- BGG rating
- 5.5
Habemus Papam: Gamefound Exclusive Pack
- 3–6 players
- 45–60 min
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,083
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Habemus Papam
2025
Rules assistance for Habemus Papam
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 45–60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Habemus Papam
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Habemus Papam is a board game released in 2025 for 3–6 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Francisco Gradaille and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Majority / Influence, and End Game Bonuses.
Expansions
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About the game
Step into the heart of the Conclave, where tradition, intrigue, and ambition collide. In Habemus Papam, players take on the roles of Cardinal factions, each representing distinct interests within the Catholic Church. Your mission? To influence the election of the next Pope by supporting a candidate whose traits align with your faction's public profile — covering their stance on the church, age, personality, and origin — while secretly pursuing a hidden agenda that might conflict with your stated goals. Strategic use of influence is at the core of the game. This resource serves dual purposes; influence is the currency for playing powerful cards and swaying the vote, but it's also your points, so spend it wisely. Each round, you gain more influence by advancing your interests through candidates who garner widespread support, but negotiation is crucial. Forge alliances, eliminate threats, and outmaneuver rivals to secure your faction's dominance. Deduction plays a vital role because uncovering the hidden motives of others can shift the balance of power. At the end of each of the first four rounds, the Conclave may declare a "Fumata Blanca" — crowning a Pope and triggering final scoring — or a "Fumata Negra", signaling another round of intrigue. If no Pope is elected after five rounds, the game concludes with or without a Pontiff, and the final score is tallied. —description from the publisher
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Salt & Pepper Games
Questions and answers
Habemus Papam supports 3–6 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 Habemus Papam is 45–60 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 Habemus Papam 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.
Habemus Papam has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
Habemus Papam belongs to these categories: Political, Negotiation, and Religious. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Majority / Influence, and End Game Bonuses. 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 Habemus Papam are: Francisco Gradaille. 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 Habemus Papam 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.