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Andromeda's Edge
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Rules assistance for Dwellings of Eldervale: Shapeshifter
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 30–150 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Dwellings of Eldervale: Shapeshifter
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dwellings of Eldervale: Shapeshifter is an expansion for Dwellings of Eldervale released in 2022 for 1–5 players, 30–150 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Luke Laurie and its main mechanics are Ownership, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence.
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About the game
Eldervale is a land of opportunity and rumors abound with skillful Mercenaries willing to fight for any side willing to pay. Mercenaries are optional Units (not Monsters) that may each be included separately at the beginning of any game. To include a Mercenary, simply place the miniature of standee and corresponding Mercenary card in a central area that all players can see and reach at the start of the game. As a Free Action on your turn, using either Gold or an Orb, you may hire a Mercenary. The hired Mercenary is placed directly into your Ready Area and is available for use. If you paid Gold to hire the Mercenary, it will be yours until the end of your next Regroup action. If you hired the Mercenary using an Orb, it is yours for the rest of the game. The Shapeshifter is an optional play expansion mercenary for Dwellings of Eldervale that now starting with the 2nd printing (initial Second Edition printing) comes in its own tuckbox. This expansion is now only available as a separate expansion pack. Included in the tuck box is the 50mm Shapeshifter miniature, standee, and corresponding game card. For the right price you can hire the Shapeshifter, a very versatile ally. The Mimic ability allows you to use one of your other Unit's abilities, except Build. ALL First/Kickstarter Edition copies of Dwellings of Eldervale came with a surprise/hidden Shapeshifter placed under the bottom tray of the game box. Because this was a closely held secret until the first of the campaign rewards were opened by Kickstarter campaign backers, the Shapeshifter is not pictured in the first printing of the rulebook, but the Shapeshifter card did come in the standard card pack shipped with all copies to "spark the hunt". —description from publisher
Editions
- Dwellings of Eldervale: ShapeshifterenBreaking Games2020
- Siedlungen von Eldervale: GestaltwandlerdeSchwerkraft-Verlag2025
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Breaking Games
- Schwerkraft-Verlag
Questions and answers
Dwellings of Eldervale: Shapeshifter supports 1–5 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 Dwellings of Eldervale: Shapeshifter is 30–150 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 Dwellings of Eldervale: Shapeshifter 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.
Dwellings of Eldervale: Shapeshifter 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.
Dwellings of Eldervale: Shapeshifter belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Territory Building, and Miniatures. Its main mechanics are Ownership, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Dwellings of Eldervale: Shapeshifter are: Luke Laurie. 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 Dwellings of Eldervale: Shapeshifter as an expansion for Dwellings of Eldervale. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Dwellings of Eldervale to use it. Check that your edition of Dwellings of Eldervale is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.