
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,788
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Alchemidus
- 1–127 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2015

Rules assistance for Onitama: Way of the Wind
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Onitama: Way of the Wind is an expansion for Onitama released in 2018 for 2 players, 15–20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Shimpei Sato and John Rogers (II) and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Grid Movement.
Once again, rival schools have come to Onitama to see who has the dominant Art — but something is different this time: Their activity has attracted the attention of a wind spirit! This indomitable force will interfere with the students, but it may on occasion grant an unforeseen benefit as well! Onitama: Way of the Wind, an expansion for Onitama, includes a wind spirit, a neutral game piece that creates a new layer of interaction in the game. Two new move cards are included, as well as eight wind spirit cards. Includes 8 New Wind Spirit Cards: Bat Eagle Hawk Lion Octopus Rhinoceros Scorpion Spider 2 New Move Cards: Goat Sheep 1 Wind Spirit Miniature
Onitama: Way of the Wind supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Onitama: Way of the Wind is 15–20 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 Onitama: Way of the Wind for ages 8 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.
Onitama: Way of the Wind has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
Onitama: Way of the Wind belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy, Ancient, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management 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 Onitama: Way of the Wind are: Shimpei Sato and John Rogers (II). 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 Onitama: Way of the Wind as an expansion for Onitama. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Onitama to use it. Check that your edition of Onitama is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.