a number of "rewrites" out there that essentially recreate the classic editions. Look for OSRIC, Labyrinth Lords, Swords & Wizardry, among others.
You can dress any version up or down as much as you like, from dungeon crawl to full on role playing campaign. And with a little imagination, it's not hard to turn D&D from a fantasy setting into a "kids explore the haunted house" game. Just google "The Mansion of Mad Professor Ludlow," an old D&D adventure from Dragon magazine that did just that.
Good luck!

Song of Blades & Heroes, from Ganesha Games. Add Song of Gold & Darkness for dungeon crawls, and Song of Wind & Water for wilderness adventures.

BattleSworn, also by Ganesha Games.

GoalSystem Fantasy, is another easy (and cheap) set of rules: link

Mice and Mystics. It's basically like the D&D boardgames (ravenloft etc), but has a cuteness about it that might appeal, and is story driven.
Failing that, the chibi style Super Dungeon Explore is another great game for beginners, which again has a cute feel to it.
Unless of course they like hack and slash with orcs and skeletons, in which case any of the D&D boardgames or Descent.

Song of Blades and Heroes is the best easy-to-learn/teach fantasy game I've ever played.

However, if it's more of a horror/monster-hunter game that you're after, I'd suggest "Fear and Faith" which is the same rules engine with more of a horror slant.

Super dungeon explore .
They keep asking to play if DD has friends pop round on rainy days. 13 and 14 year olds now. But they have played it on and off for the last two years.
The bad guys are cute and the heroes are too. Has a manga , Chibi art style and the consul job was made for dads.

I also highly recommend the song of series too.

The name of the rules Scouts couldn't recall in the second post is Broadsword Adventures from Rattrap, the guys who make .45 Adventure (or used to…haven't seen them at a con in a while.) It's not a bad set of rules, but Song of Blades and Heroes is probably easier for someone new. Also second the D&D, depending on what sort of gaming you had in mind.