
- BGG rating
- 7.5
World of Warcraft: The Boardgame – Shadow of War
- 2–6 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2006

2005
Rules assistance for World of Warcraft: The Boardgame
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
World of Warcraft: The Boardgame is a board game released in 2005 for 2–6 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Christian T. Petersen and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Area Movement.
Take on the role of a chivalrous paladin or a wise shaman, a holy priest or a vile warlock, a mighty mage or a crafty rogue. Play as a savage orc, a mighty tauren, a tribal troll, or one of the Forsaken undead; become an ingenious gnome, a doughty dwarf, a mysterious Night Elf, or a noble human. Based on the popular World of Warcraft Massively Multiplayer Online Game from Blizzard Entertainment, World of Warcraft: the Board Game invites the players to choose from 16 characters, drawn from the eight races and nine character classes of the Warcraft universe, and take up arms for the glory of the Horde ... or the Alliance. Travel across Lordaeron, vanquish monsters, gain experience and power, and earn honor for your faction. World of Warcraft: the Board Game is a team-based fantasy adventure. The Horde and the Alliance factions must compete to be the first to defeat the invincible Overlord – be it the lich Kel'Thuzad, the dragon Nefarian, or the demon Kazzak – or, failing that, to be the last faction standing when it comes to all-out war! —description from the publisher
World of Warcraft: The Boardgame 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 listed playing time for World of Warcraft: The Boardgame is 180 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 World of Warcraft: The Boardgame 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.
World of Warcraft: The Boardgame has a complexity rating of 3.5 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.
World of Warcraft: The Boardgame belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Video Game Theme. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Area Movement. 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 World of Warcraft: The Boardgame are: Christian T. Petersen. 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 World of Warcraft: The Boardgame 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.