7 Best Deck Builder Games That You Should Know Update 04/2024

Best Deck Builder Games

Players can find it hard to find the time and know-how to make decks for trading card games like Magic: The Gathering. This is why deckbuilding games are so great. Instead of researching and building decks on your own time, deckbuilders give you the same experience right inside the game. Everyone is trying to figure out which cards will make the best combos at the same time as you are. This makes it feel like everyone is on the same level.

Deckbuilding games often use more than one type of gameplay, like area control, push-your-luck, and tactical combat, all in one game. Because the deckbuilding mechanic works so well with other parts, there are a lot of different and complex games out there that use it.

Because of this, deckbuilding games have gradually become more creative over the years, giving players a wide range of experiences. These include different themes and motifs, from standard fantasy settings like the one in Dominion to adventure stories based on classic 1950s and 1980s adventure movies.

The deckbuilding games on this list range from ones that are good for beginners and teach you the basics of the genre to ones that are more challenging and will test both your brain and your courage. Even though deckbuilding games can be easier for new players than trading card games, there are still a lot of them that are very hard.

This list of the best deckbuilding games has something for everyone, whether you want to try a new two-player card game with a friend or partner or get lost in an epic world full of danger and adventure.

Dominion

Dominion (2014)

A fantastic starting point for anyone interested in getting into deckbuilding games

Let’s start with one of the all-time greats in this genre. Dominion was the first deckbuilding game, and it’s still a great way to learn about deckbuilding. In Dominion, players take control of their own mediaeval kingdoms and rule them as kings or queens. But having control over their current land and the people who live there isn’t enough for the players. They want an even bigger kingdom with more money. Dominion’s theme and artwork aren’t anything special, but the game’s flow and ability to teach new players make up for that.

In Dominion, players take turns playing cards from their hands and getting new cards from the market by getting rid of gold cards. What cards are available depends on what players have put in the market for that game. Different combinations of cards make different combos. Some cards, for example, may give players the gold they need to buy a more expensive card when it’s their turn. Others could give them the information they need to decide if they want to do something else. Dominion is one of the easiest deck-building games to learn and play, but it also gives players the chance to be pretty mean.

Lost Ruins of Arnak

It’s surprising how many different ways deckbuilding can be used as a game mechanic. For example, it can let players make huge decks or make them think more creatively about what they already have. Lost Ruins of Arnak belongs to the second group. It limits the size of players’ decks but gives them a lot more ways to use their cards. The story of the game is like that of classic 1950s and 1980s adventure movies. Players take on the role of explorers looking for knowledge and secrets on a mysterious island. But if they want to make the kinds of discoveries they’re hoping for, they’ll need the help of the locals and a lot of resources.

Lost Ruins of Arnak combines deckbuilding and worker placement, since players won’t just use their resources to buy new cards, but also to hire people with the right skills to help them with their exhibition. When players get assistants and other workers, they can do more things on their turn than just play cards from their hand. Players won’t be able to draw as many cards on their turn, but they’ll be able to use these cards and the actions their workers give them to start exploring the island and finding out its amazing secrets. Lost Ruins of Arnak is a deckbuilder with a fun theme, an interesting way to handle the size of your hand, and a mix of building your deck and placing workers.

Fort

Fort

When there are so many board games about fantasy, science fiction, and grand adventures, it’s nice to find something a little more grounded. Fort is a deck-building game about being a kid in your neighbourhood trying to make friends with other kids. Kyle Ferrin’s whimsical artwork, which shows kids doing things like soapbox racing and arts and crafts, fits the game’s theme perfectly and adds a real sense of joy to the experience. This theme is also reflected in how the game is played. Players call on their different friends to reach out to other kids, which helps their gang (or deck of cards) grow and gives them access to more resources.

In Fort, players rarely have big decks. Instead, some cards give actions to both the active player and the other players at the table. Possible actions include getting pizza or toys, which are used as currency in the game, as well as the all-important victory points. Players can also throw away their cards to do certain things, which makes their decks even smaller. At the end of a player’s turn, they can take a new card from the market or from another player. This makes the drafting phase of a player’s turn stressful for everyone else.

Fort is a great deck-building game that stands out because it doesn’t have too many complicated rules. Instead, it gives players a fun way to interact with each other.

Clank! In! Space!

Clank! is already known as a popular deck-building game, but what about its cousin, Clank! In! Space!, which has a science fiction theme? Clank! In! Space! is a board game that came out after the original fantasy game. It takes what people love about Clank! and adds its own unique twist to the formula. Instead of a scary dragon, players try to rob a bad cybernetic overlord of all the intergalactic treasures they can find, and instead of exploring a dungeon, they move through the corridors of an enemy spaceship. In Clank! in Space!, just like in the original, players use their deck of cards to move around a board and fight any creatures that get in their way.

Like in the first Clank!, players need to be careful with how they play certain cards in Clank! In! Space! because they will make enough noise to put a target on their back. If Lord Eradikus decides to attack the players on his ship, the ones who have made the most noise are more likely to get hit. You can’t bring back treasure if you die, so the whole point of Clank! In! Space! is to find a good balance between getting more points and staying alive. The biggest addition to Clank! In! Space!, besides the new theme, is the ability to make friends and hack into modules to get better loot.

If you’ve already played Clank! This deck-building sequel is likely to be fun for you. If you haven’t, get ready to feel both fear and excitement when you dive into the “belly of the beast.”

Thunderstone Quest

Thunderstone Quest

Clank! is already known as a popular deck-building game, but what about its cousin, Clank! In! Space!, which has a science fiction theme? Clank! In! Space! is a board game that came out after the original fantasy game. It takes what people love about Clank! and adds its own unique twist to the formula. Instead of a scary dragon, players try to rob a bad cybernetic overlord of all the intergalactic treasures they can find, and instead of exploring a dungeon, they move through the corridors of an enemy spaceship. In Clank! in Space!, just like in the original, players use their deck of cards to move around a board and fight any creatures that get in their way.

Like in the first Clank!, players need to be careful with how they play certain cards in Clank! In! Space! because they will make enough noise to put a target on their back. If Lord Eradikus decides to attack the players on his ship, the ones who have made the most noise are more likely to get hit. You can’t bring back treasure if you die, so the whole point of Clank! In! Space! is to find a good balance between getting more points and staying alive. The biggest addition to Clank! In! Space!, besides the new theme, is the ability to make friends and hack into modules to get better loot.

If you’ve already played Clank! This deck-building sequel is likely to be fun for you. If you haven’t, get ready to feel both fear and excitement when you dive into the “belly of the beast.”

Race for the Galaxy – Space Deck Building

Race for the Galaxy - Space Deck Building

If Eminent Domain was too easy for you and you want to move up to the big leagues of space-themed deck building games, then Race for the Galaxy is the game for you. This one is definitely more difficult to learn, but don’t let that stop you. Race for the Galaxy is a fast-paced deck-building game that is sure to become one of your favourites once you learn the symbols and rules. Build galactic civilizations and take over the universe against your friends. You can find out more about how to play by clicking on the link below, but this is a deck-building game that you should check out.

Race for the Galaxy has a couple of great add-ons, like Eminent Domain, that keep the game fresh and interesting. (However, the base game already has enough depth and strategies to keep you busy for a while.)

Core Worlds – Even More Space Deck Building

Core Worlds is another science fiction and space-themed deck-building game, similar to the two games above. Create a space empire. Get points toward winning. Win. Race for the Galaxy is faster, but this game is slower and easier to learn. There are a lot of things a player can do, like attack planets and buy troops. This makes the game go slower because decisions need to be made, but it also lets players try out new strategies. Core Worlds is a game that some people swear by, and you really can’t go wrong with it. Like the other space deck-building games above, there are a good number of expansions that add new content to an already good game.