GeekDad: More Expansions Arrive for ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught’

Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught is a competitive skirmish game where each player takes control of one faction of characters. During most games, players choose only five characters from their faction. There are no points to count, just select your five for the fight. I liked the game so much that it was awarded our GeekDad Approved designation. The core game included two factions: the Harpers and the Zhentarim. Each faction included six characters. Shortly after the game came out, two new factions were released: the Red Wizards and the Many Arrows. This was followed by the Sellswords 1 expansion pack that introduced 4 mercenary characters that could be hired by any faction for a skirmish. If that were not enough, there are now three more expansions available. Two add more characters to the original factions while the third is a scenario kit to add to your adventures.

What Are the Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught Expansion Packs?

The Harpers 1 and Zhentarim 1 Expansion Packs and Scenario Kit: The Benefactor are expansions for Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught and the core game is required to use them for play. The two faction expansion packs each come with four fully painted miniatures, four combat dial character cards, 8 level-up cards, and tokens. The scenario kit comes with a scenario booklet, monster cards, champion cards, and more.  All are currently available individually from your FLGS or from Amazon for a suggested retail price of $39.99 each for the faction packs, while the scenario kit sells for $24.99. Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught was designed by Nicholas Yu and Travis Severance and published by WizKids, with graphic design by Richard Dadisman and art by Gong Studios. Now let’s take a look at each of the expansions. 

Harpers 1

Add these four new characters to the six Harpers that come with the core game for a total of 10 characters from which to create your band for a skirmish. Only one of these characters has both a melee and ranged attack, but they all have interesting abilities to help you win.

Adnan Zarehm

Adnan Zarehm is a cleric whose role focuses on ranged damage for the Harpers. While he carries a warhammer for melee attacks, his Word of Radiance attack inflicts damage on all enemies within two spaces of Adnan. His Moonbeam ability is an area attack not only inflicts damage on enemies within one space of the target but also adds the burning condition which continues to cause damage. Though he can be dangerous to enemies, Adnan heals friendly characters with his Twilight Sanctuary ability. Both of his level-up cards add burning to either his melee or ranged attack. 

Ayur

Ayur is a monk who specializes in melee attacks. In fact, he has no ranged attack. When he attacks with his talons, he can attack up to 2 enemies at range 1 and inflicts the bleeding condition on them. Plus, since he flies, he ignores elevation, hindering and impassible terrain while moving and attacking. His Tipsy Sway ability lets him move up to 2 spaces as a bonus action. His frenzy action, which can only be used once, lets him make two melee attacks at the cost of his standard and move actions. Ayur’s level-up cards either prevent enemies from taking reactions after he declares a melee attack or he can reroll those dice who roll a natural 1. 

Eileen Rumrunner

Eileen Rumrunner is a sorcerer who is a hybrid who can fill multiple roles. She only has a ranged attack with her fireball spell, so keep her away from enemies. However, her specialty is her Wild Magic ability. When she uses this ability, you roll a dice and the result will either heal a friendly character, inflict damage on an enemy, teleport her 3 spaces, or can do all three. Her other ability, Tides of Chaos, can affect the die rolls of all friendly characters for a limited amount of time. This ability can only be used once during a skirmish. Both of her level-up cards affect her use of Wild Magic. While she can be unpredictable, Eileen makes for a good character to take into a skirmish if you don’t mind a bit of chaos. 

Nurith

Nurith is a rogue who takes on the role of tactician for the faction. Though they only have a melee attack with their spear, Nurith can move a target one space if they get a hit. Plus, if they attack an enemy who has not yet activated during the turn, they inflict 1 additional damage.  This amphibian also ignores water terrain while moving, which will come in handy in a future expansion. Their two abilities either root an enemy and prevent them from moving or gives Nurith evasive which decreases the damage they take from ranged attacks. Both of their level-up cards are related to additional movement. Nurith also has a unique reaction. When they use it as a free action, they can exchange their initiative card with the initiative 1 card letting them go first. 

Zhentarim 1

These four additions to the Zehntarim provide two great melee attackers as well as two who have unique abilities that let you try some different tactics to throw off your opponent’s game.  

Daiyu Tseng

Daiyu Tseng is a bard who plays the role of tactician for her faction. Her melee and ranged attacks only inflict one damage, but the ranged attack can increase one of the target’s cooldown dials by 1. Daiyu has some interesting abilities. She can Feign Death which makes her invisible and rooted so she can’t move or be attacked directly. She can use her Words of Terror to daze or weaken an enemy. Here level-up cards either let her taunt an enemy or bribe any adjacent character to move them and then make a basic attack. Daiyu also has a powerful reaction. When an enemy character is defeated, Daiyu can gain its melee and ranged attacks until the end of the scenario. 

“Ruby Eye” Doireann

This barbarian is the faction’s vanguard. “Ruby Eye” Doireann only has a melee attack with her greataxe. However, once she is bloodied, her attacks inflict an extra point of damage. “Ruby Eye” can use her Charge ability to move and attack as a standard action. The Battle Rage ability gives her enraged and intimidating which increases the damage of her attacks and forces enemies who are making a direct attack to target her if able. Her level-up cards either let her teleport as a free action one time or she can cause an enemy to attack her instead of an adjacent friendly. This is one character you need to be careful attacking since once per turn, when she takes damage from an adjacent enemy, she inflicts one damage back at them. 

Sha’Bel, Life-Sever

Sha’Bel, Life-Sever is a fighter and melee damage expert. With his greatsword, he does not need a ranged attack. As a bonus action, he can use his Disarming Strike ability to disarm an enemy so they cannot make basic attacks for a limited time. His Stone’s endurance ability gives him a token that absorbs all the damage from the first successful attack against him. then the token is discarded. If Sha’Bel, Life-Sever does take damage from an adjacent enemy, he can use his Riposte reaction to make a melee attack against that enemy. Both of his level-up cards can only be used once and increase his attacks.

Vonkar Zzod

Vonkar Zzod is a hybrid cleric with both melee and ranged attacks. His flail melee attack adds bleeding to a target. Yet Vonkar’s abilities are also pretty impressive. He can use Aid to heal a friendly character and also summon a Spiritual Weapon that acts as a minion. Once summoned, Vonkar can use a bonus action to activate the spiritual weapon and move it to attack enemy characters. His level-up cards either increase the movement and damage of the spiritual weapon or cause a friendly character’s missed attack to become a hit. 

Scenario Kit: The Benefactor

The scenario kit provides a series of six related scenarios that create a mini-campaign. The Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught core set is required to play as well as some additional miniatures. In addition to the scenario sheets and directions, the kit comes with 3 monster cards, 3 champion cards, a combat dial card, 18 item cards, and 67 tokens which modify the terrain, represent effects, and are used in specific scenarios. The scenarios provide some new rules and players also keep track of the reputation they have with the mysterious Benefactor who sends them into the first scenario and their reputation with the Revolt. The reputation points may be spent in later scenarios. The new item cards replace those found in the core game and are used for the scenarios. 

This kit does not include any miniatures. Instead, it is designed for players who may already have several miniatures for Dungeons & Dragons or are interested in purchasing and possibly painting miniatures to add to their collection. You will need the following miniatures in addition to those included in the core game: a Beholder, a Bulette, an Orgre, two Bugbears, and 3 Kobolds. They can be purchased separately either painted or unpainted. 

Why You Should Get the Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught Expansion Packs

I have enjoyed playing Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught for several months now. I like that the game includes pre-painted miniatures that look great, pre-created characters that have unique abilities and stats, and combat dials to easily keep track of everything. Each of the two original factions that came with the core game is interesting and has different styles for play. Now with the addition of the expansions for the Harper and Zhentarim factions, there are even more options for creating a team for a skirmish. The only limitation is that there can only be one character in each role on a team. While I thought it was difficult to pick which character to sit out a skirmish since you usually only pick five to take into battle, now I have 10 from which to choose 5. This provides a lot more flexibility and lets players try different tactics and strategies against their opponents. The Scenario Kit also breathes new life into the game with a new storyline for the six scenarios and new monsters to fight against. I really like some of the new rules and features included in the scenario kit as well as the all-new items you can loot from treasure chests. I have already highly recommended Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught. Now I can also recommend both the Harpers 1 and Zhentarim 1 Expansion Packs as well as the Scenario Kit: The Benefactor.  They continue adding to a great game. 

For more information, visit the Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught page!

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Disclosure: GeekDad received a copy of this game for review purposes.

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