
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Rise of the Necromancers: Dawn & Demons
- 1–5 players
- 45–120 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2021

2018
Rules assistance for Rise of the Necromancers
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rise of the Necromancers is a board game released in 2018 for 2–5 players, 45–120 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Thorbjørn Christensen and Christoffer Kyst and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Dice Rolling.
Are you evil? Maybe just a little? Then unleash your most wretched forces and seize power! To become the Necromancer King, you have to master dark magic, raise an army of undead minions, explore festering dungeons, and research ancient artifacts and spells. Rise of the Necromancers is an evil strategy game where each player controls a Necromancer struggling for absolute dominance. Rise of the Necromancers is based on a classic fantasy narrative with character development as well as territorial strategy. The objective of the game is to develop your Necromancer and take control of the lands. Each player starts out as an aspiring Necromancer who can study spells, craft artifacts and eventually graduate from one of four academies. In time, your Necromancer can attract their own apprentice and assemble an undead army of minions to rule the lands. Your Necromancer can venture into dungeons where they will encounter wonders and dangerous creatures — and perhaps meet new companions. In the end, your Necromancer might be able to return to their academy and become Headmaster — or even seize the foulest of thrones as the Necromancer King. Each player moves their miniature Necromancer around the game board to gather resources, spells and artifacts, enter dungeons, battle cities and fight rival Necromancers. Throughout the game, Necromancers can increase their combat and movement abilities as they amass their armies. A Necromancer's minions can also be left behind to protect conquered cities and dungeons. In addition to the game's territorial component, the players compete in collecting spells, artifacts and minions affiliated with the four academies. Enough elements of the same color can make you Headmaster of an academy. The game has a varying starting set-up, so no two games are ever the same.
Rise of the Necromancers 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 Rise of the Necromancers is 45–120 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 Rise of the Necromancers for ages 13 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.
Rise of the Necromancers has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
Rise of the Necromancers belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Territory Building, and Horror. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Dice Rolling. 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 Rise of the Necromancers are: Thorbjørn Christensen and Christoffer Kyst. 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 Rise of the Necromancers 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.