
- BGG rating
- 8.5
Phantom Epoch: The Arsonist
- 1–4 players
- 2025

2025
Rules assistance for Phantom Epoch
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Phantom Epoch is a board game released in 2025 for 1–4 players, 45–180 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Tyson Abernethy and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement.
Phantom Epoch is a deep, big-box campaign game that sets up in just 5 minutes. Each mission's unique map is presented in heavy-stock mission books, eliminating the need to assemble a map from tiles. Innovative HP Tracking Bases keep the necessary information directly on the play area with minimal bookkeeping. It's a fully cooperative tactical combat roleplaying board game with a persistent, choice-driven, 40+ mission campaign that blends sci-fi and fantasy themes. In a galaxy where the secrets of interstellar travel have been lost to time and primitive peoples war over ancient technology, players are thrust into missions to stop an encroaching threat. As they play through missions on numerous planets with a variety of biomes, they will discover the true nature of their enemy, and will have the opportunity to unearth the rich story of the world of Phantom Epoch. A wide range of character choices, including human and alien species which can be combined with a diverse set of classes, allows players to create and grow their own characters to match their own play style. Each mission has its own map, objectives, enemies, and challenges. Every map has a completely unique layout. No two missions will be the same, and players will have to adjust their strategies accordingly. Outside of missions, players will need to gather resources to repair and restore functionality to the starship that serves as their headquarters. Doing so will unlock facilities to improve their characters with upgraded equipment, attributes, and skills. As secrets from the past are revealed, they will gain combat knowledge in the form of branching advanced classes that allow players to further customize and empower their characters. During a mission, players select as few or as many Action cards as they want to play in a given round, provided that their total value is equal to or less than their character's AP value, while adversary actions are determined by their randomly drawn species and class cards. The total AP value of the selected cards determines the turn order for the round, with the lowest total going first. During their turns, players and adversaries play their selected Action cards one at a time. The campaign is made up of 40+ missions and ends when the final story mission is played. As a fully cooperative game, players win a mission together by completing its objective, or lose together when all players are defeated or the objective is failed.
Phantom Epoch 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 Phantom Epoch is 45–180 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 Phantom Epoch 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.
Phantom Epoch 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.
Phantom Epoch belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Adventure, and Miniatures. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, 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 Phantom Epoch are: Tyson Abernethy. 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 Phantom Epoch 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.