- BGG rating
- 7.3
Heir to the Pharaoh: Cursed Expansion
- 2 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,212
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Heir to the Pharaoh
2016
Rules assistance for Heir to the Pharaoh
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 45–60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Heir to the Pharaoh
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Heir to the Pharaoh is a board game released in 2016 for 2 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Alf Seegert and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Set Collection.
Expansions
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About the game
Ancient Egypt is going to the dogs — or maybe to the cats? Displeased by his children, the Pharaoh favors his pets instead. He has decided to alter the lines of succession and will bequeath his entire kingdom either to the feline goddess Bast or to the canine god Anubis, but which one? In Heir to the the Pharaoh you and your opponent play as Bast and Anubis, each one vying for the Pharaoh's affection — and for his throne! Impress the Pharaoh by digging your mighty paws into the sand. Build majestic Shrines, Sun Temples and Obelisks! Use Animal Magic to unleash the power of the gods, who will help you win the favor of the Pharaoh! In more detail, the game combines intense card play with a spacious and colorfully illustrated game board. It mingles multiple mechanisms, including civilization-building (with tile placement and network building), bidding, set collection, area control, and hand management (with players required to exchange all used cards with their opponent at the end of each round). Seven separate player abilities re-combine each round, depending on the favor of the gods earned that round by each player. For example, earning the favor of the god Ra lets you add a Player Disc to the current Sun for area control around the edges of the board. Ptah allows you to claim the current Monument Card for set collection scoring. Seshat lets you place the current Monument Standee on the board to add to the network of Monuments in play. Geb and Nut let you claim and rotate this Monument Standee and aim it at other Monuments to score points. The Pharaoh lets you secretly contribute cards to the construction of the Pyramid, awarding the greater contributor many points at the end of the game. Over a series of eight rounds, players work to build a Pyramid and a series of smaller monuments to impress the Pharaoh. By performing actions unique to each god, players build monuments and align them to point at other monuments, gaining influence over the Pharaoh as they do so. Once the Pyramid is completed, the player with the most points is declared the Heir to the Pharaoh and wins the game.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Eagle-Gryphon Games
Questions and answers
Heir to the Pharaoh 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 Heir to the Pharaoh 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 Heir to the Pharaoh for ages 10 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.
Heir to the Pharaoh has a complexity rating of 2.7 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.
Heir to the Pharaoh belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, 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 credited designers of Heir to the Pharaoh 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 Heir to the Pharaoh 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.