Thunderstone Advance: Numenera
- Players
- 1-5
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 2 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.8 / 5
- Year
- 2013
About the game
Thunderstone Advance: Numenera reimagines the Doom of the Thunderstone series through the lens of Monte Cook's Numenera setting, where an ancient evil manifests as an intelligent virus that infects and controls its hosts. Players build a party of heroes through deck-building, drafting cards from a shared marketplace to grow stronger while descending into a dungeon to battle the infected 'Doomladen' and their leaders. It can be played standalone or combined with other Thunderstone sets, and the Doomladen mechanism unites disparate monster groups against the players in new ways. New Setting cards bring the strange environments of the Numenera RPG directly into the deck-building framework.
Hobbli's Notes
This is a satisfying fusion of classic deck-building with dungeon-crawling combat, and the Numenera crossover gives it a distinctly weird, memorable flavor compared to more generic fantasy deckbuilders. The Doomladen mechanism is a smart way to create escalating threat across a session. It's a great pick for fans of Dominion-style deckbuilding who want more monster-fighting texture.
What we like
- The deck-building and dungeon-battling combination offers satisfying long-term progression.
- The Numenera crossover brings a distinctive, weird-fantasy flavor to the series.
- The Doomladen mechanism creates escalating tension as monster groups unite.
- It's compatible with other Thunderstone sets for extended replayability.
Keep in mind
- Newcomers to Thunderstone may find the combined deck-building and combat rules dense at first.
- It leans crunchy compared to lighter deck-builders, which may not suit casual players.
- Familiarity with prior Thunderstone entries helps but isn't strictly required, which can confuse series veterans.
Who it's for
Deck-building fans aged 12+ who enjoy fantasy/sci-fi dungeon-crawling, for 1-5 players.
