
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,182
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Aventuria: Adventure Card Game
- 1–4 players
- 45–180 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2016

Rules assistance for Valka: Dark Shadows
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.
Valka: Dark Shadows is an expansion for Valka released in 2024 for 1–5 players, 15–45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Brooke Penrose and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Open Drafting, and Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game.
Unleash the shadowy Dark Gnomes in your VÁLKA battles! Small but deadly, these gnomes bring fierce warriors, shadow priests, and dark magic to the battlefield. What's Inside: 7 Fighter Cards: 5 warriors, 1 Legendary Warrior, and 1 Familiar. Event Cards: Game-changing effects like Magic Bag, Mercy!, Inspired Strike, and more. Buffs & Relics: Wield powerful items like Rapier of Pain (+2 damage) and Brïshtal’s Cursed Fang (heal to full, but take double damage). Command the shadows and add a new layer of strategy to your VÁLKA games!
Valka: Dark Shadows 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 Valka: Dark Shadows is 15–45 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 Valka: Dark Shadows 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.
Valka: Dark Shadows belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Open Drafting, and Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game. 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 Valka: Dark Shadows are: Brooke Penrose. 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 Valka: Dark Shadows as an expansion for Valka. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Valka to use it. Check that your edition of Valka is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.