Black Friday will soon be upon us!

As of writing this it is almost 7 days exactly until the Friday that I have called the “KD:M holiday” before. And whilst it might not live up to that name exactly, people have been waiting nearly the whole year for this day to come again, with hope in their hearts to see deals, a large update and pre-orders via Bakerkit!
If you own the game and/or have been following it for a while all of this will sound familiar. But we have seen a lot of interest in the game over last 2 years especially, so it won’t hurt repeating a couple of things which seem common knowledge to a lot of people more ingrained in the hobby.

Of course, recently, the established content creator BraMithra has put out a few great videos talking through all the currently available expansions and the GCE with Deno.
If you have the time and are uncertain about what many of the old expansions entail, or are just interested in another perspective on the available content, their recent Black Friday 2025 series will offer good insight, especially when it comes to “worth”.
You will also be able to find a similar Buyer’s Guide on the Lantern’s Reign discord and well, honestly, you are likely to get one from just about anybody you ask about the game. So, today, I will be adding my voice to the mix as well, as I update my own purchase recommendations.

First we will be looking at what to expect from the update/sale, then I will be giving my opinions on what to get.
This is going to be a long one.

***

What should you expect from Black Friday?

We already know from last month’s update that the center piece of the Black Friday update will be a look at the Abyssal Woods expansion. We know almost nothing about this expansion at this point, so maybe we will finally get a decent idea on the monster line-up featured in that big ol’ box and how much it has content-crept over the last couple of years.
In the past 2 years these center spots were used to cover the Silver City expansion and Campaigns of Death respectively, so we can expect something in the same ballpark for length.
We will also likely get more information and beautiful pictures from any of the products that are set to release “soon” which would include Screaming God, Titan Bee, Honeycomb Weaver, Campaigns of Death, Heliocentrism and Starbound.

For the sale we have had close to 50% price reduction on all items across the store in the past, typically applied to all items that were not released after February of the concurrent year, with Core and GCE being the big exceptions at a fixed price point of $333 instead.
Unfortunately we will have to see and find out if these numbers will hold up after the tariff chaos and general inflation happening over the course of this year.
In any case do not expect the Nukealope to be reduced in price. Or Pariah and Red Witches.

We have also typically seen several bundles in the past. Core + GCE for $666, all 12 Expansions of Death in 1 or all Indomitable Survivors would be some notable examples.
We know from comments made by a Team Member that they have been considering to offer updated bundles of the likes of “all Indom Survivors released in the last year”.

Other than that we are sure to also see a hand full of new releases, including a beta Sun-Lion Grimmory (as per Poots during GenCon), Sun Percival in plastic and at least 1 larger White Box (as in $70+) like a Legendary Character or maybe a Wanderer even. Last year’s 15th Anniversary Survivors were the big ticket item back then and those shoes will be hard to fill in any case.
Heliocentrism, Starbound and the Legendary Card Pack II, all would also fit as somewhat surprise releases.

Regarding the Pre-Orders, with Baker Kit set to likely reopen as it does every year, we will get another glimpse at updated prices, maybe with a few new pictures, and typically people have been able to order any of the announced expansions, plus a few things more.
A new “Wave X” pre-order would not surprise me too much, the same goes for a new Philosophy or a Wanderer or maybe 2.
Of course, much like with APG and delivery times, you never quite know what is in store for you until the time has come. There might be some surprises lined up for us yet.

***

What should you get?

The more interesting section, but also the one with more things to mention beforehand.

First off: Availability.
Currently Kingdom Death: Monster Core games are pretty rare and stocks remain low. We have heard from a Team Death member that the world-wide interest in the game was much larger than they had anticipated when they ordered their reprint, and we are likely looking at several regions without Core games in stock this year!
For example: EU and Austraila currently do not have any stock.
This also means there are likely a lot of people waiting on the Black Friday Sale and what little stock is still available should run out fairly quickly. So, if you are looking at picking up a game next week, and are from a region with the Core game available, you probably need to set an alarm to not miss the magical moment. Which I do have to acknowledge, is difficult as, just like any regular sale, Black Friday sales happen “when they happen”.
(If you REALLY want the game and it is available in your region, you probably should not wait till next Friday. Spend responsibly, of course.)

There is a similar issue with the older expansions as well. Quite a few of them seem to be frequently out of stock and/or unavailable in certain regions. Luckily a lot of the Inverted Mountain releases cover areas most people seek replacements for.
Whilst we should expect reprints for these expansions at some point, we currently do not know when that would be – though probably before or with the release of Campaigns of Death.
There is also always a chance for small quantities of stock being added specifically for Black Friday. Whilst I would not necessarily bet on it for any and all of them expansions, there still remains a chance.

The other thing to mention would be my general stance on adding to your game.
I have maintained for over a year now that you should get what looks and/or sounds coolest to you both when looking at the minis and general concepts contained in an expansion (see my FAQ page). And I do fully stand by that.
This holds true more so for White Boxes than Monster expansions admittedly, as Quarry and Nemesis Monsters cannot and perhaps should not just always be blindly replaced.
But ultimately the rule-of-cool is still applicable for both.

What I am trying to say in so many words is: do not worry too much about the online consensus.
Still, a lot of people are looking for recommendations, and that is what I am here for today.

Get the Core Game first and play it a bunch of times. Obviously.

Pre-orders

If you are new to the game you can safely skip these, especially as there is no real telling how long it will be until some of these items will actually release. We are talking several years in all likelihood.
However, pre-orders via bakerkit have historically had lower prices than when the expansions finally hit retail.
To be fair, at this point when it comes to most “normal-sized” monster expansions you are not likely to save that much money anymore. The big boxes will probably see some savings-opportunity still, but at a significantly reduced rate from the year before, and the year before that, and the year before that – stuff like the Ivory Dragon, Abyssal Woods, Silver City or the Inverted Mountain Campaign.
Other then that I don’t have any particular recommendations for pre-orders.

Only pre-order if you do not mind waiting several years to get your items. APG have been reliably delivering their product but they are SLOW.

Recommendations – Monster Expansions
by priority.

~ 1 ~

Gambler’s Chest Expansion (GCE)
It is the common recommendation and for good reason. If you are planning to/in a position to spend $420 (+taxes/shipping) on the game all at once, consider getting the GCE. The value it adds to your game with a whole new campaign, 3 new Quarries (N1, N2, N4) 1 new Nemesis (N2), 1 new Core and 1 new Finale alone is insane and not comparable to any of the other boxes. Combine that with Arc Survivors and Philosophies it only gets better – and a lot more complicated – but you will be busy playing the game for possibly years just off of the Core + GCE combo.

~ 2 ~

The “Big 4” – Frogdog (QN1), Dragon King (QN3), Sunstalker (QN3), Black Knight (NN3)
Because the GCE is by no means a cheap and easy acquisition, these 4 are my “next best” recommendation.

Frogdog is a beefy Node 1 Quarry with a special variant that brings a late-game armor set along as well. Node 1 quarries are the monster you will likely fight the most, and having a replacement for the White Lion will keep you going for a long time.
It also features some great weapon and support item variety, with a kinda-hard-to-build armor set. This effectively is doubled up by the Lvl3 alternate version of the monster, featuring its own crafting location and gear. You do need to contend with the theme of the monster though: farts and being disgusting.

Dragon King will add a high damage Node 3 Quarry to replace the always volatile Phoenix from your Core set, but also comes with its own campaign – the People of the Stars, featuring not only its own Node 1 Nemesis (the Tyrant) but also new mechanics unique to this upbringing of your survivors. The Dragon King is also a huge, and amazing mini.
Unfortunately its weapons aren’t great, but the included armor set is.
Could be viewed as a new campaign with a QN3 included.

Sunstalker is also a Node 3 Quarry with loads of tricks up its tentacles which also has its own campaign – the People of the Sun. Whilst the campaign has a few new mechanics (like new survival actions) the main draw of this campaign is the boss-rush style Nemesis gauntlet at the end of 20 years of hunting. Whilst this set up draws not nearly as many eyes as PotStars does it is a refreshing change of pace as you explode the White Lions with your unga-bunga-prowess.
Sunstalker gear go brrrrrrrr.
Also – fishing! In the sky?
Could be viewed as a new QN3 with a campaign included.

Black Knight is a Node 3 Nemesis replacing the Hand. If you have fought the hand more then once, you probably have “fought” the hand as well. The Black Knight box features an incredibly interesting fight in a new arena cluttered with loads of terrain and if you win you get several armor sets to chose from of which to build towards.
The tough-as-nails 5 year campaign included in the box is the cherry on top that gives you an opportunity to try out a slight variation of this fight immediately as well.

~ 3 ~

Red Witches (NN2)
Braal, Nico and Seer have a chance to maybe turn my “Big 4” into a “Big 5” in future, by merit of them occupying the coveted Nemesis Node 2 position. No fight is hated quite as much by quite as many people as the King’s Man (which I think is overblown, but hey) – and for that hate alone Slenderman, Lion Knight and Atnas were all held in high regards for years, or at least managed to stay relevant.
The Red Witches offer not only an alternative to the King’s Man but also items and abilities to chase after via hunt events, crafting and the fights.

Dung Beetle Knight (QN4)
If you have been playing solely Core you have not had a Node 4 quarry in your game before – whilst it is not quite comparable to the King from the GCE (nothing is though), the Dung Beetle Knight expansion adds this powerful monster fairly early into your hunting routine. With new items and events this little powerhouse will test your abilities beyond a lot of other quarries. And if you manage to best it, congratulations, its time to settle down and till the soil – you are a farmer now Jimmy! Get that Nightmare Corn fertilized before the bugs get to you!

~ 4 ~

Slenderman (NN2)
Very tough, high damage output monster with incredibly thematic cards, cool gear and a tendency to loop your survivors to death.
Hardly ever available.

Flower Knight (QN2)
Not a full Node 2 sadly, but one of the best minis and a fun fight. Has the reputation to make campaigns easier.

Pariah (NN1)
I almost forgot about this one. A severely punishing addition to your campaign but loads of tools and toys to play with if you can deal with its antics.

Gorm (QN1)
Has fallen off in wake of the Frogdog release. It features a unique take on Monster Levels and Alchemy. Gear-wise I would call it: Axe heaven.

~ 5 ~

As for the remaining expansions, all of them are fine, really.
Most of them have some degree of awkwardness to them, be it the model or the gameplay (or both), but they will still play well enough and offer interesting additions to the game loop.
Lion God (QN4), Lonely Tree (??), Manhunter (NN1), Spidicules (QN2) all have their fans. for sure.
Lion Knight (NN2) is probably the odd one out here as it is so gimmicky. But even still, if you see the sculpt and read the text blurb on the shop and it speaks to you – go for it! That one needs a loving home as well.

The Green Knight Armor is another outlier. Meant to tie all(? most?) of the old expansions together, this small set will work best if you have ALL the other older expansions, but you can make parts of it if you have a decent spread.
It is honestly more a White Box than a fully grown expansion.
We might be seeing a remake of these gear cards with CoD though, so it is hard to say whether or not it is worth a purchase currently.

Vignettes
I will list these separately, but any of the 3 Vignettes – Gigalion (QN1 Lvl2+), Killennium Butcher (NN1 Lvl2+), Screaming Nukealope (QN2 Lvl2+) – will change up one of your available Core Monsters quite substantially, giving each fight a very different texture.
Killennium Butcher and the Screaming Nukealope change a lot about their normal counter parts with very little (mostly via traits), but I do have to say, both these monsters in particular feel very snowball-y. They do come with a decent amount of gear to make the new and likely more dangerous version worth the hunt though!
The main draw behind Vignettes however typically lies with the curated setting and the single-session story they tell as well as the characters they present with fully prepared gear-grids and miniatures.

Recommendation – White Boxes

This is the prime “just get what looks cool to you” category.
Considering most White Boxes are a form of pay-2-win (I say this half-jokingly) most of these will help you navigate the darkness slightly more efficiently, whilst being a little stronger or with less dependency on rng.
I will only mention standout boxes and/or categories.

Small White Boxes ($25~40)
These are typically single mini/character boxes with a small amount of game content like a single Seed Pattern or Character Card.

The Ringtail Vixen
Highly sought after in the past, partially because it wasn’t available for the longest time, the Vixen comes with a bookmark that alleviates the first roll of a 1 on the intimacy table per campaign, with a 50/50 chance to be available in any given campaign.
Unfortunately she is currently back to being unavailable again.

Skrelle
She comes with a singular Settlement Event and Innovation. Her stuff is fairly unintrusive and can be left in as a part of any campaign.

Willow
Adds her own take on Sword Proficiency AND a new version of the Lantern Sword!

Any Indomitable Survivor
Indomitable Survivors add 1 new resource reward to a Lvl3+ fight and usually come with high-end gear worth chasing after. This will make the endgame more interesting (more worth it?) and gives you an actual reason to hunt the most dangerous of monsters by choice.
Pick up one for a monster you particularly like! Sadly not all monsters have an Indomitable resource/survivor yet, but I’d wager it will only be a matter of time.

Sun-“something” survivors
If you enjoy the PotSun campaign, give these a look. They generally help spice up the base-game armor sets to function a little more in line with the fiction of the campaign and add a weapon to go along with it.

Medium White Boxes ($50~60)
Like Wanderers and Philosophies, these chunkier boxes have a lot more game content, whilst typically more light on the plastic.

Any Wanderer
One of the newest additions to Kingdom Death: Monster, Wanderers are characters who visit your settlement during your campaign and typically move on at some point. They are power-houses that will color your campaign during their presence and leave traces behind after they are gone. Some are more easy to live with then others, but all have a story to tell that is worth experiencing!

Large White Boxes ($70+)
Like the Echoes of Death or Survivors of Death boxes, these typically feature several figures or a Painter’s Scale alongside a decent amount of game content.
These boxes are fairly expensive compared to the full-on expansions and will gain or lose relevance in accordance to how much you like any given mini included in the respective box.

15th Anniversary Survivors
This stand-out rendition of the “Starting 4” in Lantern Year 15+ armor and weaponry features an extension to the Blacksmith Settlement Location with not only endgame level gear but also a monster-agnostic Bow and Katana.
There are a few hoops to jump through to get to the good stuff, and that is surely for the better given the power-level some of these items have.

Legendary Characters
These characters feel like a “home-bred Wanderer” in a sense. Whilst this is a somewhat tall claim admittedly, they offer new gameplay components to similarly boost your settlement “from the ground up”.
Lantern Armor Aya especially will have the ability to bend the campaign around her if given a chance.
Personally I favor the more mild addition of Glow.

***

All of these recommendations are my own opinion and come from a gameplay centric stand-point.
Should you be absolutely smitten by a miniature that is perfectly fine and my commentary matters probably very little at that point (I know the feeling very well).
And at that point, if you can afford it: go for it!

Purchase responsibly, and such. You know.

***

And finally:

The Sim

The KDSim has recently been central to a small-ish controversy regarding Adam floating the idea of a Sim-only Kickstarter.
The public reaction on Kickstarter was firmly negative, but, from my personal experience, comments on that site usually are. And whilst some of the ire drawn is certainly not unreasonable, I will be brutally honest – I just don’t care.
Which partially stems from the fact that I don’t think I am going to back that Kickstarter. (Now watch this age horribly.)

But, putting all that aside, if you are willing to put up with an awkwardly handling, always-online board game simulation that wants desperately to automate not the stuff you would want for it to automate and would like to try out the game for relatively cheap – get the sim.
The single user key is incredibly cheap for what you get and includes the full Core game without the hobby aspects.
But if you are looking at KD:M for the hobby aspect, you probably aren’t reading this article anyhow. At the very least not this bit?

I have recently finished my first own Core-only campaign in the Sim by getting smushed by the Gold Smoke Knight – you can and will get used to it and its controls.

Sim DLC is its own rabbit hole and the Master Key… well, it would seem if you are in the market for purchasing the Master Key whilst wanting to try the game, you might as well buy the physical game?
I’m sure there are more or less complicated reasons for preferring one over the other, but I would caution you against jumping head first into the sim mainly for handling reasons.

***

Just as a reminder:
All prices mentioned above are the currently un-reduced prices, going by previous years you can safely expect a 25-50% discount on most if not all but the newest articles.

***

As a European I am currently hoping that it won’t take until 6 a.m. for the sale to drop but we will just have to see what happens.
Right now I am looking at getting some more Stone Face Bases, Sun-Lion Erza and perhaps one of the Legendary Characters I am missing for myself next week.
But depending on what new releases we might see, this may change. A Wanderer or a surprise Heliocentrism would probably change my plans a little.

And then we can hopefully spend a mid-December afternoon happily unwrapping our new stuff!

I have also fought the Nukealope last week, and took notes on the fight and what can I say… it was a catastrophe and a half. Good times.
Expect that one next week, similar to KillyB last year.

Again the things presented here are my personal more or less informed opinions and should be used to formulate your own. If you think I missed anything substantial – let me know.
Purchase responsibly, but what do I know, I am not your dad.

If you have made it all the way down here, thank you very much for your time, good luck to anybody hunting for deals and that stock is available for the items you want to get in the region you live in!
Amathul