RA - Deluxe Pharaoh Edition
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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Invoking Ra at the wrong time can ruin everything. At the right time, it builds an entire era. This is Ra — and this is its Pharaoh-worthy edition.
What it's about
The most acclaimed auction game ever — in wood and metal
Since 1999, Ra has been considered one of the great classics of modern board gaming. Designed by Reiner Knizia, published by 25th Century Games with illustrations by Ian O'Toole, it's an auction and set-collection game set in ancient Egypt — elegant, tense, immediate.
The Pharaoh Edition is the deluxe version with 5mm solid wood tiles and metal score tablets. A weight and tactile quality that no cardboard edition can replicate — every tile that drops on the table has the sound of a game worth owning.
Three eras, dozens of auctions, only one sun god who decides everything. Who will be able to invoke Ra at the right time — and who won't — will find out in less than an hour.
Ra entered the BGG Hall of Fame in 2025 — one of only ten games selected in history, alongside Catan, Pandemic, and Puerto Rico. This is no accident.
Ra's place in gaming history
The 5mm wooden tiles have a physical weight that changes the rhythm of auctions. When you push them on the table, you feel like you're negotiating something real — not just moving cardboard.
From the game experience
Ra: Pharaoh Edition
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, game history, and play sessionsWhat's in the box
A production you can feel in your hands
180 5mm wooden tiles
All auction tiles are solid wood, 5mm thick — double that of cardboard editions. Weight, sound, tactility: every auction has a different physicality than any other version of the game.
80 metal tablets
The score markers are metal. They don't bend, don't wear out, and stack precisely. A small thing that improves every scoring session after the eras.
Sun tokens and updated board
The 16 wooden sun tokens and the large central board improve visibility and presence on the table compared to any previous edition of Ra.
Artwork by Ian O'Toole
Original illustrations by Ian O'Toole — the same artist as Rheinlander and Tigris & Euphrates 25th Century. A consistent, refined Egyptian palette, distinct from any previous edition of Ra.
Every time someone invokes Ra, time stops. Everyone looks at the bag. This is the feeling that lasts for years.
📖RulebookEnglish
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The first tile comes out of the bag
A pharaoh. Then a civilization. Then a flood. The lot slowly grows and each player holds their breath — adding another tile could improve everything, or call Ra and lose control of the auction. The tension begins here, in the first round.
Someone calls Ra — and it wasn't the right time
The Ra track fills up too quickly. Someone starts an auction on a lot they don't really want — they just want to make their opponent pay. Those without the right sun token cannot bid. Those who have it must choose whether to sacrifice it now or wait for the lot of a lifetime.
End of the era — someone loses everything
The era ends. Those without pharaohs lose points. Those without monuments gain nothing. Civilizations vanish if you haven't protected them. Everything resets and starts again — but positions have changed, and those who seemed to be ahead find themselves already behind.
The lot that changes the game
Third era. A lot comes out with three monuments, two pharaohs, a flood. It's the lot that can win the game. Everyone wants it. The highest sun token is already used. Who will bid the most? Who will back down, leaving their opponent to pay too much? The table is silent for ten seconds.
The final score reveals everything
Monuments are counted — duplicates are worthless, variety is everything. Pharaohs reveal their verdicts. The final sun adds the last twist. Whoever seemed to be losing was actually in a hidden advantage. Everyone wants to know how. Let's play again immediately.
How to play
The flow of each turn
Two options. Dozens of consequences. An auction system that doesn't get old.
Draw from the bag and place the tile in the auction area. If Ra is drawn, advance the marker on the track. If the Ra track fills up, the era ends and scoring occurs.
You can choose to invoke Ra instead of drawing. This triggers an auction for the current lot. Only one bid per player, whoever has the highest sun token wins the lot and exchanges their sun token with the central one.
After three Ra tiles are drawn, an era ends. Some tiles remain for the entire game, others vanish. Those with fewer pharaohs lose points. Civilizations disappear — everything starts over.
After three eras, all remaining tiles, monument sets, pharaoh majorities, and the value of the sun token owned are counted. The highest score wins the kingdom.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Invoking Ra: an act of war or desperation
You can start an auction for a lot you don't want — just to make your opponent pay. This possibility turns every draw into a strategic calculation: those with low sun tokens are vulnerable, those with high sun tokens can bluff.
Sun tokens change hands
Whoever wins an auction gives up their sun token and takes the central one. The value of the sun token determines who can bid the most — and the final sun token is worth points. Managing sun tokens is a game within a game.
Asymmetric scoring by category
Pharaohs: majority and minority. Monuments: zero for duplicates, a lot for variety. Civilizations: lose points if you have zero. Each tile type has its own logic — and understanding it requires more than one game.
The pressure of the Ra timer
Every Ra tile drawn brings the end of the era closer. Those who don't yet have the tiles they want are under pressure. Those who already have what they need can speed up the end of the round, leaving opponents empty-handed.
Monuments reward the long term
Unlike almost everything else in the game, monuments are only worth points at the end — and only if they are different. Those who collect them seem to lose points for two entire eras. Then they win at the final count and no one knows how.
The Pharaoh Edition: wood and metal
The 5mm wooden tiles and metal scoring tablets concretely change the tactile experience of Ra. Every action at the table — drawing, bidding, counting — has a physical weight that cardboard editions cannot provide.
How it ends
Three eras, one pharaoh, one winner
Points come from all directions — and many are hidden until the final scoring. Ra is one of those games where the winner is never obvious until the very last count.
Victory
- Whoever has the most points after three complete scoring eras wins
- Various monuments, majority of pharaohs, Nile and floods, complete civilizations, high-value sun tokens
- The final monument points often overturn rankings that seemed solidified
Penalties
- No civilizations at era end: -5 points
- Fewer pharaohs than anyone else: -2 points per era
- No Nile at game end: 0 points for Nile and floods (zero, not a penalty)
Ra was inducted into the BGG Hall of Fame in 2025. In 25 years, it hasn't lost an ounce of its depth. The Pharaoh Edition is the most solid and enduring way to bring it to the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Ra: Pharaoh Edition
What is the difference between the Pharaoh Edition and the Sun God Edition?
The Pharaoh Edition features 5mm solid wood tiles and metal scoring tablets. The Sun God Edition has clear acrylic tiles and tablets and also includes the Traders expansion. The rules are identical in both. The choice is purely a matter of preference regarding production: wood and metal vs. acrylic.
Is it worth it compared to a standard version of Ra?
It depends on how much production quality matters to you. The game is identical. The Pharaoh Edition is for those who want to own the definitive version of one of the best designed games ever — with wooden tiles that withstand years of heavy use and a physical weight that cardboard editions cannot replicate.
Is it suitable for those who have never played Ra?
Yes, and it's a great entry point. Ra is one of the most accessible auction games ever designed: the rules can be explained in ten minutes, and the first game is already enjoyable. Complexity emerges from reading opponents, not from the rulebook.
With how many players does it work best?
With 4 or 5 players, Ra offers its best version — auctions are more contested, sun token management is more tense, and interactions multiply bluffing situations. With 3 it's already solid. With 2 it works but loses some of the unpredictability that makes the game legendary.
Does the Pharaoh Edition include expansions?
No, the Pharaoh Edition only contains the base game. The Traders expansion is included in the Sun God Edition (acrylic version). If you want the Pharaoh Edition with the expansion, you will have to purchase it separately.
Is Ra: Pharaoh Edition available in Italian?
This is the English edition published by 25th Century Games. The text is minimal — almost everything is visual and iconographic. The rulebook is in English, but it is short and very clear. The language barrier is practically non-existent for those familiar with board games.
Ra: Pharaoh Edition is the deluxe wood and metal version of Reiner Knizia's classic auction and set collection game for 2–5 players (ages 12+, duration 30–60 min). Published by 25th Century Games with artwork by Ian O'Toole. Contains 180 5mm solid wood tiles and 80 metal scoring tablets. The Pharaoh Edition does not include the Traders expansion (which is included in the acrylic Sun God Edition). Core mechanic: once-around auction with variable value sun tokens across three Egyptian eras. Ra was inducted into the BGG Hall of Fame in 2025. English edition. Available on FroGames.it.
RA - Deluxe Pharaoh Edition
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