
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,158
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Keltis: Das Kartenspiel
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2009

2000
Rules assistance for Vampire
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Vampire is a board game released in 2000 for 3–5 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection.
The goal of Vampire is to meld sets of vampires from the six different suits. Once either all the cards are drawn or one player has melds in all six suits, the game is over. The player (or players) with the weakest meld in each of the suits (non-existent zero-melds count here) is discarded. However, all remaining cards contribute their value (either one or two) to each player's total. Some have described this game as a multi-player version of Lost Cities. Part of the Goldsieber à la Carte line of games.
Vampire supports 3–5 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 Vampire is 30 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 Vampire 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.
Vampire has a complexity rating of 1.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Vampire belongs to these categories: Card Game and Horror. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection. 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 Vampire are: Reiner Knizia. 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 Vampire 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.