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El Capitán
- 2–5 players
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- 2007
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Vampire
2003
Rules assistance for Vampire
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Vampire
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Vampire is a board game released in 2003 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Horst-Rainer Rösner and its main mechanics are Grid Movement.
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About the game
Die Nacht der Vampire is a casual game with a vampire hunting theme. Each player takes the role of a vampire hunter entering the grounds of Castle Gruselstein, Count Dracula's castle. The board features a unique, 3D design with one half the board containing the castle grounds and the other half containing the castle stairs and castle. The castle stairway is a molded plastic insert into the board with slots on each stair for the vampires to stand in vertically. At the back edge of the stairway, a cutout for the castle itself rises vertically from the board. The game setup includes populating the castle stairs with 11 vampires (6 castle guests, and 5 butlers). On each player's turn, they can take one of three actions: 1. Move their vampire hunter, then move the vampires, 2. Draw hunt cards, then move the vampires, or 3. Move the vampires, and then throw a garlic clove. Moving the vampires involves turning over a vampire card and sliding the number of vampires the number of spaces indicated on the designated rows. If the player throws a garlic clove, they declare how many hunt cards they would like to use, and then they turn over hunt cards one at a time. The hunt cards either move the garlic clove toward the vampires on the stair within the column or forces both the hunter and clove backward. If the clove reaches a vampire, the vampire is captured, removed from the stair, and replaced from the supply. When all vampires in the supply are exhausted, the Count is brought out. When the Count is captured, the game is over and the player with the most points in captured vampires wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Ravensburger AG
- Rio Grande Games
Questions and answers
Vampire 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 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 8 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 1.2 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: Horror. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement. 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: Wolfgang Kramer and Horst-Rainer Rösner. 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.