Which Small World expansion after the base game?

2-5 players (base) Area control / races About 40-80 min

The game

Already own Small World? Most expansions are new race and power combos that work with the base game or with Underground, the standalone underground twin. Here is the tour.

2-5 players with the base game. The race packs and board boxes each accept Small World or Small World Underground as their base.

Underground is a second base game. It stands alone, mixes with the base game through Realms, and hosts every race pack below. Owning both is normal, not redundant.

Power Packs are bundles. Power Pack 2 gathers Grand Dames, Royal Bonus and Cursed! in one box. Do not buy both the pack and its contents.

Royal Bonus carries the 6th player gear. If your table is six, that pack does two jobs at once.

Which boxes do you already own?

Put on the table what you already have, and how many of you play.

You usually play with

2-5

Release timeline

Base 2009, Underground, Grand Dames and Be Not Afraid! 2011, Realms 2012, Cursed! and Royal Bonus 2013, Power Pack 2 2015, Necromancer Island 2018, Sky Islands 2020.

The graph

How the Small World boxes connect, plus the mechanics. An arrow starts at the expansion and points to the box it needs.

needs another box
contains this box
part of the line
game mechanic

Depending on what you want

You want	Get
More races and powers	Grand Dames, Be Not Afraid! or Cursed!
Play with 6	Royal Bonus
Build the map from tiles	Realms
Islands in the sky	Sky Islands
A second full game	Small World Underground

Tick your boxes at the top and the answer follows.

At the table

Box	What it brings
Small World	2-5 players. Race and power combos conquer a small map.
Small World Underground	Standalone underground twin, mixes with the base.
Grand Dames	5 races and 5 powers. Needs either base game.
Be Not Afraid!	6 races and 5 powers. Needs either base game.
Royal Bonus	Races, powers and the 6-player board.
Cursed!	5 races and 5 powers with a darker bite.
Realms	Geomorphic tiles and scenarios for either game.
Power Pack 2	Bundle: Grand Dames, Royal Bonus and Cursed!.
Necromancer Island	A free-for-all island scenario in the middle.
Sky Islands	New boards above the map, with new races.

Compatibility

Box	Needs	Players
Small World	standalone base	2-5
Small World Underground	plays on its own	2-5
Grand Dames	needs one base	2-5
Be Not Afraid!	needs one base	2-5
Royal Bonus	needs one base	2-6
Cursed!	needs one base	2-5
Realms	needs one base	2-6
Power Pack 2	needs one base	2-6
Necromancer Island	needs one base	2-5
Sky Islands	needs one base	2-5

The Tales & Legends event deck and the Pocket encyclopedias are extras, outside the picker. Necromancer Island is a free Days of Wonder scenario, not a boxed expansion.

FAQ

Which Small World expansion first?

A race pack: Grand Dames or Be Not Afraid!. New races and powers are the heart of this game.

What base do the expansions need?

Either one: Small World or Small World Underground. Both host the race packs, Realms and Sky Islands.

How do I play Small World with 6 players?

Royal Bonus includes the 6-player board pieces (it is also inside Power Pack 2).

Is Underground an expansion?

No. Underground is a complete game that also mixes with the original.

Who publishes Small World in English?

Days of Wonder. Designer: Philippe Keyaerts.