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The Mushroom Eaters
2013
Rules assistance for The Mushroom Eaters
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 90 min
- 18+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Mushroom Eaters
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Mushroom Eaters is a board game released in 2013 for 2–5 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 18 and up. It was designed by Nate Hayden and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Point to Point Movement.
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About the game
The Shaman is old. A future practitioner must be chosen to guide the others into their altered states of consciousness for the purpose of physical and psychic healing. As part of an ancient tradition, apprentices gather around a fire to drink a strong mushroom potion. The Shaman's quarters are warm and comfortable. The fire burns in the middle of the hut. Smoke moves through a hole in the roof. The sun will set soon. The Shaman and each apprentice drink from the bowl simmering near the fire. The taste, bitter and revolting. The Shaman's assistant does not drink; he stands calmly beside her. The assistant is invisible. Adorned in animal skins and strange ornaments, the Shaman begins to guide the ritual. A drum is tapped with elderly fingers, creating a primitive disjointed rhythm. The weathered drum is played for some time, then stops abruptly. The Shaman looks about the room. She looks up to the ceiling, observing the smoke escaping into the sky. "The plants now speak to us." In the adventure board game The Mushroom Eaters, 2-5 players are apprentices who have consumed a drink of the psilocybin mushroom. Each player enters into a psychedelic state together. The Shaman is guiding and observing the group, trying to understand who would be the wisest to replace her. While the group travels together, some may wander into faraway realms of their own mind, but when the mushroom wears off everyone will return. The wisest apprentice is chosen to guide the village in the future. This is the first game in a series to incorporate an "Action Path". Each player uses a hand of cards to help the group advance along this path. If cards are played correctly, the path may help the individual or the group entirely; if cards are played poorly, the entire group could be affected by the changes in the environment. Players aim to gain Experience by awakening to new understandings, centering one's self in the oblivion of the moment, gaining intense realities witnessed in the Great Paradox, and building wisdom from profound revelations.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Blast City Games
Questions and answers
The Mushroom Eaters 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 Mushroom Eaters is 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 Mushroom Eaters for ages 18 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 Mushroom Eaters has a complexity rating of 2.4 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 Mushroom Eaters belongs to these categories: Exploration, Adventure, and Ancient. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Point to Point 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 Mushroom Eaters are: Nate Hayden. 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 Mushroom Eaters 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.