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Not Alone
- 2–7 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,655
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Curses & Covens
2024
Rules assistance for Curses & Covens
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 4–6 players
- 10–20 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 4 players
Rules assistant for Curses & Covens
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Curses & Covens is a board game released in 2024 for 4–6 players, 10–20 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Samara Jethwa and David Walsh and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Push Your Luck, and Deduction.
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About the game
Curses & Covens is an all vs one game where one player takes on the role as the witch hunter, while all other players are towns trying to protect the friendly witches! The aim of the witch hunter is to capture 5 witches, while the towns want to form a coven of three witches of the same suit in one player's hand to win. The game plays through four main phases. These phases repeat until one side has won. Census, where all the towns’ cards are revealed. These will be a mix of witches, innocent villagers, rituals or a fake witch (scarecrow). Players win if they have 3 cards of 1 witch suit in 1 player’s hand, or may cast a spell on the witch hunter if they have 2 witches in hand. Then they discuss their plans for the round, but with the witch hunter listening! Arrival, where the witch hunter observes then deals 1 new card to each town player. The witch hunter now knows what everyone has in hand, but the players get new information which they cannot communicate to their team. Travel, where town players consider the new card they’ve received, then each give or request a hidden card to or from other town players. They may also protect or later access a key card by swapping it into the woods, safe from the witch hunter. The witch hunter observes the cards moving, but not exactly what goes where. Hunt, where the witch hunter picks 2 cards in total from the towns, trying to capture witches while avoiding innocent villagers, dangerous ritual cards, or the fake witch which frees previously captured witches. The town players need to communicate carefully to consider their options, how to manage risks and protect key cards, and understand when to make decisive moves, all while the witch hunter listens. Both roles require players to weigh up probabilities and consider previously discussed plans against new imperatives that might signal necessary changes in strategy as the round progresses. -description from publisher
Designers
Publishers
- Good Games Publishing
- One Thousand Rats
Questions and answers
Curses & Covens supports 4–6 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 Curses & Covens is 10–20 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 Curses & Covens 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.
Curses & Covens 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.
Curses & Covens belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Push Your Luck, and Deduction. 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 Curses & Covens are: Samara Jethwa and David Walsh. 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 Curses & Covens 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.