
- BGG rank
- BGG #158
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Forbidden Stars
- 2–4 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2015

Expansion for Talisman: Revised 4th Edition
Rules assistance for Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Harbinger 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 Harbinger Expansion is an expansion for Talisman: Revised 4th Edition released in 2015 for 2–6 players and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Samuel Bailey and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Roll / Spin and Move, and Dice Rolling.
Description from the publisher: As dire omens fill the skies, demons roam the countryside, and plagues ravage civilization, the Harbinger wanders throughout the realm of Talisman, prophesying the imminent end of the world. If you encounter him, he may help you stave off the end of the world and let you peer into the future — or you may be attacked by demon horsemen and stalked by cursed followers. Time is running out. When the Harbinger entered the realm he brought with him a prophecy of impending doom and a series of seven Omens to watch for: when the seventh appears, the end is upon you. Talisman (fourth edition): The Harbinger Expansion features four unique decks of Omen cards, each making manifest a different downfall. In one Omen deck the constellations align, threatening the extinction of magic. In another, the dead rise from their graves and battle to overthrow the living. In another, the time of judgement arrives bringing with it war, famine, death, plagues, and other forms of destruction. In the fourth, the world shatters into many pieces and the terrain transforms unpredictably. New Terrain cards enter the game and alter the landscape, supplanting fields with barrens, deserts with floodlands, and cities with bogs. As doom draws nearer, more and more of the realm is transformed until the seventh Omen appears and all of Talisman becomes a deadly devastation. In game terms, when the Harbinger is in your region, you must draw from the peril-filled Harbinger deck instead of that region's normal Adventure deck whenever you are instructed to draw cards. When you draw an Event, the Harbinger moves into your space, but has no ill effects upon you. However, you move into the space occupied by the Harbinger, you must roll a single die. The result could grant you a second turn, or let you look at the top three cards of any deck you choose. It might force you to populate your space with vicious enemies, treacherous followers, and unpredictable events. Worst of all, your result might cause the current Omen to be discarded, activating the next Omen and hastening the advent of the end times.
Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Harbinger 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 catalogue lists Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Harbinger Expansion for ages 12 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 Harbinger Expansion has a complexity rating of 2.2 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 Harbinger 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 Harbinger 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 Harbinger 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.