
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Tomten: The Traveler
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- 2025

2024
Rules assistance for Tomten
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.
Tomten is a board game released in 2024 for 2–4 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Chris Scaffidi and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, End Game Bonuses, and Cooperative Game.
Become one of the friendly, hard-working Scandinavian tomten, completing tasks in preparation for St. Knut's day. Players will compete to collect task cards for a mix of instant rewards and engine building by working and resting their way through the holiday season. A game takes place on a calendar-themed board beginning on December 1st, culminating on St. Knut's Day on January 13th. Tasks performed will cause resources to be spent, but resting (and some task rewards) can bring those resources back into the ready position. As players collect task cards, they'll build an engine by adding each card's rewards to their train of completion rewards when working, playing, or partying on holidays. At the end of the game, players will all join together for St. Knut's Day and score final victory bonuses based on the artwork shown on cards they've collected throughout the game. Each card features a unique illustration by Jenny Nyström, a Swedish painter and illustrator famous for her works featuring the jultomte performing tasks throughout the Christmas season. —description from the publisher
Tomten 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 Tomten 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 Tomten for ages 14 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.
Tomten 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.
Tomten belongs to these categories: Card Game and Dice. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, End Game Bonuses, and Cooperative Game. 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 Tomten are: Chris Scaffidi. 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 Tomten 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.