- BGG rating
- 6.0
Star Wheel
- 2–6 players
- 60 min
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,977
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Gnostica
2001
Rules assistance for Gnostica
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 3.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Gnostica
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gnostica is a board game released in 2001 for 2–6 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Kory Heath, John Cooper, Jacob Davenport, and Kristin Matherly and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Tile Placement, and Modular Board.
Expansions
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About the game
Gnostica is an abstract territory based war game. Tarot cards make up the often-changing board, and players use Looney Pyramids to represent minions that control those territories. Every tarot card has a power, and when a player has one of his pieces on a territory, he or she may use the power of that territory through that piece. Players also have a hand of tarot cards which allow them to use those powers through any of their pieces. Territories are worth points when occupied, and the game ends when one player challenges the other players and has 9 points on his or her following turn. Gnostica is a redevelopment of Zarcana. Re-implemented by Zark City, and Dectana. The former is much simpler and uses a poker deck, while the latter is more complex and uses the Decktet. This page has a short URL: http://j.mp/gnostica
Publishers
- (Web published)
- Looney Labs
Questions and answers
Gnostica supports 2–6 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 Gnostica is 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 Gnostica 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.
Gnostica has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Gnostica belongs to these categories: Card Game, Territory Building, and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Tile Placement, and Modular Board. 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 Gnostica are: Kory Heath, John Cooper, Jacob Davenport, and Kristin Matherly. 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 Gnostica 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.