
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,471
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Whacky Wit
- 2–5 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2013

2018
Rules assistance for Thieves
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Thieves is a board game released in 2018 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Nigel Roper and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Grid Movement.
Winner of both the Judges' and People's Choice awards for 'Best Abstract Game' at the UK Games Expo 2018, and of Imagination Gaming's 'Family Gold Award'. In Thieves, two players compete to steal a hoard of gold from the heart of a dragon’s lair. Through a labyrinth, with doorways that open and close with every roll of a pair of dice, they direct the moves and actions of their gangs of thieves. Players have three goals: to take the treasure, to keep it, and to escape with it. Throughout the game its dice deliver sudden reversals of fortune, challenging players’strategic skills by compelling them to keep adapting their plans. Every game played will be different and, whilst luck may affect the outcome of individual games, superior use of strategy will determine the winner of a series. The rules only take a few minutes to learn. Games typically take 30 minutes, although fortune with the dice, the skill of the players, and the speed of play can result in shorter or longer times. —description from the designer
Thieves supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Thieves is 30 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 Thieves for ages 8 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.
Thieves has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Thieves belongs to these categories: Dice, Abstract Strategy, and Maze. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Grid 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 Thieves are: Nigel Roper. 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 Thieves 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.