
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,163
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2020

2019
Rules assistance for The Grimm Masquerade
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Grimm Masquerade is a board game released in 2019 for 2–5 players, 20–40 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Tim Eisner, Ben Eisner, and James Hudson and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Deduction, and Hidden Roles.
The Beast has invited you to his castle for a Masquerade. When you enter, you are magically transformed into the identity of another character from The Grimm Forest! The Beast enjoys his antics! Players will be outed if they are given 2 artifacts of their bane, but can win the magical masquerade if they are able to collect 3 artifacts of their favor. The Beast loves to watch the characters try and oust each other. Each player will draw 2 artifacts, keeping one for themselves and giving 1 to any player at the ball. This reveals a lot of information on both players. Why did you keep that artifact? Oh excuse me Snow White, I see you have 2 mirrors does that oust you as the Evil Queen? Turning in 2 Artifacts activates special actions as well, timing these well have great benefits! Don't worry if you are outed early, you take on the role of a Ghost, you get to guess what character you think will win the magical masquerade and if you are correct, you win along with them! You also take a turn handing out Artifacts to characters to try and sway the ball to your favor! The first player to collect 3 Artifacts of Favor or to be the last player remaining will win. All other players will be given a token in their defeat. When someone has 3 tokens, that triggers the end of the masquerade and we see which player was the best! -description from designer
The Grimm Masquerade supports 2–5 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 Grimm Masquerade is 20–40 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 Grimm Masquerade for ages 8 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 Grimm Masquerade 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 Grimm Masquerade belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Deduction, and Hidden Roles. 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 Grimm Masquerade are: Tim Eisner, Ben Eisner, and James Hudson. 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 Grimm Masquerade 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.