- BGG rank
- BGG #22,028
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Who Is Going to Do the Dishes?
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 1991
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,803
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Totem
1995
Rules assistance for Totem
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Totem
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Totem is a board game released in 1995 for 2–4 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Philippe des Pallières and Patrice Pillet.
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About the game
from the rules summary from Game Cabinet: This little village, the arena of our game, could be anywhere in the world. It could be in the jungles, in the savanna or in the mountains. Four families live here, and each attempts to garner the most prestige. The sign of power and status stands before each cottage: the totem pole - the taller the better. The Totem animal is the proud Tschukka bird. Its meat has nourished innumerable generations in the village, and the shaman of the village use their bones to cast spells. In this game about family generations you have one goal: Your family should become the biggest and most reputable in the village and your totem pole must be the first to have all six parts.
Questions and answers
Totem 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 Totem 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 Totem 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.
Totem 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.
Totem belongs to these categories: Civilization. Categories describe the theme, setting and style of a game rather than its rules. Filter the catalogue by the same category to find similar games when you enjoyed Totem and want something comparable for your next game night.
The credited designers of Totem are: Philippe des Pallières and Patrice Pillet. 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 Totem 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.