- BGG rank
- BGG #3,345
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Commissioned
- 2–6 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,463
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Unauthorized
2017
Rules assistance for Unauthorized
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 6–12 players
- 20–40 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 6 players
Rules assistant for Unauthorized
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Unauthorized is a board game released in 2017 for 6–12 players, 20–40 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Patrick Lysaght and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers and Hand Management.
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About the game
Unauthorized is a 6-12 player, thirty-minute, social deduction-style game about life around the underground church. Players are assigned public role cards that give them an unique ability to influence the other players. A player's loyalty is determined by the experience cards they hold in their hand. As their cards change, their loyalty may shift. The object of the game is to influence a majority of players to join your side (state or church). The church players must also have at least one player not imprisoned. Unauthorized is unique from other social deduction games in a few ways. First, the player's loyalty may change during the game. Second, the mechanisms do not require a player to lie to effectively play the game. Third, to our knowledge this is the first game about an underground church. The game does not focus on theology, but does replicate the tension of living in an underground movement under heavy persecution from an oppressive government.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Chara Games
Questions and answers
Unauthorized supports 6–12 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 Unauthorized is 20–40 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 Unauthorized 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.
Unauthorized 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.
Unauthorized belongs to these categories: Party Game and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers and Hand Management. 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 Unauthorized are: Patrick Lysaght. 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 Unauthorized 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.