
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,148
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Thunderstone: Starter Set
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2013

Rules assistance for Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption
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.
Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption is an expansion for Thunderstone Advance: Numenera released in 2012 for 1–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Mike Elliott, Jeff Quick, Mark Wootton, Joe Babbitt, and Curt Crane and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Cooperative Game, and Open Drafting.
Game description from the publisher: Following on the heels of Thunderstone Advance: Caverns of Bane, Thunderstone emerges into the deepest trouble yet. The tunnels under the fortress at Cheah Dell are clear. The lost dwarven kingdom of Caligin is reclaimed. And the djinni lich, Mowtil, has been defeated, sealing the portal of black flame into Tala. The adventurers have collected three more Thunderstones, and Doom's full plans are revealed. He has corrupted the heart of Tala, Dun Ordha. A monstrous army marches on the capital city, even as the final Thunderstone is revealed to be held by King Caelan himself. Can the adventurers race ahead of an army to save the city from a siege outside the walls and sickly corruption within? Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption, the second expansion for Thunderstone Advance, introduces new challenges and an all-new way to play: co-op! It also features ruinous sin incarnates, vicious scavenger gnolls, thrall summoners to bring back memorable foes, seven new heroes, six new monster groups, fifteen new village cards, and a new poster map board that creates options for co-op play using existing cards and rules! What's more, all Ambusher cards from Towers of Ruin and Caverns of Bane have been reprinted with updated graphics to increase visibility.
Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption supports 1–5 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 Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption is 45 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 Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption 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.
Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Cooperative Game, 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 Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption are: Mike Elliott, Jeff Quick, Mark Wootton, Joe Babbitt, and Curt Crane. 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 Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption as an expansion for Thunderstone Advance: Numenera. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Thunderstone Advance: Numenera to use it. Check that your edition of Thunderstone Advance: Numenera is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.