
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,019
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Vast: The Crystal Caverns
- 1–5 players
- 75–150 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2016

2013
Rules assistance for Gormenghast: The Board Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gormenghast: The Board Game is a board game released in 2013 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Philip Cooke and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Tile Placement.
Mervyn Peake’s extraordinary ‘gothic’ novels, centered on the castle of Gormenghast, have captured the imaginations of millions of readers worldwide, turning the work into a cult classic. The atmosphere of the rambling and decaying castle of Gormenghast with its intrigues, its rituals, its morbid humour and its sheer eccentricity has been a lovingly recreated in this amazing board game. In this board game each player takes on the role of a ‘kitchen rat’ similar to Steerpike in the books. Like Steerpike you have the same murderous desire for power. Your goal is to accumulate as much influence as you can (in the form of Victory Tokens), rise to the top and become Master of Ritual. To acquire Victory Tokens players move characters around the board to complete various intrigues (detailed on Plot Cards). When a player completes a plot they gain Victory Tokens. The first player to acquire 9 (or more) Victory Tokens wins the game. Contents Rule book book of ritual 10 x character pieces 30 x castle tiles Three card decks totaling 106 cards - 66 action cards, 10 character cards and 30 plot cards 30 x artefact tokens 20 x influence tokens 40 x victory tokens 1 x blocking token 1 x ritual die
Gormenghast: The Board Game 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 Gormenghast: The Board Game 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 Gormenghast: The Board Game for ages 12 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.
Gormenghast: The Board Game has a complexity rating of 1.0 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.
Gormenghast: The Board Game belongs to these categories: Fantasy and Novel-based. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, 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 Gormenghast: The Board Game are: Philip Cooke. 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 Gormenghast: The Board Game 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.