
- BGG rank
- BGG #145
- BGG rating
- 7.9
The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth
- 1–5 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2019

Rules assistance for Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War
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.
Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War is an expansion for Descent: Legends of the Dark released in 2023 for 1–4 players, 120–180 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Nathan I. Hajek, Kara Centell-Dunk, Philip D. Henry, and Aaron Haltom and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Grid Movement.
Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War, a.k.a., Descent Act II, is a sprawling and deeply co-operative dungeon crawler driven by player choice – all powered by an app that allows for games to run without a Game Master. The game's immersive storyline is packed with twists and turns sure to thrill players of all skill levels. Campaigns can be played solo or with up to four players, requiring co-operation and skillful teamwork to overcome challenges. The Betrayer's War builds on the exhilarating dungeon-crawling adventure of its predecessor by introducing new villains, quests, and mechanisms. The game sees players returning to Terrinoth, where they find themselves in an unlikely alliance with their greatest enemy: Waiqar the Betrayer. They have to work together to battle against armies of dragons and the sinister machinations of the Uthuk Y'llan. All six heroes from the original game return to defend their legacy, each equipped with a new hero card and a variety of abilities to aid them in their battle against the impending darkness and the Dragonlord Levirax. —description from the publisher
Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War 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 Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War is 120–180 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 Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War for ages 14 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.
Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War has a complexity rating of 3.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Grid Movement. 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 Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War are: Nathan I. Hajek, Kara Centell-Dunk, Philip D. Henry, and Aaron Haltom. 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 Descent: Legends of the Dark – The Betrayer's War as an expansion for Descent: Legends of the Dark. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Descent: Legends of the Dark to use it. Check that your edition of Descent: Legends of the Dark is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.