Arena of Death: Heroic Combat in the Fantasy World of DragonQuest (1980)

About this game

Arena of Death: Heroic Combat in the Fantasy World of DragonQuest, is a game of gladiatorial combat in a fantasy setting. The players take on the role of fighters in the arena, pitting these fighters against each other and against fearsome beasts over the course of a variable number of "combats". Each combat consists of one or more players' characters entering the arena where they meet one or more characters controlled by other players. The combat lasts until only dead or mutually friendly characters remain in the arena. [This is the standalone game version of the combat system used in the first edition of RPG DragonQuest by SPI] Originally published in Ares magazine Nr 4 (Sept 1980).

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 20.
• Rules load. At 2.1/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 10 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.