
- BGG rank
- BGG #18
- BGG rating
- 8.4
The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2024

2025
Rules assistance for Guerra de Calderos
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.
Guerra de Calderos is a board game released in 2025 for 2–5 players, 1–20 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Set Collection.
Five students have been trapped in the cauldron classroom of a prestigious magic school called Verkanish. To escape, they must gather five fantastical ingredients or obtain the three golden cauldrons. Whoever completes the ritual first, wins. HOW TO PLAY: At the beginning of the game, each player chooses one of the five available characters: Aldric, Lyra, Magnus, Celestia, or Corvus. On pages 4 and 5 of the rulebook, players can find each character’s background story, strengths, and weaknesses. Each player places their character card in front of them, with their magic cauldron placed directly below it. Next, shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards to each player. On a player’s turn, they must perform one single action, choosing one of the following options: Attack an opponent. Discard a card. Add an ingredient to the magic cauldron. Ingredients are played face up on the table, placed next to the cauldron, so that all players can see how many ingredients each player still needs to complete their ritual. After performing an action, the player draws cards until they have 5 cards in hand at the end of their turn. The game ends when a player successfully completes their magical ritual, becoming the winner of the game and escaping from Verkanish. —description from the publisher Cinco alumnos han quedado atrapados en el aula de calderos de una prestigiosa escuela de magia llamada Verkanish. Para escapar, tendrán que reunir cinco ingredientes fantásticos o conseguir los tres calderos dorados. Quien complete el ritual primero, gana. COMO SE JUEGA: Al comienzo de la partida, cada jugador elige uno de los cinco personajes disponibles: Aldric, Lyra, Magnus, Celestia o Corvus. En las páginas 4 y 5 del libro de instrucciones se pueden consultar sus historias, fortalezas y debilidades. Cada jugador coloca su personaje frente a sí y, justo debajo, su caldero mágico. A continuación, se baraja el mazo de cartas y se reparten 5 cartas a cada jugador. En su turno, cada jugador debe realizar una única acción, eligiendo entre las siguientes tres opciones: Atacar a un rival. Descartar una carta. Añadir un ingrediente al caldero mágico. Los ingredientes se juegan boca arriba en la mesa, colocándolos a continuación del caldero, de modo que todos los jugadores puedan ver cuántos ingredientes le faltan a cada rival para completar el ritual. Siempre que se realice una acción, al final del turno el jugador robará cartas hasta volver a tener 5 en mano. La partida termina cuando un jugador consigue completar su ritual mágico, proclamándose ganador de la partida y escapando de Verkanish. —description from the publisher (Spanish)
Guerra de Calderos supports 2–5 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 Guerra de Calderos is 1–20 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 Guerra de Calderos for ages 7 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.
Guerra de Calderos 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.
Guerra de Calderos belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Humor. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Set Collection. 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 Guerra de Calderos 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.