
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Herbaceous: Flavor Pack Mini Expansion
- 1–4 players
- 15–20 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2017

2017
Rules assistance for Herbaceous
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Herbaceous is a board game released in 2017 for 1–4 players, 15–20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Steve Finn and Eduardo Baraf and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Solo / Solitaire Game.
In Herbaceous, herb collectors compete to grow and store the most valuable medley of herbs. Everyone starts with four containers, each of which allows a different grouping action: Group herbs of same type Group different types Group pairs Group any three types (same or different) On your turn, you draw a herb, then decide to either keep it in your personal collection or put in into the communal pile. If kept, the next card goes to the communal pile; if placed in the communal pile, the next card goes in your personal collection. At the start of your turn, you can decide to use a container. If so, you assemble cards from personal and communal spaces, group them, then turn them all over. You have then "collected" those and can't use the container again. At the end of the game, collectors determine the best collection as a combination of value from their collection, matching herbs, and herb sets.
Herbaceous supports 1–4 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 Herbaceous is 15–20 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 Herbaceous for ages 8 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.
Herbaceous has a complexity rating of 1.2 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.
Herbaceous belongs to these categories: Card Game and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Solo / Solitaire Game. 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 Herbaceous are: Steve Finn and Eduardo Baraf. 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 Herbaceous 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.