- BGG rank
- BGG #7,613
- BGG rating
- 7.2
AFFLICTION: Salem 1692
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,634
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Usurp the King
2022
Rules assistance for Usurp the King
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 35–50 min
- 13+
- Complexity 2.7/5
Rules assistant for Usurp the King
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Usurp the King is a board game released in 2022 for 2–5 players, 35–50 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Dan Hundycz and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence.
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About the game
The King may be in trouble. The court that surrounds him contains subjects who seek power. Each player represents a family that will vie for control over subjects. Featuring seven victory conditions the path to victory may shift as you gain more information about each subject’s motives and those of the other families. Your allegiances will twist and change based on your interests. The subjects are but pawns. The game is played over two phases: INTRIGUE PHASE Players will gather information, exert influence, and gather resources. Each member of the court has a role, each player may look at 1 role, place an influence token on a court member and select a Leverage card to add to their hand. REBELLION PHASE After each player has taken five turns during the Intrigue phase they will keep 5 cards in their hand and set 4 cards aside in their reserve. In order of the Leverage item number, cards will be played to bribe, conspire, stab, poison, and to shift alliances. SCORING PHASE One of the unique aspects of this game is the 7 different victory condition. Players may change what condition they are attempting to achieve as the game evolves. After all Leverage cards, the winning player will be determined based on the resulting court conditions (which of the following living court members they control). The Usurper will win if two other court members are disgruntled and the Usurper has not been bribed. The King will win if the King is alive and the Usurper has not won. The Heir will win if the King is dead, the Usurper has not won and the Heir is not disgruntled. The Bastard will win if the King is dead, the Usurper and the Heir have not won and the Bastard is not disgruntled. If none of the above conditions have been met, the player that controls the most undisgruntled court members will win. If none of the above conditions have been met, the player that controls the Anarchist will win If none of the above conditions have been met, no player wins (Anarchy). —description from the publisher
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- DPH Games Inc
Questions and answers
Usurp the King 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 Usurp the King is 35–50 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 Usurp the King for ages 13 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.
Usurp the King has a complexity rating of 2.7 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.
Usurp the King belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Medieval, and Political. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence. 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 Usurp the King are: Dan Hundycz. 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 Usurp the King 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.