- BGG rank
- BGG #11,253
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Magnolia
- 2–5 players
- 10–20 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,464
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Vorpals
2010
Rules assistance for Vorpals
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Vorpals
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Vorpals is a board game released in 2010 for 2–5 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Masato Uesugi and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,250
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Paper Tales
- 2–5 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,628
- BGG rating
- 7.3
YRO
- 1–5 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,632
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Durian
- 2–7 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,900
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Lost Legacy: Second Chronicle – Vorpal Sword & Whitegold Spire
- 2–6 players
- 10 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,167
- BGG rating
- 6.6
13 Leaves
- 3–6 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,729
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Lost Legacy: Hyakunen Senso to Ryu no Miko
- 2–4 players
- 10 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,696
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Welcome to the Dungeon
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,011
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Welcome Back to the Dungeon
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,687
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Dungeon of Mandom VIII
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,470
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Twelve Heroes
- 2 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,264
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Lunar
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2024
About the game
Vorpals is a card drafting game. It is played in four rounds, with each round representing 25 years of game time. They players are princes seeking power over an island. Over a period of 100 years, each prince will organize their army, expand their territories and fight neighbouring lords. The goal is to accumulate more victory points than anyone else by earning the devotion of the people. There are three main ways to do this. The first is to win wars with neighbouring lords. Second, it is possible to construct buildings to produce wood and ore. The third is to use the special powers of each unit or building. You are free to choose which of these strategies to pursue, individually or in combination. Each round is composed of the following four phases: 1. Deployment phase: acquire a unit card by drafting and place it by paying the cost. Units come in three basic varieties; military (e.g. veterans, knights), development (e.g. workers and farmers), and allies (e.g. dragons, goblins) 2. War Phase: Players make war with neighbouring players, the winner gaining victory points. 3. Production phase: the production of income and resources, which enable buildings (e.g. treasury, barracks, castle) to be constructed. Every building starts at level 1 and can be improved to level 2 by spending more resources. 4. Aging phase: people and monsters die two rounds after they are deployed. So, you can feel the generations change and you must carefully plan how to maintain your forces.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
- I Was Game
Questions and answers
Vorpals 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 Vorpals 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 Vorpals 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.
Vorpals 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.
Vorpals belongs to these categories: Card Game and Fantasy. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting. 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 Vorpals are: Masato Uesugi. 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 Vorpals 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.