
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Haven: Ancient Relics
- 2 players
- 30–45 min
- 2018

2018
Rules assistance for Haven
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.
Haven is a board game released in 2018 for 2 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Alf Seegert and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Push Your Luck.
The mystical forest has been home and haven to beasts, spirits, and forgotten gods for thousands of years. While the Haven Guardian slumbers, a nearby human village has grown into a city, hungry to control the powers of the forest. Can the forest creatures discover enough potent lore to defend their ancient home from the oppressive city — or will the city use this lore to power their machines and turn the forest against itself? The battle for Haven begins! In Haven, you and your opponent battle for control of a mystical forest. The Haven Guardian, spirit of the forest, sleeps deeply and can no longer protect its kingdom. One of you controls the city in an effort to master the vulnerable forest using "stone lore" and machines. The other plays as the forest and its creatures who defend their home with the aid of "leaf lore" and forest spirits. To obtain the power needed to oppose your enemy, you must send seekers to compete for the lore controlled by elementals, ancient beings who bestow the lore on those who seek it. Seekers also engage in combat for control of shrines on the board, scoring you bonus points if you occupy a majority of shrines surrounding forest havens. When one type of lore is depleted or one elemental has left the board, the Haven Guardian awakens and the player with the higher score masters the forest — or defends it from harm — and wins the game.
Haven 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 Haven is 30–45 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 Haven 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.
Haven 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.
Haven belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Push Your Luck. 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 Haven are: Alf Seegert. 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 Haven 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.