
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Die Minen von Zavandor: Die verlorenen Spruchrollen
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- 2011

Rules assistance for The Mines of Zavandor
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Mines of Zavandor is a board game released in 2010 for 2–4 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Alexander Pfister and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Trading, and Auction / Bidding.
In this third game in Lookout's Zavandor fantasy setting, it's all about dwarves. And mining. And gemstones. And other enhancements for the mines that need to get developed further during the game to have full effect. 4 different gems are the currencies in this game. However, when collecting income you draw cards from 4 different mines (card stacks) with each having its own distribution! The number of gems you earn depends on the upgrade level of your dwarves. Gems are used to either win new objects for their mine through simultaneous 4-way auctions, or to enhance their mines, objects, and victory point count. Another innovative part is that each object has to be upgraded to fully use its benefits, e.g. a level 1 dwarf only gives you 1 income per round, some level 3 dwarves give you 3 income. On the King's way through the mountain, the requirements for upgrading some special cards always change, and only the player who wins the sapphire auction knows where the next turn will lead to. There are shorter and longer paths to the Coronation Chamber, where the game ends. The game lasts between 10 to 12 rounds.
The Mines of Zavandor supports 2–4 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 Mines of Zavandor is 45–90 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 Mines of Zavandor 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 Mines of Zavandor has a complexity rating of 2.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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 Mines of Zavandor belongs to these categories: Fantasy. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Trading, and Auction / Bidding. 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 Mines of Zavandor are: Alexander Pfister. 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 Mines of Zavandor 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.