Aeon’s End Board Game Buying Guide

While cooperative fantasy deck builders aren’t entirely unique in the tabletop space, Aeon’s End has cast a spell on gamers thanks to its streamlined design and emphasis on teamwork. It’s not uncommon for titles in the genre to quickly become overwhelming between bloated setup times and complex rules, but Aeon’s End gets to the table relatively quickly and walks players through their first battle with pre-built decks and its no-shuffle mechanic. Make no mistake; while Aeon’s End is somewhat approachable, it’s certainly not easy.

Nemeses pose a grave threat that requires planning and teamwork. Luckily, this is where Aeon’s End excels. Rather than shuffling previously used attacks and cards, discard piles simply flip over during your next time through the deck, allowing players to strategically plan future hands and deal optimal damage. Not to mention, many of Aeon’s End’s breach mages—the game’s magical protagonists—operate uniquely but can still synergize effectively to take down baddies. The core mechanics themselves aren’t too difficult to pick up, but mastering them is what keeps players coming back.

Luckily for fans of one of the best deck-building board games on the market, Aeon’s End offers a wealth of options when it comes to expansions. While these packages have evolved gameplay in new and exciting ways, the sheer number of titles might seem overwhelming to those new to the franchise. That’s why we have detailed the various releases, offering everything you need to know about where to start, which expansions to purchase, and what each package offers.

Standalone Games (Big Box)

Note, that because every standalone game contains the necessary components to play such as life dials and tokens, I’ll focus more on what makes each entry different. Therefore, I’ll highlight the new mages, nemesis, and supply cards included with each set. Standalone titles don’t require other games to work, however, each can be combined with other big box or small box expansions.

Aeon’s End 2nd Edition

MSRP: $49.99 USD

• Age: 14+
• Players: 1-4
• Play Time: 60 mins

Content

• 8 Breach Mages
• 4 Nemeses
• 27 Sets of Supply Cards
• 22 Basic Nemesis Cards

While the franchise offers plenty of great starting points for fans, arguably still the best is the game that started it all… or the second edition of the game that started it all, rather. Either iteration is technically fine, but Aeon’s End 2nd Edition features an updated aesthetic that looks more in line with later releases in the series.

Gameplay-wise, Aeon’s End serves as a great introduction to the mechanics as each nemesis tests players in different ways. For example, the Rageborne, the base game’s easiest boss fight, is a straightforward physical attacker who summons minions and deals damage. However, things get much more difficult quite quickly with the Carapace Queen, a nemesis who can defeat players in just one turn under the right circumstances. At this point, players learn that brute strength alone isn’t enough.

Especially for those who aren’t expert deck-builders, the Aeon’s End base game offers players enough challenge to keep them busy for quite a while. Not to mention, with eight mages and four nemeses to choose from along with variable difficulty, there are countless strategies and scenarios to try out.

Aeon’s End: War Eternal

MSRP: $49.99 USD

• Age: 14+
• Players: 1-4
• Play Time: 60 mins

Content

• 8 Breach Mages
• 4 Nemeses
• 27 Sets of Supply Cards
• 25 Basic Nemesis Cards

War Eternal is an excellent entry in the series that many even prefer over the original. However, with its more difficult crop of nemeses and less straightforward mages, it’s really only a recommended starting point for players well-versed in similar deck-building board games. That said, newbies with a solid understanding of the mechanics who have played another standalone entry in the franchise will definitely want to circle War Eternal as a potential next purchase.

Essentially, War Eternal is a slightly more advanced version of Aeon’s End. That said, this spike in difficulty isn’t artificial. Rather, it’s a side effect of more interesting mechanics that play on what had already come before. For that reason, the hardcore crowd absolutely loves it. Any fanatic will likely advise that both versions belong somewhere in your collection, but which entry you pick up first should depend on your experience with the genre and your comfort level with difficult games.

Aeon’s End: Legacy

MSRP: $79.99 USD

• Age: 14+
• Players: 1-4
• Play Time: 45-90 mins

Content

• Build Your Own Breach Mage
• 6 Replayable Nemeses
• New Sets of Supply Cards and Basic Nemesis Cards

When it comes to difficulty, Aeon’s End: Legacy makes a solid argument as the ideal entry point in the series. Early missions play out as a brilliant introduction to the various mechanics. From there, the difficulty begins to ramp up as players face more fearsome foes. Especially for players who like their tabletop experience to come with a bit of story, Aeon’s End: Legacy is a no-brainer recommendation. Unlike other iterations, Legacy asks players to build their own mage that can be customised throughout the campaign.

However, Legacy isn’t the ideal entry to grow with after completing the contents within the box. As far as legacy games go, Aeon’s End is one of the best in providing replayability, allowing much of its content to be added to other standalone titles and smaller expansions. That said, it’s still a legacy game, and some content only works in this context. It’s not a bad option for those looking to expand, but it’s not as versatile as the original or War Eternal.

Aeon’s End: New Age

MSRP: $59.99 USD

• Age: 14+
• Players: 1-4
• Play Time: 60 mins

Content

• 8 Breach Mages
• 4 Nemeses
• 22 Sets of Supply Cards
• 28 Treasure Cards
• 34 Basic Nemesis Cards

New Age is a fan-favorite standalone expansion due to added features like the Expedition mode that turns the box and all previous Aeon’s End content into short campaigns. It’s not just the new mode either, New Age makes tweaks to gameplay and introduces innovative mages with powerful abilities.

With all of New Age’s iterative content, it’s not the most welcoming entry for newcomers. Of course, countless fans got their start with New Age, as the nemeses are a bit on the easier side. That said, due to the Expedition system and the unique mages, New Age is a highly recommended add-on for experienced Aeon’s End players. Seasoned veterans in the genre who want a bit more story content may also want to consider this title as a jumping-on point.

Aeon’s End: Outcasts

MSRP: $59.99 USD

• Age: 14+
• Players: 1-4
• Play Time: 60 mins

Content

• 8 Breach Mages
• 4 Nemeses
• 32 Sets of Supply Cards
• 13 Treasure Cards
• New Basic Nemesis Cards

Like New Age, Outcasts is a favorite among fans due to the changes it makes to the existing formula – particularly the new Outcast mode and expanded nemeses boards. For that reason, it’s an easy recommendation for veteran Aeon’s End players, but not necessarily the best place to start.

Outcasts’ genius lies in its unique nemeses. While players will agree nemeses make or break just about any standalone package, Outcasts turns the tried and true gameplay on its head with some out-of-the-box tweaks, like one baddie who doesn’t even use a health dial for example. For fans of previous entries in the series, Outcasts is a distinct addition that reinvents longstanding mechanics. Fans of Aeon’s End who have yet to check out Outcasts will certainly want to consider it as their next expansion.

Aeon’s End: Legacy of Gravehold

MSRP: $99.99 USD

• Age: 14+
• Players: 1-4
• Play Time: 60 mins

Content

• 21 Breach Mages
• 11 Nemeses
• 34 Sets of Supply Cards
• 22 Basic Namesis Cards
• 16 Upgraded Basic Nemesis Cards

Legacy of Gravehold is another campaign-based iteration of Aeon’s End, but this entry separates itself thanks to the sheer breadth of content. While the first legacy game did a good job of offering fans replayable content, this title is simply unmatched with 21 breach mages and 11 nemeses. Sure, some of these are reintroductions to older characters, but most are entirely new.

The earlier legacy title is perhaps a better jumping-on point to the series due to its easier early campaign missions that help teach new players, but this isn’t a terrible place to start either considering everything included. Regardless of how players feel about story-driven campaigns in the medium, fans of Aeon’s End will want to check out Legacy of Gravehold due to all the new cards.

Small Box Expansions

NOTE: Small box expansions require a standalone box to play. Luckily, any of the small box expansions work with any of the standalone packages, so players with one of the boxes listed above can get started adding new mages, nemeses, and supply cards through (generally) lighter and less expensive add-ons listed below.

Aeon’s End: The Depths

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 3 Breach Mages
• 1 Nemesis
• 8 Sets of Supply Cards

The Depths was great when it first launched due to its introduction of three new mages, but more interesting characters have since been brought to the series. It’s still a worthy pick-up, but perhaps not the first place to look.

Aeon’s End: The Nameless

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 1 Breach Mage
• 2 Nemeses
• 7 Sets of Supply Cards

Despite being just the second small box expansion, The Nameless is still considered arguably the best thanks to its fan-favorite nemeses. No matter where you start, this should still be one of the first small box expansions most players purchase.

Aeon’s End: The Void

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 2 Breach Mages
• 2 Nemeses
• 8 Sets of Supply Cards

The Void is a noteworthy expansion due to introducing the Link spells mechanic which allows multiple attacks to launch from the same breach. Not to mention, two new breach mages and nemeses are a solid addition to early collections at a relatively low price point.

Aeon’s End: The Outer Dark

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 2 Breach Mages
• 2 Nemeses
• 11 Sets of Supply Cards

Outside of including a fan-favorite mage, The Outer Dark doesn’t do anything particularly noteworthy. Still, with two mages and two nemeses, The Outer Dark provides some decent replayability.

Aeon’s End: Buried Secrets

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 22 Sets of Supply Cards
• 9 Basic Nemesis Cards

Buried Secrets doesn’t introduce new mages or nemeses, but it does help build out Aeon’s End: Legacy for replayability with its sets of supply cards and basic nemesis cards. Overall, it’s a solid addition for fans who only have Aeon’s End: Legacy, but it’s not a very exciting one.

Aeon’s End: Shattered Dreams

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 1 Breach Mage
• 1 Nemesis
• 10 Sets of Supply Cards
• 5 Treasure Cards

Shattered Dreams is a decent small box expansion that has a good amount of supply cards and solid characters. Like most of the other small box expansions, Shattered Dream’s nemesis provides a bit more difficulty than the standalone packages and is worth taking a look at if you’re looking for a greater challenge.

Aeon’s End: The Ancients

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 2 Breach Mages
• 1 Nemesis
• 7 Sets of Supply Cards
• 10 Treasure Cards

The Ancients only introduces one new nemesis but it’s a good one. This expansion is great for both classic and Expedition fans.

Aeon’s End: Into The Wild

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 2 Breach Mages
• 1 Nemesis
• 3 Sets of Supply Cards
• 18 Treasure Cards

Into the Wild is a solid expansion for players who enjoy Expedition mode and is best paired with either New Age or one of the Legacy titles.

Aeon’s End: Return to Gravehold

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 2 Breach Mages
• 2 Nemeses
• 3 Sets of Supply Cards
• 11 Treasure Cards

Two mages and two nemeses are an intriguing enough addition to make any expansion worth looking at. Fans hoping to add more difficult battles to their deck will want to check out Return to Gravehold.

Aeon’s End: Southern Village

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 2 Breach Mages
• 1 Nemesis
• 10 Sets of Supply Cards
• 6 Treasure Cards

While Southern Village only offers one new nemesis, it’s a fun fight that brings something new to the Aeon’s End universe. Seasoned vets will want to collect Southern Village at some point.

Aeon’s End: The Ruins

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

These sets of supply cards are designed to accompany the Legacy of Gravehold, although they can be added to any big box. Without a new nemesis or even a mage, this is one of the less exciting small box expansions, but it’s a worthwhile addition for players with only the Legacy of Gravehold, as supply cards in the legacy titles are generally unbalanced outside the campaign.

Aeon’s End: Past and Future

MSRP: $59.99 USD

Content

• 10 Breach Mages
• 6 Nemeses
• 18 Sets of Supply Cards
• 13 Treasure Cards

Past and Future is somewhere between a big and small box expansion. It still requires a standalone game to play, but the breadth of content far surpasses the other small box expansions.

Aeon’s End: Origins

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 1 Breach Mages
• 1 Nemesis
• New Sets of Supply Cards and Treasure Cards

Aeon’s End: Origins is a small box expansion that lets you do things like summon the Power of a Phoenix and confront a Menacing Nemesis.

Upcoming Releases

Aeon’s End: Evolution

MSRP: $19.99 USD

Content

• 1 Breach Mage
• 1 Nemesis
• New Sets of Supply Cards and Treasure Cards

Aeon’s End: Evolution is part of the same wave of content for the series as Origins as well as Past and Future. Evolution will be released in 2024, sometime after Origins.

Other Versions

Aeon’s End: Digital Version

Aeon’s End is also available to play digitally on PC and mobile. The digital version retails for $14.99 on Steam and $9.99 on both the iOS and Google Play stores. Additionally, The New Age, The Depths, and The Nameless expansions can be purchased as DLC. While the digital version doesn’t include all of the expansions for Aeon’s End, it serves as a great introduction to the series with its intuitive tutorial. Not to mention, like all digital versions, Aeon’s End on PC or mobile is great because it doesn’t allow you to learn and play incorrectly.

Bottom Line

Aeon’s End is a beloved deck-building game with a ton of expansions. Any one of the big box versions will keep players busy for quite a while, and each of the small box expansions adds something new for variability. Any small box can be paired with any big box, and even the legacy titles offer commendable replayability. Luckily, many of the titles listed above can often be found far lower than MSRP. To stay up to date with the latest sales, make sure to bookmark our board game deals page.

If you want to check out more fantastic co-op titles, make sure to peruse our recommendations for the best cooperative board games. Our list of the best two-player board games is another great article to read if you’re looking to add even more multiplayer titles to your collection.

Bobby Anhalt is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering board games and LEGOs. He has more than 8 years of experience writing about the gaming industry with bylines at Game Rant, Screen Rant, TheXboxHub, and Ranker. You can follow him on Twitter.