
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Herbalism: 2 Player Variant Rule
- 2 players
- 15 min
- 2018

2017
Rules assistance for Herbalism
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Herbalism is a board game released in 2017 for 3–4 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Eros Lin and Liu Xiao and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Trading, and Memory.
Description from the publisher: In the game Herbalism, players take on the role of a group of novice pharmacists, hoping to find the cure to the pandemic that is currently plaguing the country. Players must exchange information with one another in order to gain more insight into the ingredients of the cure; however, only one can earn the title of "God Farmer," so be careful not to share all of your knowledge too easily!
Herbalism supports 3–4 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 Herbalism is 15–30 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 Herbalism 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.
Herbalism has a complexity rating of 1.9 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.
Herbalism belongs to these categories: Card Game, Deduction, and Memory. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Trading, and Memory. 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 Herbalism are: Eros Lin and Liu Xiao. 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 Herbalism 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.