- BGG rank
- BGG #5,426
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Black Rose Wars: Duel – Lex
- 2 players
- 30–45 min
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- 2023
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Rules assistance for Black Rose Wars: Hidden Thorns
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 90 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.0/5
Rules assistant for Black Rose Wars: Hidden Thorns
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Black Rose Wars: Hidden Thorns is an expansion for Black Rose Wars released in 2019 for 2–6 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Marco Montanaro and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Area Movement.
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About the game
Marco and Geneve, two new mages, make their debut in Hidden Thorns, vastly increasing the choice of characters in the game. Marco, of Molisan origins, is specialized in the School of Illusion, while Geneve, from Paris, masters the spells of the School of Conspiracy. The new mages are represented by two beautiful miniatures, and the box contains all the game components needed to play them. With Hidden Thorns, you can expand the battles fought within the Black Rose Lodge. Increase the maximum number of players in a Black Rose Wars game to six, or extend your choice of characters with these new mages.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Pegasus Spiele
- Hobby World
- Czacha Games
- Ludus Magnus Studio
Questions and answers
Black Rose Wars: Hidden Thorns supports 2–6 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 Black Rose Wars: Hidden Thorns is 90 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 Black Rose Wars: Hidden Thorns for ages 14 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.
Black Rose Wars: Hidden Thorns has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Black Rose Wars: Hidden Thorns belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Area Movement. 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 Black Rose Wars: Hidden Thorns are: Marco Montanaro. 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 Black Rose Wars: Hidden Thorns as an expansion for Black Rose Wars. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Black Rose Wars to use it. Check that your edition of Black Rose Wars is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.