
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,862
- BGG rating
- 7.5
The Villagers
- 7–23 players
- 15–90 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2018

Rules assistance for Pretense: Bonus Roles
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Pretense: Bonus Roles is an expansion for Pretense released in 2015 for 2–16 players, 60–360 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Jason Tagmire and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Player Elimination, and Role Playing.
5 additional roles to mix up your game nights. The Shadow mimics other roles. The Crafter adds house rules. The blank card can be anything! Crafter Klutz Maestro Shadow Blank (with Muscle art)
Pretense: Bonus Roles supports 2–16 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 Pretense: Bonus Roles is 60–360 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 Pretense: Bonus Roles for ages 7 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.
Pretense: Bonus Roles belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Player Elimination, and Role Playing. 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 Pretense: Bonus Roles are: Jason Tagmire. 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 Pretense: Bonus Roles as an expansion for Pretense. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Pretense to use it. Check that your edition of Pretense is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.