Rune Stones

A fantasy deck-builder where playing a card can cost you your best card, and gems turn into Rune Stones.

Designer: Rüdiger Dorn
Published by: Queen Games
Editions by: Piatnik

Rune Stones is a deck-building game from Rüdiger Dorn with a nasty little twist: every card carries a unique number, you always play two cards together, and the higher-numbered one is removed from your deck. So your best cards are also your most dangerous ones, and you have to buy and play them with care. With your cards you gather gems, forge them into artifacts, and combine artifacts into Rune Stones that grant an ability for the rest of the game. The more artifacts that go into a Rune Stone, the more points it scores, so you decide whether to grab an ability early or wait for a bigger payout. Each turn offers three options, including summoning creatures. It is a thoughtful deck-builder for two to four.

Unique card numbers; the higher one is removedGems become artifacts, artifacts become Rune StonesChoose from three actions each turn

Who it's for

You like deck-building but want a fresh twist, with real consequences for strong cards, designed by Rüdiger Dorn.

Not for you if…

You want the pure big-combo fun of typical deck-builders. Here the system punishes your best plays.

Vibe's take

Thoughtful and a little tense. Every play is a small sacrifice, so the deck feels like something you carefully prune rather than endlessly grow.