Looking for a D&D simulator

[Uniclonus]

I wanted to name this "Obligatory 'Help me find a game' thread" but figured I should be a touch more specific...

I'm looking to find a game that is effectively a D&D simulator. I mean like full on turn-based, roll for initiative, prepared spells, all that fun stuff. An actual game with it's own story, quests, etc.

Does anyone know if such a beast exists and if so, can you point me to it?

[Corlindale]

I think Temple of Elemental Evil is among the games that most closely modulate 3.5 D&D rules.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

And it's only $3! (http://www.gog.com/game/the_temple_of_elemental_evil)

[Togath]

DDO/Dungeons and Dragons Online is a decent conversion.. It is an mmo though, and real-time, so it might not be the sort of thing you're looking for.
For single player games... The Dragonquest series perhaps? It's a turn based medieval fantasy jrpg.
I think Baldur's Gate may be a conversion of 2E.. But I don't know much about it.

[Caesar]

DDO isnt even close to DnD really, except in the thinnest of superficial veneer. Also, while pretty fun at first, it gets _really_ repetitive and is a giant time sink.

Neverwinter Nights II is a pretty ok attempt at 3.5, tho they change things a bit with resting for spells to keep the action moving. Otherwise the rules are very well preserved.

[Cespenar]

Knights of the Chalice is a valid option as well, even though it simplifies the classes to only three (Fighter, Cleric, Wizard).

[Astral Avenger]

Never Winter Nights and NWN 2 are both real time and very closely based on D&D (cant remember if it was based off of 3.0 or 3.5)

Baldur's Gate is based on AD&D

[Uniclonus]

Thanks everyone.
That Temple of Elemental Evil thing looks like it might be close to what I'm after. I'll have to give it a closer look.
I looked at DDO before, but I'm not looking for an MMO. I should have mentioned that. Oops.
I played Baldur's Gate a tiny bit years ago, don't think it's what I'm after right now but I'll give it another look.
Never really looked at the NWN games, might be worth checking out.

Thanks again.

[Aotrs Commander]

It's AD&D still, but Planescape: Torment is phenominally good (albiet a bit variance from your typical fantasy D&D world).

Still, it is held by many - myself included - to still be the best CRPG yet produced for good reason.

[T.G. Oskar]

If you got a PSP, might want to check Dungeons & Dragons Tactics. It has most of the 3.5 rules in there, all the classes (plus the Psion and Psychic Warrior as a bonus), tactical movement, alignments, the chance to create your entire party from scratch (or at least about 5-6 of your party members), and just about the entirety of the Core content. The story is sorta flimsy, but it has different endings. Some stuff is missing such as some of the combat maneuvers (you can bull rush, but not much else) and some effects were changed (PA attack penalty/damage bonus is fixed to -/+5, same with Combat Expertise for example). The only thing I lament is no multiclassing or prestige classes, but you can't really expect much from a PSP game, after all.

DDO has multiclassing and is slightly more complete, but it adds elements from 4th Edition and is currently focusing a lot on the Forgotten Realms, whereas the beginning of the game is mostly on Eberron. Also, only a few races (Human, Dwarf, Elf, Halfling) and classes (Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard) are free; the rest are either obtained through play (Artificer class, Favored Soul class, Drow race; the latter is the easiest to get, and the Artificer class pretty much forces you to buy something) or bought (Half-Elf race, Half-Orc race, Warforged race, Monk class, Druid class). It doesn't have Initiative or turn-based combat, though.

NWN and Baldur's Gate were made at a time where there was the transition between editions, so they're somewhere between 2e and 3e. Their stories are better fleshed, though, than most of the earlier games.

Knights of the Chalice, IIRC, is an unofficial game, but it still uses OGL content. I recall some stuff changed, and they're working (or have they dropped already?) on a sequel with more classes, but with changes of their own.

Planescape: Torment is best if you focus on a great story and clever gaming. Attempting to use it as a simulator can be...unpleasant. However, there's one reason why it's considered one of the best D&D games out there, superior even to NWN and Baldur's Gate.

[Driderman]

It's AD&D still, but Planescape: Torment is phenominally good (albiet a bit variance from your typical fantasy D&D world).

Still, it is held by many - myself included - to still be the best CRPG yet produced for good reason.

All of this is true. It's virtue as a D&D simulator is debatable, though.

[tensai_oni]

NWN and Baldur's Gate were made at a time where there was the transition between editions, so they're somewhere between 2e and 3e. Their stories are better fleshed, though, than most of the earlier games.

Umm, no. Baldur's Gate rests solidly in 2nd edition (+ a Sorcerer class in BG II, but it still uses 2nd ed mechanics), and NWN is 3rd (not 3.5).

I'd be hard pressed to call NWN's story a better fleshed or good one, its real strength lies in many fanmade modules and multiplayer persistent worlds. Baldur's Gate on the other hand is good plot-wise.

All of these are in real time with active pause, but other than that they are really DnD-like. If you want turn-based, player either Temple of Elemental Evil or some of the really old games like the Gold Box ones or the Krynn trilogy. We're talking early 90s really old here.

[Dhavaer]

That Temple of Elemental Evil thing looks like it might be close to what I'm after. I'll have to give it a closer look.

It probably is the closest thing, but it's also terribly, terribly buggy. I think there's a fan patch around somewhere, though.

[Aotrs Commander]

It probably is the closest thing, but it's also terribly, terribly buggy. I think there's a fan patch around somewhere, though.

Yes - you absolultely must get the Circle of Eight community patch, since it fixes almost all of the numerous bugs Atari wouldn't let the developers fix themselves. (Basically, Atari refused to support the game post-release. I think they allowed maybe one patch?)

Suitably patched ToEE is a pretty good game and certainly probably the single most mechanically accurate 3.5 simulator.

(Also worth mentioning is passing, though again it's real-time with pause akak pesudo-turn based like all the infinity engine games (the Baldur's/Torments/etc) is Icewind Dale II, which is pretty good at 3.5 - though it's mostly just a big hack-and-slash.)

[Wookieetank]

A lot of the Forgotten Realms Gold Box games fit the bill:

Eye of Beholder 1-3
Menzoberanzan
Pools of Darkness
Pools of Radiance

For non D&D franchise games:

Might and Magic 1-5
Wizardry 1-7
The Dark Spire

[Grinner]

If you got a PSP, might want to check Dungeons & Dragons Tactics. It has most of the 3.5 rules in there, all the classes (plus the Psion and Psychic Warrior as a bonus), tactical movement, alignments, the chance to create your entire party from scratch (or at least about 5-6 of your party members), and just about the entirety of the Core content. The story is sorta flimsy, but it has different endings. Some stuff is missing such as some of the combat maneuvers (you can bull rush, but not much else) and some effects were changed (PA attack penalty/damage bonus is fixed to -/+5, same with Combat Expertise for example). The only thing I lament is no multiclassing or prestige classes, but you can't really expect much from a PSP game, after all.

If you have a GBA or DS instead, there's Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder, which sounds awfully similar.

[Starbuck_II]

If you got a PSP, might want to check Dungeons & Dragons Tactics. It has most of the 3.5 rules in there, all the classes (plus the Psion and Psychic Warrior as a bonus), tactical movement, alignments, the chance to create your entire party from scratch (or at least about 5-6 of your party members), and just about the entirety of the Core content. The story is sorta flimsy, but it has different endings. Some stuff is missing such as some of the combat maneuvers (you can bull rush, but not much else) and some effects were changed (PA attack penalty/damage bonus is fixed to -/+5, same with Combat Expertise for example). The only thing I lament is no multiclassing or prestige classes, but you can't really expect much from a PSP game, after all.


I can vouche for this being good/fun.
Yeah, multiclsassing/Prc would have been great.

You need a rogue for finding traps (and skill points in open lock help) I've found (since can't multiclass).

[T.G. Oskar]

If you have a GBA or DS instead, there's Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder, which sounds awfully similar.

Actually, the GBA version of Eye of the Beholder is a remake of Eye of the Beholder for the SNES with the 3.5 rules somewhat added in (somewhat because you only get four classes). Eye of the Beholder (at least the SNES one) was slightly real-action, as it had the same movement as the Wizardry series of games, but having to cast your spells and act at the same time as your opponents. Haven't really played the GBA version so I'm not sure if they actually changed it, but D&D Tactics' movement is closer to Final Fantasy Tactics or other tactical RPGs around.


I can vouche for this being good/fun.
Yeah, multiclsassing/Prc would have been great.

You need a rogue for finding traps (and skill points in open lock help) I've found (since can't multiclass).

I went at first with Paladin (main)/Cleric/Wizard/Rogue/Bard/Psion, with a pre-made Ranger as a 7th character. The second time I finished it, I went with LE Psychic Warrior (main; went TWF + axes with him)/Druid/Sorcerer/Monk/Fighter/Barbarian, trying the remaining classes. I'm going with a third team, but this time I'm going for a more "optimized" team.

Wizards, as in the tabletop game, are pretty broken because Evard's Black Tentacles just stops everything in its tracks. Acid Fog and Incendiary Cloud are close seconds, and if done properly, Disintegrate blows everything out of the water. The Psychic Warrior I'm working now is going the Archery path, as supposedly that's the best way to play them there (most of their powers focus on self-buffs, and there's no Enlarge Person/Expansion so it mostly relies on topping AC and using Metaphysical Weapon on everybody. Not sure on which chapter I'm now, but I think I'm in Chapter 3 or something (I recall beating the Werewolf Lord with that group, but not sure about the big quest on the Dwarven mines).

Just to state the point: the only RPG I've ever repeated more than once is Final Fantasy Tactics. That should tell you something, but it really depends on your playstyle. It makes for a decent simulation, though.

[Uniclonus]

So I picked up Temple of Elemental Evil and it's exactly what I was looking for so thanks again.

[Starbuck_II]

So I picked up Temple of Elemental Evil and it's exactly what I was looking for so thanks again.

Are you going good, neutral, or evil party?
I find Evil and good fun, but never tried neutral.

[Uniclonus]

Are you going good, neutral, or evil party?
I find Evil and good fun, but never tried neutral.
Right now I'm on my third party (first real one, the first two were short, fairly abortive attempts to get used to the game and the Circle of 8 options, like party capacity. That and mistakes were made when creating the characters) which I think is Lawful Neutral. I wanted to be neutral but also get a Paladin in the party for no good reason.

Probably going to make an evil party at some point though. Those usually seem more fun in games like this. Tends to pay better too.

[Psyren]

Umm, no. Baldur's Gate rests solidly in 2nd edition (+ a Sorcerer class in BG II, but it still uses 2nd ed mechanics), and NWN is 3rd (not 3.5).

FYI - there is a BG total conversion for NWN2 that uses 3.5* rules with the BG story. (I'll get around to playing it one of these days.)

*"3.N" really

[lunar2]

I remember dnd tactics. I played a psion, with a barbarian backup. the only thing i hated was the stone golems being immune to even PR: no powers, meaning i had to run past them. otherwise, i was easily able to handle the adventures with just the two characters.

[blueblade]

I would really recommend you give BG2 another try btw. With the right pause settings, it really is the game you want it to be.