Dinosaurs Coming To A Tabletop Near You This September
Whether you’re a fan of tabletop games, or a fan of dinosaurs, next month is your month. Thanks to the game company Wizards of the Coast, you’ll be able to enjoy both at the same time. Dinosaurs are invading Wizards of the Coast’s biggest games. Dungeons & Dragons, Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures, and Magic: The Gathering are all getting dinosaur packed expansions. This is an outline of what to expect from each, and when to expect it. From card games, to miniatures, to board games, and pen and paper RPGs, dinosaurs are invading game night!
Dungeons & Dragons RPG
If you like to roll dice or roleplay unique characters, the Tomb of Annihilation module is for you. Inside are the makings for adventures in Chult, a mysterious land of mountains, rainforests, and dinosaurs! Players will be investigating a curse that is afflicting those raised from the dead. The curse prevents them from continually returning after death. The source is an artifact, hidden in Chult. This campaign has a hint of horror to it, as well as inspiration from Indiana Jones adventures. As mentioned above, there is no reviving, adding an extra complication. Extra care must be taken to prevent your character from dying permanently! The Tomb of Annihilation sourcebook arrives September 19th 2017 with an MSRP of $49.95 USD for the sourcebook. You can check a game store near you to find a group if you want to try before buying. There’s a great article on the Hollywood Reporter website about celebrities like Drew Barrymore and Dwayne Johnson that play D&D, as well as the screenwriters for Game of Thrones.
Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures
This one’s for the fans of tapletop wargaming. The Tomb of Annihilation expansion craze is spreading to the Dungeons & Dragons miniatures game. This particular set actually launched back on July 26 2017, so it’s already in stores now with an MSRP of $15.99 USD per booster box. Looking through a gallery of the miniatures, it appears a little light on dinosaurs. There are other dinosaurs you can pick up from previous Dungeons & Dragons miniatures expansions. The Fiendish Tyrannosaurus, for example, comes from a previous set as well as the Trihorn and Macetail Behemoths. Since Tomb of Annihilation does include velociraptors, you can have the ultimate apex predator team up! Unlike most other miniatures games, the pieces come pre-painted in Dungeons & Dragons miniatures. Nothing to do but learn the rules and dive right in! Additionally you can use these miniatures as props for your Dungeons & Dragons RPG campaign.
Tomb of Annihilation Board Game
If you prefer a board for your games, you haven’t been left out. Wizards is offering a board game for adventurers wanting a traditional way to explore the Tomb of Annihilation story. You can play solo, or in a group of up to five players. It’s also compatible with other D&D board games. Specifics are a little scarce, but the board game is set to release this month (August 2017) and includes over 40 miniatures. There will be two editions of Tomb of Annihilation available,Standard and Premium. The Standard Edition game will cost $79.99 USD and comes with single color miniatures. The Premium Edition game will run $159.99 USD and comes with fully painted miniatures. The miniatures look like they share a lot of similarity with the Dungeons & Dragons Tomb of Annihilation minis line, so again may be a little light on the dinosaurs. Like the other miniatures though, they are also great for D&D RPG campaign aids.
Magic: The Gathering
The collectible card game played around the world has flirted with dinosaurs in past expansions, but the next one takes a huge leap forward. The Ixalan expansion features not just pirates, but dinosaurs too in Wizard’s flagship cardgame. These aren’t your daddy’s dinosaurs either, they have feathers! The art just looks fantastic. There will be two Magic expansion blocks of Ixalan, so that may mean twice the dinosaurs! Card booster packs become available on September 29th 2017 with an MSRP of $3.99 USD per pack. Pre-release information and teasers have already started, and will increase in the weeks before release.
More Wizard’s Dinosaur Craze Content
I’ve got some plans in store for the Magic card game offerings, as I used to play Magic a long time ago. I would love to do some kind of RPG stream with the Tomb of Annihilation D&D module should time and money allow. September is going to be a big month for dinosaurs, and not just tabletop gaming. There’s also online dinosaur game offerings from Wizards of the Coast in the forms of a Neverwinter Online expansion and a Magic the Gathering Online (MTGO) Ixalan expansion. That’s right, Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs EVERYWHERE!
