In a move that’s sure to make Monopoly’s “friendly competition” look like a toddler’s tea party, **Dungeons & Dragons** is back to transform family game night into a saga of questionable decisions, dice rolls, and mild emotional trauma. Wizards of the Coast has launched two new additions to the beloved fantasy franchise: the *Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Heroes of the Borderlands* and *Dungeons & Dragons: Dragon Delves.* Together, they promise to deliver laughter, suspense, and at least one argument about whether someone’s character is *technically* allowed to seduce a goblin.
Parents, sharpen your pencils and your patience—because the dragons are moving in.
The Heroes of the Borderlands: Where Every Parent Becomes a Dungeon Master
At its core, *Heroes of the Borderlands* is a cooperative fantasy adventure for three to five players. That’s right—cooperative. Meaning, for approximately 45 minutes before someone forgets how to add modifiers or “accidentally” steals the healing potion, your family will pretend to work together in harmony. One person assumes the role of Dungeon Master, narrating the story and controlling every monster, plot twist, and emotional breakdown along the way. The others play as brave heroes attempting to save the realm, despite not being able to agree on dinner.
This starter set includes everything you need for your journey: three adventure booklets, eight character class boards (so everyone can argue about who gets to be the wizard), eleven dice, nine maps, and enough tokens and cards to wallpaper your dining room. The inclusion of immersive handouts like a tavern menu and shop catalogs really drives home the fantasy—because what’s more realistic than ordering ale and rations while your toddler throws a fit over snack time?
The game proudly boasts that it can be set up “in minutes.” Technically, that’s true—if you measure time like an immortal elf. For mere mortals, setup involves deciphering quick-start guides, laying out hundreds of cards and tokens, and explaining to your seven-year-old why they can’t name their character “Unicorn Pancake Slayer.” But once the chaos settles, something magical happens. You start playing, and suddenly your kitchen table transforms into a goblin-infested cave. Your spouse becomes a stoic paladin with trust issues. Your teenager—who swore they were “too cool” for this—casts a fireball spell and grins for the first time all week.
It’s not just a game. It’s a temporary ceasefire in the never-ending war of family scheduling conflicts.
Each session is designed to last about an hour, making it the perfect size for a family game night before bedtime—or before someone’s character dies in a tragic misunderstanding with a gelatinous cube. The quick-play format allows you to jump right into action without slogging through hours of rulebooks. That means you can create a hero, save the day, and still have time to clean up the mess before your cat eats a d20.
*Heroes of the Borderlands* is also versatile. Players can fight monsters, talk their way out of conflict, or sneak past danger. In other words, it’s the only game that encourages your kids to explore every possible life skill—except cleaning their room.
Enter the Dragon Delves: Because Family Bonding Should Involve Mild Peril
If *Heroes of the Borderlands* introduces families to D&D, *Dragon Delves* throws them headfirst into it—with dragons, naturally. This collection of ten adventures lets players face off against the most iconic creatures in fantasy: the mighty dragons of D&D. The adventures range from level one through twelve, offering a nice progression for families ready to graduate from “what’s a hit point?” to “please stop breathing fire on my loot.”
Each adventure features a different type of dragon, from the noble gold dragon who might talk you out of combat, to the fiery red dragon who absolutely will not. The set includes detailed maps, unique art styles, and behind-the-scenes peeks at dragon design—because nothing says “family bonding” like discussing scale texture and the ethics of hoarding treasure.
Dungeon Masters, rejoice—or at least, panic slightly less. *Dragon Delves* includes step-by-step prep guides that make running a game feel less like a dissertation and more like directing a slightly confused improv troupe. The adventures come ready to play, which means you can spend more time telling epic stories and less time Googling “how to calculate initiative again?”
Each lair is set in a distinct fantasy location—from stolen pirate bases to ancient city ruins—ensuring no two nights are the same. One evening, your family might be negotiating with a suspiciously polite brass dragon. Next, you’re running for your lives through a lava tunnel while your youngest insists on using a spoon as a weapon. It’s chaos, it’s laughter, and it’s somehow the most organized fun you’ll ever have.
The Family That Slays Together, Stays Together
In a world where most family “quality time” involves staring at separate screens, *Dungeons & Dragons* might be the antidote. Both *Heroes of the Borderlands* and *Dragon Delves* bring people together—through storytelling, imagination, and the occasional existential crisis about moral alignment. Whether your family prefers exploring dungeons, befriending dragons, or arguing over who forgot to heal the cleric, these sets deliver something rare: shared adventure.
Sure, there will be moments of confusion, laughter, and possibly tears. But that’s the magic of D&D—it turns your living room into a world where heroes rise, dragons roar, and everyone gets to be part of the legend.
Just be warned: once your family gets a taste for rolling dice and saving kingdoms, “family game night” may never be the same again.
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