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- 7.4
Import / Export: Definitive Edition
- 2–6 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2021
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- BGG #6,910
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Dread Curse
2013
Rules assistance for Dread Curse
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–8 players
- 30 min
- 14+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Dread Curse
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dread Curse is a board game released in 2013 for 3–8 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Stuart Sisk and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Push Your Luck.
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About the game
A pirate lives on skill, guile and fortune's fair eye, dreading the day his luck finally runs dry. Before ye lies a sack of sixty golden doubloons – a king's ransom and a good day's haul. Each of the crew is entitled to a share equal to his rank and station aboard, and as a crew of thieving pirates, each has his own unique talent for prying coins out of the hands of his shipmates. Take all ye deserve – but no more than prudence allows for the treasure be cursed! Within the sack are coins bearing the Black Spot. To hold such a coin is to feel the icy hand of death upon ye – but to not be able to rid oneself of its curse is death itself. Best find someone else's pocket to line it with, lest ye find yer pirating days at an end. Dread Curse is a push-your-luck game of cunning thievery and ample turns of fortune. Play revolves around drawing loot from a cloth bag and stealing from the other pirates in order to gain the most valuable stash of treasure. Each turn, players reveal coins from their hidden cache to win the captaincy or one of the other seven crew assignments, each of whom are able to draw from the bag in a unique way or use a special "cheat" ability available only to that pirate. Stay in as long as you dare to grab more gold, but beware the Black Spot for if you end the game with it in your stash, you automatically lose.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Smirk & Dagger Games
Questions and answers
Dread Curse supports 3–8 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 Dread Curse is 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 Dread Curse 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.
Dread Curse 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.
Dread Curse belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Push Your Luck. 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 Dread Curse are: Stuart Sisk. 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 Dread Curse 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.