Daniel (@dungeondive) finally lands a Holy Grail game: Search for the Emperor’s Treasure, Tom Wham’s 1981 Dragon Magazine board game, here in its more affordable Best of Dragon Games box. Wham (of Mertwig’s Maze and Awful Green Things, and an acknowledged inspiration on Daniel’s own in-progress design) built it as a quick board-game substitute for a night of D&D — the essence of the adventure game distilled to its core. Players roam a hex map of Emperor Baldon’s lands, drawing encounter chits, fighting or negotiating with monsters, gathering treasure clues, and racing to claim treasures; the sixth Imperial Treasure found ends the game, and the richest player wins.
Combat is simple opposed d6 pools (5–6 hits, weapons granting bonuses), and Daniel recommends the experience variant for levelling heroes’ ability, escape and wound scores. He plays a long, vivid demo — escorting Maid Marilyn to a pirate lair, a wonderfully uneventful then deadly bout with a fish fiend, an evil wizard who hunts whoever holds the most Imperial treasure — and shares a house rule adding a roaming “global treasure” for a race element. He points to the BGG optional-rules file and praises how much atmosphere Wham wrings from tiny chits. A heartfelt, history-rich celebration of a charming, distilled adventure classic.
Search for the Emperor’s Treasure was Tom Wham’s 1981 attempt to capture a D&D night in a quick board game. Which board game best scratches that RPG-adventure itch for you when you don’t have time for a full campaign?