- BGG rank
- BGG #2,516
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Gloom
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,204
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Fairytale Gloom
2015
Rules assistance for Fairytale Gloom
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 30–60 min
- 13+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Fairytale Gloom
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Fairytale Gloom is a board game released in 2015 for 2–5 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Keith Baker and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Storytelling.
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About the game
In the Gloom card game, you assume control of the fate of an eccentric family of misfits and misanthropes. The goal of the game is sad, but simple: You want your characters to suffer the greatest tragedies possible before passing on to the well-deserved respite of death. Fairytale Gloom spreads that misery and suffering to the beloved, classic stories of your youth, like a magical, flying godmother ready to perturb you with peas, foil you with fairies, and surprise you with spiders.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Atlas Games
Questions and answers
Fairytale Gloom 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 Fairytale Gloom is 30–60 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 Fairytale Gloom for ages 13 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.
Fairytale Gloom has a complexity rating of 1.6 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.
Fairytale Gloom belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Humor. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Storytelling. 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 Fairytale Gloom are: Keith Baker. 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 Fairytale Gloom 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.