- BGG rank
- BGG #10,610
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Plunderbund
- 2–5 players
- 60–150 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,247
- BGG rating
- 6.9
The Guardians: Explore
2016
Rules assistance for The Guardians: Explore
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 45–90 min
- 13+
- Complexity 3.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Guardians: Explore
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Guardians: Explore is a board game released in 2016 for 2–5 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Jonathon Ruland and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Open Drafting, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building.
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About the game
It's spring break in Arthursburg, a time when kids set out on heroic quests of excitement and imagination. But this year, the danger and magic are real - the residents and wildlife around town have been transformed into evil monsters bent on total destruction! Only you and your friends have the power and wits to rise up and save your loved ones from this unknown evil. To defeat the monstrous hordes that are spreading chaos and evil everywhere they go. To become the legendary heroes who will save the people of Arthursburg. THE GUARDIANS! The Guardians: Explore is a card drafting, deck refinement adventure game for 2-5 players, running eight total turns, and games lasting approximately 45-90 minutes long. It's broken down into two chapters; Warm Up and Battle. Players begin their Warm Up with a card draft that shapes their strategy for the battle to come. A unique super card is selected in secret to give each player their own special strength and two unique missions provide optional goals. Now fortified with equipment, skills, and familiars, the players begin the Battle! By drawing and cleverly playing cards from the top of their deck, players build the power needed to defeat monsters and acquire trophies with each turn. Whomever collects the most trophy points will be crowned True Guardian! During play, unneeded cards can be thrown away and powerful locations can be fortified with blanket forts to prepare players for the final showdown. Work together to defeat the mighty boss at the heart of the monster invasion and save Arthursburg!
Designers
Publishers
- Reihon Games LLC
Questions and answers
The Guardians: Explore 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 The Guardians: Explore is 45–90 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 The Guardians: Explore 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.
The Guardians: Explore has a complexity rating of 3.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
The Guardians: Explore belongs to these categories: Card Game and Fantasy. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Open Drafting, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building. 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 The Guardians: Explore are: Jonathon Ruland. 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 The Guardians: Explore 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.