
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,526
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Defenders of the Last Stand
- 1–5 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2016

Rules assistance for Defenders of the Realm: Hero Expansion #4
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Defenders of the Realm: Hero Expansion #4 is an expansion for Defenders of the Realm released in 2016 for 1–4 players and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Richard Launius and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Cooperative Game.
Defenders of the Realm: Hero Expansion #4 includes two new heroes – with a miniature and character card for each hero. The new heroes introduced in this expansion are: • Arcturus the Dragon Hunter: Arcturus gains bonuses to moving towards Dragons (and Dragonkin), for attacking Dragons, and even gets extra Hero Cards when slaying several Dragons at once. • Tanya Cloudseeker the Dragon Rider: Tanya uses her connection with Dragons to fly with them, prevent their movement, and can also attack them efficiently for a cost.
Defenders of the Realm: Hero Expansion #4 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 catalogue lists Defenders of the Realm: Hero Expansion #4 for ages 13 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.
Defenders of the Realm: Hero Expansion #4 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.
Defenders of the Realm: Hero Expansion #4 belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Cooperative Game. 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 Defenders of the Realm: Hero Expansion #4 are: Richard Launius. 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 Defenders of the Realm: Hero Expansion #4 as an expansion for Defenders of the Realm. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Defenders of the Realm to use it. Check that your edition of Defenders of the Realm is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.