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Shadow Throne
2014
Rules assistance for Shadow Throne
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 30 min
- 14+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Shadow Throne
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Shadow Throne is a board game released in 2014 for 3–5 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Teale Fristoe and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Open Drafting.
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About the game
Shadow Throne takes place in the Aclysmian empire, where the kingdom and royal family are torn apart in a bitter civil war. King Kyros clings on to power by any means necessary; his estranged Queen Eleftheria has joined a rebellion of conquered people; and their daughter, Princess Beatus, has rejected both of her parents to fight alongside the church. The players, as members of a secret society, wield great influence over the destiny of Aclysmia, but their job is not to set things right. They just want be on the winning side when the fighting ends. By weaving Machiavellian alliances and determining the outcome of crucial battles, they accrue influence for when the war finally resolves. Shadow Throne is played over the course of several battles. To start each battle, players gain control over characters from the warring factions by drafting a hand of cards. Next, players simultaneously play cards from their hands to determine which faction wins the battle. Players can freely switch alliances, playing cards from any faction. After the battle is fought, the faction with the most power wins, and players who played cards from that faction collect influence points. Once one player has collected enough influence, the game ends.
Designers
Publishers
- Nothing Sacred Games
Questions and answers
Shadow Throne 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 Shadow Throne 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 Throne 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.
Shadow Throne has a complexity rating of 1.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Shadow Throne belongs to these categories: Card Game and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Open Drafting. 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 Throne are: Teale Fristoe. 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 Throne 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.