- BGG rating
- 6.0
Arcanum: The Witch
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,689
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Arcanum
2011
Rules assistance for Arcanum
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.6/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Arcanum
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Arcanum is a board game released in 2011 for 3–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Andrea Chiarvesio and Pierluca Zizzi and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
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About the game
Arcanum is played with a regular Tarot deck, used to move the game pieces on the board. There are four noble Houses, fighting for power and supremacy in a medieval city. They are named after the four Tarot suits: Pentacles, Chalices, Swords and Wands. Players will represent different paths for Fate, and will try to shape the destiny of those Houses to best suit their goals. The game is played over 6 or 9 turns, and at every turn each player has the opportunity to hide one (and sometimes more) cards under the board in front of him (this is called "influencing" the Houses and it's like a hidden bet on the house, trying to get control over it) and to play cards for their effects (Major Arcana cannot be hidden but have stronger effects). Playing cards will impact, among other things, the ranking of the Houses in terms of prestige. To optimize point scoring, a good player will try to gain influence over "winning" houses without wasting too many cards for acheiving that, and/or to influence Houses in the lower positions with little effort. Experienced players will learn how to deceive their opponents about their real intentions. Skill, bluffing, intuition and reading your opponent’s moves are all skills required to gain victory. Arcanum is the first board game by the world acclaimed Tarot publisher Lo Scarabeo, and includes a complete tarot deck: a "family friendly" version of the Initiatory Tarot of the Golden Dawn featuring wondrous illustrations by the artist Patrizio Evangelisti.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Heidelberger Spieleverlag
- Lo Scarabeo
Questions and answers
Arcanum supports 3–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Arcanum is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Arcanum for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Arcanum has a complexity rating of 2.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Arcanum belongs to these categories: Bluffing, Medieval, and Political. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Arcanum are: Andrea Chiarvesio and Pierluca Zizzi. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Arcanum as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.