
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,767
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Shadow Era
- 2 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2012

2014
Rules assistance for The Black Rose
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Black Rose is a board game released in 2014 for 3–5 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 15 and up. It was designed by Sebastian Chedal and its main mechanics are Cooperative Game, Acting, and Voting.
There has been a crime committed at the Monastery—and not everyone wants justice to prevail! On one side, is the manipulative and conniving Rector. On the side of justice, the Investigators. Investigators will interview Suspects and play action cards as they attempt to avoid traps, bluffs, and interference from the Rector. At the end of each day, the Investigators meet to decide who they can trust: which Investigator is sabotaging the case and which Suspects should they accuse? Take too long or trust the wrong person, and the guilty parties will get away. The deceptive Rector will win! Only if you use your powers of deduction to the fullest will you determine which Investigator is not what he seems, and solve the case of the Black Rose. The Black Rose is set in Shadows of Esteren, a gothic world of suspense, secrecy and horror. This is an asymmetrical, investigative card game that is a counterpart to Vengeful Words, written by Nelyhann. No prior knowledge of Shadows of Esteren or Vengeful Words is required to play.
The Black Rose 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 The Black Rose is 20 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 The Black Rose for ages 15 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.
The Black Rose has a complexity rating of 1.7 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.
The Black Rose belongs to these categories: Card Game, Deduction, and Murder / Mystery. Its main mechanics are Cooperative Game, Acting, and Voting. 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 The Black Rose are: Sebastian Chedal. 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 The Black Rose 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.