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Star Realms

Star Realms is a deck-building card game centered on spaceship combat, designed by Darwin Kastle and Rob Dougherty and first published by Wise Wizard Games in 2014.^[1]^[2] In this two-player game, participants start with a basic deck of 10 cards each and take turns drawing five cards to generate trade for purchasing new ships and bases from a trade row of five cards, while using combat values to attack the opponent's authority—beginning at 50 points—with victory achieved by reducing it to zero.^[3] The base set contains 128 cards, including 80 from the trade deck, 10 explorer cards, personal starting decks, and score cards, all housed in a portable deck box for easy play.^[4] The game's strategic depth arises from faction synergies among its four core factions—the Machine Cult, the Star Empire, the Blob, and the Trade Federation—allowing players to build powerful combos as their decks evolve through acquisitions and discards.^[1]^[5] Expansions such as Frontiers, Colony Wars, Crisis, and United introduce new cards, heroes, events, and multiplayer support for up to six players, enhancing replayability and complexity.^[6] Star Realms has been praised for its accessibility, quick playtime of about 20 minutes, and balance of luck and skill, earning awards including the 2015 SXSW Tabletop Game of the Year, four Golden Geek Awards from BoardGameGeek, and two Dice Tower Awards.^[4] A digital adaptation, developed by Wise Wizard Games, launched in 2016 on platforms like Steam, iOS, and Android, featuring online multiplayer, AI opponents, and all expansions as DLC.^[7] In 2025, to mark its tenth anniversary (first published in 2014), Wise Wizard Games released an anniversary edition with extended artwork and a travel-friendly box, alongside the 2024 Rise of Empire legacy campaign, which introduces three new factions—the Consortium, the Kingdom, and the Scavengers—along with a narrative progression.^[2]^[8]

Overview and History

Development and Publication

Star Realms was designed by Rob Dougherty and Darwin Kastle, both Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour champions and inductees into the Magic: The Gathering Hall of Fame.^[4]^[9] The game originated as a collaborative project between Dougherty and Kastle, developed in a small office above Dougherty's garage as an indie endeavor.^[10] It was conceived as a streamlined deck-building game, drawing inspiration from the combat mechanics of Magic: The Gathering and the deck-building framework of Dominion to create a more interactive, player-versus-player experience.^[10] Following the completion of the core design, Star Realms launched on Kickstarter in October 2013, raising $51,481 from 1,178 backers against a $20,000 funding goal to cover printing costs.^[11] The game was published by White Wizard Games in 2014, marking the company's entry into the deck-building genre. The company later rebranded to Wise Wizard Games in 2021.^[1]^[12] The initial release was distributed through hobby game stores, online retailers such as Amazon, and direct sales, making the compact boxed set accessible to a wide audience.^[2] A key milestone came in 2025 with the 10th Anniversary Edition, featuring extended artwork on select cards, premium foil-stamped packaging, and a new travel box compatible with sleeved or unsleeved cards.^[13]^[14]^[15]

Core Concept and Themes

Star Realms is a two-player deck-building card game centered on spaceship combat in a science fiction universe, where players command interstellar fleets to engage in strategic battles for galactic dominance.^[3] The premise revolves around rival factions clashing in a vast, resource-scarce galaxy, drawing players into a narrative of interstellar rivalry and territorial expansion.^[2] This setup positions participants as fleet commanders who must navigate alliances and conflicts among diverse groups, such as the militaristic Star Empire and the mercantile Trade Federation, to outmaneuver their opponents.^[2] At its core, the game's objective is to reduce the opponent's Authority—a measure of their command influence—to zero through targeted combat assaults, achieved by acquiring and deploying powerful ships and defensive bases to form an evolving armada.^[3] Players begin with modest starting decks and progressively build their forces by drawing from a shared trade row, balancing the acquisition of cards that generate Trade resources for purchases or direct Combat damage to erode enemy defenses.^[4] This mechanic underscores the thematic emphasis on exploration, as commanders scout and integrate new technologies and vessels, and conquest, as they launch assaults to seize control of key sectors.^[2] The themes of Star Realms evoke a galaxy-spanning conflict marked by opportunistic alliances and betrayals among factions vying for supremacy, fostering asymmetric gameplay where decks evolve rapidly into specialized engines of war or economic might.^[2] This fast-paced dynamic highlights the tension between short-term tactical strikes and long-term strategic deck refinement, immersing players in a narrative of relentless interstellar ambition without predefined storylines, allowing emergent tales of victory through cunning fleet management.^[4]

Components

Card Types and Factions

Star Realms features three primary card types: Ships, Bases, and starter non-combat cards. Ships represent mobile spacecraft that players deploy to generate resources and deal damage, typically providing a combination of Trade (used to purchase new cards from the Trade Row) and Combat (used to attack the opponent's Authority or their Bases). Bases are defensive installations that remain in play after activation, offering persistent effects such as resource generation, damage, or protection, but they are vulnerable to targeted destruction by opponent Combat. The initial Personal Decks consist of non-combat Scouts, which yield 1 Trade when played to facilitate early purchases, and basic Vipers, low-cost Ships providing 4 Combat for initial aggression.^[5]^[1] Cards are categorized by rarity—Common, Uncommon, and Rare—with Rares offering more powerful effects and higher costs, influencing deck-building strategy. The base game's shared Trade Deck comprises 80 cards (20 per base faction), while each player's starting Personal Deck contains 10 cards: 8 Scouts and 2 Vipers, emphasizing resource acquisition and basic combat to bootstrap deck growth.^[5]^[1] The game revolves around four main factions in the base set, each with distinct themes, colors, and allied synergies that activate bonus effects when multiple cards from the same faction are in play. These alliances encourage faction-focused deck construction for amplified abilities, such as extra resources or disruption. Expansions add new cards to these factions and, in the case of the 2024 Rise of Empire set, introduce three additional factions, expanding strategic depth.^[5]^[6] The Trade Federation (yellow) emphasizes economic dominance through corporate trade networks, generating substantial Trade for acquiring superior assets and Authority for sustaining health. Allied cards grant +1 Trade, promoting rapid deck expansion and defensive plays.^[5] The Star Empire (red) embodies aggressive military expansion from rebellious colonies, focusing on direct Combat output, card draw, and opponent disruption via discards. Its ally ability adds +2 Combat, enabling swift, overwhelming assaults.^[5] The Blob (green) consists of bio-organic alien destroyers, specializing in high-damage bursts, base destruction, and Trade Row manipulation to deny opponents key purchases. Allies provide +1 Combat and scrap an opponent's card from the Trade Row, enhancing control and aggression.^[5] The Machine Cult (blue) draws from techno-religious mining worlds, prioritizing deck optimization through scrapping weak cards and bolstering Base defenses. The ally effect allows scrapping a card from hand or discard, fostering efficient, resilient builds.^[5] The 2024 Rise of Empire set introduces three new factions as part of its legacy campaign. The Consortium (purple) represents wealthy worlds allied with trade interests, specializing in economic and diplomatic strategies with ally abilities focused on resource generation and alliances. The Kingdom (orange) is a militaristic monarchy emphasizing disciplined combat and defensive structures, with synergies for coordinated attacks and authority protection. The Scavengers (gray) feature opportunistic raiders who repurpose wreckage, offering abilities for scavenging resources, disrupting opponents, and adaptive scrapping. These factions integrate with existing ones, providing new combo opportunities.^[16]^[17]

Deck and Accessories

The base game of Star Realms includes two identical 10-card starter decks, one for each player, each consisting of eight Scout cards and two Viper cards, providing a neutral starting hand for building personal fleets.^[18] An 80-card Trade Deck forms the shared market from which players acquire new cards, comprising 20 cards each from the four core factions: Trade Federation, Star Empire, Machine Cult, and The Blob.^[18] Additionally, the game contains 10 Explorer cards, which are drawn to reveal new options in the Trade Row, along with a rulebook outlining setup and play.^[18] To track Authority—the game's health mechanic starting at 50 per player—the base set provides 18 double-sided score cards (12 for increments of 1 or 5 Authority and 6 for 10 or 20 Authority), allowing players to mark reductions from combat.^[18] These components are housed in a compact, portable deck-box design, measuring approximately 1.8 x 2.8 x 3.8 inches, which facilitates easy transport and storage without additional accessories.^[19] The 10th Anniversary Edition updates the packaging for improved organization, featuring a premium foil-stamped collector's box that accommodates sleeved or unsleeved cards, extended artwork on all 136 cards (including an expanded 16 Explorer cards and four starter decks for up to four players), and four compact score dials replacing the original cards for simpler Authority tracking.^[13] For multiplayer games with three or four players, the base set's components are insufficient alone; two copies are required, with their Trade Decks shuffled together to form a larger shared market, while each player receives one of the four available starter decks from the combined sets.^[20]

Rules

Setup and Preparation

To prepare for a game of Star Realms, each player assembles a personal starting deck of 10 cards, consisting of 8 Scout cards (each providing 1 Trade) and 2 Viper cards (each providing 1 Combat), and shuffles it thoroughly.^[21] Players also begin with 50 Authority each, tracked using the included authority markers placed at the 50 position or noted on paper.^[21] Damage tokens are set aside and made readily available for resolving damage to bases during play.^[18] The trade deck is shuffled and placed face down to form the draw pile, with the top 5 cards turned face up in the center of the play area to create the trade row from which players acquire new cards.^[21] The 10 Explorer cards, which provide 1 Trade and can be acquired at any time, are placed face up in a separate pile adjacent to the trade row.^[18] The first player is chosen randomly (such as by coin flip or agreement); the first player draws 3 cards from their deck, and the opponent draws 5 cards.^[21] This setup process is minimal and typically takes 1-2 minutes, enabling quick entry into gameplay. For 3-4 player games, two copies of the base set are combined by shuffling all trade deck cards together to form the shared draw pile while maintaining the standard 5-card trade row; the first player draws 3 cards, the second draws 4, and others draw 5; each player uses their own 10-card starting deck and begins with 50 Authority.^[20]^[21]

Turn Sequence and Actions

In Star Realms, a player's turn consists of three distinct phases that structure the gameplay around activating, managing resources from the personal deck, and drawing for the next turn. The turn begins with the Main Phase, where the player may play cards from their hand face up, activating their primary effects to generate resources such as Trade and Combat, or triggering special abilities. There is no maximum hand size limit, and playing cards is optional. Ships provide immediate Trade (used for acquiring new cards) or Combat (used for attacks) and are oriented horizontally when played, while Bases are oriented vertically and remain in play until destroyed, offering ongoing effects like additional resource generation or defensive capabilities.^[18] Players then allocate their accumulated Trade to buy cards from the central Trade Row—a line of five face-up cards from the Trade Deck, each with a cost ranging from 1 to 6 Trade in the upper-right corner—adding purchased cards directly to their discard pile for future draws; the Trade Row is immediately refilled from the Trade Deck after each purchase to maintain five available options.^[18] There is no restriction on the number of cards that can be acquired, provided sufficient Trade is available, allowing strategic flexibility in deck-building.^[18] Combat generated during this phase can be directed toward attacking the opponent's bases (which automatically defend by absorbing damage equal to their defense value) or, after resolving base defenses, toward reducing the opponent's Authority, which serves as their health pool starting at 50 points.^[18] Players cannot target their own bases with attacks or effects, preventing self-sabotage in resource allocation.^[20] In the base game, faction synergies enhance card play through Ally abilities, which activate when a player has at least two cards of the same faction (indicated by colored icons: blue for Trade Federation, yellow for Star Empire, orange for Machine Cult, green for Blob, or purple for free agents) simultaneously in play, often granting bonuses such as +1 Combat or +1 Trade to amplify the turn's output.^[18] These abilities can be triggered and used at any point during the Main Phase, regardless of play order, encouraging players to build decks around compatible factions for compounded effects.^[20] The turn continues with the Discard Phase, where all played Ships, any remaining cards in hand, and unspent Trade or Combat are discarded to the player's discard pile, while Bases stay in play; this resets the hand for the next phase.^[18] The turn concludes with the Draw Phase, where the player draws five cards from their personal deck; if the deck is depleted, the discard pile is shuffled to form a new deck before drawing continues.^[18] The Trade Row is refilled if necessary to prepare for the opponent's actions.^[18]

Combat and Authority Mechanics

In Star Realms, Authority serves as each player's health total, starting at 50 in both two-player and standard multiplayer Free-For-All formats.^[21]^[22] Damage applied to Authority directly reduces this value, and the game ends when an opponent's Authority reaches zero.^[3] Authority cannot be healed through standard mechanics, though certain cards from expansions allow players to gain Authority.^[20] Combat in Star Realms is generated primarily by playing Ships and activating certain Base abilities, accumulating in an unspent Combat pool during a player's Main Phase.^[21] Players may freely distribute this Combat to target an opponent or their Bases, subtracting from the pool as needed; for example, a total of 10 Combat could be split as 6 against a Base and 4 directly to the opponent's Authority.^[20] However, if the opponent controls any Outposts—a special subset of Bases— all available Combat must first be applied to destroy those Outposts before targeting the opponent or non-Outpost Bases, enforcing a protective priority mechanic.^[21] Bases defend against Combat by possessing a fixed Defense value, typically 5 for most standard Bases like the Battle Station or Trading Post (with variations such as 4 for some Outposts like Stealth Needle).^[21] To destroy a Base, a player must allocate at least an amount of Combat equal to its Defense value in a single turn; excess Combat assigned to a Base is wasted and does not carry over or spill to other targets.^[3] Destroyed Bases are moved to their owner's discard pile, removing their ongoing benefits, while some card abilities enable direct destruction without expending Combat, such as the Missile Boat's "Destroy target base" effect.^[21] Direct damage primarily targets Authority via the Combat pool, reducing it point-for-point without intermediaries, whereas indirect damage focuses on Bases to eliminate defensive or generative assets before accessing Authority.^[3] Certain cards bypass the Combat pool entirely for direct Authority loss.^[20] This distinction encourages strategic allocation, as neutralizing Bases unlocks faster paths to victory through undefended Authority strikes.^[21]

Winning Conditions

In Star Realms, the primary winning condition is to reduce an opponent's Authority to zero or below, at which point the game ends immediately and the attacking player is declared the victor.^[16] Authority represents a player's life force in the interstellar conflict, starting at 50 points per player, and is typically depleted through combat damage from ships and bases.^[16] In multiplayer games supporting 3 to 6 players, the format determines the path to victory, but the core principle remains elimination based on Authority. In Free-For-All mode, players may attack any opponent or their bases, and the last player with Authority above zero wins, allowing for informal alliances or shifting targets without formal team structures.^[16] Other variants, such as Hunter (where attacks target only the player to your left) or team-based modes like Hydra (shared Authority pools for pairs or trios), also end with the last remaining player or team victorious upon opponents' Authority reaching zero.^[16] No formal tiebreakers exist; simultaneous Authority reductions to zero result in sudden death resolution based on the triggering action.^[16] Games of Star Realms typically last 20 to 30 minutes for two players, scaling slightly longer in multiplayer due to increased decision complexity, though the focus on rapid deck-building and direct confrontation keeps sessions concise.^[23]

Expansions and Variants

Major Expansion Sets

The major expansion sets for Star Realms introduce substantial new card pools, mechanics, and gameplay variants to the base game, expanding strategic options while maintaining compatibility for mixed decks. These sets focus on enhancing combat dynamics, faction synergies, and player interaction through innovative card types and structures. Colony Wars, released in 2015, serves as a standalone two-player set with an entirely new 80-card trade deck comprising refreshed cards from the four core factions (Star Empire, Trade Federation, Machine Cult, and The Blobs). It emphasizes defensive strategies with enhanced bases and introduces new ship abilities that promote aggressive territorial control, allowing seamless integration with the base game for up to four players.^[24]^[25] The Crisis expansions, released in 2014, comprise four interconnected mini-packs—Bases & Battleships, Events, Fleets & Fortresses, and Heroes—adding 48 cards total. These introduce event cards that dynamically alter the trade row upon entry, fostering asymmetric play through sudden disruptions, alongside powerful hero units with persistent abilities and fortified bases for each faction, which deepen tactical decision-making in prolonged engagements.^[26]^[27] Frontiers, released in 2018, is a standalone expansion supporting 1-4 players via a new 80-card trade deck and eight challenge cards for solo or cooperative modes. It innovates with the "double ally" mechanic, doubling bonuses for same-faction plays to reward focused builds, and includes mercenary-like neutral ships that provide flexible synergies across decks, broadening exploration and conquest themes.^[28]^[6] United, released in 2016, comprises four packs—Assault, Command, Missions, and Heroes—delivering 48 cards emphasizing multi-faction alliances. It features hybrid ships and bases blending faction traits, elite hero characters with game-altering abilities like hidden agendas, and mission cards that impose secret objectives, enabling varied victory paths beyond direct combat.^[29]^[30] Block sets organize expansions into cohesive collections for streamlined play. The Nova Block bundles the core set with the Gambit expansion and Crisis elements (the four packs), providing over 250 foil cards for enhanced replayability in 1-6 player games. The Colonial Block, centered on Colony Wars, incorporates the Cosmic Gambit and United expansions for thematic campaigns, supporting 2-4 players with modular deck-building.^[6]^[31] Rise of Empire, released in 2024, functions as a standalone prequel with a 141-card set and a 12-scenario legacy campaign for 2-6 players. It unveils three new factions—the Consortium (diplomatic traders), Kingdom (honor-bound warriors), and Scavengers (resource raiders)—alongside an evolving game board, permanent deck modifications, and crisis events that transform the market over sessions, blending narrative progression with core deck-building. An Infinite Replay Kit was released in 2025 to allow multiple playthroughs without stickers.^[8]^[32]

Special Editions and Promos

The 10th Anniversary Edition of Star Realms, released into retail on November 4, 2025, celebrates a decade of the game with updated extended artwork on its 136 core cards, including an 80-card main trade deck, 16 Explorer cards, and four 10-card personal decks.^[15]^[13] This edition retains the original gameplay while introducing high-quality components, such as four compact score dials, a folded rulesheet, and a premium foil-stamped travel box designed to accommodate both sleeved and unsleeved cards.^[13] Promotional cards for Star Realms have been distributed through various events and retailers, enhancing the base game with unique additions like new ships and bases. At conventions such as Gen Con, exclusive promo cards are offered, including the Corvette ship as a 2025 giveaway, which provides players with specialized combat options not found in standard sets.^[33]^[34] Tournament prizes, including those from organized play at events like Gen Con, reward participants with powerful promo cards, such as high-cost ships capable of bouncing opponent bases, fostering competitive engagement.^[35] All special editions and promos integrate seamlessly with the core game, allowing players to expand trade decks by shuffling in additional cards for increased variety and larger-scale play.^[6]

Digital Versions

Available Platforms

The digital version of Star Realms was initially released as mobile applications for iOS and Android in 2014 by Wise Wizard Games, LLC. The Android app became available on July 3, 2014, followed by the iOS version on August 13, 2014. Both platforms offer the base game for free, with in-app purchases unlocking additional content such as expansions and full version features.^[36]^[37]^[38]^[39] The PC version, including its full Steam release on March 8, 2016, supports online multiplayer and AI opponents across Windows and Mac platforms. The mobile and desktop apps include optimizations for tablets, enhancing usability on larger screens. Cross-platform play is facilitated via unified user accounts, enabling players to maintain progress and compete across iOS, Android, Steam, and Mac.^[7]^[40] All expansions from the physical game are available as downloadable content (DLC) in the digital edition, including sets like Colony Wars, Cosmic Gambit, United, and Crisis expansions, priced individually.^[41] Through 2025, the digital Star Realms receives ongoing updates, encompassing bug fixes, balance adjustments, and seasonal events such as Swarm challenges featured in Arena modes. For instance, a patch in April 2025 addressed gameplay stability issues, while June 2025 introduced Swarm-themed rewards and foils.^[42]^[43]

Unique Features and Updates

The digital adaptation of Star Realms incorporates automated deck shuffling, eliminating manual preparation and allowing seamless transitions between turns for a fluid gameplay experience.^[41] This feature, combined with intuitive interface controls, replicates the core deck-building mechanics while optimizing for touch and mouse inputs across devices. AI opponents are available at three adjustable difficulty levels, enabling solo players to engage in strategic battles that scale with skill progression and serve as effective practice tools.^[2] Online matchmaking facilitates 2-player games through asynchronous or live modes, connecting users via global servers for ranked matches against friends or random opponents.^[38] The single-player campaign comprises 15 missions, starting with introductory tutorials that guide new players through setup, trading, and combat before advancing to complex scenarios.^[40] Seasonal modes introduce daily and weekly challenges, such as the Battle Star or Swarm events, where participants compete for rewards including exclusive foil card unlocks that add visual flair to decks.^[2] In 2025, developers released updates featuring new customizable avatars and weekly previews of upcoming foil cards to build community anticipation.^[2]^[44]^[45] Monetization follows a free-to-play model for the base game, with no advertisements interrupting play; the full version upgrade costs $4.99 to access the complete campaign and core expansions, while additional packs like Colony Wars or Crisis are priced at $1.99 to $4.99 each, directly adapting physical expansions as DLC content.^[41]^[40] Community engagement is supported through global leaderboards tracking player rankings, in-app tournaments offering competitive brackets with entry fees and prizes like foils, and cross-save capabilities that sync progress and purchases across iOS, Android, and desktop platforms via a single login.^[40]^[46]^[47]

Reception

Critical Reviews

Star Realms has received widespread praise from critics and players for its quick setup time, which typically takes under five minutes, allowing players to dive straight into gameplay without extensive preparation.^[48] Reviewers highlight the game's compact design and straightforward rules as key factors in its accessibility, making it ideal for spontaneous sessions.^[49] The deck-building mechanic ensures high replayability, as each game features unique combinations of ships, bases, and faction synergies drawn from a shared trade row, preventing predictable outcomes.^[50] Additionally, the game strikes an effective balance between luck—through card draws—and strategy, with decisions on purchases and combat influencing outcomes without overwhelming complexity.^[51] Critics have noted some limitations, particularly the game's optimal experience at two players, where the direct confrontation shines brightest, though expansions enable multiplayer variants with mixed results.^[52] Without expansions, the base set can feel repetitive over extended play, as the finite card pool may lead to familiar strategies dominating sessions.^[50] On BoardGameGeek, Star Realms holds an average rating of 7.9 out of 10 based on over 47,000 user ratings as of 2025, reflecting its enduring appeal as a portable deck-builder.^[1] The Dice Tower has recommended it for its portability and fast-paced duels, positioning it as a go-to option for on-the-go gaming.^[53] The game's longevity has been supported by recent expansions such as Rise of Empire (2024), Conquest, High Alert: First Strike, and Borg: Invasion (all 2025), which introduce new cards, scenarios, and mechanics to refresh the core experience.^[54]^[55]^[56]^[57] However, in November 2025, publisher Wise Wizard Games announced layoffs and a restructuring amid financial challenges, including over $2.5 million in Kickstarter obligations, raising questions about future development despite ongoing community engagement.^[58] It is often compared favorably to Dominion for its sci-fi theme and aggressive combat focus, offering a more thematic and confrontational alternative to the medieval engine-building of its predecessor.^[59] The community supports this vitality through active forums on BoardGameGeek, where discussions on strategy and balance continue, alongside fan-created variants that adapt the game for multiplayer or solo play.^[60]^[61]

Awards and Recognition

Star Realms has received widespread acclaim in the tabletop gaming community, earning multiple prestigious awards shortly after its 2014 release that highlight its innovative deck-building mechanics and accessibility for two-player combat. The game's success is evidenced by its wins in major industry honors, reflecting its impact on the genre and appeal to both casual and dedicated gamers.^[4] In 2015, Star Realms won the SXSW Tabletop Game of the Year award, recognizing it as the top overall tabletop game at the South by Southwest Interactive festival. That same year, it secured four Golden Geek Awards from BoardGameGeek, including Best 2-Player Board Game, Best Card Game, Best Indie Game, and Best Handheld Game (for its digital adaptation). These user-voted honors from the largest board game database underscore the game's popularity and versatility across physical and digital formats.^[62]^[1] The game also claimed two Dice Tower Awards in 2014, voted by the influential Dice Tower Network: Best Two-Player Game and Best Game from a Small Publisher (for White Wizard Games). Additionally, at the 2015 Origins Awards, it was nominated for Best Traditional Card Game and won the Fan Favorite in that category, further affirming its status among card game enthusiasts.^[63]^[1] Internationally, Star Realms garnered further recognition, including a recommendation in the 2016 Hra Roku (Czech Game of the Year) awards and a nomination for the 2017 As d'Or - Jeu de l'Année Expert category in France. These accolades contributed to its reputation as a seminal deck-builder, influencing subsequent games in the space combat theme.^[1]

References

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In stock Rating 3.8 (47,237) Star Realms is a head-to-head spaceship combat deck-building game where players use ships and bases to generate trade or combat to win by reducing opponent's ...Star Empire Faction cards · Cthulhu Realms · Frontiers · Various The Blobs cards.
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Star Realms is an award-winning spaceship combat deckbuilding game with easy to learn gameplay, where you build a deck and blast your opponent.Learn to Play · Digital Version · Sets and Expansions · About Star Realms
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Star Realms is a space combat card game where players grow their deck to reduce opponent's authority to zero. Players start with 10 ships and use trade and ...
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Star Realms is a spaceship combat deckbuilding game combining trading card combat with deckbuilding. It is portable, affordable, and expandable for multiple ...
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Star Realms United is a four pack expansion that features multi-faction ships and bases, powerful new heroes, and all-new missions cards that give players a new ...Nova Block · Crisis Expansion · Colonial Block
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Each of the cards in the Trade Deck is a Ship or a Base belonging to one of four factions: The Trade Federation, The Blobs, The Star Empire or The Machine Cult.
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In stock Rating 4.0 (5,969) Star Realms is a fast-paced game of space battles that combines the fun of a deckbuilding game with the interactivity of Trading Card Game-style combat.The Challenge Cards · 7.9 · Ratings & Comments
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Combat is used to attack your opponent or their Bases directly. Each player starts with a score of 50 Authority. If you reduce your opponent's Authority to zero ...
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Star Realms is a fast-paced, strategic deck-building game with trading card combat, easy to learn, portable, and supports 2-6 players.
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A multi-faction ship, base, or ally ability is treated as having both factions. For example, the Assault Pod ship is Blob/Star Empire. It is considered Blob for ...
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You'll use normal Star Realms rules for hand size, acquiring cards, using Combat, etc. The next few titles cover general rules for challenge cards.
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Star Realms involves playing cards to gain Trade, Combat, and Authority. The goal is to reduce an opponent's Authority to zero. Each turn has three phases.
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In stock Rating 3.9 (8,674) Star Realms: Colony Wars. Expand your fleet, defend your bases, and prevail in the battle for the colonies. Released: 2015.
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This explosive new expansion features four new packs of cards to expand your Star Realms' play experience: Events, Heroes, Fleets & Fortresses and Bases & ...
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In stock Rating 3.6 (626) Star Realms: United is an expansion for Star Realms that's packaged in four non-random booster packs (Assault, Command, Missions and Heroes)
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In stock Rating 3.9 (210) The Nova Collection features beautiful foil versions of every card from Promo Pack 1, the Gambit Set, Crisis: Bases and Battleships, Crisis: Events, Crisis: ...
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Meet Three New Factions. The Consortium. The Consortium consists of relatively Developed and wealthy worlds between the core of the trade federation and the ...
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Oct 14, 2025 · Wise Wizard Games will release Star Realms: 10th Anniversary Edition, a deck-building game, into retail on November 4, 2025.<|control11|><|separator|>
[32]
Star Realms Championship Tournament at GenCon
Jun 30, 2014 · We're also excited to announce that we'll have a Star Realms tournament area at GenCon, letting players win powerful promo cards and our awesome ...
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Star Realms Corvette Gencon 2025 Exclusive Promo Wise Wizard ...
In stock Free deliveryThis exclusive promo item includes special features and enhancements to the popular board game Star Realms, offering players a unique and exciting gaming ...
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Star Realms Promo Card Roundup | Deck-Building Game
Dec 3, 2013 · This promo set features some very interesting new cards, including some two insanely powerful 7-cost ships, the first-ever card which can bounce an opponent's ...Missing: tournament | Show results with:tournament
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Star Realms Now Available on Android! | Deck-Building Game
Jul 4, 2014 · Android Release of 'Star Realms' Deckbuilder Shows iOS Gamers What ... August 2014 · July 2014 · June 2014 · February 2014 · January 2014 ...
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Star Realms Game Review - MMOs.com
Rating 2.4 (14) Physical Game Release Date: March 26, 2014. Release Date (Android): July 3, 2014. Release Date (iOS): August 13, 2014. Steam Greenlight Date ...
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Star Realms - App Store - Apple
Rating 4.6 (4,261) · Free · iOSStar Realms is a hugely popular space combat deckbuilding game. Download and play today to find out why Star Realms is the winner of SXSW 2014 Board Game of ...Missing: Android | Show results with:Android
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Star Realms - Apps on Google Play
Rating 4.5 (28,263) · Free · AndroidPlease note: The Star Realms app only supports gameplay between two players at a time. Updated on. Oct 27, 2025. Card. Card battler. Casual. Multiplayer.Missing: iOS Steam
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Full Version | Star Realms | Deck-Building Game
$$4.99The Full Version purchase ($4.99USD) unlocks these features on all platforms: Single-login cross-platform online play with global rankings; Chapter 2 of the ...
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Download | Star Realms | Deck-Building Game
Bases & Battleships. This expansion comes with all new ships and bases, adding new strategies to the game. Crisis: Bases & Battleships requires the Full Version ...Missing: components | Show results with:components<|control11|><|separator|>
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20250423 - Bug fixes · Star Realms update for 30 April 2025
Apr 30, 2025 · Bug fixes: -Emptying the trade deck causes the game to freeze Updates: -Removed unused Chat tab from tournament screen.
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Arena Season 25-06 Challenge and Rewards | Star Realms
Jun 2, 2025 · This season features the Swarm challenge, new foil cards, and new avatars. Each week, we will update this post with another foil card preview.
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Star Realms Digital Deckbuilding Game: Conquest! - YouTube
Jul 28, 2025 · We have a TON of new sets coming to the award winning Star Realms digital deckbuilding game, and backers will get early access to play them ...Missing: 2025 features AI matchmaking challenges foils monetization
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20250919 - Bug fixes and balance changes! · Star Realms update ...
Star Realms » Patches. 20250919 - Bug fixes and ... Fire World can reduce defense lower than 1. Cluster base is missing from Rise of Empire Scavengers ... digital ...
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Star Realms: Tournaments now in app! | Deck-Building Game
Mar 17, 2021 · View upcoming tournaments, sign up for tournaments, and view results from past tournaments and it's super easy to use!Missing: leaderboards | Show results with:leaderboards
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Star Realms Digital App Update
Jun 27, 2015 · Hi everyone! This coming Monday (the 29th), we will release a new update for our digital app. This update fixes crashing issues on Android 5.0, ...
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Star Realms Card Game Review and Rules - Geeky Hobbies -
Jul 1, 2019 · Each ally ability can be used once each turn during the main phase. ... This does a good job simplifying the game as it limits how much you have ...Missing: per | Show results with:per
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Star Realms Review - The Thoughtful Gamer
Jul 28, 2017 · Star Realms is a 2-player deckbuilding game where players buy cards to attack and armor, using a unique clan system. It's portable, easy to ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Star Realms Game Review - Meeple Mountain
Rating 4.0 · Review by Robbie FoleyApr 5, 2025 · Star Realms is a fast-paced deck-building game where you and your opponent command intergalactic fleets to destroy each other.
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Review: Star Realms - GeeklyInc
Mar 21, 2015 · Star Realms is an excellent deckbuilding game, and you should play it. It's easy to learn, fun to play, seldom bogs down, and stands up to game after game.<|separator|>
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Review for Two: Star Realms - Cardboard Clash
May 17, 2017 · The setup and teardown time is perfect. In fact, it fired my previous deckbuilder in the collection because this one could be setup and ...
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Star Realms | The Dice Tower
Star Realms is easy to learn, especially if you're familiar with deck-building games, but it's a game that takes time to master. Each time you play, the game is ...
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Larry Levy – Review of Star Realms: Rise of Empire
Mar 17, 2025 · ... Star Realms is a popular deckbuilding game that was first released in 2014 ... Publisher: Wise Wizard Games; Developer: Derek Funkhouser ...
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Battle of the Deckbuilders: Star Realms vs Dominion - Naylor Games
Nov 29, 2018 · Dominion is a deep, thoughtful, strategic exercise in building the most finely tuned, ruthlessly efficient engine in all the land. Star Realms is a quick ...
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Board Game Forums - Star Realms - BoardGameGeek
Rating 7.6/10 (47,187) Board Game Forums. All 3.7K Reviews 79 · Sessions 20 · General 905 · Rules 367 · Strategy 111 · Variants 189 · News 45 · Crowdfunding 14 · Play By Forum 1.9K ...
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The Fan-Made Variant Collection - BoardGameGeek
Dec 4, 2021 · A lot of really, really great fan-made realms have already been posted on this forum. It's really awesome to see all those realms popping up.Fan made alternate faction - BoardGameGeekFan Realms Redux (redesigned and rebalanced) - BoardGameGeekMore results from boardgamegeek.comMissing: Star | Show results with:Star
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Star Realms Wins SXSW Table Top Game of the Year AND 4 ...
Mar 15, 2015 · On the heels of winning four Golden Geek Awards from BoardGameGeek.com, Star Realms has another major victory with a SXSW Table Top Game of the ...Missing: recognition | Show results with:recognition
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The Dice Tower Awards 2014
Presenting the nominees of the eight annual Dice Tower Awards for games released in 2014 in categories including artwork, small publisher, new designer, and ...