I.D.E.A. — Improbable Dungeon Eccentric Adventurers
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Someone rolls the dice and prays. Someone else laughs at their own failure. The final Boss waits at the end of the corridor, and nobody knows if you'll make it out alive. But you'll make it out laughing.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
When the dungeon becomes a (deadly) comedy
Paolo Beltrami and Giovanni Rizzi took every fantasy cliché — epic heroes, dark dungeons, legendary treasures — and turned them upside down. I.D.E.A. is a cooperative dungeon crawler that pokes fun at the genre with absurd situations, improbable enemies, and death always lurking. Lucia Debidda's illustrations complete the picture with a comic-book style that perfectly captures the parodic tone.
At the table, you manage four Heroes through the dungeon corridors, using the actions granted by the dice to overcome Risks, defeat Enemies, and survive until the final Boss. Each dungeon hides ever-changing dangers and surreal enemies. Cooperation is mandatory: dice must be optimized together, actions coordinated, resources shared. Amidst laughter and swearing.
What they say abroad
A dungeon crawler that kills you laughing. Or maybe you laugh while dying. Depends on the turn.
— FroGames
When fantasy meets comedy, the result is deadly. Literally.
— FroGames
I.D.E.A. — Improbable Eccentric Adventurers Dungeon
The game officially supports solo play by managing the four Heroes alone. The experience is complete — dice management tactics, dungeon progression, Boss fights — but it obviously loses the discussions and laughter of a group. Great for those who love cooperative puzzles to solve alone.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and game sessionsWhat you'll find in the box
The elements of cooperative chaos
Action Dice
Each turn, roll the dice and get the available actions for all Heroes. Optimizing what to do, when, and with whom is the heart of the game.
Risk Cards
Traps, events, absurd situations. Every corridor hides Risks that must be overcome by spending the right actions. Ignoring them means worse trouble.
Enemies and Bosses
From improbable goblins to epic final Bosses. Each dungeon has its gallery of surreal but lethal antagonists. Defeating them requires coordination and luck.
Dungeon Maps
Modular dungeons that are always different, with variable setup. Each scenario hides new dangers, alternative paths, absurd surprises. Replayability guaranteed.
In an hour, you'll have an absurd story to tell. Maybe you'll have won. Probably not. But you'll have laughed, that's for sure.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Entering the dungeon
Choose the four Heroes, set up the dungeon, read the scenario. Someone makes a joke about corridors being the most dangerous place. No one is laughing yet. Wait for the first Peril.
The first cursed die
Roll the dice. All useless icons come up. Someone curses, someone else suggests an absurd plan to optimize. You barely overcome the first Peril. The second Peril is already waiting.
Half dungeon, half resources
The Heroes are wounded, actions are scarce, enemies are accumulating. Someone suggests rushing to the Boss. Someone else wants to gather resources. The discussion lasts longer than the turn. In the end, you make an intermediate choice that no one likes.
The legendary moment
A Hero is at one health point. The die roll is perfect. The action saves the whole team and opens the way to the Boss. You cheer as if you've won a world championship. Then you remember that the final Boss is still to be faced.
The final clash
The final Boss appears. You read its abilities. Someone says "we're screwed." You fight anyway, optimizing every single die. You either win by a miracle, or you die gloriously. In both cases, you laugh. And immediately prepare the next dungeon.
How to play
The flow of each round
Roll the dice, optimize actions, survive. Repeat until you win or die.
The group rolls the dice and gets the available actions for this turn. Everyone sees all actions: the discussion begins on how to best use them.
Decide together which actions to use, with which Heroes, in what order. Move Heroes, overcome Perils, attack enemies, gather resources. Every choice matters.
Enemies on the board activate: they attack, move, trigger special effects. Some Perils worsen. The pressure mounts.
Draw new Peril cards, new enemies spawn, advance towards the Boss. The dungeon won't wait for you: either you overcome it quickly, or it overwhelms you.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Lethal fantasy parody
I.D.E.A. takes every genre cliché — dark dungeons, epic heroes, terrifying monsters — and flips them. The result is surreal, fun, but still difficult. It's not an easy game disguised as a comedy: it's a real dungeon crawler that doesn't take itself seriously.
Cooperative dice management
Dice provide common actions, not personal ones. This means every turn is a negotiation: who uses which action, in what order, for what goal. Cooperation isn't optional, it's the game.
Escalating perils
Peril cards don't disappear if you ignore them: they accumulate, worsen, explode. You can rush to the Boss hoping to make it before disaster, or calmly manage every Peril. Both strategies can kill you.
Epic final Boss fights
Every dungeon culminates in a clash against a unique Boss, with special abilities and specific victory conditions. Getting to the Boss is hard. Beating it is worse. But when it happens, the table explodes.
Ever-changing dungeons
Modular setup, variable Peril cards, randomized enemies. Each game builds a new dungeon with different challenges, paths, and situations. Replayability is high.
Immediate rules, emergent depth
You explain the game in 15 minutes. The first game starts immediately. But decisions stack up: when to use offensive actions, when defensive, how to balance exploration and combat. The learning curve is gentle, mastery takes time.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Winning means beating the final Boss. Losing means dying before. Simple, right?
Victory
- Defeat the final Boss of the dungeon according to the scenario conditions
- Survive with at least one Hero still standing at the end of the confrontation
- Complete any secondary objectives required by the specific scenario
Defeat
- All four Heroes reduced to zero health points (the most common defeat)
- The Fate card deck runs out before reaching the Boss
- Scenario-specific defeat conditions (e.g., too many unresolved Perils)
I.D.E.A. is a dungeon crawler that doesn't take itself seriously but will kill you anyway. And you'll laugh. Before, during, and after defeat.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ on I.D.E.A. — Improbable Dungeon Eccentric Adventurers
Is it suitable for those unfamiliar with dungeon crawlers?
Yes. The rules are accessible, the lighthearted tone helps prevent intimidation, and the cooperative nature means experienced players can guide newcomers without spoiling their experience. Perfect as a first dungeon crawler for mixed groups.
How long does a full game last?
It depends on the scenario and the group. A quick game (or an early defeat) can be over in 60 minutes. A full game with a Boss fight easily reaches 90-120 minutes. It's not a filler, but not an all-day commitment either.
Does the parodic tone ruin the tactical tension?
No. The game is entertaining in its texts and situations, but the mechanics are serious and choices matter. It's not a party game with dice: it's a cooperative dungeon crawler that makes you laugh while killing you. The tension is definitely there.
Does it play well solo?
Yes, the game officially supports solo play by managing the four Heroes. The tactical experience is complete — you optimize dice, manage resources, face the Boss — but of course, you lose the discussions and laughs of the group. Great for those who love cooperative puzzles to solve alone.
Is it available in English?
Yes, this is the complete Italian edition published by Industrie Creative Studio. Rulebook, cards, components: all in Italian. Character names, absurd situations, jokes: everything works in the localization.
I.D.E.A. (Improbable Dungeon Eccentric Adventurers) is a cooperative dungeon crawler for 1-4 players designed by Paolo Beltrami and Giovanni Rizzi, published by Industrie Creative Studio. Games last 60 to 120 minutes, recommended age 14+. The game combines cooperative dice management, epic Boss fights, and a parodic tone that pokes fun at every fantasy cliché. Each dungeon is modular, with variable enemies and escalating Perils that create ever-changing challenges. Accessible but deep mechanics, perfect for mixed groups and solo play. Available on FroGames.it.
I.D.E.A. — Improbable Dungeon Eccentric Adventurers
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