- BGG rating
- 6.7
Dark Dealings: Dastardly Dragons & Gnome Illusionist
- 1–6 players
- 15–20 min
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,245
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Dark Dealings
2016
Rules assistance for Dark Dealings
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–6 players
- 15–20 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Dark Dealings
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dark Dealings is a board game released in 2016 for 1–6 players, 15–20 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Michael D. Kelley and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding and Open Drafting.
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About the game
For Overlords of evil, doom, and sorrow, life is not fair. The local races, hackneyed halflings and dullard dwarves, fail to appreciate the time and toil that goes into perverting the laws of nature and defying death itself. And now, after a few singed villages and poisoned wells, the locals are coming for you and your magical brethren. Stout Heroes of the land, mighty warriors and dexterous thieves, pious paladins and wily wizards, have banded together to bust down your gates and evict you from your dark castle. Luckily, you are in contact with Dark Masters, beings man was not meant to know. They are ready to provide you dastardly traps, potent spells, and decaying corpses for reanimation, if you can demonstrate your bravery by facing the toughest Heroes. Now it’s a competition to see which Overlord can withstand the siege. Well... you never liked your neighbors that much anyway. Dark Dealings is a quick drafting and combat game for 1-6 players. You first draft Heroes, then use them to bid for the Defenses that will eventually be their downfall. Players then take turns flipping and fighting their previously drafted Heroes. The last Overlord standing is the winner!
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Nevermore Games (I)
Questions and answers
Dark Dealings supports 1–6 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 Dark Dealings is 15–20 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 Dark Dealings 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.
Dark Dealings has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Dark Dealings belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding and Open Drafting. 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 Dark Dealings are: Michael D. Kelley. 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 Dark Dealings 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.