- BGG rank
- BGG #12,304
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Theophrastus
- 2–5 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2001
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,509
- BGG rating
- 5.6
Grand Tribunal
2006
Rules assistance for Grand Tribunal
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.5/5
Rules assistant for Grand Tribunal
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Grand Tribunal is a board game released in 2006 for 3–5 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Phil R. Chase and its main mechanics are Action Points.
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About the game
A board game of magical invention ... Imagine a world where myth is real -- where wizards wield magic beyond the ken of other mortals. Imagine yourself as one of these mages, dwelling in a mystical bastion with your allies and servants, unlocking secret powers and creating wonders. Every thirty-three years the Grand Tribunal is held, attracting other wizards from far and wide to show off their magical creations for the inspection and approval of the archmages. These powerful judges vote on the best, and invite the winner to join their ranks as a new archmage -- a true master of the art of magic! Grand Tribunal is a board game for three to five players, inspired by the Ars Magica roleplaying game. In Grand Tribunal, players use Vis tokens to activate cards representing magic item types, spell categories, and resources, which they then assemble into powerful magic items. Each round, players place their votes for the item types and spell categories they're most likely to be able to play. Three times during the game -- at the periodic Tribunals -- players are presented with 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-place awards for creating magic items with item types and spell categories that match those with the most votes. The player at the end of the game with the most points based on those awards wins!
Questions and answers
Grand Tribunal supports 3–5 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 Grand Tribunal is 60–90 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 Grand Tribunal 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.
Grand Tribunal has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Grand Tribunal belongs to these categories: Fantasy. Its main mechanics are Action Points. 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 Grand Tribunal are: Phil R. Chase. 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 Grand Tribunal 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.