Dune Board Games: deck-building game
Dune Imperium Uprising: Rules, Rounds and Background
Dune Imperium Uprising is a standalone 2023 spin-off that pairs deck-building with worker placement for 1 to 4 or 6 players. It’s a good fit for groups after the Dune: Imperium feel, with spies, sandworms and a six-player mode.
- 2023
- 1-4, 6 players
- 60-120 minutes
- Ages 13+
- deck-building game
- Dire Wolf
Designers: Paul Dennen
Spies are out, worms are up, and spice is in the bank. Here’s how a round works.
Uprising follows its parent game’s rhythm: draw five cards, take turns sending agents, then reveal the rest of your hand. The twists come in between, with spies at observation posts and sandworms in combat. The bullets below walk through a round in order, and Dune: Imperium follows the same basic structure.
New to the series? Uprising is standalone, so the base game isn’t needed.
Quick guide: one round of Dune: Imperium Uprising
A round has five phases, much like the original game, with spies and sandworms added.
Check the film connection line on each card. Dune games draw from the book, the 1984 film or the new films.
- Step 1:
Round start: reveal a conflict card, then draw five cards from your deck.
- Step 2:
Starting with the first player and going clockwise, each player takes agent turns or one reveal turn.
- Step 3:
Agent turn: play a card with a matching agent icon, send an agent to an empty space, pay any cost and meet any influence requirement.
- Step 4:
Take the space’s effect and the card’s agent box. Spies at observation posts let you infiltrate an occupied space or gather intelligence.
- Step 5:
Reveal turn: reveal your hand, count strength from troops and swords, then spend persuasion to buy cards from the Imperium Row or Reserve.
- Step 6:
Combat: players may play combat intrigue cards, then strength decides the conflict. Sandworms count for 3 and double rewards.
- 7Step 7:
Makers: each maker space without an agent collects 1 spice from the bank.
- 8Step 8:
Recall: check if the game ends. If not, return agents and pass the first player marker clockwise.
A quick summary can’t show how spies, sandworms and the shield wall work together, and that’s where Uprising stands apart. The next section covers setup, each turn type and key rules for a first game. If six players are joining, check the team-mode note near the end. The original Dune: Imperium has no spies, making the comparison handy.
How to play Dune Imperium Uprising, step by step
Setup
Put the Shield Wall and all four alliance tokens on the board.
Build a 10-card conflict deck: put one conflict I on top, five conflict II in the middle and four conflict III at the bottom.
Set up the intrigue deck, five-card Imperium Row and two Reserve stacks.
Each player chooses a leader (one-icon leaders are recommended for a first game), shuffles a starter deck, takes 1 water and puts two agents on the leader. The third agent starts off the board.
Put a score disc and combat marker in place, add four influence cubes at the bottom of the faction tracks and place three troops in your garrison.
Each player draws an objective card. Whoever has the first player marker on their objective takes it.
Turn by turn
Agent turn
Play one card with a matching agent icon to send an agent to an empty space. Pay its cost and meet any influence requirement to get the space's effect and the card's agent box. Cards without agent icons can't be used for this.
Reveal turn
Reveal your remaining hand and use its reveal boxes. Troops and swords set your strength. Spend persuasion to buy cards from the Imperium Row or Reserve; they go to your discard pile. Any persuasion you don't spend is lost. Your phase ends after a reveal turn.
Troops and sandworms
Recruited troops go to your garrison. At a combat space, you may deploy them along with up to two extra troops from your garrison. Each troop is worth 2 strength. A sandworm is worth 3, joins the conflict directly, and can't be garrisoned.
Shield Wall and control
Summoning a sandworm usually requires Maker Hooks. Sandworms can't enter conflicts protected by the Shield Wall: Arrakeen, the Spice Refinery and the Imperial Basin. The right icon removes the wall. Win a critical location to take a control marker, which pays out whenever anyone sends an agent there.
Spies
Spies sit on observation posts linked to board spaces. A spy lets you infiltrate an occupied space, or you can recall one to gather intelligence and draw a card. Spy icons on cards let you place or recall spies, sometimes for a cost.
Contracts (optional CHOAM module)
With a contract icon, you can take a face-up contract instead of gaining 2 Solari. Complete contracts by sending an agent to a named space, harvesting spice at a maker space, taking an immediate contract or acquiring The Spice Must Flow.
End of the game and scoring
Earn victory points through influence, alliances, conflict wins, battle icons and some cards. The game ends after a round when someone has 10 or more points, or when the conflict deck runs out. Play endgame intrigue cards, then the highest total wins. Ties go to the player with more spice, Solari, water and garrisoned troops.
Key rules
Influence and alliances
An agent on a faction space gives +1 influence. Two influence earns 1 point; four unlocks a lasting bonus. The first player to reach 4 takes the alliance token and its point, keeping them until a rival passes them.
Combat rewards
The player with the highest strength takes the first reward, and second place gets the second. With four or more players, third place gets a third reward. The winner takes the conflict card, and matching battle icons score 1 point. Sandworms double the rewards.
Conflict ties
If players tie for first, they each get the second reward, and nobody takes the card. A tie for second gets the third reward. Other ties earn nothing.
Six-player games
The main rulebook refers to a separate supplement for six-player games. Our sources only confirm that these games add a Habbanya Erg maker space and use the third reward.
Tips for your first game
- For your first game, choose a one-icon leader, as the rulebook recommends.
- A reveal turn ends your phase, so place your agents before revealing.
- Check the Shield Wall before planning a sandworm. It blocks them from three conflicts.
- Spies are easy to forget. Check the observation posts each turn.
Rise of Ix and Immortality both need the original Dune: Imperium box.
Uprising isn’t a retelling of one film, though it was designed with the 2024 sequel in mind. Next, we’ll cover the game’s origins, what the publisher says about its connection to Dune: Part Two, and which scenes we could confirm. For more games in the series, see the Dune board games guide.
Background: the game and the story of Dune
Out of print doesn’t mean unplayable. Check the print status on each card.
The game
Design and release
Paul Dennen designed Dune: Imperium Uprising for Dire Wolf. Released in 2023, it is a standalone spin-off designed in part to celebrate Dune: Part Two. It supports 1 to 4 players, with a six-player mode.
Editions and reprints
Bloodlines (2025) works with either Uprising or the original Dune: Imperium. One review notes that Uprising drops the Mentat token and Foldspace cards from the original. Retail pages say it adds a six-player mode.
The film or series it covers
The setting comes from Frank Herbert's novel, and the publisher links the game to the film Dune: Part Two (2024).
Fremen, spies, and sandworms all show up, alongside nine new leaders, including Shaddam Corrino IV, Muad'Dib, and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. Sources don't confirm specific film scenes or actor likenesses.
Scenes and story beats in the game
- 1
Muad'Dib is a leader, representing Paul Atreides in his later form.
- 2
Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen is one of the new leaders. He's a book character who appears in the second film.
- 3
Sandworms join the fight directly and count for more strength than troops.
- 4
Spies at observation posts echo the plots and informants in the book's politics.
What’s inside the Dune Imperium Uprising box
- A two-sided board, with water, Solari, and spice tokens
- Sandworms, Maker Hooks, the Shield Wall, alliance tokens, and a first player marker
- 69 Imperium cards, 18 Reserve cards, 44 intrigue cards, 16 conflict cards, and 5 objective cards
- 9 two-sided leaders
- For each player: a 10-card starter deck, 3 agents, 3 spies, 16 cubes, 2 discs, 3 control markers, and a combat marker
Bloodlines and other add-ons for Uprising
Bloodlines 2025
Adds Sardaukar Commanders, new tech tiles, leaders, contracts and cards. It needs either Dune: Imperium or Uprising to play.
Combining with Dune: Imperium expansions 2023
Retail and review sources say Rise of Ix and Immortality can be mixed into Uprising, and the Uprising rulebook has a section on combining it with Rise of Ix. Check the rulebook before mixing.
Questions about Dune Imperium Uprising
What is dune imperium uprising?
It's a 2023 standalone spin-off of Dune: Imperium, mixing deck-building and worker placement with spies, sandworms, and contracts.
Do I need Dune: Imperium to play Uprising?
No. Uprising has its own board, cards, and leaders, so it plays on its own.
How many players can play dune imperium uprising?
It supports 1 to 4 players, plus a six-player mode with a separate supplement. Games take 60 to 120 minutes, or up to 180 with six.
What's new in Uprising compared with Dune: Imperium?
Uprising adds spies, sandworms, contracts, a new board, and nine new leaders. One review says it drops the Mentat token and Foldspace cards.
How do sandworms work in Uprising?
Summon sandworms straight into a conflict, usually with Maker Hooks. Each is worth 3 strength and doubles rewards, but sandworms can't enter conflicts protected by the Shield Wall.
How do you win Dune Imperium Uprising?
Score the most points. The game ends at the end of a round when someone reaches 10 points or the conflict deck is empty.
New to the series? Uprising is standalone, so the base game isn’t needed.
Check the film connection line on each card. Dune games draw from the book, the 1984 film or the new films.
Sources
- Dire Wolf: Dune: Imperium Uprising direwolfdigital.com
- Dire Wolf news: Bloodlines news.direwolfdigital.com
- Denver Post: Imperium and Uprising denverpost.com
- Dire Wolf Digital: Leaders and Imperium cards in Uprising news.direwolfdigital.com