
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,670
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Gruff
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2015

2017
Rules assistance for Gruff: Clash of the Battle Goats
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.
Gruff: Clash of the Battle Goats is a board game released in 2017 for 2 players, 20–45 minutes per game, and ages 11 and up. It was designed by Brent Critchfield and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers and Campaign / Battle Card Driven.
Clash is a tactical card game of brutal goat combat. The game can be learned in just a few minutes but has a tremendous amount of depth. The box contains enough content for 2 players to immediately play out of the same box, or you can combine Clash with our previous game Gruff to unlock nearly limitless deck-building options and multiplayer modes. In Clash you take the role of a shepherd with a custom team of Battle Goats (called gruffs). In gameplay terms you will choose a Shepherd card (Which represents your health and other stats) and 3 Goat cards. In Shuffle-building style each of the goat cards also comes with a goat deck. Pick 8 cards per goat to create your deck of 24. Players take turns activating goats, playing cards then launching attacks at your opponent. However, when a gruff attacks it does not deal damage until the beginning of your next turn allowing your opponent a turn to dodge, deflect, or counterattack! A Player wins when they can break through the enemy line of defenses and kill the enemy shepherd, or if you successfully kill all 3 enemy gruffs.
Gruff: Clash of the Battle Goats supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Gruff: Clash of the Battle Goats is 20–45 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 Gruff: Clash of the Battle Goats for ages 11 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.
Gruff: Clash of the Battle Goats has a complexity rating of 3.0 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.
Gruff: Clash of the Battle Goats belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers and Campaign / Battle Card Driven. 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 Gruff: Clash of the Battle Goats are: Brent Critchfield. 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 Gruff: Clash of the Battle Goats 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.