
- BGG rank
- BGG #18
- BGG rating
- 8.4
The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2024

2019
Rules assistance for Solar Draft
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.
Solar Draft is a board game released in 2019 for 2–5 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Zach Moore and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Open Drafting.
You are the brightest new solar architect, and you must put together your draft for your preferred solar system! You will draft, play, and terraform the planets, moons, and comets into your line of cards. Each card you play provides different points, abilities, and scoring conditions to your solar system. Each architect can refresh the center row once per game, which is useful if you don't like the choices presented - and also useful if you don't want a particular card falling into someone else's hands. Each player also has another ability that is unique to them. To have a winning score, you must plan carefully and put together a synergistic combination of cards, while being as efficient with your choices as possible. —description from the publisher
Solar Draft supports 2–5 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 Solar Draft is 20–30 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 Solar Draft 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.
Solar Draft 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.
Solar Draft belongs to these categories: Card Game and Space Exploration. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, 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 Solar Draft are: Zach Moore. 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 Solar Draft 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.