- BGG rating
- 8.1
Rules assistance for Ausonia: Masters of Shadow
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Ausonia: Masters of Shadow
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ausonia: Masters of Shadow is an expansion for Ausonia 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 Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building.
About the game
In Masters of Shadows the base game is extended with Leader Cards, new Favour Cards and Mission Cards to seize powerful Artefacts. Leader Cards: If you are done playing with everyday nobility, slip into the roles of 6 leaders from great houses, which have special abilities and very distinct gameplay style. Leader Starter Decks: These leaders not only have unique abilities, but also 3-3 respective Favour Cards. The Gem Cards of the base games' starter decks just have to be shuffled with them and they are ready to play. Artefact Cards: Those longing for power have the opportunity to acquire the invaluable Artefacts of 6 guilds, providing further advantages during the game. Mission Cards: These Artifacts don't come easy, missions have to be accomplished to gather them! 9 House Leader Cards 27 Leader Starter Cards 40 Artefact Cards 10 Mission Cards 1 Rulebook
Designers
Publishers
- Lycan Studio
Questions and answers
Ausonia: Masters of Shadow 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: Masters of Shadow 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: Masters of Shadow 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: Masters of Shadow has a complexity rating of 2.0 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: Masters of Shadow belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, 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: Masters of Shadow 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: Masters of Shadow as an expansion for Ausonia. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Ausonia to use it. Check that your edition of Ausonia is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.