- BGG rank
- BGG #7,875
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Letterpress
- 1–6 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,526
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Trepanation
2023
Rules assistance for Trepanation
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 45–75 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Trepanation
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Trepanation is a board game released in 2023 for 2–5 players, 45–75 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Robin David and its main mechanics are Take That, Set Collection, and Modular Board.
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About the game
In the early 19th century, the western world trembled with fear and excitement around new medical advances. The medical horror Frankenstein was a bestselling novel, and medical shows in which physicians would electrify corpses, pull teeth, or peddle their "miracle cures" drew huge crowds. In Trepanation, players take the role of fraudulent doctors in this era who are performing medical shows for the gullible public and vying to become the most famous medical performer. The game takes place over six days (rounds). At the start of each day, players prepare their schedules by booking time slots at locations around town, then the day's events happen according to these schedules. Players will gather medicine and equipment, employ accomplices, bribe the police, and perform shows — but not all plans run smoothly. Other players will create stock shortages, steal your audience, and snatch up those essential time slots! Performing shows in related sets grants fame bonuses, as does getting your name in the local newspapers. Grave-robbing in the night damages your reputation, but earns cash! At the end of a busy week, the player who has earned the most fame wins. This worker placement game features lots of action spaces because the emphasis is on timing your actions correctly to make the most of your limited resources. —description from the publisher
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Games 4 Gamers
- dlp games
Questions and answers
Trepanation 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 Trepanation is 45–75 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 Trepanation for ages 12 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.
Trepanation 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.
Trepanation belongs to these categories: Medical. Its main mechanics are Take That, Set Collection, and Modular Board. 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 Trepanation are: Robin David. 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 Trepanation 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.