- BGG rank
- BGG #9,841
- BGG rating
- 6.2
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
- 1–4 players
- 40 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,111
- BGG rating
- 6.5
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
2013
Rules assistance for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 45–60 min
- 15+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a board game released in 2013 for 1–4 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 15 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Cooperative Game.
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About the game
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is an exciting game of adventure in which you join Bilbo Baggins™ and his 13 dwarven companions on their journey through the Mirkwood Forest and Laketown, to the goldfilled caverns of Lonely Mountain. Along the way The Company will encounter spiders, elves, orcs, and finally the dragon Smaug himself. Traverse your way through two boards, each more difficult than the last, with the goal of coming out alive and prepared for the dangers that lie ahead. Your accumulated points at the end of the game will be your group’s mark for finding out how good of a team you really are! New elements not found in the first game include “The Dragon’s Path” and the “Dwarven Barrel Escape.” Each adds new twists and tension to the game. Combine the two games for a wild ride and see how well your team can do! This is a standalone game, but it’s also an expansion to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Designers
Publishers
- Cryptozoic Entertainment
Questions and answers
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug supports 1–4 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 Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is 45–60 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 Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 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 Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug has a complexity rating of 1.8 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 Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Movies / TV / Radio theme, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Cooperative Game. 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 Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug are: Reiner Knizia. 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 Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 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.