- BGG rank
- BGG #15,124
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Guildes
- 2–6 players
- 20–35 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,774
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Brutus
2017
Rules assistance for Brutus
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 4–10 players
- 30–45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.3/5
Rules assistant for Brutus
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Brutus is a board game released in 2017 for 4–10 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Frédéric Bizet and Michel Bussi and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
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About the game
The goal of the game is always to be the first to get rid of his cards to score victory points and the theme of the game resumes the rivalry between Brutus and his father-in-law Caesar. The first player is called Imperator and after the cards are dealt by the Slave player, he decides how many cards (1, 2 or 3) will be exchanged during the forum phase. Each player discards this number of cards and in the order of play, players take the cards of their choice. The slave discards the remaining cards. The Imperator then plays a combination of cards (one or more cards of the same value, the cards being numbered from 1 to 13). The next player may pass or play the same number of cards but of higher value. This is played until no one wants (or can) beat the current combination. The player who placed this combination starts the next round. Brutus is the weakest card in the game but it is the only card that can beat the strongest card that is ... Caesar. And we can play any card on Brutus, which can only be played on Caesar. If the winning combination has a value between 9 and 13, it triggers an effect in favor of the player who asked it (discard cards, give cards to his opponents, earn points ...). When a player no longer has a card in hand, he scores points of glory that vary according to the number of players and takes the Position card corresponding to his place (from the first Imperator to the last Slave). When only one player remains with cards (who becomes the new slave), the round is over. After several rounds (to be defined at the beginning of the game), the player with the most points is the winner. Not the same game as Brutus: The Board Game
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Bad Taste Games
Questions and answers
Brutus supports 4–10 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 Brutus is 30–45 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 Brutus 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.
Brutus has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Brutus belongs to these categories: Card Game. 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 Brutus are: Frédéric Bizet and Michel Bussi. 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 Brutus 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.