Race for the Galaxy expansions
The Gathering Storm vs Alien Artifacts
Short answer: buy The Gathering Storm first. The usual first pick. Great solo robot, and it opens up the rest of the first arc.
Pick Alien Artifacts first instead if this sounds more like your table: A one-box add-on that just gives more of the base game. Many skip the Orb game.
| Question | The Gathering Storm | Alien Artifacts |
|---|---|---|
| Our label | Buy this first | Worth it |
| Buy order | #1 for Race for the Galaxy | #2 for Race for the Galaxy |
| What it adds | A 5th player, new cards, bonus goals, and a solo mode against a robot player. | 46 new cards, a 5th player, and an optional Alien Orb mini-game to explore. |
| What it fixes | Gives military a better chance against the ship-goods strategy. | More cards help balance different strategies. |
| Type | Expansion | Expansion |
| Players | 1–5 players | 2–5 players |
| Rules load | — | — |
| Best for | — | — |
| You need first | Just the base game | Just the base game |
| Price guide | — | — |
| More | The Gathering Storm details | Alien Artifacts details |