
- BGG rank
- BGG #34
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Root
- 2–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2018

2020
Rules assistance for Caretos
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Caretos is a board game released in 2020 for 2–4 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Paulo Pereira and its main mechanics are Area Movement and Point to Point Movement.
In the far north of Portugal in an imaginary triangle between the Gerês, Marão, and Montesinho Mountains, there is a rough granite landscape of wilderness and solitude. This region is known for its large number of sightings of supernatural creatures, such as witches, werewolves, and the devilish Caretos. In Caretos, a game for 2-4 players, you control a team of two Portuguese monsters that roam the region at night, hunting villagers. Your goal is to scare and capture more villagers than any of your opponents. Villagers are grouped in villages and chapels around the map. On a player's turn, they activate one of their monsters, moving it to scare and disperse groups of villagers or capture isolated villagers. The activation of a monster depends on the «energies of the night»; according to the energy used, the monster can move or do special abilities. The player can also activate neutral creatures: the Caretos (a gang of jokers, possessed villagers), who can block and even capture other players. —description from the publisher
Caretos supports 2–4 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 Caretos is 45–60 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 Caretos for ages 8 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.
Caretos has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Caretos belongs to these categories: Fantasy and Mythology. Its main mechanics are Area Movement and Point to Point 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 Caretos are: Paulo Pereira. 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 Caretos 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.