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A Message From the Stars
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Beasts
2025
Rules assistance for Beasts
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 20–30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Beasts
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Beasts is a board game released in 2025 for 2–5 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Clarence Simpson and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Cooperative Game, and Communication Limits.
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About the game
Beasts is a co-operative card game in which players work together to climb ever higher through a series of three-digit numbers, transforming the current number by strategically covering one digit at a time. Each player plays all cards of a single suit from their hand on their turn, always aiming to create a new number that's higher than the last. But things get wild when the beasts arrive. These mischievous creatures correspond to specific card types — like Whole Hearts or Broken Spades — and once they show up, they restrict where those card types can be played on the board. Beasts are startled when placed above matching cards, which makes them move (or even flee), and part of your team's challenge is luring and managing these creatures so that they don't block your most valuable options. Each player has limited information they can communicate, so the game hinges on clever planning, interpreting your teammates' cues, and maximizing every turn. With just a few shared discard tokens and an ever-growing number, your group will need to work in perfect sync to survive all the beasts and play every card in the deck. Complete the deck, tame the chaos, and claim victory with the highest number possible — if you can outwit the beasts. —description from the publisher
Designers
Publishers
- Pandasaurus Games
Questions and answers
Beasts supports 2–5 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 Beasts is 20–30 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 Beasts for ages 12 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.
Beasts has a complexity rating of 1.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Beasts belongs to these categories: Card Game and Number. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Cooperative Game, and Communication Limits. 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 Beasts are: Clarence Simpson. 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 Beasts 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.