- BGG rank
- BGG #8,244
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Plague & Pestilence
- 2–6 players
- 15–45 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 1993
- BGG rank
- BGG #17,018
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Of Popes & Plagues
2025
Rules assistance for Of Popes & Plagues
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 20–60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.3/5
Rules assistant for Of Popes & Plagues
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Of Popes & Plagues is a board game released in 2025 for 2–6 players, 20–60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Tray Green, Jennifer Green, and Hillary Green and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Player Elimination, and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
Of Popes & Plagues allows players to recreate Middle Ages and the outbreak of plague and pestilence. This is not a reprint of Plague & Pestilence, rather a recreation with the addition of the Inquisition and reworking of many game mechanics. This release includes the base mechanics of building up your village and population and then fighting to outlast your opponents once the plague breaks out… he who dies last wins. Gotcha cards and die rolls are to affect the outcome but the player must now make many more subtle decisions about when and what to build and when to focus on beating other players; populations down. Modifications and additions were made to add depth and flavor to the game while keeping it accessible to family gamers. Much of the base artwork has been retained, with additional cards (Inquisition, Knights Templar and Hospitaller, Monastery and Corsair Raid) added and the medieval feel maintained with the complete game colorized using an illuminated manuscript style. —description from the publisher
Categories
Publishers
- Hillary's Toy Box
Questions and answers
Of Popes & Plagues supports 2–6 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 Of Popes & Plagues is 20–60 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 Of Popes & Plagues 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.
Of Popes & Plagues has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Of Popes & Plagues belongs to these categories: Card Game, Dice, and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Player Elimination, 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 Of Popes & Plagues are: Tray Green, Jennifer Green, and Hillary Green. 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 Of Popes & Plagues 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.