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- BGG #127
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game
- 3–6 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
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- BGG rating
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The Keep
1983
Rules assistance for The Keep
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 30–60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.7/5
Rules assistant for The Keep
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Keep is a board game released in 1983 for 3–6 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by James D. Griffin and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Roll / Spin and Move, and Area Movement.
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About the game
A tie-in to the horror film of the same name. One player controls the evil demon, Molasar, while the others have twelve turns to find the Hilt, the only weapon that can destroy him. It can be hidden in one of six rooms near the heart of a labyrinth. There are intriguing elements to the game; Molasar starts with twelve servants but actually has to "eat" one per turn, reducing his options in terms of blocking the searchers. Combat is handled by the attacked searcher nominating another searcher to play a combat card, which is compared against Molasar's; the loser is forced to "retreat" by the difference in values. If the searcher wins, they pick up a bonus (non-combat) card. All the searchers have (minor) special powers and Molasar has a number of one-off special cards he can play in trying to delay them. You can think of it, almost, as a very early, much simpler version of Lord of the Rings - except that in this one, one of the players gets to be Sauron!
Questions and answers
The Keep supports 3–6 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 Keep is 30–60 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 Keep for ages 10 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 Keep 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 Keep belongs to these categories: Movies / TV / Radio theme and Horror. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Roll / Spin and Move, and Area Movement. 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 Keep are: James D. Griffin. 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 Keep 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.