- BGG rank
- BGG #10,711
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Pirate Den
2015
Rules assistance for Pirate Den
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 30 min
- 14+
- Complexity 1.2/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Pirate Den
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Pirate Den is a board game released in 2015 for 3–5 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Richard James and Boyan Radakovich and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
About the game
Pirate Den is a game of bluffing and deception for 3-5 players that plays in 30 minutes or less. Players take on the role of pirate captains trying to get the most loot. Plunder the seas, steal from your rivals, and bury your treasure to protect it. The captain with the most loot at the end of the game, wins. In the game players will play cards to take gems from the center of the table and from each other, and bury to turn 5 gems into buried treasure to prevent it from being stolen. When one player has 5 buried treasure the game ends and the person with the most points between their gems and buried treasure wins, with each gem being worth 1 and each buried treasure being worth 5.
Designers
Publishers
- Crash Games
Questions and answers
Pirate Den supports 3–5 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 Pirate Den is 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 Pirate Den for ages 14 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.
Pirate Den 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.
Pirate Den belongs to these categories: Card Game, Bluffing, and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 Pirate Den are: Richard James and Boyan Radakovich. 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 Pirate Den 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.