
Goblin Grapple: Bethany
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min

2020
Rules assistance for Goblin Grapple
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.
Goblin Grapple is a board game released in 2020 for 2–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Memory.
Goblin Grapple is a suspenseful 2-4 player strategy card game. In Goblin Grapple, the goblin clans are at war, and your goal is to unite the clans by proving your strength in battle. In Goblin Grapple, players race to gain points by collecting goblins in battle. The goal of the game is to collect 100 points worth of goblins over multiple rounds of play. Players start the game with 5 goblin cards and can use them to build their armies and challenge their opponents. Some goblins have special abilities, like the spy, which can be played to steal another player’s card. Goblin cards are secretly played into armies, which are worth points at the end of the round, with the last goblin card played being revealed when entering battle. On your turn you will start by drawing a card and then taking as many actions as you’d like. To play a goblin into your army, play one card face down in front of you, creating a stack of cards. These cards will defend you if you are attacked by another player. To challenge another player’s army, choose a player, and play a goblin from your hand face-up. The defender will then reveal their last army card played. The stronger goblin wins the battle, unless special goblin abilities are activated, and the winning player will take all face up cards from the battle, placing them into their garrison. Once a garrison reaches 21 points or more, the round ends. All players will add points from their garrison and army to their total score. Do you have what it takes? Will you be the next Goblin Emperor? —description from the publisher
Goblin Grapple 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 Goblin Grapple 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 Goblin Grapple 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.
Goblin Grapple has a complexity rating of 1.2 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.
Goblin Grapple belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Memory. 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 catalogue lists Goblin Grapple 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.