
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,311
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Last Fish!
- 2–6 players
- 10–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2023

Rules assistance for Runes of Zun: Shadow Tactics
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.
Runes of Zun: Shadow Tactics is an expansion for Runes of Zun released in 2021 for 2–4 players, 20–60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Dave Balmer, Alex Inoue, and Eric Trimble and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Player Elimination.
The Shadow Tactics Expansion will transform how you play Runes of Zun. There are five new action types (good and bad), a new reaction type, and a new and unique modifier type. Mix them into your original game for a total of 78 cards. If you also mix in the original Action Packed Expansion you'll get a total of 96 cards in your deck! New tactics will emerge and game-changing combos will win out. Are you ready? New action cards: Curse (x1): takes away 1 HP at the start of each of the target's turns but whoever targets the player next becomes cursed. Slow (x2): prevents the target from playing more than one action card. Punish (x3): deal 1 HP damage to a player for every ongoing card affecting them. Stash (x2): hide a card from your hand for later use by you or another player. Purge (x2): remove ongoing effects like Defend or Slow and even works against Banish New reaction card: Fizzle (x3): prevent an action from targeting you and forces the targeter to discard a card. New modifier card: Misdirect (x2): play an action and have another player suffer any consequences. Also includes 2 extra Boost cards and 1 extra Reserve card. —description from the publisher
Runes of Zun: Shadow Tactics 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 Runes of Zun: Shadow Tactics is 20–60 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 Runes of Zun: Shadow Tactics for ages 10 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.
Runes of Zun: Shadow Tactics belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Party Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Player Elimination. 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 Runes of Zun: Shadow Tactics are: Dave Balmer, Alex Inoue, and Eric Trimble. 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 Runes of Zun: Shadow Tactics as an expansion for Runes of Zun. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Runes of Zun to use it. Check that your edition of Runes of Zun is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.