If you are a fan of Dark Souls board game expansions, then this buyer’s guide should help you to find the best one for your needs. We have compiled a list of our favorite products and rated them based on their quality, gameplay, replayability, and price. This way it should be easier for you to shop around and find what is right for you!
Base Game: What is Dark Souls?
Game Features
If you don’t know what is Dark Souls, then the best place to start would be with a short description of its creator. The board game was created by Steamforged Games in 2015 and they have been responsible for other successful games such as “Kickstarter”, “Guild Ball” or “Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress”.
You will be exploring dangerous locations with your favorite characters (or heroes) and fighting deadly bosses in order to earn rewards, upgrade your character decks or simply make them stronger for the next challenge that awaits you. It is a challenging game that forces players to strategize every turn they take. There are no turns where nothing happens; it all matters how well you prepare ahead of time!
Mechanics
The gameplay itself is very unique. At the beginning of the game, each player will pick a hero which has its own set of abilities and passive bonuses that can be upgraded over time.
The way you position your heroes matters as well since they have different movement ranges and it’s important not to get surrounded by foes! In addition, there are some cards for bosses that require special tactics from players who wish to emerge victorious at the end of every match/dungeon run.
It’s also worth noting that Dark Souls board game expansions add new levels with harder difficulty modes so even experienced gamers can continue enjoying this tabletop experience for months and months to come!
Scoring System
Each time you beat a boss, you will be rewarded by finally accessing that location and using its resources to upgrade your character or simply earn more souls in order to spend them on new abilities.
This means that there are no wrong ways of playing this board game expansion since everyone has different preferences when it comes to enjoying tabletop games!
In terms of replayability, Dark Souls definitely scores high points here. Players get to pick their favorite heroes (or bosses) and revisit locations they’ve already explored. That means that the game is not only challenging but it’s also exciting since players never know what kind of enemies or events await them!
Best Dark Souls Expansions on the Market
Now, there are nearly a dozen Dark Souls expansion packs out there, so it can be tough to choose which one to get. This comparison chart will help you make the best decision for which Dark Souls expansion pack to pick.
| Image | Product | |
|---|---|---|
Best Dark Souls Board Game Expansions  | Dark Souls: The Board Game – Executioners Chariot Boss Expansion (2020)
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Best for New Players & Those that Like to Explore  | Dark Souls: Board Game — Explorers Expansion
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Best for RPG & PvE Players  | Dark Souls: Board Game — Phantoms Expansion
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Best for those interested in high-level alternatives  | Dark Souls: Board Game — The Last Giant Expansion
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Best for those who want to be challenged  | Dark Souls: The Board Game - Manus, Father of The Abyss Expansion
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1. Dark Souls: The Board Game – Executioners Chariot Boss Expansion (2020) – Best Dark Souls Board Game Expansions
Overview
This expansion is an absolute must-have for any Dark Souls fan and it can be combined with the core game set, so you don’t need to worry about compatibility issues.
There’s only one downside – due to its size, this particular Dark Souls board game expansion doesn’t come cheap but we’re convinced that every gamer should have it in their collection at least once since there is plenty of stuff that players get access to after beating this mini-boss!
Mechanics
The first thing that players will notice is the new character sheet which features a different set of abilities. They are not only more powerful but they also unlock new ways to play the game which makes this expansion an absolute must for all Dark Souls fans.
The second mechanic introduced in this particular board game expansion is none other than The Executioner himself! This boss has its own set of actions, abilities, and tokens which make it one tough foe to beat but if you do manage to kill him then you’ll be rewarded with quite a few souls (and every hero needs them!)
Last but not least – bosses can summon additional enemies into battle so there’s no time for players to relax during these encounters since they need their full attention at all times or else they will end up losing that very same fight!
Components
As we already mentioned, the first thing that players will notice is a new character sheet. It replaces your default one and it comes with access to better abilities as well as some flaws such as lower stamina/health which helps balance out this board game expansion even further!
Speaking of tokens – there are plenty of them included: status effect tokens, wound tokens and soul currency, etc. Last but not least – you get two boss cards featuring different versions of The Executioner himself along with his own set of actions/abilities card deck.
Pros And Cons
Final Judgement
If you’ve enjoyed playing through the original campaign and wish there were more challenging quests then look no further than this Dark Souls board game expansion pack! It will not only bring in new rules but it’ll also add a bunch of content that will provide players with more fun and entertainment.
2. Dark Souls: Board Game — Explorers Expansion – Best for New Players & Those that Like to Explore
Overview
This particular Dark Souls board game expansion is the perfect choice for players who wish to add even more content to their gaming experience. There are plenty of new bosses, enemies, and abilities that will give you a run for your money since this additional pack introduces completely new mechanics which weren’t available in the core box set!
Mechanics
The first mechanic that players will notice is the new character sheet which brings in an additional level of depth and fun. It comes with a bunch of abilities but it also has its flaws such as lower health/stamina which forces you to play more carefully!
Speaking of limitations, this board game expansion pack adds another one: no summoning other allies during boss battles. This tweak definitely helps balance out everything and make sure all fights remain challenging until the very end!
Components
In terms of components – there’s quite a bit included: cards, tokens, and even some miniatures so everything looks nice and it all works well with one another while providing players with an amazing gameplay experience overall. Needless to say – every fan should have access to Explorers Expansion at least once but if they plan on playing through the entire campaign then we’d recommend getting two copies just in case something happens during shipping etc.
Pros And Cons
Final Judgement
If you’re looking for even more content to add to your Dark Souls board game experience then look no further than this particular expansion pack. It’s not that pricey and it brings in a couple of new mechanics which help keep the game fresh for dozens upon dozens of hours!
3. Dark Souls: Board Game — Phantoms Expansion – Best for RPG & PvE Players
Overview
The Phantoms Expansion is another one for all Dark Souls board game fans and it’s perfect if you’re looking to play through the entire base campaign once again but this time in a slightly different way. There are plenty of new NPCs, quests, and even bosses that will help players experience everything they love about this particular franchise!
The Phantoms Expansion is great for those who plan on getting back into Dark Souls: Board Game as well as RPG & PvE fans out there but we wouldn’t recommend it to people who don’t like playing with other humans (it does add a bunch of new mechanics though so you never know).
Mechanics
As we’ve already mentioned – there’s a bunch of new mechanics that help make this particular board game expansion feel fresh and engaging for dozens upon dozens of hours! We really like the fact that players can now hire NPCs (which is something completely optional but it helps keep things even more interesting) as well as explore numerous other quests. New item cards, weapons, and armor pieces are also added in alongside some brand-new bosses such as Pharros The Vagabond or Holy Knight Hodrick just to name a few.
Components
There are plenty of components included but unlike the previous board game expansion – this one has its own unique style. We really like the fact that there’s a bunch of stunning miniatures which go alongside new abilities, strategies, and even NPCs! The Phantoms Expansion brings in brand-new mechanics as well as additional content for those who plan on experiencing every bit of it so rest assured because you’ll get to enjoy all of these amazing things without spending too much money at once.
Pros And Cons
Final Judgement
Even though the Phantoms Expansion doesn’t bring anything revolutionary or ground-breaking to Dark Souls: Board Game it’s not that bad considering you get to experience the entire campaign again with a lot more content to explore and enjoy. The mechanics, quests, and even bosses make this particular board game expansion feel fresh and engaging for dozens upon dozens of hours which is exactly what we’ve been looking for!
4. Dark Souls: Board Game — The Last Giant Expansion – Best for Those Interested in High-level Alternatives
Overview
The Last Giant board game expansion is one of the newest ones which means that it brings a whole bunch of new content to explore and enjoy! It’s worth mentioning that this particular board game expansion pack can be played with both solo or multiplayer gameplay so you won’t have to worry about anything at all.
Mechanics
It’s worth noting that you’ll get to explore an entirely new area with this particular board game expansion which means that there are plenty of new items, weapons, and so on. The experience feels fresh thanks to the fact that some old bosses have been completely reworked/reworked while also including a ton of brand-new ones!
Components
The Last Giant board game expansion pack brings a whole bunch of new components/content to explore and enjoy. The first thing we’ve noticed is the huge number of brand-new bosses, items as well as other mechanics which makes it feel fresh and engaging for dozens upon dozens of hours!
Pros And Cons
Final Judgement
The Last Giant board game expansion pack is definitely worth purchasing if you enjoyed the base Dark Souls: Board Game experience. It’s not that pricey, offers plenty of new content/mechanics as well as additional quests & items which makes it perfect both for RPG fans out there but also those who plan on getting back into playing with other humans (there’s a ton of new mechanics/items which makes the experience feel different).
5. Dark Souls: The Board Game – Manus, Father of The Abyss Expansion – Best for Those Who Want to Be Challenged
Overview
The Manus, Father of the Abyss board game expansion is one worth purchasing if you’re looking for something different and unique. It offers brand-new content/mechanics such as weapon upgrades (which makes your character stronger) alongside new quests which make it feel like a big step forward in terms of overall gameplay experience.
Mechanics
The Manus, Father of the Abyss board game expansion is all about exploration and it makes a whole bunch of new items/mechanics available. You’ll get to enjoy exploring some brand-new areas which means that you can expect more weapons (including unique ones) as well as powerful bosses who want nothing but your life force!
Components
The Manus, Father of the Abyss board game expansion is a must-have if you’re looking for something different and unique. It brings new items/mechanics to explore as well as powerful bosses that can make your life miserable!
Pros And Cons
Final Judgement
We’re quite pleased with the Manus, Father of the Abyss board game expansion and we definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to get back into playing Dark Souls: Board Game. It offers plenty of new content/mechanics as well as other strong bosses which make for a fresh experience overall!
People Also Ask
Will I have fun playing with other players instead of just the computer?
Most definitely yes because we've found that fighting bosses alongside humans make for more fun & exciting battles overall. We also find it far easier to keep track of when there are several foes attacking us instead of just focusing on dealing damage which means that having multiple people at once helps quite a bit.
What does an average play-through of this board game look like?
It usually starts off with each player choosing a class to play as, then they roll for their starting items. Usually, players will go around the world and try killing bosses/enemies in order to gain souls which are used as currency at bonfires (the games saving mechanic) so that you can level up your character or buy weapons from merchants found throughout the land. This means there's always something interesting going on even when it's not your turn because other players are doing exciting things!
How long does a single playthrough last?
Usually, our average session lasts about two hours but we have achieved much shorter times depending on how much we've leveled up our characters and what kind of weapons we buy. It's quite suitable for shorter periods spent playing this board game because it doesn't take that long to play through a single session!
Conclusion
The Dark Souls board game add ons improve over time with new expansions released every couple of months which means there’s always something fresh on the horizon when it comes to content updates. This makes it stand out from similar games where all you do is buy cards and add them to your character deck in order to make it stronger.
We hope our guide helped introduce new players to one of the best tabletop games ever made so don’t hesitate and check it out today while supplies last!