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How to play Star Realms (2026): Star Realms is a fast two-player deck-building card game set in a space war. Each player starts with the same weak deck of ten cards and 50 Authority. You play cards to earn Trade and Combat, spend Trade on stronger ships and bases from a shared Trade Row, and use Combat to knock your opponent’s Authority to zero. A game takes about 20 minutes, and the whole thing fits in a box the size of a deck of cards. This guide follows the official Wise Wizard Games rulebook for the base set.
The box you need: Star Realms
The base set holds 128 cards: two starting decks, the Explorer pile, the 80-card Trade Deck and Authority cards for keeping score. It plays two out of the box, and a second set lets you play with up to six.
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What is in a Star Realms starting deck
Every player begins with an identical personal deck of ten cards: eight Scouts, which give 1 Trade each, and two Vipers, which give 1 Combat each. That deck is deliberately weak. The whole game is about improving it, one purchase at a time, until it hits much harder than your opponent’s.
Setting up Star Realms
- Give each player a starting deck of 8 Scouts and 2 Vipers, plus Authority cards showing 50.
- Place the 10 Explorer cards face up in their own pile. Explorers cost 2 Trade and are always available to buy.
- Shuffle the 80-card Trade Deck and deal five cards face up in a line. This is the Trade Row.
- Leave room next to the Trade Row for the Scrap Heap, where cards removed from the game go.
- Each player shuffles their own deck. Pick a first player at random. The first player draws three cards and the second player draws five, which offsets the advantage of going first.
The three phases of a Star Realms turn
1. Main phase
This is where everything happens, in any order you like. Play cards from your hand at no cost, use the abilities of ships and bases you have in play, spend Trade to buy cards from the Trade Row or the Explorer pile, and spend Combat to attack. You can mix these freely: play two cards, buy something, play a third card, then attack.
2. Discard phase
Any unused Trade and Combat is lost. Ships you played and any cards left in your hand go to your discard pile. Bases stay on the table.
3. Draw phase
Draw five new cards. If your deck runs out, shuffle your discard pile to form a new deck and keep drawing. That is how the cards you bought finally reach your hand.
Ships, bases and outposts
Ships give a one-time effect and leave play at the end of your turn. Bases stay in front of you and keep working every turn until your opponent destroys them. Each base has a defense number, and your opponent must spend that much Combat in a single turn to destroy it.
Some bases are marked as outposts. While you have an outpost in play, your opponent cannot attack your Authority or your other bases. They have to destroy every outpost first, which makes a well-timed outpost a lifesaver.
Buying cards from the Trade Row
Each card shows its cost in Trade in the corner. Pay the cost and put the card straight into your discard pile, not into play. You will see it again after your next shuffle. The Trade Row always has five cards, so when one is bought or scrapped, flip the next card from the Trade Deck to replace it right away.
The four factions and ally abilities
| Faction | Color | What it does best |
|---|---|---|
| Trade Federation | Blue | Gains Authority and Trade |
| Blob | Green | Big Combat and Trade Row control |
| Machine Cult | Red | Scraps weak cards to slim your deck |
| Star Empire | Yellow | Draws cards and forces discards |
Many cards carry an ally ability marked with a faction icon. It triggers when you have another ship or base of that same faction in play during your turn. This is why focused decks hit so hard: two Blob ships played together unlock both of their bonus effects.
Scrapping in Star Realms
Some cards have a scrap ability, shown with a trash can icon. You may use it by removing the card from the game for a one-time boost. Other cards let you scrap cards from your hand or discard pile, which is the best way to get rid of Scouts and Vipers so your stronger cards show up more often. When an Explorer is scrapped, it goes back to the Explorer pile instead of the Scrap Heap, and its scrap ability gives 2 Combat.
How to win Star Realms
Reduce your opponent’s Authority to zero. Combat can be spent on their bases or straight at their Authority, but any outposts must fall first. Healing effects raise Authority above 50, so a Trade Federation deck can stretch a game out.
Five tips for your first Star Realms games
- Buy Explorers when nothing better is available. Two Trade now beats a wasted turn.
- Pick one or two factions. Ally abilities only trigger with matching cards, so focus pays off.
- Scrap your Scouts and Vipers. A thinner deck draws your best cards more often.
- Respect outposts. Buying one early can save you a lot of Authority.
- Want a comparison? Our Star Realms vs Ascension guide explains how it stacks up against its fantasy rival.
If deck-building clicks for you, our best deck-building games roundup lists bigger boxes with boards and more players. Fans who want more Star Realms without buying expansions often pick up Star Realms: Frontiers, a standalone set for one to four players.
Star Realms rules questions
How many players can play Star Realms?
The base set is built for two. With two base sets, or one base set plus Frontiers, you can play with three or more using the multiplayer variants in the rulebook.
Do you keep Trade between turns?
No. Any Trade or Combat you do not spend during your main phase is lost in the discard phase.
Can you attack a base instead of the player?
Yes. Spend Combat equal to a base’s defense to destroy it. You must destroy all outposts before attacking anything else.
How long does a game of Star Realms take?
Most two-player games end in 15 to 25 minutes once both players know the cards.
