- BGG rank
- BGG #22,645
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Book of Dragons
- 1–8 players
- 15–60 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #30,671
- BGG rating
- 4.7
The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game
1997
Rules assistance for The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 20 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.4/5
Rules assistant for The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game is a board game released in 1997 for 2–6 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Mike Fitzgerald and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,325
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Dragon Hunt
- 2 players
- 10 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 1997
- BGG rank
- BGG #30,762
- BGG rating
- 5.3
Wyvern
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 1994
- BGG rank
- BGG #723
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Baseball Highlights: 2045
- 1–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,482
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Diamonds
- 2–6 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,758
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Mystery Rummy: Jack the Ripper
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 1998
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,792
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Wyatt Earp
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2001
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,952
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Mystery Rummy: Jekyll & Hyde
- 2 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2001
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,433
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Mystery Rummy: Al Capone and the Chicago Underworld
- 2–4 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,615
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Mystery Rummy: Murders in the Rue Morgue
- 2–4 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,075
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Mystery Rummy: Escape from Alcatraz
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,111
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Football Highlights 2052
- 1–4 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2019
About the game
All players start out as Free Peoples of Middle-earth on a journey to Mount Doom with the hopes of destroying the One Ring so it won't fall into the evil hands of Sauron. The Journey is represented by the playing of cards from your hand onto the Journey Pile (discard pile). The players as a group reach Mount Doom (i.e., the round ends) as soon as one player has run out of cards. Along the way, players will be influenced by the forces in Middle-earth, and some may be pulled by the Dark Forces to join Sauron in his attempt to gain control of the Ring. This is represented by playing Dark Forces cards and earning Dark Points. Players earn Victory Points in their journey, representing bravery and their dedication to the cause of either Gandalf or Sauron. At the end of the game, the player or players with the most Victory Points is the winner. Three rounds constitute a game. Each round represents one of the three books in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Cartamundi
- U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
- EDAF
Questions and answers
The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game supports 2–6 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 Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game 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 Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game for ages 12 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 Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game has a complexity rating of 1.4 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 Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Novel-based. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game are: Mike Fitzgerald. 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 Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game 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.