
- BGG rank
- BGG #673
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Runebound (Third Edition)
- 2–4 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2015

Expansion for Talisman: Revised 4th Edition
Rules assistance for Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Cataclysm Expansion
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Cataclysm Expansion is an expansion for Talisman: Revised 4th Edition released in 2016 for 2–6 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Samuel Bailey and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Roll / Spin and Move, and Dice Rolling.
From the publisher: Decades ago an apocalypse destroyed the world, wrecking its cities, ravaging the land, and devastating the population. Now, after more than a generation, a new age dawns with The Cataclysm, an expansion for Talisman Revised 4th Edition. People are returning to establish settlements, nature is evolving in bizarre, unprecendented ways, and traces of the former civilization can be found everywhere. This is a time of chaos and possibility, of challenges and heroism. The Cataclysm introduces [an entirely new main board to replace the one found in the base game], that opens up a reinvented, post-apocalyptic realm for your exploration. Those brave enough to inhabit this world are brought to life in the Denizens deck, while the Remnants deck fills spaces with lost treasures, broken artifacts, and the lingering after-effects of the apocalypse. Five more characters now seek the Crown of Command, including the Black Knight who once menaced the Middle Region, and four alternative endings shape your quests in this ever-changing world. Changed Characters Some of the Characters who first sought the Crown of Command may undertake that quest again in this altered, post-apocalyptic world. Competing with them in The Cataclysm are five others who have never sought it before. Some of them have long inhabited the realm. For instance, the Black Knight has abandoned his castle in the Middle Region to claim greater power. He now rides through Talisman, forcing the other Characters he meets to give him gold or else he’ll take one of their lives. The Mutant has also lived in this realm her whole life, and also remained there through its darkest times, but she is no longer the human that she once was. Magical energies that flared and fluctuated during the apocalypse infected her body so thoroughly that her form, Strength, Craft, and fate have continually changed. Others have no memories of what it was like before the apocalypse. The Scavenger grew up during the decades that followed and learned how to survive by staying in motion and collecting whatever Objects she could find. The most valuable ones she stashes away so that they cannot be stolen. Youngest of all is the Arcane Scion , born during the outburst of magical energies that transformed the Mutant. Unlike the Mutant, who cannot fully control her mutations, the Arcane Scion has harnessed those energies, using them to wield Magic Objects and cast Spells.
Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Cataclysm Expansion supports 2–6 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 Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Cataclysm Expansion is 90 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 Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Cataclysm Expansion 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.
Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Cataclysm Expansion has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Cataclysm Expansion belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Exploration. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Roll / Spin and Move, and Dice Rolling. 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 Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Cataclysm Expansion are: Samuel Bailey. 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 Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Cataclysm Expansion as an expansion for Talisman: Revised 4th Edition. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Talisman: Revised 4th Edition to use it. Check that your edition of Talisman: Revised 4th Edition is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.