
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,424
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Straszydła
- 2–4 players
- 45–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2019

Rules assistance for Rising Sun: Kami Unbound
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rising Sun: Kami Unbound is an expansion for Rising Sun released in 2018 for 3–5 players, 90–120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Eric M. Lang and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Set Collection.
Description from the publisher: Kami Unbound is a new ruleset which makes the presence of the Kami even more potent and vital in Rising Sun! Normally, the influence of the Kami is restricted to the bonuses each of them grant during the Kami turn, granted to the Clan who has the most Shinto worshiping them. With Kami Unbound, the Kami will get their own figure, which starts the game in a specific Province. While no Clan worships that Kami, the figure just stands there, watching over the mortals' actions. However, as soon as one of the Clans sends one of their Shinto to worship that Kami, they take its Kami power card (an all new component), placing it next to their Clan Screen to mark that they have the favor of that god. While you have the favor of a Kami, its figure basically counts as one of your figures. It can be moved when you Marshal and counts as 1 Force to your Clan when deciding Harvests and Battles. Also, being the powerful forces they are, Kami can never be Taken Hostage, targeted with Betrayal, or even killed! More than that, the Kami card lists a special power the player can choose to activate. In order to use the Kami power, the player must Consume one of the Shinto they have worshiping that Kami. In an overwhelming demonstration of faith, the Shinto is removed from the Temple tile and returned to your reserve (though not technically killed). When this is done the power on the Kami card is activated, granting its controller its power! Players may lose the favor of a Kami, however, either by Consuming one of their Shinto to activate the Kami power, or because another player recruited more Shinto than them to that Kami (or is tied for Shinto but has more Honor than them). If that happens, the Kami card, and control of the Kami, immediately passes to the new player who now gains all the benefits of having the favor of that Kami (including being able to activate the Kami's power!).
Rising Sun: Kami Unbound supports 3–5 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 Rising Sun: Kami Unbound is 90–120 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 Rising Sun: Kami Unbound 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.
Rising Sun: Kami Unbound has a complexity rating of 3.5 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.
Rising Sun: Kami Unbound belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Wargame, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Set Collection. 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 Rising Sun: Kami Unbound are: Eric M. Lang. 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 Rising Sun: Kami Unbound as an expansion for Rising Sun. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Rising Sun to use it. Check that your edition of Rising Sun is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.