So, Descent 2nd edition...

Due to the recent math trade, I'll be the proud owner of Descent 2nd edition. First edition is directly responsible for me being involved in this hobby, as it was the first "hobby" game I purchased. I own ALL of it except for the sea campaign. But, eventually we tired of all the nonsense issues from which first edition suffered. I never paid much mind to 2nd edition, but always heard it was an improvement.

I am really not sure this thing will ever hit the table, and that's fine, because I kickstarted the Conan game and frankly that interests me more. That said, I'm very keen to try one of the cooperative mini-campaigns for 2nd edition, of which there are 3. One of them requires Lair of the Wyrm.

So my question to you is, what are the good / essential expansions, if there are any? I figure I'd pick up the conversion kit since I have all the first edition stuff, and some of the coop stuff.

Listen, I'm sorry if I offend anyone by saying this because it might be your favorite game or it might be what got you here (BSG was that for me, and I talk shit about that game too FWIW), but I fucking HATE Descent. It's on the short list of games that I hear people say they like them and I can't help but say, "No you don't, you're lying." But I really dug D2E when it came out. It was faster, leaner, and shed all the stuff that made 1st Ed a drag.

BUT...and this is a big but...It's more of a sports game than a dungeon crawl. And y'know, I kinda like sports games and I despise the Terrinoth setting so it not being what it pretends to be doesn't bother me. The problem is the scenario design. The first few are okay, some are better than others, but they all play out the same way. And that's why it's so disappointing.

That being said, Labyrinth of Ruin is the first thing you want. It has a new campaign much better than the base game one. I don't own it, otherwise you'd be getting it.

The other thing to mention is that the turn structure was greatly improved in Imperial Assault. I'm not sure if it would work in Descent, but it was a HUGE improvement between the two games.

Shut your mouth, Josh.

But yeah, you're right about IA.

trade it in for some Heroscape

Get Heirs of Blood, unless if it's the new printing with Heirs of Blood campaign... Personally I think this is the best campaign to date. It keeps everything basic (unlike Nerekhall which has really good stuff but has some additions) but they learned from the previous campaigns on making this one. Also, better 2 players rules.

I played quite a bit of Descent 2E up to the beginning of the new campaign introduced in Labyrinth of Ruin, so here are my tips:

Don't use the Conversion Kit. Many heroes and monsters are unbalanced after conversion. I don't think they extensively play tested the effect of this on the second edition. It says something that they later came out with monster and hero packs containing 1st Ed stuff with new cards for them.

The base set campaign is a bit unbalanced. Some scenarios will be quite onesided. Also, the heroes tend to get too powerful by the end of the campaign. It will jade your view of the game. The later campaigns in the franchise tend to be much better.

I haven't played the campaign in Heirs of Blood, but I've heard it's a good campaign. I'd at least try that one out before the base set campaign.

Don't play with 3 heroes. From our experience, this was a poorly scaled number. You're better off adding a fourth hero and group playing that one.

I never saw the need to get the lieutenant packs. The first expansion was meh. I think Shadows of Nerekhall is when they started to be worth considering. None of the expansions are worth getting right off the bat.

The first coop adventure is BRUTAL. It's a slog and we haven't beat it yet after 3-4 tries, not sure we'll get back to it.
We beat the second one of the first try, so did we get lucky or was it easier? Hard to tell.
Third one uses stuff from Lair of the Wyrm, haven't played it yet.

Oops, forgot to say, I don't think the co-ops are worth it. I mean... if you *really* want a Descent co-op, go ahead. But there are better games for this kind of stuff. It takes a while and there is little variation (understandable though, with the small & rather cheap package).

I created my own co-op for the first Descent, so yeah, I really want it.