Today, we take a look at the newest installment to the Dungeons and Dragons franchise – the board game “The Yawning Portal”. The game is designed by Kristian Karlberg and Kenny Zetterberg, and is published by Avalon Hill. The studio specializes in wargames and strategic board games, which already sets the tone for the excitement to come.
The game itself is set in the infamous “The Yawning Portal” inn and tavern in the city of Waterdeep. What may surprise our readers is that you and your friends will not be taking the roles of the adventurers.
A Unique Approach to D&D Gameplay
Unlike a typical Dungeons and Dragons game, in “The Yawning Portal” the players take the role of a hardworking server of the unique tavern. The main goal of the game is to feed and take care of the needs of numerous eccentric and unique heroes and adventurers, which is no easy feat! If they are pleased with your services, you will get gems (which will serve as tips), all while staying ahead of the competition.
The game also brings 68 unique heroes created just for this game! Players can expect to encounter wizards, goblins and even a vegetarian dwarf! Each of these heroes will have a unique request for you based on their special diet, and each request will have a different effect the gameplay in various ways. Players can also use a potion token, which will convince a hero to love the food that you are serving him/her. Play a potion token on a hero card to earn a Perfect Match bonus for even more gems!
Some hero cards have a unique effect, which players can resolve for extra rewards and endgame bonuses. The game is playable at 1 to 4 players, suitable for ages 12+. “The Yawning Portal’s” unique take on Dungeons and Dragons makes it fun for both experts and newcomers to the beloved franchise.
Pre-Orders and Game Components
Pre-orders went live on Amazon on August 3. The game is set to be released on March 1st, 2023, but I wouldn’t wait too long to get a copy. The retail price for a copy of “The Yawning Portal” is 55.99 USD.
Each copy of “The Yawning Portal” comes with 5 gameboard pieces, 48 food tokens, 68 hero cards, 9 objective cards, 16 action tiles, 9 enchant food potion tokens, 30 blue sapphire gem tokens, 30 green, emerald gem tokens, 30 red ruby gem tokens, 30 yellow topaz gem tokens, 20 white diamond gem tokens, and 4 player reference cards. The art and colors for all pieces are stunningly beautiful.