Fractured Sky: Rift Expansion Setup: Step-by-Step
By IV Studio — Shop Tend, Moonrakers, Veiled Fate, and Mythic | Published: 2026-10-31
Category: How-to Guides
Set up Fractured Sky: Rift Expansion correctly the first time. Follow these ordered steps for colored Starfalls, region assignment, and a smooth first game.
Quick answer
Set up the base game as usual, then replace the standard Starfall draw with Rift's four-color Starfalls: draw them randomly each round and assign them to both public and hidden regions before play begins. Keep the color sets visible so everyone can plan around them.
Why Rift changes your setup routine
Rift does not add a separate board or a new phase. It changes what Starfalls are and how they enter play: instead of a single kind of Starfall, you now have four colors drawn randomly each round and assigned to public and hidden regions. That means setup is less about placing a fixed set of components and more about preparing a color pool that will drive every round's decisions.
Because the colors are assigned to both public and hidden regions, the setup you create directly shapes the strategic puzzle. Players will race to collect matching colors and build sets for the numen, so a clean, visible color distribution at setup prevents confusion later.
What to check before you shuffle
Confirm you have the Rift expansion components separated from the base game. The expansion's Starfalls come in four colors; mixing them with base-game Starfalls before you understand the color mix will make it harder to verify you have the right distribution.
Decide in advance how you will display the color pool. Since colors are drawn randomly each round and assigned to regions, keeping the draw pile and assigned colors clearly separated helps players track what is public and what remains hidden.
Step-by-step Rift setup
- Separate Rift Starfalls from the base game: Before shuffling anything, pull out the four-color Starfalls that come with Rift and set aside the base-game Starfalls. Common mistake: mixing both sets and then trying to sort colors mid-game. Checkpoint: all four colors are present and separated before you build any draw pile.
- Build the color draw pool: Combine the Rift Starfalls into a single face-down pool to be drawn randomly each round. Do not pre-sort by color; the random draw is what makes each round a race to collect matching colors. Checkpoint: the pool is shuffled and no colors are stacked or ordered.
- Assign drawn colors to public regions: For each public region, draw the required Starfalls from the color pool and place them face up. Keep the color visible so all players can see which sets are forming. Checkpoint: every public region shows its assigned color clearly.
- Assign drawn colors to hidden regions: Draw for hidden regions separately and place those Starfalls face down. Do not reveal them during setup; hidden information is part of the Rift puzzle. Checkpoint: hidden region colors are recorded or sealed so they cannot be accidentally flipped.
- Set the round draw area: Leave space near the color pool for the Starfalls that will be drawn each round. Since colors are drawn randomly each round, players need a clear area to see the new draw before it is assigned. Checkpoint: the draw area is distinct from the region assignments.
- Review the numen set-building goal: Before the first turn, remind everyone that the goal is to collect matching colors and build powerful sets for the numen. Point out where the numen sets will be tracked. Checkpoint: every player can state which colors they need most before play begins.
- Run a first-round dry run: For your first game, walk through one round of drawing and assigning colors without taking turns. This exposes any confusion about public versus hidden regions before it affects play. Checkpoint: if anyone hesitates about where a color goes, fix the layout now rather than mid-game.
Product facts
- Fractured Sky: Rift Expansion: Rift introduces four colors of Starfalls, drawn randomly each round and assigned to both public and hidden regions. Your setup must prepare a color draw pool and a clear way to mark which colors land in public versus hidden regions.
Fractured Sky: Rift Expansion
