We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more The deck building genre fascinates board game players. It’s a perfect substitute for collectible and trading card games such as Magic: The Gathering or Disney Lorcana. It concentrates the possible choices down to fixed box sets, allowing players to focus on the gameplay and less so on finding the next good card at a reasonable rate.The best deck building games essentially create a self-contained experience that is fun, requires involved and smart choices, and rewards players who manage to assess and act on a situation better than others.
Deck building has been a successful mechanic in board games for many years now and it has been successfully integrated with nearly every other possible gameplay feature in the hobby. Moreover, dec kbuilding games are also very rich in the themes they offer to players, bringing tons of opportunities – all covered by the best deckbuilders on our list. Highly immersive and a lot of fun, the deck building games on our list are some of the best options in the hobby and worth having on your shelf or trying at least once.
List of the Best Deck Building Games
- Dune: Imperium
- Dominion
- Ascension: Deckbuilding Game
- Clank!
- Star Realms
- Arctic Scavengers
- Hero Realms
- Legendary: A Marvel Deckbuilding Game
- Thunderstone Quest
- Tyrants of the Underdark
- Aeon’s End
- Fort
- Orléans
- Mage Knight
- Dale of Merchants Collection
- Paperback
- Trains
- Automobiles
- The Quest of El Dorado
- Shards of Infinity
- Star Wars: Deckbuilding Game
1. Dune: Imperium
- Designers: Paul Dennen
- Players: 1-4
- Play Time: 60-120 Min
- Age: 14+
- Complexity: 3.02/5
Dune: Imperium is one of the most highly-thematic and frankly best deck building games on this list. Inspired by Frank Herbert’s novels, the game has been developed by Dire Wolf and designer Paul Dennen. The game rivals the world-building of the author himself. Even though Dune has had several adaptations for the board games hobby, Dune: Imperium is the pinnacle of all.
The game successfully recreates the political power struggle that ensues on Arrakis, a planet known for its lucrative Spice trade. The Spice is needed to allow mankind to space travel in Dune’s universe. Rival houses will descend on the planet attempting to seize it and establish their control over the planet and eliminate opponents, mustering armies and playing clever ploys to advance their agendas.
In the game, 1-4 players will assume the role of one of the major houses and join the fray. Players will develop their resources, advance across tech trees, and generally seek to raise their house’s standing in Dune’s conflict-driven world. The dec kbuilding mechanic will be essential as each house attempts to strengthen its hand (quite literally).
Players will also spread their forces across the planet, looking to secure certain areas of the map by directly engaging in warfare against other houses or strengthening their control over certain points throughout the game, making it harder for rivals to challenge their presence. Oh, and there is the sandworms to be mindful of! Dune: Imperium is a brilliant game that recreates the intense and suspenseful nature of the novels and brings it into a beautiful board game.
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2. Dominion
- Designers: Donald X. Vaccarino
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 30 Min
- Age: 13+
- Complexity: 2.35/5
When board gamers hear about the best deck building games, they instinctively think Dominion. One of the best in the genre. While not all players love the game, and many find issues with it, Dominion has a lasting, staying power in the board games community, and it’s no surprise that it’s featured as one of the most famous deck building games of all time.
To this date, fresh iterations of Dominion continue to come out, with loyal fans happy to snap up every box that hits the market. Dominion is set in the times of kings and monarchs, queens and kingdoms, with each player trying to lead their realm to victory and glory.
The conflict in this game is limited to how well players can play their hands and create powerful engines that allow them to amass wealth. Each player takes a turn to purchase new cards from the market or try and get rid of existing ones, thin the deck and produce more powerful draws with each reshuffling.
Many cards allow players to draw again and again to the dismay and envy of the opposing kingdoms. The art of Dominion is another strong point of this game which has defined the entire deck building games genre in board gaming and is one of its original torchbearers.
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3. Ascension: Deckbuilding Game
- Designers: John Fiorillo, Justin Gary, Brian M. Kibler
- Players: 1-4
- Play Time: 30 Min
- Age: 13+
- Complexity: 2.14/5
Ascension is an ambitious instalment in deck building games library and one with a lasting presence. To this day, players old and new know of Ascension and the game’s importance in the deck building pantheon. Part of the game’s prominence comes from the fact that it was designed by Justin Gary, Rob Dougherty and Brian Kibler, all professional Magic: The Gathering players.
The game streamlines the competitive deck building experience and makes for a balanced approach to the hobby whereby players get to manage two currencies and choose from four factions, as they attempt to craft the best strategy that would secure them a victory.
Yet, a game of Ascension: Deckbuilding Game seems to have a system of checks and balances that allows it to stay competitive and offer a level playfield where player choices matter, but a mistake is not too severely punished.
Ascension is more tactical and strategic, and it feels more involved in the sense that players are competing in a real, cut-throat collectable card game, with the upside being that all cards are available in the common deck and need not be bought separately. The art of the game is evocative and the overall experience – a delight.
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4. Clank!
- Designers: Paul Dennen
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 45-90 Min
- Age: 13+
- Complexity: 2.55/5
Brace yourself for you will travel to the deepest dungeons of the world and the remotest recesses of space! Clank! is one of the most unique and best deck building games where players get to build their deck and move across the board to secure victory. As they hop around around, 2-4 players will have to make sure they have constructed sufficiently powerful decks to brace for the challenges that lie ahead.
Regardless of which version of the game you play, whether it’s Catacombs, In Space, or the original, the mechanics are intelligent, and the encounters – exciting. Clank comes with a lot of variety and the satisfaction of racing through a dungeon against time and your fellow players in an atmosphere of relative camaraderie.
You will continue adding to a deck that is constantly getting bigger and better, while also trying to avoid triggering some major calamity that would have you and other players in serious trouble – whether you are facing an enraged dragon or some outer space problem. As the designers caution you – one wrong step and CLANK! – you are a goner!
The game and its many variations are lots of fun as they are thematically rich and a recommended choice to experience the deck building genre. Our favorite games in the series are Clank! In Space! and Clank! Catacombs.
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5. Star Realms
- Designers: Robert Dougherty, Darwin Kastle
- Players: 2 (1-4 with Star Realms Box Set)
- Play Time: 20 Min
- Age: 12+
- Complexity: 1.93/5
The people have risen, and the people are angry. In Star Realms, players will get to experience all sorts of scenarios and gameplay variants. You may play two-versus-two or play solo, brave the automa, or go head-to-head against a friend. Star Realms is a fast-paced game of building momentum by acquiring spaceships and deploying them in battle.
Much like traditional deck building games, Star Realms adds a lot of variety through the different synergies the four factions can achieve across their fleet. You can activate health and offensive effects, set up bases to protect and launch attacks from, and so much more.
Star Realms is very thematic and engaging in this regard, and you will have no trouble believing that you are the admiral of your fleet as you tear through your opponents, aided by an ally or soloing it.
The game offers a fast pace of play that makes it all the more rewarding, and adds immense variety. Dozens of iterations and standalone boxes can be used to supplement any of the other cards and boxes you have or to be enjoyed on their own. Star Realms also has a dedicated legacy experience, Rise of Empire, which you can use along with all other cards, later on, to play versus and automa games.
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6. Arctic Scavengers
- Designers: Robert K. Gabhart
- Players: 1-5
- Play Time: 30-60 Min
- Age: 13+
- Complexity: 2.25/5
It’s climate change and what is left of mankind is now caught in a battle for survival which involves an ever-intensifying competition for resources that are disappearing quickly. The year is 2097, and 1-5 players will battle it out as a cataclysm climate change has led to the demise of the majority of the population.
You assume control of your tribe and face off against the other tribes who are equally keen on surviving but to make it alive out of the ice spell, everyone needs basic resources. Sometimes these can be obtained by trading and departing on amicable turns but sometimes the tribes would need to skirmish and fight – reducing their numbers and suffering even more.
Mercenaries can be hired to help further your tribe’s cause and you will need all the information you can get to find the precious resources. All of this and more is locked in a beautiful deck building games mechanic that will make you weigh every choice you make as the biting frost and your rival tribes prove relentless.
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7. Hero Realms
- Designers: Robert Dougherty, Darwin Kastle
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 20 Min
- Age: 12+
- Complexity: 1.86/5
Hero Realms is the sister spinoff of Star Realms, a deckbuilder that has focused on the fantasy genre but borrows heavily from the original game system. Yet, Hero Realms creates a powerful and meaningful experience for players who love the genre and can look past the somewhat simplistic representation of the art.
Regardless, Hero Realms is a very popular deckbuilder that has been spawning fresh content at a threatening pace. The game plays in formats such as Hunter, Hydra and Free-For-All, allowing you to team up with your friends to challenge another bunch of heroes or dive into a legacy or co-op experience versus the automa.
Hero Realms successfully enables players to craft powerful decks, pick branching strategies, and be quick on their feet. There are many starting character packs that craft unique experiences when playing the game, as you step in the shoes of a Cleric, Fighter, Thief, Wizard or Ranger. Besides, the game has countless expansions and a fantastic Legacy experience that raised around $800,000 on Kickstarter.
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8. Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game
- Designers: Devin Low
- Players: 1-5
- Play Time: 60 Min
- Age: 14+
- Complexity: 2.43/5
The Marvel brand has been steadily climbing in popularity over the years and this should not surprise anyone. Yet, Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game arrived in the relatively early days of the franchise and it was doubly surprising to discover a game of sound design and execution.
Marvel Legendary is cited as one of the best deck building games of all time and this is hardly to do with just the theme. Just like most deck builders, the game is on the short playtime side, but it stretches a bit longer than most other titles in the genre.
The game is designed for 1-5 players and plays for 30-60 minutes. The heroes will play in a semi-coop fashion while they brave the villains that keep on coming. But just like the rivalries of the real Marvel heroes, so you will have to make yourself the most prominent hero in the game and win the most points, emerging victorious from Marvel Legendary.
Of course, you will need to keep your ego in check as your team will need you. Get too full of yourself and the villains will punish you.
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9. Thunderstone Quest
- Designers: Mike Elliott, Bryan Reese, Mark Wootton
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 60-90 Min
- Age: 14+
- Complexity: 2.83/5
Combining players’ love for dungeon crawlers and deck building, Thunderstone Quest is an interesting amalgamation of the two. Players set out on a quest to – as the title suggests – and face off against all sorts of monsters and their masters, caught in mortal fray to the death. Thunderstone plays 60-90 minutes and is set for 2-4 players with players fighting it out in a dungeon where new perils await.
Thunderstone Quest is a continuation of the namesake series and the latest instalment in those series. The original was published in 2009 but even back then, the game was solid from a game development point, offering gripping storyline and play. Players will have a base of operation in a village where they can improve their deck of cards and head back into the battle against the horrors of the dungeon.
The main quest is challenging enough and makes for various strategies and opportunities to explore the game. The selection of monsters, heroes and support cards offers new and fun ways to experience the game once you have been through and defeated it the first time.
Thunderstone Quest also allows you to recruit heroes as part of your deck and yes, these heroes can level up and improve with time, making for a fun and massively rewarding experience as you seek to purge the dungeons from the never-ending horrors they have to throw at you. Highly thematic, deep in design, and flawless in execution, Thunderstone Quest is a game to consider playing yourself.
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10. Tyrants of the Underdark
- Designers: Peter Lee, Rodney Thompson, Andrew Veen
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 60 Min
- Age: 14+
- Complexity: 2.54/5
Behold Underdark, the place where the Drow society, its minions and masters thrive. And where all of these engage in a battle for supremacy over the Netherlands. This thematic deckbuilder will have you play as one of the leaders of the Drow Houses in a bid to conquer this strange macabre underworld.
To do so, players will need to construct powerful decks and recruit minions to do their bidding as they engage in battle for every piece of Underdark. Your minions will excel at various aspects of the experience, with some proving fierce fighters while others are convincing diplomats recruiting more minions to your cause.
Besides the minions, there are Dragons, Demons and Elementals that you will encounter on your journey across the game. To establish your control, you will need to keep recruiting minions to your inner circle, assassinate opposing troops, and secure control of valuable sites of the kingdom. There is no time to lose, though, as the enemy is already on the move! Tyrants of the Underdark is one of the best deck building games that you should at least give a try.
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11. Aeon’s End
- Designers: Jenny Iglesias, Nick Little (I), Kevin Riley
- Players: 1-4
- Play Time: 60 Min
- Age: 14+
- Complexity: 2.80/5
Aeon’s End is one of the most prominent titles in the deck building games family and while it seeks to actively innovate it through the introduction of numerous mechanics, it also focuses on the cards and tactical play that make for a fantastic and rewarding experience.
The theme is as apocalyptic as it gets with demons and monsters that have overrun the world now homing in on the last human city standing, defended by mages who have vowed to protect it with their lives. Yet, their task proves difficult as the horrors of the netherworld are determined to annihilate the human race once and for all.
1-4 players will have to strategize carefully and construct their decks with foresight, planning for the next demonic incursion and how to hold their ground before the overwhelming hordes. The cooperative game innovates the deck building genre and shuffles the turn order, adding to the feeling of heroically fighting off demons. Your goal is simple – hold Gravehold as the hordes of The Nameless attack again and again.
Aeon’s End will have you on your toes as you band together to brave the horrors and challenges of what is one of the most satisfying gaming experiences.
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12. Fort
- Designers: Grant Rodiek
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 20-40 Min
- Age: 10+
- Complexity: 2.43/5
Fort is a game about munching on pizza, fooling around, making friends, and generally enjoying the finer things of life – such as lightweight deck building. The theme may seem almost too simple to pique your interest, but rest assured that Fort is a game of smart design, exceptional art, and satisfying gameplay. Whether you are a youngster or an adult, this 2-4 player game is played over 20-40 minutes.
The artwork is provided by Kye Ferrin whose signature style has appeared in other popular blockbusters such as Dungeon Mayhem, Vast, Oath and others. Fort adds interesting aspects to the deck building experience, removing the “cluttering” that persists in other games, and focusing instead on building rewarding hand draws that allow you to enjoy the game to its fullest.
There is also a poaching mechanic whereby players can draw a card from the market or another player, adding some intrigue, rivalry and downright meanness. But these mechanics do not overcomplicate the game as much as they introduce a new angle to the deck building games experience that feels satisfying, rewarding and immensely fun.
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13. Orléans
- Designers: Reiner Stockhausen
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 90 Min
- Age: 12+
- Complexity: 3.03/5
Orléans is not a deck building game, but it falls under the category of bag builders instead, which is a close cousin to the genre. Orléans is a game in which you will accrue a bit of this and that and then use whatever you have collected to put it to good use across the board.
Thematically, players seek to recruit merchants, knights, monks, farmers, and other members of medieval society to join and help them on their way to the top. The tiles are circular and you can spread them across the board to do your bidding as you seek to secure dominance. The end game here is not to vanquish an opposing kingdom, though, but rather to become the best trader in the city.
This being said, this is the time to mention that, unlike most deckbuilders, Orléans is much heavier. The game plays an average of 90 minutes and is set for anything between 2-4 players, and it plays more so like a euro, but with a distinct, delightful, and delectable (that’s a what of d’s!) quality to it.
A tasty treat, Orléans hits the sweet spot with both deckbuilder and bag builder fans and crowds, and it derives on a sound and rewarding experience where your can watch your clever stratagems unfold and bring you mercantile success.
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14. Mage Knight
Mage Knight, a deckbuilder? You bet! This is one of the most epic solo deck building games you could ask for. We have witnessed board game enthusiasts enter shops and state that they couldn’t sleep and needed to purchase a copy immediately. This anecdotical interjection aside, Mage Knight has a lot to offer and it’s one of the best fantasy deck building board games on our list.
The game lets you meticulously craft your hero’s spells, abilities, and artefacts as you progress on your merry way to defeating a final boss, but even when you succeed – there will be a ton of replayability and variety in this game making it a permanent member of your collection. Sounds good, but what is this game about?
It’s about the Atlantean Empire where military strength is represented by both forging the best weapons and mastering the most powerful spells. Players push forward in this cooperative deckbuilder to conquer new cities and establish control over the lands. The game also allows you to play competitively in versus setting or as part of a team dedicated to achieving victory together.
Mage Knight successfully draws on many elements and board game mechanics such as role-playing, exploration, and of course, the deck building mechanics that will make it possible for you to continue with your quest and relive it as many times as you like in the self-contained universe of the game.
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15. Dale of Merchants Collection
- Designers: Sami Laakso
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 20-60 Min
- Age: 10+
- Complexity: 2.31/5
Dale of Merchants Collection is one of the newer instalments in the franchise and a very good one at that. The popular lightweight deckbuilder gets a lot of freshness as new and unique cards promise to influence the gameplay for the better across the entire 20-60-minute experience in the latest box.
The game itself is intuitive with the cards telling most of the story quickly and allowing you to find your way through the different characters and their abilities. This edition also builds upon its predecessors’ success but stands well in its own right. The game adds new and meaningful decks aimed at revitalizing the core gameplay and add intrigue, competitiveness, and satisfaction to an otherwise solid design already.
While the new cards branch out and add to the possible outcomes and stratagems that you can craft, Dale of Merchants Collections feels pleasantly light and enjoyable.
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16. Paperback
- Designers: Tim Fowers
- Players: 2-5
- Play Time: 45 Min
- Age: 8+
- Complexity: 1.99/5
Forget fantasy, forget sci-fi – Paperback is a deck building game about letters! You start with a set of cards of “basic letters” and a few wild cards, and gradually purchase the “more powerful letters,” because so – some letters are worth more than others!
The game is inspired by both deck and worldbuilder games. Thus, it makes for a great and captivating experience that goes beyond the genre’s heavily-thematic approach to the core mechanics. Not that Paperback lacks a theme. It’s more so a refreshing, down-to-earth way that does not detract from player satisfaction.
Ever wondered what Scrabble would be like if it were a deckbuilder? Well, Paperback is better!
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17. Trains
- Designers: Hisashi Hayashi
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 45 Min
- Age: 12+
- Complexity: 2.38/5
It’s capitalism baby and the clickety-clack of steel wheels. Trains is a game about – well, trains, but there is a nefarious design at hand. Capitalists from the world over have descended on Japan and are using the railway to spread their influence and the Western way of life, but they are also building private companies that control this new and exciting mode of transportation for some extra profit.
The game unfolds in the 19th and 20th centuries with players progressing further and introducing innovations to produce better service and trains. Each player starts with a small set of cards which they will have to work on to improve and build a deck that allows them to spread their dominance.
There are lots of locations to choose from as you seek to spread your influence, whether you are competing in Osaka, Tokyo, or another metropolis. The game is competitive enough to have more serious gamers intrigued, but Trains play great with less cut-throat players, too!
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18. Automobiles
- Designers: David Short
- Players:2-5
- Play Time: 45-75 Min
- Age:10+
- Complexity: 2.21/5
First, we had trains. Now, it’s Automobiles! Either way, the race is on and you will have to manage your deck – or in this case, a selection of colorful cubes to make sure that you get ahead in the race, pimp your ride, and generally boost the performance of your vehicle.
This is a definite deckbuilder, albeit it has swapped the cards for the aforementioned cubes which are implemented cleverly into the game’s design and are its propelling bits. Your smart use of the resource will allow you to cross the finish first and win the race which is precisely what Automobiles are all about.
Fit for 2-5 players and playing over 45-75 minutes, this is a game where you have to exercise smart “hand management,” make sure that your pit crew is on their toes, and your engine roars as you bear down the finishing line!
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19. The Quest for El Dorado
- Designers: Reiner Knizia
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 30-60 Min
- Age: 10+
- Complexity: 1.93/5
Reiner Knizia’s masterpiece The Quest for El Dorado deserves more than a memorable mention in this list. Knizia’s ability to take a simple mechanic and hone it to squeaky perfection is visible here as the designer has created a powerful game that combines racing and deck building mechanics, creating a rewarding experience in the process.
The plot of the game may sound familiar, too, as 2-4 players advance through the lush South American jungle as they seek to discover the legendary City of Gold – and get rich in the process. Each player will lead an expedition of their own, assemble it and venture into the recesses of the virgin jungle for a chance to beat the other determined explorers to the city and claim it as their own.
Craft your decks smartly and manage your progress with care to make sure that you do make it to El Dorado after all in this consuming journey to one of mankind’s pinnacle civilizational achievements.
Buy The Quest for El Dorado on Amazon US / Amazon UK
20. Shards of Infinity
- Designers: Gary Arant, Justin Gary
- Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 30 Min
- Age: 10+
- Complexity: 1.99/5
Shards of Infinity is an interesting deckbuilder, often compared to Ascension and Star Realms, and perhaps drawing inspiration heavily from both. Yet, the game is a unique deck building experience of its own, pivoting around the “infinity shards” concept which allows you to level up your abilities, and inflict more devastating attacks.
The quality of the components is gorgeous and the story, brief as it is, is an excellent anchor into the game. The gameplay is quick and fast-paced, but ultimately strategic, with just a bit of luck involved. In terms of competitive value, Shards of Infinity manages to cram fantastic depth in what is a small and portable box that is both very affordable and a great value for its money.
You get to play with different heroes, improve your deck, thin it out of weaker cards, and focus on scaling up your shards level to win or defeat the opponent. The game further refreshes the deck building experience managing to innovate and build on a familiar premise that takes a turn entirely of its own to provide you with a rewarding bit of fun.
Each game is slightly different, too, making for plenty of replayability and the opportunity to approach this gem… uhm, a shard from a fresh angle and give yourself a proper brain teaser!
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21. Star Wars: Deckbuilding Game
- Designers: Caleb Grace
- Players: 2
- Play Time: 30 Min
- Age: 12+
- Complexity: 2.00/5
Star Wars Deckbuilding Game is one of the fastest trending deck builders to release recently by Fantasy Flight Games. Designed by Caleb Grace (Marvel Champions: The Card Game), Star Wars Deck Building Game is a back-and-forth game where the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance are at it again. Players muster their unique cards (10 per side to get you started), plus a number of other cards they draft from a common market to swing the battle around.
The game has a sound grasp on balance letting players be in control as they deploy their respective stratagems and test what strategies work best. All in all, this is a game that is very thematic, easy to get into, and very affordable, with expansions no doubt coming down the line. The game does feel a little familiar to Star Realms at first glance, but it has built and improved on that core concept.