Spirit Island: Branch & Claw is the smaller foundational expansion that introduces the Event-and-token systems used throughout much of expanded Spirit Island.
What Branch & Claw adds
- 2 new Spirits
- France (Plantation Colony) as a new Adversary
- Event cards
- Beasts, Wilds, Disease and Strife tokens
- New Minor, Major and Unique Powers
- New Fear and Blight cards
- 4 scenarios
The two Spirits
The expansion adds Sharp Fangs Behind the Leaves and Keeper of the Forbidden Wilds. Both make strong use of the expanded token ecosystem and introduce play styles that are more specialized than the simplest core Spirits.
Events
Event cards resolve during the Invader Phase and introduce changing island conditions. They can affect Invaders, Dahan, Beasts and other systems, making the island less deterministic than the base game alone.
Beasts
Beasts represent wildlife and frequently interact with Events and Spirit powers. Their value often comes from positioning them before an Event or power converts their presence into damage, Fear or control.
Wilds
Wilds can prevent an Explore action in their land, then are removed. They are a preventive tool: rather than fighting a new Explorer afterward, they can stop the Explore from succeeding.
Disease
Disease can prevent Build actions and is then removed. It changes where Invader growth can be interrupted before towns or cities appear.
Strife
Strife can cause an Invader piece to deal no damage during a Ravage or other relevant attack, creating another form of localized defense.
Who should add Branch & Claw?
Branch & Claw is the smaller first step for players who want Events and island tokens without buying the much larger Jagged Earth box. It raises unpredictability and tactical variety while keeping the expansion footprint manageable.
Related guides
Publisher source
Expansion contents checked September 2026.