BoardGameArchiveKemet: Blood and Sand
Kemet: Blood and Sand explained: action selection, pyramids, power tiles, temples, combat cards and victory points.
Mythological Egyptian gods at war
Use action tokens to move armies, gain prayer points, raise pyramids and buy permanent power tiles from four development colors.
Combat uses selected battle cards rather than dice, so army strength, casualties and post-battle value can be planned before committing to a fight.
Why it stands out
Kemet rewards aggression because points are tied to contested temples and battle victories, while the power-tile system lets each faction develop a very different toolkit.
Which Kemet is this?
Blood and Sand is the revised Kemet game released in 2021, with a redesigned map, new art and updated play. Matagot lists its base box for two to five players, age 14+, and 60 minutes. That is distinct from an older Kemet box, the Blood and Sand Upgrade Pack, and the Book of the Dead expansion.
Before buying a used copy, confirm which box is being offered and that the power tiles, pyramid pieces and battle cards match that edition. The exact combat and victory rules should come from the Blood and Sand booklet, not instructions for the original Kemet.
Game at a Glance
Gain Prayer
Prayer points fuel powers, movement and development.
Raise Pyramids
Pyramid levels unlock stronger power tiles.
Buy Powers
Permanent abilities reshape economy, movement and combat.
Fight for Points
Combat is card-driven and central to the victory race.
Who Kemet: Blood and Sand suits
Choose this for a group that wants armies to clash over temples and a broad choice of permanent upgrades. The central pressure is direct: an opponent can contest a scoring position you spent actions to reach. If you prefer a more defensive territorial game or low-conflict engine building, the constant threat of combat may be the wrong fit.
Rules overview
Players commit action tokens on their boards to gather prayer, raise pyramids, recruit, move armies and buy power tiles. Raising a pyramid opens access to stronger tiles of its color. Matagot lists 64 power tiles across four colors in the base product. Movement toward temples and other contested locations can lead to combat, resolved with battle cards and effects rather than a die roll. The full rules guide explains the round sequence.
A turn-planning example
Imagine a temple is reachable this round, but the army you can send is small. You could spend an action developing a pyramid and take a combat-oriented tile before moving, or attack earlier before an opponent reinforces. The first plan improves the fight; the second might capture the opening but leave you exposed. Check the action token, prayer cost, power tile availability and likely counterattack before choosing. This is an editorial decision framework, not a prescribed opening.
A battle can be valuable for victory points and position, but winning while losing most of the army may make the next opponent’s turn easy. Read strength and casualty effects separately rather than treating a battle card as a single number. The combat and victory guide focuses on that distinction.
Edition and expansion checks
Does Blood and Sand use dice for combat?
No: battle cards and other effects resolve the conflict. The available cards create a different kind of calculation from rolling dice.
Is the Upgrade Pack the full game?
No. Matagot describes it as a way for owners of an older Kemet copy to bring much of that play toward Blood and Sand. Confirm the required original components before buying an upgrade product.
What does Book of the Dead add?
It is a separate expansion with additional powerful tiles tied to a sacrifice and putrefaction cost. It is not part of the base box described here.
Related games
Learn Kemet: Blood and Sand in depth
Sources and edition notes
- Matagot: official product information
- Kolossal Games: revised Blood and Sand edition
- Matagot: Upgrade Pack
- Matagot: Book of the Dead expansion
Product and edition facts checked October 2, 2026. Strategy examples are editorial reasoning; use the Blood and Sand rulebook supplied with your edition for exact timing and card effects.