10 Best Deck-Building Games Like Vambrace: Dungeon Master

Vambrace: Dungeon Master is a creative take on deck-building and dungeon games. It blends both niches to deliver a more exciting and engaging playing experience. The gameplay involves building a dungeon and protecting it against powerful enemies using magical abilities drawn from your deck of cards. Unsurprisingly, many gamers cannot get enough of it.

Fortunately, Vambrace: Dungeon Master isn’t the only deck-building game with a dungeon twist. Here is an overview of the ten best games based on the same concept.

10. Tiny Decks & Dungeons

Tiny Decks & Dungeons is like a cute version of Vambrace: Dungeon Master. The characters' monsters appear cartoonish, and the dungeons are much less sophisticated. Still, it is based on the same concept, albeit with a few exciting differences.

Like the latter, this game involves protecting your lands against hordes of monsters. You can also create small dungeons to trap monsters and fight them in there. Moreover, your cards unleash weapons instead of magical abilities. However, it features one interesting difference: you can capture monsters and train them to fight on your behalf.

9. Across the Obelisk

Across the Obelisk is a deck-building game with cards that give your character special abilities against monsters. The monsters come in different types and have varying attack tactics. Fortunately, you can build your deck from over 500 cards with varying special abilities. You can also collect over 300 items.

However, the game is set on an open map instead of a dungeon. Additionally, you play as a party of four heroes instead of one master character. Interestingly, you can control all four characters in single-player mode or invite up to three friends for a multi-player online co-op.

8. Card Brawl

Card Brawl blends deck-building with roguelike elements to deliver a charming and action-packed game. Like Vambrace: Dungeon Master, the gameplay involves beating monsters using powers and abilities derived from your cards. It also requires a strategic approach, considering that you can combine different cards with varying abilities for synergy.

However, this game doesn’t feature a dungeon but instead replaces it with an open world with diverse terrains and environments. Additionally, it’s you who goes hunting for monsters instead of defending your base. Nevertheless, it is very enjoyable and feels much like the latter, despite the differences.

7. Innkeeper’s Basement

The Innkeeper’s Basement is a dangerous place to be. The innkeeper lures you into the basement by giving you a quest to kill rats. However, the basement is actually a cursed dungeon with no way out, and the supposed rats are monsters with dangerous attack tactics. The only way to go is down, where the monsters are scarier and stronger. Fortunately, you can use your cards to grant you weapon and special abilities to slay any monster.

6. Inscryption

Inscryption is a deck-building game that also includes psychological horror, escape room puzzles, and roguelike elements. However, the gameplay is starkly different. For starters, it doesn’t feature dungeons or monsters. Instead, you play to escape strange rooms filled with weird and dangerous items. Additionally, the process of acquiring cards is disturbing, as it involves draft, surgery, or self-mutilation. It is ideal for players looking for a dark alternative to Vambrace: Dungeon Master.

5. DungeonTop

DungeonTop also involves fighting monsters in dungeons. However, it also features table-top battles and a roguelike gameplay style.

This game is slightly more complex than Vambrace: Dungeon Master. You start by choosing a hero class and allegiance, which determine your spells, fighting tactics, and enemy types. Your goal is to kill as many enemies and loot as much gold as possible. You can also collect over 800 cards to boost and diversify your abilities.

4. Decks & Daggers

Decks & Daggers is all about fighting monsters in dungeons. However, the dungeons belong to the monsters, and you are the invader. Your goal is to exterminate all monsters and loot as much treasure as possible.

Besides dungeons and monsters, this game also includes a deck-building aspect. The cards in your deck contain special abilities that you can unleash on monsters for greater damage. Moreover, you can collect new cards to level up your character, making them more dangerous. Interestingly, you can also build your own deck from scratch to try new strategies.

3. Hand of Fate

Hand of Fate is a unique combination of deck-building, action-RPG, and roguelike elements. It is a game played in a cabin at the end of the world, where your cards determine your fate. The gameplay involves building a deck of cards, which then design and construct dungeon floors for you to adventure through. The dungeons pose many dangers, including monsters that you must fight to survive.

Interestingly, all of your cards fly into your hand and appear as 3D assets when fighting begins. You can also build your own deck and customize your adventures.

2. Guild of Dungeoneering: Ultimate Edition

Guild of Dungeoneering: Ultimate Edition is like a reversed version of Vambrace: Dungeon Master. Notably, your role is more antagonistic, as you are responsible for building a dungeon around the character. You also use cards in your deck to unleash monsters and lay traps to attack the character. You can also leave some treasure for the character to loot.

Interestingly, the character makes their own decisions and try to fight the monsters and evade the traps. The idea is the keep upping the challenge to push the character beyond their limits.

1. Banners of Ruin

Banners of Ruin is a game inspired by honour and loyalty. Set in a fantasy world with diverse races, the gameplay involves setting out on a dangerous quest to save the Blackfoot's from the fearsome House Ender. You can form a party of up to six unique characters to go on your quest. Each character has unique cards that give them incredible powers and abilities to fight the hordes of enemies standing between them and the Blackfoot's.

So, what’s your take on our picks for the ten best deck-building games like Vambrace: Dungeon Master? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.