- BGG rating
- 4.0
Pretense: Bonus Roles
- 2–16 players
- 60–360 min
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,067
- BGG rating
- 5.6
Pretense
2015
Rules assistance for Pretense
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–12 players
- 60–360 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Pretense
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Pretense is a board game released in 2015 for 2–12 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.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Pretense: The Champ & Sore Loser
- 2–14 players
- 60–360 min
- 2015
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About the game
It's board game night! Players are dealt roles and have the entire night to complete their secret objective. By the end of the night, the truth will come out. Pretense is a game night social metagame, essentially a game that you play DURING other games. You have a secret role and a secret objective, and if you accomplish it, you gain a point AND you steal someone's role. With that role you can try to gain more points and more roles. The game plays from 2-12 and is great on a good-sized game night with about 5-6 people.
Designers
Publishers
- Alderac Entertainment Group
- Button Shy
Questions and answers
Pretense supports 2–12 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 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 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 has a complexity rating of 1.1 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.
Pretense belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Print & Play. 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 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 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.