
- BGG rank
- BGG #30
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Lost Ruins of Arnak
- 1–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2020

Rules assistance for Shadow Days: Dark Star
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Shadow Days: Dark Star is an expansion for Shadow Days released in 2012 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Joseph Murray and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Open Drafting, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building.
Dark Star is a mini-expansion that adds a total of 30 cards. It introduces two new card types: Villain and War Machine. It also provides the first Stronghold for the protection of Villains.
Shadow Days: Dark Star 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 Shadow Days: Dark Star is 30 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 Shadow Days: Dark Star 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.
Shadow Days: Dark Star belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Open Drafting, 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 Shadow Days: Dark Star are: Joseph Murray. 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 Shadow Days: Dark Star as an expansion for Shadow Days. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Shadow Days to use it. Check that your edition of Shadow Days is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.