- BGG rating
- 7.1
Schatten der Macht: Graue Eminenzen
- 2–6 players
- 60–240 min
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,496
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Schatten der Macht
2019
Rules assistance for Schatten der Macht
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60–180 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.8/5
Rules assistant for Schatten der Macht
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Schatten der Macht is a board game released in 2019 for 2–4 players, 60–180 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Anton Katzer and Andreas Meinlschmidt and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Majority / Influence, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Schatten der Macht: Verborgene Mächte
- 2–4 players
- 60–180 min
- 2019
- BGG rating
- 8.5
Schatten der Macht: Namenlos
- 2–4 players
- 60–180 min
- 2020
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #11
- BGG rating
- 8.3
Spirit Island
- 1–4 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 4.1/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,883
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Path of Light and Shadow
- 2–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,870
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Mythotopia
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,647
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Eschaton
- 2–6 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #735
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Brian Boru: High King of Ireland
- 3–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #109
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Aeon's End
- 1–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #152
- BGG rating
- 8.2
Aeon's End: War Eternal
- 1–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #261
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Aeon's End: Legacy
- 1–4 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #304
- BGG rating
- 8.5
Aeon's End: The New Age
- 1–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,302
- BGG rating
- 8.5
Aeon's End: Outcasts
- 1–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,372
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Aeon's End: Legacy of Gravehold
- 1–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,426
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Black Rose Wars: Duel – Lex
- 2 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2023
About the game
Schatten der Macht ("Shadows of Power") is a strategic Euro Boardgame in the Dark Eye universe. Lead a clandestine Organisation into the battle for control of Aventuria. Gain influence in numerous locations on the continent (the game map), send out groups of heroic adventurers and command ships on the high seas. Those who cleverly develop their influence on churches, magical societies and great lords will find themselves in a good position to assist their adventurers in the fight against competitors (and monsters) as well as convince the greatest heroes of the age to lend them their swords and wisdom. And last but not least, each secret organisation pursues its own agenda of intrigue in the Shadows of Power. The main gameplay is focussed around gaining a deck of cards, each of them representing regions on the map or powerful characters and then playing those cards to use the resources they provide - to recruit and move adventures, influence organisations and command ships. A major aspect of the game revolves around combining actions to make them more powerful and resolve them without spending too many turns - since every player has the power to dictate the remaining duration of a round! At the end of each round, conflicts regarding the control of regions are resolved - an elegant majority system is used to determine the victor, but since conflicts are not resolved during the individual player's turns, everyone can react and have a small skirmish become a decisive battle for victory. In addition, the game features an innovative scoring mechanism that keeps the game free of bookkeeping hassles (all scoring is performed at the end) and also allows weaker players to catch up due to relative scoring systems. The game features many illustrations on the cards - dozens of characters of Dark Eye lore, organisations and regions. It is playable with 2-4 players as the basic game and there is a 5-6 player expansion available at launch. —description from the publisher
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Ulisses Spiele
Questions and answers
Schatten der Macht 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 Schatten der Macht is 60–180 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 Schatten der Macht 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.
Schatten der Macht has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Schatten der Macht belongs to these categories: Fantasy and Territory Building. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Majority / Influence, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building. 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 Schatten der Macht are: Anton Katzer and Andreas Meinlschmidt. 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 Schatten der Macht 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.