
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,802
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Rum & Bones
- 2–6 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2015

2015
Rules assistance for Rivals: Masters of the Deep
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.
Rivals: Masters of the Deep is a board game released in 2015 for 2–4 players, 60–120 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Chase Layman and Sean Layman and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence.
IN THE DEEPEST OF THE DEEP SEAS... lies the Lurk. It is dark but clear, cold but habitable and a swell of life begins where land ends. The Gorgangrackles eat the Anglerfin. The Anglerfin eat the Chumtails. The Chumtails eat the Trollsharks. The Trollsharks...well they eat each other. Between the moistened mountains of Bluff and Butte sprawl the villages of the Nautilus, a peculiar race of tentacle-bearded nature-lovers. The villages are said to reside on top of a rare mineral deposit of UnderAether. Topside a Cog would give his left leg for a small glimpse of the material. The UnderAether could supply their steam-factories for centuries and here it is resting under the tentacles of water breathers. The Rivalry has been fought for years. Now the famous Gearhead's Brigade has been sent by the High Cog Warden to investigate a strange beacon in the deep dark depths. Rivals: Masters of the Deep is a tactical game for two or more players set in the cold dark depths of the Lurk. Players take command of either the Cog or the Nautilus, gather a fighting force and, through wise decisions and strategic moves, destroy the opposition. In Rivals, Cog & Nautilus go head to head on the battlefield. Your team will engage in fast-paced combat and interact with the board itself. The Creatures of the Lurk will come out of hiding, coral will try and eat you, Underwater rip tides will batter you, all as you fend off your opponent. To Setup your game you first gather your army by spending Aether. Each model has a cost. You then pay for any abilities or starting equipment you would like your army to have. You then create the "Lurk" Map. The Lurk is where all battles in the base game play out. The Lurk map is made with hex tiles. After setting up the map, including all card decks and dice, you place your units in the starting points. Your teams are now ready to do battle. There are two phases for each side, a Movement Phase & an Action Phase. During the Movement phase you may activate up to two hexes worth of models to begin their movement. After all movement is completed the player moves on to the Action phase. Like the movement phase you may activate up to two hexes, same or different, to begin their Actions. In the Action phase each activated model can perform one of four actions or a special action. The basic actions are Attack, Search, Recover or Charge. There are special areas on the map that you can search and explore but be wary because there is usually danger in dark places. The map also contains dangers and difficult terrain including Coral, underwater geysers and much more. Turns go back and forth until your opponents hero is destroyed.
Rivals: Masters of the Deep supports 2–4 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 Rivals: Masters of the Deep is 60–120 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 Rivals: Masters of the Deep 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.
Rivals: Masters of the Deep has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Rivals: Masters of the Deep belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Rivals: Masters of the Deep are: Chase Layman and Sean Layman. 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 Rivals: Masters of the Deep 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.