Dark Souls Board Game Expansions: Which One to Add First
By Frontline Gaming | Published: 2026-11-01
Category: Buying Guides
Compare the Characters Expansion and Gaping Dragon Expansion, then pick the first Dark Souls board game expansion for your group with clear decision rules and trade-offs.
Quick answer
Choose the Characters Expansion first if your table wants more player variety and replayable campaign starts; choose the Gaping Dragon Expansion first if your group already enjoys the core campaign and wants a bigger, more demanding boss encounter.
Player variety versus encounter variety
Dark Souls board game expansions do not all solve the same problem. The Characters Expansion adds six new player characters, including a thief, cleric, mercenary, pyromancer and sorcerer, so it changes how your group builds and plays its party. The Gaping Dragon Expansion adds new encounter cards that create larger battles, so it changes the pace and pressure of the fights themselves.
If your group keeps replaying the same characters, the Characters Expansion gives you more starting points without changing the core encounter flow. If your group already has favourite characters and wants a tougher centrepiece fight, the Gaping Dragon Expansion is the more direct fit.
The trade-off: breadth versus a single set-piece
The Characters Expansion spreads its value across every session because new characters can be used in any campaign. The Gaping Dragon Expansion concentrates its value in the encounters it adds, which means it matters most when that content reaches the table.
Neither approach is automatically better. Pick the expansion that matches the reason your group stopped playing, not the one with the larger box or the bigger discount.
What the catalog does not tell you
The supplied catalog facts do not list player counts, play time, or required core components for either expansion. Check the box copy or publisher page before buying if your group has a fixed player count or a short session window. Do not assume an expansion works as a standalone game; both records describe add-on content for Dark Souls: The Board Game campaigns.
Decision rules for your first expansion
- Your group keeps replaying the same characters: Buy the Characters Expansion first. Six new player characters give every campaign start a different feel, and the content is usable across sessions. Choose this if variety at the player board matters more than a new boss.
- Your group wants a harder centrepiece fight: Buy the Gaping Dragon Expansion first. Its new encounter cards create larger battles, which raises the pressure on a group that already knows the core encounters well. Choose this only if your group is comfortable with the core campaign's difficulty.
- You are still learning the core game: Wait before buying either expansion. Learn the core campaign first, then decide whether your group lacks character variety or encounter challenge. A first expansion should answer a problem you have actually felt at the table.
- You want both eventually: Start with the Characters Expansion because character content applies to every session, then add the Gaping Dragon Expansion when your group wants a bigger fight. Buying in this order gives you more repeated use before the second purchase.
Expansion facts at a glance
- Dark Souls: The Board Game - Characters Expansion: The Characters Expansion features six brand new player characters, including a thief, cleric, mercenary, pyromancer and sorcerer. More character options let a regular group change its party composition without buying a new campaign.
Dark Souls: The Board Game - Characters Expansion - Dark Souls: Gaping Dragon Expansion: The Gaping Dragon Expansion adds new encounter cards that provide larger battles. It suits groups that want a more demanding fight rather than more player-side choices.
Dark Souls: Gaping Dragon Expansion
Who should buy which
Best for
- Groups that play Dark Souls: The Board Game regularly and want more character choices
- Players who enjoy building different party roles, such as thief, cleric or pyromancer
- Tables that want an expansion usable across many campaigns
Not for
- Groups that have not yet learned the core game and cannot identify a gap
- Players who want a new boss encounter rather than new characters
- Anyone expecting either expansion to work without the core game
