Talisman: The Dungeon Expansion

What Happens In The Dungeon Stays In The Dungeon

The Dungeon is an expansion to the main game of Talisman (4th edition). This means that you can’t play it without owning the main game board. It also follows the same order of play as the main game. Players move around the board, following the instructions on the spaces to either encounter the space or to draw cards from the dungeon deck. Cards drawn can be magic objects and weapons to be taken to aid you in battle or psychic combat; followers to help you on your journey through the dungeon and the wider realms of Talisman; or enemies to encounter. Once you’ve worked your way through the corridors, tunnels and caverns of the dungeon you reach the Lord of Darkness at the end. If you defeat him the reward is a treasure card taken from his treasure chamber. However the real prize is where you emerge after your encounter. Spoiler Alert… If you lose you move to the crags, however if you can beat the Lord of Darkness’ attack score sufficiently enough you could all go all the way to the crown of command to try and win the game.

Is Bigger Really Better

As The Dungeon acts as a continuation of an existing game board you might wonder is it worthwhile? Especially as there are quite a few Talisman expansions available now. The Dungeon expansion is ideal for those people who enjoy playing Talisman and have become accustomed to the rules of play but are ready to make it more difficult.

The main difference we have found with the Dungeon is that you need to be stronger and braver if you hope to beat the enemies you will come across. Not only will you come across enemies like a strength 10 Battle Hulk, but in spaces like the vaults where you draw 3 cards, you can be taking on more than one monster at a time. Therefore, if you’re ready, enter the dungeon because it’s time to level up! I just hope you have enough lives to see you through, as many a player has had to make a swift retreat to the safety of the main board!

As someone who has spent many hours playing Talisman and who owns several of the expansions, I have found that it is an expansion like the Dungeon that gives Talisman its staying power in our family. When playing with just the original board you would have to defeat a lot of low key enemies to become strong enough to go into the middle and inner regions to reach the crown of command to try and win the game. The Dungeon Expansion therefore acts as a middle stage in the game, where we like to be strong enough to enter, but need to get even stronger so we can go on to try and win the game.

Alternative Options You Might Like To Consider:

As gameplay with The Dungeon is the same as the Talisman 4th edition, choosing this expansion is ideal if you’re impatient like me and just want to get on and play without getting lost in a new rule book. However, if you’re wanting an expansion with a nice new rule book to work through you might prefer the Cataclysm or Dragon expansions. Especially if you’re wanting value for money, as the larger Talisman expansions are akin to buying a new board game.