- BGG rank
- BGG #488
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Knarr
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #904
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Codex Naturalis
2021
Rules assistance for Codex Naturalis
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 20–30 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Codex Naturalis
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Codex Naturalis is a board game released in 2021 for 1–4 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Thomas Dupont and its main mechanics are Hand Management, End Game Bonuses, and Layering.
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About the game
In Codex Naturalis, you must continue the work of the illuminating monk Tybor Kwelein, assembling the pages of a manuscript that lists the living species in primary forests. Can you put the pages together in the best order possible? And are you prepared to sacrifice a species to develop your manuscript? In the game, each player starts with a single card on the table, a card that shows some combination of the four possible resources in the middle of the card, in the corners of the card, or both. Players also have two resource cards and one gold card in hand, while two of each type of card are visible on the table. On a turn, you place a card from your hand overlapping the corners of one or more cards you already have in play. Your starting card has four overlappable corners, while resource and gold cards have only three. Resource cards have no cost to be played, and they often depict resource symbols in their corners. Gold cards deliver points when played, but they often have a resource requirement, e.g., three fungi or two plant/one animal/one insect, and you must have those resources visible in your manuscript at the time you play the gold card. You score points from this card immediately, with some cards having a fixed value and others a variable one depending on how many of a certain symbol are showing or how many corners you covered this turn. If you wish, you can play a card from your hand face down; such a card has four corners and one resource, but provides no points. After you play, draw a face-up card or the top card of either deck to refill your hand. When a player reaches 20 points, you complete the round, and each player takes one additional turn. Players then score points based on how well they matched two public objective cards and one secret objective card, after which the player with the most points wins.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- HUCH!
- Maldito Games
- MINDOK
- Lifestyle Boardgames Ltd
- Bombyx
- Cranio Creations
- Pandasaurus Games
- MTS Games
- Dexker Games
- Yayoi The Dreamer
- Mostafil Games
Questions and answers
Codex Naturalis supports 1–4 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 Codex Naturalis is 20–30 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 Codex Naturalis for ages 7 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.
Codex Naturalis has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
Codex Naturalis belongs to these categories: Card Game and Environmental. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, End Game Bonuses, and Layering. 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 Codex Naturalis are: Thomas Dupont. 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 Codex Naturalis 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.