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- BGG #234
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)
- 1–5 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2012
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Rules assistance for Descent: The Well of Darkness
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 120–240 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.4/5
Rules assistant for Descent: The Well of Darkness
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Descent: The Well of Darkness is an expansion for Descent: Journeys in the Dark released in 2006 for 2–5 players, 120–240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Kevin Wilson and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Role Playing.
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About the game
This is the first expansion for Descent. It includes new monsters (with figures), heroes, treasures, effects, scenarios, props, and more! It also features options for the Overlord player to customize his deck for each scenario. Deep in the bowels of the world, there lies a chasm that was sealed over a millennium ago. Within it lies a force of evil so great that, were it to be unleashed, it would plunge the world into a thousand years of darkness. Before you can face that challenge, however, you'll battle your way through dank tunnels, trapped temples, and even volcanoes to prove your worth. You'll face a host of new tricks, traps, and other lethal obstacles over the course of your quest, including scything blades, rolling boulders, and boiling hot lava. Descent: the Well of Darkness features six new heroes, tricky kobolds, bloodsucking ferrox, and unstoppable golems. Heroes will find more skill and treasures at their disposal, including six new relics and a new type of potion. The Overlord, on the other hand, gains the ability to customize his deck before every game, putting in devastating new trap, event, and spawn cards.
Designers
Publishers
- Edge Entertainment
- Ubik
- Fantasy Flight Games
- Heidelberger Spieleverlag
- Giochi Uniti
Questions and answers
Descent: The Well of Darkness supports 2–5 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: The Well of Darkness is 120–240 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: The Well of Darkness 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.
Descent: The Well of Darkness has a complexity rating of 3.4 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: The Well of Darkness belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Role Playing. 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: The Well of Darkness are: Kevin Wilson. 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: The Well of Darkness as an expansion for Descent: Journeys in 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: Journeys in the Dark to use it. Check that your edition of Descent: Journeys in the Dark is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.