
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Ausonia: Masters of Shadow
- 1–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2021

2021
Rules assistance for Ausonia
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ausonia is a board game released in 2021 for 1–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Zoltán Simon and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Solo / Solitaire Game, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building.
In a magically altered 17th century, the Italian lands that survived the Witchplague are now called Ausonia, and powerful houses rule over them. Every player impersonates the leader of such a family and, with the help of supporters and magical gemstones, tries to become the next ruler of the city-states. In Ausonia, players impersonate powerful House Leaders who aim to increase their influence across the lands. During their journey on becoming the most influential noble, they enhance their starter decks by purchasing and playing more and more powerful cards and collecting valuable gems as the fuel of the innovative resource system that also provides an arc to the game. Any player can go from zero to hero by improving their deck and creating crafty combinations that result in an exciting endgame. Several different keywords make sure that the players have great control over their deck and they can manipulate the game-flow. The Raise mechanics provides a great possibility to use your weak and unwanted cards to your advantage. Nobody can interfere with your round! This way, you can create powerful multiple-card combinations undisturbed. Challenging and thrilling Solo mode included. Two expansions are instantly available making the game more vivid. —description from the publisher
Ausonia supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Ausonia is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Ausonia for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Ausonia has a complexity rating of 2.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Ausonia belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Renaissance. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Solo / Solitaire Game, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Ausonia are: Zoltán Simon. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Ausonia as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.