Call to Adventure: Epic Origins
- Players
- 1-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 2 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 60 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 13+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.3 / 5
- Year
- 2022
About the game
Call to Adventure: Epic Origins is a hero-crafting card game for 1-4 players who draft cards, cast rune dice, and overcome challenges to build a tableau representing their character's life story. Set in a high-fantasy world inspired by classic dungeon-crawling RPGs, it introduces Heritage cards like Elf, Halfling, and Dwarf, plus Class cards that let you spend Experience to level up over the course of play. While players quietly compete for the highest Destiny score, everyone also cooperates to defeat an evolving Adversary that grows more dangerous across three acts. A revamped solo and co-op mode, plus an optional Campaign Mode that unlocks new cards after each victory, adds structure for repeat play. It even includes a guide for converting your finished character into a 5th Edition D&D character.
Hobbli's Notes
Epic Origins is a clever hybrid of competitive tableau-building and cooperative storytelling; you're racing your friends for Destiny points while also needing them to help take down the Adversary. The Heritage and Class additions give it a stronger RPG feel than the original Call to Adventure, and the D&D character conversion is a fun bonus for tabletop RPG crossover fans. The mix of individual scoring and shared threat can feel like it's pulling in two directions if a group isn't on the same page about priorities.
What we like
- Unique blend of competitive scoring and cooperative Adversary-defeating.
- Strong RPG flavor with Heritage and Class card additions.
- Solo and co-op modes are both well-supported.
- Bonus guide for converting characters into 5th Edition D&D.
Keep in mind
- Mixing competitive and cooperative goals can create mixed incentives.
- Deck/bag-building elements add setup and shuffling overhead.
- Best enjoyed with familiarity with the base Call to Adventure system.
Who it's for
Good for fans of light RPG storytelling and drafting games ages 13+, playable solo or with up to 4 players.
