
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,598
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Heartland
- 2–5 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2009

2020
Rules assistance for Gloomy Graves
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gloomy Graves is a board game released in 2020 for 2–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jeffrey D. Allers and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Tile Placement.
In Gloomy Graves, you work as a gravedigger in a dark fantasy world in which epic battles rage continuously. The corpses of pixies, goblins, unicorns, cyclops, and dragons have begun to pile up, so you've got your work cut out for you. Manage your private crypt and the communal graveyard, each with different placement rules. Keep the place organized as you bury corpses in different areas of the graveyard, or it's your own grave you'll be digging! You earn points based on how well-organized you keep your private crypt and the communal graveyard, grouping corpse types together. You also earn points at the end of the game for the number of different corpse types you've scored on during the game. Whoever collects the most points wins! —description from the publisher
Gloomy Graves supports 2–4 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 Gloomy Graves is 30–45 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 Gloomy Graves 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.
Gloomy Graves 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.
Gloomy Graves belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Horror, and Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Tile Placement. 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 Gloomy Graves are: Jeffrey D. Allers. 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 Gloomy Graves 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.