Top 20 Fantasy Strategy Games

I’m a huge fan of fantasy strategy games – they’re all about building something awesome in a magical world! You get to lead armies, create empires, and level up heroes, but you also have to be smart about managing your resources and taking risks. I love that you can choose between slower, turn-based battles where you really think things through, or fast-paced, real-time combat. They’re super deep games with tons to learn. I’ve put together a list of twenty of the best to show you just how diverse and creative this genre can be.

Total War: Warhammer III

This game combines epic, real-time battles with a turn-based campaign set within the chaotic Realm. Each playable faction has its own special rules that impact how you handle diplomacy, manage your economy, and fight battles. Powerful Legendary Lords offer unique ways to develop your army through their skill trees and quests. You can play multiplayer campaigns cooperatively or competitively, with a system that lets everyone take their turns at the same time to speed things up.

Age of Wonders 4

In this strategy game, you create unique fantasy civilizations by combining their appearance, culture, and magical abilities. You’ll build cities across different landscapes and command heroes in tactical battles that take advantage of the environment and special effects. As your empire grows, you’ll unlock powerful transformations through a system of cultural affinities. Each game features random events and the discovery of ancient wonders, offering new strategic options every time you play.

Heroes of Might and Magic III

This beloved game lets you choose a town type, which shapes the units you build and how you develop your base over time. You guide heroes through adventure maps, gathering resources, claiming mines, and adding new creatures to your army each week. Battles are turn-based and take place on a hexagonal grid, where strategic positioning and troop morale are key to victory. The game’s campaigns connect different battles, letting your heroes and collected items grow stronger as you progress.

Endless Legend

This 4X strategy game takes place on Auriga, a world slowly fading away. You expand by controlling territories, with each region governed by a single city. Each faction plays differently, with unique abilities like resistance to the seasons or the power to add units by absorbing smaller tribes. Harsh winters limit what you can see and produce, so you’ll need to carefully plan when to expand and go to war. The game also features quests that offer unique storylines and guide you toward different ways to win depending on your chosen faction.

Master of Magic

In Wizards, you’ll research spells and govern cities across two distinct worlds, Arcanus and Myrror. Each race has unique units and building preferences, impacting how you play from the beginning to the end of the game. Spells are organized into different schools, and combining them creates strong, world-altering enchantments. Battles are tactical, with things like ranged attacks, flying units, and summoned creatures all playing a key role in determining the outcome.

Dominions 6: Rise of the Pantokrator

In this game, you take on the role of a rising god, shaping a nation by setting its priorities for growth, resources, and technology. You give commands to your armies and magical units before battles happen automatically. The type of magic you choose unlocks different powerful spells and abilities. To win, you’ll need to conquer thrones spread across the land, pushing you to expand your territory aggressively.

Songs of Conquest

This strategy game lets you lead heroes across a grid-based world to collect resources and take over settlements. Battles are turn-based, and where your units are positioned – higher ground and controlling key areas – really matters. You advance by building up your towns and discovering ancient artifacts. Plus, the game features a unique magic system powered by the types of units in your army, encouraging you to build a well-rounded force.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

In this strategy RPG, you play as a professor guiding students and overseeing their qualifications. Battles take place on a grid-based map where weapon types, the environment, and special abilities all play a role. You’ll manage a school calendar filled with training, tutoring, and social events to improve your students’ abilities. The story changes depending on the school you choose, affecting the maps, which students you can recruit, and your ultimate goals.

Final Fantasy Tactics

Each character’s job and skills determine their role in the team, like a support character focused on time magic or a stealthy attacker. On the battlefield, a character’s height and position affect how likely they are to hit and how much damage they take. Compatibility based on zodiac signs and a character’s speed influence who goes first in battle and who they can target. Finally, you can deeply customize your team with different equipment, skill upgrades, and special reaction abilities.

The Battle for Middle-earth II

This real-time strategy game takes place in a fantasy world filled with elves, dwarves, and orcs. Players expand their control by building bases and units, and must carefully manage their army size using a Command Point system – deciding whether to focus on powerful individual units or large numbers. Powerful Heroes offer leadership bonuses and special abilities that can turn the tide of battle. A ‘War of the Ring’ mode adds a strategic layer where players control provinces and plan reinforcements on a turn-based map.

Warcraft III

This real-time strategy game blends base construction with powerful heroes who gain experience and equipment across multiple missions. Maps are filled with creatures and shops, influencing early gameplay and creating opportunities for strategic plays. Each race features unique ways to gather resources and advance technology, leading to diverse armies. Plus, a map editor and mod support allow for custom game modes and a wealth of player-created content.

SpellForce 3

This game combines the large-scale strategy of real-time strategy with the character-focused adventures of role-playing games. You’ll connect your bases with supply lines managed by workers, creating a dynamic battlefield. Powerful heroes level up with unique abilities and equipment, while your squads focus on gathering resources and building your economy. The campaign features a mix of exploring dungeons and controlling territory, keeping the gameplay fresh and varied.

Disciples II: Dark Prophecy

Leaders command small groups of units, where positioning and acting quickly are key. Cities change the surrounding land, impacting how well units heal and how easily they move. Units are improved through set upgrades that prioritize keeping experienced soldiers alive. Story-driven campaigns let you make choices that lead to different outcomes and rewards.

Battle Brothers

This game puts you in charge of a mercenary company. You’ll manage contracts on a world map and fight battles on a hex-based grid. Keeping your squad in shape is crucial – injuries, tiredness, and morale all impact how long they can fight. The right gear makes a big difference, with armor and weapon range influencing your strategies. Random events, unique weapons, and different enemy groups ensure every campaign feels fresh and unpredictable.

The Banner Saga Trilogy

While traveling, you’ll manage your caravan and engage in turn-based battles where you can destroy parts of the environment and damage enemy armor. Conversations you have will affect who joins your party and what kinds of fights you encounter. Your team shares a limited pool of willpower, used for both moving and powering up skills during combat. Winning battles earns you renown, which you can spend on improving your units or acquiring essential supplies, forcing you to make tough choices.

The Battle for Wesnoth

This free and open-source game is a turn-based strategy title where the time of day and the landscape you’re fighting on can give you an edge. It offers campaigns for all skill levels, from new players to veterans, and lets you create your own factions and units. You build your army by recruiting from the villages you control, which also provide funding to maintain your forces. Plus, a powerful editor and community-created add-ons mean there’s always new content to explore.

Warlock: Master of the Arcane

This strategy game is all about quickly building up your empire. You construct cities based on the resources available on the hexagonal game map. Researching magic gives you powerful options like direct attacks, summoning creatures, and global spells that can change the landscape. You can also explore special worlds through portals, facing strong monsters and gathering valuable resources. You can win by conquering opponents, performing sacred rituals, or casting a powerful, game-ending spell.

Myth II: Soulblighter

Squad tactics focuses on using small, skilled teams instead of building a large base or managing resources. Realistic physics for grenades and the possibility of hitting your allies mean careful positioning and timing are key. How well you can see and the height of the land affect how accurate ranged attacks are. The game also includes a map editor and multiplayer options for different situations and team-based gameplay.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin

This real-time strategy game revolves around capturing key locations that provide the resources needed to build units and improve their capabilities. Each faction has unique squads with special abilities designed to counter others on the battlefield. Powerful heroes can unlock game-changing commands, and players can enjoy the game through skirmishes, ranked online matches, or a dedicated story campaign.

King’s Bounty The Legend

As a player, I’m really excited about how this game lets you explore a huge, open world. When combat starts, it shifts to a tactical hex grid where things like terrain actually matter. Building your army isn’t just about numbers, though – you need to think about who you bring because there’s a limit to how big it can get. And the battles feel dynamic! Characters can get riled up with ‘rage’ powers, and keeping morale high gives you an edge. Plus, the quests you take and the skills you choose for your character really shape how the game unfolds and what rewards you get in the long run.

Let us know your top fantasy strategy games in the comments! We’d love to hear which ones you enjoy playing again and again.

2025-11-06 04:46