Our Verdict
FOR GENRE FANS
An epic cooperative challenge for fantasy lovers looking for high-stakes siege tension.
Highlights
- Epic fantasy atmosphere
- Tense resource management
- Unique character identities
- Fighting massive hordes
Keep in mind
- High language dependency
- Heavy reliance on dice
Rules manual not indexed yet
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About the game
What you do in a play session
If you're a fan of epic fantasy sagas, grab your axe because The Dwarves is a high-stakes survival experience! Based on Markus Heitz's novel series, this cooperative game casts you as heroic dwarves fighting to prevent the forces of evil from flooding Girdlegard. Forget competing against your friends; here, the board is the enemy and time is running out. Each player chooses a unique dwarf with specialized stats for fighting, crafting, or movement, making team composition vital for survival.
The gameplay is intense: before each turn, evil forces break through gates, spreading chaos across the land. To win, you must spend two action points per turn to fight orcs, trolls, and dark elves, travel to new locations, lobby the dwarven council for buffs, or tackle quests. The catch? Most actions rely on dice rolls, adding that nail-biting tension of 'will it work?'. You must complete major quests while simultaneously containing the evil flood. If you fail to balance these two objectives, the darkness wins. It's a race against time that requires tight coordination to keep the realms safe!
The gameplay is intense: before each turn, evil forces break through gates, spreading chaos across the land. To win, you must spend two action points per turn to fight orcs, trolls, and dark elves, travel to new locations, lobby the dwarven council for buffs, or tackle quests. The catch? Most actions rely on dice rolls, adding that nail-biting tension of 'will it work?'. You must complete major quests while simultaneously containing the evil flood. If you fail to balance these two objectives, the darkness wins. It's a race against time that requires tight coordination to keep the realms safe!
Gallery
Box and component photos
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
Best player count
BGG community vote
2
REC
3
BEST
4
BEST
5
REC
Soundtrack
Ambience suggested by Melodice
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Mechanics, categories, families and credits
Mechanics
Categories
Families
Publisher
Pegasus Spiele
Designer
Lukas Zach, Michael Palm
Artist
Jarek Nocoń
Community
Data from BoardGameGeek
2,491owners
263wishlist
37want to play
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy
Is the game difficult?
Yes, it's a survival game where time and evil are working against you!
Can I play solo?
Yes, it's cooperative, so you can face the board alone or with friends.
Do I need to know German?
The game has significant language dependency, so a translation or guide is highly recommended.
How long does it take?
Expect about 60 to 90 minutes of pure adrenaline.
Is it a combat game?
Yes, fighting orcs and trolls is central to your survival.
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