- BGG rank
- BGG #2,422
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Legend of the Five Rings
- 2–8 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1995
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,588
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Legend of the Burning Sands
1998
Rules assistance for Legend of the Burning Sands
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Legend of the Burning Sands
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Legend of the Burning Sands is a board game released in 1998 for 2–6 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Dave Williams (II) and Raymond Lau.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,277
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Deadlands: Doomtown
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 1998
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,090
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Warlord: Saga of the Storm
- 2–4 players
- 10 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2001
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,325
- BGG rating
- 6.7
7th Sea Collectible Card Game
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 1998
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,134
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Doomtown: Reloaded
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #101
- BGG rating
- 8.6
Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Core Set)
- 1–4 players
- 45–180 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #170
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Magic: The Gathering
- 2–6 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1993
- BGG rank
- BGG #187
- BGG rating
- 7.7
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
- 1–2 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #312
- BGG rating
- 8.4
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game – Revised Core Set
- 1–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #818
- BGG rating
- 7.5
A Game of Thrones: The Card Game (Second Edition)
- 2–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #890
- BGG rating
- 7.1
KeyForge: Call of the Archons
- 2 players
- 15–45 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #979
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Warhammer: Invasion
- 2 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2009
About the game
A collectible card game (CCG) set in the world of Rokugan (the same as L5R) that has got a definite Middle-eastern feeling to it. Think of 1001 nights and you got it. Everything in the game centers on Medinaat al-Salaam, the Jewel of the Desert, a sprawling city where different factions vie for control. As of the Awakening set there are 12 factions in the game. A very short description of them: Assassins – You guessed it, assassins. ;) Moto – Mongols, likes to raid Senpet – Ancient Egyptians Ashalan – Immortal alien star gazers Qabal – Rebellious Jinn summoners Ebonites – Crusaders Jackal – Evil cultists Celstial Alliance – Djinns and more djinns Dahab – Merchants faction Ivory Kingdom – Evil Indian Cult Ra’Shari – Romani Yodatai – Latin Romans The city and the river that runs through it is the only source of water in the desert and thus the one who controls the city and the water controls the desert. The city is ruled by the dread Caliph and her (yes, she’s female) semi-undead followers. Much is going on in the city and the story evolves through the sets. There are four sets all in all and each set had a "bug" on them to make it easy to identify what set a certain card came from. The "bug" is a small symbol in the lower right corner of the card just in front of the Illustrator name. Faction included in that set listed as well: Shadow of the Tyrant (156 cards) – No marking being the first set. (Assassins, Moto, Senpet) Secrets and Lies (104 cards) – A small Maltese cross. (Ashalan, Qabal) Black Hand, Black Heart (104 cards) – Four small rectangles. (Ebonites, Jackal) The Awakening (464 cards) – A new moon. (Celestial Alliance, Dahab, Ivory Kingdoms, Ra’Shari, Yodatai) These markings are hard to spot on some cards. To confuse things, several cards were printed in all or at least several sets even though they are only listed under the first set they were included in.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Five Rings Publishing Group
Questions and answers
Legend of the Burning Sands supports 2–6 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 Legend of the Burning Sands is 60 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 Legend of the Burning Sands for ages 10 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.
Legend of the Burning Sands has a complexity rating of 2.7 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.
Legend of the Burning Sands belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Collectible Components. Categories describe the theme, setting and style of a game rather than its rules. Filter the catalogue by the same category to find similar games when you enjoyed Legend of the Burning Sands and want something comparable for your next game night.
The credited designers of Legend of the Burning Sands are: Dave Williams (II) and Raymond Lau. 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 Legend of the Burning Sands 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.