
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,379
- BGG rating
- 7.9
HeroQuest: First Light
- 2–5 players
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2025

Rules assistance for Talisman: The Dead King
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.
Talisman: The Dead King is an expansion for Talisman: The Magical Quest Game – 5th Edition released in 2025 for 1–6 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Doug Hopkins and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Race.
The Dead King has emerged from the Realm of Souls and awaits you at the Crown of Command. The expansion also includes rules for playing Talisman solo. (Available in White Dwarf #518. November 2025)
Talisman: The Dead King supports 1–6 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: The Dead King is 60 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: The Dead King 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: The Dead King belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Exploration. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Race. 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: The Dead King are: Doug Hopkins. 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: The Dead King as an expansion for Talisman: The Magical Quest Game – 5th Edition. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Talisman: The Magical Quest Game – 5th Edition to use it. Check that your edition of Talisman: The Magical Quest Game – 5th Edition is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.