
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,507
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Cathood
- 2–4 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2025

2022
Rules assistance for Hercules
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.
Hercules is a board game released in 2022 for 1–4 players, 20–45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Fábio Lima and its main mechanics are Race, Set Collection, and Dice Rolling.
In Hercules, players represent an Apprentice of Hercules and will roll the dice to perform mathematical operations in order to complete the legendary Twelve Labours of the almighty warrior. It’s a race, but being the first to complete these challenges won’t be enough to claim victory! Ultimately, the winner will be the player who has earned the most points from their cards, cubes and bonuses they gained by cleverly doing maths. Hercules is played over several rounds. Each round consists of 3 phases: 1. Consult the Oracle (All players simultaneously roll their dice) 2. Perform an Action (each player takes their turn and decides which action they wish to take: Perform a Labour or Rest) 3. Move Pegasus (the Pegasus card moves to the next player on the left. That player will start the next round) During the action phase, players may use the abilities of the Demigod and Gods of Olympus cards they previously won to adjust the dice results as permitted by spending cubes or flipping cards face down. The game ends as soon as any Apprentice reaches Column 12 (that Apprentice immediately wins the Zeus card). Any player(s) who have not yet taken their turn do so, so that all players have the same number of turns. The player with the most VP wins the game. —description from the designer
Hercules 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 Hercules is 20–45 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 Hercules 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.
Hercules has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Hercules belongs to these categories: Dice, Ancient, and Mythology. Its main mechanics are Race, Set Collection, and Dice Rolling. 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 Hercules are: Fábio Lima. 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 Hercules 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.