- BGG rank
- BGG #3,662
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Unbroken
- 1 player
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,540
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Cauldron
2015
Rules assistance for Cauldron
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 11+
- Complexity 2.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Cauldron
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cauldron is a board game released in 2015 for 2–5 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 11 and up. It was designed by Artem Safarov and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Set Collection.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,035
- BGG rating
- 6.2
504
- 2–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #18
- BGG rating
- 8.4
The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #98
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Five Tribes: The Djinns of Naqala
- 2–4 players
- 40–80 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,256
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Dragon Racer
- 2–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,757
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Farms Race
- 2–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #603
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Shadows over Camelot
- 3–7 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #930
- BGG rating
- 7.2
My Little Scythe
- 1–6 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,513
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Here to Slay
- 2–6 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,904
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Dale of Merchants Collection
- 2–4 players
- 20–60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,986
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Cosmic Frog
- 2–6 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #378
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Arcadia Quest
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2014
About the game
Cauldron is a competitive board game set in a fantasy world. Taking on roles of powerful mystical characters like the Druid, the Shaman or the Wizard, players will brew potions to grow their magical power, while casting spells to stop others from getting ahead. Cauldron is a resource management game that plays with 2-5 players aged 10+ in 1 hour. Play revolves around a central set of fields, producing potion ingredients each season (frog legs, spider webs, dragon eggs etc). Each player has potions - way to combine ingredients to score Magik (game's victory points and currency). Players take turns harvesting ingredients, brewing potions and attempting to steal ingredients from competitors. Each player also has a hand of spells - one-time effects that help the player or hinder opponents. Each character has variable powers that modifies the way basic actions are resolved. After all ingredients have been harvested, players have a chance to invest some of their Magik to buy additional potions, spells or add fields to the game board. Balancing investment with advancement is a crucial part of the game. The game proceeds until one of the player reaches 35 Magik - that player is the winner. The game has an element of luck and conflict present but the majority of it revolves around resource management, planning and balancing short and long term investment.
Designers
Publishers
- Altema Games
Questions and answers
Cauldron 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 Cauldron 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 Cauldron for ages 11 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.
Cauldron has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
Cauldron belongs to these categories: Fantasy and Economic. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Set Collection. 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 Cauldron are: Artem Safarov. 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 Cauldron 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.