Forbidden Desert setup guide

Set up Forbidden Desert: a shuffled 5x5 tile grid with the storm in the centre and the starting sand marked, face-down until you excavate.

How to use the Forbidden Desert tool

1. Generate a new 5×5 desert grid.
2. Place the desert tiles face down with the storm in the center and add the indicated starting sand.
3. Reveal tiles during excavation rather than using the preview to reveal hidden information.

The layout helper preserves the face-down start. The storm deck, adventurers and water levels follow the rulebook.

What this setup tool prepares

Forbidden Desert starts with a hidden desert layout, a central storm, and starting sand. The helper prepares that arrangement without turning the physical setup into an open-information puzzle. It is useful for placing the tiles consistently, but the excavation and discovery that happen during play should remain part of the game.

Before you start playing

Build the 5×5 grid with the storm in the center and tiles face down. Add the displayed sand without exposing information that players should discover later. Complete the storm deck, adventurers, and water levels from the rulebook, and avoid circulating a preview that reveals hidden tile information to the group.

Free to use, with no account required. Use your physical game components and the rulebook for the complete rules.