- BGG rank
- BGG #1,786
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Löwenherz
1997
Rules assistance for Löwenherz
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60–90 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Löwenherz
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Löwenherz is a board game released in 1997 for 2–4 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Klaus Teuber and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Area Majority / Influence, and Square Grid.
About the game
The king lies near death, so the princes compete to dominate the kingdom and secure the throne by grabbing as much land as possible. This is, in the ideal, a 4 player game. Each turn a card is revealed that displays 3 actions that players can choose from. Each player in turn choose an action by playing a 1, 2 or 3 card identifying the first, second or third action on the revealed card. The beauty of this mechanism lies in the distribution of 3 actions among 4 players. Someone always misses out. If two players choose the same action (and this is often, decided by the last player as the first 3 often - not always - but often choose actions a1, 2 and 3) the players who chose it negotiate a solution. If they cannot come to an agreement they duel. This is one of the defining elements of the game, but can take some time (negotiations can) and so was dropped from the re-implementation as Domaine. The game board is built of 6 tiles randomly placed in a frame producing a slightly different game each time. It is seen by many as the third in a Teuber thematic trilogy defined by Entdecker, Catan, Löwenherz. The board is conflicted and in the manner of Go the idea is to capture as much territory as possible. Each player starts with three castles (12 across all four players, and a crowded board). They build walls to create kingdoms, and train knights to defend them, both key actions on that action card they bid on each turn. Consequently this is a high conflict area grabbing game with a heavy element of negotiation.
Designers
Publishers
- Rio Grande Games
- Goldsieber Spiele
Questions and answers
Löwenherz supports 2–4 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 Löwenherz is 60–90 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 Löwenherz 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.
Löwenherz has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Löwenherz belongs to these categories: Medieval and Political. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Area Majority / Influence, and Square Grid. 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 Löwenherz are: Klaus Teuber. 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 Löwenherz 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.