- BGG rating
- 7.9
Shards of Infinity: Relics of the Future
- 1–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #745
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Shards of Infinity
2018
Rules assistance for Shards of Infinity
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Shards of Infinity
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Shards of Infinity is a board game released in 2018 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Justin Gary and Gary Arant and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Open Drafting.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Shards of Infinity: Shadow of Salvation
- 2–5 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2019
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Shards of Infinity: Into the Horizon
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2021
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About the game
One-hundred years ago, The Infinity Engine was shattered and its reality-bending shards have destroyed most of the world. Now, it falls upon you to gather your forces, defeat your adversaries, and rebuild the Infinity Engine! Will you survive? Shards of Infinity combines an unprecedented level of strategy and customization into one small box. Rather than competing for points, players must outlast their opponents and reduce their health to zero, which can be done in a number of ways. Each player starts the game with a basic deck of cards, and they can acquire new cards from a central display of six cards (as in Ascension) and add these new cards to their deck or use them immediately, depending on what they are. Every character starts with fifty health and zero mastery. On each turn, you can spend one gem (a.k.a., money) to gain a mastery point. The more mastery you have, the more powerful your cards become. This lets even the weak cards in your starting deck become more powerful as the game progresses. If you reach a total of thirty mastery, you can activate your Infinity Shard, which instantly defeats your opponent. As you acquire new cards, you can employ allies and champions to craft your strategy. Mercenary cards can be added to your deck as in other deck-building games or they can be played immediately from the center row for their ability; this adds even more drama to each player's turn as a key mercenary flip can alter the very outcome of the game!
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- GaGa Games
- Reflexshop
- Kilogames
- IELLO
- Mancalamaro
- Stone Blade Entertainment
- Ultra PRO
Questions and answers
Shards of Infinity 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 Shards of Infinity 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 Shards of Infinity 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.
Shards of Infinity has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Shards of Infinity belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, 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 Shards of Infinity are: Justin Gary and Gary Arant. 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 Shards of Infinity 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.