Overview

Lost Ruins of Arnak is a hybrid game blending deck-building, worker placement, and resource management. Players take on the roles of rival expedition leaders exploring an uncharted island, uncovering sites, researching temples, and facing off against dangerous guardians. At the time of writing this Lost Ruins of Arnak is No. 29 on boardgamegeek.com with an overall score of 7.896.

Player Count: 1-4

Playtime: ~30 minutes per player

Mechanics: Deck-building, worker placement, resource management

Expansions: Expedition Leaders, Lost Expedition

The game unfolds over five rounds, with players taking turns performing actions until they pass. Success is determined by balancing research progression, exploration, resource management, and deck efficiency.

Game Flow and Core Mechanics

Each round consists of multiple turns where players can:

✅ Play a card – Gain resources or movement bonuses

✅ Place a worker – Gather resources or discover new sites.

✅ Research the temple – Climb the track for bonuses and points

✅ Defeat a guardian – Avoid penalties and earn benefits.

✅ Buy new cards – Acquire items or artifacts.

✅ Pass – End their round.

At the end of each round:

• Workers return.
• The Moon Staff advances, changing available cards.
• Players refresh and prepare for the next round.

The game ends after Round 5, and players tally research points, temple bonuses, idol points, and card values.

Expansions and Their Impact on the Game

Expedition Leaders Expansion

This expansion introduces asymmetric player powers, giving each leader a unique ability that significantly changes strategies.

Lost Expedition Expansion

The Lost Expedition expansion enhances the base game by adding:

• New Research Tracks – Providing alternative paths with unique challenges and rewards.
• New Artifacts & Items – Increasing variety in deck-building options.
• Alternate Player Abilities – Some leaders gain additional tweaks or abilities.
• New Sites & Guardians – Expanding exploration diversity and tactical depth.
• Solo & Co-op Challenges – Introducing new modes for cooperative play.

With these additions, the game becomes more dynamic and replayable, encouraging fresh strategies with each session.

Expedition Leaders: Strategies for Each Power

The Captain (Extra Worker Specialist)

✅ Best At: Worker efficiency, research. ✅ Strategy:

• Prioritize gold production to fund worker actions.
• Take critical worker-placement spots early before others.
• Utilize assistants for maximum action efficiency.
• Balance exploration and research for optimal gains.

🔹 Best Temple: Snake Temple (A-Side) – Flexible strategy allows adaptation.

The Falconer (Idol & Mobility Specialist)

✅ Best At: Exploration, resource efficiency. ✅ Strategy:

• Use the falcon for free actions every round.
• Prioritize idol collection and early exploration.
• Avoid overcommitting to research; focus on field-based advantages.

🔹 Best Temple: Lizard Temple (A-Side) – Exploration-focused strategy aligns well.

The Baroness (Economic & Item Specialist)

✅ Best At: Gold generation, deck efficiency. ✅ Strategy:

• Buy cheap items early to cycle them faster.
• Invest in gold-generating assistants.
• Thin the deck by removing starter cards.

🔹 Best Temple: Bird Temple (B-Side) – Item-driven play aligns with research rewards.

The Professor (Tablet & Artifact Mastery)

✅ Best At: Artifact economy, research advancement. ✅ Strategy:

• Rush artifacts early for long-term benefits.
• Prioritize research for quick tablet access.
• Avoid excessive exploration; focus on card synergies.

🔹 Best Temple: Monkey Temple (B-Side) – Heavy artifact synergy benefits the Professor.

The Mystic (Fear & Artifact Specialist)

✅ Best At: Fear management, artifact synergy. ✅ Strategy:

• Convert fear cards into resources instead of removing them.
• Focus on artifact purchases to maximize power.
• Find fear-synergy assistants & items.

🔹 Best Temple: Lizard Temple (A-Side) – Guardian encounters create fear opportunities.

The Explorer (Mobility & Compass Efficiency)

✅ Best At: Movement, fast exploration. ✅ Strategy:

• Prioritize early site discoveries.
• Use cheaper movement to gain high-tier sites quickly.
• Manage guardians efficiently to minimize fear penalties.

🔹 Best Temple: Snake Temple (A-Side) – Balanced approach supports shifting strategies

Which brings us to the different Temples:

Snake Temple (Base Game, A-Side)

🔹 Balanced mix of exploration and research.

🔹 Prioritize early compasses to gain key locations. 🔹 First-tier research rewards help create long-term momentum.

Bird Temple (Base Game, B-Side)

🔹 More research-focused.

🔹 Requires an early focus on tablets and assistants. 🔹 Speed up research to compensate for limited guardian encounters.

Lizard Temple (Expedition Leaders, A-Side)

🔹 Encourages exploration-heavy playstyles.

🔹 Provides cheaper access to high-tier sites.

🔹 Guardian control is crucial to avoid excess fear cards.

 Monkey Temple (Expedition Leaders, B-Side)

🔹 Artifact-driven strategy with expensive late-game bonuses.

🔹 Best for leaders who benefit from artifacts (e.g., Professor, Mystic).

🔹 Requires gold & card cycling to sustain artifact purchases.

Lost Expedition Temples (Expansion)

🔹 Introduces new multi-path research tracks.

🔹 Some routes prioritize idols, others deck-building synergies.

🔹 Adaptive strategy required as research costs fluctuate more significantly.

General Strategy Tips

💡 Early rounds set the tone – Efficient plays early lead to stronger late-game power.

💡 Resource balance is key – Diversify between coins, tablets, and compasses.

💡 Item vs. Artifact balance – Pick what suits your leader’s strengths.

💡 Research wins games – Climbing the track is essential for victory.

💡 Guardian management – Plan how to deal with them or mitigate penalties.

Final Recommendations

🏆 Best for Beginners: Captain (Extra worker actions are easy to manage).

🏆 Best for Exploration: Falconer & Explorer (Idol-based strategies & cheap travel).

🏆 Best for Research: Professor & Baroness (Artifact & item specialists).

🏆 Most Unique Playstyle: Mystic (Fear-based strategy offers unconventional power).

With the Lost Expedition expansion, the game now offers greater depth and variability, making every playthrough a fresh and exciting adventure. Whether you enjoy meticulous research, bold exploration, or mastering artifacts, there’s a strategy that fits your playstyle!