- BGG rating
- 7.5
Catacombs: Chicks in a Catacomb
- 2–5 players
- 30–90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,148
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Catacombs (Third Edition)
2015
Rules assistance for Catacombs (Third Edition)
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Catacombs (Third Edition)
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Catacombs (Third Edition) is a board game released in 2015 for 2–5 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Ryan Amos, Marc Kelsey, and Aron West and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Player Elimination, and Role Playing.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Catacombs: Crypt of Shaurath
- 2–5 players
- 30–90 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2015
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Catacombs: Zombie Horde
- 2–5 players
- 30–90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2015
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Catacombs: Cavern of Soloth (Third Edition)
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Catacombs: Teleport
- 2016
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Catacombs: Resurrection Pack 1
- 2–5 players
- 2017
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Catacombs: Resurrection Pack 2
- 2–5 players
- 2017
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Catacombs: Resurrection Pack 3
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 2017
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Catacombs: Wyverns of Wylemuir
- 2–8 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2017
- BGG rating
- 9.0
Catacombs (Third Edition): Playmat Upgrade and Expansion
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 2019
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Catacombs (Third Edition): The Ice Box
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2019
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Catacombs (Third Edition): Wand of Chaos Expansion
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2019
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Catacombs (Third Edition): Wyldlands KS Playmat
- 2019
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Catacombs (Third Edition): Goblin Mage Expansion
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- 2020
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Catacombs: Black Box
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 2021
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Catacombs: Wyverns of Wylemuir (Second Edition)
- 2–8 players
- 60–90 min
- 2022
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Catacombs: Red Box
- 1–5 players
- 45–90 min
- 2023
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Catacombs (Third Edition): Hero Upgrade Expansion
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 2023
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- 90 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
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- Complexity 2.2/5
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- BGG #3,482
- BGG rating
- 7.2
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- 2–5 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2015
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- BGG rating
- 7.5
Valor & Villainy: Minions of Mordak
- 2–6 players
- 90–150 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2020
About the game
Catacombs is an award-winning, cooperative board game set in the fantasy world of Cimathue, and you need skill and dexterity to master this fast-paced game. One player (the Overseer) marshals an army of monsters while the others choose from six brave heroes who embark on a quest to save the town of Stormtryne from the threat lurking in the catacombs below. As the heroes explore, they must use their abilities, buy items, and recruit allies to help them defeat the monsters before facing the powerful Catacomb Lord, thereby saving the town. In more detail, in Catacombs players flick wooden discs that represent the monsters and heroes. Contact with an opposing piece inflicts damage, while missiles, spells, and other special abilities can cause other effects. When all of the monsters of a room have been cleared, the heroes can move further into the catacomb. Items and equipment upgrades can be purchased from the Merchant with gold taken from fallen monsters. The Catacomb Lord is the final danger that the heroes must defeat to win the game. Conversely, the Overseer wins if all of the heroes are defeated. This third edition of Catacombs has all-new artwork compared to the earlier editions, but more importantly the keywords from the first two editions has been replace with iconography, the terminology has changed, and the third edition has new shot types, new card effects, and a different set of components (many of which have changed statistics) as well as wall pieces not present in earlier editions.
Designers
Publishers
- Arrakis Games
- Schwerkraft-Verlag
- Elzra
Questions and answers
Catacombs (Third Edition) 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 Catacombs (Third Edition) is 60–90 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 Catacombs (Third Edition) 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.
Catacombs (Third Edition) has a complexity rating of 2.4 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.
Catacombs (Third Edition) belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Action / Dexterity. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Player Elimination, and Role Playing. 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 Catacombs (Third Edition) are: Ryan Amos, Marc Kelsey, and Aron West. 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 Catacombs (Third Edition) 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.