Summoning Monsters Game?

[jetengine]

Weird question, but is there any kind of fantasy game about dueling Wizards summoning monsters to bash each other's heads in? It seems like something that should surely exist, due to wizard duels being fairly frequent in fantasy games?

[Padrissimus]

Not sure, but I could attempt to summon a gamer to fill us in on the details, who would then definitely attack any gamers you summoned. 

[ithoriel]

I'm not aware of any tabletop miniatures games that do that but there are collectable card games (CCGs), Magic The Gathering and the Harry Potter CCG are the two I have, that are essentially Wizard Duels with both spells and monsters.

It shouldn't be too difficult to take the mechanisms and build something similar for a miniatures version.

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

Back in the 70’s there was a Tekumel themed counters and board game, War of Wizards, where two wizards hurled spells and summoned minions against the other along the single dimensioned track between them.  A TSR game.  Not a bad game at the time.

Magic: the gathering is basically just that.

[pixelgeek]

Arcane Wonders produces a game called Mage Wars that is that exact thing.

https://www.arcanewonders.com/product/mage-wars-arena/

Also Metal King Studio produces Cursebreaker which is also that exact thing but with minis and terrain instead of a board and cards.

https://www.relicblade.com/cursebreaker

The minis are pretty fun and if you (or someone you know) has Relicblade minis you can use them in Cursebreaker as well.

I really like Mage Wars. It is a great game and gives you lots of strategic and tactical options. Cursebreaker looks like a lot of fun. I haven't played it yet but I have played Relicblade and that is a great game.

[Rick]

If you ignore the Soldiers, isn't that Frostgrave you're describing?

[pixelgeek]

If you ignore the Soldiers, isn't that Frostgrave you're describing?

Two comments

1) The monsters in Frostgrave are usually randomly appearing as part of the scenario
2) Frostgrave is horrible and should never be suggested to anyone sane

[Major_Gilbear]

What about the appropriately-names Summoners? (Link to the game, and another link on BGG which has a description and some photos).

[Rick]

Two comments

1) The monsters in Frostgrave are usually randomly appearing as part of the scenario
2) Frostgrave is horrible and should never be suggested to anyone sane

1) No.
2) 

[pixelgeek]

1) No.

I don't recall a lot of summoning when we played the game. Or in the games I watched. Did 2nd edition add more summoning options?

[pixelgeek]

What about the appropriately-names Summoners?

Is it available in English? I am only seeing German options on their site.

[Major_Gilbear]

Is it available in English? I am only seeing German options on their site.

Not sure; a German language version was set to come out first, and then later on an English-language version would follow. This page on their website seems to indicate that the English language version may not have materialised, and I suspect various worldwide and UK events around that time might have been the main reason(s) why. You could maybe email NeverRealm Industry directly and ask them about it?


Another game that summons mininons is Warcaster Neo-Mechanika. It's techinically sci-fi though, and the the player is the summoner (so not directly represented on the table), but I'm pretty sure this could be made into fantasy with a little work, especially if you substitute the Warjacks with monsters or fantasy golems. You should be able to still find the starter rules that were published online for free.

[pixelgeek]

Another game that summons mininons is Warcaster Neo-Mechanika. It's techinically sci-fi though, and the the player is the summoner (so not directly represented on the table), but I'm pretty sure this could be made into fantasy with a little work, especially if you substitute the Warjacks with monsters or fantasy golems.

There is a fantasy version already. It was actually based on the fantasy version. Warmachine.

Not a lot of actual summoning in either game though.

[Major_Gilbear]

There is a fantasy version already. It was actually based on the fantasy version. Warmachine.

Not a lot of actual summoning in either game though.

Yes, Warcaster Neo Mechanika is a sci-fi offshoot or successor setting to the fantasy game Warmachine. I am also well aware that there is not much summoning in Warmachine - hence why I didn't suggest it.

But Warcaster is a very different game, that specifically revolves around (re)summoning your units and managing the resource ("Arc") that both summons and powers them. My suggestion to convert it to a fantasy setting was exactly that, and there needs be no regard or call-back to the original IP at all. A Void Gate becomes a Magical Portal. Arc becomes Mana. A unit with swords and rifles becomes a unit with swords and runic crossbows. A warjack (perhaps with a cannon) becomes a monster (that can perhaps shoot magical projectiles). Cyphers that you cast become magical spells that you cast. And so on - a conversion doesn't really need to be complicated, and pretty much everything can be mapped well enough.

[peleset]

I can think of a couple of old boardgames I have where your a Wizard in an arena type situation fighting other Wizards using spells and summoning various creatures.

Warlock, an old GW game from 1980 -

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2146/warlock

Also Wizard Metagaming/Steve Jackson Games 1977 -

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3463/wizard