Magic Realm

Magic Realm

Magic Realm game components (1st edition)
Designer(s)	Richard Hamblen
Publisher(s)	Avalon Hill
Publication date	1979
Players	1–16
Random chance	Low

Magic Realm is a fantasy adventure board game designed by Richard Hamblen and published by Avalon Hill in 1979. Magic Realm is more complex than many wargames and is somewhat similar to a role-playing game. It can be played solitaire or with up to 16 players and game time can last 4 hours or more. The game board is a type of geomorphic mapboard constructed of large double-sided hexagon tiles, ensuring a wide variety of playing surfaces.

A second edition of the rules, changing the rulebook format and some of the game play, was published in 1986 and included in those games sold after that date. Magic Realm has been out of print since 1998, when Avalon Hill went out of business. Due to its uniqueness and complexity, the game has achieved cult status with some gamers. Some of these have written an unofficial 'Third Edition' of the rules that clarifies many of the game's ambiguities. Many websites exist today to promote the game.

In the game, a player takes the role of one (or more) of sixteen different characters. Each character has different abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and different allies and foes among the native groups and visitors that can appear on the board. Once characters has been chosen, each player chooses individual victory conditions based on 5 categories: Great Treasures, Spells, Fame, Notoriety and Gold. The player allocates between 2-5 points (depending on the level he plays at) to the categories in any way he wishes. The allocation usually corresponds to the type of character played. The player will then attempt to obtain these goals through fighting with monsters, trading and various quests and searches for treasure and items, and encounters with other characters and the various beings in the Realm. The player who first achieves his personal victory conditions wins the game.

Example: the Swordsman might choose 2 point in Great Treasures, 1 in Fame and 2 in Gold, meaning that to win he needs to have 2 great treasures, 10 fame, and 60 gold pieces. As the Swordsman has no magical ability he would not be after spells. Another character like the Wizard might choose differently, perhaps decreasing the needs for gold and great treasures to obtain spells for casting. Winning the game is quite challenging, and the chances of your character dying at the hands of monsters, hostile natives, or another perfidious character are significant.